Could it be that the rebellion of the Luo family in Youzhou back then had another hidden story? Yu Mingyue paused, thinking of Luo Lingyi's expression that day. The heavier her worry, the more she decided to write to her brother upon her return to resolve the doubts in her heart.
Not long after Yu Mingyue returned, Xu Shaoling requested leave, "It's rare to have a free day, and a few of us want to take a walk nearby."
The others were curious about the identity of that Xiao Qilang, but since Xu Shaoling had requested leave, they couldn't ask further.
Yu Mingyue could tell that Xu Shaoling had likely guessed that Xiao Qilang was the current Crown Prince, and that he was acting with her best interests in mind. She enthusiastically recommended several good places for him.
As they were leaving, Xu Shaoling, walking last, said, "I forgot to tell Sixth Miss that the books from the Cui family's academy have been half-sorted. Academician Xie has handed them over to his mentor for safekeeping, so Sixth Miss can rest assured."
These books would also be returned to the Cui family through Yu Liuniang. As long as the books were there, the spirit of the Cui family would remain.
This was probably the best news Yu Mingyue had heard recently. She had finally not failed her maternal grandfather's trust.
...
The biggest event in the Yu family recently was Yu Erlang's imperial examination. He had gone out on the second day of the second lunar month and had not left his study since.
On the day of the Spring Imperial Examination, the Yu family accompanied Yu Mingchuan out. The Second Madam seemed even more nervous than her son, constantly giving him instructions.
It was only when Yu Mingchuan said he would be late if he didn't leave that the Second Madam finally relented.
The three rounds of examinations required staying in that small cubicle for nine days. The Second Madam felt sorry for her son and continued to fret on the way back, worrying about him eating cold steamed buns and whether he could have hot tea. She also prayed that the weather wouldn't change during these days, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to withstand the cold in his thin shirt.
Yu Miaoyan and Yu Mingyue exchanged a glance, deliberately slowed their pace, and took a different path.
When the Second Madam Yu discovered she was the only one talking to herself, she couldn't help but say, "Not a single one of these children is reliable."
Yu Miaoyan would be married in a month. She privately hoped her brother would place on the honor roll, which would give her more confidence in her future husband's family.
However, she didn't tell her brother these words, lest she put too much pressure on him. She could see how hard her brother had been working for this Spring Imperial Examination.
"I heard that Xie Jiayan was promoted to the rank of Hanlin Scholar of the second rank for his meritorious service in managing the official academy. It seems he will be able to enter the cabinet and become a minister before long. Sister, you will soon come of age, and it won't be long before you can be married," Yu Miaoyan said with a hint of teasing.
Yu Mingyue pretended not to understand, "There's no rush. Third Sister and Fifth Sister haven't been engaged yet, so why should I be in a hurry?"
"Are you silly? Many noble ladies have their eyes on talented young men like Xie Jiayan who are heavily relied upon by the Emperor. If someone else snatches him first, you'll just have to cry in secret," Yu Miaoyan was genuinely considering Yu Mingyue's interests this time.
She also had her own close friends among the ladies, and she heard that several families were waiting for the opportunity to propose to scholars after this Spring Imperial Examination. Of course, Xie Jiayan was the most sought-after.
After all, even if one became the top scholar, they would still have to start as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Xie Jiayan was already of the second rank. Looking around the capital, where else could one find such a young and unmarried official of the second rank?
The Mo family worked tirelessly, sending Yuxi into the palace. Her brother was currently just a minor compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Even with the Mo family's backing, he was incomparable to Xie Jiayan.
Yu Mingyue hadn't expected Yu Miaoyan to be so direct. She was indeed engaged, daring to say anything.
"Some things depend on fate," Yu Mingyue thought. She wished it were so, but such matters couldn't be decided by one person. If he didn't agree, she couldn't do anything.
She couldn't go and snatch him, and besides, he was a second-rank official now, making it truly difficult to snatch.
However, once the Jiangzhou Academy was on the right track, the Emperor would likely summon him back to the capital.
Yu Miaoyan naturally didn't believe in fate. The Xie family was right next door to the State Duke's mansion. As the saying goes, "A nearby pond yields more fish." Wasn't that fate?
She had often seen Sixth Miss running next door before and thought they already had mutual feelings, but from her appearance, it didn't seem like it.
Although marriage wasn't solely about fate, it was still subject to parental decree and matchmakers. Thus, she didn't continue this topic and instead spoke about the selection of female officials by the Six Ministries after the Spring Imperial Examination.
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, there were female officials, but the system was linked to the concubine system. In the previous dynasty, the female official system was separated from the concubine system, but it only dealt with matters within the harem and did not involve court affairs. However, the harem and the court had always been closely related, and many female officials had integrated into the Six Ministries.
The Emperor's agreement to select female officials this time was actually to promote the imperial examination system and show the people the court's determination to select talent without regard to background.
The requirements for the imperial selection of female officials this time were also very strict. In addition to the Four Books and Five Classics, calligraphy, and arithmetic for the Ministry of Revenue, it included hydrology and geography for the Ministry of Works, and the Great Wei Law for the Ministry of Justice and the Grand Court of Revision.
"I heard that the 'Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art' can't be found in any bookstore in the capital, and even the 'Great Wei Law,' which was previously ignored, is sold out," Yu Miaoyan was surprised by the high desire for official positions among women.
"As expected." In fact, the cultivation of women in aristocratic families was no less than that of men. If a daughter was well-trained, she would be the most beneficial guarantee for the family in future alliances.
"Aren't you going to take the exam for female official? How is your preparation?"
"It's alright." Yu Mingyue's casual tone made her seem even more confident.
The Cui family placed particular importance on the education of women, especially in arithmetic. For women who would manage households in the future, learning these subjects was more practical than the "Female Precepts."
As for the Great Wei Law, it went without saying. The Great Wei Law was revised by the aristocratic families themselves, and she had been familiar with it since childhood, able to recite any clause at random.
"It seems I'll have to call you Minister Yu from now on?"
"You're welcome, you're welcome!"
As the two were joking and playing, a嬷嬷 (māmā, elderly female servant) from Madam Cui's side said, "Miss, someone has arrived from the palace. Madam wants you to go to the main hall."