“Rank 460, Yang Zhen, student of the Imperial College. Rank 459, Li Zhu Ming, from Hu Shui County, Qing Province…”

The official standing beneath the “Wall of Fame” called out the names loudly. The moment he began, the previously chaotic noise unanimously quieted down.

Thousands of scholars listened intently, either weeping with joy or shouting wildly when they heard their names.

“Second Young Master, why haven’t we heard your name yet?” Aunt was getting anxious.

“Mother, we’ve only reached the hundreds,” Xu Ling Yue reassured her. “Didn’t you say Second Brother would be the top scholar?”

Aunt glared at her daughter, thinking this cheeky girl dared to tease even her.

“Second Young Master, still no sign of you?”

When they reached the fifties, Aunt grew more anxious, her brows tightly furrowed.

“Wait a bit longer,” Second Young Master Xu frowned.

As they announced the top ten, Aunt’s face turned pale, feeling that her son had most likely failed the exam.

Xu Xin Nian’s eyes revealed anxiety and a hint of excitement. This was a do-or-die situation. Recalling his elder brother’s poem “The Difficulty of the Journey” and his own accumulated knowledge, Second Young Master felt somewhat confident.

Finally, the announcement rang out: “This year’s top scholar, Xu Xin Nian, a student of Yunlu Academy, from the capital.”

A thunderous boom echoed in Aunt’s ears as if a thunderbolt had struck. Her entire body shook violently.

This “thunderbolt” also struck the ears of thousands of scholars and nearby night watchmen. Their first thought was: Impossible!

It was inconceivable that a student from Yunlu Academy could become a top scholar. The orthodox dispute in Confucianism lasted for two hundred years, and it was an undeniable fact that Yunlu Academy students were suppressed in official circles.

Against this backdrop, how could the top scholar possibly be a student from Yunlu Academy?

The last “top scholar” from Yunlu Academy was the Purple Yang Recluse, twenty years ago. But who was the Purple Yang Recluse?

He was a Fourth-Rank Great Confucian!

Looking back twenty years later, his becoming the top scholar, and even the Zhuangyuan, was entirely reasonable. He was already a hidden dragon.

However, from another perspective, this scholar, also from Yunlu Academy, had fought his way through thousands to become the top scholar.

Did this mean he also had the potential to become a Great Confucian?

For a moment, many people’s hearts raced.

These were wealthy families or the gentry class looking to catch a son-in-law from among the examinees.

The practice of “catching a son-in-law” at the examination hall has existed since ancient times. Though not as popular in the Yuanjing years of the Great Feng Dynasty, there were still many families scouting for potential sons-in-law at the Apricot Blossom List.

They were waiting for an outstanding scholar with the potential of a hidden dragon, like the current “top scholar” Xu Xin Nian.

“Catching a son-in-law” was a playful term. When wealthy families spotted a desirable scholar on the list, they would send someone to propose marriage, competing for time.

Once a proposal was successful, the marriage was settled, and others couldn’t snatch the scholar away. In an era where ritual and law were paramount, one couldn’t simply pressure sect elders or use a Qi Gathering Pill to break off an engagement. Not unless one wanted to give up a promising future.

“Which one is Xu Xin Nian?”

“Where is Master Xu Xin Nian?”

Inquiries occasionally rang out from the crowd.

A scholar turned his head, scanning the vast sea of people, and spotted Xu Xin Nian with a dazed expression. He immediately shouted, “Ci Jiu, congratulations! Xu Xin Nian is over there!”

Whoosh… The first to rush over weren’t scholars, but those intending to “catch a son-in-law.” They surrounded Xu Xin Nian with their escorts.

“Top Scholar Xu, are you betrothed? This official has a daughter, just eighteen, beautiful as a flower. She wishes to marry you.”

“This official also has an unmarried daughter, skilled in the four arts.”

Xu Xin Nian kept retreating.

Chun’er stood on tiptoes to watch for a moment, then said gleefully, “Catching a son-in-law is so interesting, Miss. Who would have thought the top scholar would be that handsome scholar?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the curtain suddenly lifted. Miss Wang, with her cultured demeanor and slightly chubby cheeks concealing her sweetness, peeked out for a moment and said:

“Chun’er, let’s go back.”

Meanwhile, Xu Xin Nian, who had never experienced such a scene, frowned deeply.

Just as he was about to speak harshly and drive away these inconsiderate people, he suddenly saw several jianghu figures with ill intentions surging forward, pushing against the “protective wall” formed by the escorts, attempting to take advantage of his mother and sister.

The escorts were forced to retreat repeatedly, and Aunt and Ling Yue screamed in fear.

“Stop!” Second Young Master Xu shouted.

But it was useless; he couldn’t stop so many people.

“Hmph, such ruffians. No real skills, but experts at fishing in troubled waters,” the middle-aged swordsman scoffed, watching from afar.

However, he didn’t pay much attention, knowing such minor chaos would soon be stopped by night watchmen and soldiers. But those two stunningly beautiful women would probably be quite frightened.

“Stop!”

Suddenly, an ear-splitting voice thundered. This time it wasn’t just a psychological thunderclap, but a real, tangible thunderbolt that left over a thousand people present dizzy and with ringing ears.

The commotion stopped instantly.

On the wall of the Examination Hall stood a young man wearing a night watchman’s uniform with a silver gong embroidered on it. He had one hand on his sword, his gaze sharp as he swept it over the troublemaking jianghu group.

At the same time, soldiers and night watchmen finally arrived, pushing through the crowd.

The moment they saw Xu Qi An, Aunt felt relieved, as if she had found support. Mother and daughter both breathed sighs of relief.

“Take those troublemakers away,” Xu Qi An pointed out the jianghu men one by one, and several nearby bronze gong bearers immediately went to apprehend them.

The scholars below recognized Xu Qi An and were quite delighted, shouting, “It’s Poetry Champion Xu!”

“Greetings, Poetry Champion Xu!”

Many scholars from the capital bowed in greeting, their attitudes respectful, as if meeting an elder or teacher.

Xu Qi An truly deserved such treatment. Just based on his few timeless masterpieces, even the most arrogant scholars wouldn’t dare show haughtiness in front of him.

However, scholars from other regions didn’t know Xu Qi An’s identity. Seeing he was a night watchman, they were initially quite disdainful, but the attitude of the capital’s scholars made them realize this young silver gong bearer’s identity was unusual.

“Brother, who is this person? So ostentatious, he looks like just a brute.”

“You don’t recognize him… Oh, you’re not from the capital. This gentleman is called Xu Qi An, the Xu Qi An of ‘Fragrance Floats in the Air as the Moon Turns Yellow at Dusk.'”

“… So it’s him. Indeed, he has an outstanding appearance and extraordinary bearing. Truly a dragon among men, inspiring awe at first sight.”

Now the out-of-town scholars knew who he was. Xu Qi An had many “secret fans,” having gained a massive following among Great Feng’s scholars with his plagiarized poems.

In an instant, countless scholars bowed in greeting, loudly calling out “Poetry Champion Xu.”

“So impressive…” Xu Ling Yue murmured.

“So impressive…”

In the distance, Miss Rong Rong gazed at the young man on the wall, her eyes filled with admiration.

“I’m supposed to be the protagonist…” Xu Xin Nian muttered softly.

…

Not only had Xu Xin Nian passed the provincial exam, but he was also the top scholar: the Hui Yuan!

This was something the whole family hadn’t anticipated.

Aunt was as happy as a cross-dressing Fan Jin, nearly fainting with her eyes rolling back.

Second Uncle was also very pleased, deciding to hold a grand banquet at home and invite relatives and colleagues for drinks. Now that the Xu family was wealthy, they could afford to host a flowing feast for three days and nights without any pressure.

After finishing lunch, Second Young Master Xu put down his chopsticks, looked at Xu Qi An, and said, “Elder Brother, do you still need to patrol today?”

Xu Qi An shook his head.

As a silver gong bearer, his patrols were usually based on his mood, not mandatory. Moreover, now that the Apricot Blossom List had been revealed and thousands of scholars had returned to their homes, the security pressure wasn’t as great as in the morning.

Second Young Master Xu nodded, stood up, placed one hand on his abdomen and the other behind his back, and said calmly, “Then, Elder Brother, please take the trouble to guard our door. There will surely be annoying flies disturbing us this afternoon. I won’t see any of them!”

This posture usually appeared on respected old teachers or officials.

Hey, this little brother is putting on airs… Xu Qi An’s mouth twitched.

Xu Xin Nian’s tsundere personality was inherited from Aunt. However, his sarcastic attribute was self-created; Aunt’s skill at scolding was quite ordinary, otherwise she wouldn’t have been so easily agitated by Xu Qi An.

Xu Qi An returned to his room, sat at his desk, and pondered Xu Xin Nian’s future.

“Second Young Master becoming the top scholar is something I never predicted. Next is the palace examination in a month. After that, I can use the trump card I’ve prepared (Zhao, the section chief of the Ministry of Personnel’s Appointment Division)…

“Staying in the capital is just the first step. If I want Second Young Master to become someone useful to me, I need to find him a patron. Otherwise, with his Yunlu Academy background, he’ll be stuck in a minor office for life…

“I don’t know if Lord Wei is still the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, or if he can reclaim such an important position. However, the Second Young Master can’t ally with Wei Yuan or have any connection with him, otherwise, he’ll be branded as a ‘eunuch faction’ member like me.

“We can’t put all our eggs in one basket. I must find a way to get him a patron. This way, we brothers will have a chance to join forces and dominate the court in the future.”

Xu Qi An had joked before about grooming Xu Xin Nian to become the Prime Minister of Great Feng, but he did have the idea of “promoting” Second Young Master Xu.

After experiencing so much and offending so many people, this idea became increasingly clear and profound.

Firstly, Second Young Master Xu was naturally gifted, following the orthodox Confucian system. His scheming and methods were decent, and after a few years of tempering in officialdom, he would be a divine teammate.

But the drawback of his orthodox Confucian background was also obvious—he was like a child without a mother!

“Princess Huai Qing is just a woman, and I suspect she’s secretly cultivating her power base. But Second Young Master needs a solid patron, not to become an underground party member.

“As for the Crown Prince, I’ve broken ties with Consort Chen, my mother-in-law, after the Consort Fu incident, so he’s not an option. Besides, the Crown Prince’s level is too low, not worthy of my Second Young Master. For the same reason, the Fourth Prince is also a pass.”

After running through the possibilities in his mind, he found that there wasn’t a suitable patron in the civil official group.

Sigh… Never mind, this isn’t urgent. After the palace examination, the Second Young Master’s affairs will be settled for now. Next, I need to be wary of the Buddhist envoy group, as well as Li Miao Zhen and Chu Yuan Zhen’s dispute over becoming a Celestial… Ah, these doctrinal disputes are the most troublesome, Xu Qi An rubbed his temples and said softly:

“For me, the most important thing is to quickly advance to the Copper Skin Iron Bone realm.”

He washed his face and went out. Xu Silver Gong had thousands of affairs to handle daily, how could he have time to guard the door for mere Second Young Master Xu?

Mounting his mare and carrying the two novels written by Zhong Li, Xu Qi An rode swiftly into the Imperial City. He took out the jade pendant given by Lin An and, under the guidance of the Imperial Guards, arrived at Shao Yin Garden.

Lin An expressed her delight at Xu Qi An’s sudden visit, ordering palace maids to serve the best tea and most delicious pastries to entertain her dog servant.

“How has Your Highness been lately?” Xu Qi An asked.

Lin An sighed, her peach blossom eyes losing their allure as she hung her head dejectedly. “Mother Consort cries to me daily, saying she’s being bullied by the Empress in the harem and can hardly go on living.”

Where are Consort Chen’s supporters? Aren’t they helping?… Hmm, Consort Chen is a capable player in harem politics, she shouldn’t be this helpless. She must be deliberately acting pitifully in front of Lin An, trying an indirect approach… Xu Qi An asked in surprise:

“The Empress is being too overbearing. Your Highness, are you just going to watch Consort Chen being humiliated in the harem?”

“I can’t match Huai Qing anyway, and I don’t think Mother Consort is as miserable as she claims,” she said aggrievedly.

“Why don’t you talk to His Majesty?” Xu Qi An probed.

“You may all leave,” Lin An dismissed the palace maids.

The hall fell silent, and no one spoke for a long time.

“Dog servant…” she called out weakly.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“When Crown Prince Brother was imprisoned in the Court of Judicature, I went to plead with Father Emperor, but he wouldn’t see me. I stood in the cold for two hours until Huai Qing drove me away…”

Lin An lowered her head sadly, like a self-conscious little beast. “That’s when I thought, maybe Father Emperor doesn’t love me as much as I thought. After Crown Prince Brother’s incident, my brothers and sisters stopped playing with me. I realized they didn’t like me either…”

Her eyebrows drooped, those clear and alluring peach blossom eyes dimmed, her head slightly bowed. She looked not like a princess, but a wronged and pitiful girl.

Xu Qi An knew this was Lin An’s overwhelming trust in him, allowing her to shed her princess pride and reveal herself as a girl who wasn’t too stupid, but not particularly clever either.

She must have bottled these things up for a long time… At least since the Crown Prince’s incident, she had recognized this reality… But she hadn’t shown it, still maintaining her princess pride.

Until the Consort Fu case ended, she belatedly tasted the truth behind the case… How must she have felt then? Sad, helpless, disappointed?

This princess, outwardly willful and capricious, was a paper tiger with a fierce exterior. When wronged, she would only shout and yell, but when truly hurt to the core, she would bear it silently.

Essentially, she was a girl who endured adversity, beautiful but also brittle beneath her strong facade.

Lin An’s eyes gradually blurred. Saying these things out loud made her feel much better. Although the dog servant couldn’t do much for her, even hesitating to stand up for her against Huai Qing, the fact that he was willing to offend Huai Qing for her sake already made Lin An very happy.

Suddenly, a hand rested on her head, ruffling her hair.

Lin An looked up in surprise, realizing the dog servant had somehow come to her side. His eyes held a helpless look of pity for her misfortune and frustration at her passive nature.

“Your Highness, I’ll be by your side.”

Lin An’s face gradually reddened, and she whispered, “Don’t… don’t pat my head… I’ll get angry.”

Xu Qi An boldly disobeyed the princess’s order, ruffling her hair vigorously, messing it up.

Lin An widened her peach blossom eyes, glaring at him, seemingly trying to intimidate the dog servant with her princess authority. But although her eyes were alluring and affectionate, they lacked any real threat.

Lin An lowered her head again.

Well, for girls with this kind of personality, appropriate dominance and persistent pursuit are the best methods… If this were Huai Qing, I might have been stabbed to death already…

An ambiguous atmosphere fermented between them.

Xu Qi An withdrew his hand in time, took out “The Great Sage of Love” from his pocket, placed it in front of Lin An, and smiled:

“This is a book I came across by chance. It’s quite interesting. Since the princess likes stories, I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading them. However, please don’t mention that it’s from me.”

Lin An’s attention was immediately drawn to “The Great Sage of Love.”

“If you find the palace boring, why not move to Lin An Mansion? That way, this humble servant can play with you every day and even sneak you out occasionally.”

After chatting for a while, he bid farewell.

“Xu Qi An!” Lin An called out to him, puffing her cheeks and threatening fiercely: “Today’s events must not be shared with others, or else… or else…”

She wanted to say “or else I’ll cut off your head,” but felt a bit reluctant.

“Understood,” Xu Qi An said.

…

After leaving Shao Yin Garden, Xu Qi An said to the Imperial Guard, “This official has urgent matters to discuss with the Princess. Please lead me to her.”

“That’s against the rules,” the Imperial Guard shook his head.

“I can wait outside the palace. That would be within the rules,” Xu Qi An discreetly slipped him a ten-tael silver note.

The Imperial Guard agreed, led Xu Qi An out of the palace, and told him to wait outside while he went in to announce his arrival.

In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the Imperial Guard returned and said, “Princess Huai Qing requests your presence.”

Xu Qi An’s lips curled into a smile as he placed his hand on his chest, thinking, Huai Qing, oh Huai Qing, prepare to experience the power of the domineering female CEO and the naive, pure-hearted young scholar.

It’s sure to hit your sweet spot.