On February 8th, the spring examination officially began. Song Yuanbao and Xu Dengke took a carriage out, joining thousands of scholars rushing to the Ministry of Rites Examination Hall in the capital.
Wen Wan took a separate carriage to see them off.
On the way, Xu Dengke said, "I heard from the lady that your wedding is set for the day the court examination results are announced. Congratulations!"
It was clear that he was sincerely congratulating him, but Song Yuanbao felt uneasy.
Nobody understood Xu Dengke's capabilities better than him; he was a great talent who could effortlessly produce magnificent essays — a genius who had been delayed in past years.
Though he repeatedly assured Zhao Xi he would strive to be the top scholar, in reality, he felt uncertain, especially when facing Xu Dengke, and increasingly felt unsure.
Thinking of this, Song Yuanbao humbly said, "Regardless of how I perform in the exam, the marriage must go on."
