Emperor Jing questioned the Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, Tanhua, and the other newly ranked Jinshi one by one. Seeing that they responded appropriately and displayed considerable talent and intellect, he nodded repeatedly. Immediately raising his hand, he signaled the eunuch to announce the imperial decree granting official positions.
As the ceremonial music gradually subsided, the eunuch unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict and proclaimed it in a clear, resonant voice. The hall instantly fell into solemn silence.
Led by Chu Moqing, the assembled Jinshi uniformly bowed and knelt, quietly awaiting their appointments.
"Chu Moqing, the Newly Ranked Zhuangyuan, demonstrates keen intellect and incisive policy discourse. He is hereby appointed as a Compiler in the Hanlinyuan, with a rank of the sixth grade, to assume his duties immediately—"
The remaining individuals received their appointments in turn. The eunuch read aloud clearly, and within moments, the official positions for the Bangyan, Tanhua, and the newly ranked Jinshi were all bestowed.
The entire hall expressed gratitude and bowed in homage, acclaiming "Long live the Emperor" in unison.
Chu Moqing bowed his head once more, his voice steady and clear: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for this profound grace."
Tang Jinyan sat in the upper seat, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim of her cup.
The Hanlinyuan was a prestigious and crucial institution, the essential path for future entry into the Grand Secretariat and appointment as a chancellor. Soaring to great heights—this was precisely the starting point he deserved.
In this life, free from the constraints of being a princess's Fuma and the weariness of confinement within the inner court, he could finally ascend step by step, guided by his own talent.
She lowered her gaze and smiled faintly, genuinely feeling relieved for him.
Very good.
This was truly very good.
The palace banquet continued. Within the hall, song and dance flourished, the aroma of wine mingled with incense, and waves of lively chatter filled the air.
Tang Jinyan sat for a while longer, but only felt the atmosphere around her grow increasingly stifling. Unable to bear sitting any longer, she softly requested leave from her Imperial Father and Empress Mother, then rose and departed from the banquet.
She did not notice that the moment she turned and walked out of the grand hall, a gaze from within followed her retreating figure intently, lingering for a long time without shifting away.
Tang Jinyan dismissed her attendants and slowly walked alone to the imperial garden.
Gazing at the scattered pavilions, towers, and murmuring streams in the distance, she repeatedly reminded herself in her heart:
Having been reborn into this life, blessed with immense favor, and surrounded by splendid landscapes and peaceful times, she absolutely must not let her emotions be stirred by Chu Moqing again, nor squander this hard-won rebirth.
Just as she was concentrating on calming her thoughts and emotions, a gentle, clear male voice sounded from behind her: "Your subject pays his respects to Her Highness the Princess."
Hearing the voice, Tang Jinyan turned around. Before her stood a man dressed in the blue robe of a Jinshi, his posture upright, his eyes gentle and humble. He looked familiar, seemingly the Bangyan who had stood behind Chu Moqing in the grand hall earlier.
A faint trace of confusion flickered in Tang Jinyan's eyes as she softly asked, "Who are you?"
The man bowed slightly once more, his demeanor proper, his voice clear and steady: "Your subject is Xu Tingyi, placed as Bangyan in this imperial examination. I greet Princess Zhaoyuan."
Tang Jinyan gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, her tone light yet not lacking in royal dignity: "You may rise, Lord Xu."
Xu Tingyi straightened up, standing properly. His gaze remained gentle yet not overstepping, always lowered somewhat, not daring to look directly upon the princess's noble countenance, fully displaying the propriety of a subject.
Tang Jinyan had no intention of conversing at length with an unrelated man. The entanglements of her past life had long made her unwilling to have excessive involvement with scholars from the court.
"This Princess merely left the hall for some respite. Lord Xu should return to the banquet, lest you miss the palace festivities."
Xu Tingyi bowed respectfully, his tone courteous and polite:
"Your subject noticed the Princess alone here, without a single attendant by her side, and feared it might be improper. Hence, I exercised a bit more caution, with no other intention. I hope Your Highness does not take offense."
Tang Jinyan gently shook her head: "It is of no concern. This Princess has her own arrangements; there is no need for Lord Xu to worry."
Upon hearing this, Xu Tingyi said no more, respectfully replying, "In that case, this humble official shall not disturb Your Highness's peace and will take his leave."
With that, he bowed once more, took two steps back, then turned and retraced his path. Throughout, his demeanor remained proper and not the slightest bit presumptuous.
Tang Jinyan watched Xu Tingyi's receding figure, her thoughts turning inward.
In her previous life, her heart and eyes had been wholly fixed on Chu Moqing. In the grand hall, she had stubbornly insisted on requesting an imperial marriage decree, and the latter half of her life had been trapped within that marriage. With this Bangyan, who had also achieved Imperial Examination Success, she had had no interaction whatsoever from beginning to end.
Now that she had altered her path, avoiding the calamity of her past life, she truly encountered entirely different people and events.
Tang Jinyan withdrew her gaze, turning to stare at the flowing water in the lake before her. Multicolored koi flicked their tails, swimming and playing freely in the water. Yet ultimately, they were still confined within this imperial pond, unable to escape this limited world.
Lost in such thoughts, she gradually drifted into a daze, wholly immersed in her own reflections, completely unaware of the footsteps quietly approaching from behind.
The next second, a sudden, brute force shoved hard against her shoulder from behind. With a startled cry, she instantly lost her balance, plummeting straight into the icy pond water.
The moment she hit the water, Tang Jinyan felt a buzzing in her ears. The bone-chilling lake water instantly flooded her mouth and nose, the cold liquid seeping into her lungs with each breath.
Her entire body stiffened with cold. Her soaked skirt clung heavily around her legs; the more she struggled, the deeper she sank toward the pond's bottom, her consciousness gradually beginning to scatter.
Amidst the sinking and rising, the icy water stung her lungs painfully. Tang Jinyan's vision blurred repeatedly with darkness.
In the chaos, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a blue-green figure in her peripheral vision, rushing toward her at great speed from afar—it was Xu Tingyi! He was about to leap in.
However, faster than him was a figure clad in red, carrying an air of desperate urgency.
That flash of brilliant red was like the fiercest flame in the night, plunging into the pond almost the instant she fell.
The piercingly cold water instantly swallowed that vibrant color. A pair of powerful arms abruptly lifted her up, carrying her with an irresistible force through the layers of water toward the shore.
The heavy, wet official robe became weighty after absorbing water. That red-clad figure seemed to be exerting every ounce of strength to support her, each stroke accompanied by urgent, panting breaths.
In her hazy consciousness, Tang Jinyan felt her heart tremble at that familiar, domineering sense of protection.
With great effort, she lifted her heavy eyelids. Through the misty water vapor, she collided with a pair of sharp eyes.
It was Chu Moqing.
His jaw was clenched tight, the line of it drawn into a severe edge. Every breath choked on water, yet he stubbornly held her securely against his chest, not yielding an inch.
On the shore, Xu Tingyi had just reached the pond's edge. Seeing the scene, his steps halted abruptly, a complex, indecipherable light flashing in his eyes. In the end, he forcibly stopped himself.
Chu Moqing, half-submerged in the icy water, held Tang Jinyan's waist tightly with one arm. His face was pale from the cold water, yet he still strained with all his might, pushing Tang Jinyan toward the shore.
Catching sight of Xu Tingyi standing rigidly on the bank, his brow furrowed tightly. His voice, hoarse and panting, carried a sharp urgency as he barked, "What are you standing there for? Pull her up!"
Xu Tingyi snapped back to reality, not daring to delay any longer. He quickly leaned down, extending both hands to firmly grasp Tang Jinyan's arms, one on each side, and carefully pulled the thoroughly drenched, weak and feeble Princess onto the shore.