Ministry of Rites Examination
In October of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, the imperial court held the Ministry of Rites examination.
Inside the Wen residence, the atmosphere was heavy with the pressure of preparing for the imperial examinations. Xuanji noticed that her fellow students—Li Yi, Lu Jingxiu, Du Mubai, and Wen Jue—were all studying day and night, especially Li Yi, whose silhouette was often cast in the window of his study late at night. Thinking of the hardships of the examinations and the cold, damp examination hall, she conceived the idea of sewing some warm clothing. She asked Madam Wen for thick, soft gray cotton cloth and warm silk floss, and also found some plain blue satin with trim.
She didn't think much of it, only considering it a matter of camaraderie among fellow students, and sewed four thick knee pads for everyone. The needlework was taught to her by Madam Wen, and on the inside of each knee pad, she embroidered a tiny orchid standing tall in the wind with light blue silk thread, symbolizing a virtuous man's steadfastness. She stayed up for two nights, quietly finishing them.
That day, Lu Jingxiu, Du Mubai, and Wen Jue were playing chess in the pavilion. She handed the knee pads to the three of them. All three thanked her.
Finally, she waited for Li Yi in the corridor. Xuanji handed him the knee pads wrapped in clean blue cloth and said softly, "Senior Brother Li, the examination hall is cold. You can wear these knee pads; they might keep you warm."
Li Yi paused, his gaze falling on the small package before looking up at Xuanji. He silently took it, his fingertips accidentally brushing against hers, causing both of them to tremble slightly.
"..." He seemed to want to say something, but in the end he only uttered two words: "Thank you." His voice was a few words lower and hoarser than usual, and then he turned and walked away quickly.
Xuanji didn't pay much attention, only thinking he was probably under too much pressure from preparing for the exam. Little did she know, when Li Yi returned to his room, opened the package, and saw the exquisitely crafted, warm, and thick knee pads, especially the orchid on the inner side that held a special meaning, a tidal wave of emotion surged within him. His cold, dormant heart felt as if a piece of burning coal had been thrown into it; an unprecedented warm current, a mixture of surprise, excitement, and disbelief, swept through his entire body.
His feelings shifted from "she forgave me" to "she did have feelings for me." This "special" treatment cast a dazzling yet unsettling light on his tense and lonely world.
On the day he entered the examination hall, he solemnly put on his knee pads. The warmth seemed not only to dispel the chill in his body, but also to strangely soothe his anxious heart.
The Ministry of Rites examination lasted for several days, a grueling process. After it ended, there was a month-long wait for the results to be released.
Once the group had recovered from their fatigue, Wen Tingyun summoned them to his study. He spoke calmly, “This year’s examination questions concerned ‘tracing the origins of the various schools of thought and discussing the application of law to the present day.’ The examinations are over; we can simply await the good news. Today, we will not discuss the results, but only the essays.”
Li Yi's article advocates establishing authority through clear laws and regulations, winning hearts through benevolent governance, and that laws must be just and punishments must also be benevolent.
Lu Jingxiu believed that rites and laws are like yin and yang, and should be used in a balanced way. Rites emphasize education, while laws emphasize punishment. However, good laws need good officials to enforce them, and ultimately, they should be implemented by wise rulers and virtuous ministers.
Du Mubai's arguments were the most incisive, stating that the doctrines of various schools of thought were all tools for governing the country, and that they should be adapted to the times, with strict laws to uphold discipline, directly addressing the ills of the time.
Wen Jue, on the other hand, adhered strictly to the fundamentals of Confucianism, emphasizing that moral education was the foundation, while punishment and administration were the means of application. He believed that the law should not be abolished, but it must be used prudently.
Wen Tingyun commented on each of the authors' articles, and was very pleased. He encouraged Wen Jue to express his own opinions more often in the future.
Xuanji was amazed by the depth and breadth of his senior brothers' discussions on governance and strategy, and felt a profound sense of the vastness of the world, while the poetic sentiments he usually immersed himself in seemed so insignificant in comparison. He couldn't help but recall the lament, "I regret that my robes conceal my poetic verses."
The month-long wait for the results was agonizing for everyone. Li Yi's feelings were particularly complex; he yearned for fame and success, yet the knee brace had instilled in him an unprecedented and secretive longing for Xuanji, causing him to unconsciously search for her. Xuanji, however, remained unfazed, oblivious to anything amiss, continuing her studies and calligraphy practice as usual, occasionally chatting and laughing with Xiang'er.
A month later, on the day the results were released, earth-shattering news arrived:
Li Yi ranked second on the A-list of high school students! Lu Jingxiu ranked thirteenth on the B-list of high school students!
Du Mubai and Wen Jue, however, failed to make the list. But the two were only seventeen years old, in the prime of their lives, and although there was a moment of sadness in their eyes, it quickly turned into a clearer and more resolute determination.
Guests arrived in an endless stream to offer their congratulations, and Li Yi, as the newly crowned runner-up, naturally became the center of attention. He moved among them with impeccable manners, and although he tried his best to maintain his usual composure in his speech, the slight upturn of his lips and the glint in the depths of his eyes revealed his barely suppressed arrogance.
Amidst the congratulations, his gaze kept involuntarily searching through the crowd. Finally, at the corner of the corridor, he spotted that figure in light pink—Xuanji was standing quietly under a crabapple tree, seemingly avoiding the noise.
Li Yi's heart skipped a beat. He found an opening, slipped away, and quickly walked towards her.
"Junior Sister Xuanji," he called out, his voice slightly hoarse from days of fatigue and excitement, yet carrying an unprecedented, indescribable warmth.
Xuanji turned around upon hearing the voice, and seeing it was him, he curtsied and smiled sincerely: "Senior Brother Li, congratulations on passing the imperial examination! Second place on the first-class list, this is truly a great joy."
Looking at her, what came to mind was not the hardships of studying hard, but those thick, warm knee pads, and the orchid on the inside that he had repeatedly caressed, which he believed belonged only to him and symbolized "fidelity" and "elegance".
His gaze grew increasingly intense and complex: "Thank you, junior sister... I have received your kindness. It... is very important to me."
Xuanji was slightly taken aback. The words "heartfelt sentiment" made her feel a strange unease. She had only given him knee pads out of friendship with his fellow disciple, so why was his reaction so...strange? She was puzzled, but she remained polite and lowered her eyes slightly, saying, "Senior brother, you flatter me. It was just a small favor."
Her avoidance and politeness, however, were seen by Li Yi as the shyness and reserve of a young girl.
A few days later, a small banquet was held at the Wen residence, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
Wen Xiang'er, her cheeks bulging from eating, suddenly remembered something and tugged at Xuanji's sleeve beside her. Her voice, neither too loud nor too soft, carried a childlike boastfulness: "Sister Xuanji, the knee pads you made are so good! Senior Brother Du told me the other day that the examination hall was very cold and damp, and thanks to those knee pads, his knees didn't hurt!" As she spoke, she turned to Wen Jue on the other side, "Brother Jue, don't you think so?"
Wen Jue was picking up some food when she heard this. She nodded honestly and smiled gently, "Yes, thank you for your trouble, Junior Sister Xuanji. The knee pads are very warm."
They spoke naturally, completely unaware that anything unusual was amiss at the table.
But to Li Yi, it sounded like a thunderclap from a clear sky!
So... those knee pads weren't just for him?
It turns out that... all those secret cares and blessings that he thought were unique to him were actually his wishful thinking and a complete misunderstanding.
A profound sense of humiliation instantly overwhelmed all his previous joy and excitement. He abruptly looked up, his gaze like a cold bolt of lightning shooting towards Xuanji, his eyes filled with the fury of being deceived.
But in the end, he said nothing, only stood up stiffly, the chair legs scraping against the ground with a harsh sound. He gave a perfunctory bow to Wen Tingyun and his wife in the main seats, his voice cold and hard as iron: "This disciple suddenly feels unwell and must take his leave first."
Having said that, without waiting for a response, he turned around, strode away, leaving everyone at the table in astonishment.
Madam Wen and Wen Tingyun exchanged a meaningful glance, and both sighed inwardly.
In the following days, Li Yi deliberately ignored Xuanji. Xuanji was puzzled by Li Yi's sudden coldness and anger, but then she thought that this man had always been aloof and unpredictable, perhaps his success in the imperial examinations had made him even more arrogant, and he disdained to have anything to do with someone of her background. Although she felt a little wronged, she did not want to delve into it. However, she would try to avoid Li Yi whenever she encountered him afterward.
That night, the flickering candlelight cast a warm, tranquil glow over the room. Madam Wen removed the last hairpin, letting her long black hair cascade over her shoulders, and addressed Wen Tingyun, who was undressing in the mirror, saying, "Husband, would you like to continue reading?"
Wen Tingyun draped his outer robe over the screen, his voice slightly hoarse from lecturing during the day, "Is there something you need, Madam?"
"My lord, during the banquet today, did you see the way Li Yi looked at Xuanji?"
Wen Tingyun paused in his hand as he loosened his belt, pondered for a moment, and then said, "It is only natural for young people to be moved by their feelings. Zi'an is of upright character, and Youwei is intelligent and resilient. In terms of themselves, they are not without their qualities..." He didn't finish his sentence, but his tone revealed a rare gentleness, as if he genuinely felt that the two were a good match.
Madam Wen, however, caught a lingering sense of gravity in his eyes from the mirror: "Husband, if you also think the two of you are a good match, why are you so worried?"
Wen Tingyun turned around, walked behind his wife, gently placed his hand on her shoulder, and sighed, "It's not that I disagree. But... Madam, marriage is not something that can be accomplished simply by mutual affection. Especially for Li Yi, who has such a deeply rooted clan as the Li family of Longxi behind him."
His voice slowed down, revealing a clear worry: "The Li family has strict rules and places great importance on the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate birth and the family's reputation. Although Youwei is already our adopted daughter and is intelligent and talented, her experience in the music academy is, in the eyes of a prestigious family like the Li family, an indelible 'stain'."
“Li Yi is currently in high spirits and naturally feels that everything is possible. However, he is young and of low rank, and has not yet established himself in the clan. How much say can he have against the will of the entire clan?”
Upon hearing this, Madam Wen murmured, "So that's how it is... I thought mutual affection was the best thing, but I forgot that there are many shackles in this world. In that case, it is... a perilous path?"
“Yes.” Wen Tingyun nodded, his gaze fixed on the flickering candlelight, as if he could see the turbulence of the future. “What I fear is that this feeling now will not be the beginning of a good relationship, but rather the source of future suffering. If it really comes to that, Zi’an may still be able to return to the family, but what about Youwei?”
Silence fell in the room, broken only by the crackling of the candle wick.
After a long silence, Madam Wen sighed softly, "Then... what should we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch?"
Wen Tingyun remained silent for a moment, then finally shook his head: "It is not appropriate for us to interfere too much in this matter. Let's just wait and see."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com