The sun's rays swept past the window lattice as clouds drifted in, casting a layer of dappled shadows over the desk.
Yan Shisheng bent over the desk, sketching the appearance of the White Ox tea plant for Mu Wan Yao as she had requested.
Upon hearing that Yan Shisheng had less than half a kilogram of White Ox tea, Mu Wan Yao felt disdain. How could such a small amount be enough to distribute among those people in Chang'an?
The best solution was to figure out what the White Ox tea plant looked like, so she could send her own people to search for it in the wild. If they could transplant the tea plants from Lingnan to Chang'an and cultivate them there, that would be ideal.
With the provincial examination approaching, Yan Shisheng needed to study and only agreed to draw the tea plant for Mu Wan Yao in exchange for her teaching him the Qieyun and helping him correct his ancient pronunciation.
Thus, that afternoon, Mu Wan Yao idly flipped through the Qieyun, while Yan Shisheng focused on sketching the tea plant.
In the midst of the quiet and peaceful atmosphere, the sound of clopping hooves echoed from beyond the fence. Before anyone even entered, shouts erupted: "Yan Erlang! Yan Erlang, come out!"
Startled by the noise outside the window, Yan Shisheng’s wolf hair brush slipped, pressing down and leaving a dark blot of ink on the paper, casting a deep shadow over the trunk of the tree he was drawing.
Mu Wan Yao frowned at the ruined drawing. "Who’s making such a racket outside?"
The maid Chunhua stepped out. "This servant will go and see."
Hearing his name called, Yan Shisheng immediately rose to check. Mu Wan Yao reached out and pulled him back, tilting her head toward the window. "Let Chunhua see what’s going on first. What if it’s some ruffian with a club, here to harm you?"
Yan Shisheng’s wolf hair brush trembled slightly. He glanced at Mu Wan Yao, both puzzled and touched: Was this lady actually protecting him? Could he believe his ears?
Mu Wan Yao added, "You still have to finish drawing the tea plant for me. You can’t afford to get injured now."
Yan Shisheng fell silent.
Outside the Yan family’s fence, a brown horse stood tethered. A young scholar had ridden over, his horse laden with thick stacks of books and dried provisions.
Dismounting, the young scholar began shouting before even entering the courtyard: "Yan Erlang! Yan Shisheng! My father sent me to find you. Where are you?"
After dismounting, he noticed that the Yan residence was different from before—the courtyard was now filled with guards and maids. Though he found it strange, he showed no fear and led his horse into the yard.
The rest of the Yan family was away, so no one came to greet the guest. The maid Chunhua stepped out from behind the curtain and called out sharply, "Who’s making such a disturbance here?"
Descending the steps, Chunhua followed the pointing fingers of the other maids and spotted the young man who had already entered the courtyard but was being held back by the guards.
Chunhua stared, momentarily stunned. The youth was young, dressed in fine silk, with elegant features and an air of talent—completely unlike the ordinary people of Lingnan.
She couldn’t help but wonder: In such a remote place as Lingnan, it was already rare to find someone as handsome as Yan Shisheng. How could another one appear out of nowhere? Anyone who didn’t know better might think this wasn’t Lingnan, but the golden city of Chang'an.
The young man had not expected to encounter a slender, beautiful maiden standing sternly at the foot of the steps. He, too, was taken aback, then quickly reined in his arrogance and impatience. A sudden blush spread across his fair face.He nervously set down the horse's reins, bowed with clasped hands, and asked, "May I ask how to address you, young lady? This should be Yan Erlang's residence, right? I am surnamed Liu. My father sent me to find Yan Erlang to inquire about this year's provincial examination. If there are no other reasons, my father wants me to go with Yan Erlang to take the exam."
Chunhua immediately understood.
Every year in the deep winter, the various provinces and circuits of Great Wei would recommend qualified students to the Department of State Affairs in Chang'an for the imperial examination through preliminary tests. That final stage was the "imperial examination." This young scholar had come to find Yan Shisheng precisely for that initial "recommendation" examination.
Chunhua curtsied and replied softly, "Please wait a moment, young master. I will go fetch Yan Erlang."
She turned to enter the house but glanced back at the Liu family scholar who had traveled from afar, now standing in the courtyard.
The scholar stared at her intently, his gaze unwavering and bright.
Under the warm winter sun, the young lady stood tall and graceful, blooming like a rare flower, her beauty beyond the ordinary.
A gentle breeze brushed the stray hairs on her cheeks. Chunhua's face flushed again. She gave the scholar a faint smile and lowered her head. This time, she did not look back and went straight inside to find the princess—
That scholar was named Liu Wenji, just eighteen years old this year, a year older than Yan Shisheng.
His father had once served as a censor but offended a high-ranking official at court and was subsequently exiled to Lingnan.
According to Yan Shisheng, Liu Wenji was a renowned child prodigy in the Lingnan Circuit. Yan Shisheng himself had studied under Liu Wenji's father. Yan Shisheng had already taken the provincial examination three times, but Liu Wenji was not as impatient as he.
This year was Liu Wenji's first time taking the provincial examination. His father had sent him to seek Yan Shisheng's advice on the exam and to accompany Yan Shisheng to take it together.
Although it was his first attempt, Liu Wenji was brimming with confidence, certain he would pass.
To make traveling for the exam more convenient, Liu Wenji intended to stay at the Yan residence. Yan Shisheng explained Liu Wenji's situation to Mu Wan Yao, hoping she would allow Liu Wenji to stay.
Mu Wan Yao glanced at Yan Shisheng as he explained the situation. It was clear that his patient elaboration was meant to persuade her to let the young man stay.
The maid Chunhua also added softly, "The towns in Lingnan are far apart. Young Master Liu has come a long way. If we send him back, it might delay his exam."
Mu Wan Yao looked puzzled. "You want him to stay so he can go to the exam with you in a couple of days?"
Yan Shisheng replied gently, "Yes. Brother Liu is highly learned. If he stays, I can seek his guidance. And if we go together, we can look out for each other."
Mu Wan Yao asked, "He's known as a child prodigy?"
Yan Shisheng nodded.
Mu Wan Yao grew even more curious. "How does your scholarship compare to his?"
Yan Shisheng blushed and said with embarrassment, "Brother Liu comes from a family of profound learning. I am not his equal."
At this, Mu Wan Yao was utterly astonished.
She stood up and circled Yan Shisheng. "So, you're planning to host someone who could threaten you and likely steal your ranking? Instead of driving away such a formidable rival, you're worried he might not rest well and want to provide him with good food and lodging? Have you already resigned yourself to failing and decided to curry favor with this prodigy?"
Yan Shisheng said, "I might not necessarily lose."
"Pfft."
Yan Shisheng: ...What does "pfft" mean?Mu Wan Yao sat back down, gazing up at him eagerly: "Great Wei has fifteen circuits from north to south and fifty passes from east to west. Every year, talented individuals are recommended from these regions to participate in the imperial examinations at the Department of State Affairs. With fifteen circuits and fifty passes, there are countless scholars across the land, yet only about a thousand are recommended each year."
"Larger provinces can recommend more candidates, but remote areas like your Lingnan region only have one or two slots annually. Since Liu Wenji is known as a child prodigy, he is your biggest threat."
Mu Wan Yao's eyes sparkled with excitement as she enthusiastically offered him advice: "You could eliminate this threat right from the start."
Yan Shisheng remained silent for a long moment.
He asked: "You think I should drive him away?"
Mu Wan Yao leaned her elbows on the table, appearing both docile and charming: "Of course you should let him stay."
Yan Shisheng raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Mu Wan Yao continued strategizing for him: "He seems like the proud type who has never faced failure. Such people are brittle - too rigid and they break. With your cunning, you could easily disrupt his focus while learning from him, causing him to fail the exam and become your stepping stone to success in the provincial examination. Even if you might not necessarily win, he would definitely lose."
"In life's endeavors, forging ahead ultimately comes down to one word - 'competition'!"
The princess's words were spoken with laughter, yet their content was so ruthless.
Yan Shisheng stared at Mu Wan Yao for a while before slowly saying: "In life's endeavors, forging ahead involves more than just 'competition'. There's also virtue, loyalty, benevolence, and righteousness."
He continued: "I acknowledge my scholarship isn't outstanding enough to earn the child prodigy title, having attempted the provincial exam for three consecutive years without success. But I would never build my path upon others' futures. Heaven rewards the virtuous. I have my own principles - to stand between heaven and earth with a clear conscience."
Mu Wan Yao's expression remained unchanged.
She still tempted him toward wrongdoing: "If you don't tell, who would know what you've done? Once it's over, it's over anyway."
Yan Shisheng said gently: "In this world, nothing truly passes. It never passes."
Hearing his moral lecture hadn't affected Mu Wan Yao much, but these last words struck her heart like a heavy hammer, causing sudden, sharp pain.
She stepped back, her face abruptly changing, turning somewhat pale.
In this world, can nothing truly pass? Do all past traces turn into nightmares that return repeatedly to torment you, right?
Noticing her pallor, Yan Shisheng asked with concern: "What's wrong?"
Mu Wan Yao leaned on the table, her slender knuckles trembling slightly. Yet she showed no weakness, snapping fiercely: "I've finished giving my advice. Since you won't listen, get out!"
Yan Shisheng observed her for a long time without result, then withdrew his gaze—
Two days later, Yan Shisheng and Liu Wenji came to bid farewell to Mu Wan Yao. The two were going together to take the provincial exam and wouldn't return for a day or two.
Mu Wan Yao noticed Liu Wenji constantly stealing glances at her maid Chunhua, while Yan Shisheng remained calm and composed. Yan's siblings encouraged him to do well in the exam, seeing him off reluctantly.
Watching them encourage each other and display such sibling affection through the curtain, Mu Wan Yao remarked sarcastically: "So they're off to pluck the laurel branch from the moon?"
Yan Shisheng said politely: "Thank you for your care these past days."
Mu Wan Yao asked with feigned concern: "Have you considered that you might simply fail?"
The Yan family members immediately turned angry stares toward Mu Wan Yao.No one wished to play the villain, yet Mu Wan Yao seemed to delight in taking on that role. Covering her mouth in feigned surprise, she said, "I'm only speaking the truth. Heaven's will is unpredictable—shouldn't you prepare for the worst?"
Yan Shisheng replied with refined courtesy, "Then this humble scholar can only pray that human effort prevails over divine fate."
Once Yan Shisheng departed, Mu Wan Yao dropped her cheerful facade and drove everyone out.
She barked at the guards, "Follow me to the wilderness—we're searching for the white ox tea tree! Once we find it, we'll leave this place. After meeting my uncle, we return to Chang'an!"
Chunhua timidly asked, "Aren't we waiting for Yan Erlang's exam results? Or for his return?"
Mu Wan Yao retorted, "Why wait for him?"
She scoffed disdainfully, "Without patronage, how could he possibly pass?"
Chunhua suggested tentatively, "Perhaps you, my lady, could..."
Mu Wan Yao smiled faintly, "Didn't he insist on relying on his own abilities to challenge fate? How dare I hinder Yan Erlang's righteous path? Someone like me—a petty person—had better focus on finding my tea tree."
Author's Note: Let me explain—during this period, imperial examinations were heavily manipulated. Without connections in high places, you'd either fail outright or your success would be meaningless. Even achieving the top rank as zhuangyuan would be useless without backing. Conversely, with powerful patronage, one could easily maneuver into the zhuangyuan position.
Furthermore, passing the exams didn't guarantee immediate official appointment. Without influential supporters, candidates might wait three to five years after succeeding, wasting precious time without ever assuming a government post.
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