In the inn.
Lan Ye cleaned the room and made the bed.
Qin Ge was always engrossed in a book, dressed in a gentle blue robe, with a face as beautiful as jade. No one who saw him as a man would associate him with the virtuous concubine he once was in the imperial harem.
"Young Master, the bed is made. You've traveled a long way from Qingzhou to the capital, so please get some rest." Lan Ye finished making the bed, walked to Qin Ge's side, and said respectfully.
"I understand. You should go back to your room and rest early too," Qin Ge said, putting away his book and nodding.
“Young Master…” Lan Ye pursed his lips, a hint of hesitation on his cold and beautiful face.
Seeing this, Qin Ge said, "Lan Ye, if you have something to say, please speak frankly."
Lan Ye: "Then please forgive my overstepping my bounds, young master. Your past identity was special. It was fine when you were in Qingzhou, but after returning to the capital... especially since you are going to participate in the imperial examination, there is a possibility that your identity may be exposed."
Qin Ge understood this principle.
However, as a transmigrator, he was tasked with assisting Jun Chenbi in becoming a wise ruler, which destined him to enter the power center of this dynasty.
There is no turning back; we can only move forward.
Qin Ge smiled slightly, his face gentle and refined: "I will be careful, Lan Ye, you don't need to worry too much."
Lan Ye knew that once the young master made a decision, it was never going to be changed. She curtsied and withdrew, saying, "Yes."
After Lan Ye left, Qin Ge got up from his chair, stretched, then turned off the light and went to bed to rest.
"--don't want!"
Inside the Dragon Palace, the emperor awoke once again from a nightmare.
Eunuch Xia asked with concern, "Your Majesty, are you having another nightmare?"
Jun Chenbi propped his forehead up, his phoenix eyes slightly bloodshot, and asked in a hoarse voice, "What time is it?"
"It's only the second watch of the night," Eunuch Xia replied, noticing the Emperor rubbing his forehead. "Is Your Majesty suffering from another headache? I've recently heard that an old, renowned physician has been traveling to the capital. Perhaps we could summon him to the palace to diagnose Your Majesty?"
"..."
After a long silence, Jun Chenbi spoke: "No need, I will personally leave the palace tomorrow."
·
With the imperial examination approaching, the capital city was bustling and prosperous, with inns fully booked. Students from all over the country gathered in the capital, going to Wenxianlou and Sifangguan every day to discuss classics, talk about the past and present, and exchange their learning experiences.
Qin Ge would often find a spot, order a pot of tea, and sit for several hours, listening to the students engage in lively discussions.
"This year's imperial examinations are truly a gathering of hidden talents. I've heard that not only did Grand Tutor Li's grandson, Young Master Li, take the first place in the preliminary examination, but even a genius from a poor and remote place like Qingzhou has achieved the rare feat of passing all three levels of the imperial examinations with top honors..."
"Young Master Li is the grandson of the Grand Tutor, a fact known to everyone in the capital. And who is this scholar from Qingzhou?"
"I heard that this person's name is Mu Xiange."
"..."
When the gossip got to him, Qin Ge didn't look embarrassed at all. Instead, he was quite calm. He put a piece of silver on the table, got up from the corner, and left the Sifang Pavilion.
Not wanting to be confined by the atmosphere of scientific expeditions, Qin Ge went to sit in the theater, which seemed to offer a unique kind of enjoyment.
Little did they know, the opera troupe was performing "The Legend of the Imperial Concubine".
Qin Ge: "..."
I have mixed feelings.
He listened to the entire performance of "The Legend of the Imperial Concubine" with mixed feelings.
Finally, many young women and wives could be heard wiping away tears, sobbing softly, "The love between the Emperor and Consort is truly moving. His Majesty is so devoted. The harem is still empty, and the Empress's position is vacant. If only Consort Xian could come back to life, sob sob sob..."
Qin Ge: "..."
He left the money for the tea and got up to leave the theater, but the waiter serving the tea didn't see him and almost bumped into Qin Ge. Fortunately, Qin Ge was quick-witted and took a step back.
This step, however, resulted in him stepping back onto someone, his back bumping into a chest.
Qin Ge sensed that the person seemed to be trying to brush him aside, but then froze. He didn't have time to think and quickly turned around to apologize, "I'm sorry..."
At the same time, a shrill voice rang out: "How dare you! You can't even watch where you're going! You bumped into His Majesty... my young master! How many heads do you have to pay for this?!"
Qin Ge was struck dumb, frozen on the spot.
The voice, the tone, the choice of words—it was unmistakably Eunuch Xia's style!
So, in that case, the young master that Eunuch Xia was talking about is...
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