Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 362: The Scholar’s Crimson Crown and the Jinshi’s Green Hat
Because Second Miss Yan’s emotions had surged far beyond her control, her movements became erratic. And just as she hurled her embroidered shoe with righteous fury, Zhu Ping’an suddenly spurred his horse into a burst of speed. The shoe missed its intended target entirely — sailing through the air before landing with a clang! squarely on the head of poor Ouyang Zishi, who had been trailing behind and eating dust.
What the—?! This was too much! An insult beyond reason!
The top scholar isn’t me, the second place isn’t me, even the third isn’t me! The flowers, the applause — none of it belongs to me! As if that weren’t miserable enough, now someone’s pelting me with shoes?! Is there no justice left in the world?!
Seething with indignation, Ouyang Zishi bent down and picked up the embroidered shoe that had struck him. His face darkened as he looked up to identify the culprit — only for his heart to seize in disbelief. There, leaning out of the second-floor window of a teahouse, was none other than his beloved Second Miss Yan. Her slender frame leaned forward, her delicate figure trembling with anger as she glared daggers toward the figure galloping away on horseback.
Her voice, trembling with fury, rang out over the noise of the street.
“You shameless scoundrel! Even if you turned to ashes, I would still recognize you!”
Ouyang’s heart dropped straight into his stomach.
Those fluttering lashes, that quivering voice — why are you looking at him like that while saying such words?!
No… it couldn’t be. Could it? Was it possible that— that she and he—?!
At that thought, Ouyang Zishi nearly spat blood on the spot. His eyes bulged, veins pulsing as he glared at Zhu Ping’an’s distant back. You vile, despicable thief! he cursed inwardly. You’ve already stolen my rightful place as top scholar, and now you’ve dared to reach your filthy hands toward my betrothed?!
You’ve dyed your scholar’s cap red—
—and turned my official hat green!
You heartless monster, Zhu Ping’an! Your sins are beyond measure! Ouyang Zishi clenched his fists and vowed in his heart: If I do not avenge this humiliation, I am no man!
“Y–Young Miss… I think the shoe… hit the future son-in-law,” the little maid beside Second Miss Yan stammered, eyes wide with dismay. She had seen the shoe describe a perfect arc through the air before landing squarely on the head of an unfortunate new scholar — who, upon looking up, revealed a face that looked strikingly like that of the young master.
“Who asked you to speak?!” Second Miss Yan snapped, eyes blazing. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her fury, but the reminder only fanned the flames further.
Meanwhile, across the bustling avenue, some twenty or thirty paces away, the second floor of another, far more lavish restaurant was filled with laughter and lighthearted chatter. Inside sat several young ladies of the Marquis of Linhuai’s household — all unmarried — including Li Shu herself. The women reclined gracefully by the window, their gazes falling upon the vibrant, festive spectacle of Chang’an Street below.
“Fifth Sister,” the Marquis’s Second Miss said softly, tracing the rim of her porcelain teacup with a slender jade-like finger. “It must have cost quite a bit to rent out this entire floor.”
A musical laugh followed. “Just a few silver coins, what of it? Today is the day of my future brother-in-law’s results — who knows, perhaps by nightfall Fifth Sister will be the wife of the top scholar,” the Sixth Miss chimed in sweetly, tilting her round, rosy face upward with a smile that seemed innocent on the surface, yet carried a teasing undertone sharp enough to cut.
In truth, the Sixth Miss had never thought highly of Zhu Ping’an. True, his talent was undeniable — the last provincial exam had proven that. But for this imperial examination? She doubted him greatly. After all, the day before the exam, the Yan family had dragged him off to drink. He’d returned home late at night, and the neighboring Duke Wei’s household had set off firecrackers till dawn. The servants had even said Zhu Ping’an arrived at the palace gates with dark circles under his eyes!
How could such a man become the top scholar? she thought with a huff. The runner-up from the last exam was, after all, Elder Yan’s nephew — more than capable and well-rested. Surely, this year’s laurels will belong to someone else.
And she hadn’t forgotten the embarrassment Li Shu had caused during the last exam — the scandal with that maid Hongjian still made her grind her teeth. So when her Second Sister spoke up, she couldn’t resist the urge to add her own barbed words.
You think you’ll flaunt your good fortune in front of us by inviting us here? she sneered inwardly. Please. Do you think becoming the wife of the top scholar is so easy? Every man who’s earned that title has been a genius among men, a crane among chickens. As for your rustic fiancé… ha! He still reeks of the countryside. He looks nothing like a future zhuangyuan.
The more she imagined Li Shu’s disappointment later — after spending so much silver, only to find the top scholar’s laurels adorning someone else’s head — the more the corners of her lips curled in quiet, malicious delight.
Oh, Fifth Sister… let’s see how long your pride lasts.
“It wasn’t that expensive, really. Sixth Sister jests,” Li Shu replied with her usual calm grace, her voice as soft as a spring breeze. She sat by the window, the light playing gently across her serene face, a faint smile curving her lips.
At that moment, the little round-faced maid nicknamed “Baozi” suddenly pressed her palms against the window and pointed outside, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Miss! Miss! Look — that man on the big horse at the front — he looks just like the young master!”
The ladies blinked, startled. A man on horseback? Leading the procession? Looking like Zhu Ping’an?
No… surely not?
They all turned to look.
Though the distance blurred the details, the outline — tall, straight-backed, confident — was indeed somewhat familiar. Yet there were many new scholars that year. Tall or short, plump or lean, it wasn’t so strange for one to resemble Zhu Ping’an. Surely, they told themselves, it couldn’t be him.
“Ugh! These women are shameless,” Baozi muttered, puffing out her cheeks as she watched the crowds of infatuated girls on both sides of the street throw hairpins, embroidered pouches, and handkerchiefs toward the riders. “How can they throw such things at the young master!”
Then she froze, gasping. “Ah! That one’s throwing a shoe! Miss, look! Someone’s throwing a shoe at young master! There’s a bad woman throwing her shoe at him!”
Her round cheeks puffed up in outrage.
“He’s coming this way! Miss, young master’s coming this way! Ah— do you think he knows we’re here? He’s speeding up!”
Baozi’s voice rose with excitement as she narrated every motion of Zhu Ping’an like a live commentator, her chubby hands waving animatedly.
The moment she said “the top scholar is coming,” every young lady in the Marquis’s household leapt to their feet, their gazes turning to the window in anticipation. Even the skeptical Sixth Miss held her breath, clinging to one last hope — Please, not Zhu Ping’an. Please, let it be anyone but Zhu Ping’an.
But her hopes were dashed.
Down the avenue, the top scholar galloped forth — dressed in splendid crimson robes, wearing a matching scarlet crown, mounted on a majestic red horse. His face shone with that unmistakable, slightly foolish grin that everyone knew so well.
Who else could it be but Zhu Ping’an?
Every young lady in the room was struck dumb. None of them could quite believe what they were seeing. The rustic young man they had once mocked — he was the new top scholar of the realm.
Especially the Sixth Miss. Her expression twisted as if she’d seen a ghost.
Fifth Sister’s husband… Zhu Ping’an… really became the zhuangyuan?!
That bumpkin who had been laughed at the day he first entered the Marquis’s household — that same awkward, countryside scholar — had actually claimed the highest honor under Heaven!
And below the building, among the crowd of mischievous children, one particularly plump-faced boy puffed out his chest with unrestrained pride, pointing toward the rider on the red horse and declaring in a triumphant voice for all his friends to hear:
“See that man on the horse? That’s my brother-in-law!”