Yuan Zhao originally had no plans to visit Shi Wuxiang. He had only been forced by Yu Qing into using him as a shield. He hated strange people approaching him the most. Just because he had never experienced such matters before did not mean he was stupid!
The moment he arrived at the county city, Yuan Zhao hurried straight to the academy. Madam Shi Zhang continued selling rolled pancakes. During that time, Yu Qing indeed came by again, but upon seeing Yuan Zhao absent, he understood that he truly had gone to visit Shi Wuxiang. He did not linger and soon left.
Madam Shi Zhang, a clear-eyed observer, could naturally see through his intentions as well. Whenever customers asked about it, she always brushed the topic aside vaguely. Inwardly, she disliked Yu Qing even more.
Already at such an age, yet still acting without any sense of propriety. Even if he did not care about his own reputation, did he not care about ruining someone else’s?
Yuan Zhao himself also felt deeply irritated. Even though he had forced himself to cheer up before meeting Shi Wuxiang, the latter still noticed something off.
“You have something troubling you?” Shi Wuxiang asked.
“You could even tell that? Do scholars have heavenly eyes or something?” As Yuan Zhao spoke, he even reached out to tug at his eyelids, wanting to see whether there was something hidden inside his eyes.
Shi Wuxiang laughed as he wrapped Yuan Zhao’s fingers into his palm. “Usually you chatter nonstop, but today you’re especially quiet. There’s no need to think hard to know you’re hiding something.”
Not wanting unnecessary trouble between them, Yuan Zhao recounted everything from the past few days.
“So at this time you’re still setting up a stall?”
“Is the money from the eatery not enough? Why are you still running a stall at a time like this?”
“And you even argued with him. What if he’s the vicious sort and trips you up behind the scenes?”
Shi Wuxiang did not even know what to say. How could Yuan Zhao not think more carefully? Though that person’s actions were indeed irritating, he still should not openly confront him!
Yuan Zhao had not expected him to react like that. For a moment, he did not know how to answer.
“…Are you blaming me right now?”
Shi Wuxiang froze. “How could you think that? I just didn’t phrase it clearly earlier. I only hope you can be more cautious. Don’t openly clash with that sort of person in the streets. If they truly decide to bully you, how could you and Mother fight against them alone?”
“I didn’t think that much. But he’s really annoying.” Yuan Zhao immediately felt soothed and continued speaking. “Don’t you think so?”
Shi Wuxiang nodded at once. “That’s certainly true. Don’t associate with him anymore… though you said he had a ge’er younger brother?”
“Yeah. He said so himself. Said that ge’er younger brother already passed away, and only then did he return home to take charge of the household. He also said he was grateful I helped his younger brother…” Yuan Zhao pursed his lips. In any case, it all felt strange.
Shi Wuxiang quickly pieced together the full story.
That man called Yu Qing was probably the little ge’er himself. Previously, because of unavoidable circumstances, he could only disguise himself as a ge’er. Later, taking advantage of the drought, he seized complete control of the Yu family before restoring his identity.
But Yuan Zhao could not think of such a thing, so Shi Wuxiang felt it was better left unsaid.
This Yu Qing had likely already set his sights on Yuan Zhao. The day the demonic monk was dealt with, there had also been a tall little ge’er present. That was probably Yu Qing as well.
During this period, he had certainly already investigated them thoroughly. But no matter how much he investigated, the marriage between Shi Wuxiang and Yuan Zhao was an undeniable fact.
“Don’t concern yourself with him anymore. Let’s talk about you instead. You’ve been doing business in town for so long already, yet you still can’t keep your composure. No matter the circumstances, your life is the most important thing. Gossip only blows around for a few days before disappearing.” Shi Wuxiang wanted him to understand that staying alive was what mattered most.
Someone like Yu Qing, who could use ruthless methods to seize the Yu family, was definitely not some kind-hearted gentleman. Who knew whether he might go mad enough to hurt someone?
Yuan Zhao nodded slightly. “I understand now. I was just too angry at the time. I didn’t want to see him, so I hurriedly found an excuse to come visit you instead. I really don’t want to run into him.”
“So I’m just your excuse and shield?” Shi Wuxiang clicked his tongue twice. “That’s exactly how clever you should be.”
Yuan Zhao let out two soft hums, clearly very pleased with the praise.
The two chatted idly in the dormitory. Things were no longer the same as before. Shi Wuxiang was no longer an academy student but a teacher now. Yuan Zhao no longer needed to care about the opinions of other scholars and could openly cling to him in the dormitory.
“The money from the eatery is already enough. You truly don’t need to keep setting up stalls. I know your heart is wholly for my sake, but I worry about you too. I don’t want you freezing in the middle of winter.” Shi Wuxiang said softly. “It’s also because I’m useless, making you work so hard…”
Even though it was the same act of pretending to be pitiful, Yuan Zhao simply could not bear hearing Shi Wuxiang speak like that. He immediately comforted him and began listing all his accomplishments.
“How are you useless? You became a xiucai at such a young age, and now you’ve even become a juren. You’re also a teacher at the county academy. There’s no one younger and more accomplished than you.”
“You really know how to coax me into being happy.” Shi Wuxiang laughed lightly, genuinely soothed by his words.
“Hehe.” Yuan Zhao gave two silly little laughs. “How can that count as coaxing you? You really are amazing!”
Seeing that it was getting late, Yuan Zhao did not want Madam Shi Zhang handling the stall alone, so after saying goodbye to Shi Wuxiang, he hurried off. Since he had not seen Yu Qing today, his mood had improved greatly.
There was already a line at the stall, and once he joined in, the line moved much faster. The pile of money also grew larger and larger.
During the period they worked the stall, Yu Qing still came by many times, but he no longer spoke as he had before. Yuan Zhao also kept Shi Wuxiang’s warning firmly in mind—he could not openly clash with him—so he simply let him do as he pleased.
A month quickly passed. They earned several dozen taels from setting up the stall in the county city, more than enough to cover expenses on the road. It was also thanks to Yu Qing never finding it troublesome or tiresome, buying from them every single day.
This time, the four of them traveled together. After all, they were heading to the capital. It was better to travel with familiar people—they could keep each other company and look after one another.
This time they did not travel lazily as before. They kept a much lower profile and hurried along, finally reaching the capital after half a month.
The scenery and prosperity of the capital were beyond anything they had previously imagined. Only after truly setting foot there did they genuinely feel their own insignificance and weakness.
In this place, even a single plaque could crush countless high officials.
Yuan Zhao did not dare cling too closely to Shi Wuxiang, afraid the people here would laugh at him. Yet all around them, young ladies and young masters passed by joyfully in groups of three or five, strolling through the streets. Every now and then, carefree laughter drifted past them.
“What do we do now?” Cheng Du also began feeling somewhat timid. As soon as he spoke, everyone else instinctively turned to look at Shi Wuxiang.
Shi Wuxiang sighed softly. “I don’t know either. First we need to find a place to stay. If we can’t find a small courtyard, then we’ll have no choice but to stay at an inn. Have you all prepared yourselves for your purses to bleed heavily?”
“Of course we brought enough. This is the capital after all.”
Even if they brought nothing else, they had to bring plenty of silver. Still, all of them unconsciously glanced toward Hu Lu.
This time Hu Lu admitted it readily. “I basically brought my entire savings, but it’s only around a hundred taels. If it truly isn’t enough, don’t worry about my dignity—just fight to pay for me directly.”
“With you saying that, I can finally relax.” Cheng Du immediately became smug. “Aiyo, Little Mustache, stay close to your big brother here. I’ll treat you to the good life!”
Hu Lu was not offended at all and pinched his throat into a coy voice. “Yes indeed, Big Brother.”
“Little Mustache, hahahaha…”
The capital’s scenery was endlessly splendid. An endless stream of people came here—ragged laborers searching for work, wealthy nobles wrapped in silk and brocade. Shi Wuxiang and the others did not stand out much in this place, yet the aura around them still drew attention.
Thus someone quickly approached them, asking whether they were scholars who had come to take the examinations.
Shi Wuxiang cautiously replied, “Is there something the matter?”
The servant smiled. “The court has arranged lodging for the juren who came to the capital for the examinations. If you gentlemen are among them, then you’ll need to come with me so I can take you there… no need to worry, there are people like me all over the streets.”
As he spoke, he pointed nearby. Sure enough, they could see others dressed similarly stopping scholar-looking men to ask questions.
Only then did Shi Wuxiang suddenly remember that the official documents had indeed mentioned arranged lodging. But after arriving in the capital, they had been so shocked by the prosperity that everything else had slipped their minds.
The court had arranged examination hostels as lodging for the juren. They still needed to pay, but only ten taels of silver. Compared to inns or renting a small courtyard, that was practically nothing.
“How are the hostels arranged? I brought my fulang with me. If it’s inconvenient, we can find lodgings ourselves as well.” Shi Wuxiang asked while walking. He certainly could not squeeze Yuan Zhao together with strangers. That would be madness.
“Please don’t worry. Plenty of scholars come for the exams with their fulang, wives, or mothers. There are separate small rooms for you all. Food just isn’t included.” the hostel attendant explained.
Only then did Shi Wuxiang relax slightly. “That’s only proper. Thank you for informing me.”
Though called a hostel, it was actually several small buildings specially constructed to accommodate juren coming to the capital for the examinations.
Whenever examination season arrived, inn and restaurant prices multiplied wildly. Rather than letting private businesses profit from that money, the court might as well earn it themselves.
When there were no examinations, the hostel would even open to ordinary visitors for several days, allowing people to pay for tours. That money also went into the national treasury.
A long queue had already formed in front of the hostel. Everyone had to register before entering. Scholars who brought fulang, however, stayed in separate buildings, so Shi Wuxiang and Yuan Zhao had to split up from Cheng Du and the others. After memorizing each other’s locations, they parted ways.
The room was somewhat small, but everything necessary was provided. There was even a brazier for warmth at this time of year, which was already quite rare.
Yuan Zhao efficiently unpacked all their clothing and once again checked through everything Shi Wuxiang would need for the metropolitan examination. Only after confirming there were no mistakes did he feel at ease.
The hostel buildings were very quiet. No room dared make a disturbance. After all, everyone staying there was taking the examinations. Anyone who caused trouble would be thrown out immediately.
After resting at the hostel for three days, the metropolitan examination arrived.
This time Yuan Zhao did not cook meals for them. During these past few days, they had all been eating the hostel food. It was not good to suddenly switch to other food casually, so he simply bought the hostel meals for them to bring along.
Quite a few people saw Yuan Zhao taking care of so many scholars at once and could not help giving him strange looks. Yuan Zhao ignored them completely. He had no energy to care about such things.
Like the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination also consisted of three sessions. Yuan Zhao only needed to pick them up after each one ended. Unexpectedly, the waiting did not feel nearly as difficult as he had imagined. It even felt as though he had merely rested in the room for a little while before the examinations were already over.
The only difference was that none of them looked particularly happy afterward. The problem likely lay with Shi Wuxiang, because everyone seemed very mindful of his expression.
“Did something happen?” Yuan Zhao asked softly. “Could it be the results are already out right after the exams ended?”
Shi Wuxiang shook his head slightly. “Not that. We just need to wait.”
Yuan Zhao asked no further questions. Before the results were released, they could continue staying at the hostel. Yet now that the earlier restrictions were gone, the hostel had become much livelier.
Shi Wuxiang’s mood, however, remained subdued. During the examination, he had encountered the Sheng Emperor and the Imperial Preceptor. The Imperial Preceptor merely lifted a hand slightly, and the Sheng Emperor had walked over to him. The emperor had even looked through his exam papers before leaving with repeated sighs.
Shi Wuxiang: ???
He truly felt bewildered by it. He admitted his learning could not compare to those noble-born young masters, but he certainly should not have performed poorly enough to warrant sighing. Even though he kept telling himself that already attaining juren status was enough, since he had continued all the way to the metropolitan examination, not doing well still left disappointment in his heart.
The number of metropolitan examination candidates was only about a third of those in the provincial examination, so the results were released earlier than expected. In just seven days, the rankings came out—naturally thanks to the hard work of the officials.
The day the rankings were posted.
Cheng Du and the others all found their names on the list. After searching for a long time near the front, they ultimately found Shi Wuxiang’s name at the very bottom.
An awkward yet fortunate position.
Shi Wuxiang ended up laughing instead. With his abilities, ranking among the very top would indeed be unlikely, but being dead last made even less sense. Apparently that had been the reason for the Sheng Emperor’s sighs—he had been waiting to toy with him here?
“Th-this… should we…” Cheng Du suddenly did not know whether to comfort him or congratulate him.
“It’s fine. Compared to failing entirely, this is naturally a good thing.” Shi Wuxiang took it quite well. Simply making the list at all was already the best outcome for him.
Yuan Zhao also nodded repeatedly in delight. “Exactly, exactly! Just being able to say it out loud is enough reason to hold a banquet in celebration. Isn’t this a tremendous happy occasion?”
Seeing that they truly meant it sincerely, Cheng Du and the others also wholeheartedly congratulated him. Now he was already a gongshi. Only one final step remained before becoming a jinshi.
Perhaps because of last year’s drought, the court truly needed officials urgently. Thus the palace examination was scheduled very quickly, leaving them only five days of rest.
At the palace examination, everything depended solely upon the Sheng Emperor’s wishes. By now, their academic foundations were naturally not the issue. Whether they could satisfy the emperor, however, was another matter entirely.
Thus Shi Wuxiang and the others no longer stayed cooped up in the hostel. Every day they wandered around outside instead.
The capital was prosperous beyond compare. Streets, shops, and restaurants lined up one after another. Endless cries of vendors filled the air. Everywhere reflected the peace and prosperity of the common people.
At night, the capital became even more dazzlingly beautiful. The restaurants rose multiple stories high, each flying eave hung with lanterns as though trying to illuminate every corner within a hundred li.
“The capital really is beautiful,” Yuan Zhao murmured softly. If Ah Xiang truly became the top scholar, then countless daughters of noble families would probably want to marry him.
But once they learned he had already married a little ge’er from the mountain foothills, they would probably look down on him instead. After all, what noble young lady lacked pride? How could they possibly want a man who already had a fulang?
Thinking of this, Yuan Zhao secretly giggled to himself. The girls of the capital had surely seen all kinds of outstanding men!
Shi Wuxiang turned to look at him. “Then how would you feel about living here?”
Yuan Zhao immediately shook his head repeatedly. “Everything here is wonderful, but also not wonderful at all. Qingshui Town still feels more comfortable.”
“That’s true.” Shi Wuxiang laughed softly.
“I’ve been eyeing that teahouse over there for ages. Let’s go try it today.” Cheng Du pointed toward a beautifully decorated teahouse not far away. Even before reaching it, they could already smell faint drifting traces of tea fragrance.
“Then let’s go.”
An attendant led them into a private room inside the teahouse. Here, teas and refreshments were customized according to each guest’s tastes. Naturally, the prices could not possibly be cheap. But since they came here to enjoy themselves, worrying too much about money would spoil the point.
Yuan Zhao rarely drank tea and understood even less about such things. The attendant did not mock him at all. Instead, he recommended floral tea favored by young ladies and ge’er, paired with light sweet pastries.
Ever since passing the metropolitan examination, aside from returning to the hostel building to sleep, they had not spent any daytime there at all. As a result, the person someone had sent over repeatedly failed to find them. In the end, it was only because a servant happened to spot them entering the teahouse on the street that he hurried back to report the news.
“Student thanks Your Majesty for your mercy.”
Shi Wuxiang smoothly kowtowed and offered thanks. So the emperor had merely been trying to scare him?
The Sheng Emperor cherished talent and cared for the people, so naturally he would not truly lose a pillar of the nation over such a matter. It was just that Shi Wuxiang’s body was frail like rotten wood, as though a gust of wind could scatter him apart.
Thinking of this, his gaze could not help drifting toward the others. Their results were also quite good, and their character seemed decent enough, but… their courage was not very impressive. Anyone with eyes could see they had already been frightened half to death.
The emperor could not help pressing a hand to his forehead. If his teacher found out, he would probably scold him again.
“Forget it. I merely came today to have a look at you all, yet it seems I only made you uncomfortable.” the Sheng Emperor said lightly. Yet to others, it sounded more like a rebuke toward their cold and restrained attitudes.
Even Shi Wuxiang felt somewhat tense. When standing before someone at the very peak of authority, a casual sentence from them could remove the heads of your entire family. Who would dare speak carelessly?
At their current level of mentality and willpower, they truly were not suited to serving as court officials yet. Otherwise, a few words from others would be enough to frighten them into making wrong decisions.
“We students rarely have the chance to behold the Son of Heaven. We were somewhat nervous and displeased Your Majesty.”
Even if he could not do much else, taking responsibility was still easy enough.
The Sheng Emperor could not be bothered listening to them rack their brains for flattering words. Still, students this fresh and unusual truly had not appeared before him in a long time. Thinking back on previous examination candidates, all of them had worn eager expressions of fawning ambition.
He snorted softly. “Forget it. Continuing this conversation with you all is practically tormenting me. You may withdraw.”
“Yes, students take our leave.”
The four of them rose and bowed. They retreated backward all the way to the second doorway before finally turning and walking out.
Shi Wuxiang went next door to fetch Yuan Zhao from the private room, wiping away pastry crumbs from the corner of his mouth before taking his hand and quickly leaving the teahouse.
Only after they completely exited the building did the group finally breathe out in relief.
Cheng Du patted his chest. “I can’t do this anymore. I just want to go home right now. The thought of speaking with that person in front of hundreds during the palace examination… I want to return to town immediately!”
“I’m about to faint too.” Hu Lu looked even worse. His face was deathly pale, and combined with his helpless smile, he looked downright pitiful.
Shi Wuxiang was somewhat better off, though only by a little.
Those transmigration dramas and novels always made the protagonist fearless before heaven, earth, and even the emperor just to make them stand out… wasn’t that basically a joke?
“We should hurry back.” Fu Ying sighed softly as well. “This kind of situation is really hard to endure.”
None of them were people with grand ambitions. Reaching this point was already more than enough for them to comfortably live out their lives in the county or prefectural city.
News that the emperor himself had appeared in the capital had already spread. The scholars staying in the hostel all became restless. Dressed in their finest, they hurried out one after another, their attitudes completely opposite from Shi Wuxiang and the others after learning of the emperor’s presence.
Among those people, perhaps some would fail the palace examination, but they might be more suited than Shi Wuxiang and the others for stepping into the imperial court.
The palace examination had to conclude within a single day. Every examination paper contained five policy questions, all centered around the current political matters Emperor Sheng cared about most, naturally with some more specific directions of assessment as well.
Shi Wuxiang and the others did not play tricks on their answer sheets. After all, there was still the interview stage. Whether they succeeded or failed, what ranking they received, all depended on a single sentence from Emperor Sheng. Judging from their earlier performance, the prospects were probably poor.
Besides, they did not want to become officials in court anyway.
The palace examination itself existed to produce rankings and appoint officials before the court.
Emperor Sheng looked at the examination papers laid before him. After casually flipping through them, he saw Shi Wuxiang’s name among the top-ranked papers.
This person was actually ranked within the first class.
Even several of his classmates had entered the second class… Was this tiny Qingshui Town truly hiding crouching tigers and hidden dragons?
He was more inclined to believe it was because Shi Wuxiang was too outstanding, and those people just happened to associate with him, thus obtaining such good results.
But first-class rankings could not be given to scholars from some remote little town, much less when the few of them currently could not withstand the various pressures brought by succeeding on the golden list.
Emperor Sheng needed talent, but he did not need an utterly pristine lake.
As Emperor Sheng selected and assigned people, half of the palace examination candidates were eliminated. Some were granted official posts. The top three of the first class were all taken by the children of high-ranking capital officials. In truth, they deserved it, and with family backing added in, since Emperor Sheng dared to use them, he naturally had confidence.
At the end, the only four left standing in the hall with rankings but no official appointments were them.
The four stood there trembling, having no idea what to do, and could only remain in place waiting for Emperor Sheng’s final decision.
“You four possess more than enough talent, but your courage and bearing are insufficient. Remaining in officialdom would only be unnecessary. You may as well return home now.” When Emperor Sheng spoke these words, he looked especially irritated. The moment he saw their spineless appearance, he became angry.
“Many thanks, Your Majesty.”
Although the few of them felt somewhat disappointed, inwardly they were even more delighted.
Seeing their happiness only made Emperor Sheng angrier. He immediately said slowly, “Since you possess talent, it cannot simply be wasted. You may as well hold idle posts in court.”
Ah?
They could still hold idle court posts?
They were all anxious to go home!
“Shi Wuxiang shall be attached to the Hanlin Academy. Chengdu shall be attached to the Ministry of Personnel. Fu Ying shall be attached to the Ministry of Revenue. Hu Lu has an auspicious name, so attach him to the Ministry of Rites!” Emperor Sheng settled all their arrangements in just a few sentences. “Since you are not serving as court officials, collect your rewards and hurry up and get lost.”
“Yes, many thanks, Your Majesty!”
The chief eunuch quickly escorted them out with a beaming smile. Returning to Emperor Sheng’s side, he could already tell that His Majesty truly favored these few and was also paving the way for the future crown prince.
The moment they exited the imperial palace, the four suddenly realized their entire bodies were soaked through.
Frightened and nervous.
“So… does this mean we’re completely freed now?” Hu Lu asked with lingering fear, yet there was actually a smile of surviving disaster on his face.
“Yes. At least we still have the title of ‘Presented Scholar by Grace.’ In the county town, that’s more than enough.” Shi Wuxiang said with a smile. “At least this trip wasn’t for nothing. Later we’ll even receive rewards. Imperial rewards—those are things other people couldn’t obtain even if they begged!”
As long as people knew contentment, they would not feel dissatisfied.
Chengdu immediately looked smug. “That’s true. Forget it, forget it, let’s stop talking about this. Let’s hurry back, change clothes, and go eat at the restaurant. I’m so hungry after today I could eat an entire cow!”
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
“A-Xiang!”
Not far from the towering city wall stood a slender, frail figure. Seemingly hearing their commotion, he waved while hopping excitedly in delight.
Shi Wuxiang no longer cared about propriety or image and immediately ran toward him.
Held tightly in the embrace, Yuan Zhao instantly widened his eyes. His bright eyes darted left and right, making sure no one saw them, before greedily enjoying the other man’s hug.
“You’re especially clingy today.” Yuan Zhao giggled.
“Then do you dislike it?” Shi Wuxiang lightly stroked the back of his neck with one hand. Aside from scrubbing each other during baths, this was the most intimate contact they had ever shared.
Kissing did not count—that was the work of drunkards.
Yuan Zhao hurriedly shook his head. “I don’t dislike it. Let’s hurry back. Tomorrow should be the day the palace examination rankings are posted, right? I saw those scholars leaving earlier—some were delighted while others looked dejected.”
Having stayed by Shi Wuxiang’s side for so long, he could now even speak these four-character idioms and phrases.
After returning to the guild hall to change clothes, they hurried to a restaurant outside to eat. They ordered a full table of dishes and even requested a pot of fine wine to calm their nerves.
Perhaps because they had never witnessed such scenes before, the four quickly finished the pot of wine together. They did not become drunk, but only after finally settling their hearts did they begin eating properly.
They had left the palace rather late to begin with, and when they returned to the guild hall again, it was lively inside. Although most had failed, the sounds of mutual congratulations were even louder and more numerous.
“When shall we return?” Chengdu asked.
“We’ll depart after waking tomorrow. Today we’ll first get a good night’s rest. There’s no need to hurry. Even if we leave late tomorrow, delaying a day won’t matter.” Shi Wuxiang reassured them.
Hu Lu nodded randomly. “Then I’m going to sleep. I’m already seeing double.”
After spending so much time “mixing around” with them, he was no longer as taciturn as before. His personality had become much more open. He now dared to say things he never would have spoken before.
Shi Wuxiang collapsed weakly onto the bed while Yuan Zhao attended to him at the side.
“Lift your arm a little! I can’t even take off your clothes!”
Speaking until he got annoyed, Yuan Zhao angrily punched him once.
Shi Wuxiang laughed quietly twice. “I’m too lazy to move. Figure it out yourself.”
Grinding his teeth, Yuan Zhao first removed his own shoes and socks and climbed onto the bed, then used all his strength to hug him and pull off his clothes. After stripping him, he directly tossed the man onto the bed, drawing another muffled laugh from Shi Wuxiang.
After everything was tidied up, Yuan Zhao no longer even had the energy to wash up. He simply rolled inside and obediently lay down.
This time it became Shi Wuxiang bustling around, helping him wash and rinse his mouth so he could sleep better at night.
A peaceful night passed.