"Reporting to the county lady, the person in the palace is Yu Shidu from the Hanlin Academy." The eunuch said, "The emperor has left Yu Shidu in the Yangxin Palace to compile the daily records."

Xue Qingshang was delighted when she heard this, but the emperor was not in the Yangxin Palace, so her excuse of sending ginseng soup was useless. She thought for a moment and signaled the maid behind her to put a silver ingot into the eunuch's hand. The maid whispered to the eunuch, "My county lady entered the palace with the third daughter of Liu Ci Fu's family. Yu Shidu is Liu Ci Fu's disciple, so I'll trouble you to take care of her."

The eunuch said that he couldn't do it, but he took the silver with a smile and praised, "Your Majesty has been admiring Yu Shidu's talent recently. Yu Shidu is a gentleman with a refined appearance. We servants are also impressed by Yu Shidu, a gentleman who is well-read in poetry and books."

Xue Qingshang smiled with pride. When she heard others praising Yu Qizhe, she felt happy too.

"It's almost noon, and it's time for Yu Shidu to have lunch. It must be tiring to write all morning." Xue Qingshang said.

The young eunuch nodded repeatedly and said cleverly, "The county lady is right. Yu Shidu must have been absorbed in writing the Records of Reality. I should go and remind him."

Xue Qingshang smiled, turned around, and walked away with the palace maids, stopping by the Songmo Pond outside the Yangxin Palace.

She waited for a while and saw Yu Qizhe walking out of the Yangxin Palace. He was wearing the fifth-rank official uniform today, a green robe embroidered with round flower patterns. Walking from afar, he looked like a green pine in the mountains or a green bamboo after the rain, handsome and upright.

Xue Qingshang bit her lip, walked forward, and said with a smile, "I came to deliver ginseng soup to His Majesty on behalf of my sister. I didn't expect to meet Yu Shidu here. Long time no see."

Yu Qizhe stopped. In fact, he heard the conversation between Xue Qingshang and the eunuch outside the palace from inside the Yangxin Palace. He knew in his heart that she was waiting for him here on purpose.

He said coldly, "The emperor and Master Cheng have left the palace, and I have to go back to the Hanlin Academy, so I won't bother the county lady anymore."

Seeing him walk past her and leave, Xue Qingshang panicked and said, "Miss Liu San came to the palace with me today. My elder sister is not feeling well, so she came to the palace to check my elder sister's pulse. I came to see you on behalf of Miss Liu San."

Yu Qizhe paused slightly. Ever since that day, Yu Jiao had been avoiding him. He went to Liu's house three times but failed to see her.

"She hasn't left the palace yet?" Yu Qizhe turned around and asked.

Xue Qingshang saw him stop, took two or three steps forward, and said, "Before I came to deliver the ginseng soup, I asked her to leave the palace first. I think she should have left the palace by now."

Yu Qizhe touched the mutton-fat jade around his waist, a barely perceptible trace of loneliness flashed across his peach blossom eyes, and when he raised his eyes again, he was expressionless.

"I still have things to do in the Hanlin Academy, so I'll take my leave first." After saying this, Yu Qizhe turned around and walked away again.

Xue Qingshang knew that he had a cold personality, but she came here eagerly, but this man refused to say a word to her, which made her feel a little aggrieved. She was a county lady, respected and valued, and was always flattered and pursued by others. How could she be ignored like this?

"Yu Qizhe, do you know that it was me who asked Elder Shen to introduce you to His Majesty?" Xue Qingshang lowered her voice and said to his back, "Why do you always avoid me like a snake and scorpion, and refuse to say even one more word to me?"

Yu Qizhe stopped and turned to look at her, "Did you ask Prime Minister Shen for help?"

Xue Qingshang explained in a low voice, "After you won the first place in the imperial examination, I was very happy for you. Later, I learned that although you entered the Imperial Academy, the emperor only appointed you as a seventh-rank editor. The second and third place winners were both higher than you! I was angry for you, so I went to ask for help from Lord Shen. Lord Shen has always loved me very much, and he promised to let me recommend you to the emperor."