In the blink of an eye, the entire summer had passed.
Because they had experienced extreme heat earlier, the later summer heat did not feel as unbearable, but the villagers remained cautious. Whenever the weather seemed off, they stored grain, and nothing like previous disasters happened again.
This year, the provincial examination was scheduled for the ninth, twelfth, and fourteenth days of the eighth month. By then, the weather had already turned cool. Yuan Zhao naturally prepared some clothing, but they did not bring much—only Shi Wuxiang’s most familiar writing tools.
The journey from Qingshui Town to the provincial capital took seven or eight days by carriage, but they did not plan to travel that way. They also intended to arrive early to adapt, familiarize themselves with the surroundings, and find a good inn to stay in, so they would depart in advance.
Madam Shi Zhang agreed, but still worriedly reminded them, “Be careful on the road. Do not casually accept food or water from strangers. I heard that in previous years, some scholars on their way to the examination ran into trouble. They originally had a good chance of passing!”
“Mother, don’t worry. I will take good care of A Xiang,” Yuan Zhao agreed readily. “I even rented a shabby-looking carriage—one that anyone can tell we don’t have much money. I’ve made sure everything inside is properly arranged, and we’ll stay on guard during the journey!”
“He should be the one protecting you,” Madam Shi Zhang said anxiously. “If anything happens, just avoid it. Don’t try to be brave or show off. We’re just ordinary common folk!” She felt she was being overly nagging, but could not help herself. “Don’t think I’m being bothersome—you must be careful.”
Yuan Zhao nodded repeatedly. “We understand. Don’t worry!”
Shi Wuxiang said, “Mother, things at home during this time will be hard on you. We’re leaving now.”
“Alright. We’ll wait for you at home.”
“Brother, A Xiang brother, come back early.”
“Big brother and sister-in-law, be safe!”
Yuan Zhao smiled and waved at them. He drove the carriage off. When passing through the town, they even picked up a coachman, who would drive them toward the provincial capital. This also gave the two of them more time together.
More importantly, it made it easier for Yuan Zhao to take care of Shi Wuxiang.
Their departure date was not fixed, and the academy had already given them an early holiday, leaving ample time for the imperial examination journey. Before the break, the headmaster had specially reminded them that if they encountered any scholars from the county academy on the road, they should stay far away.
The headmaster had long suspected that the sudden alliance of the county academies was suspicious. He had even considered how to dissuade Shi Wuxiang and the others if they insisted on going. In the end, things unfolded exactly as he expected.
The scholars who went to the county academy were all people who were not sitting for the exam that year. Even so, they were bullied terribly by the county academy students.
Their clothes were deliberately dirtied, their books destroyed, and they were even scolded by teachers for it… these were still minor matters. Worse still, they were secretly joined by other students to prevent the town scholars from eating properly.
Without food, there was no way to study.
Shi Wuxiang and the others took the headmaster’s warning to heart. They were experienced people and understood that learning from others’ lessons could help them avoid many problems.
Since they set out early, there was no rush. Yuan Zhao instructed the coachman to drive steadily so as not to disturb Shi Wuxiang’s reading inside the carriage.
“A Xiang, take a rest. Have something to eat first to cushion your stomach. We should reach a roadside inn in a while and rest properly then,” Yuan Zhao said, licking the blister on his lip, his brows slightly furrowed.
Shi Wuxiang put down his book and looked at him helplessly. “Didn’t I tell you not to lick it anymore? You’re going to make it worse. I should be applying bitter medicine on you to fix that habit.”
The one who should have been exhausted from the journey was Shi Wuxiang, yet the one suffering from heat and anxiety was Yuan Zhao. Not long after setting off, he already had two blisters on his lips.
The doctor had said he was suffering from excessive internal heat and needed to stay calm and eat more fruit. Along the way, they never lacked fruit—watermelons had even been prepared in advance. Their high water and sugar content meant a few slices could replace a meal.
As Yuan Zhao had expected, there were inns and tea sheds along the official road. They were not newly built just for the imperial exams.
The two entered an inn to eat. The coachman led the horse to graze a little farther away. As soon as they stepped inside, they met the gazes of other customers, and from that brief exchange, they could tell each other were also exam candidates.
Yuan Zhao glanced at the dishes on other tables. They were simple meals meant only to fill the stomach, clearly not very good. How could people preparing for such an important examination eat like this?
“May I help you, honored guests?” the waiter asked with a smile.
“Can I borrow your kitchen?” Yuan Zhao quickly said. “We’ll pay extra silver. We’ll also provide our own meat and vegetables—we won’t use it for free!”
“No need for that, we can just eat simply,” Shi Wuxiang immediately stopped him, knowing exactly what he intended.
“No way. You have to listen to me on this,” Yuan Zhao insisted stubbornly. He had enough money on him and would not let Shi Wuxiang eat such poor food.
“I’ll do it then,” Shi Wuxiang said helplessly.
Yuan Zhao shook his head firmly. “Before we left, didn’t we agree everything would be my decision? Why are you disobeying already?”
His tone was firm, and his small frame beside Shi Wuxiang made it obvious to outsiders that they were a couple. It was rare to see a spouse speaking so forcefully to a husband, and nearby diners immediately pricked up their ears, curious to see whether the husband would get angry.
Some even stopped eating altogether, watching intently.
But—
“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. It’s my fault for not keeping my word. Forgive me, alright? Everyone is watching,” Shi Wuxiang said smoothly, apologizing without hesitation. He was already very skilled at coaxing Yuan Zhao.
The surrounding diners: “……”
This level of being controlled by one’s spouse was truly rare.
Satisfied, Yuan Zhao borrowed the kitchen, bought meat and vegetables, and personally cooked three dishes and a soup for Shi Wuxiang, also leaving some for the coachman.
When the food was served, everyone’s eyes widened. They were all traveling to suffer hardship for the exam—why were these two eating so well?
“Are you two heading to the exam?” a sly-looking man asked from the side. “You seem to be eating pretty well.”
“No,” Yuan Zhao shook his head and immediately started talking nonsense without hesitation. “My husband used to impersonate a scholar to cheat money, but got caught. We ran away overnight to avoid prison. We didn’t even manage to bring much silver. At this point, we’ll just go as far as we can. If we die, we’ll at least die with a full stomach.”
Hearing that they had no money, the man immediately lost interest and even showed disdain. “You two are really bold. Aren’t you afraid we’ll report you to the authorities?”
Shi Wuxiang let out a cold laugh. The gentle scholarly aura from earlier vanished instantly, replaced by a faint, chilling hostility—as though he had taken lives before.
Even Yuan Zhao was startled by the sudden change and quickly shrank back, cooperating like a frightened chick, subtly signaling the man not to continue.
People treat insiders and outsiders differently. From Yuan Zhao’s reaction, it was clear Shi Wuxiang was not someone easy to deal with. The man shivered and quickly dropped the topic.
The others at nearby tables were also frightened. Believing the story completely, they tightly guarded their purses.
After finishing their meal, the two left quickly. As soon as the officials entered the inn, they also immediately departed. The others interpreted this as guilt and became even more convinced that the pair was fleeing criminals.
Once they were far down the road, Yuan Zhao burst into laughter.
“That was so fun! They were all scared stiff!” he laughed. “Especially that shady guy—he definitely wanted to steal from us. Serves him right!”
Shi Wuxiang fanned him gently, smiling. “It was your story that scared them. They won’t dare talk to us casually anymore.”
“That’s the idea. That inn was full of people anyway—it’s better to be cautious,” Yuan Zhao said. “There’s another inn further ahead after we leave this stretch of road. That one should be better.”
“You really know a lot. Did you go ask around?” Shi Wuxiang asked quietly, his eyes slightly dimming.
Even if Yuan Zhao did not say it, he already had a guess.
Yuan Zhao nodded happily. “I asked Accountant Lu. He told me about all the inns along the route. I even brought him some tea as thanks.”
“You even gave a return gift for something so small?” Shi Wuxiang asked lightly.
“We’re not related. Since we used his information, it’s only right to show appreciation. Otherwise people might resent us,” Yuan Zhao said naturally.
Shi Wuxiang seemed pleased by that answer and immediately changed his tone. “You’re right. We should keep proper boundaries with outsiders. What you did was correct.”
Praising him worked instantly.
Yuan Zhao beamed. “So I handled it properly?”
“Very properly,” Shi Wuxiang said warmly. “That’s exactly how one should behave.”
Pleased with the praise, Yuan Zhao became even more motivated to take good care of Shi Wuxiang, determined to make the journey feel like a comfortable outing for him.
As the evening approached, they arrived at another rest stop. The inn looked decent, and there were many street stalls around it.
Without hesitation, Yuan Zhao decided they would stay there for the night and continue the journey the next day.
They took a room at the inn, and were given free hot water and simple food. Free offerings were naturally accepted—but only by Yuan Zhao. As for Shi Wuxiang’s meals, Yuan Zhao still borrowed the small kitchen to cook for him himself.
Roadside inns saw all kinds of travelers, so the staff did not ask questions about their background. As long as customers paid honestly and followed the rules, that was enough.
Yuan Zhao ate the simple meal provided by the inn, while Shi Wuxiang’s table was filled with richly prepared dishes—meat and vegetables arranged beautifully, fragrant and appealing. The contrast was so stark that if outsiders saw it, they might be tempted to throw vegetable scraps at Shi Wuxiang out of jealousy.
“Eat more meat. You’re the head of the household. If you wear yourself out, who’s going to take care of me?” Shi Wuxiang said as he kept putting meat into Yuan Zhao’s bowl.
Hearing this, Yuan Zhao immediately ate whatever was placed in his bowl, even patting his chest in assurance. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself—and I’ll take good care of you too! Don’t be afraid. Even if you go inside, I’ll wait for you outside!”
His last words were spoken vaguely.
“Inside” referred to the examination halls and the imperial exam itself.
But to anyone overhearing, it sounded rather unsettling.
He hadn’t even lowered his voice. A waiter delivering cut fruit happened to pass by the door and heard it clearly, immediately shivering. He then silently placed the fruit down and closed the door tightly behind him.
Although the servants of the inn did not normally pry into guests’ affairs, they could not help talking among themselves when they heard something unusual. Soon, they all came to believe that the upstairs room belonged to a pair of spouses who were involved in wrongdoing and were likely fleeing pursuit.
Naturally, they did not dare provoke or disturb them.
After bathing in hot water, washing away the fatigue of the day, the two of them lay on the bed in their inner garments, fanning each other to drive away the night heat.
“I’ll fan you. Go to sleep quickly—you need rest,” Yuan Zhao said, fanning more vigorously, afraid the heat would keep Shi Wuxiang awake.
“I can keep my mind calm and feel cool naturally. I’ll fan you instead,” Shi Wuxiang replied calmly.
He was naturally composed. Apart from one night when Yuan Zhao’s tonic medicine had disturbed his sleep, even during droughts and heatwaves he had never been unable to sleep because of the heat.
Yuan Zhao originally just wanted Shi Wuxiang to fall asleep first. He himself was used to spending long summer nights awake anyway, and could catch up on sleep in the carriage during the day.
But Shi Wuxiang was stubborn. He believed that night meant sleeping, not reversing day and night.
So he took the fan from Yuan Zhao and firmly fanned him until he fell asleep.
That first night away from home was not entirely restful. Yuan Zhao slept soundly once he fell asleep, but inns were never truly quiet. People came and went throughout the night, and Shi Wuxiang woke each time there was movement.
They had brought a considerable amount of silver with them, and he worried someone might try to steal it.
What he did not know was that the inn staff had already warned incoming guests not to disturb the couple upstairs, or no one could guarantee what trouble might follow.
Yuan Zhao slept deeply until morning.
When he woke up, he found Shi Wuxiang still asleep. He quickly checked their bundle—clothes, writing tools, and money were all still there—only then did he relax. He immediately asked the waiter to bring water.
Shi Wuxiang was woken by the noise but did not get angry. After washing his face with cold water, he became fully awake. Since they could always rest later, there was no need to lose his temper.
After a simple breakfast at the inn, Yuan Zhao bought extra steamed buns and flatbread for dry rations and filled their water bags with cold boiled water before they set off again.
The journey was not exactly one of hardship, but being in unfamiliar places and constantly on guard meant poor sleep was common, so they often rested in the carriage during the day.
They were not in a rush, sometimes even staying half a day longer at inns. Gradually, they noticed more and more examination candidates along the road.
Some came from wealthy families, riding beautifully decorated carriages with attendants, yet still looked uncomfortable and uneasy.
Others from poorer backgrounds shared ox carts and took turns driving, looking dusty and exhausted.
Compared to them, Yuan Zhao and Shi Wuxiang looked carefree and relaxed, hardly like people going to an examination at all.
“Are you two also heading to the provincial capital for the exam?” someone eventually asked out of curiosity.
“We’re going to the provincial capital to visit relatives,” Yuan Zhao immediately began making things up again. “Our home was burned down by a wealthy family, and we were driven out. We only managed to bring some travel money and are going to find relatives in the provincial capital to see if we can get work.”
“Such evil people exist in the world!” the scholar said indignantly. “You must be careful with your money!”
“Our family is gone. We’re just surviving day by day,” Shi Wuxiang said with a bitter smile.
Hearing this, the other scholars became indignant on their behalf. Some even wished they could promise to help them after passing the exam.
The two repeatedly thanked them, feeling a little guilty but satisfied that they had avoided trouble. If they met again in the future, they could always apologize then.
Thus, they continued their journey, leaving behind one tragic or infuriating story after another—without realizing that the group following behind them, desperately trying to track them down, could not find them at all.
If not for the fact that their descriptions matched what the inn staff said, those pursuers would never have believed that these ridiculous rumors referred to the two people they knew.
How could anyone lie so freely?
The inn staff who encountered the pursuers were puzzled as well. Though they looked like scholars, their anger made them seem more like officials hunting someone.
Unwilling to reveal their true purpose, the three men also improvised.
“We are undercover guards disguised as scholars tracking them!”
“We are servants of that wealthy family—we’re here to confirm whether they are lying!”
“We are distant relatives who took over their property, now regretting it and coming to bring them back…”
As they continued traveling toward the prefectural capital, Shi Wuxiang finally decided to wait for the group following them.
This time, they stopped fabricating stories and quietly stayed at a properly guarded inn.
Yuan Zhao asked in confusion, “How do you know they’ll still come after us?”
“In the academy, they already said they would follow behind us and meet us in the prefectural capital,” Shi Wuxiang replied. “The prefectural city is crowded and wealthy. There are many nobles and scholars there. No one will keep watching us.”
Indeed, in such a place, Yuan Zhao and Shi Wuxiang—two plainly dressed outsiders—would not attract attention.
Even booking a top-class room in the prefectural city was nothing unusual.
“So that’s how it is,” Yuan Zhao said. “The food there should be better too. Then I don’t have to cook anymore. You still need to eat well and nourish your body.”
“I’m in good health,” Shi Wuxiang said, pinching his face. “You’re the one who needs to take care of yourself. You’ve lost weight again in just a few days.”
“I can’t help it. I get anxious. How can you act like nothing is wrong?” Yuan Zhao stomped lightly, frustrated.
Shi Wuxiang calmly took a sip of tea, then pulled him closer and held him. “I am also anxious. I just don’t show it on my face. Everything is already arranged step by step. There is no need to worry about what is already decided.”
“I don’t know…” Yuan Zhao suddenly said, his breathing becoming rapid. “Just thinking about you being inside for so long makes me feel like I can’t breathe…”
His face turned pale, and he began gasping.
Shi Wuxiang quickly steadied his back and covered his mouth gently. “Breathe through your nose. Slow down. In and out, slowly…”
Gradually, Yuan Zhao recovered, collapsing weakly into his arms, drenched in sweat and a little dizzy.
“I… am I sick? Will I delay you? If I really am sick, just leave me here and take the money to the exam yourself…”
“You’re not sick. You’re just too nervous. It’s called hyperventilation,” Shi Wuxiang said softly. “You just need to relax.”
He helped him wash up, and after bathing in warm water, Yuan Zhao fell asleep inside the tub.
Shi Wuxiang quickly lifted him out, dried him, and carried him to bed, letting him sleep soundly.
A wide palm fan moved slowly back and forth, gently smoothing the furrowed brows that had tightened in sleep from the heat.
“And you still said you’d be taking care of me. In the end, who is taking care of who?” Shi Wuxiang chuckled softly as he poked Yuan Zhao’s slightly thin cheek. The smile was gentle, but there was also a hint of heartache beneath it.
Yuan Zhao slept all the way until nightfall—waking up only because he was hungry.
“Have some plain noodle soup,” Shi Wuxiang said, supporting him as he sat at the table. “Feeling better now?”
“Mm!” Yuan Zhao nodded hard and immediately focused on eating, not bothering with anything else.
As they were eating, a knock came at the door.
The voice outside sounded almost resentful.
“We are soldiers who came in pursuit… and also the wealthy household that set the fire…”