First Stirrings of Love

"I never knew you had a Sister Yao."

"She's a cousin from a branch of my maternal grandfather's family, Shen Zhiyao."

Shen Zhiyun raised a finger to her lips and lowered her voice. "Both her parents are dead. Grandfather took pity on her and brought her to the Shen residence before the New Year."

"Look, the carriage is here!"

Chapter 22: First Stirrings of Love

At the cry, everyone looked over. A carriage approached from the far end of the locust-shaded road and drew to a stop right in front of the Gate of Assembled Worthies.

To their surprise, the first person to step out was a man in brocade robes.

Zhao Huiluan was stunned.

Shen Zhiyun checked again and again. There was no mistaking it: this was her family's carriage.

"Miss Shen, we're here."

The man paid no heed to the strange looks behind him. As he stood beside the carriage, his manner, seen from behind, seemed a little eager to ingratiate himself.

"Brother?"

Wen Nihe spoke in disbelief, her feelings complicated for a moment.

A woman in white stepped out of the carriage. Her delicate features were aloof and distant, and a chilly air surrounded her, much like the biting chill of early spring.

As she passed Wen Yan, she glanced down at his foot. "Has your foot injury healed, Young Master Wen?" she asked mildly.

With that, she left an embarrassed Wen Yan behind and walked straight toward the others.

She gave Shen Zhiyun a slight nod, then looked at Zhao Huiluan. "Greetings, Your Highness."

She also greeted the registrar, the professors, and the others, observing every courtesy.

Zhao Huiluan could not help whispering to Shen Zhiyun, "She looks more like Great Scholar Shen's own granddaughter than you do."

"I think so too," Zhang Yunchi murmured in agreement.

Shen Zhiyun gave Zhang Yunchi a reproachful look and said, "So do I."

The group entered the Imperial College, and the registrar showed Zhao Huiluan around as they went, stopping only when they reached the student quarters.

"Please rest well today, Your Highness. Classes will begin tomorrow at the hour of the dragon in the Hall of Exalted Aspirations. If Your Highness has no further instructions, we shall take our leave."

"Wait. Where can the vice director usually be found?"

The registrar was taken aback. "In the west wing of the Hall of Reverent Unity," he hurriedly replied.

After a moment's thought, he added with an ingratiating smile, "Your Highness will see Vice Director Rong tomorrow."

The men's and women's quarters lay along separate eastern and western paths.

Zhao Huiluan parted ways with Zhang Yunchi at the fork and went to the women's quarters with the young ladies from the noble families.

The Imperial College made no exception for her; she shared a room with Shen Zhiyun.

As soon as she entered, she lay down on the bed. The carriage ride had nearly shaken her to death.

"Jianjian, you could at least be a little less obvious. Now everyone knows you came for Vice Director Rong."

Zhao Huiluan smiled without answering.

She rolled onto her stomach and asked Shen Zhiyun, "What sort of person is your Sister Yao?"

"I don't know."

"After she came to the Shen residence, she kept to herself and rarely went out. I hardly ever saw her. I suppose Grandfather was afraid she'd make herself ill from being cooped up alone, so he sent her to the Imperial College."

"Then she and Wen Yan..."

Zhao Huiluan's interest was thoroughly piqued, but before she could finish, a woman shouted sharply outside.

"Get out! As if someone like you were worthy of sharing a room with me!"

"What's gotten into Wen Nihe now?"

Zhao Huiluan leaned over to the window.

Across the way, Wen Nihe threw a bundle out of a room and stood on the steps, looking down her nose at Shen Zhiyao.

A female attendant stood beside her, bowing and scraping as she tried to placate her.

"Do you need me to stand up for your Sister Yao?"

"No need. Who would stoop to squabbling with someone like her?"

Zhao Huiluan raised a brow.

Sure enough, the woman in white calmly picked up her bundle, patted the dust off it, and turned into the room next door.

Wen Nihe grew even angrier, but with nowhere to vent her anger, she could only return to her room and stew.

The next day, Zhao Huiluan was still deep in dreamland when the wake-up gong roused her.

She glanced at the sky. It was gray with dawn, even earlier than when she had attended lessons at the Hall of Literary Glory.

She could not help burrowing back under the covers.

"Zhao Jianjian! If you're late, I'm not waiting for you. The Imperial College's rules are strict. Even if you're a princess of Great Yin, they won't make the slightest exception for you."

Zhao Huiluan forced herself to sit up. Shen Zhiyun was already dressed in the Imperial College students' attire.

Yawning, she entered the Hall of Exalted Aspirations.

Shen Zhiyao sat in the first seat of the leftmost row, and Wen Yan claimed the seat behind her with remarkable speed. Wen Nihe stood beside the third seat, scowling, and the student there hurriedly gave it up when he saw her unfriendly expression.

Zhang Yunchi was in the second seat of the second row from the left. When he saw Zhao Huiluan enter, he waved to her and pointed to the seat in front of him.

Zhao Huiluan headed straight for the empty seat behind him. As soon as she sat down, she slumped over the desk.

"As expected of someone set on an official career through the imperial examinations!"

Eyes half closed, she feebly gave him a thumbs-up.

Shen Zhiyun sat down in the second seat of the middle row, with two rows between her and Zhang Yunchi.

Zhang Yunchi mouthed, "What's wrong with her?"

"She's sleepy."

Rong An entered, and the students immediately straightened in their seats. The Hall of Exalted Aspirations fell silent, not a bird or sparrow making a sound.

"Vice Director."

Everyone stood to greet him. Zhang Yunchi edged slightly to the side, hoping to shield Zhao Huiluan, who was dead to the world with sleepiness behind him.

"Your Highness, please come to the front."

"Your Highness?"

Only after Rong An called twice did Zhao Huiluan open one eye. Resting on her arms, she looked like a bewildered kitten.

"Please come to the front."

Rong An lifted his chin, indicating that she should take the first seat.

Zhao Huiluan came to her senses, and most of her sleepiness vanished in an instant.

She got up to change seats. As she passed Zhang Yunchi, she could not help scolding him under her breath. "Why didn't you wake me?"

Heaven and earth bear me witness! You make it sound as if you'd have woken up if I had!

All morning, Rong An explained the Imperial College's rules to the students. His voice was so pleasant that it made Zhao Huiluan especially sleepy. She forced herself to stay awake until the end, and when everyone around her had left, she was still sitting there.

Rong An gathered his books and walked over to her, looking at the dark circles under her eyes.

"Did Your Highness not sleep well last night?"

Zhao Huiluan shook her head. "I have a little trouble sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. And I've never risen this early before."