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The hour of Yin (3:00 to 5:00 AM) had just begun, and the sky was still dark. Inside Yaohui Pavilion, however, the lanterns were already ablaze. A houseful of maidservants and matrons were busy helping Ye Mian wash his face, change his robes, attach his pouches, and pack his snack boxes. The scene was bustling and vibrant. Ye Mian himself was full of spirit.…

The next morning at dawn. The sun rose, and the morning drums on the Chengtian Gate struck right on time. As the ninth beat faded, the echoes, wrapped in golden morning light, slowly drifted down. Carriages and merchants waiting outside the city poured in one after another. Inside the inner city, the breakfast stalls were already bustling with steam and the sound of vendors…

The Huawu Gate is the west gate of the Imperial Palace. The plaza in front of it is heavily guarded by the Imperial Guards, and ordinary citizens are usually forbidden from approaching it. Today, however, being the day of the internal military examination, the guards in the plaza were withdrawn, making it exceptionally lively. Apart from the military examinees, there were also commoners here…

It was the third month in the capital, and the first spring thunder had just rumbled. By dawn, the gentle morning rain had ceased. Golden threads of sunlight filtered through the eaves and tiles, softly enveloping the entire imperial city in a tender spring glow. “Quick, look! Is that the top scholar (Tanhualang) of this year?” In the garden of the Vice Minister of…

Chapter 20: Sent to warm the bed as soon as he loses his job. The dark green curtains were pulled back mostly, looped through the tiebacks and hung on the side hooks. The sunlight fell just right so it didn’t shine onto the bed. The octagonal window provided excellent lighting. With the curtains half-drawn and the sheer, transparent curtains hanging in front of the…

Chapter 19: Why is my body out of control? Chu Fuxuan’s alcohol tolerance had always been quite good. In the United States, there were many college pubs that had become a natural part of the social ecosystem. The vibe was casual, like passing the time, and people would often invite each other out for a drink. Because the prices were affordable, the patrons were…

Chapter 18: Tensing up more individually, yet seemingly drawing closer together. At the moment he understood what Qi Yingzhu was expressing, Chu Fuxuan’s ears grew hot; the intense temperature practically burned all the way down to his cheeks. Fortunately, when the topic was brought up, the meeting had already ended. After the formal meetup concluded, most people in the room had already left. The…

Chapter 17: Like He Was Being Offered as a Sacrifice Three people backed out of the office. Through the gap, Chu Fuxuan peeked inside. Qi Yingzhu, leaning against the edge of a desk just like him, was looking down at a paper report. Chu Fuxuan instantly froze on the spot. Before Qi Yingzhu could notice, he hurriedly retracted his gaze. No wonder Shannai had…

Chapter 16: Did You Encounter a Scam and Get Trapped? Qi Yingzhu spoke with absolute certainty, as if he were silently carrying a heavy burden, the hardships of which were difficult to share with outsiders. Xie Yu, afraid of misjudging him, said half-doubtingly, “My apologies. If you have any grievances, why not talk it over with everyone? Someday, when there’s an opportunity, we can…

Chapter 15: Sweet Dawdling Surrounded by a group of people during the day, Chu Fuxuan, as the center of attention, was on edge, worried that handling things carelessly would expose the problems between him and Qi Yingzhu. As a result, he lacked much of an appetite. He poked at the rice grains with his chopsticks and didn’t eat much. By the time night fell,…