After Transmigrating into a Book, I Was Entangled by the Paranoid Eldest Princess - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Wen Chenqing had suffered a rare bout of insomnia the previous night, but fortunately, the quality of her sleep in the second half of the night was decent, and she did not wake up feeling particularly lethargic. Although she and Lu Mingjuan rented the same courtyard, they each had their own living quarters; only the main hall, courtyard, and kitchen were communal spaces.

When Wen Zhaolan came to deliver the book, Lu Mingjuan happened to be stepping out of her room. Seeing someone she wasn’t very familiar with standing in the courtyard, she paused.

“It’s you?”

When she saw the book carefully wrapped in Wen Zhaolan’s hands, memories of the bookstore episode returned, and she clearly recognized her. Wen Chenqing turned and introduced the two to each other. Lu Mingjuan looked at them both and, sensing the situation, tactfully retreated to her own study. When she emerged again at noon, Wen Zhaolan was already gone.

Watching Wen Chenqing stretch her neck, Lu Mingjuan asked curiously: “Didn’t you keep her for a meal?”

The cook they had hired served hot dishes onto the stone table in the courtyard. The early spring sunlight spilled onto them, feeling warm and pleasant. Wen Chenqing took her seat and glanced at her: “She left early, saying she was afraid of disturbing our studies.”

Lu Mingjuan picked up her chopsticks: “Actually, it’s no trouble. That Miss Wen is quite kind, coming to deliver the book personally.”

Wen Chenqing had been surprised when she opened the door that morning to see Wen Zhaolan. She had thought the same as Lu Mingjuan, such a small task could have been handled by any servant, yet Wen Zhaolan had made the trip herself. It seemed that when Wen Chenqing had looked startled, Wen Zhaolan had explained that she had specifically asked her about it when they parted ways yesterday. Wen Chenqing remembered now, though she had been distracted at the time and hadn’t quite grasped the meaning behind Wen Zhaolan’s words.

“Miss Wen is very sincere,” Wen Chenqing said.

Lu Mingjuan’s eyes twinkled: “I think it’s more than that.”

Wen Chenqing looked at her, resigned: “What have you discovered now?”

Lu Mingjuan often boasted that as someone from a merchant family, she had grown up seeing all sorts of people and was the best at reading nuances. “It’s simple: that Miss Wen wants to be friends with you,” Lu Mingjuan teased.

“…” Wen Chenqing looked away: “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Lu Mingjuan burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, at court: As the Metropolitan Examination approached, the position of Chief Examiner remained undecided, leading to endless speculation regarding the Emperor’s intentions. Customarily, this role was filled by a Grand Secretary from the Grand Secretariat, but there had been no movement.

At around 2:00 PM that day, just after the Yankang Emperor had been served his medication, a eunuch bowed as he entered to report: “Your Majesty, the Eldest Princess requests an audience.”

A flicker of surprise crossed the Emperor’s eyes, and he commanded: “Admit her.”

Si Jinghua entered the study in casual attire, her gait composed. She performed a bow, her face showing a perfectly measured look of concern: “How is Father’s health today?”

The Emperor, leaning against a soft cushion, dismissed the attendants and studied her concerned face for a moment before saying with a hint of weariness: “The same as ever. No matter how much medicine I take, there is no improvement.”

Si Jinghua frowned: “The Imperial Physicians must be a bunch of quacks; they haven’t been able to restore Father’s health even now.”

The Emperor’s eyelids lifted, his tone flat: “The best doctors in the world are all in the Imperial Medical Institute; they have always been diligent.”

Si Jinghua, sharp as ever, detected the underlying dissatisfaction in his voice. She followed his lead: “Father is benevolent to speak for them. But precisely because they believe they are the best, they have become complacent and lost the drive to study further. Whenever they encounter a difficult case, they only know how to prescribe standard formulas, or…” She paused, then said slowly, “…or they blame everything on ‘advancing age,’ as if human effort has reached its limit and nothing more can be done. They fail to realize that the study of medicine is boundless—how can one stop seeking deeper knowledge?”

Her words were like a silver needle, piercing exactly where the Emperor was most sensitive. In recent years, his frequent ailments were always brushed aside by the physicians as “natural,” suggesting rest. The implication was clear: he was growing old and his vitality was waning. The Emperor’s expression darkened, and the silence in the hall became stifling.

As if oblivious to the suffocating atmosphere, Si Jinghua continued: “That is why I came to the palace today. I wish to introduce a few highly regarded physicians I have sought out among the common folk; perhaps they might offer a fresh perspective.” Her tone was sincere, filled with pure filial piety. “There are hidden gems among the people, perhaps even masters skilled in treating Father’s specific condition.”

The Emperor’s gloomy expression eased slightly, a spark of interest in his eyes. “I appreciate your filial piety, but physicians from among the people… it is simply not in accordance with the rules.”

Si Jinghua had anticipated this: “Father is right to be cautious. But I am truly worried about Father’s health; day and night, I pray for your recovery. Only when Father is well can this empire thrive. Perhaps we could have the Imperial Medical Institute secretly test their medical knowledge first. If they truly have genuine talent, I will bring them in to take Father’s pulse. If they are incompetent, we can simply dismiss them.”

These words, demonstrating both concern for her father and thoughtful deliberation, earned a deep, lingering look from the Emperor. “Jinghua, over these years, you have become increasingly sensible.”

Si Jinghua showed a look of filial longing: “I was spoiled by Father when I was younger. Now that I am older and have established my own residence, I realize how difficult it is for Father to manage the affairs of state. All I have done over these years is eat, drink, and play; if I continued to be a foolish source of worry for Father, it would be a true crime.”

The sincerity in her words touched the Emperor. He looked at his eldest daughter’s calm features and felt moved. In these recent years, the daughter he had always doted on was indeed different. She no longer engaged in the reckless behavior of her youth. Although she held a post in the government, he never heard of her trying to curry favor with officials. Compared to his other children, she was composed and self-disciplined, frequently visiting the palace purely to check on his health.

Most importantly—the Emperor’s thoughts drifted—although she was the eldest and born of the Empress, the dynasty was young. Although there had been an Empress Regnant after the founding ancestor, she had passed away within a few years, and since then, few women had ascended the throne. In other words, even if he delegated some power to Jinghua, she could not cause any great upheaval. The source of her power would always remain firmly in his own hands.

This thought was like a spark in the dark, illuminating a dilemma that had plagued the Emperor for a long time. He looked at his eldest daughter, his tone softening: “I am deeply gratified that you are so considerate of me. Since you have entered the government and frequently help alleviate my burdens, I have a thorny matter at hand. After much consideration, I believe it would be most prudent to leave it to you.”

Si Jinghua looked puzzled: “Father, please speak. I will do my utmost to assist you.”

The Emperor looked at her with heavy meaning: “The Metropolitan Examination is approaching, and I have yet to settle on a Chief Examiner. I intend to appoint you as the Chief Examiner for this year’s examination. Are you willing to shoulder this responsibility?”

Si Jinghua’s face showed immediate shock. She pushed back: “Father, this is about selecting talent for the state and concerns the foundation of the empire. I… my knowledge is shallow, and I fear I am not up to such a task.”

Her instinctive refusal, rather than displeasing the Emperor, only served to solidify his inner conviction. His tone became even gentler: “Jinghua, why be so modest? You were tutored by great scholars from a young age; how can you claim to be shallow? You just said you wanted to share my burdens—now that I have an important matter for you, why refuse? Only by accepting will you truly be helping me. To refuse further would be disloyal and unfilial.”

With things having reached this point, Si Jinghua knew the time was ripe. She wore a look of both distress and gratitude, hesitated a moment, and then performed a deep kowtow. “Since Father values and trusts me so much, if I refuse again, it would truly be a failure to live up to your painstaking efforts. I will certainly do my utmost to select talent for you and will not fail your commission.”

The words about selecting talent for him hit home with the Emperor. He had been unable to decide because he worried about the loyalty of the new graduates—whether they would be his “Imperial disciples” or the protégés of other ministers. Appointing his own daughter was the perfect solution. The Emperor was overjoyed, the pallor of his illness seeming to fade: “Good! That is my daughter!”

He raised his voice: “Draft the decree! Appoint the Eldest Princess Si Jinghua as the Chief Examiner for this year’s Metropolitan Examination, and have the examination courtyard locked immediately!”

“As you command!”

Time slipped away amidst the tense preparations. During this period, Wen Zhaolan visited Wen Chenqing a few times, though she never stayed long. Interacting with Wen Zhaolan didn’t make Wen Chenqing feel uncomfortable; the girl never interfered with her studies. Interestingly, whenever they ran into Lu Mingjuan, that normally gossip-loving girl would suddenly become incredibly diligent, holing up in her study and refusing to come out. Wen Chenqing didn’t know what she was giggling about, so she simply ignored it.

With the examination imminent, Wen Chenqing felt the tension rising, even after having faced countless examinations in her past life. Two days before the exam, Wen Zhaolan knocked on the courtyard door again. Wen Chenqing, who was checking her writing tools, heard Yinxing say from outside: “Miss, Miss Wen is here.”

Setting down her things, Wen Chenqing went out and saw Wen Zhaolan holding something. When she handed over a piece of green jade, Wen Chenqing asked, confused: “This is?”

“The examination is the day after tomorrow. I went to the Wenchang Temple two days ago and specifically had a monk bless this jade pendant for you. I wanted to give it to you for good luck.” Wen Zhaolan finished nervously and, fearing Wen Chenqing would refuse, added: “It’s nothing expensive, please don’t decline it.”

Looking at the jade pendant placed in her hand, she saw it was engraved with a “Kui Star Pointing to the Dipper” motif, though some of the lines were a bit raw.

“Did you carve this yourself?” Wen Chenqing was surprised.

Wen Zhaolan nodded, embarrassed: “I haven’t practiced in a long time, so my craft is a bit rusty. Please don’t mind.”

How could she mind? Hand-crafted gifts were the most painstaking and thoughtful. Since she was kind enough to send blessings, Wen Chenqing was deeply moved. She carefully put it away and said solemnly: “Thank you. I will cherish it.”

Wen Zhaolan looked happy at her sincere expression and considerately said: “I won’t disturb you further. After your exam is over, I will come find you.”

After seeing Wen Zhaolan off, Wen Chenqing looked at the blessed pendant again, still feeling deeply touched. Lu Mingjuan passed by, looked at her, then at the pendant, and wore a strange smile again. Wen Chenqing was baffled: “?”

Another day passed. On the eve of the Metropolitan Examination, Wen Chenqing, having finished her review and washed up, was about to blow out the candle when a stray thought caught a glimpse of something on the desk. Strange, she thought, I don’t remember that being there a moment ago.

The curiosity was fleeting. Wen Chenqing turned and walked toward the desk.