Admiration

After exchanging greetings and praising Zhao Ruxi, everyone politely declined to sit down.

Xiao Ruotong stuck her head out and looked outside. "Shouldn't they be here soon? Why aren't they here yet?"

"It'll be ready soon," Madam Cui said.

At this moment, in a private room not far from theirs, sat a handsome young man, none other than Xiao Lingyan.

"Your Highness, I have made the arrangements as you instructed," Wang Tong reported.

After learning that Zhao Ruxi had become the top scholar, Xiao Lingyan ordered the entire street to be prepared, with guards placed both openly and secretly every few feet to protect Zhao Ruxi in case anything happened to her.

However, he knew that this was just because he was being too cautious and too concerned about Zhao Ruxi.

His relationship with Zhao Ruxi had not yet been discovered. Those who targeted Zhao Ruxi were not mortal enemies. After the Emperor dealt with Princess Pingyang and her group and treated Consort Jin daughter coldly, basically no one risked offending the Emperor to target Zhao Ruxi again.

To embarrass Zhao Ruxi at this time would be a direct slap in the face to the Emperor and the Great Jin. Anyone with a brain wouldn't do something so stupid.

Of course, we also need to guard against the emergence of mentally challenged individuals.

Zhao Ruxi had already changed into a new set of clothes with the help of Bai Wei and two palace maids. The style of the clothes was made according to the official robes, bright red, and the official hat was still made into a headdress, just like the official robes of the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), and was worn on her head.

The official robes were a single, fitted garment with no waistline. However, Zhao Ruxi was tall and slender, and the red color suited her perfectly. Wearing them did not diminish her beauty at all; on the contrary, it gave her a unique kind of charm.

Now that Bai Wei was familiar with Zhao Ruxi, she couldn't help but tease, "Oh my, you look like a bride."

Zhao Ruxi glared at her. "Nonsense."

After changing her clothes, Zhao Ruxi followed Bai Wei out. Duan Chen had also changed his clothes, stared at Zhao Ruxi with wide eyes.

Ding Lianjin could understand the young man's infatuation. However, he couldn't afford any mistakes at this crucial moment.

He tugged at Duan Chen and said, "Let's go, hurry up, everyone's waiting outside the palace gates."

Seeing that Zhao Ruxi didn't even glance at him and walked straight out chatting and laughing with the female official, Duan Chen felt slightly down. He then followed Ding Lianjin out of the palace gate.

At this time, officials from the Ministry of Ministry of Rites were already waiting there with three horses.

These three horses were chosen by officials from the Ministry of Rites as docile horses; one was chestnut, one was pure white, and the other was entirely white except for a small tuft of black hair on its forehead.

Lord Mo intended for Zhao Ruxi to choose the gentlest chestnut horse, but according to custom, Zhao Ruxi should choose it herself. Otherwise, if something went wrong, everyone would suspect that he had tampered with it.

The top scholar would naturally choose the horse first.

Zhao Ruxi glanced around, then, drawn by a glimpse, walked to the white horse with a tuft of hair on its forehead and stood there, smiling, "I'll choose this one."

Duan Chen was a frail scholar. Although he could ride a horse, he was not very skilled and usually traveled by carriage or sedan chair.

He looked around for a long time, asked the officials from the Ministry of Ministry of Rites, and finally chose the most docile chestnut horse.

The remaining pure white horse was given to Ding Lianjin.

Bai Wei and the other two had come out together. Just as the three of them were about to help Zhao Ruxi onto the horse, Zhao Ruxi flipped over and sat on the horse's back in a swift and decisive motion.

Ding Lianjin couldn't help but exclaim "Good!" and gave Zhao Ruxi a thumbs up, saying, "Zhuangyuan Zhao is amazing; she's a woman who doesn't yield to men."

As he spoke, he nimbly mounted his horse.

Only Duan Chen remained standing on his horse.

His face flushed red, and he said to the constable standing beside him, "Please help me up."

Two constables quickly stepped forward and helped him onto the horse.

Duan Chen's face turned bright red, and he lowered his head, not daring to look at Zhao Ruxi.

Normally, he would be completely calm and composed. Scholars from Jiangnan are proud of their talent and learning; whether they are proficient in archery and horsemanship is irrelevant.

Compared to Zhao Ruxi, Duan Chen felt deeply ashamed.

Zhao Ruxi paid no heed to any of that. Seeing that Duan Chen had already mounted his horse, she asked Lord Mo, "Can we go now?"

"Please." Lord Mo stepped aside.

Zhao Ruxi gave the reins a shake, and the horse started moving.

"Ah, the top scholar, the female top scholar."

"Zhao Zhiwei, Zhao Zhiwei..."

The people who were stopped by the yamen runners outside the imperial road cheered when they saw a beautiful woman in red riding a horse.

Zhao Ruxi smiled and cupped her hands in a gesture of respect towards that direction.

She held her head high, her back straight, her expression poised and graceful. As a woman, she performed the manners of a man, which was both cool and charismatic. Her aura was powerful and captivating, and far from being incongruous, it inspired respect in everyone.

Some men had initially grumbled, thinking that a hen turning into a masculine woman was unfaithful. But now, seeing Zhao Ruxi like this, they couldn't say anything.

"Sigh, it's still us men who are so useless," they sighed. "She's capable, even better than you men, there's nothing we can do about it."

Many noble ladies in the teahouse were also watching the spectacle.

Zhao Ruxi never attended banquets before, and instead of attending the Capital Women's Academy, she went to study at the Beining Women's Academy. She was out of place among the noble ladies of the capital and was considered an anomaly. The noble ladies did not have a good impression of her.

But now, seeing her dressed in red, riding a white horse, and leading the way as the newly appointed top scholar, the sense of honor she felt as a woman instantly dispelled her previous dissatisfaction, and a feeling of pride welled up within her.

The noble ladies proudly declared, "Look what those men have to say now! Humph! They always say we women know nothing and can't do anything, but now they're speechless, aren't they? All those scholars can't compare to Zhao Zhiwei. Haha, just thinking about those men's frustrated faces, unable to utter a single word, makes me want to laugh. Zhao Zhiwei, she's truly brought honor to us women!"

"That's right. Everyone misunderstood Zhao Zhiwei before, always saying she didn't attend banquets. But if she attended banquets every day, how could she have become the top scholar and brought honor to us women? Being smart is one thing, but character and willpower are another. Anyway, I admire her a lot. From now on, no one is allowed to speak ill of her in front of me. Speaking ill of her is speaking ill of me."

"Ah, if only I were as capable as her. She could become an official, establish herself, and accomplish great things. My father and brothers wouldn't dare to scold or punish her so easily, and they wouldn't even make my mother lose face because of her," a woman said with envy.

"Yes, yes," the others chimed in. "That's why you still have to have your own abilities."

They were called noble ladies, but many of them didn't have high status in their families. They were just pawns used by their fathers and brothers for marriage alliances. If they were beautiful and capable, they could marry into a family of higher status and be valued; otherwise, they were nothing.

Even after marriage, the mother-in-law and husband are still a heavy burden on one's head; one has to depend on them for survival and be mindful of their moods.

Thinking about themselves and then looking at Zhao Zhiwei, these girls who only knew how to make new clothes, jewelry, and find good husbands all day long also began to ponder the fundamentals of life.