I, the villainous eldest prince, will suppress everything!

A few days later.

Then came the sound of gongs and drums.

People on the street automatically moved to both sides to make way.

"Father, Father, who is he?"

A three- or four-year-old girl with two little pigtails on her head held her father's hand, raised her cute little face, and asked happily.

Following her gaze, I saw a procession walking towards me on the street.

Some people were responsible for banging gongs and drums, while others were responsible for maintaining order on the street.

The most eye-catching figure was the young man in the procession, riding a tall horse and wearing a scarlet official robe.

The father easily picked up the little girl, let her sit on his shoulders, and said, "That's this year's top scholar."

"Oh, he's the top scholar!" The little girl seemed to understand, then clapped her hands happily.

"Hey, tell me, whose house do you think this year's top scholar will visit to 'test the imperial examination results'?"

"Tanhua? What does Tanhua mean? I only know Tanhualang, who came in third place in the palace examination."

"You must be from out of town. You're such a bumpkin. You don't even know what a 'third-ranked scholar' is. A 'third-ranked scholar' isn't the same as a 'third-ranked scholar' in the imperial examination."

"The so-called 'third-place scholar' is a customary practice in the capital of our Great Zhou Dynasty. All successful candidates in the imperial examination can freely enter and leave the mansions and courtyards of the capital today to pick flowers to adorn themselves."

"Oh, I see. I've learned something new."

The crowd on the street was buzzing with discussion, creating quite a stir.

They knew that picking flowers to adorn themselves was something they were aware of.

What they didn't know was that this was also the time to choose a master.

Once you enter someone's courtyard, you belong to that person from that moment on.

Therefore, today is also the most tense time for the noble families in the capital.

If no successful candidates from the imperial examinations enter their homes, they will have suffered a huge loss this year.

As the top scholar's procession walked further and further away, the wealthy families with their doors open on both sides of the street all sighed with regret.

Some families even had their heads of household personally come out to greet them, but the top scholar didn't even glance at them.

The top scholar's procession set off from the palace and slowly made its way to the most secluded part of the capital.

It's not that this location is bad; quite the opposite, it's an excellent location, extremely valuable.

Because all the houses here belong to the noble families of the capital, ordinary people don't even have the right to come here.

At this moment, the doors of all the noble families are wide open. Many of the scholars who came early to take the imperial examination have already made their choices, and many noble families are also extending olive branches to the top scholar.

But the top scholar, riding a tall horse, still ignored him completely.

It was as if, in the eyes of the top scorer, they were all trash.

The top scholar was about to ride his horse past their house.

Some people finally couldn't resist anymore, and took the initiative to go out into the street, lower themselves, and wave and shout:

"Scholar Cao, please wait! Please wait!"

This year's top scorer is none other than Cao Quan.

Upon hearing the sound, Cao Quan tightened his grip on the reins and turned to look.

Actually, Cao Quan originally didn't want to stop.

He wanted to walk all the way to the end of the street.

His destination was the mansion at the end of the road.

But the person who called out to him piqued his interest, and he stopped.

"Lord Zhao!"

Cao Quan did not dismount, but simply cupped his hands in greeting to the newcomer.

There were two people who came, both surnamed Zhao.

If it wasn't the brothers Zhao Guanwen and Zhao Guanli, then who were they?

Seeing that Cao Quan merely bowed perfunctorily from horseback without even dismounting, the brothers Zhao Guanwen and Zhao Guanli did not look too pleased.

They were, after all, close advisors to the emperor, having spent half their lives in the central government.

In the imperial court, apart from Qin Li and a very few other ministers, no one dared to disrespect them.

Cao Quan, on the other hand, a mere top scholar, didn't even dismount his horse.

If they won't even dismount now, what will they be like in the future?

If he really becomes a high-ranking official, he'll be riding on their necks and shitting on them.

But there's nothing we can do about it now.

Who told the two of them to try and recruit Cao Quan?

Therefore, they pretended not to see Cao Quan's failure to dismount.

"I wonder why you two Lord Zhao want me to stay? Your flowers aren't very pretty, I don't like them." Cao Quan's words were a polite way of declining their offer.

If it were anyone else, they would definitely have let Cao Quan go, because forced relationships are never happy.

But the two of them kept talking, one after the other:

"How do you know my flowers aren't pretty before Scholar Cao has even stepped into my house?"

"Yes, my family has several new wintersweet trees that have bloomed this year. They are very beautiful. Why don't you come to the mansion, Scholar Cao, to take a look?"

Cao Quan dropped the pretense and waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Winter plum blossoms? What winter plum blossoms are there this season?"

"There's no need for you two to stay. I have someone else in my heart, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying this, Cao Quan rode away, not giving the two a chance to speak again.

The two were left standing on the street, feeling incredibly embarrassed, especially with the onlookers from other noble families watching their spectacle. They felt so ashamed they wanted to disappear into the ground.

Very well! How dare a mere top scholar humiliate them like this.

Since we can't be on the same side, we'll be enemies from now on. Don't blame them for showing no mercy.

Soon, Cao Quan rode his horse to the place he desired.

He had visited this mansion before, more than once, but each time he was filled with excitement.

At this very moment, this is the only house on the street that hasn't opened its doors yet, which is quite a spectacle.

Although it was not open, the area in front of the gate was crowded with scholars who had passed the imperial examinations.

More than 70% of the successful candidates in this year's imperial examinations were from here, which made the surrounding mansions the envy of many.

"The top scholar is here! Make way!"

A perceptive scholar shouted, and the other scholars gathered at the gate of the mansion quickly made way for Cao Quan.

"Scholar, it's wonderful that you've arrived! The gates of the Crown Prince's residence are still closed. Why don't you go knock on the door for us?"

"What? You also want to join the Crown Prince's ranks?" Cao Quan asked.

"That's right! I just don't know if His Highness the Crown Prince would be willing to accept us. I've heard that the top scholar and the Crown Prince have a very good personal relationship. I hope the top scholar can put in a good word for us with His Highness the Crown Prince."

Cao Quan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Of course."

With a swift movement, Cao Quan dismounted and walked up the steps to the gate of the Crown Prince's residence.

He reached out, grabbed the huge brass ring on the door, and knocked it on.

Dang dang dang.

After several knocks, the gate of the Crown Prince's residence remained silent, as if the people inside had not heard the knocking.

"Hey, his door's closed, but ours is wide open. Why don't you all come in?"

The noble families who lived nearby called out.

The scholars who wanted to gather in front of the Crown Prince's residence went to his house.

The scholars remained unmoved and suggested that Cao Quan knock a few more times.

Cao Quan took a deep breath, pulled the brass ring on the door again, and knocked on the door a few times.

Clang!

With a creak, the door finally opened.

It wasn't the crown prince who stepped out, but a woman!

Some people recognize this woman, while others don't.

"Hey, they just sent a woman to fob you off, no sincerity whatsoever, you might as well not go in!"

The nearby noble families are making their final efforts and attempts.

If all these successful candidates were to join the Crown Prince's residence.

In the future, they will have even less of a good time in the imperial court.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"This is the Crown Prince's concubine!"

"How can it be that the concubine herself came out to greet us without sincerity? This clearly shows she treats everyone as family."

One of the scholars recognized Xiao Xue'er, stretched out his hands, and said happily.

At the main entrance, Xiao Xue'er clasped her hands together and placed them against her lower abdomen:

"My Crown Prince said he's sorry to have kept you all waiting!"

After speaking, Xiao Xue'er turned sideways and extended an arm, "Everyone, His Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting for a long time, please!"

These words were like a command, and the scholars who had been gathered at the foot of the steps immediately swarmed into the gate of the Crown Prince's residence, almost breaking the threshold.

The noble families living nearby witnessed this scene and were filled with remorse.

Cao Quan was the last to enter, and he bowed to Xiao Xue'er with clasped hands.

Xiao Xue'er nodded in acknowledgment, "Top scholar, please!"