In the spring, the bare branches of the trees sprouted green buds again. Although the weather hadn’t warmed up much, the snow had already melted, and the earth was showing signs of green.

On the day the academy reopened, news of Ji Linxi becoming history tutor Huai Xiuyong’s “closing disciple” spread throughout the institution. The tutors were shocked, and even the Principal sought out Huai Xiuyong.

“Xiuyong, did you really take Ji Linxi as your student?”

Huai Xiuyong nodded. “I did.”

The Principal knew that this tutor in his academy possessed both talent and arrogance. Huai Xiuyong had once passed the metropolitan exams and served as a minor local official, but after only a year, he grew tired of the infighting and submitted his resignation. He later came to this academy to teach and had been there ever since. Several students had expressed interest in becoming his disciple, but he had always ignored them, claiming that mentoring a student was too exhausting and that he lacked the energy.

“This student, Ji Linxi—I don’t deny he is hardworking. But he only entered the academy at the end of last year. He barely had a few days of classes before the winter break began, and even his final exam results were ranked ‘Grade C,’ the lowest. I heard he stayed at your home during the break. What happened that made you take him on as a student?”

The usually stern Huai Xiuyong, as if encountering a kindred spirit, grabbed the Principal and began listing Ji Linxi’s diligence, hardship, and talent during the winter break. His words poured forth like a surging river, continuous and endless.

Principal: “Fine, fine, Xiuyong, I understand now.”

Huai Xiuyong: “No, Principal, you don’t know nearly enough.”

The Principal, who had originally called him over out of curiosity, was forced to sit in a chair listening to Huai Xiuyong speak for an entire afternoon, having already drunk three cups of tea. He felt Huai Xiuyong was exaggerating; the students who entered the academy were all aiming for the imperial exams and were mostly diligent, but he had never met anyone as hard-driving as the one described by Huai Xiuyong in all his decades of life.

When Huai Xiuyong finally finished, the Principal feigned belief and asked, “Then, are you confident he can pass the provincial exams?”

He said “provincial exams,” not the “county exams.”

There is a difference between a tutor teaching students at an academy and taking on a private disciple. In the former, whether a student performs well has nothing to do with the tutor personally, only the academy’s reputation. But if a student carries the tutor’s name, and that student fails, the tutor becomes a laughingstock.

Huai Xiuyong fell silent.

Deep down, he believed Ji Linxi could pass, but he didn’t dare to be arrogant. The imperial exams were held every three years, and the examinees were as numerous as hair on an ox, yet the number of passing slots was limited. With all the uncertainties in life, who could guarantee success?

The Principal misunderstood his silence and patted his shoulder. “Don’t repeat what you said to me today to others, lest people laugh at you later. Even if he can pass the county exams, that will already be a testament to your ability, Tutor.”

Huai Xiuyong wanted to explain for his student, “He could do it even without me…”

“Alright, alright, hurry back to the tutor’s quarters. Your student has talent, I get it.”

On the second day of the academy, the results for the previous semester’s final exams were posted. Students who were close friends gathered to check the rankings. Ji Linxi went as well, but because the crowd was so thick, he didn’t stand out.

He saw his name at the very bottom. All his subjects were Grade C—the lowest tier.

“With grades like this, Tutor Huai actually took him as a student? Truly laughable!”

“If I had known that acting pathetic could get a tutor to take me on, I would have done it too.”

The harsh words reached Ji Linxi’s ears. He turned his head and stared at the speakers one by one. The people who had been speaking to his face had expected to see him humiliated, blushing with shame and wishing he could bury himself in the ground. Instead, they were rendered speechless, pinned by that intense gaze.

Truly thick-skinned and shameless.

Those who were too afraid to speak aloud cursed him in their hearts.

Ji Linxi, having memorized their faces, turned back and looked at his results again. He secretly vowed to himself: Next exam, my name will be at the very top of the board.

Not only that, for the county and provincial exams, he, Ji Linxi, would take the first-place spot. If he took first place in both the metropolitan and palace exams, he would achieve the “Triple Crown” (Lianzhong Sanyuan)—something to be recorded in the history books. With such glory in his hands, Ji Linxi couldn’t help but boast in his thoughts: How could I not make my beautiful noble fall for me?

He even imagined the scene of his reunion with the beauty.

He would be riding a majestic steed, wearing the scholar’s hat, draped in red silk, with a large red ribbon across his chest. As he paraded through the capital, he would run into the beautiful noble watching the festivities. Their eyes would meet, and the beauty would be struck by his imposing, handsome appearance, feeling a sudden attraction: “In this world, there exists a man so talented and devastatingly handsome.”

He would dismount, hand the reins to another, walk to the beauty with the “Top Scholar’s stride,” bow slightly, and offer his hand with grace. “I am Ji Linxi, the current Top Scholar. I feel as though I have known you all my life, noble sir. Would you be willing to be my close friend, so we might enjoy the moon and drink together?”

The beautiful noble would pause, then laugh softly, his jade-white face flushed, his slender hand settling into his palm. “I would love to.”

Having imagined this, Ji Linxi was ecstatic, feeling even more motivated to study. The next moment, he frowned, wondering if he had forgotten something.

Two breaths later, he realized what he had forgotten.

What if the beautiful noble decides to take the imperial exams too?

He stood there, brow furrowed even more deeply, his expression solemn. If the beauty takes the exams, does the Top Scholar position fall to me, or to him?

After struggling for a while, Ji Linxi bowed his head in defeat. Let it fall to him.

A celestial being with such transcendent temperament and unparalleled beauty like him naturally belongs high above the clouds; how could he ever fall into the dust of the mortal world?

In that case, I shall be the Second Scholar (Bangyan), riding my horse right by his side. After the procession, I will hold onto him, pour out my heart, tell him how much I admire his talent and character, and wish only to be his friend. Then, we shall enter the Hanlin Academy together as officials.

After that, we will be together from dawn until dusk. Living day by day, genuine feelings will blossom. Then, overcome by passion, I will show affection, and the beauty will tremble, closing his eyes, half-refusing and half-welcoming.

The two of us will ascend to the Wushan (a poetic euphemism for intimacy), unaware of day or night.

Good, very good. This is even better than the first idea.

Ji Linxi shook off his melancholy, his heart and his lower body surging with vigor. He stopped looking at the academy ranking board and hurried away with rapid steps.

I must study. Study until I’m dead.

As the saying goes: The diligence is in the hardship of the cold window, the joy is in the bridal chamber at night.

Far away in the capital, within the silent Eastern Palace, Chu Yu sneezed again. A scorching heat surged through his left ear. He reached up to touch it, his brow furrowing, then used the back of his hand to check his forehead.

Seeing this, Chen Deshun hurried to command someone to call for the imperial physician.

The physician arrived. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he withdrew his hand and knelt, bowing. “His Highness is in excellent health; there is nothing wrong.”

Chen Deshun didn’t believe him. “Check again! This is the fourth time His Highness has sneezed this month, and the seventh time his ear has been burning. How can there be no problem?”

Hearing this, the physician checked the pulse again carefully and hesitantly said, “This… it might be the change of season between winter and spring. His Highness’s body is not yet adapted. I will return to the Imperial Hospital and prepare some tonic medicine to send over.”

Chen Deshun nodded. “Then hurry! If you delay His Highness’s recovery, can you bear the responsibility?”

The physician hurriedly begged for pardon and departed. Chu Yu rubbed his forehead, his tone indifferent. “Eunuch Chen, go call Yunsheng. You don’t need to serve me here for now.”

“As you command, Your Highness.”

A cup of tea later, Yunsheng entered. “Your Highness.”

Chu Yu waved his hand, signaling the other servants to leave.

Yunsheng knelt on the floor, waiting for his new important task, when he heard his master’s voice sound strange. “Yunsheng, send someone to Yongcheng County. Help me investigate someone.”

“Who, Your Highness?”

Chu Yu opened his mouth and uttered a name: “Chu Xi.”

When mentioning this name, Chu Yu’s long brows furrowed in slight displeasure.

A sticky, scalding heat began to churn in his legs again.

He closed his eyes, suppressed the feeling, and ground his teeth slightly.

Every time his ear burned, it inadvertently reminded him of that… shameless scoundrel.

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Author’s Note:

Ji Linxi’s social media playlist: [Bedside Fairy Tales]

Performed passionately in person: “You are the princess in that fairy tale, standing in the light…”