“Wait, wait, wait!” Seeing the situation about to escalate again, Lu Jinlan quickly grabbed Young Lady Yan. “Both of you, stop arguing. Neither of you needs to pay. I’ll pay, alright?”
She thought to herself that the hunter came from a poor family—earning money wasn’t easy. Young Lady Yan had indeed suffered quite a loss as well. Fortunately, she herself didn’t mind. She was willing to cover the money.
Lu Jinlan pulled out her purse. “I’ll give you four hundred wen, and I’ll also compensate for the clothes. Is that acceptable?”
She thought she had come up with a brilliant solution. Unexpectedly, neither of them agreed.
“What do you mean? Do you think I’m short on money?” Young Lady Yan snorted and turned to leave.
“It wasn’t you who knocked it down. I won’t take your money.” The hunter picked up the half side of pork and also walked away.
Lu Jinlan stood there for a while, clutching her purse in confusion, muttering, “Neither of them appreciates it. As if I wanted this? Am I some kind of sucker?”
That evening, Xi Mo and Qing’er returned, excitedly reporting on the tasks she had assigned them.
“We only asked around a little before finding Ruiyun Silk Manor—there are more than a dozen branches. When the shopkeeper heard we were relatives, she personally sent someone to escort us to Old Madam Aunt’s residence. But she wasn’t home today, so we didn’t get to see her. Her husband received us. When he heard you had arrived, he was delighted and already ordered a courtyard prepared. He said you should move into the house tomorrow.”
Lu Jinlan responded without much enthusiasm, “We’ll see. I prefer staying at the inn. At relatives’ houses, I feel restrained.”
Qing’er said, “Then you should think of a proper excuse and decline. She’s only a cousin-aunt, not your real aunt. I also feel it’s not good to impose too much.”
“Mm. Did we notify our own shops?”
Xi Mo replied, “We informed them all. The shopkeeper who went to Yunzhou for the birthday banquet rushed back to the capital day and night and arrived ahead of us. She’s been searching the entire city for you these past two days. When she saw us, she almost cried—so happy she didn’t know what to do. She said she wanted to pay respects to the Young Mistress, but I declined on your behalf. I said you were studying and had no time, and that you’d see them after passing the exam.”
Lu Jinlan nodded in satisfaction. “Well done. Finally, something went my way today.”
Qing’er asked curiously, “What happened to you today?”
Lu Jinlan let out a long sigh. It was hard to put into words. Just thinking about it made her feel stifled. She had run into a young man in white—she kindly helped him borrow a book, only to be tricked by him. She tried to break up a fight out of goodwill, and both parties ended up snapping at her. Her good intentions were treated like donkey liver and lungs.
She had no intention of telling anyone about these embarrassing incidents. Instead, she summed it up bluntly in one sentence: “Shenjing is full of lunatics.”
With the selection exams approaching, Lu Jinlan visited her cousin-aunt’s residence twice. The rest of her time was spent practicing martial arts in preparation for the martial exam.
She had learned a great deal in the system, but had never tested it in real combat and had no idea what her actual level was. So she hired a master from a martial arts hall to spar with her daily, putting the techniques in her head into practice. She trained intensively for over ten days.
Counting carefully, from the time she began letting the system auto-train her in martial arts each night until now, it had been less than two months. Compared to those who had trained rigorously since childhood, she was far behind. It was all Lu Jinzhao’s fault—too indulgent with his child. As a result, Lu Jinlan was mediocre in both letters and arms and had to cram to make up for everything.
On the day of registration, she still felt uneasy.
The Royal Academy’s martial selection was a grand event in the capital. Though the first day was only for registration and letting candidates test weapons on stage, it had already drawn quite a crowd of onlookers.
Holding her admission notice, Lu Jinlan queued to register and unexpectedly spotted two familiar faces—the two ungrateful lunatics.
Miss Yan was probably already an admitted local candidate from Shenjing. Tomorrow, the admitted new students and out-of-town candidates would draw lots for sparring matches.
The strong young woman who had once carried a pig stood ahead of Lu Jinlan in line. Lu Jinlan glanced at her name: Xiang Ruzhen.
After registering, Lu Jinlan saw Xiang Ruzhen leap onto the platform.
She hadn’t brought her own weapon. From the public rack, she drew an iron spear and tested its weight in her hand.
“Hey, where’s this hunter from?” a local student on the stage asked mockingly.
Xiang Ruzhen answered seriously, “I’m from Mianzhou.”
Laughter erupted around them. The other student raised her silver spear. “Care to spar?”
Xiang Ruzhen’s expression remained cold, without a trace of anger at the mockery. She replied evenly, “Sure.”
The bystanders quickly retreated. The two spears collided with a loud bang.
The local student stumbled back two steps, panic flashing in her eyes.
Lu Jinlan curled her lips silently, enjoying the show.
That must’ve hurt. She had once seen Xiang Ruzhen lift half a wild boar with one hand. She didn’t dare imagine the strength in those hands.
The moment the local student exchanged blows with Xiang Ruzhen, she knew she had picked the wrong person to provoke. She immediately used all her strength to fight back.
Sparks flew as they battled, drawing cheers from the crowd below.
Amateurs watched for excitement; experts watched for skill. Lu Jinlan now counted as half an expert.
She could clearly see both their strengths and weaknesses. Xiang Ruzhen was born with immense strength and sturdy bones—a natural martial talent. However, she likely hadn’t had a good teacher. Her moves were common or improvised, as if she struck however she pleased, with no clear structure.
The local student, on the other hand, was obviously well-trained, her techniques refined and skillful. In the fight, Xiang Ruzhen relied purely on strength to suppress her opponent. At first, the local student managed a few attacks with dazzling moves.
But Xiang Ruzhen quickly adapted. Within twenty moves, the other girl was left only able to defend, completely unable to counterattack.
Lu Jinlan noticed Miss Yan watching from another side. Afraid she still held a grudge and might make things difficult for Xiang Ruzhen, Lu Jinlan quietly moved closer.
Sure enough, she heard Miss Yan’s attendant whisper, “Isn’t that hunter on stage the one who clashed with you on the street? Shall we pull some strings so she won’t be admitted tomorrow?”
Miss Yan kept her eyes on the fight. Hearing this, she cast the attendant a cold glance. “Such despicable tactics—do they suit my noble birth?”
The attendant lowered her head in shame. Miss Yan lowered her voice. “Go home. From now on, you’re not to accompany me.”
“Yes.”
Lu Jinlan smiled slightly and slung an arm around her shoulder. “I didn’t expect this, Miss Yan. Besides liking handsome men, you’re quite upright. Let’s officially be friends.”
She extended her hand amicably.
Miss Yan glanced at her. “You’re here for the selection? I didn’t expect that either. Besides liking handsome men, you’re rather talented.”
She clasped her hand. “Yan Wuxin.”
“Lu Jinlan.”
Finally making a friend in this world, Lu Jinlan said happily, “Let’s make a bet. Guess how many moves until the match ends. The loser buys dinner.”
“I say within ten moves.”
“I say within three.”
Before the words finished, a loud bang rang out. The local student’s silver spear was knocked flying by the iron spear, ending the match.
“Bravo!” thundered the crowd.
Xiang Ruzhen returned the iron spear to the rack. Lu Jinlan immediately pulled Yan Wuxin over.
“What a coincidence, meeting again.”
“If you’d told me you were this skilled, I’d have paid you four hundred coins that day. A hero cherishes another hero—let’s call it making friends.”
Xiang Ruzhen looked at them and extended her hand to Yan Wuxin. “Then pay me four hundred coins now.”
“Ah? Oh.” Yan Wuxin blinked and fumbled for her purse.
Lu Jinlan grabbed one with each hand. “Pay what? Let her treat us to dinner instead.”
“Right, right. I lost the bet anyway.”
The two bundled Xiang Ruzhen into a carriage without giving her a chance to refuse. Soon they arrived at a grand residence.
“Come down. This is my private estate.”
In a place as costly as the capital, for Yan Wuxin to own such an impressive residence, her family background must be extraordinary. Lu Jinlan had heard of the four great clans of Hua Country: Ling, Yan, Zhao, and Chu. She guessed Yan Wuxin was related to Chancellor Yan Weijin’s family.
As the three sat in the hall, servants immediately brought pastries and tea. Then six or seven handsome men filed in and bowed respectfully to Yan Wuxin. “Greetings, Wife-Lord.”
Lu Jinlan froze. “You’re married?”
Yan Wuxin looked embarrassed. “Not yet officially. These are yingzi.”
Not officially married meant she had not yet taken a principal husband. Daughters of great families could take male companions before marriage, though they usually weren’t given high status.
Principal husband, secondary husband, constant companion, refined attendant, yingzi—the yingzi held the lowest status.
Lu Jinlan knew Yan Wuxin liked men, but she hadn’t expected this many. She hurriedly completed a system task.
Yan Wuxin said to the men, “I have friends here. You may all go. No need to serve.”
After they left, Yan Wuxin noticed Lu Jinlan’s gaze. “Well? I’ve got good taste, don’t I?”
She linked arms with Lu Jinlan generously. “See anyone you like? Shall I call them back?”
Before Lu Jinlan could respond, Xiang Ruzhen sprang to her feet. “If you’re going to behave like this, I’m leaving.”
Lu Jinlan waved her hands quickly. “No, no, Wuxin was joking. I didn’t mean anything. Just glanced, that’s all.”
“Is that so?” Xiang Ruzhen seemed unconvinced. She said earnestly, “The Sage says: one must not covet a friend’s man. As scholars, we should remember that.”
Lu Jinlan and Yan Wuxin exchanged a look.
Yan Wuxin said, “Oh no. I think we’ve invited the discipline officer home.”
Lu Jinlan burst out laughing. “Ruzhen, don’t be so rigid. How old are you?”
Comparing ages, Xiang Ruzhen was seventeen. Yan Wuxin and Lu Jinlan were both sixteen. When they compared birthdays, they discovered they were only one day apart—Lu Jinlan on the sixth day of the ninth month, Yan Wuxin on the seventh.
Yan Wuxin was delighted. “What a coincidence! We must drink to celebrate.”
Lu Jinlan quickly said, “There’s an exam tomorrow. Let’s skip the wine—tea instead.”
The feast was laid out swiftly. Without wine or music, it felt rather plain.
Yan Wuxin said, “I recently heard that the top scholar from Yunzhou has extraordinary poetic talent. I’ve long wanted to meet her. I never expected it to be you, Lu Jinlan. Care to show us something?”
Here we go again. Lu Jinlan set down her chicken leg and sighed. “Fine.”
Damn this vanity! To win her new friends’ admiration, she’d have to trouble Li Taibai.
“Bring in the Wine” — composed after meeting Li Bai in a dream.
To fit the occasion, she slightly altered the names in the poem, replacing “Master Cen and Danqiu Sheng” with “Yan Wuxin and Xiang Ruzhen.” When she finished, Yan Wuxin shouted outside, “Bring out my finest wine!”
She gripped Lu Jinlan’s hand tightly. “You’re right—when life is good, we must enjoy it. At least one cup, to honor such a poem.”
Lu Jinlan hesitated and looked at Xiang Ruzhen. “What do you think?”
Author’s Note:
The Three Heroes of the Academy have successfully assembled!