Xiao Jinyu was startled by the shout, but Xue Rucheng remained as calm as still lake water, eyeing the dark head with amusement. "Oh... what kind of flower were you called again?"
"Wang Xiaohua!"
Xue Rucheng showed a hint of realization. "My memory fails me in old age, I only remembered there was a 'flower'... It's a good name, truly fitting, sounds like someone from a decent family. Are you betrothed?"
The dark face seemed to turn green in the night shadows. With a muffled grunt, the head withdrew and the window slammed shut with a "bang!"
"Sir?"
Xue Rucheng muttered under his breath, "Let him bully you..."
"...Thank you, sir."
When Xiao Jinyu handed over the stack of papers, Xue Rucheng set them aside without even looking and poured him a cup of plain water. "The physician said you have trouble sleeping, so it's better not to drink tea at night."
"Yes."
"This old man has no tea leaves left either."
"...I still have some in my room, I'll bring them to you later."
"Hmm... Are you feeling better?"
"Thank you for your care, sir. I'm much better now."
Xue Rucheng watched Xiao Jinyu drinking the plain water with his head bowed. "Missing your wife?"
Xiao Jinyu nearly choked, his face flushing crimson. "N-no, not at all..."
As Xue Rucheng raised an eyebrow, Xiao Jinyu panicked and blurted out, "I am..."
"Hmm..." That face returned to its placid stillness. "The examination begins tomorrow. Any plans?"
Xiao Jinyu straightened his posture. "Tomorrow when candidates enter, I'll personally supervise the inspections at the Imperial Examination Hall gate. Anyone caught attempting to cheat will be immediately sent to the Ministry of Justice for severe punishment as a warning to others."
Xue Rucheng nodded.
"During the examination period, I'll personally monitor the examination cells, conducting random checks across all nine thousand cells to prevent any collusion or cheating."
Xue Rucheng nodded again.
"Additionally... I've already notified the Ministry of Justice that any cheating candidates caught during the exam should be temporarily detained within the Imperial Examination Hall. They can only be transferred to the Ministry of Justice after the three-day examination period ends, to prevent collusion between cheating candidates and ministry officials that might facilitate further cheating among remaining examinees."
After Xiao Jinyu finished speaking, Xue Rucheng seemed to be waiting for him to continue. Xiao Jinyu had no choice but to add, "This is all I've thought of... Please advise me, sir."
Xue Rucheng cleared his throat softly and lowered his voice. "What about His Majesty's assignment?"
Xiao Jinyu froze in astonishment. "Sir..."
"His Majesty's arrangement isn't without reason. Wang Ye, think boldly but act carefully."
While Xiao Jinyu was still stunned, he heard Xue Rucheng say lightly, "It's late, go rest... Don't forget the tea leaves."
"...Yes."
From the day Xiao Jinyu left, Chu Chu began counting days on her fingers.
During the day, she could still wander around the Royal Mansion helping wherever needed. It was early February, just in time for the mansion's planting season for flowers and vegetables. Chu Chu was quite skilled at planting and full of ideas, busy helping with this and arranging that, keeping herself occupied and making the time pass more easily.
But when night fell and everyone returned to their rooms in the quiet darkness, Chu Chu found herself alone in the empty main room of One Heart Garden. Surrounded everywhere by traces of Xiao Jinyu, she would unconsciously find herself missing him terribly.Every night she went to bed early, thinking that once she woke up, the day would be over, and she would be one day closer to his return. Even though Xiao Jin Yu wasn’t staying there, Chu Chu still filled the lamp oil to the brim before sleeping. When she lay down, she curled into a small ball, hugging Xiao Jin Yu’s clothes, closing her eyes to breathe in the lingering scent of medicine on the fabric. She spoke to his clothes in fragments, imagining he was right beside her, just like before…
The more she thought this way, the more she missed him. As she spoke, tears would fall, soaking the clothes in her arms over and over again. Only when her eyes were dry and sore from crying could she finally fall asleep.
Even in her dreams, she hoped—hoped that when she opened her eyes, she would be lying in his arms, being gazed at tenderly, held, and kissed by him…
Chu Chu knew it was impossible. It was only the ninth day of the month, the first day of the imperial examination…
During the day, she couldn’t resist sneaking near the Imperial Examination Hall, hiding at the entrance of a small alley across from it, peering toward the main gate. She saw Xiao Jin Yu wearing his dark purple official robe, seated not far inside the gate. His complexion was poor, as if he had suffered another serious illness. While sternly reprimanding a few candidates caught with hidden cheat sheets, he pressed his chest and coughed for a long time, so severely that Wu Jiang had to escort him away.
Chu Chu’s heart ached so much she nearly rushed over, but she bit her lip and held back.
She had promised him—to wait for him properly at home…
Yet she couldn’t help hoping he would return, and sooner rather than later…
Tears streamed down as she drifted into a hazy sleep. In her dreams, she heard someone urgently calling “Imperial Concubine.” Startled awake, she saw a guard from the Royal Mansion standing by her bed and scrambled up immediately.
The guard’s expression was grave. “Imperial Concubine, someone from the Imperial Examination Hall has come to request your presence.”
The Imperial Examination Hall…
Chu Chu’s heart tightened. “What’s wrong with Wang Ye?” she asked anxiously.
The guard frowned deeply. “They didn’t say… only asked you to pack some clothes. Once you enter the Imperial Examination Hall, you won’t be allowed to leave.”
Remembering how he had coughed uncontrollably during the day, Chu Chu panicked, leaping out of bed. “Alright… I’ll go right away!”
Chu Chu hastily pulled on a set of clothes, tied up her hair carelessly, and stuffed a few garments into a bundle. Instead of taking a sedan chair, she led out a horse, mounted it, and galloped off. It was unclear where she had learned the skill—having ridden only a few times before—but she outpaced the guard. By the time he caught up with her at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall, his face was pale with fright, and his knees trembled so much he nearly collapsed upon dismounting.
Xiao Jin Yu was seated at the spot where he had supervised the candidates’ entry during the day, with Wu Jiang standing beside him. Chu Chu froze for a moment, her nose tingling with emotion, then rushed through the gate and threw herself into Xiao Jin Yu’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Wang Ye!”
Xiao Jin Yu suddenly felt the emptiness in his heart over the past few days instantly filled. “Chu Chu…”
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