Yan Zigui had not yet decided whether she wanted to take the female official exam.
But when she woke up the next morning, it was already decided that she had to go.
Mo Huan gathered the whole family and announced that since the Grand Princess had personally named Yan Zigui, refusing to go would embarrass her. In the capital, everyone tried to please the Grand Princess. How could the Yan family go against her?
Even if they did not flatter her, they should not disobey her wishes.
Mo Huan urged Yan Ci to register Yan Zigui’s name. Mrs. Song tried several times to speak, but each time she was interrupted. Mo Huan comforted her, “I know you’re worried that Zigui might fail and lose face. But many people fail every year. She won’t be the only one.”
“When the time comes, we can explain that she spent many years at Jialan Pass. Others will understand.”
Yan Zigui thought to herself that Mo Huan clearly had bad intentions. She probably believed Yan Zigui would fail and wanted her to embarrass herself. And she was certain that if she failed, Mo Huan would exaggerate the story and spread it all over the capital.
If Yan Zigui lost face, it would not affect Mo Huan. In fact, she would be pleased.
Yan Zigui did not want to let her get what she wanted so easily. She said on purpose, “I don’t want to take the exam. I don’t know anything.”
Mo Huan immediately beat her thigh and cried that the Yan family was finished. If they offended the Grand Princess in the capital, would they still have a good future? She even said to call Yan Shiwen back from the Imperial Academy. Since they had already offended people, what was the point of studying?
Yan Zigui listened for a moment, then said, “Stop, stop, stop. I’ll take the exam. Just stop crying.”
Facing Yan Ci and Mrs. Song, she spread her hands helplessly. “Although I don’t mind if she blames me in the future for my brothers failing their exams…”
“But if she keeps talking nonsense and it reaches the Grand Princess’s ears, then the whole family will truly suffer.”
“If I have to sacrifice my reputation, so be it. My surname is Yan, after all.”
Mo Huan still had tears on her face. “I’m doing this for your own good.”
Yan Zigui nodded casually. “Then let me kindly remind you—Grandfather hates women who cry and make a scene. When he returns, if you still act like this, it may not end well.”
“Now that Great-Grandmother has passed away, if you are divorced at your age, who will help you then?”
Mo Huan’s face turned pale and then red.
“Zhenying took the exam last year and has experience. Let her teach you,” Rao Xueniang said, pushing Yan Zhenying forward.
Yan Zhenying already felt ashamed for failing last year. Now that it was mentioned again, her face burned. “Elder Sister, don’t worry. All the exams are anonymous. If you don’t receive notice for the next round, it means you failed. But the palace is considerate. Those who pass one round can say they withdrew voluntarily. It doesn’t have to be said that they failed.”
“As long as you pass the first round, your reputation will be safe.”
Yan Zigui thought to herself that failing was still failing. Everyone who failed knew the truth. Saying your reputation was safe was just comforting yourself.
“If Auntie doesn’t cry, I’ll leave now,” Yan Zigui said to Mo Huan. “If something like this happens again, just call the others. There’s no need to call me specially. I don’t speak nicely and can’t control my temper. At your age, if this happens too often, it will look like I’m bullying you.”
Yan Ci later called Yan Zigui into his study. “I never asked before—what books did you read at Jialan Pass?”
“Don’t say you read none. Your grandparents wouldn’t allow you to grow up illiterate.”
Yan Zigui looked at him. “Father is busy every day. Are you planning to teach me personally?”
“I am your father. That is my responsibility,” Yan Ci frowned. “You refuse to learn from the female tutor at home. And you may not like your brothers’ teachers. If they say one wrong word and you argue back, it would embarrass them.”
“I’ve already lost face in front of you,” he added. “So we can speak freely.”
“It sounds like Father has some complaints about me,” Yan Zigui said lightly with a smile. “Instead of teaching me lessons, which wastes your talent, why not tell me about the important families in the capital?”
“If by luck I pass the exam and enter the palace, I will at least understand the situation.”
Although Yan Zigui was unhappy that Yan Ci valued Mo Huan so much, when he truly began explaining the families in the capital without judging whether she would pass or fail, she felt he was not so bad.
It was the first time father and daughter spent an hour alone together, and neither felt the time was long.
When she left the study, Yan Zigui turned back and asked, “If I fail the first round, will Father feel embarrassed?”
“What is there to be embarrassed about?” Yan Ci replied. “When a young scholar takes the exam to become a xiucai, only the truly gifted pass on the first try. Who doesn’t study day and night, taking the exam many times? Who laughs at an old scholar with white hair?”
“But that old scholar still passed,” Yan Zigui lowered her head. “I only have one chance. If I fail, I can’t prove myself in this matter again.”
“Life is long. If you can’t prove yourself in this matter, prove yourself in another.”
Yan Ci stood up. “No one requires you to pass. Don’t worry. Just treat it as a game.”
“As long as your father’s position is stable, no one will dare laugh at you to your face.”
Because the decision to register was made suddenly, there were only three days before the first exam.
Ding Miaoshuang came to see her. “My nanny used to teach manners in the palace. Let her tell you some palace taboos and rules.”
She also handed over a stack of papers. “When my husband heard you would take the exam, he found past exam questions for you. The female official exam is different from the imperial exam. You don’t need creative ideas. Being steady and proper is best. Many questions are about etiquette. You must not answer from your personal feelings. Always protect royal authority and dignity first.”
Yan Zigui flipped through the pages and nodded.
“And one more thing,” Ding Miaoshuang said quietly. “I know you learned medicine from Grandmother. You can treat illnesses. But during the exam, you must not reveal that you know medicine.”
“Are there no female doctors in the palace?” Yan Zigui asked.
“Of course there are. But why would you want to become one? The responsibility is heavy and the risks are high. It’s not worth it,” Ding Miaoshuang advised.
Yan Zigui nodded. “Thank you, Sister-in-law. If I pass, you will deserve the most credit.”
“You will definitely pass,” Ding Miaoshuang smiled. “After you pass, wherever they assign you, accept it happily. Don’t feel upset. We can find connections later and request a transfer.”
“Aren’t all female officials’ duties about the same?” Yan Zigui assumed.
“The Department of the Inner Palace is divided into six bureaus and twenty-four offices, just like the six ministries outside the palace. The Personnel and Revenue bureaus are better and harder to enter. The Palace Service, Ritual, and Clothing bureaus are more respectable and easier than the others. At first, most female officials have no rank. If you serve only one or two years and then leave, receiving a red or purple skirt and shawl as a reward is already very honorable.”
Ding Miaoshuang explained everything carefully. Though she had never taken the exam herself, she had lived in the capital for many years and heard and seen much.
“In the past, people said once you entered the palace, you became the emperor’s woman, whether as a concubine, maid, or female official. But since the late emperor’s time, it was made clear that female officials are not concubines but administrators. The Empress also reduced their working hours. That is why sending daughters to compete for female official positions became popular in the capital.”
“Most are daughters of lower-ranking officials or scholars, hoping to raise their value before marriage.”
“Right now, among the royal family, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince are still unmarried. The Grand Princess’s eldest son is also at marriageable age.” Ding Miaoshuang added gently, “I don’t mean anything by this. But this is the situation. You are smart. If there is something you do not want, avoid it early.”
Yan Zigui laughed. “Sister-in-law, you’re joking. What does that have to do with me? I’m just a girl who grew up at the frontier. How could I catch their attention?”
During these three days, Yan Zhenying did not study household management with Mrs. Song. Instead, she stayed in Yan Zigui’s courtyard to “accompany” her. In truth, she offered shallow comfort mixed with discouraging words.
Yan Zigui was not bothered.
But Dansha could not bear it. “Miss, can’t you send her away? She’s disturbing your study.”
“She means well,” Yan Zigui said. “If we chase her out, it will only make my reputation worse.”
So she did not study during the day and instead read late into the night by lamplight.
Grandmother had once said: you must work hard in private so that in public it seems effortless.
Only those with ability can afford to have tempers. Without ability, a bad temper only makes you a joke.
Yan Zigui did not return to the capital to become a joke.
Although she had no interest in serving others, when she thought about Mo Huan waiting eagerly to see her fail—only to have to swallow her anger and congratulate her instead—
Yan Zigui let out a soft laugh.
Her grandparents would not return for some time.
She would treat this as changing places for a bit of fun.
She had no plan to serve the full two years. When her grandparents returned, the Emperor would surely reward them. At that time, she could say her grandmother needed her care and returned home.