Shao Yanzhe decided to thoroughly comb through his memories since transmigrating to ancient times, reviewing everyone he had encountered during this period one by one in his mind.
Finally, he remembered who that person was.
He had once crossed paths with that official – they had bumped into each other yesterday when he was leaving the bookstore.
Because the official’s gaze had made him genuinely uncomfortable, he had immediately relegated the memory to the deepest corners of his mind.
Coupled with the fact that the official robe he was wearing now was somewhat loose, making his figure appear different from yesterday, Shao Yanzhe hadn’t recognized him immediately.
Shao Yanzhe clicked his tongue lightly. While this official’s appearance was indeed quite decent, his character was truly lacking.
It was at this moment that the gong signaling the submission of examination papers sounded.
Shao Yanzhe instantly became alert. He threw off the cloth covering him, got down from the somewhat narrow bed board, and quickly gathered his belongings.
After the soldiers collected his examination paper, he picked up his examination basket and headed toward the entrance of the Examination Hall.
He was now eagerly wanting to eat something – the single bowl of porridge earlier hadn’t been enough to stave off his hunger. Taking advantage of the relatively early hour, he was the first to emerge from the Examination Hall, planning to buy some food nearby.
Standing before a stall selling meat pies, he swallowed hard at the delicious aroma wafting from it.
Just then, he overheard a conversation between two scholars.
“Having witnessed Zhuangyuan Shen’s elegance today, he truly surpasses his former self!” one scholar exclaimed in admiration.
“Indeed! Having heard of Zhuangyuan Shen’s gentle and refined demeanor in the past, seeing him today proves the rumors true,” the other scholar concurred.
Hearing their high praise for Zhuangyuan Shen, Shao Yanzhe carefully recalled and confirmed that only that middle-aged man had appeared in the examination hall. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow – could he be Zhuangyuan Shen, Shen Moyuan?
Thinking this, he smoothly inserted himself into their conversation.
“Pardon me, I just overheard you gentlemen speaking of Zhuangyuan Shen. Could he be that Shen Moyuan from twenty years ago?”
The two scholars looked at him. Though he appeared unfamiliar, they didn’t refuse to answer his question.
The thinner scholar nodded: “Correct!”
Shao Yanzhe continued his inquiry: “I’m quite curious about this Zhuangyuan Shen. From what you gentlemen say, he’s quite famous?”
The darker, plumper scholar immediately became animated: “Of course he’s famous! Back in the day, Zhuangyuan Shen achieved the Six-time Champion, was appointed as Number One Scholar by The Emperor himself during the Dianshi, and was even taken as son-in-law by Lord Qin, the Second Rank Minister of Revenue! Truly the envy of all!”
Shao Yanzhe’s eyes flickered. He probed further: “I heard Zhuangyuan Shen was previously married? If so, how could he then marry Lord Qin’s daughter?”
He had expected to hear some disparaging remarks about Yun Weiyue, but instead, both scholars looked bewildered.
“Zhuangyuan Shen was married before? I’ve never heard of this. Have you?”
“I haven’t heard of it either. Sir, where did you hear this?”
Confirming they weren’t being evasive but genuinely unaware, Shao Yanzhe immediately feigned distress: “I can’t quite remember either. I must have misremembered.”
“You must have misremembered, sir! Based on my knowledge of Zhuangyuan Shen’s life, I’ve never heard such an outrageous unofficial history!”
“Indeed, I haven’t heard of it either. You must have remembered incorrectly, sir.”
Shao Yanzhe smiled apologetically: “Yes, I must have misremembered.”
He promptly changed the subject: “By the way, earlier at the examination hall, I saw a gentleman in crimson official robes—elegant and scholarly in demeanor, whose presence made one feel ashamed of one’s own inadequacies. Could that gentleman be the Zhuangyuan Shen Moyuan you two mentioned?”
The two nodded affirmatively: “Indeed! That was Zhuangyuan Shen!”
“Thank you both for clarifying. Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb you further. Farewell!”
“Take care!”
Having obtained the information he wanted, Shao Yanzhe didn’t linger. After bidding farewell to the two scholars, he returned to Wenyuan Academy with the food he had purchased.
By the time he reached his dormitory, dusk had nearly fallen. He lit an oil lamp and began eating.
“Meow!” Xuan Yao protested discontentedly, sitting at the head of the bed and swishing its tail, which thumped rhythmically against the bedding.
Shao Yanzhe glanced at it and couldn’t help but chuckle: “Alright, I bought some for you too.”
As he spoke, he placed Xuan Yao’s portion on the other side of the table.
Seeing this, Xuan Yao nimbly leaped onto the table and began eating with its head lowered.
Shao Yanzhe looked toward the scroll hanging on the wall: “Would either of you be interested in trying some? Care for a taste?”
“Very well.”
Receiving their response, Shao Yanzhe placed the meat pie he had bought before the scroll, not forgetting to insert three sticks of incense into it.
After they had all eaten their fill, they gathered together to converse.
Shao Yanzhe looked at Yun Suqing, who never left Yun Weiyue’s side, and asked: “Last time, I heard Miss Suqing mention that Shen Moyuan would soon die. Do you know something about this?”
Yun Suqing was taken aback and instinctively glanced at Yun Weiyue beside her. Seeing no reaction from her, she began to answer.
She frowned slightly and said: “It’s nothing much, really. Wasn’t that man controlling me? He made me harm those scholars who could have placed first in the exams, extracting Literary Qi from them to enhance his own.”
“To obtain their Literary Qi, it had to pass through me first. So, I tampered with the process, planning to use this opportunity to take his life.”
Shao Yanzhe: “I see. But I imagine it must be a method that exchanges life for life.”
Yun Suqing fell silent at once, lowering her head and not daring to look at Yun Weiyue beside her.
Seeing her like this, Yun Weiyue immediately understood her thoughts. Without saying anything, she gently took Yun Suqing’s hand and soothingly held it.
Yun Suqing’s previously stiff posture relaxed at once, and her anxious heart gradually calmed.
Shao Yanzhe raised an eyebrow at the sight—indeed, one understands oneself best. Even with dual personalities, there are shared traits.
He continued: “On my way back today, I learned something related to Shen Moyuan.”
Yun Weiyue and Yun Suqing asked in unison: “What is it?”
Shao Yanzhe: “No one seems to know about Shen Moyuan’s past marriage—it’s as if he never married at all.”
Yun Weiyue was stunned: “That’s impossible. He and I were childhood friends from neighboring families. We grew up together and married when we turned eighteen. I couldn’t possibly misremember that.”
Yun Suqing nodded in agreement: “Yes, I remember that too. There’s no mistake about this matter.”
Shao Yanzhe frowned: “I believe Shen Moyuan must have done something to transfer Miss Weiyue’s past onto himself. Otherwise, given Miss Weiyue’s renowned talent since childhood, even if she were wrongfully accused, her memory wouldn’t have faded into obscurity in just twenty years.”
“Definitely!” Yun Suqing said with a disgusted expression, then looked at him and said, “We have no reason to deceive you.”
Yun Weiyue lowered her gaze, lost in thought.
Shao Yanzhe said, “Of course, I have the ability to discern whether you’re lying or not. I believe the past events you’ve described.”
“It seems we need to go to the County Government Office to check if the County Annals from that year recorded everything. If there’s no record there either, then we’ll have no choice but to start with Shen Moyuan.”
Yun Suqing agreed, “That works, but we sisters cannot enter the County Government Office. We’ll have to trouble you with this.”
Shao Yanzhe immediately nodded in agreement.
He went directly to Fuzi, stating that he wanted to review the County Annals to learn about local customs and practices.
Fuzi didn’t think much of it and wrote a letter of recommendation for him to take to the Yamen Secretary at the County Government Office, which would grant him access to view the County Annals.
After bidding farewell to Fuzi, Shao Yanzhe found the Yamen Secretary, who happened to be on duty that day. After reading Fuzi’s letter, the secretary readily agreed without refusal.
“Come with me, nephew.”
The Yamen Secretary led Shao Yanzhe into the County Government Office, all the way to the Archives Storage where the County Annals were kept. He opened the door and said, “This is where the County Annals are stored. You have half a day—make it quick.”
Shao Yanzhe hurriedly cupped his hands in a salute and thanked him, “Thank you, Yamen Secretary. I will finish as soon as possible!”
He watched the secretary leave and then began his search.
The room contained many bookshelves, but fortunately, they were labeled by year, making the search relatively straightforward.
He went directly to the section for the Year of Xirui and began flipping through the records.
“Master Li? Where have you been just now?” The County Magistrate, encountering Master Li as he came from the rear offices, couldn’t help but feel curious.
Master Li didn’t hide anything: “I took a young relative to look at the County Annals. It might help him in his future Imperial Exam preparations.”
The County Magistrate understood: “I see.”
After exchanging a few more casual words, they went their separate ways.
The County Magistrate watched Master Li leave, his expression turning cold immediately.
He hurried away, heading toward the Archives Storage where the County Annals were kept. As he approached, he slowed his pace, steadied his breathing, and crept to the window, peering inside.
Soon, he saw a scholar buried in a book. With a quick glance, he recognized that the scholar was looking at the County Annals from last year, which documented the local customs and practices around the county.
He didn’t leave immediately but kept watching the scholar until he saw him leave the Archives Storage. Only then did he feel relieved and depart.
Shao Yanzhe walked alongside Master Li, engaging in casual conversation. Before leaving, he glanced back unintentionally, his gaze directed toward the spot where the County Magistrate had been standing earlier.
He couldn’t help but smile slightly before withdrawing his gaze.
“So? Did you find the County Annals from the first year?” Yun Suqing asked anxiously.
Shao Yanzhe nodded, “Of course!”
He pulled out an old book from his robe—it was the record of the Imperial Exam from the Year of Xirui.
Yun Suqing took it and carefully flipped through it, soon finding the entry about Yun Weiyue’s Imperial Exam that year, along with additional information about her husband, Shen Moyuan of the Shen family.
“It seems Shen Moyuan’s abilities are limited to altering intangible memories. He can’t change records like these County Annals, nor can he destroy them.”
She stared at the County Annals in her hand and laughed outright!
Shen Moyuan, you’re finished!
“What do we need to do next?” Shao Yanzhe inquired. Being unfamiliar with ancient times, he could only first listen to the locals’ opinions.
Yun Weiyue and Yun Suqing exchanged a smile before replying, “Leave it to us.”
“Alright.” Shao Yanzhe nodded.
Meanwhile, in the Examination Hall Zhigong Hall, officials were busily grading examination papers.
After reviewing one exam script, Shen Moyuan picked up a teacup beside him to take a sip, but suddenly paused mid-action. His gaze swept around, noticing everyone else was bent over their grading.
Using the tea-drinking motion as cover, he subtly touched the spider emblem on his sleeve with his other hand, immediately receiving a text message through it.
Instantly, his expression turned cold—someone had tampered with the County Annals!
Pressing his finger against the spider emblem, he sent a command to the other side.
“Find him. Kill him.”