After meeting with Yang Dong, there had been no response from his side for a long time.

Shen Xiling knew this was a contest of patience. She had already been the first to sit down and negotiate peace, so if her next move was to urgently press for answers, it would appear desperate and weak, often leading to even more unfavorable situations. The guild would likely take advantage of this to pressure her further, and then all her three years of accumulation in the weaving trade would be ruined in an instant.

She had to grit her teeth and endure.

She and the guild engaged in a silent game: she continued to privately contact other fabric shop owners while the guild continued to pressure shops that sided with Shen Xiling. Both sides were locked in a stalemate.

This matter wouldn’t be resolved in just a day or two, but although Shen Xiling had anticipated this, after a month had passed, the pressure was still considerable.

She hadn’t wanted to show it and worry Qi Ying, but he understood her too well. Even though she had been trying hard to act as if nothing was wrong, he quickly noticed something amiss.

One evening after dinner, as the two were strolling in the garden, he asked her, “Have you encountered difficulties in your business lately?”

Shen Xiling was startled upon hearing this, not knowing how he had found out. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “…Did you have someone inquire about it?”

“Why would I need to ask anyone?” Qi Ying smiled faintly and glanced at her sideways. “You’ve been so quiet lately.”

Shen Xiling pursed her lips.

Indeed, when she had nothing troubling her mind, she would talk more when by his side. Recently, she had been speaking less.

Not wanting him to worry, she now put on a relaxed demeanor and joked, “Is it that you found me too chatty before?”

But Qi Ying wasn’t fooled by her playful words. His expression was quite serious as he looked at her and asked, “Do you want me to help you?”

Shen Xiling was startled again, seeing the concern in his eyes.

The distance she had felt recently seemed truly to have been her imagination. He still cared for her just as much, even worrying because of her silence. Shen Xiling felt warmth in her heart, but also a bit dejected, thinking that he seemed to especially dote on her only when she encountered troubles. But what difference was this from when she was small…

Thinking this way, she became more determined to make him realize she had grown up. She shook her head very firmly and said, “No.”

Qi Ying raised his eyebrows and asked, “Really not?”

She glanced at him and shook her head even more decisively.

She possessed captivating beauty, but the way she shook her head now appeared charmingly childish, drawing out the faint look of tender affection in Qi Ying’s eyes.

He yielded, nodding and saying, “Alright, then we’ll do as you wish.”

Qi Ying didn’t insist further, having other considerations as well.

Although he was now following the young lady’s previous wishes and no longer secretly protecting her business, he had after all been looking after her for three years. Anyone with sense would know he was her backing, so even if there were some business disputes, they probably wouldn’t dare to truly court disaster.

His worry for her was mainly fear that she would be troubled and exhausted, but he wasn’t really concerned that anything serious would happen. So now that she said she didn’t want his help, he didn’t go against her wishes, though after thinking it over, he couldn’t help but say one more thing: “If anything happens, come find me. Don’t bully yourself.”

This word “bully” was quite subtle, implicitly revealing his bias toward her. In his eyes, anyone who had even a slight dispute with her was “bullying” her, and even when she made herself slightly tired, she was “bullying” herself.

He was always afraid she would be bullied.

Shen Xiling understood him very well. Perhaps because she had liked him for so long, she was more familiar with his every word and action—she could understand the meaning behind every sentence he spoke. So she again felt the sensation of being favored by him, and sweetness rose in her heart for a moment. She responded softly, then with a touch of coquettishness said to him, “Then it’s the same for you—if anything happens, come find me too. Don’t bully yourself.”

These words were half true and half false.

She naturally knew she couldn’t handle his affairs; saying this was just for fun. But the latter half was sincere: she hoped he could also live more easily.

Qi Ying glanced at her and saw the young lady looking at him with that subtly heartbroken expression she’d had since childhood, making his heart soften again.

When she was small it was one thing, but now that she had grown up and become so beautiful, when she showed such an expression, it was very difficult not to stir the heart of the observer.

Even the cold-hearted Young Master Qi was no exception.

He was even somewhat flustered as he looked away, no longer continuing to watch her, but his composure remained perfect on the surface, appearing completely calm and unruffled as he replied faintly, “Naturally.”

Although Qi Ying had said this to Shen Xiling, in truth he wasn’t having an easy time during that period.

First, there were matters within the Privy Council.

Although there were no wars between north and south this year, Great Liang had experienced several uprisings and rebellions internally, which also fell under the Privy Council’s responsibilities and had to pass through Qi Ying’s hands.

Upon careful investigation, these uprisings could always be traced to Wei people stirring up trouble, but the root of internal unrest lay in people’s livelihoods, not entirely the fault of others fanning the flames.

Although Jiangzuo had been prosperous since ancient times, wealth was mostly concentrated in the hands of noble families, while common people remained poor and lacking. Especially in recent years, due to wartime conditions, taxes were particularly heavy, and conscription and corvée labor were common, causing some counties to present the tragic sight of nine out of ten houses being empty. Even though common people in troubled times were traditionally good at enduring hardship, they inevitably rose up in rebellion when facing death, thus giving birth to internal unrest.

Fortunately, these uprisings weren’t yet significant and were quickly suppressed, but these chaotic signs left hidden worries in Qi Ying’s heart.

The Privy Council could handle suppression and arrest matters, but the grand strategy of governance and people’s livelihood wasn’t Qi Ying’s responsibility. If we’re being precise, this was something his elder brother Qi Yun should worry about. Young Master Qi had also been kept busy recently, preparing reform strategies within the Imperial Secretariat, also leaving early and returning late daily. The two brothers were competing to see who could be busier.

But clearly the busier one was still Qi Ying, because he also bore the responsibility of the spring examinations.

The imperial examinations seemed to be just a matter of three days of testing, but this wasn’t actually the case. If we’re being precise, it was an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Not to mention the twelve years of hard study that consumed so many youthful years, just the pre-examination warming of scrolls was enough to drain the candidates’ mental energy.

The tradition of warming scrolls had existed in previous dynasties and was particularly prevalent now in Jiangzuo under the Xiao Liang dynasty.

So-called warming scrolls meant that before the examination, candidates would present name cards to famous and important people of the time, then submit their works, seeking recommendations. The scope of these “famous and important people” was very broad—they could be meritorious nobles, Hanlin scholars, or imperial clan members. Anyone who had influence in this examination could be a target for submissions.

However, no matter how famous and important these people were, they couldn’t compare to the chief examiner himself in directness. If through warming scrolls one could show one’s face before the supervising teacher beforehand and make him remember there was such a person, then one would have gained an advantage in the spring examination—one could say they were already halfway to success.

Thus, Qi Ying recently had to receive countless name cards, read countless articles, and sit in discussion of classics with countless candidates, keeping him as busy as during wartime between north and south.

Busyness was secondary; more troublesome were the personnel manipulations and deflections.

This warming of scrolls was also biased. Most who could approach famous and important people were candidates from aristocratic families. Those from humble backgrounds were limited by money and wouldn’t come to Jiankang until just before the spring examination began, naturally having no opportunity to warm scrolls. Even if they arrived early, it would just be wasted effort—without connections, how could they befriend the distinguished? They could only watch helplessly.

As for those distinguished aristocratic candidates, most couldn’t speak directly before Qi Ying, so they had to indirectly seek access to the supervising teacher through others. Some approached Qi Ying’s former superiors, some approached the Qi family’s uncles and elders, some sought other families friendly with the Qi family—in short, it was like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their abilities, creating a dazzling spectacle.

The most difficult to handle were warming scrolls between aristocratic family connections through marriage.

The three great families were all related to each other—who wasn’t related to whom? Going around in circles, they could all claim to be one family. Qi Ying was already much sought after due to holding power, and now bearing the position of supervising teacher made relatives flood his door even more. One would ask him to look after his cousin, another would ask him to promote his elder cousin brother—it was truly overwhelming.

This work was naturally exhausting for Qi Ying, but before him, the first to lose his temper was Qi Yun.

This eldest son of the Qi family was an upright person. According to his wife Han Ruohui’s words, upright to the point of being pedantic.

He greatly disdained this practice of warming scrolls. Originally thinking this matter had little to do with him and not planning to interfere, after a few days he saw that those representing others in warming scrolls not only almost trampled the family threshold but even wouldn’t let go of the path to and from court. Upon seeing his second brother, they would approach with fawning faces and stuff strange articles into his second brother’s hands.

Once when Qi Ying was staying at the family residence, Qi Yun came to sit in his study and saw his desk full of candidates’ articles. Unable to restrain himself, he picked up several to flip through casually. This sight made him furious, and he couldn’t help but grab several essays and begin lecturing his brother.

“Absurd! Truly absurd!” Qi Yun was both curious and amused. “□□ Yang—that’s Ruohui’s nephew who’s a cousin several times removed, remember him? When we saw him last year he couldn’t even match tones and rhythms properly, yet now his articles are full of brilliant writing! Even the blind could tell someone wrote it for him, yet their family elders have the nerve to brazenly present this to you?”

Qi Ying coughed once and hadn’t yet had time to urge his elder brother to calm down when he saw him pick up another article and continue lecturing: “This one is at least honest, but look what he’s written! He can’t even distinguish between commentary and annotation! If he hadn’t been born into a good family, he couldn’t even pass the county examination!”

His anger rising, the more he read the more absurd he found it. So he criticized them one by one, finding almost all unbearable to look at. Even the few he could barely pick out as acceptable were merely mediocre works with nothing remarkable about them.

Seeing his elder brother’s emotions had risen and he seemed unable to vent without speaking, Qi Ying knew he probably had pent-up frustration from reform setbacks within the Imperial Secretariat. Not wanting to advise him now, he simply let him vent to his satisfaction. Only after he was tired of scolding did he have Qingzhu add tea for him and urged him to calm down.

After two consecutive cups of tea, Qi Yun’s anger still hadn’t subsided. Glancing at Qi Ying’s completely calm expression, he couldn’t help but frown again and ask, “What’s this? They show you such things and dare to shamelessly plead for these people through warming scrolls, yet you’re not angry at all?”

Qi Ying really wasn’t angry, just felt somewhat fatigued.

Elder brother was an upright person, always somewhat unfamiliar with political maneuvering. He probably only saw this appointment as chief examiner as His Majesty’s favor, not recognizing the imperial family’s intention to test him.

What sort of material most aristocratic sons were, he already knew in his heart. But if he handled things officially and failed them, it would immediately create countless personnel troubles and be seen as aligning with the Third Prince’s faction.

This was a very troublesome matter.

But how could he explain these things to elder brother? Such an upright person would only be additionally troubled by hearing this, and besides, his reform work wasn’t going smoothly either—why make him worry about these things as well?

After thinking it through, Qi Ying ultimately said nothing. Qi Yun assumed his second brother was also too angry to speak, felt quite sympathetic toward him, and after thinking, brought up something happy to tell him: “Alright, the examination isn’t until next year anyway, so worrying now is useless. I see you’ve been sitting in your study constantly these days without going out to exercise. It happens that Fu Zhuo invited me to play polo together during our rest day—Boheng and Zhongheng are going too. They asked me to inquire whether you could spare the time to join?”

Qi Ying wanted to decline upon hearing this, but his elder brother didn’t give him the chance, immediately continuing: “Just go along—consider it relaxation. Looking at these terrible essays all day, how could your heart feel comfortable?”

With his elder brother being so insistent, Qi Ying could see from his expression that he was prepared to keep persuading until he agreed. Feeling quite helpless for the moment, he could only nod and agree.

Author’s Note: You Great Liang people really need to calm down and let my goose rest for a bit, okay?