The moment she saw Li Zhao’s examination paper, Shen Lizhuang experienced a deep sense of disappointment. Today, Li Zhao’s unyielding and formidable confrontation with the Prince of Jing’s carriage while brandishing a butcher’s knife had won her an immense amount of admiration and favor. If Li Zhao had merely been jealous of Xu Tangdi—who hailed from the imperial merchant’s household—and had maliciously framed and slandered a fellow student, Shen Lizhuang truly would not have known how to judge people in the future.
As the pale, sky-blue sleeve cuffs lightly brushed across her wrist bones, Shen Lizhuang dropped her trembling, dark eyes in astonishment, silently gazing at Ji Mu, who had yet to utter a single word.
Ji Mu’s gaze could not land on any actual object. Clearly resting upon her wrist bones, his fingertips seemed entirely devoid of any sense of direction or restraint. They moved along the smooth skin of the back of her hand for a brief moment before finally locating the two sets of examination scripts she was holding.
“What is the handwriting of the two individuals like?”
“Li Zhao’s is rough and bold,” Shen Lizhuang said, taking a deep breath while desperately ignoring the prickly, creeping sensation of ants biting the back of her hand. “Xu Tangdi’s is heavy and substantial.”
“And the handwriting where the names are masked?”
Shen Lizhuang started once more, then lowered her gaze to look.
This time, it finally led her to discover the underlying clue. Setting one examination paper aside, she weighed the other against the natural light. Filtering through the pale, setting sunlight that seeped in through the carriage doors, the slightly coarse, undulating surface of the paper near the masked section appeared somewhat uneven—resembling a state where it had been moistened by water stains and subsequently air-dried.
Yet when she had previously removed the masking paper, she had cut it using a dagger and her fingers, without employing any water marks. Furthermore, aside from the scripts of those two individuals, the other papers were neat, fresh, and showed no abnormalities.
As for the papers of these two individuals, not only did the masked sections each display abnormal curling and undulations, but the handwriting used to write their names was identically the work of a single person.
“Your Highness,” Shen Lizhuang said, her throat tightening. The realization of truth struck her mind, bringing sudden clarity. “Someone deliberately blurred the names on the examination papers using water stains and swapped the scripts of these two people.”
“Correct.”
Shen Lizhuang was both startled and furious, nearly failing to contain her temper before the Prince of Jing: “This is completely outrageous! Your Highness, you are an Imperial Prince and also the Chief Examiner. Right under your nose, someone dares to accept bribes and practice favoritism through fraudulent means. This shows a complete disregard for the imperial laws and court standards, and it is an outright provocation against Your Highness! If these vile deeds are exposed, who is to say the Emperor’s wrath won’t implicate Your Highness as well? This junior wife is simply furious!”
“You want me to handle it that much?”
With her acting so impartial and painstakingly dragging him into muddy waters, she undoubtedly hoped he would seek justice for Li Zhao and restore fairness.
So his Princess also had a side that despised evil as an enemy and burned with righteous indignation. Ji Mu smiled faintly.
Her thoughts seen right through, Shen Lizhuang lowered her head with a hint of shame and glanced elsewhere.
“Didn’t this Prince say so? Have Li Zhao submit her formal complaint to the Prince of Jing’s Manor today.”
Shen Lizhuang’s eyes lit up as if ignited. If Ji Mu could see with his own eyes at this moment, he would be able to see his Princess—her clear, rippling pear-blossom eyes slowly revolving with brilliant luster, like autumn water, cold stars, and precious pearls, shimmering and swaying into tiny fragments.
Ji Mu wrapped up the examination papers, let her hide them inside her robe, and reached out a hand toward her.
Shen Lizhuang hurriedly helped the Prince, who had been sitting for a long time, to his feet. Ji Mu summoned Li Mao and Long Zhou to return the remaining examination scripts back to the Juying Room. Holding his blind cane, he stepped out of the Tribute Hall under Shen Lizhuang’s guidance.
At that moment, Shen Lizhuang seemed to notice that a tea leaf resembling a fine needle was still lingering on Ji Mu’s pale collar. She paused her steps. “Your Highness, is that handkerchief still around?”
Ji Mu took it out from his collar and extended it toward her. Shen Lizhuang took the handkerchief and meticulously brushed away the tea leaf clinging to the front of his collar, only then slowly and leisurely letting out a breath of relief.
Ji Mu asked her, “Did you do that on purpose?”
Shen Lizhuang was startled. “Ah?”
Ji Mu confiscated the handkerchief. “It’s been so long, yet you ‘suddenly noticed’ the tea leaf on this Prince’s collar.”
When he was speaking with Li Zhao amidst the surrounding crowd of commoners, he must have had an unknown number of tea leaves untidily clinging to him.
She had definitely done it on purpose.
So his Princess also possessed another mischievous side.
Feeling deeply wronged and unable to explain herself, Shen Lizhuang suppressed her frustration, let go of him, and climbed back into the carriage on her own.
Ji Mu followed her into the carriage as well.
For reasons unknown, although the carriage was spacious, having two people sit side-by-side inevitably led to physical contact. Yet once the carriage started moving again, his leg bones and knees remained completely empty, floating without any contact.
As the carriage made a sharp turn around a street corner, whether it was her imagination or not, Shen Lizhuang—huddled in the corner—seemed to hear the sound of something tapping against the carriage wall: thump, thump, two unhurried knocks.
Then, as the carriage rounded the sharp bend, it abruptly seemed to run over something. Under the rapid turn, the carriage body swung violently to the right, instantly and unexpectedly flinging Shen Lizhuang—who was curled up in the corner—toward the right side.
She crashed directly against Ji Mu’s chest, which was leaning against the right wall. Without her veil, her cheek brushed against his neck with a soft “thump.”
The golden sunlight shook and flickered, spilling crimson oblique rays into the carriage that climbed wantonly across his handsome face. The moment Shen Lizhuang started to get up, she held her breath to look at him, only to be abruptly pressed back down by his arm.
She fell into his embrace. The man, who had been resting against the carriage wall, accurately captured her lips as if reaching into a bag to take an object, pressing squarely onto her mouth.
The pure, crisp fragrance of Guanyin tea collided amidst their lips and teeth. Shen Lizhuang trembled reflexively and struggled symbolically for a moment, but failed to break free. Her breath was fiercely choked off as he ravenously plundered the sweetness from her lips.
Her chin was gripped firmly by his hand, forcing her to lift her head. Struggling for breath, she raised her eyes to crash straight into the deep, unseeing pupils of the man. Within those dark, dim pupils, her own panting, flushed, and rosy face was clearly reflected.
After several rounds of entangling, the buttons on her collar were pulled loose, wandering off to somewhere unknown. The disheveled collar exposed her snow-white neck, tinted like camellia blossoms. Still feeling starved for air, she greedily inhaled the surrounding atmosphere in large gasps.
“Your Highness…”
Ji Mu stroked her face, pulling the softened figure deep into his arms as his Adam’s apple rolled slightly.
“Alright, you really are terribly delicate. A single kiss, yet it can cause you this much misery.”
Whether he was exasperated with her or teasing her, Shen Lizhuang rubbed her dizzy, throbbing temples, closed her eyes, and turned her face away.
Ji Mu lingered on her cheek for a moment, stroking and rubbing it repeatedly, almost harboring the impulsive urge to lean down and kiss her again to punish her avoidance.
He could not see; if she hid from him, it would likely be very difficult for him to find her.
“After we return to the Manor tonight, get some proper rest and build up your energy.”
Judging by his tone, he likely would not return tonight. Shen Lizhuang opened her eyes in astonishment to gaze at the flawless golden-jade face hovering above her.
“Is Your Highness not returning this evening?” Shen Lizhuang surmised in her heart that he was probably going to resolve the matter concerning Li Zhao.
Trembling with reddened hands, she took out the crumpled examination papers from inside her robe. Blushing deeply with embarrassment, she handed them to the Prince of Jing.
“These are the examination scripts of Li Zhao and Xu Tangdi.” Deliberately avoiding the mention that he was the one who had crumpled them, Shen Lizhuang bit her lower lip and said, “The handwriting of the names is identical. If Your Highness takes them to the Tribute Hall for comparison, you will surely be able to grab the ringleader and punish them for the crime of malpractice and corruption.”
Ji Mu smoothed down her damp, raven hair and spoke in a low voice, “It’s not that simple. If this person stubbornly insists that they merely knocked over tea by accident, staining the names on the two candidates’ papers, and rewrote their names to correct the mistake—claiming they accidentally wrote the wrong names due to carelessness—the most they would face is a charge of negligence and dereliction of duty.”
Shen Lizhuang had not considered this angle either. Since the other party dared to offer and accept bribes, they naturally would not willingly confess and submit to the law. It was her own fault for momentarily oversimplifying the matter, as she was still unfamiliar with officialdom. Adopting a curious and inquiring attitude, she asked, “Then how will Your Highness handle it?”
Her voice, softened and hoarse from the kisses, was as alluring as fine wine, making one’s chest itch from within. Ji Mu’s fingers, which were stroking her hair, paused for a few breaths.
He really should let her go tonight. After inspecting that area last night, it was wet, red, and swollen beyond belief. If he were to give in to his impulses and press her wantonly again, he feared he might injure her.
She was already his wife, and Ji Mu understood the principle of felling trees with axes only in proper seasons. There was a long way to go; he would certainly not drain the pond to catch the fish.
With a darkened tone and his eye sockets suppressed to a slight redness, Ji Mu purposely closed his eyes for a moment to adjust his breathing. He withdrew his hand from her forehead and hair, and said in a low voice, “This matter doesn’t require you to worry anymore.”
Shen Lizhuang genuinely wanted to worry about it. She wanted to know whether someone had accepted favors from the Xu family, swapped the articles through a “狸猫换太子” (civet cat for prince) deception, misattributed the names, faked the official posting of the results, and disastrously undermined the women’s academy. She really wanted to be involved.
She tried to argue for it, but before the words could leave her mouth, Ji Mu had already placed her to his side and tapped twice against the carriage wall as the carriage stabilized.
This was a command. Shen Lizhuang watched in astonishment.
The carriage stopped before the gates of the Prince of Jing’s Manor. Ji Mu bent his waist and stepped out of the carriage door pulled open by the driver, gracefully descending from the carriage shafts under Long Zhou’s support.
Putting on her veil, Shen Lizhuang leaned out of the carriage window. Hearing the movement, Ji Mu turned his head back, lowered his voice, and told her, “This Prince has his own sense of proportion. Once this matter is concluded, I will tell you the outcome. There’s no need to be impatient; go on inside first.”
Those words were an order.
Shen Lizhuang greatly disliked being given commands, but with reluctance, she retreated into the carriage and stepped down through the door.
Upon returning to the Manor, Yingluo and Zhuji came forward to attend to her washing and dressing. Knowing that Ji Mu would not be coming tonight, she relaxed entirely, stretching out her arms and legs and temporarily pausing the need to play the role of the quiet, composed elder sister in front of others.
As a result, she drew a frowning reminder from Yingluo: “You are the eldest young miss now. Eldest young misses never sit in a chair with their legs crossed, nor do they ever make a sound when drinking tea. Second Young Miss still has to learn every single movement from you.”
Shen Lizhuang quietly gazed at Yingluo. She felt that this person was truly laughable: the one who had assisted Shen Meizhuang in escaping was Yingluo, and the one who blindly obeyed Madam Lin to lecture her was also Yingluo.
She let out a genuine chuckle. “Since when did Madam Lin give you a feather arrow to boss me around? Have you forgotten? I was merely forced onto the duck-shanks to become the Princess consort. Let me tell you this as well: if I get out of sorts, I might just expose the truth to my brother-in-law. Even if he doesn’t care about the Shen family’s joint deception, no man in this world is indifferent to his wife eloping with another person.”
Terrified, Yingluo muttered something under her breath and dared not utter another word.
Author’s Note:
Ji Mu doesn’t want his wife to worry, primarily because he doesn’t want her to openly offend people in officialdom.