“Really?” Ji Sang exclaimed, then quickly urged, “Then let’s go, let’s go quickly…”

Wen Jian was amused by her anxious expression and lowered his head to kiss her forehead. He chuckled softly, saying, “Don’t be afraid, your man is here.”

Ji Sang: “…”

The night was dark and windy. It was just past the middle of the month, and the moon in the night sky emitted a gentle glow.

The ox cart moved slowly, and the two of them whispered to each other from time to time. Ji Sang felt cold and reached into the man’s embrace for warmth. Her soft little hand rubbed here and there. Suddenly, the man’s breath deepened, and he held her restless hand, his voice hoarse as he said, “Behave.”

Ji Sang immediately stopped moving.

Fortunately, they arrived safely along the way.

When the sky was still dimly lit, the ox cart entered the city.

Wen Jian’s heart also settled down.

The two of them found an inn and entrusted the ox cart to the innkeeper. Wen Jian went back to the room and took a nap with Ji Sang. When they woke up in the afternoon, they engaged in another session while still holding onto the excuse of “pre-exam relaxation.”

Ji Sang: “…”

——

Early the next day, the Spring Imperial Examination began.

After having breakfast, Ji Sang accompanied Wen Jian to the examination center and left only after he entered.

The examination was divided into three sessions, which meant that the candidates would stay in the examination venue for three days without leaving. Leaving the venue meant giving up the examination. So before Wen Jian entered the examination hall, Ji Sang prepared a sachet for him. Inside the sachet was a piece of plum blossom incense, used to refresh the mind.

The stitches on the sachet were incredibly rough. It was supposed to be shaped like a little rabbit, but it didn’t resemble a jade rabbit at all. It looked more like a chubby, overfed rabbit.

Because of this rabbit, Ji Sang pricked her hand several times while sewing, and a drop of blood stained the fabric. She was unhappy about it for a long time and had originally planned to redo it, but Wen Jian insisted on keeping the rabbit as it was.

Instead of spending time on this, it would be more practical to have more intimate moments in bed.

So what if it’s a big rabbit?

At least it’s a unique big rabbit.

However, Wen Jian would be stunned when he received the big rabbit. Although he didn’t understand sewing, Wen Li Shi had mentioned that Ji Sang was the best female worker in the village…

During the actual examination, Wen Jian was immensely grateful to Ji Sang. After entering the examination hall, he realized that in order to ensure fairness, each candidate would be placed in a small cubicle. They would be confined to these cubicles for the three days of the examination, meaning they would eat, drink, and even relieve themselves inside.

Dealing with eating, drinking, and using the facilities alone was already difficult enough, but some candidates were so nervous on the first day of the examination that they ended up vomiting… Since the cubicles were in close proximity to each other, the whole room was filled with a nauseating smell.

This was the case on the first day, and the following two days were even more unbearable.

Even someone as determined as Wen Jian found it hard to endure the smell. Whenever he heard someone in a neighboring cubicle retching, he would hold the big rabbit close to his nose, trying to dispel the disgusting odor and focus on writing with his steady hand.

When he saw the exam questions, his heart was incredibly calm. He recalled Ji Sang’s words and approached this examination with confidence.

——

Wen Jian was taking the exam, so Ji Sang had a relatively leisurely time. In order to facilitate her travels, she bought a set of men’s clothing from a ready-to-wear store and explored the city of Beiliang.

Beiliang City was indeed the imperial capital of Beijin, and it was much more prosperous than the small village. It was also minimally affected by the war, and coupled with last year’s abundant harvest, the people here lived relatively comfortable lives. The streets were bustling with people, and street vendors loudly hawked their goods, creating a lively atmosphere.

Ji Sang strolled around and unexpectedly ran into Jiang Bei and Li Chongyang.

It was Li Chongyang who spotted her first. She looked quite dashing in men’s clothing, and he didn’t recognize her at first glance.

Ji Sang’s eyes flickered between them, and she exclaimed in surprise, “Oh, you didn’t go to the Spring Imperial Examination?”

Li Chongyang replied, “Jiang Bei and I took the military examination, so there was no need for the Spring Imperial Examination.”

Ji Sang nodded and said, “Oh, I see.”

Li Chongyang asked where Ji Sang was staying and where she was planning to go. Ji Sang simply answered his questions. She was just wandering around Beiliang City, listening to everything. With nothing to do in the morning, she was drawn to a tofu workshop and sat on the opposite side of the street to watch. Selling tofu wasn’t particularly unusual, but it was said that this tofu shop was opened by the current Empress Dowager.

Curious, she sat there and listened to gossip.

After hearing the gossip, she went to various shops. There were clothing stores, bamboo workshops, iron workshops, woodworking workshops, as well as various restaurants, inns, and brothels. There was a wide variety of establishments, but she couldn’t find the paper she was looking for. She wanted to see if there were any more advanced methods to make the paper more delicate and white.

Li Chongyang heard that she was just shopping around and suggested, “Wen Ji Shi, if you’re bored in the afternoon, why not come and watch our competition?”

“Competition?”

“Yes.”

Ji Sang later learned that besides the Spring Imperial Examination, Zhu Sima also requested to add a military examination during this reopening of the Spring Imperial Examination in order to recruit talented individuals for the expansion of the army.

Upon hearing this, Ji Sang’s eyes flickered, and a light laughter escaped her throat.

This Zhu Sima was truly…

She couldn’t think of a word to describe him at the moment.

Ji Sang thought she had nothing better to do, so she agreed on the spot.

From then on, whenever Jiang Bei and Li Chongyang had their martial examinations, Ji Sang would go to watch. Every time, Li Chongyang would bring her some preserved fruits, saying they could be her snacks when she got bored.

Ji Sang kept that in mind and when it was time for dinner together in the evening, she invited them to join her.

The martial examination was completely different from the Spring Imperial Examination.

In the martial examination, the goal was to catch the attention of Zhu Sima, so every candidate was like they were on fire. Ji Sang realized that both Li Chongyang and Jiang Bei were formidable contenders. Every punch they threw was fierce and impressive.

Li Chongyang was eliminated in the last two rounds.

But Jiang Bei persisted until the final round.

Li Chongyang didn’t seem affected by his defeat at all. In his words, he came here to practice, and being able to make it into the top four was already satisfying for him.

Ji Sang smiled and said, “A golden talent shines wherever it goes.”

Jiang Bei, who had been quiet all along, asked, “Will Wen Ji Shi come to watch tomorrow? It’s the final round.”

Ji Sang casually replied, “No, tomorrow Wen Jian will be leaving the examination hall. I have to be there waiting for him.”

Jiang Bei hesitated for a moment before uttering a faint “Oh.”

There was a hint of disappointment in his tone.

Ji Sang was thinking about Wen Jian in her heart, so she didn’t pay much attention to it. Seeing that it was getting late, she yawned and said, “It’s getting late. Well… let’s say our goodbyes here.”

Li Chongyang saw that Jiang Bei didn’t say anything and quickly added, “Yeah, okay.”

—

In the afternoon of the second day, Ji Sang saw Wen Jian at the entrance of the examination center.

Before Wen Jian came out, she noticed some candidates looking dejected, some seemed to be delirious and had to be supported as they walked out. But Wen Jian appeared calm and composed, walking briskly towards her.

Ji Sang didn’t ask anything, she simply said, “Tired, huh?”

Wen Jian suddenly leaned his head on her shoulder.

Ji Sang’s back stiffened, and she pushed him away, saying, “Hey… there are so many people here, Wen Jian, aren’t you embarrassed?”

Wen Jian’s voice sounded muffled, “…Don’t move.”

“Give me a good sniff.”

His warm breath brushed against her neck, causing an itchy sensation. Ji Sang, who was sensitive to tickling, instinctively moved her neck backward to avoid it. The man smoothly hooked his arm around her waist, holding her in his arms as if there was no one else around, deeply inhaling several breaths from her neck. His tone unexpectedly carried a hint of grievance.

“It’s really stinky inside. I’m almost suffocating.”

Ji Sang blinked and roughly guessed what had happened. She deliberately sniffed him and then pinched her nose, saying, “Wen Jian, you’re also stinky! You brought the bad smell with you…”

…