Chapter 26: I Already Have Someone I Love

Chapter 26: I Already Have Someone I Love

As the day was getting late, Shi Yuanxi didn’t intend to stay long at Qingyun Temple.

Before leaving, Zhou Ying looked up at her. "I heard you took part in the promotion exam at the Guozijian."

"Yes," Shi Yuanxi replied.

It was time for Zhou Ying to take her medicine. Tao Yun brought a small bowl of porridge over. Shi Yuanxi glanced at it, and the porridge was made from coarse rice.

Zhou Ying, the birth mother of the young emperor, was forced to live in this remote temple, with scant meals.

She had grown used to this austere life.

The people in the palace had never wanted her to live comfortably. Whenever they were unhappy, they would find ways to make things hard for her.

"Do you need anything?" Zhou Ying stirred the porridge in her bowl and said softly.

She wasn’t without people who could help her.

When the late emperor was still alive, she’d set up a retreat to protect herself.

After the late emperor died, some people approached her.

Many of them had ulterior motives.

They saw this vulnerable widow and orphan, thinking them easy to control.

Essentially, this behavior was no different from what the Wei family did.

Zhou Ying didn’t want to jump out of one trap and into another, so she turned them all down.

But that didn’t mean she was truly on her own and helpless.

Shi Yuanxi said softly, "As a Consort Dowager, someone who has been hiding her strengths for many years, it’s not yet time to reveal your identity."

Zhou Ying hesitated and then met her gaze.

"But I’ve come with a request this time," Shi Yuanxi said calmly. "Given my status, the obstacles to making a name for myself in the Guozijian are huge."

"All I’m asking for is fairness."

In addition, she also needed to show Zhou Ying what she was worth.

This unfinished weapon was just one aspect of what she had to offer.

In a sense, it was also a test for her.

A faint glimmer appeared in Zhou Ying’s eyes as she looked at her. "I’m curious to see just how far the first female student taking the promotion exam at the Guozijian can go."

Turns out, Shi Yuanxi didn’t disappoint her one bit.

On the day the results of the promotion exam were announced, Zhou Ying also received the news.

For once, the weather cleared, and the snow melted.

Zhou Ying left her room and took care of the pine trees at the entrance.

Tao Yun, delighted, said, "A message from the capital: Miss Shi has been promoted to the fourth level of Class A with full honors in all subjects."

Zhou Ying's hands paused for a moment, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Upon hearing the news, she wasn’t the least bit surprised, only lifting her head to glance at the sky. "The skies over the capital are going to be stormy again soon."

At the same time, Shi Yuanxi advancing into the Fourth Level caused quite a stir throughout the capital.

The Fourth Level, just one step away from the Third, which allows direct entry into officialdom, wasn't normally a big deal if a Taixue student made it.

But this time, it was a woman who made it.

Moreover, she was a female student personally recognized by the Grand Scholar of the court!

Indeed, the officials grading this exam included not only Taixue officials but also Grand Scholar Zheng Qiming.

With cheating incidents in the Taixue being common, and a female student grabbing seventh place in the exam, along with various factional struggles in the court, it was quite normal for the court to send officials to the Taixue to assist in grading.

"The controversy caused by Shi Yuanxi is immense, and the Hanlin Academy is also embroiled in heated debates over this matter," said a covert guard within the Xu family residence, speaking in a low voice. "However, the initial choice for the examiner was not Lord Zheng."

"The two scholars in the Hanlin Academy wanted to take part in grading, and after a long standoff, the task eventually fell to Zheng Qiming."

Xu Jinghe sat behind his desk, on which lay several answer sheets.

The delicate and elegant handwriting on them all belonged to the same person.

He looked down at the answer sheets and said in a calm voice, "Zheng Qiming has served through three dynasties and is highly respected. Most court officials have great respect for him. With him mediating, both the Xie and Wei families would have to show him respect."

However, in recent years, Zheng Qiming had mostly stepped back from court affairs.

…He also wanted to stay out of the spotlight.

By tradition, when the young emperor ascended the throne, a senior minister like Zheng Qiming would have been the ideal auxiliary minister.

Now, with the Wei family in control of the court, the Hanlin Academy had very little authority.

Zheng Qiming's status remained, and for issues like those in the Taixue, his involvement was most appropriate.

"Miss Shi does seem to have quite a bit of luck on her side," remarked the covert guard.

Without it, even with her talent, getting into the Fourth Level wouldn’t have been so easy.

After all, all the steps in between were in others' hands.

Half of Xu Jinghe's face was hidden in the shadows, his expression unreadable. The covert guard could only hear his cold voice. "Luck?"

No one in this world is favored by fortune forever.

"Is there any news?"

The covert guard hurriedly replied, "We have received news that Shi Yuanxi has hardly left the Shi family residence in recent days, only going out three times. Once was to visit with the fourth miss of the household, another time was to visit Tianyun Temple, and the last time was to a tearoom the day before the results were posted."

With Xu Jinghe's extensive network of informants spread throughout the capital, it wasn't difficult to keep tabs on Shi Yuanxi's basic movements.

At first glance, these three places seemed unremarkable.

And in terms of sequence, the last meeting at the tearoom should have been the most noteworthy.

However, upon hearing the guard's report, the first thing that caught Xu Jinghe's attention was Tianyun Temple.

Tianyun Temple is far in the outskirts of the capital, and it takes nearly an hour to travel there by carriage.

An hour's time isn't much to ordinary worshippers.

The issue is that.

Xu Jinghe raised his hand and gently tapped the table.

He looked at the full page of text and remained silent.

Shi Yuanxi didn't appear to be a devout Buddhist.

As far as I recall, that place seems to be quite close to Qingyun Temple.

Qingyun Temple.

The temple where Imperial Concubine Zhou has been devoutly practicing.

Elsewhere, the promotion examination has ended, and there will be a thank-the-teacher banquet inside the National Academy.

Li Wei wrote asking Shi Yuanxi if she would attend, and she agreed.

The thank-the-teacher banquet is not only attended by students who have successfully been promoted. In the Liang dynasty, which upholds the tradition of respecting teachers, most students will attend the banquet.

Shi Yuanxi has been promoted into the top four of the highest class, becoming the focus of attention in the entire capital. Her appearance at the banquet was sure to attract significant attention.

But she needed to go.

She already had a plan in mind for the next step but hadn't had a chance to discuss it with Zhou Ying yet.

There's no rush. In a few days, it will be the year-end.

There will be many temple fairs in the capital, so there will be plenty of chances to meet Zhou Ying.

The thank-the-teacher banquet would be a convenient occasion for her to collect information.

On the day of the banquet, Shi Yuanxi, unusually for her, took off her scholar's robe and put on a brand-new dress.

This dress was prepared for her by her mother, Yan, near the end of the year.

The fabric was high-quality Shu brocade, lined with thick cotton. The jacket and skirt were misty purple, with large camellias embroidered in white thread and pearls.

It was typical of Yan's aesthetic, elegant and beautiful.

Le Shu also added two matching velvet flowers to her hair and accessorized her with a set of pearl jewelry.

Shi Yuanxi looked at her reflection in the mirror and raised an eyebrow.

When she got into the carriage and arrived at the Shengjiang Tower where the thank-the-teacher banquet was held, she understood why Yan was so attentive.

Pei Jixi, the chief examiner for the recent national exams at the National Academy, was also at the banquet that day.

Also, he hadn't brought Jiang Jingwan with him to the banquet.

The moment Shi Yuanxi appeared, she attracted a great deal of attention.

She had come with Shi Yuyan, but Shi Yuyan was seated in another hall and separated from her at the door.

Shi Yuanxi ended up attending the banquet alone.

Fortunately, everyone from the Fifth Class who shared the classroom with her was present. As soon as she entered, Li Wei waved to greet her.

Shi Yuanxi slowly made her way toward their table, completely ignoring Pei Jixi’s intense gaze from the main table.

She sat next to Wang Hengzhi as usual, only to find Lu Xingyi there that day, seated to her right.

He’s quite something—skips class but shows up when it’s time to eat.

Shi Yuanxi took her seat, causing many at the main table to look away.

Director Wang glanced at Pei Jixi’s expression and suddenly spoke up, "We must congratulate the prince on this matter."

Very few people at the banquet knew that Pei Jixi was there mainly for Shi Yuanxi.

Pei Jixi had never said a word about his intentions.

However, there’s no such thing as a secret that stays hidden.

Especially since, on that day, many students from the Zhenbei Marquis's household had gathered in the tea room, awaiting the exam results.

The results were a surprise to everyone.

Wei Qingran, in the private room, suddenly lost her temper and stormed out of the tea room.

After that, many people became privy to Pei Jixi’s and the Shi family’s plans.

Director Wang’s congratulation to Pei Jixi was in reference to Shi Yuanxi passing the exam and advancing to the Fourth Class.

He hadn’t previously understood why a woman like Shi Yuanxi would push herself so hard.

When he heard this, he subconsciously assumed that Shi Yuanxi was using these rankings to clear her past reputation.

This way, it would be easier for her to marry into the Zhenbei Marquis's family.

So, without thinking, he credited the rank that Shi Yuanxi had worked hard for to Pei Jixi.

Pei Jixi looked up, his expression cold, and said, "What exactly is Director Wang congratulating me for?"

Director Wang immediately froze, breaking into a cold sweat. His slightly drunk brain now registered the situation.

Pei Jixi hated it most when others interfered in his family matters. Moreover, with the Zhenbei Marquis currently critically ill, congratulating him was completely inappropriate.

He had found out that Shi Yuanxi had sent a letter to Jiang Jingwan that day, and it was Jiang Jingwan who informed him about it.

As Jiang Jingwan spoke, her expression was filled with sorrow:

"That year, when you broke off your engagement to her and became engaged to me, it was because you had no other option."

"Now that everything has calmed down, I no longer wish to be stuck between you two."

"I will be the one to end the engagement, and the blame will rest solely with me. You will have given an explanation to the Zhenbei army and will no longer have to betray her."

Pei Jixi drained the cold wine from his cup in one gulp.

He had no romantic feelings for Jiang Jingwan. However, her brother had followed him for many years, risking his life numerous times. Now that he was disabled, Pei Jixi already felt guilty.

Now, if the marriage is called off again, it would be too cruel toward them as siblings.

He had delayed planning the wedding because he still found it hard to forget Shi Yuanxi in his heart.

Before Shi Yuanxi came to the capital, he had entertained the idea of marrying Jiang Jingwan and had even sent someone to prepare for it.

However, upon seeing Shi Yuanxi, he couldn't help wavering.

His engagement with Jiang Jingwan had stood for many years and was no longer just a simple marriage. His reputation in the army, how he treated the Jiang family, all of which was being observed by the soldiers.

He knew this situation was unfair to Jiang Jingwan, but he would give her the respect she deserved, the status of Marquis's wife in the future, and would eventually give her a child.

So that she could secure her position in Zhenbei Marquis's household.

After years of interaction, Pei Jixi actually understood that Jiang Jingwan was retreating in order to advance.

She hoped he would actively pursue her and settle the marriage soon.

What she received instead was Pei Jixi's silence.

When Jiang Jingwan left, her face was filled with unconcealable disappointment.

Shengjiang Tower was brightly lit, and the glazed lanterns illuminated the entire lake surface.

The building was nestled by the mountains and water, with unique architecture, presenting a distinct scenic view even at night.

As he looked up, he saw Shi Yuanxi sitting among a group of students her age, her eyes radiant with vitality.

Wang Hengzhi, sitting next to her, had a faint blush on his face.

They were having a lively conversation, and she didn't give him a second glance.

A fire ignited in Pei Jixi's heart for no apparent reason.

He put down the goblet and beckoned a nearby servant, whispering a few instructions.

After the servant left on his errand, Pei Jixi rose and left the hall first.

Xu Jinghe sat in the main seat, watching his every action.

He lowered his eyes and sipped his tea, and when he looked up, he saw Shi Yuanxi being escorted out by a maid.

Xu Jinghe's expression remained unchanged as he set down his teacup.

There, Shi Yuanxi was led by the maid to a lakeside pavilion.

There were charcoal braziers placed everywhere in Shengjiang Tower due to the distinguished guests' visit, making it quite warm in the pavilion.

But it was still not as warm as the main hall, and the cold wind chilled the guests.

Shi Yuanxi was comfortable in her padded jacket.

Pei Jixi, however, stood in front of her dressed in a single layer.

Pei Jixi turned around, his eyes filled with depth, staring directly at her, "Did you send a letter to Jingwan a few days ago?"

Shi Yuanxi slightly paused, then looked up at him, not avoiding his gaze, and said, "Yes."

"Why did you see her?"

"Of course, I had something to discuss," Shi Yuanxi replied. Ever since she had come here today, she had been thinking about Zheng Qiming's situation.

Many people in the capital probably wouldn't have guessed that the elder statesman of three dynasties was actually Zhou Ying's man.

Naturally, they wouldn't suspect her either.

But Xu Jinghe is different.

Shi Yuanxi had just learned at the banquet that the yin jiansheng who had been expelled from the Guozijian by Xu Jinghe was actually of noble birth. His father, the Yongchang Bo, had achieved significant military achievements during the reign of Huai Kang Di, even though his family was gradually declining. However, they still held significant influence within noble circles.

Just a few days ago, the Yongchang Bo's estate was confiscated.

The charges were severe—embezzlement was discovered by an imperial censor, and they had hired assassins to kill him.

This case was jointly supervised by the Ministry of Punishments and the Dali Temple. Before this, even the fathers of Wang Hengzhi and Li Wei were completely unaware.

Yet Xu Jinghe had been able to deal with his son in advance. Shi Yuanxi never believed in such coincidences.

Especially after carefully asking about the investigation timeline, she realized that the Yongchang Bo had always been extremely cautious.

He only started to make mistakes after his son was expelled from the Guozijian.

Shi Yuanxi guessed that Xu Jinghe had deliberately let him think he was on the brink of collapse, forcing a desperate move, and caught him red-handed.

Her guess was largely correct. The specific interrogation details were unclear to Li Wei and the others, but they mentioned that the Yongchang Bo himself had leaked the evidence.

If all her guesses were true, then all her actions until now could not have escaped Xu Jinghe's notice.

His reach was too extensive. Although she had been extremely cautious, she was not the one in charge of the Shi family residence. Her trip to Tianyun Temple was known, and given the other party's cunning, it wouldn't be hard to deduce that she had actually gone to Qingyun Temple.

She was still thinking about how to explain it to Xu Jinghe.

That's when Pei Jixi came looking for her.

She actually had nothing to say to Pei Jixi, but it was a rare opportunity.

With Xu Jinghe's extensive network of spies, she decided to put on a good show for him.

Feeling a bit cold, Shi Yuanxi wrapped her arms around herself, huddled together for warmth, and looked at Pei Jixi. "What exactly is it that you want to ask?"

Pei Jixi paused for a moment and asked, "What do you want to say to her?"

Shi Yuanxi looked at him, finding his question amusing, and said, "What do you think, Prince? What do you think we could say?"

Pei Jixi's expression darkened.

He said in a low voice, "She came to see me a few days ago and said she wanted to break off our engagement."

Unexpectedly, the person in front of him showed no expression.

Pei Jixi frowned and said, "My marriage to her is no longer just about a man and a woman. No matter the reason, this marriage must continue."

Shi Yuansi raised her eyebrows. "This matter is between you and her, heir. Why explain it to me?"

"Whether you marry her or call off the engagement, it has nothing to do with me."

Pei Jixi's words stuck in his throat immediately.

He gazed at her and stayed silent for a long while.

When he spoke again, the expression on his face had changed, becoming cold and murderous. "Yuansi, the Premier Academy is no place for a woman like you. There are countless people in the court watching this place closely. The longer you stay here, the greater the danger becomes."

"I know you're still bitter about what happened before, but your situation in the capital isn't good." His eyes were deep and unfathomable. "If you stay in the Shi family residence, they will surely arrange a marriage for you."

"The match I can offer is far better than anything the Shi family can arrange."

He had originally intended to take things slow, but her words today changed his mind.

She was already caught up in the chaotic court situation and couldn't escape. In his hands, he still had control of the Zhenbei army.

He could protect her and provide her with the life she desired. As long as she could bear Jiang Jingwan's presence.

Meanwhile, Xu Jinghe had just received a message from his subordinates.

He dispatched people to investigate recent activities at Qingyun Temple.

The message reported that Imperial Concubine Zhou had recently met an important guest.

Xu Jinghe immediately rose and headed towards the water pavilion, with a covert guard trailing behind, whispering, "...it was the Empress Dowager."

As soon as the words left the guard's mouth, Xu Jinghe suddenly halted.

The covert guard was slightly taken aback and glanced up.

As he looked up, he saw Shi Yuansi and Pei Jixi standing in the nearby water pavilion.

As they faced off, they overheard every word Pei Jixi had said clearly.

The covert guard gasped and quickly glanced at Xu Jinghe's expression.

Xu Jinghe stayed calm and simply signaled for him to retreat.

The covert guard quickly vanished, and Xu Jinghe did not leave immediately either.

He stopped, causing the covert guard who had hidden on the eaves to stop as well.

The water pavilion fell silent, the glass lanterns reflecting on the water, casting Shi Yuansi's slender silhouette.

With her back to Xu Jinghe, she coldly addressed Pei Jixi. "So, Young Lord Pei, are you saying you're the only one who can save me now, and I should treat you like a lifesaver?"

"Should I also be grateful for the concubine position you're offering, as if I'd be honored to give myself to you?"

Shi Yuansi listened and found it amusing.

She said expressionlessly, "What a pity."

"After our engagement was called off, I haven't had any feelings for you anymore."

Pei Jixi felt his heart tighten, his expression shifting dramatically.

He stared at Shi Yuanxi, trying to see if she was putting on a brave face or harboring resentment.

But all he saw was a hint of cold sarcasm.

And the cold look in her eyes sent a chill down his spine.

"You're still hung up on the past, or..." Pei Jixi finally lost it.

For a moment, he even considered telling her he was willing to call off the engagement.

But he never got the words out.

Because Shi Yuanxi had already spoken up, without a moment's hesitation, "I already have someone I love."

"Unlike you, this person is a real gentleman, with true integrity."

"My way out in the capital, in the Shi family, was never you." Shi Yuanxi said with a faint smile, "Do you understand?"