After nine consecutive days of exams, most candidates looked tired.

A noble lady saw her son's face and felt distressed: "You've lost weight, son. You've worked hard. Come on, go home. I've made a nourishing soup for you..."

"Brother, how do you feel?" Another playful voice came, "Let's go home, our carriage is over there..."

"Second brother, thank you for your hard work..."

“…”

The people waiting at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall picked up their own candidates, said a few simple greetings and then went back.

Some candidates who came to the capital from far away to take the exam and had no family or friends to pick them up left the Imperial Examination Hall in groups of three or four while discussing matters related to the imperial examination.

Su Li kept looking at the door and waited for a long time before finally seeing Pei Ji's figure.

He was holding a bundle in his hand, and as soon as he walked out of the door, he looked around at the crowd, probably looking for her.

She walked towards him and was about to call him when he looked over.

Su Li smiled and walked up to him: "Pei Ji, thank you for your hard work."

There didn't seem to be much fatigue on his face, his eyes were bright, and he looked refreshed.

Su Li thought that the examination would probably go smoothly. After all, he was the top scorer, and he had real talent and knowledge.

When he saw Su Li, Pei Ji's heart instantly became happy. He curled his lips and said softly, "It's not hard."

"How did you do on the test? Was it difficult?"

"No, it's very simple."

The indifferent tone instantly attracted a resentful look from a nearby candidate.

Very simple?

Even the invigilator said that this year's imperial examination is the most difficult one in recent years?

During these nine days, every day the examinees didn't wail as soon as they left the examination room.

He actually said it was simple?

The candidate shook his head in resentment and walked away listlessly.

Su Li didn't notice the candidate and smiled, "It's good to keep it simple. Let's go have a big meal and replenish your body!"

"Repair?" He looked... like he needed some? He had clearly changed his clothes and washed up before coming out.

Su Li was curious: "Well, you only eat dry food in there for nine days, don't you want to eat something delicious?"

If it were her, she would definitely reward herself well.

“…”

Pei Ji was a little amused. So she was talking about this...

He nodded slightly: "Where to eat?"

"Mingyue Restaurant, let's go, the carriage is over there..."

The two men walked to the outside of the roadblock, where the carriage was waiting.

When Su Li was about to get on the carriage, a hand suddenly stretched out in front of her. She subconsciously held it, but was stunned when she realized that the person extending the hand was Pei Ji.

These days, Xiaowu has been helping her get on and off the carriage, and it has become a conditioned reflex for her. Before she could react, she subconsciously held on to him.

"Be careful when getting on the bus." Pei Ji said softly, his originally cold eyes now showing a gentle smile.

Su Li smiled awkwardly and said, "Thank you..."

As she said that, she took his hand and got into the carriage. She couldn't just let go of it again, that would be so weird.

Pei Ji came up afterwards, closed the carriage door, and the carriage started moving.

"What have you been doing these past few days while I try?"

Su Li suddenly thought of sending him to the examination hall and then going to Qingyou Temple to catch the flower thief, as well as buying a sleeve arrow at the west city market. She subconsciously looked at Pei Ji's sleeves, but could not see anything unusual. She wondered if he brought a sleeve arrow with him today.

After a pause, she picked one and said, "I bought a few shops."

"Shop? Are you going to open a shop?"

"No, I'm not good at business, so I plan to rent them all out."

"Well...what's wrong?" Seeing Su Li's eyes frequently looking at his sleeves, Pei Ji couldn't help but wonder, is there something wrong with him?

"Do you have a hidden arrow with you today?" Su Li asked.

So you were watching this?

Pei Ji couldn't help but laugh: "You are not allowed to bring sharp weapons into the examination room."

"Oh?" So it's at the inn? When she helped him move his luggage there, she did move a few small boxes, but she didn't open them. The hidden arrow must be there.

She pretended not to know: "Where did you buy that sleeve arrow? It looks pretty good. I'll go buy one for self-defense too."

She had read the original novel and naturally knew that it was created by Pei Ji himself, but the original owner didn't know about this, and Pei Ji had never told her.

Pei Ji said softly, "I made it myself. If you want one, I'll give you another one..."

He hadn't thought too much about it before. She often went in and out alone, so it would be good to have a hidden arrow for self-defense.

Su Li was waiting for him to say this, and smiled: "Okay, thank you very much!"

Then he asked, "By the way, why don't I see Lin Muyang? Shouldn't he be going to Beijing with you?"

She almost forgot that he was also one of those who passed the provincial examination.

"His family came to the capital with us. Now, he and his family are staying in an inn near the Gonggongyuan. I didn't stay in the same inn with him because I wanted to see Pei Zhao and wait for you."

"Oh, I saw Zhao Xingwen on the road when I came to Beijing..."

Speaking of Zhao Xingwen, Su Li remembered that when she met him that day, she only saw him alone, and she didn't know whether his wife went to Beijing with him. If not, she was afraid that the things in the original book would happen again. She had to find out about him. Since she knew what would happen in the original book, she couldn't let an innocent woman be killed.

Pei Ji raised his eyebrows slightly. He still remembered that she had said before that Zhao Xingwen was handsome.

Just as he was about to speak, the carriage stopped and the driver's voice rang out from outside: "Madam Su, we've arrived at Mingyue Restaurant."

"Are we there? Let's go." Su Li got off the car first with quick movements, followed by Pei Ji.

The two entered the private room, and Su Li ordered a table full of delicious dishes, both sweet and spicy.

They picked up their chopsticks and ate quietly.

Pei Ji was a little surprised when he saw Su Li picking up the braised lion's head for the third time. She seemed to like this dish very much, and also liked sweet dishes. He also found that she didn't like vegetables very much. He ordered a plate of green vegetables, but she didn't eat it once.

When we had almost finished eating, the door of the private room opened and the waiter came in with a tray.

He brought two small bowls to the table and said respectfully, "Sir, your 'name on the list' is ready. Please enjoy."

After saying that, he took the tray and left the private room.

On the list?

Pei Ji looked at Su Li with questioning eyes.

Su Li first moved one bowl in front of him, then moved the other bowl in front of herself, and explained with a smile: "This is a custom in the capital. After the candidates come out of the Imperial Examination Hall, they eat a bowl of 'bang shang shang ming', which means they have passed the examination and are on the list."

Although she knew he must be on the list after reading the original novel, since she was already here, it would be okay to eat something. It was also a good wish.

Pei Ji smiled knowingly, looked at the bowl in front of her, then looked at her again, his eyes seemed to be asking: Why do you want to eat it if you don't even know how to try it?

Su Li understood the look in his eyes and replied with a smile, "I haven't tried it yet, I just wanted to see what it tastes like. Who would have thought that 'on the list' is a bowl of sweet-scented osmanthus dumplings."