Chapter 41: Autumn Examination Results Announced.

Pei Ji was not in a good mood.

Yu Man was stunned; she could sense it.

Even though his movements as he twisted her hair and applied orchid cream were still gentle and meticulous, he didn't hurt her in the slightest.

His expression was clearly normal.

But he felt like the relentless rain outside the window, carrying a damp, cold, and sticky feeling that was hard to avoid.

But she couldn't understand why he had suddenly become so gloomy.

Her words, though spoken offhand and tinged with a hint of probing, were also a subtle form of reassurance. She wanted to tell him that even if they kept things from each other, Yu Man could understand. After all, she hadn't told him about the so-called system either; she wasn't someone who necessarily demanded her partner be completely open with her.

Yu Man thought that he cared about this.

It seems that this is not the case.

The two looked at each other and remained silent for a long time.

Seeing that it was getting late, Yu Man finally lowered her head first. She lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and said with a smile in an almost joking tone:

“You’ve changed,” she said, turning her head to the side. “You used to never ask so many questions.”

After she finished speaking, even Yu Man could hear the complaint in her words, so she stopped talking.

Pei Ji's movements paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, then resumed their smooth flow. The wind blew through the window lattice, extinguishing the lamp wick, and the room seemed a little colder. He didn't speak again, his gaze returning to her hair, applying the last bit of orchid ointment evenly to the ends.

He only stopped moving slowly when all ten fingers were covered with the delicate fragrance of orchids, and when every strand of his hair was smeared with it.

The room was so quiet that only their shallow breathing and the persistent sound of rain outside the window could be heard.

"I understand." He finally spoke, his voice low and steady, revealing no emotion.

He didn't explain what he knew—whether it was that she had noticed his change, or that she was unwilling to talk about it.

After he finished speaking, he wiped his hands clean and took out a simple sachet from his sleeve. The fabric was soft Hangzhou silk, embroidered with a few delicate herbs, and the stitches were fine.

“There are many mosquitoes in summer,” he explained, his tone losing its usual gentleness, but there seemed to be something hidden beneath that gentleness. “Here are some mosquito repellent herbs; keep them with you.”

Yu Man took the sachet, her fingertips unconsciously squeezing it, the herbs inside making a soft rustling sound. "Thank you," she whispered, suddenly feeling the sachet was a little hot to the touch.

Pei Ji then stood up, his movements creating a faint breeze carrying the scent of orchids and herbs. He walked to the door, reached out and opened it, letting in a rush of cool, damp air.

But he did not leave immediately, nor did he look back.

A tall figure stopped in front of the door. Yu Man didn't dare to look at him and could only look at the reflection of his back on the wall.

Silence stretched between them, as if a long time had passed, or perhaps only a moment, before his voice rang out again, clearly piercing through the rain and reaching Yu Man's ears:

“I will not hide anything from you,” he paused, as if choosing his words carefully, “If you want to know, just ask me.”

"I'm only afraid that you have no demands of me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't linger. He stepped into the night and the sound of rain outside the door, gently closing the door behind him. He kept his head down, not daring to look, until the door was completely closed.

...

He seems angry.

Seeing that the host remained silent, the system's electronic voice timidly sounded, and one could even hear its trembling tone.

Yu Man gazed at the tightly closed door and let out a soft sigh: "I know."

[Has he become aware of the system's existence?] The system is on edge; headquarters' first rule is that no one other than the host can know of the system's existence.

It seems it forgot to tell the host this.

"Probably not." Yu Man's denial wasn't entirely certain. Pei Ji was too perceptive; sometimes she wasn't sure how much he had actually discerned.

"What's the reason?" the system asked, puzzled. "Database analysis shows the target's emotions are fluctuating wildly, with negative tendencies."

Yu Man rubbed her temples, burying herself completely in the pillow: "I don't know." She truly didn't know. She didn't know when it started, but sometimes she couldn't understand Pei Ji's thoughts either.

[Could it be because of Zhang Jian?] The system boldly hypothesizes, [According to records, male creatures are prone to developing territorial instincts and anxiety when potential competitors appear.]

Yu Man chuckled, thinking that the system had probably been looking at too many random data packets: "No way." She didn't think Pei Ji was such a jealous person, and besides, she and Zhang Jian were completely unrelated.

System: [That's true, after all, he's the male lead of a harem novel; he's bound to be tolerant.]

After it finished speaking and didn't hear a response from Yu Man, it thought, "Couldn't you have said a few more words? I'm not playing a question-and-answer game."

Yu Man lowered her eyelids, her fingertips unconsciously fiddling with the delicate embroidery on the sachet, the outline of the fragrant herbs almost scraping the hairs off with her nails. "What can I say?" she said softly, with a hint of dejection, "ask him if he wants to become a great general for all time, and end up with three thousand beauties?"

This was what the system had told her, the end of Pei Ji's storyline in the original novel. It was a future that had not yet happened, and might never change. She couldn't deny that it was precisely these plot points that made her always reserved about Pei Ji, hesitant to fully trust him.

At least, she didn't dare to actually ask him—"Pei Ji, who exactly are you? What do you really want to do?"

From Jin Chuchuan, who was of extraordinary status but was quite wary of him, to Prince Ding Li Heng, who treated him differently and came out of gratitude, and then to Xi Queping, who seemed carefree and unrestrained but had a clearly profound background... She wasn't stupid. Connecting these clues was enough for her to guess that Pei Ji's identity was by no means an ordinary person.

"Couldn't he just be an ordinary schoolboy?"

The system poured cold water on the idea: "After all, he's the male lead. According to novel tropes, the female lead isn't necessarily a noblewoman, but the male lead is always a powerful and wealthy young man—a chosen one who falls in love with you."

Yu Man: "Aren't a lot of people complaining about this?"

System: [Complaining doesn't mean you won't watch.]

Yu Man: "That's too harsh a comment."

However, the system rarely saw its host display such obvious distress, and its processing core seemed to exhibit a hint of anthropomorphic hesitation:

[But... the male lead just said that, it doesn't sound like he's joking.] It refers to Pei Ji's line, "I won't hide anything from you."

"Didn't you tell me to be careful of him at the beginning?" Yu Man asked back, his tone carrying a hint of the helplessness of a middle-aged man.

"Be careful, though," the system's electronic voice seemed to carry a hint of conflict. "However..." Its database stored the original plotline and risk warnings, constantly advising it to guide the host along the recommended route and stay away from dangerous individuals. But on the other hand, the data streams it autonomously collected and analyzed clearly showed that, due to the host's intervention and actions, the entire plotline had undergone a significant and irreversible deviation. The two core instructions contradicted each other at their underlying logic.

Forget it. It's given up on thinking about it. It's just a broken system, without even a physical entity. Its probability- and logic-based database simply can't provide a perfect solution to the complex and intertwined emotions and choices humans face. It can only take it one step at a time.

Yu Man ignored the system's silence. She brought the mosquito-repellent sachet to her nose; the bitter herbal scent mingled with a faint, chilling aura belonging to Pei Ji. She closed her eyes; the rain outside the window continued to fall, each drop striking her heart.

...

For two consecutive nights, Yu Man slept very restlessly.

On her first night, she dreamt of the imperial examination results being released. The long list made her dizzy, and she finally managed to find a name that resembled Pei Ji in a corner, but the ink was half-smudged. People around her pointed and whispered, "Look, that's Pei's kid. He's been taking the exam for over ten years and is still just an old scholar..." She woke up with a start, touching her pounding heart and wondering—could a military general end up like this, a scholar?

The second night was even more outrageous. She dreamt that Pei Ji, dressed in tattered beggar's clothes, was squatting by the door of the cookbook, staring longingly at her braised pork pot. She kindly handed him a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), but he burst into tears, saying, "Xiaoman, I'm hungry..." Startled, she sat up with a start, her forehead covered in cold sweat.

Yu Man stared at the tent ceiling, feeling puzzled. How strange! He was supposed to be taking the exam, so why did it seem like she was going through a tribulation? This feeling of trepidation was even worse than losing money.

She held the blanket and pondered for a long time before finally sighing resignedly.

The next day, Yu Man glanced at the lunch laid out on the table—a plate of stir-fried lettuce, a bowl of vegetarian stew with three kinds of mushrooms, a bowl of vegetable and tofu soup with no visible oil, and even the only dish that could be considered meat, the steamed egg, was only sprinkled with a few chopped green onions. She held her chopsticks, not moving for a long time.

The food the cook brought was so bland that it made Yu Man question her existence. It wasn't that the food was bad; the cooks at the Xi family were certainly skilled. But this kind of bland, watery food, devoid of any meat or oil, was still a bit unaccustomed to Yu Man, who was used to rich, flavorful dishes.

Looking at the vibrant green dishes on the table, she finally couldn't bear it any longer and put down her chopsticks.

"I'll do it myself."

The maid who brought the food reminded her, "Madam, there's no more food left in the kitchen."

How could such a grand mansion be without food?

There really wasn't one; she went to check on the very first day, not believing it herself.

Yu Man sat down again and said, "Let Gu Qiu come."

The system chimed in at the opportune moment: [Host, you've given in already?]

She replied in her mind, expressionless: "What do you know, you electronic pet who doesn't need to eat? This is called being pragmatic. Only a fool would neglect his own stomach just to spite you."

Yu Man packed up several exquisite pastries she bought from the night market in the prefecture, as well as an adorable, almost melted little sugar figurine, and had Gu Qiu deliver them to Pei Ji.

Watching her actions, the system couldn't help but ask, "Is she... trying to comfort me?"

Yu Man patted the non-existent crumbs off her hands and said calmly, "No, this is a reconciliation notice."

When Gu Qiu carried the package into the study, Pei Ji was silently reciting scriptures to calm his mind.

When Pei Ji unwrapped the items—pastries wrapped in oil paper, a sugar figurine with its head tilted to one side, and a few other interesting little trinkets—he found them.

Gu Qiu tried his best to keep a straight face and earnestly praised Madam Yu: "Your Majesty, it must be because Madam Yu is so thoughtful. Seeing that you were in a bad mood the other day, she specially found these popular foods and trinkets from the prefecture to cheer you up. Madam Yu is truly very caring towards you..." He racked his brains to find words of praise.

Pei Ji's gaze swept over the pile of messy things, finally settling on the silly-looking sugar figurine, and a hint of tenderness seemed to melt in his eyes. He put down his pen and said to Gu Qiu, "Go tell the cook that there's no need to prepare lunch today."

Gu Qiu was taken aback: "Are you going out for a meal? Or...?"

"I'll cook," Pei Ji said casually.

Gu Qiu felt it necessary to remind him: "You're going to compete tomorrow!" At this crucial moment, shouldn't you be burning the midnight oil to review your lessons? What's the point of cooking?

Pei Ji looked up at him, his expression clearly stating—what impact does this have?

Gu Qiu: "..." Fine, I'll pretend he didn't say anything. It's best for him to refrain from interfering in matters concerning his master, especially those involving Lady Yu.

Dinner was once again served in the small courtyard where Yu Man was temporarily staying. The dishes were simple yet exquisite: a bowl of chicken soup with the surface oil skimmed off, and several refreshing side dishes, all prepared by Pei Ji. The two sat facing each other as they ate, and Pei Ji ladled soup for her.

The two ate in silence. The atmosphere was more relaxed than the previous two days, but there was still a subtle tension.

Yu Man had almost finished eating. She put down her chopsticks and looked up at Pei Ji across from her. She carefully chose her words, then spoke slowly, her tone unusually serious:

“What you told me a few days ago,” she was referring to his statement that “I will not hide anything from you,” “I have thought about it carefully these past few days.”

Pei Ji paused slightly in his chopsticks and looked up at her.

Yu Man met his gaze and continued, "Actually, I'm a person who... hates trouble." She paused, as if organizing her thoughts and searching for the most accurate expression, "I don't like guessing games, and I don't like having things on my mind, feeling unresolved."

Pei Ji listened quietly, his fingers gripping the chopsticks tightening almost imperceptibly.

However, Yu Man changed the subject: "So, those things that might be hard to explain in a short time, or that would be troublesome to talk about," she looked at him with clear eyes, "can you tell me about them slowly after the results of the autumn imperial examination are released?"

She paused for a moment: "But right now, your most important thing is to focus on the autumn examination. Put everything else aside for now."

Pei Ji gazed at her, a turbulent emotion surging in his eyes, his taut jawline slowly relaxing. It seemed to take him a moment to fully grasp the meaning behind her words—not rejection, not aloofness.

Yu Man looked at him and suddenly realized that she could read his mind at that moment, so she couldn't help but smile: "After all, I want to be the Prime Minister's wife."

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and after a moment of silence, he uttered a single word: "Okay."

On the day of the autumn imperial examination, the area outside the examination hall was teeming with people and congested with carriages. Scholars from all over gathered here, some full of ambition, others with solemn expressions, while their families and servants who came to see them off blocked the streets. The autumn imperial examination consisted of three sessions, each lasting three days. Candidates had to bring their examination permits, sufficient writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as food that could be stored for a long time, such as steamed buns and dried meat. They had to undergo a search before being allowed to enter the examination hall, where conditions were even more arduous.

Yu Man got up very early and personally checked Pei Ji's belongings countless times: brand new writing brushes and ink, a thick stack of standard test papers, dried meat and long-lasting pastries wrapped in small oil paper, and refreshing mint balm. She even carefully checked whether the test basket was damaged. Pei Ji watched her with a smile from the side.

Once ready, the two boarded the carriage, but their journey ended at the intersection of Gongyuan Street. Yu Man wanted to get out and see him to the door, but Pei Ji stopped her. "It's too crowded and chaotic outside, no need to get out." He lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, letting her glimpse the bustling scene outside.

Yu Man glanced at the surging crowd and nodded honestly: "Okay, I'll come pick you up after the last exam."

The moment the carriage curtain closed, Pei Ji's gentle smile faded slightly, and his gaze turned in one direction. He saw Zhang Jian, dressed in a worn blue robe, alone with no servants or attendants, carrying his examination basket. His demeanor was serene and aloof; he should have been inconspicuous in the crowd. However, many scholars around him pointed and whispered about the Zhang family of the capital, clearly indicating that his reputation had already spread among the scholars.

As if sensing something, Zhang Jian looked up and his gaze met Pei Ji's. His pale eyes were calm and serene as he gave Pei Ji a slight nod.

Pei Ji remained expressionless, nodded in return, then turned and followed the crowd into the examination hall. Zhang Jian silently followed a short distance behind, the two figures disappearing into different examination cells.

Three exams, nine days of agonizing waiting. When the last exam ended, the entrance to the examination hall was packed with anxious family members. Yu Man was already waiting at the agreed-upon place. As soon as she saw Pei Ji emerge with the crowd, though his face showed obvious fatigue, his eyes remained clear and calm. She immediately went to greet him, took the lighter examination basket from his hands, and asked no further questions.

"Are you tired? Get in the car quickly. I ordered food from Zhenxiulou Restaurant. It should be delivered soon." She only chattered about interesting things about the food stalls and gossip from the neighborhood, never mentioning how the exam went.

Back in the courtyard, Pei Ji bathed and changed clothes. Just then, the food from Zhenxiulou arrived, all of which Yu Man had ordered in advance according to his tastes. At the table, the two discussed their return date and decided to return to Dongqing County in a couple of days.

The carriage stopped on a familiar street in Dongqing County, and Yu Man got off carrying the large and small bags he had brought back from the prefectural capital. The familiar aroma of food wafted from the food stalls, mingled with Xiu Xiu's clear laughter.

"Dad, Aunt Xiang, I'm back!" she called out.

Yu Chengfu was wiping the table with a rag when he heard the sound. He immediately looked up, his face breaking into a smile. He threw down the rag and rushed over to greet her: "Daughter's back! Are you tired on the way? Come in and rest!" He took the things from her hands quickly.

Deng San Niang slowly walked out of the kitchen, supporting her back, with a gentle smile on her face: "Is everything going smoothly in the prefecture?" She carefully observed Yu Man's expression, as if trying to discern something from it.

Xiu Xiu rushed over like a little cannonball and hugged Yu Man's leg: "Sister! I missed you!"

The family entered the back room in a lively atmosphere. After sitting down, Yu Chengfu rubbed his hands together, his eyes darting around a few times, but he couldn't help himself and asked casually, "Um...where's Pei Ji? Did he go back to the village? Is everything alright with him in the prefecture?" His tone was clearly probing, afraid of saying the wrong thing.

There have been quite a few storytellers in the county these past few days. After listening to them for a while, they finally understood how difficult the autumn imperial examinations were, and couldn't help but worry about Pei Ji.

Deng Sanniang quietly tugged at Yu Chengfu's sleeve, quickly trying to smooth things over, her tone deliberately light: "Hey, why ask such questions! Erlang is still young and has a good foundation in learning. If he doesn't succeed this time, he can take the exam again next time. There's plenty of time!" As she spoke, she turned to Yu Man and said softly, "Aman, don't take it to heart. In the imperial examinations, seven parts depend on ability and three parts on luck."

Looking at her father's hesitant expression, as if afraid of saying the wrong thing, and Aunt Xiang's cautious and comforting look, Yu Man felt both amused and warm. She understood that her family all thought Pei Ji must have failed the exam and were afraid of disappointing and upsetting her. She didn't point it out, but just smiled and nodded: "Yes, he went back to Xingcheng Village. The prefecture is doing well, and the business negotiations are going smoothly. Father, Aunt Xiang, don't worry so much, I know what I'm doing."

Pei Ji also returned to his home in Xingcheng Village. His mother was already standing at the gate, looking around. When she saw her son, she immediately went to greet him, took his hand and looked him up and down, her eyes filled with undisguised heartache: "Guanzhen is back! You look a little thinner. You must not have eaten or slept well in the prefecture! I made you some chicken soup. Come in quickly!"

The dining table in the main room was indeed laden with sumptuous dishes, a stark contrast to the cautious atmosphere at the Yu family's place. Pei's father sat in the main seat, holding a scroll in his hand. When his son entered, he merely raised his eyelids and hummed in greeting through his nose before his gaze returned to the scroll, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

At the dinner table, Pei's mother kept putting food on her son's plate, chatting about trivial matters in the village, but never mentioning the imperial examinations. Pei Ji ate quietly, occasionally responding with a few words.

After the meal, as Pei's mother was clearing away the dishes, Pei Ji put down his teacup and said in a calm voice, "I have purchased a courtyard house in Dongqing County. I will move there another day."

Upon hearing this, Pei's mother smiled knowingly: "Great! Dongqing County is lively and convenient. Many villagers have also gone to the county, which is close to... close to Aman, so they can look after each other." She knew perfectly well that Guanzhen's decision was probably for Aman's sake.

Pei's father tightened his grip on the book slightly, his brows furrowing habitually, as if he wanted to say something. His lips moved slightly, his gaze sweeping over Pei Ji and Pei's mother's faces... In the end, he only let out a heavy hum, lowered his head even further, stared at the pages, and mumbled indistinctly, "...Whatever you want."

Seeing her husband's angry but unable-to-speak expression, Pei's mother felt both amused and relieved, knowing that he had at least been temporarily subdued on the surface.

"Once your father and I have settled things here, we'll move in!"

The move went very quickly. The small courtyard was in a quiet alley not far from the food shop. Mother Pei touched the pomegranate tree in the courtyard and liked it very much. Father Pei glanced at the specially opened library and did not complain.

From then on, Pei Ji frequently appeared at Manxin Restaurant to help out, whether settling accounts or greeting customers. His demeanor was composed and his temperament was outstanding. The neighbors then realized that this capable and talented young lady Yu actually had such a handsome and virtuous fiancé whom she had been betrothed to since childhood, which inevitably sparked another round of envy and gossip.

Time slipped by quietly in the ordinary yet fulfilling days. In the blink of an eye, it was time for the autumn imperial examination results to be announced. Yu Manben and Pei Ji had agreed to go to the prefectural capital together to see the results, treating it as a kind of sightseeing trip.

However, before they could set off, at noon that day, when the food stall was bustling with activity, a loud gong and drum sound suddenly came from the street corner, growing louder as it approached! Several messengers dressed in official robes and with red ribbons tied around their waists, carrying large red victory reports, came in a grand procession, accompanied by a group of yamen runners, beating gongs and drums, heading towards the food stall!

It turned out that they first went to the Pei family in Xingcheng Village, only to find no one there. They then learned that Pei Ji often ate at his fiancée's restaurant, so they came looking for him.

The commotion attracted people from all over the street; diners, waiters, and neighbors all poured out, crowding around and discussing the scene.

The lead messenger's gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling precisely on Pei Ji, who was rolling up his sleeves and helping to serve dishes. He strode forward and, under the shocked, envious, and incredulous gazes of everyone, shouted loudly at Pei Ji, his voice booming and echoing throughout the entire street:

"Congratulations, Young Master Pei, on achieving first place in the Laizhou provincial examination—the top scholar!"

In an instant, all was silent, then a louder clamor and congratulations erupted!

Yu Chengfu dropped the rag in his hand, and Deng Sanniang, clutching her back, gaped with disbelief. Shanniang peeked out from the kitchen, and Amao and Xiuxiu were so excited they almost jumped up.