Song Nianyun paid no attention to Song Mingzhu. After sitting down, she reviewed the exam paper from beginning to end.
The assessment was mainly divided into three parts: Tiéjing, Moyi, and Cewen.
Tiéjing involved filling in or reciting passages from memory, testing familiarity with the classics.
Moyi required explaining classical meanings, testing comprehension.
Cewen, the policy essay section, required candidates to present opinions on current affairs. It was the most demanding part, testing true ability and breadth of thought.
No wonder everyone believed she could not pass Qinghui Academy’s entrance exam. These three sections alone already showed that the academy required a far higher level than ordinary schools and private tutors.
It did not only demand memorization of classics, but also the ability to apply knowledge to governance and possess a broad vision.
Song Nianyun understood this clearly. The difficulty was indeed high, especially the final essay question: “Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of border trade.” This was far beyond what ordinary young women would normally encounter.
From the corner of her eye, she could feel Song Mingzhu’s scrutinizing and gleeful gaze from behind, clearly waiting for her to make a fool of herself.
However, Song Nianyun merely curved her lips slightly and calmly began grinding ink.
In her previous life, as one of Northern Emperor Jin’s most capable strategists, she had reviewed countless memorials and participated in national policy discussions. Border trade, which concerned national livelihood and frontier stability, had been thoroughly debated by court officials in her presence. She understood its advantages and disadvantages with complete clarity.
As for Tiéjing and Moyi, the original Song Yibai might have known nothing—but she, Song Nianyun, carried memories and wisdom from two lifetimes.
She composed herself, held her breath, and began writing.
The brush fell onto the white paper. She deliberately restrained her previous elegant handwriting and instead imitated Song Yibai’s clumsy, loose style.
She slowed her strokes on purpose, making the writing appear uneven and inexperienced, occasionally adding slight pauses to mimic a beginner.
In the Tiéjing section, she accurately wrote the correct passages, but in this deliberately unattractive handwriting.
In the Moyi section, she likewise answered in the same style. When explaining meanings, she restrained her insight and only wrote the most basic interpretations.
Song Mingzhu, seated diagonally behind her, observed secretly.
When she saw the ugly handwriting, she immediately relaxed and curled her lips in contempt.
As expected—still that useless fool. Even her writing was poor. Even if she managed to answer, it would surely be shallow and unimpressive.
She completely relaxed and focused on her own paper, writing with growing confidence and deliberately neat handwriting.
However, when Song Nianyun reached the final Cewen question—“Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of border trade”—the situation quietly changed.
Although she still wrote in the same deliberately ugly handwriting, her thinking naturally reflected her past experience as a strategist.
Her arguments were clear, structured, and precise in balancing pros and cons—far beyond ordinary students.
Her suggestions on establishing supervisory offices, regulating goods, and strengthening inspections were practical and incisive.
The supervising teacher happened to pass by and casually glance at the papers, but his attention was immediately caught by the striking insight hidden beneath the ugly handwriting.
He stopped and leaned in to read more carefully. The more he read, the more shocked he became.
These insights were remarkably sophisticated—so much so that he nearly thought they were written by an experienced official. Yet the handwriting…
He glanced at Song Nianyun in confusion. She sat quietly, focused on writing, her calm profile contrasting sharply with the depth of insight on the paper.
The teacher felt both doubt and admiration. He quietly noted her name and seat position, deciding later to ensure she was not dismissed solely because of her handwriting.
One hour passed quickly.
“Ding—ding—ding!”
The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam.
Papers were collected, and students left the hall with varying expressions.
Song Mingzhu walked over with a pleased expression.
“Elder sister worked hard. You wrote so many pages. However, Qinghui Academy values not only content but also handwriting. With handwriting like yours, the examiners may not even bother to look at it.”
She added smugly, “Sister should really work harder on her writing.”
Song Nianyun replied calmly, “Thank you for your advice. Whether I pass or not will be decided by the examiners.”
Her indifferent attitude only made Song Mingzhu feel more frustrated.
Just as she was about to say more, Song Nianyun had already turned and walked away.
Song Mingzhu could only follow reluctantly.
Not long after leaving the examination hall, Song Nianyun wandered through the academy grounds. Suddenly, she encountered several students in academy robes—among them was Chen Yunli.
She immediately turned to leave in another direction, but teasing voices rang out behind her.
“Oh? Chen brother, isn’t that your fiancée? She’s here at the academy looking for you?”
“That must be the Song family’s eldest daughter. Truly beautiful—Chen brother is lucky!”
Chen Yunli maintained his usual cold and composed demeanor, as if unaffected. He even slightly frowned, as though displeased by her presence.
However, the faint lift of his chin and the subtle pride hidden in his eyes betrayed him.
A quiet satisfaction rose within him.
As expected—no matter how stubborn she had been before, she ultimately could not let him go.
So now she had come to the academy to find him and reconcile?
As he thought this, he had already begun planning how to maintain his dignity—neither yielding too easily nor ignoring her completely—so that she would fully submit and stop being willful, obediently waiting for marriage.