Hua Gongmei’s face fell, growing uglier and uglier as the eunuch announced her placing once more.
When Prince Chu had given his toast, he had tossed a wax ball into her cup. She had been filled with joy as she unfolded the note: How to weaken a vassal. She immediately understood that His Highness was giving her a hint. Surely no one understood His Majesty’s mind better than the princes who spent day and night by his side.
She had been so excited that her heart felt like it would explode! His Highness was giving her a hint, and this was surely his way of saying that she was the woman he had in mind! Her dream was finally coming true, and she felt like she could cry.
But! But! She only got third place!
And based on what the Tian Sheng Emperor had just said, she finally understood what Ning Yi had intended, and her face paled.
Feng Zhiwei watched Hua Gongmei’s face fall and could guess at what happened. Her mouth quirked upwards — this Hua Gongmei was indeed clever: she understood the meaning of Ning Yi’s line, but even in her extreme joy she hid the obvious meaning and used a historical case in a different dynasty. If she had directly copied down the message about quelling vassals, she would have very likely been punished immediately for her overreaching.
The Yong Ning Prince showed no outward signs of rebellion, and the Imperial Court and this powerful Vassal still maintained cordial appearances. Taking down this Prince was the Tian Sheng Emperor’s biggest secret — how could it be casually brought out into the open at an occasion like this? If someone dared slander the Yong Ning Prince, the Tian Sheng Emperor would need to immediately hand out justice and punish the offender for “Provocation and Sabotage intended to damage the bond between the Emperor and a National Pillar.”
But since she had hidden the meaning of the topic, His Majesty could play dumb and give her a second chance.
Feng Zhiwei picked at her nails, realizing that she had also fallen into Ning Yi’s trap.
This man was really too good at controlling other people.
He had thrown the same wax ball trap to two women, but his plan for each was different. He wanted to drag Hua Gongmei down from the first place and make her fall, and he wanted to force Feng Zhiwei to climb up.
Hua Gongmei was obsessed with him and incredibly confident, so she would definitely write whatever he told her to write.
But Feng Zhiwei would definitely not listen to what he said, and she would know enough to not use this topic anyway. Not only would she be wary of this particular subject, she would also wonder whether he was setting her up, so she would be more likely to swerve in the opposite direction, and if she could mock him a little, she definitely would.
And the truth was, she could not resist mocking him.
But this attracted the Emperor’s attention.
Just as Ning Yi had planned and hoped.
Feng Zhiwei quietly grit her teeth, complaining to herself about this stupid Prince Chu and that stupid Gu boy back home! Why were they always so difficult!
After preparing during the three drumbeats, Young Lady Chang began to speak. She was well learned and quickly analyzed the situation. She spoke of using a capable general and well-equipped army to slowly and steadily push forward while using other means to break down the vassal’s sphere of influence. She spoke of ways to weaken them, how to use military force to contain them, and how to eventually taper off the military occupation while keeping the ministers and commoners calm. In short, she said to prepare early while dealing courteously on the surface, striking quickly and fiercely when the time was right.
The Tian Sheng Emperor made no comment. He silently read Hua Gongmei’s and then nodded at Young Lady Chang. With that sign of approval, the young niece let out a breath of relief and sat.
Young Lady Chang might not understand what had just happened, but it was immediately clear to Feng Zhiwei that the girl was no longer in the running. The Chang Family was not a vassal family, but it was still the most powerful family related to the Noble Imperial Consort and very similar to a semi-autonomous vassal. How could the Emperor be pleased when the Chang Family’s young lady declared such a detailed plan in public?
And lo and behold, the Noble Imperial Consort shot a discontented look at her niece.
Soon, it was time for the second place scroll, and the eunuch once again read out: “What is the solution to the Lotus Hook Arrow conundrum?”
The Lotus Hook Arrow was a new arrow invented by Da Yue. A hidden hook in the tip of the arrow would pop out upon contacting flesh and enlarge the room, causing devastating hemorrhaging. Many Tian Sheng Generals and soldiers had died to this weapon. Not only was this topic closely related to the subject at hand, it also demonstrated concern for the soldiers, directly addressing a matter close to the Emperor’s heart. This was why this question was so highly placed.
Silence followed the eunuch’s words — this topic was not something that could be lightly answered, so no matter how much people desired to show off, they could not speak without care. If their methods were applied and failed to work, their words could cost tens of thousands of lives.
Feng Zhiwei looked down into her cup as she thought back to a conversation she had had some days ago with Yan Huaishi about this very topic. Yan Huaishi had proposed a type of silk from beyond the sea to supplement the heavy armor Tian Sheng currently used. An extra layer a silk garment armor could prevent this arrow head from piercing deeply and therefore stop the hook from widening a wound.
This was however not a new idea and would cost too much money to implement — the Imperial Court could not afford this. There was a way to solve this issue, but the theory had not been put to the test yet, and Feng Zhiwei was not yet willing to reveal to Yan Huaishi what this method was.
She did not think it was the proper time to bring out this method.
No one dared answer the question, and the Tian Sheng Emperor could not hide his disappointment as he gestured to the eunuch.
Energy filled the square again.
“The First Place question…”
“I will try!” Hua Gongmei announced proudly, standing and casting a glance at Feng Zhiwei.
Feng Zhiwei smiled back innocently. Try! I hope you can answer correctly.
The eunuch opened the scroll and accidentally let out a chuckle.
Quickly realizing his mistake, he immediately kowtowed and begged for punishment, and the crowd could only watch, tortured by the wait. Helian Zheng could bear it no longer and immediately stored over and grabbed the scroll, saying: “Let me see what all this fuss is about…”
His voice tapered off and his face twisted strangely before he let out a magnificent laugh: “Yes! Exactly! Too true!”
Everyone exchanged glances, wondering if this foreign prince would forget to read out the topic.
Fortunately, Helian Zheng cast a glance at Ning Yi before laughing and calling out: “As a woman, what do we hate most?”
Hua Gongmei stared stupefied.
Everyone was dazed.
How did this silly question manage to win first place?
What does a woman hate most?
A humble birth?
Ugly and talentless?
Fading beauty?
Adultery?
A concubine becoming more favored?
The children of a concubine showing more talent than her own?
When someone you like comes and you cannot find a dress pretty enough to wear?
Someone else wearing the same clothes you had custom ordered?
Someone wearing the exact same makeup that you had just learned?
