Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Inside the room, Liu Wenying returned from her shift and was playing with Luo Luo using a cloth toy.

The little one is becoming more and more lively, babbling and reaching out to grab things, his little face beaming like a flower.

The spring night outside the window was quiet, with only the occasional chirping of insects.

Suddenly, the door creaked open.

Liu Wenying, assuming it was Xiaozhu, didn't even look up: "Why are you back? Did you forget something again?"

The words came to an abrupt halt.

The person leaning against the door was Pei Yaojun, dressed in the blue robes of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

His brand-new court robe fit him perfectly, making him look as tall and straight as a pine tree.

Her hat was adorned with kingfisher feathers and silver branches, her waist was bound with a plain silver sash, and her black leather court boots were spotless.

The unrestrained and flamboyant air in his eyes was even stronger than before, like the most dazzling peach blossoms in spring, blooming to their fullest.

Liu Wenying was stunned. Shouldn't he be going to the palace for the Qionglin Banquet at this hour? How did he end up here?

"Third Master, what brings you here..."

People don't visit the Three Treasures Hall unless they have a reason, and the Little Yama's affairs are the most troublesome.

Pei Yaojun spoke with an air of arrogance and casualness, "The Qionglin Banquet was quite boring. Bringing you into the palace to broaden your horizons is a blessing in itself."

"I'm not going. I want to stay here with my child. She's still young and needs someone to look after her."

Liu Wenying refused without even thinking.

"What's so difficult about that? I'll have someone come and take care of them for you; I guarantee they'll be well taken care of."

"This servant will not go." Liu Wenying was determined, as if she had swallowed a weight.

But whatever Master Pei decides to do, he will do it even if it means hitting a brick wall.

"Three hundred taels of silver. If you come to the banquet with me, three hundred taels of silver will be yours. You can be sure of making a profit."

If Liu Wenying were to be threatened or coerced, she might not necessarily give in, but if she were to be bribed, she would have to think twice.

Nobody would turn down money.

Money is an external thing, but without money, you can't do anything.

He was also adept at understanding her temperament and knew that she would find it difficult to refuse.

"Third Master, the Qionglin Banquet is such a solemn occasion. Is it really appropriate for a lowly wet nurse like me to enter the palace?"

"What are you afraid of? Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up. All you have to do is serve me well."

Liu Wenying reluctantly agreed.

Half an hour later, Liu Wenying followed Pei Yaojun into the palace gate.

In modern times, she once visited the Forbidden City; its red walls, yellow tiles, and magnificent splendor were already breathtaking enough.

But the Great Wei Imperial Palace before me is even more magnificent than the Forbidden City.

The palace complex rises from the ground, towering buildings upon towering buildings, with lights falling like a galaxy, illuminating the jade steps as if it were daytime.

The palace maids walked briskly with their heads down, their clothes making no sound.

The civil and military officials, dressed in their court robes, walked in rows according to their ranks, conversing in hushed tones, yet none dared to raise their voices.

Imperial power is as vast as a palace, so oppressive that it's hard to breathe.

Being there in person makes you feel like a drop in the ocean, so small and insignificant.

Inside the Hanguang Hall, the lights were on full display.

The newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) have taken their seats according to their rankings. The first three rows, closest to the throne, are occupied by the top-ranking second-class and the top three first-class candidates.

Pei Yaojun's position was in the center of the third row, just a few steps away from the three most popular spots.

As an attendant, Liu Wenying was arranged to stand behind Pei Yaojun.

Pei Yaojun calmly took his seat, dressed in a blue court robe, exuding confidence and high spirits.

Officials had already come forward to offer their congratulations, and he returned their greetings one by one, behaving with propriety and speaking with composure, completely unlike the unruly and eccentric Third Master he usually was.

I never expected him to have this side to him.

Just as I was lost in thought, a commotion arose at the entrance of the palace.

Several young men walked in, their official robes concealing some of their frivolous airs.

They were Pei Yaojun's close cronies, who had secured sinecure positions in the court through their connections with officials. Naturally, they were also among those attending the Qionglin banquet for civil and military officials.

The group was chatting and laughing, but as soon as they entered the hall and saw Pei Yaojun sitting in such a prominent position, their smiles froze on their faces.

In particular, the young master of the Vice Minister's family, who had invited Pei Yaojun to watch the Hu Xuan dance the day before, looked pale and flushed.

All the belittling they had done to Pei Yaojun in private, how they had mocked him for being incredibly stupid and pretentious, were now thoroughly slapped in the face by this real ranking.

He ranked seventh in the second class and passed the imperial examination.

They were just a few steps away from being among the top three in the imperial examinations.

And what about them? They relied on their fathers' influence to get by, reaching the rank of sixth or seventh grade, but they couldn't even say a word in the imperial court.

Pei Yaojun had obviously seen them as well.

He smiled slightly, picked up the wine glass in front of him, and raised it towards them.

The men's expressions turned even uglier.

Due to the occasion and Pei Yaojun's family background, they had no choice but to force a smile and step forward.

"Yaojun, no, Scholar Pei, congratulations!"

The Vice Minister's son, Qian, smiled and cupped his hands, "Seventh in the second class, truly... truly a source of pride for us!"

"That's right, that's right! We've always said Yaojun is truly talented, and look, he passed the exam on his first try!"

"In the future, we'll have to ask Scholar Pei to look after us old friends in court!"

The group chatted amongst themselves, offering eloquent compliments, but their smiles were glaringly fake.

Pei Yaojun slowly sipped his wine and looked at them with self-satisfaction.

"You're too kind. I only got lucky; I can't compare to you who have been training in the court for many years."

The words were tactful, but who couldn't hear the sarcasm in them?

Early experience? He's just coasting along thanks to his privileged position.

The group felt embarrassed but dared not make a scene. They could only force a few more polite words with awkward smiles before quickly finding their seats.

They were all lined up in the corner, a world apart from Pei Yaojun's position.

Even back in his seat, he couldn't stay still, his gaze constantly drifting towards Pei Yaojun.

They had just noticed that the maid beside Pei Yaojun, though dressed simply, had a slender figure and a graceful demeanor with her eyes lowered, exuding a unique charm.

Under normal circumstances, they would have already gone up to flirt with him, or even planned to find an excuse to come and have some fun another day.

But since Pei Yaojun was putting on airs today, and it was at the Qionglin Banquet, they dared not act recklessly.

Pei Yaojun felt a sense of satisfaction after driving away his cronies. He knew how much they belittled him, even though they usually hung out with him.

So what if he comes from a prominent family? He still couldn't even get an official position.

Now that I've finally achieved some success, all that talk of being brothers is just superficial friendship.

In the end, he didn't lose face again in front of Liu Wenying.

Liu Wenying stood behind him, looking around curiously.

Seeing her pathetic, unsophisticated appearance, Pei Yaojun felt a urge to tease her.

"Was he stunned by what he saw on his first visit to the palace?"

I thought she would be stubborn and argue back, but she actually admitted it openly.

"You've learned something new?" he continued to tease her.

"Yes, indeed... I've learned a lot."

Inside the palace, the lights shone brightly, the officials were dressed in magnificent robes, and the dragon throne, symbolizing supreme power, lay empty. Standing there, Liu Wenying couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

There was no feigned composure, no forced disdain.

Such honesty is more moving than any affectation.

Pei Yaojun's Adam's apple bobbed, and he was about to say something more when a long, drawn-out greeting came from outside the hall.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The hall was completely silent.

Everyone stood up and bowed.

Liu Wenying hurriedly followed suit and imitated the others.

When the emperor took his seat, all the officials shouted "Long live the emperor!"

The Qionglin Banquet officially begins.

…………