To marry into the wife’s family: according to popular reference, a man who goes to the woman’s household to marry and settles there, taking the woman’s family name. Colloquially known as “reversing the door.”

But Lin Sui’an suspected that in this constructed world, the meaning of “marrying in” might differ from what she understood — after all, the Bai Ruyi before her had shifting eyes, a pale complexion, and couldn’t even bring himself to meet her gaze directly. He looked nothing like a man with romantic feelings for her. Could it be some kind of pun or near-homonym, similar to how Yita’s “recognizing a master” had worked…

Heaven forbid! One Persian prince making her life difficult was already enough. Another frail and delicate aristocratic scion she absolutely could not afford to keep!

“Crack!” Hua Yitang crushed the fan in his hand. A vein bulged at his temple. “Bai Ruyi — what did you just say?! Say it again if you dare!”

Bai Ruyi raised both hands in a bow high above his forehead. “After last night’s battle, I fell for Lin Niangzi at first sight. I am willing to forsake the Bai family name and live alongside Lin Niangzi, to be joined together as husband and wife for life!”

Lin Sui’an: What on earth have I gotten into!

Hua Yitang’s face turned green. He threw down his fan, rolled up both sleeves, and squared up for a verbal assault, but in the next second he found himself grabbed by Mu Xia and Jin Ruo, who clamped their hands over his mouth and dragged him backward by both arms. Hua Yitang was furious. “Why are you pulling me back?! Hurry up and throw that Bai person out! Let go — mmph mmph mmph —” Then he caught Lin Sui’an’s expression and sensibly shut his mouth.

Lin Sui’an’s eyes were black and cold, her expression grave and settled. There was not the slightest trace of shyness or delight in her face — if anything, it carried a hint of murderous chill.

Bai Ruyi’s throat moved as he swallowed. His raised hands trembled slightly. “What does Lin Niangzi say?”

Lin Sui’an still said nothing. She looked quietly at Bai Ruyi, and slowly raised the hand that held Qian Jing. Then, with a flick of her wrist, the blade flew halfway from the sheath, and the blade edge flashed a ghostly green light across her sharp eyes —

“Ahhhhh!” Bai Ruyi let out a shriek, covered his head, and crouched down on the spot. His entire body trembled like a quail in a fright.

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.

Lin Sui’an flicked her wrist and Qian Jing slid back into the sheath. She hitched up her robe and crouched down, letting the sheath touch the ground with a soft “zing.” “Why put yourself through this?”

Bai Ruyi’s body gave a violent shudder. He looked up, his complexion as white as a sheet of paper.

“You have not the slightest feeling for me — only fear. I don’t know why you would tell such a lie,” Lin Sui’an said quietly, “but no matter what the reason, it is not worth trading away your lifetime’s happiness.”

Bai Ruyi stared at Lin Sui’an in a daze. It was the first time he had looked at her this closely, and the first time he had ever dared to look at her so directly. The sunlight turned the soft wisps of hair at her forehead a warm brownish color, softening her severe brows and eyes. To think — this young woman who moved like a spirit and a deity was not, when she smiled, so terrifying after all — Bai Ruyi startled back to himself with a jolt, and hurriedly dropped his gaze. Such impropriety — to have stared at a young woman for so long… and she had actually smiled at him…

“Pfft!” Lin Sui’an could not hold back any longer. Bai Ruyi truly lived up to his name, which carried the meaning of elegance and propriety — his fair skin like white jade — but probably from the combined shock and fright, his blood circulation had been given a sudden boost, and from the back of his neck all the way to his ears and across his face, he flushed red in a rush, like a quail freshly steamed to a turn.

“Ahem-hem-hem-hem-hem-hem!” Hua Yitang swept over like a gust of wind, producing yet another new fan from somewhere, and began frantically fanning it at Bai Ruyi. “Bai the Thirteenth, you have surely been over-frightened from last night, and your mind is all confused! Take it easy, take it easy, I’ll fan some air your way and call back your soul —” The vigorous fanning successfully blew away the heat from Bai Ruyi’s flushed face.

Fangke took a sip of Yita’s tea and shook his head. “Yita, too sour.”

Yita puzzled: “I didn’t add vinegar.”

Jin Ruo: “Sour.”

Mu Xia: “So sour.”

Yita’s head floated out a string of question marks.

One incense stick’s time later, Bai Ruyi sat properly behind a table, cradling the soup Yita had freshly brewed, looking a few degrees calmer.

Hua Yitang leaned against the armrest, brimming with curiosity. “What on earth could force the illustrious Bai the Thirteenth to attempt escape from the Bai family through marriage?”

Lin Sui’an nudged Jin Ruo at her side. “Is Bai Ruyi well known?”

Jin Ruo, that living encyclopaedia of the age: “The Longxi Bai family has been upholding the tradition of scholarship for generations — it runs in the blood. The family has been devoted to books for generations, which produced a rather awkward consequence.”

Lin Sui’an raised an eyebrow. “What consequence?”

Jin Ruo’s eyes slid around in their sockets. He dropped his voice very low. “As they say, ‘in books you’ll find a house of gold; in books you’ll find a face as fair as jade.’ The Longxi Bai family, having nothing but books to interest them, found all other things rather dull, and this — in the fullness of time — led to a somewhat inconvenient outcome in terms of bloodline continuity —”

Lin Sui’an’s jaw dropped. Fangke’s eyes went round.

“Bai Ruyi is the only surviving male heir in the Longxi Bai family’s main line,” Jin Ruo concluded. “He is not truly ranked thirteenth — the Longxi Bai family, in order to make the number of Bai sons sound more impressive, simply gave him the name of the thirteenth son.”

Well, well, well! Lin Sui’an had a fairly good guess now as to why Bai Ruyi was so desperate to break free from the Bai family — almost certainly he was being pressured into marriage. And this was a genuine, illustrious great family with a clan position to inherit.

Bai Ruyi furrowed his brow for a moment, then lifted the bowl of soup and drank it down in one go, and his expression did not so much as flicker. Hua Yitang’s face crinkled with concern watching him. “Bai the Thirteenth, there’s no need to force yourself — if you really can’t get it down, don’t push through it.”

“Though this tea is bitter and harsh,” Bai Ruyi sighed, “compared to the taste in my heart, it is almost sweet.”

Everyone present let their sympathy show at once. This child — just how much bitterness was inside him!

Bai Ruyi drank his tea and, as though drawing courage from it, raised his head to look at Hua Yitang. “Three days ago, I received a letter from the family patriarch — commanding me to come first in the special examination without fail, to catch the attention of the Holy Sovereign, and ideally to enter the imperial harem thereafter, to bring glory to our Bai family.”

At these words, everyone was astonished. Among them, the most startled was Lin Sui’an — the words “imperial harem” struck her mind like a bell. She suddenly realized she might have overlooked a certain piece of common knowledge, and jabbed Jin Ruo with her finger: “Can it be — the Holy Sovereign is a woman?”

Jin Ruo said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world: “The current Holy Sovereign is the first princess of the late Emperor, naturally a woman.”

Lin Sui’an paused for a moment. “From your tone, it sounds as though a woman taking the throne is perfectly ordinary here?”

“I wouldn’t say that exactly — the Tang nation has only produced two female Emperors in three hundred years,” Jin Ruo frowned, “what do you mean ‘here’? Anyone would think you’re not from the Tang nation yourself.”

Lin Sui’an scratched her head, her heart swelling with a thousand feelings at once. What a country bumpkin she was — coming to the big city and learning something new every day. This world had actually produced two reigning Empresses. No wonder the women here were so much more independent and open than the ancient era she had imagined. Well, this meant her luck really wasn’t bad at all — to be fortunate enough to see such a parallel Tang nation was genuinely fascinating.

Thinking this, Lin Sui’an couldn’t help but smile — and then a sudden chill ran down her spine. She turned, and found Hua Yitang staring at her with those large, bright eyes of his, utterly unblinking, even forgetting to fan his fan.

“There’s something rather strange about the family patriarch’s letter,” Lin Sui’an quickly changed the subject. “The implication seems to be that this special examination is meant to select — hmm —” Lin Sui’an stumbled. She genuinely had no idea how to refer to the consorts of a female Emperor in this world.

Bai Ruyi looked taken aback. “But — didn’t this news come from the Hua family?”

Hua Yitang’s neck gave a crack as it swiveled toward Bai Ruyi. “What did you say?!”

Bai Ruyi visibly grew nervous, mopping the thin sweat from his brow with his sleeve. “The Bai family heard that the Hua family had received secret intelligence — that this special examination was, in fact, intended to select consorts for the Holy Sovereign.”

Hua Yitang slammed the table and leapt to his feet. “That is absolute filth! Who said that?! I’ll tear out their mouths!”

“All the great families’ young scions are privately circulating this rumor. And, moreover, only with this explanation does it make any sense for a Hua family member who has nothing to do with officialdom to take part in the special examination.”

“And what sense does it make?!”

“As everyone knows, Hua the Fourth has had no interest in studying and no ink in his brush — relying on true scholarly merit, he would have no hope in the examination. But the Hua family is known throughout the land for their exceptional looks — the women being headed by Third Lady of the Hua family, and among the men, no one can compare to Fourth Son. So…”

Bai Ruyi did not dare go on, because Hua Yitang’s two eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets like a goldfish — looking as though they might at any moment shoot forth and strike him in the face. But then, Hua Yitang suddenly turned his head and began explaining to Lin Sui’an with visible discomfiture: “This — this this this is absolutely a rumor! I have never — not once — heard of any such thing! You must not — you absolutely must not misunderstand — why are you making that face?!”

“Pfft ha ha ha ha ha ha!” Lin Sui’an slapped her knee in hysterics. “That makes complete sense, actually — ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

Fangke: “Hmph — it’s not entirely a rumor, either.”

Jin Ruo: “Heh heh, you really do have a talent for eating, drinking, and having a good time — I’ll give you that!”

Mu Xia: “If we’re judging on looks alone, among the men of the Hua family, Fourth Young Master takes first place!”

Yita put up a thumb: “Fourth Young Master number one!”

One after another the blows rained down and sent the so-called “peerless beauty” Hua the Fourth into a daze. He fanned his fan and thought it over — and actually began to laugh, preening: “Well — fair enough — I am quite good-looking.”

Bai Ruyi nearly staggered and twisted his back. The laughter grew even louder, and even Fangke laughed out loud.

“So that explains it — Su Yiyun from the Su family, Bai the Thirteenth from the Longxi Bai family — wait, what exactly are Jiang Dongyi and Bai Xiang doing there?!” Hua Yitang was disgruntled. “Surely the Taiyuan Jiang family and the Qingzhou Bai family don’t think those two can hold a candle to my Hua Yitang in terms of looks?!”

“Perhaps —” Lin Sui’an pinched her cheek trying not to laugh, “those two are the best those two families could manage to put forward —”

Hua Yitang sighed. “To think the Taiyuan Jiang family and the Qingzhou Bai family have fallen so low!”

Everyone laughed until they were breathless.

Bai Ruyi finally caught on to the tone of the conversation. “The Hua family truly knew nothing of this?!”

Everyone wiped their tears and gasped for air, and the laughter gradually died down.

Hua Yitang put away the joking manner and said gravely: “This rumor is malicious in its purpose.”

Bai Ruyi was startled. “How does Hua the Fourth mean?”

“The Feng family’s fraudulent examination case forced the regular examinations to be postponed. The special examination at the New Year is the best opportunity to restore order — if it goes smoothly, it can rebuild the court’s prestige and restore the confidence of scholars throughout the land in the examination system. But with this rumor circulating, the special examination becomes a frivolous beauty pageant — a ridiculous joke,” Hua Yitang said firmly. “Such a thing will surely chill the hearts of all people under heaven.”

Lin Sui’an: “And when that moment comes, the Hua family will be the first to bear the brunt — a disaster that could destroy the whole family.”

Jin Ruo: “And every great family who believed this nonsense will also suffer calamity.”

Bai Ruyi’s face drained to snow-white.

Hua Yitang sat back down and began fanning his folding fan slowly. “Where did this rumor start?”

Bai Ruyi: “Everyone says — the Hua family.”

Hua Yitang let out a cold laugh or two. “The Eastern Capital has been lively lately — first the rumors about the Feng family’s wrongful case, then the rumors about supernatural evil, and now this one about the special examination and consort selection —”

“Three men make a tiger,” Fangke said quietly. “Left unchecked, the Eastern Capital will descend into chaos.”

“Whoever is spreading these rumors must have a grudge against the Hua family,” Jin Ruo said. “Why not start by investigating the Hua family’s enemies — hmm…”

“The Hua family’s enemies are as countless as its friends,” Hua Yitang shrugged, “rather than go chasing some shadowy, nebulous person, it’s better to seize the solid evidence at hand.”

At that, Hua Yitang glanced at Lin Sui’an.

Lin Sui’an understood his meaning. Shan Yuanming had been the one crying out for redress of the Feng family’s wrongful case — he must have been connected to whoever was spreading these rumors. Now that Shan Yuanming was dead, the scroll book he had left behind remained their only effective lead. As they had planned before, finding the scroll book would not only serve to keep the Taiyuan Jiang family in check — it might also lead them to the source of the rumors.

Only now, Lin Sui’an had a new thought forming in her mind.

“Perhaps the one spreading these rumors is not targeting only the Hua family.”

Hua Yitang’s fan paused. “What do you mean?”

“Is the special examination unique to this dynasty?” Lin Sui’an asked.

“Not entirely.” It was Bai Ruyi who answered. “The Grand Emperor Xuanchang and the late Emperor Xuanming both held special examinations — though the rules for nomination were considerably stricter in those days, requiring an official of rank five or above to make a nomination, and they were held only once every five years.”

“And during those two reigns, were there ever similar rumors about the special examination being a consort selection?”

Bai Ruyi shook his head. “Neither the official histories nor the private records contain any such account.”

“Let me make a hypothetical. Suppose that during the special examinations of those two emperors, a rumor had circulated that the examination was a consort selection — would the great families have believed it?”

“Impossible!” Bai Ruyi shook his head repeatedly. “The special examination is a great matter of national importance, selecting talent for the nation. An Emperor is the sovereign of the realm, bearing heavy responsibilities — how could they conduct themselves in such a frivolous manner —” Bai Ruyi suddenly caught himself, covering his mouth with his sleeve, his eyes filled with shock.

Lin Sui’an tilted her head, rested her cheek in her hand, and asked in a casual voice — though her gaze grew ever sharper: “Then why is it that this time, the great families believed such a laughable, preposterous rumor?” After a pause, she added one more question: “Is there something about the current Holy Sovereign that is different?”

Hua Yitang’s fan stopped. “Since ascending to the throne, the Holy Sovereign has governed with diligence and dedication, opened wide the gates of the examination system, rectified corrupt officials, cleansed the court, promoted the prosperity of farming and trade, brought the people peace, and strengthened the nation’s military might — not inferior to any Emperor who came before. If there is one thing that is different, it would be only —”

Lin Sui’an: “Only that the current Holy Sovereign is a woman.”

The water pavilion fell into silence.

“If a man sits on the throne, selecting consorts would be an outrage. If a woman sits on the throne, that outrage suddenly becomes believable.” Lin Sui’an said slowly. “And why is that?”

Fangke: “Because they are foolish.”

Jin Ruo: “They’re still great families — surely they’re not quite that foolish?”

Hua Yitang slowly closed his fan. His eyes deepened, and his voice dropped low and slow, as though speaking to himself: “Because thousands of years of entrenched arrogance have penetrated to the marrow of their bones like a sickness. They believe themselves born superior to all others. Deep down, they believe that women — no, not only women, but anyone who falls outside their category — is unworthy, unqualified, incapable… they even, in the depths of their hearts, harbor an expectation that something like this will happen. And so they don’t even bother to check whether a rumor so laughably absurd is true — they just believe it without question, and spread it far and wide…”

Bai Ruyi’s face went greenish. His body swayed slightly, as though he had received some kind of blow. He shook his head and murmured to himself: “I — I have never thought of it from this angle before — could it be that this rumor is actually aimed at the Holy Sovereign — despicable beyond measure! Utterly reprehensible!”

The group exchanged glances, their eyes wide with shock.

Lin Sui’an heaved a quiet sigh and looked out at the bright sky beyond the water pavilion — the sunlight stinging her eyes with a hot, searing feeling.

Hua Yitang gripped his fan tight and let out a cold snort. “I will not let them have their way!”