Save That Miserable Protagonist - Chapter 29

Accompanied by the tearful pleas of the scholars outside the palace gates, a spring rain in the third month began to fall, swift and cold.

Emperor Liang Heng was currently in the Imperial Study. While the rain pattered outside, the hall remained in a heavy, soundless silence. The head eunuch, Liu Bao, listened to the clamor outdoors that even the heavy downpour could not suppress. He tremblingly stole a glance at the Emperor, but the Son of Heaven showed no sign of anger. He sipped his tea slowly, his expression unreadable.

After a long while, he set the teacup down gently. The crisp clink accompanied the Emperor’s voice. “How long have they been making a scene out there?”

Filled with dread, Liu Bao kept his head lowered and answered softly, “To answer Your Majesty, it has been six hours.”

“Six hours,” Liang Heng repeated. His voice was steady, yet it caused Liu Bao to break into a cold sweat. “Selecting scholars through the imperial examination is a vital foundation of the state. I will not allow it to be defiled, nor will I permit petty men to use this as an opportunity to cause trouble.”

Liang Heng’s gaze swept across the misty curtain of rain outside the hall. His voice was light and carried a distinct chill. “To silence the public and demonstrate the fairness of the Great Zhou, Liu Bao, pass down my decree. All successful candidates of the second rank and above, whether from humble origins or noble families, are to reside immediately in the detached villa. Three days from now, they will undergo a re-examination in the Hall of Literary Splendor. This matter shall be fully overseen by the Crown Prince.”

“I obey,” Liu Bao replied.

As Liu Bao bowed to withdraw, Liang Heng seemed to remember something. “Wait.” The Emperor tapped his finger lightly on the imperial desk, his tone carrying a hint of calculated deliberation. “The heir of the Marquis of Yongjia, Yan Buzhuo, is a pure and honest youth. Send him to act as an invigilator as well.”

When the decree reached the Marquis of Yongjia’s estate, Yan Buzhuo was peeling a grape while listening to System 888 chatter about the original host. The system detailed how the original Yan Buzhuo had fallen into the water a few days prior, suffered a persistent high fever, and subsequently passed away.

Yan Buzhuo had grown tired of hearing it. Furthermore, 888 kept pestering him with warnings to be careful and not reveal his true identity, acting as if Yan Buzhuo understood nothing. Therefore, the moment he heard Princess Yongning calling for him, he dropped the grape and hurried to the front hall, leaving the system behind to sigh alone.

Yan Buzhuo knew this imperial decree was merely a show for the public. In the original timeline, Princess Yongning feared her son would be dragged into this murky mess, so she had begged Liang Heng to reject the assignment. This time was no different. As soon as Liu Bao finished reading the decree, Princess Yongning rushed forward to block his path.

“Eunuch Liu!” Her voice was tight, though she maintained a strained smile. “We are deeply grateful for His Majesty’s grand grace. However, my son is a troublemaker who excels in neither literature nor martial arts. Asking him to supervise the empire’s greatest talents might make people gossip that His Majesty is being frivolous.”

Liu Bao was a veteran of the palace. Hearing this, he wore a charitable smile, though his words were sharp. “Princess, you are too modest. The young Marquis is gifted and holds a noble status. His Majesty’s move is intended to use the young Marquis’s prestige to show the royal family’s determination to investigate this without bias.” He added meaningfully, “Furthermore, is the young Marquis not about to enter officialdom? It is good to gain experience early.”

Yan Buzhuo stood to the side with his hands folded, watching the Princess and the Chief Eunuch trade verbal thrusts. He understood the hidden motive. The Emperor’s decree was calculated. Yan Buzhuo was an unlearned playboy but held high status. Using him could silence the noble families, test the loyalty of the Marquis of Yongjia, and warn various aristocratic factions.

Everyone present understood the subtext. Princess Yongning did not want Yan Buzhuo or the entire Yan family caught between the throne and the nobility. In the original story, she had succeeded. Because of her desperate pleading, the original host was excluded from the core event and became a total outsider.

However, the owner of this body was no longer the illiterate Yan Buzhuo, but Yan Yufei from the twenty first century. His purpose was to save Ruan Suiyu, so he had to walk into the center of this storm.

As soon as Liu Bao left, Yan Buzhuo stopped his pale faced mother as she prepared to rush to the palace. “Mother, do not worry!”

“How can I not worry?” Princess Yongning grabbed his wrist. Her voice trembled with a fear she could not hide. “This is not invigilating. This is putting you on a roasting spit! The examination fraud is a massive scandal with deep roots. You are a child who understands nothing. If you go, you will be used as a pawn or a target. No! I must go see your uncle immediately. I will say your illness from falling into the water has not fully healed.”

“Mother!” Yan Buzhuo stopped her, a mischievous and comforting smile appearing on his face. “Why are you in such a hurry? Isn’t invigilating just sitting there watching people write? It sounds novel. I have never seen such a scene, so I might as well experience it.”

He spoke lightheartedly, showing the reckless enthusiasm of a youth who did not know the world’s dangers. Princess Yongning grew more anxious. “My son, you do not understand! The water in this situation is very deep.”

“No matter how deep it is, I will just come home once the exam is over.” Yan Buzhuo held her cold hand. He was an orphan in his past life and had never experienced a mother’s love. Seeing her worry sparked a warmth in his heart. He softened his tone. “The Emperor is in a bad mood. If you go to beg him now, will you not just make him angry? Don’t worry. I will sit there quietly, not speaking or looking around. I promise to return in one piece.”

Yan Buzhuo then dismissed the servants and pulled her behind a screen. Once he was certain they were not being overheard, his voice dropped. “Mother, you absolutely cannot go to the palace.”

Ignoring her shocked expression, he tightened his grip on her hand. “I am not as reckless as you think. This decree seems like an ordeal, but it is actually a blade being handed to us as well as a test. If we hide, we tell the Emperor that the Yan family is unwilling to be his sword and cannot be trusted. When the time comes for a final reckoning, we won’t even have the right to stand on the shore. If I go now, I am a person of fairness appointed by the Emperor. Going in shows our loyalty. Once I am inside, whether I swing the blade or hide its edge, the initiative stays with me.”

He spoke boldly, though he was not as calm as he appeared. The original host was a dandy who would never say such things. Seeing the tears in his mother’s eyes, Yan Buzhuo felt a cold sweat on his back. He reached out to wipe her tears. Finally, she answered, “My son has grown up. Remember to be careful in all things.”

Having successfully convinced his mother, Yan Buzhuo felt a surge of youthful spirit. Carrying an umbrella and guided by the system, he strolled to the detached villa where the scholars were being held.

The courtyard was filled with an oppressive sense of unease. Most of the doors were shut tight. The few scholars visible through open windows looked frantic. This made Ruan Suiyu stand out so much that Yan Buzhuo noticed him the moment he entered. In the entire courtyard, only Ruan Suiyu sat by the window, focused on practicing his calligraphy.

The spring rain pattered outside, wetting the plantain leaves, but Ruan Suiyu remained peaceful. His ink black hair fell forward as he leaned down, making his profile look as refined as jade. His nose was slender and straight, his lips were pale, and his long eyelashes cast soft shadows under his eyes. He looked like a beautiful porcelain figure.

Suddenly, Yan Buzhuo thought of the original plot the system had described. When the Tatars captured the city, their prince imprisoned Ruan Suiyu. The system had not gone into detail, only saying that Ruan Suiyu eventually chose to jump from the city walls to die for his country because he could not bear the humiliation.

At the time, Yan Buzhuo had not thought deeply about that humiliation. He assumed it was the typical mistreatment of a conquered people. But now, looking at him, Yan Buzhuo felt he understood exactly what that humiliation meant.

There is a beauty, refined and graceful. Yan Buzhuo had memorized that poem as a child and forgotten it long ago, yet those words surfaced in his mind now. He blinked, becoming even more determined to save this man. He could not bear to see such beauty defiled.

He closed his umbrella and walked over. Raindrops dripped from the tip of the umbrella, blooming like small water flowers on the stone floor. Yan Buzhuo leaned against the window frame and tilted his head to look at the elegant handwriting. They say handwriting reveals the character, and Ruan Suiyu’s script possessed its own distinct strength.

“Hey, little Scholar,” Yan Buzhuo said with a familiar, teasing tone, having heard Ruan Suiyu’s whole life story from the system. “The world is in an uproar because of you scholars, yet you are so calm. This re-examination is clearly a trap for someone. Aren’t you afraid?”

Ruan Suiyu’s brush paused, but he did not stop until he finished the last character. He set the brush down and looked up at Yan Buzhuo. His eyes were clear, and his voice was just as bright. “We scholars have studied by the cold window for over ten years. Our hearts deserve pity. If a re-examination can restore justice to the world’s scholars, then what does it matter if we take it ten times?”

Yan Buzhuo felt a wave of frustration. He thought this man had been blinded by the classics. He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Do you think this is just about a re-examination? It is clear that the motive lies elsewhere!”

Yan Buzhuo felt his hint was obvious enough, but Ruan Suiyu showed no reaction. He simply nodded slightly. “Heir Yan, thank you for your concern.”

Yan Buzhuo was not surprised that Ruan Suiyu knew his identity, but he was stunned by the man’s indifferent attitude. That calm tone, like stagnant water, immediately dampened Yan Buzhuo’s excitement. He couldn’t tell if Ruan Suiyu had figured it out or not. If he had, how could he be so calm? If he hadn’t, he should be even less composed.

“Forget it. I can’t get through to you.”

Losing interest, Yan Buzhuo curled his lip. He opened his umbrella and turned to leave. The rain drummed against the umbrella, creating a crisp sound that blended with the dripping plantain leaves to form a mournful melody.

Ruan Suiyu watched the boy’s retreating figure in the rain, his gaze deep. He did not know why the young heir of the Yan family had appeared or which faction he represented. Ruan Suiyu picked up his brush again and slowly wrote a single character beside his previous work.

Quiet.