Lin Qingti took his seat calmly and smiled, nodding to the people around him.
Gao Dexiang’s face turned ashen. He collapsed into his chair, nearly needing someone to pinch his philtrum.
That Lin Qingti had been the top scholar after passing all three levels of the imperial examinations! He was brilliant, learned, talented, handsome, virtuous, and—
Well, who could possibly compete with him?
And yet, beside him sat a clueless wretch whispering in his ear, “Father, make sure you crush him later and leave him utterly humiliated!”
Gao Dexiang: Son, please use your brain. The one getting humiliated later is probably going to be your father.
The final round, which would determine the winner, officially began: poetry, lyrics, and literary composition!
Wine Judge: “Fine wine, an old man, and willow trees. Combine these three words and compose a poem.”
Gao Dexiang held his breath. The gears in his mind spun furiously. After racking his brains and exhausting every scrap of knowledge he had accumulated in his lifetime, he finally composed a poem he found satisfactory!
Lin Qingti remained as calm as a gentle breeze beneath a cloudless sky. After pondering for a moment, he composed several poems, each from a different perspective and in a different mood. “Which one would everyone like to hear?”
First blood!
Wine Judge: “A donkey, fine wine, a scholar, and the setting sun. Each line must use one of these words. One person composes one line, and together you will make a poem. Whoever cannot continue loses.”
Gao Dexiang suppressed his panic and once again squeezed every ounce of talent from his mind. Only then did he realize that he had studied too little and had nothing to draw upon when it mattered. Regret gnawed at him, and the more he wrote, the less confident he became!
Lin Qingti, meanwhile, was perfectly at ease. Inspiration flowed through his mind like a babbling stream, inexhaustible and ever-renewing. The more he composed, the bolder he became!
Double kill!
Wine Judge: “Using the name of your own brewery as the title of a ci lyric, compose a piece centered around that brewery.”
Gao Dexiang was drenched in sweat. Having lost two rounds in a row, he figured he was going to lose anyway, so he decided to give up and preserve what little hair he had left. He began scribbling nonsense.
Lin Qingti already had victory in hand. As he composed his lyric, he was delighted that he had helped Yaoyao, while also lamenting that his opponent’s literary talent was truly lacking. Winning had been as easy as playing house…
Triple kill!
Gao Dexiang: I’m doomed!
Gao Chongguang, the little troublemaker who had just been loudly boasting and acting arrogantly toward Lin Qingti during the literary contest, fell silent in embarrassment. He consoled his father, “He can do nothing but read a few books, compose a few poems, and look a little handsome. He only became a minister through luck, and he has a niece who is a consort. In what way is he better than you, Father?”
“At least you have me, a son with limitless prospects!”
Gao Dexiang’s mood became even worse.
Lin Qingti clasped his hands modestly. “Vice Minister Gao, you let me win.”
Though Gao Dexiang’s skin was thicker than most people’s, he could not help feeling ashamed at that moment. “Minister Lin’s literary talent is truly extraordinary. This subordinate is thoroughly convinced.”
Behind the screen, Yun Yaoyao, who had watched the entire competition, remarked, “What a gloriously thorough humiliation!”
The surrounding commoners erupted in cheers. They were all thoroughly impressed by the two poems and one lyric Lin Qingti had composed. Several bashful young women even tossed sachets toward him to express their affection.
The people from Dukang Pavilion looked ashen, while those from Cup Immortal were overjoyed. The two breweries disliked each other even more now. Somehow, one of them must have triggered a mechanism, because the two sides began fighting again.
The Wine Judges were exhausted to the point of collapse. “Stop fighting! Stop fighting! You really need to stop!”
After comforting his father, Gao Chongguang decided to vent his frustration. He sneakily slipped into the crowd, picked up a sachet, and threw it at Lin Qingti.
Lin Qingti had originally been calm and composed, but after dodging the flying sachets and the enthusiastic commoners trying to arrange marriages for him, he was now looking rather disheveled, his face flushed crimson with embarrassment.
Every kind of person was on display. It was the most vivid scene one could imagine on the streets of the capital.
Yun Yaoyao found herself watching, completely absorbed.
Suddenly, without the slightest warning, goose-feather snow began falling from the sky. Pure white flakes drifted down across the world, freezing the scene in place.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.
Yun Yaoyao also raised her head to watch the swirling snow and murmured, “Winter has come so early this year…”
She remembered that in the original novel, an abnormal phenomenon had occurred during one winter in Yan Chi.
For seven days, the weather would remain warm and sunny, filling the people with hope for the coming winter. Then a sudden cold wave would strike, followed by seven days and seven nights of heavy snow that would destroy countless hopes.
Tushan Ze and Du Guanliu would seize the opportunity to incite a rebellion and usurp the throne. They would intercept the relief grain, coal, and winter clothing dispatched by the imperial court. They would even hoard these supplies themselves and profit from the disaster.
During those seven days, countless commoners and livestock would freeze or starve to death. Once the seven days had passed, not a single beggar could be seen on the streets. All that remained were frozen corpses.
A cold light entered Yun Yaoyao’s eyes. She stretched out her hand, and the snow landed in her palm before quickly melting into nothingness.
She had already given Pei Qian strict orders to stockpile grain, coal, and winter clothing on a large scale. The various regions in northern Yan Chi had received the same orders.
The construction of the canal would also have to be accelerated…
This winter, she absolutely would not allow a tragedy in which “the roads were littered with frozen corpses” to happen!
Tu Shanjin also raised his head toward the sky. The snowy whiteness was reflected in his eyes, releasing wisps of gentle light.
This was the first snow he and the Book of Life and Death had shared.
If two people weathered the same snow together today, then perhaps they could be considered to have grown old together.
The road beneath his feet had always been rough and arduous. Fortunately, he had met her. From now on, only flowers and smooth roads awaited him.
Now, in her place, he would do everything in his power to protect her and give her the most beautiful and wonderful things in the world!
Snow gathered on both their shoulders, and both of them were lost in their own thoughts.
Gao Dexiang, however, looked up at the snow and felt even colder inside.
He had lost the brewery competition. Fifty years of work at Dukang Pavilion had gone up in smoke. How was he supposed to explain this to Minister Du?
In the midst of his despair, a voice sounded beside him. “Vice Minister Gao, an honored guest wishes to see you.”
Half an incense stick later, in a private room at the restaurant, Gao Dexiang and Gao Chongguang stared at Yun Yaoyao, who sat in the seat of honor, their mouths hanging open.
Gao Dexiang: “Your Majesty?!”
Fortunately, he had always been cautious and had never offended anyone when traveling outside. But why did His Majesty keep sneaking out of the palace?
Gao Chongguang: “Your Majesty?!”
He hurriedly tried to recall whether he had used that heedless mouth of his to offend His Majesty just now…
Yun Yaoyao nodded with a smile. “Yes, it’s me. Surprised? Sweating bullets now?”
“There is no need to be so formal. I did not expect to run into Vice Minister Gao and Director Gao today, so let us have a simple meal together.”
Gao Chongguang immediately abandoned his father and sidled up to Yun Yaoyao with a fawning smile.
Gao Dexiang, meanwhile, ate the meal nervously, imagining countless possibilities in his mind.
Who would have thought that His Majesty would truly leave as soon as the meal was over? He had not said a word during the entire meal, either. It seemed that he really had only invited the two of them to dine with him on a whim.
Gao Dexiang frowned in deep thought.
Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. He just could not figure out what.
At that moment, Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin were already seated in the carriage heading back to the palace.
Halfway through the journey, the carriage suddenly stopped. The Dragon Shadow Guard driving it turned around and said, “Young Master, please wait. Our carriage has come face-to-face with the one approaching from the opposite direction. I will clear the way immediately.”
A clear and gentle voice came from the other carriage. “Wang Qing, make way. Article 136 of Yan Chi’s laws states that when two carriages meet, the one without an obstruction must yield first. We should be the ones to give way.”
The coachman of the other carriage immediately climbed down and led the horses aside, making room for Yun Yaoyao’s carriage to pass.
The carriage continued toward the imperial palace.
Yun Yaoyao sighed. “That person can actually recite the laws of Yan Chi from memory. If I weren’t in such a hurry to return to the palace, I would really like to test her and see whether she has what it takes to become a female litigator.”
Tu Shanjin replied to her, “Article 136 of the Yanchi Code concerns the abduction of hostages. Driving the carriage is the coachman’s job. Since she went out of her way to mention it, she must have been taken hostage and was trying to call for help.”
Yun Yaoyao was startled. She immediately sent the Dragonshadow Guards after the carriage, instructing them to act according to the circumstances.
By the time they returned to the imperial palace, dusk had already fallen.
The Ministry of Justice sent word that half of the Xiongnu Death Riders had been captured, and the ministry was currently trying to force them to talk.
As Yun Yaoyao happened to have nothing else to do, she took Tu Shanjin with her to the prison to see the Death Riders.
The Xiongnu Death Riders had been separated and locked in different cells. They had all endured torture and interrogation, yet their eyes remained fierce and fearless. Not one of them had revealed any information.
Yan Qinghong wiped the blood from his face and body before stepping forward respectfully. “Your Majesty, these Death Riders fear nothing at all. In my experience, I’m afraid we may not be able to extract any intelligence from them in the end…”
Inside the cells, several Death Riders suddenly charged toward Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin. Their bodies slammed heavily into the iron bars, producing a piercing clang.
They roared insults in the Xiongnu tongue, deliberately provoking them without the slightest fear. Their rough laughter echoed throughout the entire dungeon.
Yan Qinghong hurriedly lashed one of them to the ground. Instead, the Death Riders became even more spirited, displaying an utter disregard for life and death.
Yun Yaoyao frowned and fell into deep thought.
Tu Shanjin adopted the thought process of the Book of Life and Death. “Perhaps we could have Gao Chongguang curse them for three days and three nights. We might get something out of them that way?”
“We could try it, but there’s no need.”
Yun Yaoyao put her clever little brain to work. After thinking and thinking, she actually came up with a method that might work.
She summoned Yan Qinghong and instructed him in a low voice, “Find some people who can sing Xiongnu folk songs and play the hujia and pipa.”
Yan Qinghong looked somewhat puzzled.
“After subjecting them to torture, have them sing a few heartrending Xiongnu songs and play some hujia and pipa music that will stir their homesickness.”
Yan Qinghong continued listening.
“The Xiongnu have a special bond with horses, which they regard as spiritual companions. Select a few horses with strong spiritual sensibilities and put them in the cells to keep the prisoners company.”
Yan Qinghong seemed to understand.
“There is a palace attendant in the harem named Wu Tingshou who can communicate with beasts. Have her speak with the horses afterward.”
“Oh, and there is also a palace attendant named Xia Ruichu in the harem whose hearing and eyesight are both far beyond those of ordinary people. Have her blend into the cell next door. We may get an unexpected result.”
Yan Qinghong’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant! Truly brilliant!”
“Your Majesty is indeed the true Son of Heaven, wise and discerning beyond anything this humble minister could ever hope to match!”
Yun Yaoyao smiled, then thought of something else. “Oh, right. Bring my Rice Bucket over too. It eats so much fodder every day—it’s time it put all that food to good use.”
Over in the imperial stables, Rice Bucket was noisily stuffing itself with fodder. At that moment, it let out a loud snort and uneasily scraped its hoof against the ground.
Could that two-legged creature be planning to cause trouble again…?
