The Emperor Doesn't Despise Me? Why Is He Still Using Force! - Chapter 10

Pei Yan guarded against any unforeseen changes, because after all, if he hadn’t taken the initiative to bring it up, the person beside him probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought and would have forgotten all about it.

“I want to go study at the Imperial Academy.”

Pei Yan immediately added another sentence: “And I want to be in the same classroom with the friend who entered the hunting ground with me.”

Obviously, Pei Yan wanted to protect Pei Yuning’s side at all times.

Most importantly, that villain who had poisoned Pei Yuning in his past life was right inside the Imperial Academy.

However, the Imperial Academy was the highest institution of learning, boasting strict admission requirements.

Therefore, the core student groups were respectively: Yin students (children of high-ranking officials), Li students (children of middle- and lower-ranking officials), Jv students (those who passed the provincial examinations to become provincial graduates), Gong students (recommended for admission by prefectures, states, and counties), descendants of meritorious officials, and ethnic minorities.

Yet, having been reborn, Pei Yan did not possess the above conditions at all.

Still, the Longxiao Kingdom had a precedent where the royal family had previously recommended scholars to study at the Imperial Academy.

What Pei Yan wanted was for Xiao Jing’an to recommend him for admission into the Imperial Academy.

Hearing Pei Yan’s request, Xiao Jing_an calmly stated, “My father and brothers have indeed made exceptional recommendations for people in the past, but they all had their reasons.”

He deliberately deepened his tone: “One point among them is particularly important, which is that they all possessed exceptional literary talent.”

Pei Yan raised an eyebrow, tinged with a hint of modesty.

“My literary talent is considered rather decent back in my hometown.”

He paused for a moment, and added: “I was once praised by a person of prominent status.”

The person of prominent status Pei Yan spoke of was naturally Xiao Jing’an from his past life.

Xiao Jing’an: “Draft an essay tomorrow and submit it to me.”

Pei Yan asked: “Are there any restrictions on the topic?”

Xiao Jing’an nodded.

Pei Yan asked again: “If you are satisfied with this essay I draft, will you be able to recommend me for admission to study at the Imperial Academy?”

Xiao Jing’an nodded.

Pei Yan cupped his hands in a salute: “I will thank you in advance for helping me this time.”

Seeing him look so full of confidence, Xiao Jing’an slightly raised the corners of his lips, revealing a faint, ambiguous smile.

“Quite confident, after all.”

The true meaning of the word “confident” in Xiao Jing’an’s mouth was actually “conceited.”

Pei Yan also understood his true meaning.

However, this time he was genuinely full of confidence.

At this moment, Pei Yan said with a smiling face: “You are a discerning judge, and you will not let any fine steed slip away.”

“If the fine steed is the real deal, naturally I will not let it slip away.”

While speaking, the two walked to the main gate of the hunting ground.

Parked in front of the gate was a solemn and elegant three-horse carriage, with vermilion wheels, magnificent hubs, and black carriage walls embossed with golden coiled python patterns. Nine glazed white jade pearl curtains were half-rolled, the forehead of the jade-peace white horse was inlaid with green-blue stones, and the bronze bells tinkled a crisp Sanskrit sound with the gentle breeze.

Seeing Xiao Jing’an come out, the coachman hurriedly positioned the tiger-skin stepping stool properly.

Xiao Jing’an walked up close, gently raised his hand, gracefully lifted his robe hem, and then slightly bent his body, stepped onto the tiger-skin stepping stool, and boarded the carriage.

The entire process was as smooth and natural as floating clouds and flowing water, a pleasing sight to behold.

Watching this in his eyes, Pei Yan couldn’t help sighing in his heart: [Just looking at him gives the feeling that he should be the one to be emperor.]

Hearing this inner voice from Pei Yan, Xiao Jing’an lowered his eyes and chuckled softly.

Yet, upon hearing Pei Yan’s next inner voice, the smile at the corners of his mouth instantly vanished, replaced by a look of deep gloom.

[It’s just a pity that because of his maternal family, he is not favored by the old Emperor.]

[Truly, among all the princes, the old Emperor is most satisfied with him, giving him the best in food and clothing, but as for the imperial throne.]

Pei Yan did not continue thinking, lifted his robe hem, and boarded the carriage.

The carriage was very spacious, with a small partitioned square table of aged purple sandalwood placed in the center, upon which rested a teapot, cups, and a few plates of exquisite pastries.

With a look of reverence, Pei Yan sat upright directly opposite him.

Xiao Jing’an closed his eyes, his torso leaning slightly, resting against the carriage, his sharp-featured face looking somewhat pale, presumably caused by the wound on his left arm.

Pei Yan turned his gaze to look at the brightening dawn outside the carriage window.

At this moment, he was not only worried about his dear stepfather, but also anxious for his grandmother.

The two of them had been out for so long without returning home, and his grandmother must be very worried.

The carriage remained quiet all the way, with neither of them speaking.

Pei Yan raised his hand to massage his tired brow, closing his eyes to rest.

Thus, in silence all the way, they arrived at the medical clinic.

As soon as Chu Liancheng and Lang Zhen stepped out of the Beishan hunting ground, they went to execute the task Xiao Jing_an had assigned them.

Hence, this leg of the journey was escorted by hidden guards led by Sheng Dong.

Sheng Nan had already received the news and was waiting outside.

Xiao Jing’an’s complexion had already turned pale without a trace of color.

Seeing this, Sheng Nan hurriedly came over to help him down from the carriage.

Knowing that Xiao Jing’an was a mysophere, Sheng Nan had wrapped a clean handkerchief around his hand.

This caused Pei Yan to raise an eyebrow and curl his lip.

Sensing that the person behind him was eyeing him with a strange, mocking look, Xiao Jing’an turned around swiftly.

He wanted to catch him in the act.

And give him a hard time.

“Do you have any instructions?”

Pei Yan lowered his eyes, looking as respectful as respectful could be.

Xiao Jing’an narrowed his pupils, a cool smile hooking the corners of his lips.

“A person who is two-faced, if they offend me, I usually make them wish they were dead.”

With that, he got down from the carriage without Sheng Nan’s assistance.

Pei Yan lightly patted his chest, muttering softly: “Once again proving the danger that ‘staying by the monarch is like staying alongside a tiger’.”

Once he entered the Imperial Academy, he would completely make a clean break with him.

Never interacting with each other again for the rest of his lives.

Pei Yan prepared to get off the carriage, and Sheng Nan extended a hand to him: “Let me help you.”

As if also afraid that Pei Yan might disdain him for being dirty, the clean handkerchief he had wrapped around his hand had not been removed.

Pei Yan raised his eyes to examine him closely for a few seconds, reached out to take off the handkerchief wrapped around Sheng Nan’s hand, and then, under Sheng Nan’s assistance, stepped down from the carriage.

“Thank you.”

Sheng Nan was only twenty years old, and a friendly smile lingered on his handsome, slightly callow face: “You’re too polite.”

Pei Yan returned a friendly smile to him and walked toward the medical clinic.

However, after taking a few steps, he stopped, turned around, and said to Sheng Nan: “My friend once lived on the same alley as your family and knows a little about your family.”

“You shouldn’t send all the money you earn back to your family; treat yourself better. You hidden guards risk life and limb for your master, living on the edge of a blade. There is a kind of body armor popular right now, you should buy one and wear it when you go out on missions.”

After speaking, without waiting for Sheng Nan to reply, Pei Yan strode quickly into the medical clinic.

He should have pretended to know nothing.

Yet he could not bear it in his heart.

He could only offer a reminder, not daring to excessively interfere with the destiny of others to avoid triggering unknown chain reactions.

In his past life, before turning twenty, Sheng Nan had died on a mission while blocking an arrow for Xiao Jing’an.

This matter was something Xiao Jing’an had mentioned when chatting idly with Pei Yan, which was why Pei Yan was aware of it.

Sheng Nan stood in place, looking slightly bewildered in the direction where Pei Yan had left.

“Damn it, you didn’t buy the body armor I recommended to you last time!”

Hearing the conversation between the two, Sheng Dong stopped in front of Sheng Nan and gave him a punch of frustration and exasperation.

“Why are you still worrying about that heartless family of yours!”

Not all families were like Pei Yan’s family, paying unrequited devotion to him with boundless love.

Some families only blindly took, treating their children like blood bags to be frantically sucked dry.

The air was heavy with the pungent smell of medicine.

“You’re awake.”

Entering the consultation room, Pei Yan came to Pei Yuning’s bedside and reached out to feel his forehead.

“It really is running a bit of a fever!”

Pei Yuning gently brushed Pei Yan’s hand aside.

“I want to go home, Mother must be very worried at home.”

Pei Yan nodded: “We will go back right now.” He then added in a flash: “But please wait a moment, I will go prescribe some fever-reducing medicine for you.”

Pei Yuning was born with a pulmonary condition that made his physical condition quite special, and running a fever could be very dangerous for him.

In order not to waste time and rush home, as soon as he finished speaking, Pei Yan lifted his robe hem and strode out of the consultation room to prescribe medicine for Pei Yuning.

Pei Yuning was currently extremely weak and completely unable to return home by himself, so he could only wait in the consultation room for Pei Yan to return.

With a creak.

The door was pushed open.

Xiao Jing’an walked in.

His left arm had already been bandaged.

At this moment, he was holding a jade pendant in his hand.

The jade pendant was precisely the one Pei Yan had lost in the hunting ground.