Chapter 66 The Six Rounds Unbroken, Frost Flies Evening

Xu Heng withdrew his arm and walked around the desk: "Yingniang, wait for me!"

He hurried to the door of the Imperial Study, but his steps suddenly stopped—it was snowing heavily outside, a vast expanse of white as far as the eye could see, with snow falling incessantly.

Ever since Zheng Yangzhi's words, Xu Heng had developed a mental illness, regarding snow as something filthy and filled with dread. Qingfu ran over to bring him an umbrella, which Xu Heng grabbed, opened, and chased after him into the snow.

He had fallen too far behind, and it took him dozens of steps to catch up. He turned to Wang Yuying and asked, "How much do you actually know?"

Seeing that she was covered in snow, her gray coat almost white, he unconsciously tilted the umbrella towards her until snow fell on his own shoulder. Only then did Xu Heng realize what had happened, his stomach tightening instantly, a wave of nausea rising within him. But he still tilted the umbrella even further, the canopy pointing slightly forward, not only to shield her from the snow but also from the wind.

Wang Yuying continued walking forward, and Xu Heng also continued walking sideways. The snowflakes falling on his body felt like needles, making him feel nauseous. He forced himself to continue, "I am always aware of the situation on the borders and the movements of enemy countries. If Hugu Xumi returns to the country, he will act respectfully, and the carriage will proceed safely, following the etiquette of the imperial clan. He should not act rashly, but I will certainly take precautions in secret. You can rest assured."

Before she could finish speaking, Wang Yuying turned to look at Xu Heng. Her calm and resolute gaze, unlike her usual self, made his heart clench.

"Your Majesty," she called out firmly, "do not waste any more time here, please send reinforcements immediately."

Although her tone was perfectly calm and composed, no different from that of a court official discussing matters, Xu Heng sensed a sob in her voice. When she called out "Your Majesty," his heart involuntarily trembled, and when she uttered the word "please," he felt a chill run through him, and his arms trembled uncontrollably.

He had long hoped she would speak to him calmly, and had even imagined how happy he would be if she ever asked him for a favor. But when his dream came true, a voice inside him immediately denied it: No, it can't be like this! It shouldn't be like this!

He didn't want to see her like this at all; it made him feel as if he were immersed in a well, dark and cold.

He had said long ago that Hugu Xumi was an ingrate, a hypocrite, and had no good intentions towards her!

But he also knew that in the current situation, mentioning that barbarian in front of her would only make her more heartbroken. So he swallowed the rest of his words and the bitterness, opened his lips and called out to Chu Xiong. On the one hand, he ordered reinforcements and guarded against any unusual movements from the Northern Di, and on the other hand, he continued to accompany her. His body leaned more and more to the side, almost backward.

Besides his increasingly urgent and resolute desire for Hugu Xumi's death, he also felt a sense of alienation and powerlessness—seeing her heartbroken, he couldn't hug her, couldn't say a word, so how could he comfort her? Even the reason for her sadness was irrelevant to him. He seemed to have become a complete bystander and an outsider. This was absurd; they had been husband and wife since childhood, yet over a decade couldn't compare to Hugu Xumi's two months!

Everything before his eyes seemed unreal, yet the memories felt incredibly real. Xu Heng felt that if he continued to stare at Wang Yuying like this, he would completely lose his mind, but he just couldn't look away.

Wang Yuying stepped into the Ministry of War's council hall, and Xu Heng did not follow. The thick curtains of the council hall fell, blocking the wind and snow but also his view. Xu Heng slowly shifted his gaze to the warm pavilion at the entrance of the Ministry of War and instructed Qingfu, who had caught up with him, "Move all the memorials to the warm pavilion. From today onwards, I will handle government affairs here."

He had to watch her, he absolutely had to.

*

When Wang Yuying entered the council hall, it was just in time for her usual shift. As usual, she greeted her colleagues with a smile and was about to explain in detail about the imperial examination in seven days when another colleague suddenly entered, his face full of fear and trepidation: "I just came in and saw the eunuchs moving documents around. His Majesty has actually moved his presence to the warm pavilion of our Ministry of War to approve documents—"

His colleagues fell silent immediately, not daring to speak again, but they were even more apprehensive. Had they done something wrong and incurred the emperor's wrath?

Now that His Majesty has moved here, we dare not even raise our voices in the hall, let alone laugh or talk! Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger, like walking on thin ice.

"The imperial examination is imminent, and there are still many things to be done." Wang Yuying calmly changed the subject, and the officials either paused in surprise or immediately agreed, without mentioning the emperor again.

Speaking of the imperial examination, there are only seven days left. The atmosphere is tense on the outside but quiet on the inside. The examiners, the supervisors, the scribes, and all the yamen runners and guards must all come and reiterate the examination rules.

In the afternoon, Wang Yuying and Liao Qing, along with a few others, went to inspect the examination hall according to procedure. As they left the Ministry of War, the crowd couldn't help but peek into the warm pavilion. Wang Yuying also glanced at it. The wind and snow were still strong, and the sky was dim. At this hour, the lamps inside the pavilion were still lit.

She looked away and stepped out the door.

Upon arriving at the training ground, they checked that the bows and swords were intact, and that the targets and running track were sturdy and in compliance with regulations. As the group trudged through the snow, one of the proctors couldn't help but sigh, "The martial arts competition is taking place amidst snow and sleet; the students' skills will likely face many difficulties."

Another official immediately interjected: "But the Imperial Astronomical Bureau reported that the weather would be fine and sunny seven days from now."

"That would be perfect!"

“Whether it’s sunny or snowy,” Wang Yuying joined in the conversation, “all the candidates are in the same boat.”

Everyone readily agreed.

After making a final inspection and taking one last look, the gate was to be sealed. From then on, before the start of the examinations, it was guarded by imperial guards, and no one was allowed to enter.

Outside the examination hall, the group spotted a snowman, its creation unknown, depicting a burly man carrying a heavy load of rice. Now far from the emperor, they resumed their laughter and chatter, pointing out the snowman and praising its clever design.

Wang Yuying also laughed: "It's just right at the entrance of the drill ground, very fitting for the occasion."

Liao Qing laughed and said, "The heavier the snow falls, the thicker this man's arms get."

Her words drew laughter from everyone. It was getting late, so everyone left the examination hall and went their separate ways. She also returned to Yongjia Lane. When Chu Ying opened the door, she kept staring at Wang Yuying's face. Wang Yuying strolled into the second courtyard at a leisurely pace, sniffed, and smiled, "It smells so good. What are you cooking?"

After saying that, he went into the kitchen with his hands behind his back. Juanxue and Shuangtian, who were busy working, immediately turned around, put their arms down, and looked nervously at Wang Yuying. Although Chu Ying had not told them about the strange movements of the Northern Di King, the two women were worried that their master would be saddened by the departure of the Northern Di King. After all, parting has always been painful for those who are affectionate.

Wang Yuying acted as if nothing had happened, walking straight to the stove and asking again, "What are you cooking? It smells so good."

She glanced into the pot and saw it was mushroom soup. She immediately grabbed a spoon: "Let me try one of these mushrooms." She scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and exclaimed, "Mmm, delicious!"

Juanxue, Shuangtian, and Chu Ying, who followed closely behind, all stared at Wang Yuying without blinking, completely dumbfounded—why didn't their master show the slightest sadness?

Life went on as before Hugu Sumi came to the capital, just as it always had, as if a regular friend or even a stranger had left.

Can all feelings really be severed so easily and cleanly in a single day?

Wang Yuying smiled at them, and the three women stiffly and slowly forced a smile.

Life went on as usual.

In this dynasty, a strict "avoidance" system was in place for seven days before the military examination. Examiners were required to stay at home and refuse visitors. They were not allowed to see any colleagues, friends, or fellow villagers, in order to avoid accepting bribes or favors.

Wang Yuying then spent her time at home reviewing the regulations and rules of the martial arts examination, going over the procedures and procedures again and again to ensure she wouldn't make any mistakes. She also gave up drinking to avoid making a foolish decision.

If he had free time, he would practice his sword or chat with Chu Ying and others, just as usual.

Seven days later, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the martial arts examination was held. The sun shone brightly, but a northwest wind blew. The wind whipped the banners, highlighting the cold glint of the blades across the field. After three drumbeats, Wang Yuying ascended the tent and sat at the head of the table in the very center, looking down upon the candidates from all directions, who were lined up in orderly ranks, and all was silent.

In the final round, Zhao Dingrong from Liangzhou, with his dark complexion and thick knuckles, won the championship thanks to his archery skills honed through years of hard work.

In the second horse archery test, Bi Pan of Yizhou controlled his horse like a dragon, displaying superb horsemanship. He shot from the side, and the arrows hit the bullseye every time.

Then, carrying rice, Zhang Dacheng from Huainan let out a low shout, took a deep breath, and with steady steps, arrived first.

Wang Yuying, being fair and impartial, selected these three as the top three. When the three approached the tent, she carefully examined them again; all three were eight feet tall, with broad arms and thick waists, and were handsome and imposing. Zhao, Bi, and Zhang straightened their clothes and, without hesitation, pushed aside the golden mountain and overturned the jade pillar, bowing deeply to her.

All the officials and candidates in the training ground saw it. In an instant, countless gazes quietly converged and then quickly separated. There were all kinds of expressions: understanding, envy, fear, deep thought, etc. But everyone knew that after the bow, something had already silently flowed, like a farmer planting rice seedlings. Although they were still far from ripe, they could already see the signs of a bumper harvest.

With the provincial examination set, we await the palace examination in April of the following year.

Wang Yuying was on her way back to the Ministry of War to record the information and also to report the results of the imperial examination to the emperor. As she passed near the Court of State Ceremonial, she encountered Zheng Yangzhi again. It was cold, and he wore a matching cloak over his scarlet official robe, which billowed in the wind. At first glance, he looked like a wisp of smoke from a sky-like eyebrow, and Zheng Yangzhi resembled a touch of rouge on his fingertip, elongated at the end of his eyebrow.

Zhuangzi spoke of catching cicadas, saying that when an old man who catches cicadas sees one, his body instinctively arches like a withered tree branch. Zheng Yangzhi also smiled immediately upon seeing Wang Yuying.

But in the next instant, he restrained himself and composed himself.

Wang Yuying saw everything and was about to walk around him, but Zheng Yangzhi stopped, took two steps away, and bowed to her face.

Wang Yuying bowed in return.

Zheng Yangzhi smiled again, but not as intensely as before; it was only a faint smile on his lips and brows: "I congratulate you on the successful completion of the martial arts examination, sir, and on the outstanding talents you have won."

"Thank you, Lord Zheng." Wang Yuying finished speaking and was about to leave again. Zheng Yangzhi called out to her, "My lord, do you remember what I said?"

Wang Yuying stamped her foot and faced him again.

Zheng Yangzhi's gaze was fixed on her face, and he said earnestly, "A strong wind may break a tree, but withered grass will grow back every July and August. As long as you don't die, you should live a good life."

He quietly observed Wang Yuying's expression, and seeing that she remained relatively calm and composed, he spoke softly, "Besides, they are not of our kind, so their hearts are bound to be different. Yingniang, you don't need to be sad for others."

After a short while, Wang Yuying slowly spoke: "You're generalizing and condemning a whole group of people with one blow."

She turned her head slightly, not looking at Zheng Yangzhi: "There are also kind-hearted people among the foreign tribes. They are sincerely willing to trade with us, exchange goods and profits, and become teachers and students, friends, and spouses, so that war may end forever and we can seek common ground. To divide them by race is really narrow-minded and arbitrary. The ocean is vast because it embraces all rivers, and harmony is possible even in diversity."

Not all people of different races harbor disloyal intentions, but someone has his own dignity.

Zheng Yangzhi remained silent for a moment, then parted his thin lips again. Before he could speak, Wang Yuying asked, "You said last time that I could beat you up after I got better. Does that still stand?"

Zheng Yangzhi stood rooted to the spot, her delicate eyebrows slightly raised, unable to hide her shock and astonishment.

Seeing this, Wang Yuying lowered her eyes and walked past Zheng Yangzhi.

She had already taken two steps forward when Zheng Yangzhi hurriedly caught up, tugged at her sleeve from behind, and then let go: "Hit me if you want, I'm willing."