The Spring Examination

The last time she had seen him, his face had been black and blue. Now that his injuries had healed, she had not expected him to have such a fresh, handsome face. Only his eyes were dark and deep, revealing the stubbornness and pride she knew so well.

He was unlike the other palace attendants.

"Do you serve at the Ministry of Works?"

"They were short of hands, so I went to help."

She said no more. With Xiao Qinglan's help, she planted the wisteria and watered it.

Zhao Huiluan also set up a target nearby for archery.

Zhang Yunchi came into the palace to teach her.

The Jade Balance Palace's renovations were nearly complete. With its little bridges and flowing water, green lawns and flowers, it was a sight of exquisite beauty.

Zhang Yunchi surveyed the place, nodding repeatedly. After a long while, he uttered a single word.

"Extravagant."

Zhao Huiluan brought out the bow the Silver Workshop had painstakingly crafted for her.

"..."

At the sight of the gemstones set into the bow, Zhang Yunchi fell silent.

Following his instructions, Zhao Huiluan took her stance, lowered her shoulders, nocked an arrow, drew the bow and released, carrying out the whole sequence as smoothly as flowing clouds and water.

The arrow did not fly.

Its tail was still on the string, but its tip drooped toward the ground.

Zhang Yunchi had never seen anything like it. He shook his head, rubbed the tip of his nose, and said, "Allow me to demonstrate for Your Highness."

He stood in the light and shadow and held out a hand. A palace attendant passed him an ordinary bow.

The arrow feathers whistled through the wind, and the arrow struck the bullseye.

The young man raised his brows, his smile confident and flamboyant.

"Watch me!"

Unwilling to admit defeat, Zhao Huiluan raised her bow and arrow again.

Chapter 9: The Spring Examination

Autumn passed and spring arrived. It was now the fortieth year of Yongzhao's reign.

The bow and arrow she held level looked formidable.

Zhao Huiluan released the string. The arrow barely grazed the edge of the target before embedding itself in the dirt.

"Wonderful, Sister!"

The little crown prince bounced up and down, clapping and cheering, his clear eyes filled with blind adoration for his sister.

The four palace maids also cheered, offering their wholehearted support.

Only the young man lying in a chair beneath the wisteria trellis, basking in the sun, covered his eyes in agony.

"Your Highness, I beg you. When you go out, please don't tell anyone I taught you archery."

"It's been six years, and you still miss the target nine times out of ten. Never mind talent—you and archery simply have no affinity at all."

The palace maids fell silent.

The little crown prince covered his mouth and giggled.

Zhang Yunchi suddenly sensed something was wrong. He spread his fingers and peeked through them, only to see a sharp arrowhead aimed straight at his forehead. Startled, he sprang out of his chair. He could hardly get his words out.

"Your, Your Highness, you mustn't! Someone could get killed."

"I can't hit the target, so I might as well try a living target like you."

At thirteen, Zhao Huiluan had blossomed into a graceful young lady. Her face was like a silver platter, her brows like distant blue-green mountains, her lips red and her teeth pearly white. Her large, bright almond eyes shone as she glanced about.

With one eye closed, she moved the bow and arrow to follow Zhang Yunchi's fleeing figure.

He was just about to dart out of the Jade Balance Palace.

"Zhang Yanli, stop right there!"

"Zhao Huiluan, you're being unreasonable again."

Seeing Nianxia and Fudong dart over to block his path, Zhang Yunchi halted with a woebegone look.

Years ago, Zhao Huiluan had tearfully complained to the Yongzhao Emperor that she feared Zhang Yunchi would bully her, and had personally chosen three young girls to be her maids. Two of them knew martial arts. There was also the very clever Lianqiu.

Zhang Yunchi rubbed his nose. Over the years, he had run into a wall with those three more than a few times.

The girl's triumphant laughter came from behind him. He turned to see that Zhao Huiluan had put away her arrow, her smile bright and eye-catching.

"Sister, wipe your hands."

The little crown prince stood on tiptoe and offered her a damp handkerchief.

The seven-year-old was smaller than most children his age. Zhao Huiluan was not worried. In her previous life, her younger brother had been just as small, but he had begun shooting up at ten.

Zhao Huiluan wiped her hands and led her brother to rest beneath the flower trellis.

The two sat side by side, munching apples as they watched Zhang Yunchi.

He had sword-like brows and starry eyes and wore a cloud-satin brocade robe in the latest Yan Capital fashion. The eagle embroidered on its ink-dark teal fabric set off the young man's spirited bearing.

Yet Zhao Huiluan told her brother with great gravity, "That's a good-for-nothing young master. Don't be like him."

The little crown prince nodded obediently.

"If Uncle saw him, he'd break one of his legs for sure."

Zhang Yunchi's retort had already reached his lips, but he swallowed it.

He touched the precious embroidery on the eagle's wings and said, "That's because Your Highness has never seen a real good-for-nothing young master."

"Tell me about him."

"Wen Yan, Wen Qingyu, the number-one good-for-nothing young master in Yan Capital." Zhang Yunchi raised his thumb. "Cockfighting, dog racing, pai gow, dice-there's nothing he doesn't know, except studying."

"Wen Qingyu? Which Wen?"

"What other Wen in the imperial capital could produce someone important?"

Understanding dawned on Zhao Huiluan. "Grand Secretary Wen's..."

"Grandson!" Zhang Yunchi finished for her.

"His son died young, leaving him with just this one precious darling. He dotes on his eldest grandson like the apple of his eye. He went to endless trouble to get him into the Imperial College, and the boy still skips school every day."

Zhao Huiluan listened with great interest. She had paid no attention to Wen Yan in her previous life, though she did remember another young member of the Wen family.

Zhang Yunchi seemed to remember something all of a sudden. He glanced at the sky, immediately broke off, and prepared to leave the palace.

"What is it? Why are you in such a rush?"

"Don't you remember what day it is? The seventeenth of the third month."

Zhao Huiluan's heart suddenly sank.

The seventeenth day of the third month in the fortieth year of Yongzhao's reign was the day the spring examination results were posted.

Zhang Yunchi was hurrying off to see the excitement when Zhao Huiluan called him back. She turned and instructed Xichun, "Escort the crown prince back to the Celestial Jade Palace."

Once they had left, she gave Zhang Yunchi a sweet smile.

"Brother Yanli."

Nothing good ever came of her addressing him that way.

Zhang Yunchi sighed in resignation.

"Come on. I'll take you with me."

Zhao Huiluan hurried back to her room and changed into a lotus-pink gauze dress with a pale-yellow soft gauze shawl. It was understated but suited the spring scenery.

By the time she came out, Zhang Yunchi was already running out of patience.