◎This facial decoration, is it Master Zhang’s handiwork?◎

Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Works…

It seemed he was also a Fifth Rank official. Seeing him achieve Fifth Rank at such a young age, he must have some ability. However, the Ministry of Works was laborious with little real power, and promotion was extremely slow. Children from established families rarely chose such positions.

Luo Wanqing wasn’t particularly worried about this.

But the name Zhang Yiran made her unable to help but take another look.

For a moment, she couldn’t help but think of Liu Xiniang. If she remembered correctly, Liu Xiniang’s original name was Zhang Jiuran, and she had a younger brother who should be nineteen years old by now.

Regarding her family, Liu Xiniang hadn’t spoken in great detail. She only said that after she sold herself to Fengyu Pavilion years ago, the pavilion created a new identity for her as Liu Xiniang and arranged for her to be placed in the Salt Syndicate. Openly, she lived in the Salt Syndicate, but secretly, she was an assassin for Fengyu Pavilion. As for her family, Fengyu Pavilion gave them a sum of money, lied that she had died, and let them live their own lives.

She would occasionally go watch them from afar, but she didn’t dare let her family know she was still alive, and she feared bringing them trouble.

She said her mother used the money to open a clothing shop, and later, when she earned money, she would find ways to disguise herself as a customer and give it to her mother.

Her disguise abilities were extraordinary. Her mother never recognized her, only treating her as a major customer, and would even give her extra things each time.

Her descriptions of her family were limited to this. About where exactly her mother conducted business, what her brother did, their names – Liu Xiniang had told her none of these things.

Perhaps this was her weakness. Even though they had exchanged identities in such an intimate secret, she still didn’t want her to know.

Though the two of them shared such a significant and intimate secret, they had known each other for only a short time, so it was normal not to reveal everything.

Thinking of these things, Luo Wanqing’s thoughts became somewhat unfocused, but she quickly readjusted and looked up at Zhang Yiran, who was seriously painting flowers on her face.

Zhang Yiran was actually quite handsome, with delicate features and long eyebrows extending to his temples. He looked young, somewhere between youth and adolescence, still carrying some childishness.

This person had some of the pedantry of a scholar. Though he was forced to paint flowers on her face, when he started working, he was extraordinarily serious.

After waiting a while, Luo Wanqing became somewhat impatient and finally said, “Are you finished painting?”

Zhang Yiran looked up and gave her a cold glance, made a few final strokes, and finally put down his brush.

After he set down the brush, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help wanting to see the final result. She took a cup from beside her and looked down at the woman reflected inside.

Seeing this reflection, she couldn’t help but be somewhat stunned. This person claimed he couldn’t paint, but the plum blossoms he painted were extremely beautiful. Though only vermilion, they had layers of light and shadow, lifelike and vivid.

Her features were already beautiful, and now dressed in ordinary women’s clothes with a gauze veil on her face, the plum blossoms at the corner of her eyes concealing her scars, she looked somewhat alluring, just an ordinary woman.

The only problem was her hair. She didn’t have suitable hairpins, so it was loose and flowing, which looked suspicious.

She pondered as she set down the teacup, then casually took some pastries from nearby and ate them to fill her stomach.

Zhang Yiran watched coldly as she naturally ate the food from his table, unable to help saying, “You’re a woman – how did you end up on today’s wrong path?”

Luo Wanqing hadn’t expected this fool to still have the mood to lecture her. She glanced up at him and said casually, “Because I didn’t study hard, so I wandered the martial world and dealt in illegal salt.”

“You’re a salt smuggler?” Zhang Yiran frowned. “Have you killed anyone?”

Luo Wanqing ignored him and lifted the curtain to observe outside.

Zhang Yiran followed her gaze outside the carriage. Seeing they had reached the city gates, Zhang Yiran said, “Even for official family women, the guards still need to check travel documents.”

“I happened to steal some travel documents earlier,” Luo Wanqing pulled out the documents she had taken before from her bundle and handed them to him. “Just give these to them.”

“You steal things too?!” Zhang Yiran’s frown deepened as he began trying to threaten her again. “Stop your wrongdoing. I advise you to surrender early. I can overlook your crime of kidnapping an official.”

“Just say I’m your cousin,” Luo Wanqing talked past him like a chicken talking to a duck. “Otherwise, I’ll stab you to death. Think of your family and your future.”

Zhang Yiran pressed his lips together and said nothing. Luo Wanqing ignored his resistance and directly stuffed the documents into his chest.

Soon, the carriage reached the city gates. Luo Wanqing immediately became alert and pressed her blade against Zhang Yiran’s abdomen.

The guards came forward to inquire as usual. Zhang Yiran followed Luo Wanqing’s instructions and handed out the documents. But at that very moment, circumstances changed abruptly. Zhang Yiran suddenly threw the documents at her face, then actually charged toward her blade point, shouting, “Help!”

Seeing him rush toward her blade, Luo Wanqing instinctively withdrew her knife. But in that moment of hesitation, Zhang Yiran grabbed her blade handle while the soldiers lifted the curtain and slashed at her with a sword!

Luo Wanqing gripped her blade and rolled on the ground. Zhang Yiran held onto the knife and was dragged out of the carriage with her. She kicked hard, finally kicking Zhang Yiran away.

With things developing to this point, she had no time to think further. She raised her hand and cut the rope tying the horses, kicked at the guards, and mounted the horse to charge into the city.

“Catch her!”

Zhang Yiran was helped up. He chased after her, urgently shouting, “This is a murderous salt smuggler and death row prisoner! She cannot be allowed to enter the capital and disturb the people!”

With that, Luo Wanqing felt arrows flying from behind. She glanced back and saw Zhang Yiran still leading the guards in relentless pursuit.

She finally understood – this person had never believed her words about not doing evil from beginning to end. He was just afraid of implicating the nearby guards, so he kept dealing with her until reaching the city gates.

He had prepared to die from the start, even if it meant mutual destruction, rather than collude with her.

This type of upright fool – no wonder he was still Fifth Rank and had to ride in government carriages!

Luo Wanqing was furious, but thinking that with more officials like this, the people’s lives would be easier, she wasn’t so angry after all. Remembering she still had many things Qin Jue had given her in the carriage, she immediately turned back and shouted, “Master Zhang, I’ll leave my things with you for now. I’ll come back for them another day!”

Hearing this, Zhang Yiran was stunned, then angrily cursed, “You dare come back!”

Seeing his anger, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help smiling. She cracked her whip and spurred the horse, turning toward the Supervision Department.

She had already memorized the route from the city gates to the Supervision Department until she knew it by heart. Looking at the sky, it was now very close to the Hour of the Rooster. With the guards following her the entire way, she had no time to shake them off before going to the Supervision Department. She simply gritted her teeth and led the guards straight toward the Supervision Department.

After all, she was a death row prisoner. No one said death row criminals who committed crimes couldn’t take the Supervision Department exam. If her crimes increased by one degree, so be it – she would just charge ahead!

She drove the horse at a gallop, calling out to people from far away, “Move! Everyone move aside!”

The guards followed behind her. This area was densely populated with civilians, so they didn’t dare shoot arrows. They could only rely on manpower to barely keep up, trying to stop Luo Wanqing’s horse.

But Luo Wanqing rode recklessly. When guards rushed up, she would kick them away, and when kicking them away, she would politely say, “Sorry, I’m in a hurry.”

Hearing this, the guards couldn’t help but curse as they chased.

Luo Wanqing heard their foul language but didn’t care much. She only calculated the time, gripping the reins tightly, her heart beating rapidly.

Faster, faster still.

She planned the route over and over in her mind, listening to the guards’ curses, watching the sun gradually set.

At this time, in front of the Supervision Department, it was already desolate.

A red-clothed youth sat in front of the main gate, looking at the incense burning in the incinerator on the table beside him for timekeeping. He said somewhat irritably, “Those who should come have come, those who haven’t should be dead. Go ask the Director – are we still waiting?”

Hearing this, the attendant behind him immediately ran inside. After a while, the attendant ran out and respectfully said, “Zhuque Envoy, the Director says to wait until the last moment.”

“Wait, wait, wait – we’ve been waiting all afternoon without seeing a single person. At this hour, who else would come?”

The red-clothed youth looked at the incense in the burner that was about to burn out, impatiently changed his position, and began picking at his nails, cursing, “Coming at this hour, what good seedlings could there be? A waste. What’s the point of waiting?”

As he spoke, he continued cursing, “Isn’t this just for show for that old eunuch from the Central Imperial Office and that civilian prince? All day long, they just know how to give us more work without raising our salaries. I have so many things to do…”

“Zhuque Envoy,” hearing the youth curse on and on, the nearby attendant whispered, “Please lower your voice, don’t let others hear.”

Hearing this, the red-clothed youth rolled his eyes. Turning back to see the incense in the burner almost finished, he stood up happily, “Time’s up! Quick, clean up, time to close shop.”

“Zhuque Envoy,” the attendant was somewhat panicked, “There’s still a little bit left.”

“Just a tiny bit. You clean things up, and the moment we close the gate,” Zhuque made a door-closing motion, “won’t that be perfect timing? Hurry up.”

With that, Zhuque personally began moving chairs inside.

With Zhuque taking the lead, the surrounding attendants looked at each other and didn’t dare just stand there. They could only follow Zhuque in moving things. Soon, the area in front of the Supervision Department was cleaned up completely. Just as Zhuque was about to close the main gate, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves.

Luo Wanqing, leading a group of guards, had just turned the corner when she saw a red-clothed youth with twin swords on his back about to close the door.

Her eyes widened as she raised her hand and threw her blade toward the gate.

The blade went “clang” as it lodged in the door crack, startling Zhuque into falling backward. He then quickly got up, “Who is…”

Before he could finish, he heard horse hooves and a woman’s urgent shout from outside the door: “Sir, please wait! Yangzhou’s Liu Xiniang has come to report to the Supervision Department!”

Zhuque was stunned. He turned to look at the last bit of incense in the incense burner, listening to the woman outside repeatedly calling, “Yangzhou’s Liu Xiniang reporting for duty!”

“Yangzhou’s Liu Xiniang,” as soon as the words fell, the main gate was violently rammed by this woman, opening a palm-width crack.

Luo Wanqing and Zhuque looked at each other through the door crack. Luo Wanqing earnestly looked at this youth who appeared both helpless and weary, and said seriously, “Reporting to the Supervision Department for duty.”

As she finished speaking, the guards stopped behind her. The group of people looked at the Supervision Department plaque and exchanged glances, somewhat afraid to approach.

The incense burned its last moment and fell into the incense burner. Zhuque glanced at the guards outside the door, then looked back at Luo Wanqing with an expression of mixed feelings.

The nearby attendant reminded Zhuque in a low voice, “Sir, the incense just finished burning.”

Luo Wanqing looked at Zhuque anxiously. Zhuque took a deep breath, closed his eyes, opened the gate, and turned his head. “Drive away those guards outside. Liu Xiniang, follow me. I’ll take you in to report.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing’s eyes immediately brightened. She pulled out the blade lodged in the door crack, squeezed through the gate, and respectfully bowed, “Thank you, sir.”

“Thank you? With your shouting, everyone now knows I was trying to close early. I’m going to have my salary docked again.” Zhuque turned his back to her and said unhappily, “Why didn’t you come earlier? The others from Yangzhou who came with you arrived long ago.”

As Zhuque walked toward the inner courtyard, the attendants went out the door and negotiated with the guards. The guards then stopped pursuing.

Luo Wanqing followed behind Zhuque, keenly catching the important point, “Sir, there are others from Yangzhou who came?”

“Yes, just one woman. All the others died on the road.”

Zhuque spoke lightly, leading her into a courtyard, saying casually, “Go in and report. Someone will show you the way.”

Luo Wanqing thanked him. After speaking, she stepped forward and pushed open the door herself. After pushing it open, she saw the courtyard was full of people.

This courtyard was quite large. In front stood a two-story small building with curtains hung on the second floor, as if someone was sitting inside.

The death row prisoners from other regions seemed to have arrived early and were all waiting in place. Seeing Luo Wanqing enter, everyone looked over.

Luo Wanqing hesitated for a moment, then heard a male voice from the platform ahead, “Come in.”

Luo Wanqing looked toward the voice and saw a black-clothed young man standing on the steps. He was tall and slender with an indifferent gaze. Seeing Luo Wanqing look over, he urged, “Can’t you understand the official language?”

Luo Wanqing said nothing more and quickly walked into the crowd. Then she heard the young man say, “Time’s up. Close the gate.”

With that, the courtyard gate closed. Luo Wanqing swept her gaze around and immediately spotted Zhao Yuyan. She stood timidly in a corner, wearing a cotton and linen rice-colored long dress, with lowered brows and downcast eyes, looking very uneasy.

Besides Zhao Yuyan, Qin Jue was also there.

He stood not far in front of her, tall and thin, wearing an azure robe. The courtyard was full of fierce-looking bandits, but he alone carried an aura of righteousness that none of the others possessed, making him look completely out of place.

She kept looking at him. Perhaps because she stared too long and too directly, Qin Jue noticed and turned to look at her.

The two looked at each other for a moment. The young man acted as if he didn’t recognize her, only glancing at her once before looking away.

Seeing this expression, Luo Wanqing knew he didn’t intend to acknowledge her. She understood this, acknowledging that she wouldn’t benefit him either. She wasn’t in a hurry. She lowered her eyes, observed her nose with her eyes, and her heart with her nose, and stopped looking around.

Everyone waited quietly for a while. The young man on the platform in front took out a register and began calling names.

What the young man called should be the original register of those who had applied to take the Supervision Department exam from various places. Many of the names he called received no response. For those who didn’t respond, the young man would cross out their names. Listening to name after name with no response, Luo Wanqing’s heart sank.

After all the names were called, there were fewer than a hundred people present. Compared to those who had registered, fewer than half had made it to the Eastern Capital.

Faced with such tragic results, everyone seemed unsurprised. The young man above calmly closed the register and said placidly, “I am Xuanshan, Xuanwu Envoy of the Supervision Department. Congratulations to everyone for passing the first test of the Supervision Department. Now everyone has traveled far and is weary. The Supervision Department will arrange for you to dine first, then return to your rooms to rest. Any requests can be made to the attendees. Tomorrow morning, everyone will gather here, and the formal examination will begin. Please rest well in preparation for tomorrow.”

After Xuanshan finished speaking, attendants came up one by one to lead everyone out of the courtyard.

Luo Wanqing followed a female attendant out. As she walked, she tore a strip of cloth from her clothes and first pinned up her hair.

She wanted to return to her room first to tidy up, but she was too hungry and couldn’t worry about her appearance. She decided to eat a meal of meat first.

She followed the female attendant to the dining hall. The Supervision Department understood prisoners extremely well – they arranged fixed seating for them, had food prepared in advance, and had many people watching, completely eliminating any possibility of fighting.

Luo Wanqing lowered her head and ate seriously. After finishing, she asked the female attendant for water, then followed her back to her room to rest.

There weren’t many female prisoners taking the exam, so each female prisoner could have her room. The female attendant briefly explained requirements like not being allowed to leave the room at night, then withdrew.

Luo Wanqing politely bid farewell to her, then closed the door.

She lowered her head and stood at the door, looking at the wooden floor, feeling exhaustion suddenly surge up.

She couldn’t help sighing lightly, then heard a familiar voice with laughter from behind her, “Traveling day and night across mountains and rivers to come here, finally having a chance to rest, instead of resting well, what are you sighing about here?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing turned around in surprise and saw a young man reclining at the window. He supported his head with one hand and held a fan with the other, still the same romantic, elegant, and affected appearance from her memory.

A trace of faint joy rose from her heart. Luo Wanqing walked forward and asked in confusion, “How did you get here? Aren’t you resting well?”

“When an old friend returns, I should at least meet them.” Qin Jue lazily supported himself up, looked down at her, his gaze falling on the plum blossoms painted at the corners of her eyes. He tilted his head and smiled, “In my absence these days, Xiniang has lived quite an exciting life.”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been eating wild fruits for over ten days.”

Luo Wanqing joked, her tone light.

Qin Jue chuckled, “But your internal energy circulation has become more proficient, and your endurance has improved considerably?”

Luo Wanqing was stunned, thought seriously, then nodded, “Indeed.”

“Did you meet Master Zhang Yiran?”

Qin Jue returned to the original topic, asking perceptively. Luo Wanqing was startled. “How do you know?”

“Master Zhang is famous throughout the land for painting plum blossoms. Even His Majesty has praised him. Looking at Xiniang’s facial decoration, Qin Jue moved close to Luo Wanqing’s face, seeming to carefully examine the corner of her eye for a moment, then raised his eyes with a half-smile, “This is Master Zhang’s handiwork, isn’t it?”