The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 512

Chapter 512: 257 Progress (Second Update)_2

Chapter 512: 257 Progress (Second Update)_2

Today is a day of great joy for all scholars who have passed the imperial examination, so naturally, they are supposed to have a few drinks. Xiao Liulang, the newly appointed highest-ranking scholar, was definitely not going to miss out on his share of wine.

But Xiao Liulang had never had alcohol before and his tolerance was quite poor. The few glasses of light wine served at the midday banquet wouldn’t have been enough to get him drunk, but the issue was that after the banquet concluded, some of them went off in small groups to other places.

Where these places were is a bit difficult to mention.

Xiao Liulang was unwilling to stay there and insisted on going home. The others didn’t like that, forcing him to drink another three glasses before allowing him to leave. This guy was truly bold, drinking until he passed out.

Ning Zhiyuan, being a family man himself, didn’t enjoy such events either, so he suggested taking the newly appointed highest-ranking scholar home.

“Is it to the left? Is it that alleyway?” In the carriage, Ning Zhiyuan asked Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang was too drunk to respond.

Ning Zhiyuan shook his head, telling the driver to move forward. They were perhaps moving too hastily, and nearly collided with someone at the entrance to the alleyway.

It was two women, one in a Taoist robe, the other in a purple dress.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” The coachman hurriedly apologized.

Ning Zhiyuan also lifted the curtain of the carriage, got off, and bowed to apologize, “Ladies, are you all right? I’m sorry, I was rushing and didn’t mean to bump into you.”

Ning Zhiyuan was still wearing his official attire from being a top scholar.

The lady in purple recognized him at a glance, and with a laugh, she whispered in the ear of the Taoist woman, “Sister, it’s that dark-looking scholar!”

Ning Zhiyuan: Am I dark?!?

Then his face became even darker.

The Taoist gave the girl in purple a warning glance, and she stuck out her tongue in response.

The Taoist turned her gaze away, giving Ning Zhiyuan a slight nod, “No harm done. Excuse us.”

Then she left, leading her sister away.

As the two passed by the carriage, a sudden gust of wind lifted the curtain of the carriage to reveal a young man half-leaning against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, seeming to be recuperating.

The moonlight spilled over, casting a luminous glow on his red silken scholar’s robe. With his eyes closed and his delicate, jade-like features, slightly flushed from the wine, he was breathtakingly handsome.

Having grown up in a Taoist temple, the Taoist woman prided herself on having spurned the seven emotions and six desires of the mortal world. And yet, she could not deny that this young man was truly captivating.

Of course, she was just looking. She hadn’t forgotten that this young man was taken.

She didn’t covet what others had.

Once they had walked some distance away, the lady in purple suddenly came back to her senses and said, touching her hot cheek, “Sister, sister! Did you just see that? The new scholar in the carriage! My god! He’s just too…”

Too what?

The lady in purple suddenly couldn’t find the words to describe him. Her heart was pounding. She had admired him from afar in the daytime and thought he was handsome enough, but seeing him up close just now, she realized he was more than just handsome, he was downright enchanting!

She excitedly shakes the Taoist’s hand: “Sister, sister!”

“You don’t stand a chance,” the Taoist threw a bucket of cold water.

The lady in purple’s heart shattered, “Wuwu~”

Both of them got into their own carriages, and Ning Zhiyuan helped the drunken Xiao Liulang off theirs.

What everyone was oblivious to was another carriage parked at the other end of the alleyway.

The Princess Consort was sitting in her carriage.

She was just passing by, and by chance, she saw the well-known scholar Ning Zhiyuan alight from his carriage to apologize to a young lady from the Yuan family and a Taoist.

She knew who the top three scholars were, but she hadn’t gone to see the top scholar’s parade, so she didn’t recognize Ning Zhiyuan. His identity was revealed by his official attire.

A plain-looking scholar wasn’t particularly intriguing, so she was planning to leave. But then Ning Zhiyuan helped a young man out of the carriage.

That was…the new top scholar, and also…him.

An image of a young, naive face involuntarily flashed through the Princess Consort’s mind. The 13 or 14-year-old young lord was still just a boy who had just lost his childishness. He was very likeable, but not in a romantic way.

The young man before her bore almost the same face as him, yet seemed completely different. He had grown taller, his features more defined. He still had a youthful air, but also the strength of a grown man, radiating a masculine charm.

Thump, thump, thump!

Ning Zhiyuan knocked on the door of the house.