Chapter Thirty-two

It was said that the first Tang emperor wanted to curb the rise of other influences as he was already having a hard time dealing with the four gentry families. So, the first Tang emperor encourage the rise of civil officials and try to curb the power of military officials. And thus, as time passed by, the people of Tai Ping overall took pride in their children being in the civil service rather than the military.

So, even when Ying Zetian ranks first in the military exams, she was expected to put her focus on her position in the imperial bureau. Ying Zetian was only appointed corporal and as long as she passed the yearly military exams, she could keep this rank. The rank of corporal was given to Ying Zetian so in times of war, she could be conscript into the military. Why Ying Zetian wanted to pass through the military exams is so that she will have an official reason to oversee a battalion of soldier in times of war which will be necessary for her plan of revenge.

After passing the military exams is the time for the annual royal hunt and Ying Zetian was forced to attend by Tang Wudi and Nan Gong Jing. Ying Zetian almost wanted to turn her eyes to the sky when she hears the whispers around her when she appears on the royal hunting grounds with Tang Wudi and Nan Gong Jing beside her. Ying Zetian knew of the rumors about her with Nan Gong Jing and Tang Wudi but she could not be bothered to control the rumors.

The rumors of an unnormal relationship with Nan Gong Jing and Tang Wudi and that Ying Zetian as a student is thick faced enough to be in such a relationship with Nan Gong Jing and so on. After all, Ying Zetian knew that she fully has the ability to deal with any trouble that will arise from these rumors. Ying Zetian upbringing in the brothels had already trained her skin to be thicker than a city wall.

Today is the opening ceremony for the royal hunting season and there is a night banquet held for the opening ceremony. Ying Zetian was just a low rank official so she definitely could not be sat with Tang Wudi and Nan Gong Jing. Ying Zetian yawned as she was just purely bored. Ying Zetian took out a book that her dark guards had bought for her at the bookstore. It was an actually a romance storybook that was the range for the females of Changan. If at these type of times, Ying Zetian still forces herself to read the normal thick books that she read, Ying Zetian got a feeling that she will pull her hair in frustration.

The rest of the people just continue to whisper about her. Nan Gong Jing did not realize what he did but he had smile when he looks in the direction of Ying Zetian. Ying Zetian was just too cute with her mouth full of food causing her cheeks to be bloated like a hamster while she read her book. Although females were strictly controlled in Tai Ping, but they were still allowed to attend the hunting season.

The hunting season was just another reason for matchmaking. Tang Wudi was just trying his best not to let the devil in him out as he saw the lovesick looks of the females who was looking at Ying Zetian. Tang Wudi did not knew when he could not control himself and lock Ying Zetian in his prince residence so that he could have Ying Zetian to himself.

There are just too many people who admire his elder brother. Ying Zetian fame in Changan had dramatically risen especially when artists had come out with picture books of how she had fare during the military exams. So, despite Ying Zetian low upbringing and being a low rank official, she still has fanatic female fans. Nan Gong Jing and Tang Wudi was just too focused on Ying Zetian to notice that even they also have fanatic female fans.