On the day of Shangsi, the spring weather was warm and bright. Xia Xiuyan accompanied Li Hanfeng to drink wine at Zuichun Tower by the Qujiang riverbank.

Xia Xiuyan had no plans today to join the crowds at the Qujiang riverside. But early in the morning, Li Hanfeng arrived at the princess’s manor in his carriage, looking thoroughly excited. Not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm, Xia Xiuyan ultimately got in the carriage and came along.

Looking out from the carriage, the streets were bustling with people, all heading toward Qujiang Pavilion. The imperial examination results had been posted not long ago, and by custom, the Qujiang Banquet should be held today. At the Qujiang Banquet, His Majesty would attend in person, with nobles and high officials gathering at Qujiang Pavilion while the newly successful examination candidates rode their horses forth, viewing all of Chang’an’s flowers in a single day. This was the day that all scholars under heaven, after ten years of bitter study, dreamed of—but for some reason, this year’s Qujiang Banquet had been postponed.

Now sitting in the carriage, Xia Xiuyan couldn’t help but casually ask the reason. Li Hanfeng waved open his fan, covering his lips with a smile: “Haven’t you heard? Naturally it’s because of that person from the Bureau of Astronomy.”

The young man in the carriage turned his head, his gaze showing some confusion.

Li Hanfeng didn’t keep him in suspense: “A couple days ago, His Majesty had the Ministry of Rites arrange the Qujiang Banquet. Everything was nearly prepared when Minister Feng of the Ministry of Rites somehow suddenly thought to have someone from the Bureau of Astronomy fetch Qiu Sichen to divine the fortune and misfortune. Normally this would just be going through the motions for peace of mind. Who knew that Qiu Sichen would divine an inauspicious result? Now the Ministry of Rites had no idea what to do and could only honestly submit the divination result to His Majesty. After reading the memorial, His Majesty considered it and ordered the Ministry of Rites to select a new date.”

Xia Xiuyan was silent for a moment before saying: “Her courage is quite bold.”

“Isn’t it?” Li Hanfeng waved his fan, drawing out his words. “If her divination proves accurate, that’s fine. But if today passes peacefully without incident, I’m afraid she’ll offend quite a few people.”

“If something really happens, will her divination not offend people?” His voice grew slightly heavy. Li Hanfeng heard what seemed like a hint of displeasure in his words. Just as he was puzzled and about to inquire further, the carriage had already stopped—they had arrived at Zuichun Tower in the blink of an eye.

The two descended from the carriage. Li Hanfeng straightened his clothes and looked up at the wine house’s plaque. Their carriage was luxurious, and he wore expensive clothing with an extraordinary bearing—clearly not of ordinary status. For a moment, standing outside the wine house, they attracted quite a few gazes.

As soon as Xia Xiuyan jumped down from the carriage, he heard a surprised and delighted exclamation from the second floor. The two looked up to see a head poking out from the railing by the window—it was none other than Sun Jue, the young master of the Sun family who studied with them at the academy.

“Sixth… Sixth Prince, Brother Xia! What are you doing here?”

Several more faces appeared behind him at the window, though they were unfamiliar—they looked like a group of scholars.

Li Hanfeng glanced at Xia Xiuyan beside him and found the other person also looking at him. He couldn’t help but clear his throat: “What a coincidence.” The person beside him heard this, turned away with a smile tinged with mockery, and was first to walk into Zuichun Tower.

Seeing he hadn’t made a scene, Li Hanfeng breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed him inside.

The server saw distinguished guests arrive and hurried over to attend to them. Li Hanfeng said something to him while Xia Xiuyan lagged a step behind, his gaze falling on the table near the window. A youth of about sixteen or seventeen sat there, as if waiting for someone. He looked somewhat familiar.

The other person also spotted him at a glance. After a moment of surprise, he stood and walked over, raising his hand in greeting: “Greetings to Young Master Xia.”

He wore a clean and neat blue Daoist robe, his hair bound behind his head, his features upright and gentle. Xia Xiuyan suddenly remembered who he was: “Yuan Sichen?”

Because of the incident at the family banquet earlier, Yuan Zhou actually didn’t much like this Young Master Xia. But seeing him recognize him at a glance now was rather unexpected and restored some good feeling. Hearing the question, he smiled: “This official now holds the position of Night Duty Officer at the Bureau of Astronomy.”

“Congratulations.” Xia Xiuyan offered his congratulations, though without much feeling. But Yuan Zhou was somewhat moved by it, only feeling he had misjudged him earlier—this Young Master Xia was truly someone who distinguished clearly between gratitude and grievance.

As they were speaking, Li Hanfeng also walked over. Seeing him was also somewhat unexpected, he said with a smile: “What a coincidence today. Is Yuan Night Duty Officer out enjoying the spring alone?” Yuan Zhou quickly greeted him in return before saying: “I came with my senior martial sister, but she’s gone to buy a sugar figure now. I’m just waiting for her here.”

“Your senior martial sister?” For a moment, Li Hanfeng didn’t react. He turned to look at Xia Xiuyan beside him in confusion. Seeing him purse his lips and say with an ambiguous smile: “Today is highly inauspicious. How dare she still come out?” Hearing this, Li Hanfeng finally realized the senior martial sister he mentioned was actually Qiu Xinran, and couldn’t help but laugh: “Qiu Sichen usually dresses as a young man. I nearly forgot her female identity.”

Yuan Zhou was an honest person and didn’t know how to respond to this. Fortunately, Sun Jue had already come running down from the second floor with a “thud thud thud.” After greeting Li Hanfeng, he said friends upstairs were hosting an elegant gathering and invited him to come sit on the second floor. Li Hanfeng declined several times but couldn’t refuse. He glanced at Xia Xiuyan’s expression and said with difficulty: “What does Xiuyan think?”

Xia Xiuyan nodded noncommittally. Li Hanfeng’s lips curved slightly in a smile, and only then did he rather reservedly agree.

Sun Jue led the two upstairs. Passing the stairway corner, Xia Xiuyan glanced toward the main entrance and saw the youth in the blue Daoist robe had already returned to his original seat, the place across from him still empty with no one seated.

It was just a brief glance, and the three had already ascended to a private room on the second floor. Pushing open the door, inside was indeed as Sun Jue had said—an elegant gathering in progress. The entire room was filled with men dressed as scholars in ceremonial caps and robes. Seeing the two enter, they all stood up respectfully to bow.

Sun Jue didn’t directly state Li Hanfeng’s identity, only calling him Sixth Prince and Xia Xiuyan as Young Master Xia. He yielded the main seat to Li Hanfeng, retreating to the side himself, and introduced them: “Today on Shangsi, everyone in this room are this year’s newly successful examination candidates—the future pillars of the court.”

Hearing this, Li Hanfeng raised his wine cup and said to everyone in the room: “Today I’ve accidentally intruded upon this elegant gathering. It’s my fortune to make your acquaintance. I toast you all.” As soon as he finished speaking, everyone felt honored and quickly stood to return the toast. Only Xia Xiuyan sat to the side without touching the wine cup on the table. When his eyebrows were slightly lowered, his entire aura became somewhat cold, carrying a pride that was difficult to approach. Everyone at the gathering were scholars not yet in office, and there were naturally some with lofty literary pride who quietly glanced over.

Li Hanfeng smoothly mediated: “Xiuyan has a weak constitution and doesn’t drink well. Better to exchange his wine for tea.” Sun Jue was also very perceptive and quickly had someone bring tea. This scene in the eyes of others only made them feel this Sixth Prince had a gentle nature and was approachable.

Such an occasion wasn’t suitable for discussing state affairs, so everyone at the gathering engaged in poetry games. Though Sun Jue hadn’t directly stated this “Sixth Prince’s” identity, everyone present would soon enter court as officials—how could they not have guesses in their hearts? So whenever it was their turn, each wanted to perform well.

Xia Xiuyan sat by the window thoroughly bored, seeming incompatible with the people in this room. Outside the spring scenery was perfect. From the second floor, one could see the view of the Qujiang embankment. Willows on both banks were sprouting green. Looking into the distance along the river, one could even see hazy green mountains. The streets were crowded with people. Young men and women in various colored spring robes walked along the riverside toward distant Qujiang Pavilion—this was prosperity unique to the capital.

Suddenly, a figure in a blue Daoist robe walked out from the first floor entrance. He stood outside the door as if waiting for someone inside to come out. After a moment, sure enough, a young woman in a yellow skirt holding a sugar figure followed out.

When Xia Xiuyan’s gaze fell on her, he paused, as if momentarily unable to confirm whether she was the blue-robed official from his impression. Today Qiu Xinran wore a goose-yellow long skirt. Her hair, usually bound up with a wooden hairpin, was let down and styled into a simple bun with a bright yellow flower pinned in it—very playful and cute. She was tall—you couldn’t tell when she wore official robes on ordinary days, but now changed into women’s clothing, even from behind she was completely a graceful young lady, very eye-catching.

He saw her emerge from Zuichun Tower and stand at the roadside with her back to the second floor, holding a sugar figure. She said something to the young man traveling with her that made him turn away rather disdainfully, but she laughed while holding the sugar figure, revealing a bit of her profile and her smiling eyes that weren’t quite clear.

After a while, she seemed to notice a gaze from somewhere and turned around with some confusion. At that instant, the young man sitting on the second floor instinctively panicked and dodged to the side. Only after hiding behind the window did he feel a trace of awkward chagrin.

Li Hanfeng was startled by his movement and turned to look. Seeing his displeased expression, he hesitated briefly before asking softly: “What’s wrong?”

Xia Xiuyan shook his head. He picked up the half-cold tea on the table and took a sip. After a while, he couldn’t help but turn to look out the window again.

The two people who had been standing at the roadside had already left. Along the street, he could see a goose-yellow figure in the distance walking toward Qujiang Pavilion with the blue-robed youth beside her. The girl’s steps were light and quick, almost bouncing with joy, like a flower fallen into spring, gradually disappearing into the crowd.