On the bamboo-lined path of the Guozixue, Liu Ying walked quietly ahead, eyes fixed forward, every bit the proper and composed young man.
Only the box of Cherry Biluo held tightly in his arms betrayed a hint of youthful spirit.
The sweet fragrance of cherries wafted out from time to time, occasionally distracting Xiao Heng, who would glance over.
“Is that Cherry Biluo from the Xu family in Fengle Lane?”
Xiao Heng asked, seeming quite interested in the Cherry Biluo.
Hearing that the Crown Prince also knew of this Cherry Biluo, Liu Ying felt a flicker of surprise and replied respectfully, “Your Highness has a discerning eye. It is indeed from the Xu family in Fengle Lane.”
After speaking, Liu Ying fell silent again, saying nothing more.
The siblings truly shared the same quiet temperament, which Xiao Heng found both amusing and exasperating.
Others who met him would practically trip over their own tongues, showering him with every flattering word under the sun, hoping to earn even the slightest hint of his favor.
But this pair of siblings was different—neither seemed the least bit eager to impress.
One was as silent as a mute, the other as timid as a quail.
The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. A cold sneer rose in Xiao Heng’s heart, but his mouth involuntarily opened to start a new topic.
“Another year of the Spring Imperial Examination. Speaking of which, Young Master Liu passed the Xiucai examination last year. Minister Liu has indeed raised his son well.”
Hearing this, Liu Ying remained humble and composed, his expression unchanged as he replied, “Your Highness flatters me. It was merely a stroke of luck.”
Seeing Liu Ying’s modest and earnest demeanor at such a young age, a glimmer of approval flashed in Xiao Heng’s eyes.
This boy had good potential. Given time, he would surely achieve great things.
That was just as well.
“There is no such thing as luck in the imperial examinations. With such talent, wouldn’t it be a waste for Young Master Liu to remain in Taixue? Why not transfer to Guozixue?”
The Guozixue was not just a single institution; it was divided into four levels of academic departments.
These were Guozixue, Taixue, Simenxue, and Lüshu Suanxue.
The first three focused on studying the Nine Classics of Confucianism, differing only in the assigned lecturers.
Lüshu Suanxue, on the other hand, primarily taught law, writing, and mathematics.
Each department had its own requirements.
First was Guozixue, which had the strictest admission criteria, accepting only the descendants of civil and military officials of the third rank or higher in the current dynasty.
Taixue had slightly lower requirements, admitting the descendants of officials of the fifth rank or higher.
Simenxue accepted the descendants of officials of the seventh rank or higher, as well as outstanding commoners.
Finally, Lüshu Suanxue was open to the descendants of officials of the eighth rank or lower and commoner students alike.
The Liu family held a position of the fifth rank, so Liu Ying naturally could only attend Taixue.
Hearing the Crown Prince’s words, Liu Ying lifted his face, which bore a six- or seven-tenths resemblance to his sister’s, and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, “Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. I am quite content in Taixue.”
Though young, Liu Ying vaguely sensed something amiss and felt a strange unease, answering cautiously.
The gap between the academic departments could only be bridged by the rank of one’s elders. If that was not possible, an exception could be made through the special favor of a powerful figure.
As the Crown Prince and heir apparent, Xiao Heng could easily arrange such an exception.
But why would the Crown Prince do this?
And why should he owe the Crown Prince a favor?
It was truly puzzling.
Liu Ying wasn’t speaking insincerely. He felt no dissatisfaction with Taixue. Because of his young age and his success in the Xiucai examination, his teachers valued his talent and often taught him additional principles and knowledge. He was already content.
Meeting this soft but firm refusal, Xiao Heng’s expression tightened, and he forced a slight smile.
“Very well, we’ll stop here. I know the way. Young Master Liu, you may return to enjoy your Cherry Biluo.”
With clear irritation in his tone, Xiao Heng finished speaking and strode away, leaving Liu Ying standing there, still clutching his Cherry Biluo in a daze.
Watching the Crown Prince’s figure disappear at the end of the bamboo grove, Liu Ying wore a puzzled expression.
“Could it be that I said something wrong?”
“I hope I haven’t caused any trouble for the family.”
Liu Ying murmured to herself, hugging the Cherry Biluo as she also departed.
…
After seeing her younger brother off, Liu Yun and her mother boarded the carriage to return home.
Once inside the carriage, she couldn’t help but pour out her grievances to her mother, her expression gloomy.
“It’s all the Crown Prince’s fault! I wanted to chat a bit longer with my brother—how annoying!”
Still harboring resentment from being troubled by the Crown Prince’s Jade Jue some days ago, Liu Yun now felt even more aggrieved that he had disrupted their family reunion.
“Mind your words. It’s fine to say such things privately at home, but be careful not to speak carelessly outside.”
Zhang Yuhua patted her daughter’s shoulder, chiding her gently in a soft voice.
Liu Yun snuggled into her mother’s embrace, her eyes bright and charming, her voice sweet and coquettish as she said, “I know, I’m not that foolish. I only say such things in front of you, Mother.”
Her father, being an official, was always respectful and proper. If he heard her complaining about the Crown Prince, he would surely lecture her, unlike her gentle and affectionate mother.
With that topic concluded, mother and daughter warmly chatted about family matters, filling the carriage with a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
Passing through Chongye Lane, Liu Yun, who had been dozing off in the carriage, suddenly remembered something important. She lifted the carriage curtain to look outside and, confirming they hadn’t yet passed Yumo Studio, pleaded with her mother, “I suddenly want to buy a few books from Yumo Studio, Mother. Could you wait for me?”
Zhang Yuhua readily agreed, even smiling as she suggested, “Shall I go with Shanshan?”
For a moment, Liu Yun looked flustered, shaking her head like a rattle drum. Zhang Yuhua, understanding perfectly, didn’t press the matter and simply said with a faint smile, “Go ahead.”
Upon arriving at Yumo Studio, the carriage stopped, and Liu Yun eagerly jumped out, her skirt fluttering like butterfly wings.
It was nearly noon, and the bookstore had few customers. When Liu Yun arrived with Jin He, Yu He was at the front counter doing the accounts.
Hearing the sound of someone entering, she immediately looked up.
“Oh, it’s the young lady! Please come in~”
Liu Yun originally had two maidservants: one was Jin He, and the other was Yu He, who had married last year.
Yu He and her husband had been betrothed since childhood, and their relationship was good. When they came of age, Liu Yun provided a generous dowry and saw her off in a grand wedding.
Yu He’s husband, Zhou Yan, ran a bookstore business. After marrying him, Yu He became the lady in charge of the bookstore. Zhou Yan was a gentle and honest man, and the couple lived a comfortable life.
Liu Yun had come here for an important matter of her own.
After greeting Liu Yun, Zhou Yan tactfully left the space to the others and went to the backyard to sun the books.
Although both Yu He and her husband knew her little secret, Liu Yun always felt embarrassed when there was a man present.
Once Zhou Yan had left, Liu Yun smiled brightly and said, “Quick, show me how my Huaben is bound!”
In the entire capital of Yanjing, apart from Jin He and Yu He, probably no one else knew that she, a seemingly proper and well-behaved official’s daughter, was a Huaben writer.
And not just any writer—she was one of the most famous in Yanjing!
The year of her Ji-ji, as if touched by some divine inspiration, she developed an immense passion for writing Huaben. Over three months, she completed her first work, “The Flower and Moon Chronicles,” in one go.
Initially, she hadn’t considered having it printed and sold on the market, keeping it only for her own enjoyment.
It was only later that Yu He suggested they could quietly have the Huaben printed through her fiancé Zhou Yan’s connections.
At first, Liu Yun was unwilling, not only because she was concerned about her status as the daughter of an official family and feared being discovered, which could cause a stir.
She was also ashamed to have the little stories in her heart exposed to the light of day for others to critique.
But later, she grew increasingly dissatisfied with savoring Huaben alone and wanted more people to see them.
Thus, in the autumn of the year she underwent the Ji-ji ceremony, Liu Yun’s first Huaben was printed and began circulating in the markets of Yanjing.
Initially, it made little splash, but within half a month, at a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet, the ladies discussed it fervently, and “Flower Moon Order” quickly gained fame.
Soon after, the second book also received an enthusiastic response, winning the admiration of countless women in Yanjing. Not only did the name Feiyun become increasingly renowned among the ladies, but it also brought Liu Yun considerable wealth.
Now, the second volume of the third book had also been bound, awaiting her review before going on sale.
As she held the exquisite book in her hands, the weighty feeling immediately brought Liu Yun immense reassurance.
Just as she had anticipated, the cover was refined, made of floral paper with osmanthus ink, as delicate and unique as before.
The three slender, elegant characters “Peach Blossom Dream” on the cover caught her eye, exuding a graceful and captivating charm.
“Excellent. Yu He is as thoughtful as ever. If nothing unexpected happens, we’ll release it for sale in three days. As before, we’ll start with fifty copies and release the rest gradually.”
“The profit split remains the same, sixty-forty.”
Although she was the author, turning the story into a printed book required costs for paper, ink, and craftsmanship, and the sales and management efforts were also demanding.
Initially, Liu Yun wanted to split the profits fifty-fifty with Yu He and her husband, but the young couple firmly refused, insisting that their contribution was minor, and pushed the split to sixty-forty.
Yu He nodded in agreement and, before leaving, took two copies for Liu Yun.
One for her to keep and study, and one reserved for Zhenzhen, who might not be able to snag a copy of the Huaben.
Before leaving, Yu He smiled and urged, “It’s been two months since you rested, my lady. Isn’t it time to start thinking about what to write next?”
Faced with Yu He’s playful urging, Liu Yun pretended to be annoyed and pinched the soft flesh at Yu He’s waist, chiding, “Treating me like a donkey? How could it be that fast!”
“I’ll wait for inspiration to strike.”
Writing stories always depends on inspiration, and if it doesn’t come, there’s nothing Liu Yun can do.
Laughing, she left Yu Mo Studio, casually picking up a few miscellaneous books as a cover before returning home with her mother.
At night, taking advantage of the quiet and undisturbed hours, Liu Yun gently opened the book’s pages, and the first thing she saw was the delicate characters “Feiyun.”
When apricot blossoms bloom in abundance, they resemble dense clouds, their crimson hue akin to rosy clouds.
Liu Yun loved spring apricots, so she chose Feiyun as her pen name.
Perhaps because she was the author, Liu Yun read quickly, finishing the entire book in just one hour before falling asleep contentedly.
As for inspiration, it couldn’t be forced; she could only wait for the right moment.
However, more than a month passed, and Liu Yun still hadn’t found her inspiration.
But now, other exciting events had emerged, so Liu Yun was in no hurry.
For example, the Bathing of the Buddha Festival in two days, and her birthday approaching soon.
Although Liu Yun was a young lady who enjoyed staying at home, she still needed to go out for fresh air.
She just hoped not to encounter the same unpleasant incident as during the last spring outing.
The eighth day of the fourth lunar month, the Bathing of the Buddha Festival.
On this day, temples large and small in Yanjing were exceptionally lively, especially the most popular Ci’en Temple in the city.
Of course, Liu Yun was also here to join in the excitement.
The day before, she had arranged to meet Zhenzhen under the marriage tree at Ci’en Temple.
Stepping into Ci’en Temple, the area in front of the Great Hall was bustling with noise and excitement. Monks were performing the Buddha bathing ceremony, using the Five-Colored Fragrant Broth to bathe the statue of Sakyamuni with devout expressions.
After enjoying the rice cakes and Karmic Bond Beans offered by a young novice along the way, Liu Yun spotted Zhenzhen among the dense crowd near the marriage tree.
“Shanshan, over here!”
To catch her attention, the other girl energetically waved a pale yellow silk handkerchief, which immediately made Liu Yun laugh.
“Coming, coming~”
Once the two reunited, they began discussing where to join in the excitement.
“How about going to the Liberation Pond? The Emperor and the Crown Prince are both there—lots of people are watching!”
Chen Wei suggested with a smile, but Liu Yun immediately rejected the idea.
“No, there’s nothing interesting about that. It wouldn’t be good to bring back any bad luck.”
After the unfortunate incident last time, it was hard for Liu Yun not to feel a lingering shadow, and she held no favorable impression of the Crown Prince. Now, whenever the Crown Prince was mentioned, she instinctively avoided the topic.
Otherwise, with her easygoing and agreeable nature, she would naturally have gone wherever Zhenzhen suggested for fun.
Having witnessed the cause and effect of that day’s events herself, Chen Wei naturally understood her friend’s feelings. Hearing this, she immediately proposed another idea: “Then how about we go to the East Grassland to watch the polo match?”
Ci’en Temple had both eastern and western grasslands. The western side was for merchants to trade and performers to entertain, while the eastern side was reserved for polo and cuju, making it very convenient.
“Great, let’s go!”
For Liu Yun, anything was fine as long as it didn’t involve joining the excitement around the Crown Prince.
Author’s Note:
Update
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