I was chased by my sickly junior brother who had two lives

The morning light was just breaking, and the soft sunlight sprinkled on the streets and alleys of the capital, dispelling the last trace of the night's chill. Today was a day of honor and dream-come-true for the new Jinshi of the Great Chu. Chen Jue, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, with an upright posture and a majestic demeanor, came to the East Palace early and accompanied the prince to the Qionglin Garden to comfort those students who had gone through the hardships of the imperial examinations and finally made their mark.

The prince was wearing a gorgeous golden dragon robe, with golden dragons embroidered on it, shining brightly in the sunlight, showing the majesty and dignity of the royal family. He smiled, his eyes showing satisfaction and expectation, and stepped steadily out of the gate of the East Palace. Chen Jue followed closely behind him, and the two boarded the beautifully decorated carriage, and slowly drove towards Qionglin Garden, surrounded by a mighty guard of honor.

Along the way, the people of the capital poured into the streets, eager to see the prince and the new scholars. Cheers and applause came one after another, like a wave. "Long live the prince, long live the prince!" "Congratulations to the new scholars, you have brought glory to our Chu!" The shouts were endless. The prince slightly lifted the curtain of the carriage, smiled, waved to the people, and showed his close attitude. Chen Jue stood aside, looking around vigilantly to ensure the prince's safety.

Soon, the carriage arrived at Qionglin Garden. Qionglin Garden was already decorated with lanterns and colorful flowers. Colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and the melodious sound of stringed instruments came in, as if telling the joy of this prosperous era. The newly-appointed Jinshi had already gathered here, wearing brand new Jinshi uniforms and black gauze hats, all of them were in high spirits, their eyes full of longing and expectation for the future.

The Crown Prince and Chen Jue walked into the Qionglin Garden, and everyone knelt down and saluted: "Greetings to His Royal Highness, may His Royal Highness live a thousand years!" The Crown Prince raised his hand and said, "My dear ministers, please stand up. Today is your big day, no need to be polite." After saying this, he slowly swept his eyes over everyone, with a gentle smile on his face: "You are all talented people of my Great Chu, who have gone through many tests in the imperial examinations and stood out. This king would like to express his heartfelt congratulations to you all."

The new champion Lin Yuan was tall, handsome, and elegant. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, we are where we are today thanks to your grace and the court. We will do our best to contribute to the prosperity of the Chu State." The prince nodded slightly, "Champion Lin's words are sincere. I believe you will not disappoint the court."

Chen Jue was watching these vigorous students and felt gratified. He knew that these people would be the future hope of Da Chu and shoulder the important task of promoting national development.

As time went by, the Qionglin Banquet officially began. Everyone took their seats one by one, and delicacies were served on the table like water. There was tender and juicy roasted venison, exuding an alluring aroma; there was steamed sea bass, the fish was tender and melted in the mouth; there were also various exquisite snacks, with unique shapes, like works of art. After three rounds of wine, the prince stood up, holding a glass of fine wine in his hand, and said loudly: "Everyone, this Qionglin Banquet is a feast set up by my Great Chu to honor the new Jinshi. Today, I will drink this cup with everyone, and I wish you all smooth sailing in your future career and contribute to the country of Great Chu." After that, he raised his head and drank the wine in the cup.

Everyone stood up and raised their glasses in response: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your grace. We will definitely live up to your trust!" Lin Yuan stepped out again and said respectfully: "Your Highness, when I was taking the imperial examination, I deeply felt that the literary style of Da Chu was prosperous and there were many talented people. Today, I am able to see your face and listen to your teachings, and I feel that my responsibility is even greater. I am willing to dedicate all my knowledge to Da Chu without reservation to repay your Highness and the court for your kindness."

The prince smiled and said, "It is a blessing for the Great Chu that Mr. Lin has such ambitions. I heard that you have unique insights into the people's livelihood in our Great Chu in your policy papers. Why not share some of them with everyone?"

After Lin Yuan saluted humbly, he began to talk: "Your Highness, I believe that people's livelihood is the foundation of a country. Although the Great Chu is now strong, people in some areas still live in hardship. For example, in the areas in the south where floods are frequent, people are often invaded by floods, crops are destroyed, and houses collapse. The court should increase the construction of water conservancy projects, build dams, and dredge rivers to ensure that the people can live and work in peace. In addition, the northern border areas are often invaded by foreign enemies, and the people's lives are uneasy. We should strengthen border defense construction, increase troops and garrisons, and at the same time encourage people to reclaim wasteland and develop agricultural production, so that the border areas can be self-sufficient and enhance their ability to resist foreign enemies."

The prince nodded repeatedly, "Mr. Lin is right. I also know the importance of people's livelihood. I will discuss with the ministers and take corresponding measures."

At this time, a Jinshi named Su Jin stood up and said, "Your Highness, I think that in addition to people's livelihood, the education of our Great Chu should also be taken seriously. We should set up schools in various places to allow more students to have the opportunity to receive education and cultivate more talents. Only in this way can our Great Chu culture prosper and produce talents in large numbers."

The prince looked at him with a smile and said, "Mr. Su, this is a good idea. Education is the foundation of a country. I will consider your suggestion. Chen Jue, what are your opinions in this regard?"

Chen Jue bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness, I think what Su Jinshi said is very true. Not only should we establish more schools, but we should also select excellent teachers and compile excellent textbooks so that students can learn truly useful knowledge. At the same time, we can set up some scholarship systems to encourage poor students to study hard so as to avoid burying talents."

The prince nodded and praised: "Chen Jue's words are quite insightful. I will definitely integrate your suggestions and make plans for the education cause of my Great Chu."

As the banquet continued, the atmosphere became more and more lively. The musicians played cheerful music, the dancers danced gracefully, their sleeves fluttering. The newly-appointed scholars toasted each other, exchanged their knowledge and ambitions, and laughter echoed in the Qionglin Garden.

When the wine was half drunk, the prince said to Chen Jue: "Chen Jue, you have made an invaluable contribution to the successful completion of this imperial examination. I would like to offer you a toast." Chen Jue hurriedly stood up and raised his glass respectfully: "Your Highness, thank you for your praise. This is my duty. I feel honored to be able to select talents for the Great Chu."

Then, the prince said to the new scholars: "Everyone, you are about to embark on a career in the government. You will face many temptations and challenges in the officialdom. I hope you can stick to your original intentions, be honest and upright, put the interests of the people first, and do not disappoint the expectations of me and the court."

Lin Yuan took the lead in responding: "Your Highness's teachings are engraved in our hearts. We will definitely follow the example of the wise ministers of the past, cultivate ourselves and establish virtues, and devote ourselves to the Great Chu."

As the night deepened, the Qionglin Banquet gradually came to an end. The prince stood up and said to everyone: "At today's Qionglin Banquet, I am deeply pleased to see your talents and ambitions. I hope that you will work together in the days to come and work hard for the glory of Da Chu."

Everyone knelt down and said in unison: "We will follow your highness's instructions!"

When the prince and Chen Jue left Qionglin Garden, they heard the laughter and longing for the future from the newly-appointed scholars. Chen Jue looked at the prince's back and knew that under the leadership of the prince and the efforts of these newly-appointed scholars, the Chu Kingdom would surely usher in a more prosperous tomorrow.