Sunlight slanted through the window lattice as clouds drifted in, casting delicate shadows across the desk. Yan Shisheng was hunched over, drawing the white ox tea tree as requested by Mu Wanyao.

When Mu Wanyao learned that Yan Shisheng had less than a jin of white ox tea, she immediately expressed her displeasure – how could such a small amount be enough to share among the people in Chang’an? The best solution would be to figure out what the white ox tea tree looked like so she could have her people search for it in the wild. If they could transplant the tea trees from Lingnan to Chang’an and keep them alive, that would be ideal.

With the provincial examinations approaching, Yan Shisheng needed to study. He only agreed to help Mu Wanyao draw the tea tree in exchange for her teaching him the “Qieyun” and helping him correct his classical pronunciations.

And so that afternoon naturally found Mu Wanyao listlessly flipping through the “Qieyun” while Yan Shisheng drew the tea tree.

During this peaceful moment, the sound of galloping hooves suddenly came from beyond the fence. Before even entering, someone called out loudly: “Young Master Yan! Young Master Yan, please come out!”

Startled by the voice outside the window, Yan Shisheng’s wolf-hair brush pressed down heavily, causing dark ink to bleed across the paper, creating a deep shadow on the tree trunk he was drawing.

Mu Wanyao looked at the ruined drawing with distress: “Who’s making such a commotion outside?”

The maid Chunhua walked toward the door: “Let this servant go see.”

Hearing someone calling for him, Yan Shisheng immediately moved to get up. Mu Wanyao reached out to stop him, turning her face toward the window: “Let Chunhua go see what’s happening first. With such shouting, what if it’s some villain with clubs coming to harm you?”

Yan Shisheng’s brush trembled slightly as he cast a confused yet somewhat touched glance at Mu Wanyao – was this young lady protecting him? Had he heard correctly?

Mu Wanyao’s next words were: “You still need to draw the tea tree for me, you can’t get injured right now.”

Yan Shisheng was left speechless.

Outside the bamboo fence of the Yan household stood a brown horse. A young scholar had arrived on horseback, with thick books and dried provisions strapped to his mount.

After dismounting, without entering the courtyard, he began calling out: “Young Master Yan! Yan Shisheng! My father sent me to find you, where are you?”

After getting off his horse, he noticed the Yan household was different from before, with many guards and maids in the courtyard. Though surprised, he wasn’t alarmed and continued leading his horse through the gate.

No one else from the Yan family was home to receive this guest. The maid Chunhua emerged from behind the curtain, calling out sharply: “Who’s making such noise here?”

Chunhua descended the steps with her fellow maids, and they pointed out the young man who had already entered the courtyard but was being held back by the guards.

Chunhua looked at him and paused momentarily. The youth was wearing fine clothes and had elegant, talented features quite unlike typical Lingnan people.

Chunhua couldn’t help but muse to herself that it was rare enough to have one good-looking person like Yan Shisheng in Lingnan, and now another had appeared. Anyone who didn’t know better might think this wasn’t Lingnan but rather Chang’an, the golden capital.

The young man hadn’t expected to encounter such a slender and beautiful maiden standing sternly on the steps. He too was momentarily stunned, and the arrogance and impatience in his eyes instantly vanished as his fair face suddenly flushed red.

He nervously let go of his horse’s reins and bowed deeply: “May I ask how to address the young lady? This should be Young Master Yan’s residence, correct? My surname is Liu, and my father sent me to find Young Master Yan to inquire about this year’s provincial examinations. If there are no other circumstances, my father suggested I take the examinations together with Young Master Yan.”

Chunhua immediately understood.

Every deep winter, each prefecture and circuit of Great Wei would conduct examinations to recommend qualified students to the Ministry of Personnel in Chang’an. When that time came, it would be the “Imperial Examinations.” This young scholar had come to find Yan Shisheng naturally for that first “recommendation” examination.

Chunhua curtsied and replied softly: “Please wait a moment, young sir. This servant will go find Young Master Yan.”

She turned to go inside but looked back once more at the Liu scholar who had traveled from afar.

The scholar was staring at her intently, his eyes bright.

In the warm winter sunlight, the maiden stood tall and graceful, blooming like an elegant flower, with beauty beyond the ordinary.

As a breeze brushed past her cheeks and stirred her hair, Chunhua’s face reddened again. She gave the scholar a slight smile and lowered her head. This time Chunhua didn’t look back again, going straight to find the princess—

That scholar was named Liu Wenji, barely eighteen this year, one year older than Yan Shisheng.

His father had once been an Imperial Censor but later offended a high official at court and was banished to Lingnan.

According to Yan Shisheng, Liu Wenji was known as a prodigy in Lingnan. Yan Shisheng himself had studied under Liu Wenji’s father. While Yan Shisheng had already attempted the provincial examinations three times, Liu Wenji hadn’t been so hasty.

This was Liu Wenji’s first year taking the provincial examinations. His father had sent him to ask Yan Shisheng about examination experience and planned to have them take the tests together.

Though it was his first time taking the examinations, Liu Wenji was full of confidence that he would certainly pass.

To make taking the examinations more convenient, Liu Wenji planned to stay at the Yan residence. Yan Shisheng explained Liu Wenji’s situation to Mu Wanyao, hoping she would allow Liu Wenji to stay.

Mu Wanyao glanced at Yan Shisheng as he explained the situation, clearly seeing that his patient explanation was meant to convince her to let the person stay.

The maid Chunhua also added softly: “The distance between towns in Lingnan is quite far. Young Master Liu has come all this way with great difficulty – if we send him back now, it might delay his examination.”

Mu Wanyao’s expression was strange: “You want him to stay and take the examinations with you in a few days?”

Yan Shisheng replied gently: “Yes. Brother Liu is extremely learned. If he stays, I can learn from him. And if we go to the examinations together, we can look after each other.”

Mu Wanyao: “They call him a prodigy?”

Yan Shisheng nodded.

Mu Wanyao became extremely curious: “How does your learning compare to his?”

Yan Shisheng’s face reddened as he admitted shamefully: “Brother Liu comes from a scholarly family. I’m not as good as him.”

At this, Mu Wanyao was utterly shocked.

She stood up and walked a circle around Yan Shisheng: “So you’re saying you want to let someone stay in your home who could threaten you and likely steal your ranking? Instead of driving away such a threatening person, you’re worried about their comfort and want to provide them food and lodging. Have you already prepared yourself to fail and decided to curry favor with this prodigy?”

Yan Shisheng said: “I might not necessarily lose.”

“Pff.”

Yan Shisheng: …What did that “pff” mean?

Mu Wanyao sat back down and looked up at him eagerly: “Great Wei has fifteen circuits north and south, fifty passes east and west, recommending talents to the Ministry of Personnel every year for the imperial examinations. Among the fifteen circuits and fifty passes, there are countless scholars, yet only about a thousand are recommended each year.”

“The large prefectures get more recommendations, while remote places like your Lingnan probably only get one or two spots per year. Since Liu Wenji is called a prodigy, he must be your biggest threat.”

Mu Wanyao’s eyes danced with excitement as she offered advice: “You could eliminate this threat from the beginning.”

Yan Shisheng was silent for a while.

He asked: “You think I should send him away?”

Mu Wanyao propped her elbows on the desk, looking sweet: “Of course he should stay.”

Yan Shisheng raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Mu Wanyao advised him: “I can see he seems proud and has never faced setbacks. Such people break easily when bent. With your cunning, while learning from his scholarship, you could disturb his thoughts, make him fail the examination, and use him as a stepping stone to help you succeed in the provincial examinations. Though you might not necessarily win, he would lose.”

“In life’s endeavors, pressing forward boldly is all about ‘competition’!”

The princess’s words came with a smile, but their content was so cruel.

Yan Shisheng stared at Mu Wanyao for a moment before slowly saying: “Life’s endeavors and pressing forward boldly aren’t just about ‘competition.’ There’s also virtue, loyalty, benevolence, and righteousness.”

He continued: “I certainly don’t have enough learning – I couldn’t earn the title of prodigy and have failed the provincial examinations three years in a row. But I absolutely won’t use someone else’s future to pave my path. Heaven rewards according to its way, and I have my way. I only seek to live under heaven and earth with a clear conscience.”

Mu Wanyao’s expression didn’t change.

She still tried to tempt him to do wrong: “If you don’t tell, who would know what you’ve done? Once it’s done, it’s in the past.”

Yan Shisheng replied gently: “In this world, nothing truly passes into the past. It won’t just pass away.”

After hearing him expound on great principles, Mu Wanyao’s expression hadn’t darkened, but these few words struck her heart like a heavy hammer, causing her chest to suddenly ache.

She stepped back, her expression changing dramatically, becoming somewhat pale.

In this world, can nothing truly pass away? Do all traces of the past turn into nightmares that return again and again to torment you?

Seeing her poor color, Yan Shisheng asked with concern: “What’s wrong?”

Mu Wanyao steadied herself against the desk, her delicate joints trembling slightly. Yet her face showed no weakness as she snarled: “I’ve given my suggestion. Since you won’t listen, get out!”

Yan Shisheng observed her for a while but to no avail. He withdrew his gaze—

Two days later, Yan Shisheng and Liu Wenji came to bid farewell to Mu Wanyao, as they were leaving together for the provincial examinations and wouldn’t return for a day or two.

Mu Wanyao watched Liu Wenji repeatedly stealing glances at her maid Chunhua, while Yan Shisheng remained calm and gentle. The Yan family’s siblings encouraged Yan Shisheng to do well in the examinations, reluctantly seeing him off.

Through the curtain, watching their mutual encouragement and sibling affection, Mu Wanyao said mockingly: “So you’re off to pluck a sprig from the osmanthus tree in the moon palace?”

Yan Shisheng replied politely: “Thank you for your care these past days, young lady.”

Mu Wanyao asked with feigned concern: “Have you considered that you might not pass at all?”

The Yan family members all glared at Mu Wanyao.

No one wants to be the villain, but Mu Wanyao particularly enjoyed playing that role. She covered her mouth in mock surprise: “I’m just speaking the truth! Heaven’s will is hard to predict – shouldn’t you prepare for the worst?”

Yan Shisheng responded courteously: “Then this humble one can only pray that human determination will triumph over heaven’s will.”

As soon as Yan Shisheng left, Mu Wanyao dropped her welcoming smile and drove everyone out.

She commanded her guards: “Come with me to the wilderness – we’re going to search for white ox tea trees! Once we find them, we’ll leave this place. After meeting my uncle, we’ll return to Chang’an!”

Chunhua asked timidly: “Aren’t we going to wait for Young Master Yan’s examination results? Won’t we wait for his return?”

Mu Wanyao said: “What’s there to wait for?”

She said contemptuously: “Without anyone’s support, how could he possibly pass?”

Chunhua’s heart stirred: “Perhaps you could…”

Mu Wanyao smiled: “Didn’t he say he wanted to test heaven’s will with his abilities? How dare I interfere with Young Master Yan’s righteous path? A villain like me had better focus on finding my tea trees.”

Author’s Note: Let me explain something – the imperial examinations at this time were deeply corrupt. Without someone supporting you from above, either you wouldn’t pass, or even if you did pass it wouldn’t matter – even becoming the top scholar wouldn’t help. But if you had someone backing you, you could maneuver yourself into becoming the top scholar.

During this period, even if you passed the examinations, you weren’t immediately given an official position. Without someone looking after you from above, you might waste three, four, or five years after passing without being able to become an official.