Dong Yicheng walked out drenched in cold sweat, his steps small and hurried. Seeing the courtyard full of kneeling officials, his face instantly turned black as coal. “Why are you all still kneeling? A useless bunch!”

The magistrate at the front quickly stood up, enduring the numbness in his knees as he followed behind, asking softly: “Minister Dong, how is the Crown Prince?”

Dong Yicheng lowered his eyes, shaking his head repeatedly with sighs.

Those around them felt a panic in their hearts seeing this reaction, yet dared not speak further, only rising to stand properly.

After a while, they finally heard Dong Yicheng say in a lowered voice: “His decisiveness in killing and judgment, his firmness and clarity—not one bit inferior to Prince Ping in his day!”

Everyone remained silent, exchanging glances, as another layer of cold sweat crept up their necks.

Who didn’t know of Prince Ping’s ruthlessness and coldness in those days?

Wielding weapons on horseback, bloodying the mountains and rivers of five states, securing the empire for one family—never in his life had he feared others, ending countless lives in just the blink of an eye!

Dong Yicheng observed everyone’s expressions, then coldly snorted: “You think the Crown Prince living in the palace doesn’t understand the methods of managing armies and officials? You’re gravely mistaken! Think about how he’s survived these ten years. Do you believe all the edicts from the northern territories were issued by the Emperor?!”

He turned around, angrily kicking the man in front of him. “I’ve said countless times, the northern fortifications need repairs, need repairs! Now look what’s happened—the Crown Prince caught us red-handed, and none of us will escape punishment!”

“Minister Dong,” the man complained, “this can’t be blamed on me alone. Didn’t we initially think nothing would happen in the northern borders, so we saved some labor…”

Dong Yicheng flung his sleeves and walked forward. “Let me tell you all, though the Crown Prince may be quiet, his methods are insidious. Don’t think that relying on past merits means no one dares touch you! If he can be like this while still only in line for the throne, who knows what he’ll be like when he ascends to power? Watch your heads, gentlemen!”

The people following behind him were so anxious their eyes turned red. “Minister Dong, then…”

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Dong Yicheng stopped in his tracks, turned around, and randomly pointed at someone: “You’ve all made me confused with anger! Go to the side hall of the first pavilion and invite Grand Scholar Shen here. Tell him the Crown Prince wishes to see him on a matter.”

That person hurriedly went toward the first pavilion.

Those around, seeing Dong Yicheng still furious, dared not ask further. Only after he had left the courtyard did someone sigh softly: “What trouble has Chao’an gotten into this time, what kind of people have come…”

Shen Zhishu had just stepped through the door when he called out: “Your Highness?…” Only then did he realize there was no one in the hall. He raised an eyebrow, walked in a few steps, peered further in, and then smiled. “Since Your Highness wishes to rest, I shall return later.”

“It’s fine.”

Ying Gua was reclining on a low couch, head lowered and face turned aside, his expression cold. In his hand he held a paper filled with writing, dangling at his side.

Shen Zhishu walked over. “I heard Your Highness was angry today, causing quite a stir in the commander’s office.”

He seemed not to have heard, merely raising an eyebrow and handing over the paper in his hand.

Shen Zhishu took it, and with one glance frowned, “This? It’s far too irregular…” His eyes scanned up and down several times, growing more shocked: “This person’s courage is too great!”

Ying Gua remained silent, closing his eyes momentarily before sitting up.

Shen Zhishu’s expression turned serious. He swept aside his robe and sat on a stool nearby, then carefully read what was written on the paper several times before clapping his hands and laughing softly: “What an excellent policy essay! If the officials in Chongzhou Prefecture saw this, they would die of shame! They don’t even match the insight of a woman.”

Ying Gua finally looked up. “The Grand Tutor has already removed this person from the provincial examination.”

Shen Zhishu was surprised, glancing again at the paper. “Was it because this policy essay criticized the ineffective governance of Chao’an’s northern route?”

“How could the Grand Tutor be so narrow-minded?” he said softly. “Surely he couldn’t ruin the rules for this one person.”

Shen Zhishu raised his eyebrows: “But years ago when my mother got into trouble after the palace examination, wasn’t it my father who protected her academic standing? Why is talent no longer cherished now?”

Ying Gua stood up and walked toward him. “How can the situations be compared? Back then, the Grand Tutor wasn’t in charge, and it was a request for the Empress Mother to intervene at the end. This time, the Grand Tutor is presiding over Chao’an’s northern route provincial examination, with countless eyes watching. How could he not revoke this person’s academic standing?” He stood with his hands behind his back. “If the Grand Tutor didn’t value talent, he wouldn’t have sent someone to show this to me.”

Shen Zhishu smiled. “So, Your Highness intends to preserve this person’s status?”

He remained silent for a moment, a trace of hesitation flashing in his eyes. “I wonder if she wrote this policy essay to speak for the people or to make a name for herself… If the former, she must be a person of unyielding integrity, and will inevitably suffer in court later. I fear she would be destroyed before she could even show her potential. If the latter, then she lacks depth and strategy. Many seek merit and fame in this world, but to climb high and stand firm, such methods are useless.”

“Is Your Highness overthinking this?” Shen Zhishu also stood up. “She’s just a girl of seventeen or eighteen, inexperienced in life, probably writing whatever came to mind without much consideration. If this person truly has a rare talent, wouldn’t it be a great loss to the court if she were removed from the jinshi examination?”

Ying Gua raised his hand, pressing forcefully on the paper, his brows furrowed in silence.

Meng Tinghui.

Those eyes from that morning, looking at him so clear and pure.

He turned his head, looking again at the smiling Shen Zhishu.

Perhaps he was overthinking…

He nodded slightly, his voice light and cool: “Take this transcript to the examination hall, with my verbal edict: this person’s talent is rare and exceptional, and is to be graciously appointed as the top scholar of the women’s jinshi examination for Chao’an’s northern route.”

Shen Zhishu was quite surprised. “Top scholar? Your Highness protecting her academic standing is one thing, but why appoint her as the top scholar of the region? Once this precedent is set, if others from different regions follow her example, what then?”

Ying Gua said coldly: “I want the whole world to know that Chao’an’s northern route has produced a Meng Tinghui.” His eyebrows tightened slightly as he added: “Let’s see if she can make another brilliant argument at the ministry examination in the capital.”

Outside, the courtyard was full of green, teeming with spring vitality. Several butterflies danced gracefully, and the breeze carried the fragrance of flowers.

On the day the provincial examination results were announced, the wall of Chongzhou Women’s Academy was surrounded by an impenetrable crowd.

“Excuse me, make way, please make way…”

Yan Fuzhi pulled Meng Tinghui through the crowd, standing on tiptoes to see ahead.

Meng Tinghui stood rigidly, frowning. “We could come later to look, why are you in such a hurry?”

“Me, hurried?” Yan Fuzhi turned back, smiling like a flower. “I’m not hurried for myself, I’m hurried for you!”

Meng Tinghui helplessly looked away, gazing beyond the crowd.

Suddenly, voices from the front could be heard whispering: “Here she comes, it’s her…”

“Which one?”

“That one, tsk, the one in the tea-colored skirt, standing at the back, do you see her?”

“I really can’t tell.”

“Is there anything to tell? I heard from inside that she was originally disqualified, but by chance, the Crown Prince visited Grand Tutor Shen at the examination hall, saw this exam paper, and only then did she rise to prominence!”

“That’s what they say, but who knows what happened…”

Yan Fuzhi’s body suddenly trembled, and the hand gripping Meng Tinghui tightened. She turned back excitedly: “Top scholar! Meng Tinghui, your name is first on the list!”

Meng Tinghui’s face remained impassive, merely nodding. “Let’s go.”

Yan Fuzhi stumbled as she was pulled out of the crowd. Seeing her displeased expression, she couldn’t help saying: “Meng Tinghui, do you have a fever? Top scholar, a top scholar of Chao’an’s northern route provincial examination! You’re not happy?”

Meng Tinghui stopped, and looked up at her, her face still rigid, but said nothing.

Being disqualified and then specially appointed was traditionally a closely guarded secret of the examination system. Even she might not know the details. If no one had deliberately spread the word, how could others know so quickly?

Although it was said to be the Crown Prince’s gracious appointment, she couldn’t feel happy about it.

Breaking the rules in the provincial examination—she had done so with personal motives.

The women’s jinshi examination was held once every three years. The empire had talented individuals from all regions, but there was only one position of zhuangyuan (first place). If she could achieve first place in this examination, she would enter the Hanlin Academy and later have the opportunity to become a court official. Only by becoming a court official could she fulfill the long-standing wish in her heart.

“If I can save the people, I would spare no effort…” Only by climbing higher could she have more hope of seeing him again.

She longed to see him and therefore longed to stand out from the crowd, which is why she boldly broke the rules in this jinshi examination that everyone was watching.

If her policy essay could win the favor of the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor Shen Wuchen, then she could confidently face the ministry examination and palace examination in the future.

But she hadn’t expected to be disqualified by Grand Tutor Shen, nor had she expected to be appointed by the Crown Prince as the top scholar of Chao’an’s northern route.

Having it publicized so extensively was not her wish.

And from this moment, she lost all good feelings toward this Crown Prince who was rumored to be reticent, cold-faced, and inscrutable.