The next morning.
At the break of dawn, Gu Wuyou groggily rubbed her eyes and got out of bed.
The room was warm, so she only wore a thin inner garment and stepped into her wooden clogs, yawning sleepily.
Bai Lu, who always woke up early, heard the noise and entered. Seeing that Gu Wuyou was already up, she gasped, “My little ancestor! Why are you up so early again?”
“I have something to do today and need to head out early,” Gu Wuyou said in a hoarse voice, still not fully awake. But she forced herself to stay alert and continued, “Help me bring over the clothes I’ll wear today. Mm, I need to wash my face.”
“What’s so important that you have to wake up this early? The weather is freezing—you might as well sleep a bit longer…”
Bai Lu wanted to persuade her a little more, but seeing how determined Gu Wuyou was, she could only sigh and call for the maids to help. Once everything was prepared, Gu Wuyou asked Hong Shuang to bring over the items on the table.
While retrieving them, Hong Shuang happened to notice a locked box.
She had actually seen it a couple of days ago but hadn’t had the chance to ask about it. Now, as she carried the items over, she pouted playfully, “County Princess, you used to tell us everything, and now you even have your own little secrets.”
Gu Wuyou, still half-asleep, looked at her in a daze before finally laughing. “I just won’t tell you.”
Inside the box were her daily journal about the Great General and that bamboo token—no way she was letting them find out.
For all this time since she had woken up, aside from the memories of her past life, she had completely forgotten her real age, acting just like an innocent young girl. Seeing Hong Shuang puff up her cheeks in frustration, she reached out and poked her in the face. When Hong Shuang pouted even more angrily, Gu Wuyou chuckled and coaxed, “I’ll bring back some delicious treats for you later.”
Hong Shuang turned away with a huff. “As if we’ve never had good food before.”
Gu Wuyou grinned. “What about candied hawthorn from the capital? You don’t want any?”
Hong Shuang’s expression wavered for a moment before she awkwardly muttered, “One skewer… I don’t want more.”
“I’ll buy you two.” Gu Wuyou coaxed with a soft voice. “Bai Lu gets some too.”
Calculating the time, afraid she might be late, Gu Wuyou stopped chatting and hurried out as soon as Bai Lu finished fastening her cloak. While walking, she reminded them, “If the sun comes out, help me dry the plum blossoms I picked the other day.”
Once they were dried—
Her sachet should be ready too.
“Got it.”
“Be careful walking, don’t trip,” Bai Lu reminded worriedly as she watched Gu Wuyou disappear into the distance.
Sighing softly, she let the curtain fall back into place and returned inside. “The County Princess has really changed compared to before.”
Hong Shuang, however, wasn’t as sentimental. She simply said, “Isn’t that a good thing?” While tidying up, she added, “Before, the County Princess only ever revolved around that Zhao fellow, without any life of her own. Now she’s making friends, going to school, and living happily and vibrantly.”
Bai Lu glanced at Hong Shuang and, after a moment, smiled. “You’re right.”
—
When she arrived at yesterday’s alleyway, the place was just as lively as before.
Having been there once, Gu Wuyou was somewhat familiar now. She smiled as she passed by, whether at strangers or the people she had met before.
Old Zhang was busy preparing wonton soup. When he saw her approaching, he was momentarily surprised before breaking into a grin. “Why are you here so early today?”
“Mm…”
Gu Wuyou had hurried over early because she was worried she might miss seeing the Great General. Now, she glanced at the blue cloth curtain and awkwardly asked, “Um, Uncle Zhang, has… has he come yet?”
He?
Uncle Zhang was momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, he realized who she was referring to and smiled, “You mean Young Master Li? He hasn’t come yet.”
He ladled a bowl of wonton soup and handed it to an elderly woman waiting at the side before turning back to Gu Wuyou with a smile. “Young Master Li doesn’t come every day.”
“He has many places to go, but he does stop by here about ten times a month.”
“Ah?”
Gu Wuyou was caught off guard.
How could she have been so foolish? No matter how delicious the food was, it was impossible for someone to eat it every single day… Realizing that she had woken up early for nothing and still wouldn’t be able to see the Great General, she felt a little disappointed.
Her emotions were always written all over her face.
Seeing the young lady looking so crestfallen, Uncle Zhang didn’t quite know what to do. He could only try to comfort her, “Why don’t you come inside and sit for a bit? It’s freezing out here—have some soy milk and steamed buns to warm up. Who knows, maybe by the time you finish eating, Young Master Li will show up?”
Gu Wuyou quickly asked, “Then what time does he usually come?”
“Well…”
Uncle Zhang hesitated for a long while, but under her expectant gaze, he finally answered truthfully, “At this time, Young Master Li usually would have already arrived.”
Gu Wuyou sighed. That was the last bit of hope gone.
If the Great General hadn’t arrived by now, he probably wasn’t coming today.
Though she was disappointed, it wasn’t too bad—it wasn’t like she wouldn’t ever see him again. Regaining her composure, she forced a smile and said, “Then, Uncle Zhang, I’ll trouble you for a bowl of savory soy milk and some steamed buns.”
“Of course, of course. Come inside and have a seat,” Uncle Zhang said with a smile. “I’ll bring it over in just a moment.”
Gu Wuyou nodded and went inside.
Perhaps because there were fewer people buying breakfast today, Uncle Zhang brought her meal in almost as soon as she sat down. The steaming hot soy milk and buns were placed before her, but before she could eat, she suddenly remembered the other reason she had come today.
She quickly reached into her small satchel and handed Uncle Zhang the stack of papers her Third Brother had given her.
“What’s this?” Uncle Zhang, who couldn’t read, was momentarily bewildered as he took the thick stack of pages.
“I overheard you and the Great…Qilang talking about the Luming Academy exam yesterday. My Third Brother studied there before, so when I got home, I asked him for some materials,” Gu Wuyou explained, taking a sip of the hot soy milk. It was scalding, but it warmed her stomach instantly, driving away the morning chill.
“Third Brother said that the Four Books and Five Classics are things most scholars already have, so instead, he gave me his own notes. There are also some past essay questions from the academy’s previous exams.”
“T-This… This…”
Uncle Zhang held the precious stack of papers, his hands trembling.
He didn’t even know what to say, except to keep thanking her over and over.
Gu Wuyou felt embarrassed by such gratitude. Her face turned red as she waved her hand. “I really didn’t do much. You don’t have to be so formal.”
Uncle Zhang still wanted to say more.
But just then, someone outside called for him.
Gu Wuyou quickly said, “Uncle Zhang, you should go.”
Uncle Zhang carefully cradled the papers as if they were priceless treasures and nodded. “Then… you enjoy your meal.”
“Alright.”
Gu Wuyou nodded and only relaxed once Uncle Zhang had stepped outside.
Now that she was alone again, even the delicious soy milk in front of her seemed to lose its taste.
—
Outside, Uncle Zhang was still holding the stack of papers with nowhere to put them. There weren’t many customers around, just a few people returning borrowed bowls after washing them. He hesitated for a moment, thinking that perhaps he should have someone send these precious documents home first.
Before he could act, a lazily familiar voice interrupted him.
“What’s that?”
“Huh?”
Uncle Zhang looked up in surprise and saw Li Qinyuan standing there. It took him a moment to register the sight before him. “Why are you here at this hour?”
“Mm.”
Li Qinyuan didn’t answer immediately.
He had no idea what was wrong with him today.
He wasn’t particularly hungry, and he had been feeling especially tired—but despite turning over and over in bed, he had still ended up coming out here.
If it was just for food, there were plenty of breakfast stalls near the academy that served decent meals. Yet somehow, he had ended up here, as if possessed by some strange force.
Uncle Zhang, however, didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. Instead, he casually remarked, “Your little girl is here.”
“What?”
Li Qinyuan was stunned.
“That little girl from yesterday,” Uncle Zhang continued, “She’s still inside eating. You should’ve seen her face when she found out you weren’t here—completely fell! She looked so pitiful, it almost made my heart ache.”
Uncle Zhang had a habit of talking too much, and once he started, he wouldn’t stop.
“She’s not… my girl.”
Li Qinyuan gritted his teeth. Why was she suddenly his little girl? They had only met a few times!
“Huh? She’s not?” Uncle Zhang blinked, confused. “But yesterday, Wang Er said she was your fiancée.”
Wang Er—the candied hawthorn seller.
Hearing this, Li Qinyuan felt completely speechless. He had expected as much—there were no secrets in alleys like this. Even if he denied it, the rumors would spread like wildfire and somehow still sound convincing.
For once, he shed his usual lazy, nonchalant demeanor and spoke with rare seriousness. “She and I are not the same kind of people. Stop letting them spread nonsense.”
His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Uncle Zhang was briefly startled by his seriousness. After a moment, he nodded quickly and said, “Alright, I’ll let them know.”
“Mm.”
After saying this, Li Qinyuan glanced at the blue cloth curtain leading inside.
For some reason, he suddenly didn’t feel like going in anymore.
He was just about to tell Uncle Zhang he was leaving when he heard—
“Oh, right, take a look at this for me.”
“What?”
Li Qinyuan took the stack of papers from Uncle Zhang, listening as he explained, “That little girl inside brought it. Said she overheard you and me talking about the Luming Academy exam yesterday, so she asked her older brother for these materials. I can’t read, so I don’t know if they’re useful.”
Then, he observed Li Qinyuan’s expression carefully. “Well? How is it?”
Li Qinyuan flipped through a few pages before returning the papers with a smirk. “These are good. With these materials, Zhang Yuan should have no trouble getting into the academy.”
“R-Really?”
Uncle Zhang was stunned.
“These were compiled by the ‘Tanhualang’1Tanhualang (探花郎) refers to a title given to the third-place winner in the highest imperial examination (殿试, diàn shì) of ancient China. of the seventeenth year of Qingxi,” Li Qinyuan said casually. “Of course they’re useful.”
“Tanhualang?!”
Uncle Zhang was completely shaken.
“How can I accept this?” Uncle Zhang, an honest and simple man, clutched the stack of papers nervously, torn between joy and panic. “If I don’t take out all the money I’ve saved for Ah Yuan’s future wedding, I don’t think I can repay this kindness.”
“What she gave you—no amount of money can buy it.”
After saying this, Li Qinyuan returned to his usual lazy, nonchalant demeanor. He glanced at the blue cloth curtain, hesitated for a moment, and then added, “She gave it to you with sincerity. Just accept it and don’t waste her goodwill.”
“This… alright then.”
Uncle Zhang hesitated for a long while, still uncertain of what to do.
Li Qinyuan said no more. He stood there in the cold morning breeze for a while before finally responding when Uncle Zhang asked, “What do you want to eat?”
He gave a noncommittal hum before answering, “Whatever.”
He didn’t have much of an appetite.
After taking a few steps, he suddenly asked, “For today’s breakfast—you didn’t put scallions in hers, right?”
“Nope.”
Uncle Zhang laughed, “Yesterday, I saw her picking out all the scallions, so I didn’t add any today.”
“Mm.”
Li Qinyuan nodded slightly before lifting the curtain and stepping inside.