The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

In the duty room of the Censorate, Wang Anshi was copying the last case file.

The aftermath of the joint trial by the three judicial authorities has largely subsided, and the case of the Jiangning Textile Bureau is now completely closed.

But the Ministry of Revenue dug up some old accounts of losses incurred during the canal transport, and he has been working non-stop these days.

Pei Du gave him a half-day off today so he could go back and rest.

He put down his pen, rubbed his aching temples, neatly stacked the case files on the corner of the desk, and was about to get up when the door to the duty room was pushed open from the outside.

Pei Youqing stood at the door.

She was carrying a food box, wearing an elegant moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a light blue jacket over it, and only a silver hairpin in her hair.

Wang Anshi was slightly taken aback and subconsciously glanced at the stack of unfiled case files on the corner of his desk.

He glanced again at the ink stain on his sleeve, his Adam's apple bobbing, before bowing respectfully: "Miss Pei, what brings you here?"

"Father said you were off duty today, and I was afraid you'd be holed up in your duty room looking at case files again, so I came to check on you."

She went into the duty room, placed the food box on his desk, and opened the lid.

Inside was a bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup and a few pieces of osmanthus cake, both still steaming. "Sure enough, you're still here."

Looking at the bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup, Wang Anshi suddenly remembered what he had said to Su Shi in the duty room several days ago.

"If I were to marry Miss Pei, it would be because I truly love her, not because Minister Pei wants me to marry her."

I spoke with such certainty back then, but now, faced with this bowl of soup, I don't know how to begin.

Pei Youqing stood in front of him, not urging him, but just quietly watching him.

She was raised by Pei Du as if he were his son. She studied classics, history, philosophy, and literature, and discussed the gains and losses of the court. She had a very high vision and a stubborn personality.

The scions of noble families she looked down upon could be found from the Censorate all the way to the Imperial Academy.

But she still fell for this man who didn't even bother to wipe the ink stains off his cuffs.

She wasn't attracted to his talent or his future prospects.

He has both talent and a promising future, but the capital city is not lacking in talented and promising young people.

She was attracted to his stubbornness.

Knowing full well that impeaching the fourth prince would offend all the powerful officials in the court, he still insisted on impeaching him.

Knowing full well that carrying the entire chain of evidence for a case alone would break his body, he insisted on doing it all himself.

This person isn't good at sweet talk or flattering people, but everything he does is in accordance with his own conscience.

That's exactly how she liked him.

She pushed the bowl of soup towards him, her voice gentle yet firm, saying, "Wang, drink it while it's hot. Don't worry about how to beat around the bush with me."

"If you like it, you like it; if you don't like it, you don't like it. Just say it."

"I, Pei Youqing, am not the kind of person who needs to be coaxed and fawned over."

Wang Anshi picked up the bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup and took a sip. It was very mildly sweet, the white fungus was stewed until soft and tender, and the bitter core of the lotus seeds had been removed. It was clearly made with care.

He put down the bowl, looked up, and gazed into her eyes.

Those eyes were clear and open, without the slightest hesitation or probing, just staring straight at him, waiting for his answer.

He suddenly felt that meeting such a woman in this life was a blessing he had earned in his previous life.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke, his voice low but each word clear.

"Miss Pei, I'm not good at saying nice things. As an imperial censor in the Censorate, offending people is commonplace. Today I impeach this person, tomorrow I impeach that person, and who knows, one day I might be bitten in return."

"You won't have a peaceful life if you follow me, but I can promise you one thing: I will never betray you in this lifetime. If anyone wants to harm you, they'll have to step over me first."

Pei Youqing stared at him blankly, then smiled.

That smile was extremely rare on her cool and aloof face, like a crack suddenly appearing on a river that had been frozen for many years, revealing the gurgling spring water beneath.

She pushed the plate of osmanthus cake in front of him as well, saying that she knew, that she had known all along.

From the first time I saw his densely annotated case file in the Censorate's duty room, I knew that once this person set his mind on something, he would dedicate his entire life to doing it well.

She had been waiting for him to say, "I will never let you down."

She sat down in the chair opposite him, her hands folded on her knees, her tone regaining its usual composure, though the smile in her eyes hadn't completely faded: "How do you plan to deal with the matter at the Taibao's residence?"

"Father said that the Taibao family will soon formally propose marriage. If you want to marry me, you have to finalize the marriage before the Taibao family does."

Wang Anshi put down his soup bowl and looked at her calmly: "I will go to the Pei residence to propose marriage early tomorrow morning."

Pei Youqing was slightly taken aback, and then a very faint blush rose on her cheeks.

She hadn't expected him to be so direct. Just a few days ago, she was still hesitating about how to bring it up, but today he jumped straight to "first thing tomorrow morning."

She lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously twisting her sash. When she spoke again, her voice was softer than before, asking him if he had thought about the betrothal gifts.

Wang Anshi thought about it carefully and said that he had accumulated some salary in the Censorate over the years.

Although it wasn't much, it was enough to prepare a decent betrothal gift. In addition, there were a few acres of meager land in Wangjiazhuang. Although they weren't wealthy, it was all earned honestly.

Pei Youqing shook her head and said that was enough; she didn't care about those things.

She stood up and put the lid of the food box back on. When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, looked back at him, and said, "Don't let the soup get cold."

Then she pushed open the door and stepped out, her steps lighter than when she came in. Her skirt swayed gently in the corridor, like a pear blossom blown down by the spring breeze.

Wang Anshi watched her figure disappear at the end of the corridor.

Looking down at the bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup on the table, which was still more than half full, a very faint smile appeared on his lips, a smile that only he himself knew.

He picked up the bowl again and drank the rest of the soup, spoonful by spoonful.

The autumn wind was bleak outside the window, and ginkgo leaves were falling in a flurry. The copper bells under the corridor of the Censorate were jingling in the wind, but he suddenly felt that this autumn was not so cold.

He had just put the bowl down when he heard footsteps outside the door again.

This time, it was Chen Qi, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, who came.

He entered carrying a pot of freshly brewed Longjing tea.

Looking up, I saw the empty food box on the table, and then I noticed its color and style, and I paused for a moment.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she walked in and sat down opposite Wang Anshi, poured herself a cup of tea, and slowly asked, "Wang, has Miss Pei been here?"

"Yes." Wang Anshi nodded, put the food box away, and placed it aside.

Chen Qi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and lingered on Wang Anshi's face for a long while.

He had worked with Pei Du for over a decade and knew how much Pei Du cherished his only daughter.

Pei Du had never taken on a disciple in his life; his only student was the clerk in the Records Department who had been transferred from the Hanlin Academy.

Miss Pei has good taste; she immediately spotted the person in the Censorate who is most likely to offend people.

He put down his teacup, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and suddenly smiled: "After becoming Vice Minister Pei's son-in-law, your days in the Censorate will be even more interesting."

"But don't blame me for not warning you, Miss Pei is just as stubborn as her father, so you'd better treat her well from now on."

Meanwhile, in the back garden of the Marquis of Anxi's residence, withered lotus flowers lay fallen, and the autumn wind swirled fallen leaves along the pebble path.

Cao Wanning sat by the carved window of the waterside pavilion, with an unfinished game of chess in front of her.

The maid just brought news that Su Shi amazed everyone present this morning when he debated poetry and prose with others at the Hanlin Academy.

He also stood up for a vendor who was being extorted by local thugs at the market, and resolved the matter with just a few words.

Upon hearing this, Cao Wanning recalled Wang Anshi's earlier promise to retrieve the records of military grain transportation.

He racked his brains for a long time before coming up with that excuse: Su Xiuzhuan and Wang Jingli were friends from the same year.

When Wang Jingli comes to the Marquis's residence, Su Xiuzhuan might also take the opportunity to visit his father.

She asked the maid if he would come, and the maid smiled and said that she had just seen Su Xiuzhuan at the door. He was coming from Qipan Street and heading towards the Marquis's mansion.

Cao Wanning's heart skipped a beat, and she told her to quickly prepare osmanthus cake and Longjing tea.

The maid turned to leave, but she called her back and asked if her makeup had smudged and if her hair was crooked.

The maid covered her mouth and laughed, pressing her back onto the embroidered stool, saying that the young lady was more beautiful than the flowers in the Imperial Garden today, and that Su Xiuzhuan would definitely not be able to take his eyes off her.

Cao Wanning blushed to the roots of her ears.

Just as she was about to say something to cover up her nervousness, a series of light footsteps suddenly came from outside the waterside pavilion, accompanied by a clear voice.

It wasn't coming from the main gate, but from the path behind the waterside pavilion.

She turned around abruptly and saw through the carved window a dashing figure in a blue robe striding along the path by the lotus pond, humming an unknown tune. It was Su Shi.

He walked to the waterside pavilion and stepped in without ceremony. He cupped his hands in greeting and said with a smile that he was late because he had an argument with someone at the Hanlin Academy, which delayed him.

Cao Wanning quickly stood up to return the greeting and asked him in a soft voice who he had argued with.

Su Shi sat down opposite her without ceremony and began to talk to several old scholars from the Imperial Academy.

They insisted that his lyrics were not in accordance with the rules of rhythm, so he explained the rules of rhythm to them from beginning to end, leaving them speechless.

He picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and praised how well it was made, saying it was ten times better than the cake from the shop near the Hanlin Academy.

Cao Wanning smiled and said that she made it herself.

Su Shi paused for a moment while chewing the cake, then continued chewing, only this time more slowly than before.

He looked at the girl in front of him; she was wearing a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) today.

She wore a white magnolia hairpin, her face was lightly powdered, her eyebrows and eyes were curved, and she had two shallow dimples when she smiled.

She wasn't as aloof and cold as Pei Youqing, nor as sharp and outspoken as Zhao Shi; she was just a simple girl.

She would make osmanthus cakes for him, blush as she waited for him to read her poems at the plum blossom viewing banquet, and remember every word he said.

He suddenly remembered that Wang Fu in his previous life was the same way. She would quietly bring him a bowl of hot soup while he was studying, straighten his clothes before he went out, and silently stay by his side when he was down.

Wang Fu has been gone for many, many years. He thought he would never fall in love with anyone again in his life.

But at this moment, as he looked at Cao Wanning, a crack suddenly appeared in the place in his heart that had been frozen for a long time.

After finishing the osmanthus cake, he wiped his hands with a handkerchief, then took out a roll of Xuan paper from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

The paper was rolled up neatly and tied with a red ribbon. When unfolded, it revealed a painting of crabapple blossoms in ink wash style.

The branches are gnarled and strong, the petals are sparse, and there are two lines of small characters written next to them.

"I fear the flowers will fall asleep as night deepens, so I burn a tall candle to illuminate their red beauty."

He said it was a gift for her; she had asked him to write a piece of calligraphy at the last plum blossom viewing party, and he had remembered it, so he brought it over today.

Cao Wanning took the painting and looked at the crabapple tree blooming in the ink, then at the two lines of poetry beside it that were all too familiar to her, and tears suddenly fell down her cheeks.

One by one, they fell onto the rice paper, spreading into a tiny water droplet.

She hurriedly wiped the painting with her sleeve, apologizing as she did so.

Su Shi reached out and gently pressed her hand as she wiped the painting, saying that the painting wouldn't get dirty, and that her tears were clean.

Cao Wanning looked up at him through her teary eyes. His gaze was gentle and resolute, as if he were looking at someone he had waited for for many years.

She suddenly felt that all her waiting, all her anticipation, and all the nights she spent repeatedly studying his poems over the years had been worth it at this moment.

She asked if Su Xiuzhuan still had someone in his heart.

Su Shi remained silent for a while, then turned to look at the withered lotus leaves in the pond outside the window.

The lotus stems are withered and yellow, and the lotus leaves are broken, but beneath the mud, new roots are quietly growing.

He turned to look at her and said that person had always been there and would always be there, but now he wanted to take a step forward and asked her if she would like to walk with him.

Cao Wanning nodded frantically, tears welling up in her eyes again, and smiled as she responded.

The maid stood far away outside the waterside pavilion, covering her mouth and not daring to make a sound, her eyes reddening.

Inside the main hall of the Marquis of Anxi's residence, Cao Jun sat behind his desk wiping an old knife, the deep nick on the blade still as clear as ever.

The butler strode in from outside and whispered a few words in his ear.

Cao Jun stopped wiping his knife and asked who he was with at the waterside pavilion.

The butler lowered his voice and said it was Su Xiuzhuan. The two of them talked for a while, and the young lady was crying.

Cao Jun was silent for a moment, then put down the old knife, leaned back in his chair, and suddenly laughed, saying that daughters grow up and cannot be kept at home.

He instructed his steward to give the order that from now on, Su Xiuzhuan would not need to be notified when he came to the Marquis's residence; he could be allowed to pass directly.

The butler acknowledged and withdrew, and Cao Jun picked up the old knife again and slowly wiped the blade with a cloth.

The blade reflected the white hair at his temples, yet a smile was clearly on his lips.

The news that the Taibao Mansion was going to select a consort for the Fifth Prince continued to spread among aristocratic circles.

But Yuwen Lie soon discovered that his two favorite women, Pei Youqing and Cao Wanning, seemed to already have their own preferred partners.

He sat in his study, with the list of eligible daughters of prominent families in the capital spread out in front of him.

He gently tapped the names "Pei Youqing" and "Cao Wanning" twice with his finger, then closed the roster, leaned back in his chair, and gazed silently at the begonia bushes outside the window for a long time.

He muttered to himself that the game wasn't over yet, so there was no rush.

Then he picked up a pen and circled a few more names on the roster.

One of them was the second daughter of Liu Wenzhao, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and the other was the eldest daughter of Zhou Bangyan, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.