Chapter 177: She Has Wonderful Qualities?

Typically, one would first pay respects to the host at a banquet. However, the talent banquet was different. To attend, one had to first answer a series of questions.

There were seven stages, with guards stationed throughout. Everyone had a chance to complete them. After the answers were graded, only those selected would be allowed to take a seat.

Stacks of examination papers were brought in. Xiao Li and Song Junzhan sat on opposite sides, grading them together.

The sons of aristocratic families who attended had ulterior motives. While their numbers were great, their substance was lacking. Aside from showering her with flowery praise, very few possessed any real talent.

After all, any truly capable son of a noble family had already been sent by their relatives to gain experience in the court. Why would they have time for some so-called talent banquet held by a princess?

The annual lantern festival at Dengyun Building was the real opportunity for these distinguished young nobles to prove themselves; they had no need to show off at her Princess Mansion.

Besides, everyone thought this was Princess Xuanyang’s banquet to choose a husband. Who would dare let their sons come here to be ruined by Xiao Li?

On one of the mathematics papers, Xiao Li found an extravagant love poem. The wording was rather elegant. It started by praising Xiao Li to the high heavens—she wondered if the man had ever even seen her. He extolled her as if she were unparalleled in heaven and on earth, calling her everything from a "Mysterious Woman" to an "immortal." Then, he praised her wonderful character. Huh?!

’I have wonderful qualities?’

He then confessed his deep admiration, stating his only wish was to meet her once to profess his longing.

Xiao Li didn’t feel any affection, but she certainly felt the cringe.

She glanced down at the stack of papers and simply had them taken over to Song Junzhan.

At first, Song Junzhan didn’t understand. A moment later, he slowly looked up, shot Xiao Li a helpless glance, then covered the offending paper and continued reading.

Some of the poor family’s children had also written love poems. Theirs weren’t as direct, written with more subtlety, expressing their admiration for the Princess and a desire to serve her.

This "service"... didn’t seem entirely proper.

Setting those aside, there were a fair few with genuine talent. Xiao Li picked out the ones she approved of. When she checked, she found that half of them were names Song Junzhan had already put on his list.

The evaluations began at 7 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m. By now, the sun had set, and the evening sky was awash with color.

Everyone was growing impatient. Some even suspected the Princess Mansion’s talent banquet was just a cruel joke, that there was no banquet at all and the Princess simply wanted to torment them.

Suddenly, rows of maids emerged carrying intricately carved lanterns. Starting from the entrance, they lit up a brilliantly illuminated path.

In the middle of the path stood Yang Jun, his posture ramrod straight in a dark red, wide-sleeved robe, his presence commanding.

He first took out a list and began to read, his enunciation clear and slow. "Liu Yan, Tang Shuyu, Su Ziqi, Shi Mo, Chen Quan, Lin Yici, Meng Xuan. A total of seven people."

After finishing the list, he cupped his hands and announced, "Will the chosen scholars please take your seats!"

Those whose names were called and those whose were not were all stunned.

"Just seven people? Only the ones who were chosen get to attend?"

"Isn’t she just toying with us?"

At least three hundred people had participated today, and they had been waiting since morning for the banquet to begin.

They could accept some being eliminated, but they couldn’t accept that only seven were chosen.

"Can you even call it a banquet with only seven people?"

Rong Qing, clad in a full suit of armor, stood before the guards, an imposing figure. He slammed the butt of his greatsword onto the ground with a THUD, his aura utterly domineering.

Those longswords were clearly not for show.

Dressed like a scholar today, Yang Jun’s demeanor seemed much milder. He stood smiling next to Rong Qing, waiting for the crowd to fall silent before speaking. "Since the Princess has hosted a banquet, she would naturally not neglect any of her guests. Please proceed to the southern courtyard, where a feast has been prepared. You are all welcome to drink and make merry to your heart’s content."

"The seven scholars whose names I just called will be dining with the Princess. If they do not step forward, they will be considered to have forfeited their spot and may leave."

The seven men stepped out from the crowd, enduring the hostile stares of the others. Some were composed and at ease, while others were so nervous their faces had gone pale.

Unnoticed by the crowd, an agitated young man in green robes was about to step forward when he was suddenly bumped by the person next to him. His body swayed, and as he was caught and held, he went still. The figure beside him then brushed past and walked forward in his place.

Yang Jun’s gaze swept over the seven men. He didn’t know what the Princess’s selection criteria were, but they were all quite handsome.

When his gaze fell on the last man, his pupils contracted. ’This person...’ He drew a sharp breath. ’Surely no one will die tonight?’

He strode over to the man and carefully checked the name on his list. "You are Liu Yan?"

The man in green robes offered a faint, elegant smile and nodded. "I am. Is there a problem?"

Yang Jun stared at the face that was a sixty to seventy percent match for the former Prince Consort and couldn’t help but take a deep breath. ’A problem? This is a huge problem.’

However, the Princess had chosen him, so Yang Jun couldn’t take it upon himself to send him away.

"No problem."

Just as he was about to lead the men inside, someone stepped forward to block his path. The newcomer’s gaze was full of arrogance. "I am Xue Bin. I have come at His Majesty’s behest to pay my respects to Princess Xuanyang. Kindly announce me."

Among the seven chosen men, a young gentleman in a plain brocade robe looked at Xue Bin in surprise.

Many sons from aristocratic families were present today, so Xue Bin of the Xue Family had naturally been noticed from the very beginning.

They knew he was likely aiming for the position of Prince Consort, but they hadn’t expected him to invoke the Emperor’s name.

Yang Jun stopped him. "Please wait."

After hearing Yang Jun’s report, Xiao Li wasn’t surprised. She knew the Emperor wouldn’t just sit back quietly while she stirred up trouble.

"I won’t see him."

’What, am I supposed to let him in for a matchmaking session? The Emperor hasn’t issued a formal decree, so bringing him up is pointless.’

Yang Jun didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he first reported the matter concerning Liu Yan.

’He looks seventy percent similar to Lu Yanzhi?’

Xiao Li raised an eyebrow. ’What kind of ploy is this?’

"Let the banquet begin."

Since Xiao Li was the one preparing the banquet, she had naturally made ample arrangements. The feast in the outer courtyard was prepared for four hundred people, though only three hundred had shown up. In her private hall, she had prepared for twenty, but in the end, only seven were chosen.

But when it came to selecting talent, she preferred quality over quantity.

The extra tables were cleared away, leaving only eight seats.

Xiao Li took the seat of honor in the center. Song Junzhan sat to her right, and the other seven took their seats in the pre-arranged order.

As Xiao Li entered, the seven men rose to greet her. She raised a hand. "Dispense with the formalities. Please, be seated."

Once everyone was seated, Xiao Li’s gaze swept across them. When she got a clear look at the man in question, she was still taken aback, despite having been warned.

"You are Liu Yan?"

Liu Yan looked at Xiao Li with a smile. It was calm and composed, yet seemed to hold a hidden meaning. "Replying to the Princess, I am he."

At first glance, this Liu Yan’s face was a dead ringer for Lu Yanzhi, but his tone and demeanor were completely different. The smile in his eyes might be mistaken for affection at first, but it was actually flirtatious and frivolous.

Xiao Li thought about the answers he had given on the examination, and she found it difficult to reconcile them with the man before her now.

A thought suddenly occurred to her, and she turned to look at Song Junzhan. As expected, he was staring at the man with a grave expression. When he saw her looking, he gave a slight shake of his head.

Xiao Li had just remembered that Liu Yan was one of the names on Song Junzhan’s list. His file stated that his family had fallen on hard times and he lived a very frugal life, earning money by working in a study—copying books, keeping accounts, even waiting tables. He did a bit of everything.

How could such a person afford to wear fine brocade robes? And where did he get this rakish air, typical only of a profligate son from an aristocratic family? It was clearly not the bearing of someone whose writing was so rigorous, earnest, and grounded in reality.

And that face... the implication was far too obvious.

’The Lu Family... just looking at them is irritating.’

"Guards, seize him!"