"With so many students living in his house, can he afford to support them?" The annual salary of a Hanlin Academy compiler didn't seem very high.
Song Gaoli puffed out his cheeks for a long while before finally exhaling and swallowing his frustration.
He said aggrievedly, "He doesn't have money, but his wife is quite wealthy—so wealthy that even I'm a bit envious."
After Song Qiming asked for details, he found out that Duan Yanhua was able to enter the Hanlin Academy back then because he had a rich father-in-law.
Because the father-in-law had no sons and worried that his estate would be divided up by the clan after his death, he simply donated two hundred thousand taels of silver to the imperial court right before he died. For the sake of the money, the Emperor bestowed the position of Hanlin Academy compiler upon Duan Yanhua. Unexpectedly, Duan hadn't climbed any higher in over a decade, making the two hundred thousand taels essentially a wasted donation.
If his father-in-law knew about this in the underworld, he would surely crawl out from the depths of hell to scold him to death.
Duan Yanhua's wife brought a substantial dowry when she married him. Although it had been mostly depleted over the years, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse; it was more than enough to support a few extra mouths.
After hearing Song Gaoli's explanation, Song Qiming didn't know what to say.
"How talented are the students Duan Yanhua is keeping in his estate? Is there any hope of them passing the metropolitan examination to become Jinshi?"
Song Gaoli shook his head. "I chatted with them for a couple of hours yesterday. They can't compare to you, but they are much better than me. I'm not sure if they can pass."
Song Qiming asked, "What do you plan to do now?"
He had already formally acknowledged him as his teacher; it was too late to back out now.
Song Gaoli took a deep breath, cheering himself up. "What else can I do? This is how it has to be. With my qualifications, I didn't have much of a choice anyway. Having a teacher is better than not having one at all."
That evening, in the rear courtyard of the Prince of Ying's estate, Xiao Rongyan went to Li Qinyun's courtyard.
"Song Jinzhao and her brother have arrived in the capital and are staying at Ye Liangyu's estate. Didn't you say you got along wonderfully with her in Anyang Prefecture? Then invite the siblings over for a chat another day."
Li Qinyun raised her elegant eyebrows in surprise, not expecting them to arrive so soon. She asked, "Did Song Qiming pass the provincial examination?"
Xiao Rongyan nodded with a displeased expression. "He took first place in the Longbei Province provincial examination. Ye Liangyu really taught a good student. It's almost a certainty that this boy will pass the metropolitan examination next spring."
Li Qinyun's crimson lips tightened slightly. "In that case, I will invite Song Jinzhao and her brother over tomorrow."
Xiao Rongyan shook his head. "The day after tomorrow is my royal father's birthday banquet. Let's wait until after the banquet to invite them. I want to see this thirteen-year-old top scholar with my own eyes."
It was golden autumn. On the day of the Dongzhao Emperor's fiftieth birthday, red silk was hung high all over the capital in celebration. As the sky slightly darkened in the evening, the lights inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony shone as dazzlingly as bright pearls. Officials of the fifth rank and above wore their court attire and brought their families into the palace to celebrate.
Following a long, ringing call from the Directorate of Ceremonial, the crowd was guided by the master of ceremonies to their seats according to their ranks, standing in place to wait quietly.
Accompanied by solemn ceremonial music, Emperor Xiao Chengjing appeared at the entrance of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The moment he appeared, everyone knelt down in succession to perform the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows, shouting loudly, "Long live the Emperor, long live, long long live."
The voices echoed throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony and lingered in the imperial palace for a long time.
In a carriage outside the palace walls, Song Qiming pricked up his ears and said uncertainly, "Sister, I think I hear people shouting 'long live'."
The crowd's loud shouts were already very faint and muffled by the time they reached outside the palace walls. If it weren't for the surrounding silence, they wouldn't have been heard at all.
Song Jinzhao, who had sharp hearing, nodded slightly. "It's 'Long live the Emperor, long live, long long live.' The birthday banquet has begun."
Song Qiming took a deep breath, feeling a bit apprehensive.
Even though he knew he wouldn't be summoned by the Emperor, he was still a little nervous at the thought of his sister seeing His Majesty.
Song Jinzhao looked calm. Her gaze toward the palace gates was distant and peaceful, as if she could see right through everything to the grand occasion inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Sitting on the resplendent Nine Dragon Throne, Xiao Chengjing looked down at his subjects with immense satisfaction. He had sat on this dragon throne for twenty years. Now over fifty, he was still in the prime of his life. There would be another ten, twenty, thirty years, or even longer. An emperor shared the same lifespan as the heavens; what did it matter if he lived to be a hundred?
"Rise, my beloved subjects. Today is a birthday banquet for you to celebrate with Us. There is no need to be overly formal. Please, take your seats."
After a piece of music was played, the eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial shouted the words "Present the gifts" in his sharp voice, dragging out the final syllable for a very long time.
The most crucial part of this birthday banquet had finally begun.
