Chapter 964: Known

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

“Are you sure? Think about it carefully.”

“Absolutely not!”

They had already gone through enough trouble this time and couldn’t afford to go through it again.

Qiao Xuan let out a sigh. “If that’s the case, then you must have encountered Lady Tian!”

Lady Tian could easily deduce that he was one of the candidates from the gathering they attended earlier.

And he had recognized her as a woman disguised as a man, but he had no interest in her whatsoever, which would be quite intriguing for proud n.o.ble ladies.

However, at that time, Lady Tian might not have genuinely wanted to marry him.

After all, an ordinary candidate in the imperial examination wouldn’t capture the attention of a top-tier n.o.ble lady.

He had to stand out.

He needed to be at the very top of the Primus rankings, at the very least.

That was why Lady Tian had declared that no one should compete with her once the imperial examination results were announced. She wanted first pick.

It was clear as day who she intended to choose.

If Shao Yunduan topped the Primus rankings, she would have chosen him. Otherwise, she would have made a mockery out of it.

After all, she was one of the most prestigious n.o.ble ladies in the capital and could have her pick among the Advanced Scholars.

No one would dare to refuse her.

How could she know if the man who became the Primus was the same man she had encountered that day? It wouldn’t be difficult for the Tian Family to find out the truth.

But what irritated Qiao Xuan was that they should have verified if he was already married.

Why did they have to create so much trouble!

But now, the news had spread to everyone.

They both felt incredibly embarra.s.sed.

In the evening, Lu Min and Gu Zhiyou came to offer their condolences to Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan.

Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan expressed their grat.i.tude, but they also informed Lu Min and Gu Zhiyou that they planned to stay home for the next few days and didn’t need any further visits.

They didn’t want to trouble others or involve them in their predicament.

Lu Min and Gu Zhiyou sighed. “Brother Shao, Sister-in-law, don’t worry. This will blow over in a few days. We’ll stay at the inn and avoid going out. If you need any help, just let Songshi know, and we’ll be there for you.”

“We might not be able to do much, but we can run errands or a.s.sist in any way possible.”

Shao Yunduan expressed his grat.i.tude for their kind offer.

Two days later was the auspicious day according to the zodiac, and the celebratory banquet was scheduled for two days after that.

Once that day arrived, they would meet the emperor, attend the banquet, and then the official appointment would be announced.

In other words, if they could make it through the next two days, everything would be fine.

For the next two days, the couple decided to seclude themselves at home and avoid receiving any visitors.

Shao Yunduan believed that his fellow students would understand the sensitivity of the situation and likely refrain from visiting him during such an awkward time. They would probably keep their distance.

That night, they didn’t sleep well, but their hearts felt strangely closer.

They became each other’s pillar of support and solace, finding strength and motivation in their mutual devotion.

The next morning, to their surprise, the Qiao Family paid them a visit.

And they were all there, present and accounted for.

Madame Lady Qiao, Old Master Qiao, Second Old Master and his wife, and Qiao Hongxi, accompanied by a few male and female servants, arrived in two large carts with over ten people.

As they entered the yard and house, the s.p.a.ce became noticeably crowded.

Madame Lady Qiao and the other members of the Qiao Family gazed at the couple with a mix of complex emotions in their eyes.

There was a sense of disbelief, as if they couldn’t fully accept the situation, yet there was also a trace of gloating satisfaction.