He Yunzhao sat upright on her horse, back straight as she held the reins with one hand. Hearing the voice, she turned to look.
The sunlight was rather glaring, forcing her to squint to see clearly. About five or six steps away stood a tall, slender figure—her martial nephew, Xiao Changfeng.
This man was rather peculiar, always appearing just when He Yunzhao was about to forget his existence. He was like a fixed NPC in some classic game, showing up to remind players it was time to start grinding monsters.
A handsome young man sat astride a sturdy, well-fed date-red horse. She merely gave a slight nod as a form of greeting before preparing to leave.
Old Madam He, who had lifted the carriage curtain upon hearing the commotion, witnessed this scene and asked, "Zhao'er, who is that?"
He Yunzhao leaned down closer to the carriage and replied, "He is the grandson of my master, the eldest son of the Jizhou Military Governor's family."
The Jizhou Military Governor—a high-ranking military official with substantial real power—and he was also the grandson of Zhao'er's master. She cared more about etiquette and relationships than He Yunzhao did.
The old lady turned to discuss with her daughter-in-law, and Mother He spoke up, "Zhao'er, we'll go ahead to the market at the foot of the mountain first. You can catch up with Young Master Xiao and then come find us."
A faint trace of irritation rose in He Yunzhao's heart. She wasn't particularly willing to interact with Xiao Changfeng, but since they were in public and her mother had already spoken, she acquiesced.
She then instructed the coachman to drive carefully and ordered the accompanying servants and maids to take good care of the old lady.
Xiao Changfeng stood not far away, rooted to the spot like a withered tree. From He Yunzhao's distant smile, he sensed her reluctance to engage with him. He instinctively took a step back, already intending to leave.
But then he saw an old lady peering out from the carriage adorned with bright blue silk. Her skin was fair and rosy, her temples snowy white, and her expression gentle and kind—a look he had never seen on any elder's face before.
His footsteps unconsciously halted.
He could clearly hear what the He family members were saying. It seemed the He elders still believed the two of them had a good relationship, hence leaving them time to catch up.
Before the carriage moved, Xiao Changfeng also saw a young girl reach her arm out of the window, her mouth moving as quickly as a little bird's.
He Jinmo frowned and muttered, telling He Yunzhao to lower her head, "Your hair is all messy. I told you not to tie it up—wrapping it with a scarf would be much better, and warmer too."
After the two exchanged a few whispered words, Mother He inside the carriage softly scolded them. The carriage curtain was quickly closed, and He Yunzhao tugged the reins, turning her horse around to approach Xiao Changfeng.
Dismounting smoothly, He Yunzhao looked at Xiao Changfeng and smiled, "Has my martial nephew also come to pray for blessings?"
Xiao Changfeng nodded faintly and said plainly, "My mother sent me to Zhencheng Taoist Temple to offer Changming Deng prayers for my two younger brothers."
Sent? He Yunzhao found the choice of word rather peculiar.
He Yunzhao had studied at the Academy since childhood, with Ding Manor just a narrow alley away. Even without paying close attention, plenty of news reached her ears.
After Lady Ding married, she and General Xiao enjoyed a very affectionate relationship. They had a son the following year, a daughter another year later, and then a pair of twin sons two years after that.
Setting aside Xiao Changfeng, the inconvenient eldest son born of a concubine, this couple was practically a model of marital harmony.
He Yunzhao herself held no particular dislike for Xiao Changfeng. However, due to her own identity, she found it difficult to feel any sympathy for this person.
He Yunzhao lifted her gaze gently, her expression warm and amiable, as was her usual demeanor.
It seemed this person genuinely wished to be close to her.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have subtly played the victim without leaving a trace.
Xiao Changfeng paused for a moment before elaborating further, "My younger brothers practice martial arts with our father. My mother worries they might strain their bodies and heard that the Taoist priest at this temple has a nourishing Wanyao (bolus/pill) that strengthens the body, so she sent me to request some."
From just this one sentence—"My younger brothers practice martial arts with our father"—it was clear that Xiao Changfeng did not train alongside his father.
Her clear, bright eyes swept discreetly over his physique, and He Yunzhao thought to herself, This doesn’t look like an untrained body.
If his father hadn’t taught him personally, then with whom had Xiao Changfeng practiced martial arts?
She maintained her smile, keeping her doubts to herself, and gently smoothed her sleeves. "Nephew, your pure-hearted care for your brothers would surely please our master."
Xiao Changfeng stood rigidly before her, watching as the young man before him smiled warmly, yet his eyes remained cold and detached.
His fingers, hanging at his sides, curled slightly. He couldn’t figure out which of his words had displeased his martial uncle.
After exchanging a few polite pleasantries, He Yunzhao turned to leave. A surge of frustration lodged in Xiao Changfeng’s throat, demanding release.
"Martial Uncle, do you dislike me?"
"Why would you say that, Nephew?" He Yunzhao feigned confusion.
Xiao Changfeng didn’t know how to continue after that one question, but since he had already spoken up, he decided to lay it all out.
"My father sent me to my maternal grandfather’s family to receive guidance. I know the Ding family doesn’t like me, but I’ve done nothing wrong. Why do you dislike me too, Martial Uncle?"
He Yunzhao blinked, her expression shifting like a landscape painting coming to life, revealing her true feelings. "Nephew, why must you insist on my approval? If I recall correctly, many people would enjoy sharing a drink and pleasant conversation with you."
Her dislike was purely a matter of personal emotional standards. In her nature as a girl, she had this trait—when forming friendships, she valued character above all.
She took relationships seriously, distinguishing them clearly: a close friend was a close friend, not someone she’d known for just a day or two; a friend was a friend, a colleague was a colleague.
Most men were different. They could share a drink with any random, unsavory character and call them brothers, even going so far as to lose their temper with their own wives and children over such shallow, drink-fueled friendships.
"Nephew, aren’t you being too hard on yourself? You don’t need everyone to like you, do you?"
Though He Yunzhao’s tone remained gentle, the meaning behind her words was unmistakable.
Who are you to demand that everyone must like you?
Although she had exchanged a few words with Xiao Changfeng during their studies, that was merely because she enjoyed talking—it didn’t mean just anyone could become her friend.
"Martial Uncle, I…" Xiao Changfeng was momentarily speechless, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.
It might be hard to believe, but he genuinely preferred the Ding family over the Xiao family.
Outsiders might struggle to understand—his mother treated him with cold indifference, and his maternal grandfather’s family didn’t think much of him either—yet he still favored the Ding family.
His mother, though distant, wasn’t a bad person. She never deprived him of food, clothing, or shelter. In contrast, his father regarded him with vigilance and disgust. He never understood why his father looked at him that way.
When he was six, he worked hard to learn his first spear technique, demonstrating it for his father drenched in sweat. Instead of praise, his father eyed him warily, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded, "Who taught you this?"
He kicked his legs in the air, his face flushed crimson, chest aching so fiercely he could scarcely breathe. Only when his mother arrived was he discarded like trash.
His father seemed to don a human skin, reverting to human form before his mother, concealing his monstrous nature.
Crashing onto the dirt, he gasped for air, golden stars dancing before his eyes. In that moment, he realized the person who despised him most in this household wasn't his mother – for she was flesh and blood.
The Ding family disliked him because he was evidence of the Xiao family's marriage deception, the sole blemish on their aunt's marital record. Yet they merely pitied their own daughter and never deliberately made things difficult for him.
Though his maternal grandfather was aloof, he was willing to teach him. It wasn't until coming to the Ding household, when He Yunzhao casually pointed it out, that he learned he'd been holding his brush incorrectly for over a decade.
He Yunzhao was such a spirited youth that no one could dislike him.
Perhaps from living cautiously since childhood, he possessed a keen eye for discerning people's true nature through subtle details.
Martial Uncle He Yunzhao wasn't as approachable as he appeared. Though amiable, few could enter his heart.
He clearly stratified his friendships – the degrees of intimacy could only be detected through minutiae.
To those he disdained, though he maintained a smiling face, he wouldn't budge an inch for them.
Those few months at the Ding residence were the only period in his brief life where he could breathe freely. He Yunzhao represented everything he aspired to become.
This was only the second time he'd wanted to grow close to someone – the first being his own father.
Xiao Changfeng gazed at He Yunzhao's pale profile, the faint coolness in his eyes, and instinctively lowered his head.
Some thought flashed through his mind as he suddenly said: "Martial Uncle is different from others. You appear good-natured but are actually reserved in friendship. That's why Changfeng wishes to grow closer to you."
The slender youth's upright posture curved slightly with his bowed head, like a stray dog curling in on itself, his bright button eyes filled with genuine pitifulness.
This time, the vulnerability was truly heartfelt.
He Yunzhao:…
Surveying Xiao Changfeng, she concealed her wariness behind a thought.
She was someone who yielded to softness but resisted force, especially since her circumstances only permitted friendships with men. She particularly detested those with domineering personalities.
Xiao Changfeng had made the right move.
Spring's freshness manifested in the heavenly streets where gentle rain moistened like cream, where green grass appeared from afar yet vanished up close; its vitality showed in the few peach blossoms beyond bamboo groves, where ducks were first to know the river's warmth.
He Yunzhao mounted her horse to find the family carriage while Xiao Changfeng rode alongside, the two conversing as they traveled.
This friendship developed through Xiao Changfeng's unilateral efforts. Perhaps driven by intuition, he selectively shared memories of his mother, making his upbringing sound like that of an ordinary, stable-born illegitimate son.
Old Madam He overheard Zhao'er speaking with Xiao Changfeng through the curtain and turned to her daughter-in-law in surprise: "These two lads' temperaments match remarkably well."
Mother He was momentarily astonished. She knew Xiao Zhao – appearing gentle but sharp within, capable of withering remarks when truly provoked.
She had once complained in frustration: had they found the master some concubines to bear sons back then, Xiao Zhao wouldn't have to struggle so now.
He Yunzhao held a scroll with an elegant smile, yet her words drifted lightly: "Indeed, when the time comes, the illegitimate son will dutifully serve his own mother, driving you and grandmother back to the countryside to farm. Eldest sister will reclaim wasteland, second sister will raise chicks, and I’ll gather cow dung—what a blissful life that would be."
"Even a nonexistent son can be something to look forward to. Mother, you truly are pure-hearted."
Mother He was so shocked her eyes nearly popped out, and she dared not utter another word about the possibility of having another son.
She was genuinely afraid this little rascal would say something else that choked her to death.
Now, watching He Yunzhao riding side by side with Xiao Changfeng, their murmuring conversation faintly audible, Mother He’s face stiffened, and she couldn’t help muttering inwardly.
Heavens above, my Xiaozhao may have a sharp tongue, but she’s a good person at heart. Please don’t hold it against this child.
He Yunzhao, however, remained unaware of the thoughts in the carriage. She was thoroughly enjoying her dark humor.
…
On the fifth day of the third month, the results were posted.
Since dawn, the entrance to the Examination Hall had been packed to the point of impassability. Nearby inns and restaurants raised their prices even more sharply than on exam days. Scholars gathered in small groups, anxiously awaiting the final outcome.
Almost no one arrived late—how could anyone sleep on the day results were released?
He Yunzhao could.
It wasn’t that she was calm and unruffled; she simply had excellent sleep quality. She slept soundly through the night without waking or dreaming, rising refreshed and full of energy.
Even during her early days of studying, when she struggled to adapt and made slow progress, she would brood gloomily during the day but still sleep deeply at night.
This, however, drove Mu Yan to distraction. Before daybreak, he rushed to the He residence to wait. By the time he finished a meal in the parlor, He Yunzhao still hadn’t awakened.
Xiao Changfeng, with whom she had recently forged a friendship, also arrived, planning to accompany her to see the results.
Mu Yan felt a subtle unease—friendship could breed rivalry and jealousy. Fortunately, the young yet remarkably mature Xiao Changfeng deliberately yielded, barely maintaining peace.
By the time He Yunzhao woke naturally, leisurely washed up, and ate breakfast, Mu Yan was already on his third plate of pastries in the He family parlor.
The Examination Hall entrance was a jostling crowd. Mother He had spent extra silver to reserve a room early, so they only needed to enter and wait.
This moment revealed the hierarchy among people. During the exam, everyone endured the same heat and cold, relying solely on their own abilities to answer.
But when the results were posted, well-born scholars sat in private rooms, leaning out windows to watch below, while their servants squeezed into the crowd to spot names first.
Scholars from humble backgrounds, bundled in thick clothing, kept vigil below, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the empty space where the results would soon appear.
He Yunzhao walked to the window, two contrasting scenes tangled in her mind. She took a deep breath, striving to calm herself.
Voices drifted up from the main hall below: "The top spot will likely go to Feng Qing. I’ve seen a copy of Young Master Feng’s exam papers—both Si Shu Wen essays were penetrating, and his Prescribed Poem was a rare masterpiece."
"Brother Feng took first place in the first two exams. If he tops this one too, he’ll achieve the Xiao Sanyuan."
He Yunzhao’s ears perked up. She hadn’t taken the first two exams, participating directly in the Prefectural Examination as a Student of the Imperial Academy, but she had heard of Feng Qing’s Two Top Ranks. Presumably, the examiners wouldn’t mind granting him this final honor to complete his Xiao Sanyuan.
Whatever her ranking, she must not lose her composure.
Four tall, sturdy clerks emerged carrying a wooden board. The massive panel was carefully hung in place, and the roaring crowd erupted like fireworks.
Before the He family servant could push his way to the front, he looked up and saw the three characters he had envisioned countless times in his heart.
Like a fish swimming against the current, he shoved past everyone and sprinted back to the tavern. Standing beneath the window, he craned his neck and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Third Master! You passed! You passed!"
"Top of the list!"
"Third Master came in first!"
A sharp exclamation erupted from the crowd, "Impossible!"