Moreover, it was the Emperor himself who relegated him to the lowest rank. Even with favors from Prince Dun, other officials would be cautious before employing him. So, while it might appear that Yuan Qiyu still had opportunities, the reality was that unless he had extraordinary luck, there was little chance of him getting back on his feet. His downfall not only left a poor impression on the Emperor, but also made it highly likely that Prince Dun would abandon him.

Wenren Taibo couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, while Emperor Xuanren chuckled, “You little bookworm, you really live up to your name. If others saw you, they’d surely make all sorts of comments. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A pure heart is rare to find.”

Wenren Yang had never been truly slow-witted. He simply immersed himself in reading, with few external matters capable of disturbing him. Over time, this formed certain habits, and to outsiders it appeared as if he was slow to react. But in reality, he was very aware of many things; he just didn’t care about them—whether they praised him or criticized him. That being said, when something was truly advantageous for him, he knew how to handle it.

Emperor Xuanren still had state affairs to handle and didn’t keep Wenren Yang long.

Shortly after Wenren Yang left the palace, the news about Yuan Qiyu spread quickly, with Emperor Xuanren tacitly allowing it to be known. It was clear that the Emperor wanted to send a message to certain individuals—just because they had reached this point didn’t mean they could climb straight to the top and become complacent. It was a reminder, much like the lessons given by the tutors of many scholars in the royal capital, using Wenren Yang’s reputation as a “gifted scholar.”

Naturally, Yuan Qiyu, as the person involved, was one of the first to hear the news.

Having fainted earlier in the day out of frustration after being provoked by Wenren Yang, he now vomited blood and fell into unconsciousness again. This time, he didn’t wake as easily as before. When he first arrived at the capital to prepare for the palace exams, spurred by the backing of the noble Consort Shun and Prince Dun, he had believed as long as he passed, his future was set. His family never even considered the possibility of him failing, and they had all followed him to the capital, ready to enjoy a life of luxury.

Before the results of the palace exams were even out, he had already been demoted to the bottom of the ranks and had incurred the Emperor’s ire. To his family, it felt like the sky had just collapsed. They all cried as if they had lost their parents—perhaps to them, this situation was even worse than losing their parents.

“Stop crying! What’s the use of crying now? Hurry and go find Old Madam Zhou. Ask her to enter the palace and see Consort Shun. We need to act quickly and see if we can meet Prince Dun. If there’s any chance of salvaging this, we must try. If not…” These words came from Yuan Qiyu’s grandfather, the head of the family. Old Madam Zhou was Consort Shun’s mother and a member of the Yuan family.

“Yes, yes, I’ll go at once.” His wife, wiping her tears, set out with Yuan Qiyu’s mother to the Zhou family’s residence, completely neglecting the unconscious Yuan Qiyu. Clearly, in their eyes, his future was far more important than his immediate wellbeing.

Yuan Qiyu had originally been groomed as one of Prince Dun’s rising aides, so the Zhou family would not abandon him. However, given the hour of the day, it wasn’t possible to arrange an audience with the Emperor, so they had to wait until the next morning.

As for Prince Dun’s residence, although they managed to secure a meeting with the prince, he gave no clear response. Knowing his father’s temperament, Prince Dun was aware that once the Emperor had made a decision, there was little room for negotiation. Besides, Yuan Qiyu, though potentially useful, offered no significant benefits to Prince Dun. It wasn’t worth the risk of angering the Emperor for someone like Yuan Qiyu. In truth, Prince Dun had already made up his mind to let him go.

Thus, Prince Dun’s choice was exactly as Wenren Yang had predicted.

Nevertheless, Prince Dun was still furious—not at Yuan Qiyu’s failure, but because the Wenren family had shown him no respect. If word of this spread, people would mock him mercilessly! Even more concerning, if he couldn’t even protect those publicly affiliated with him, how many of the new scholars would still be willing to align with him? It’s no wonder he held the Wenren family in deep resentment.

The Zhou family, unaware of Prince Dun’s intentions, continued their efforts, and Prince Dun did not stop them. If they could redeem Yuan Qiyu, that would be ideal. As for whether Consort Shun’s appeals might anger the Emperor, Prince Dun wasn’t worried. He believed that there was still genuine affection between his mother and the Emperor. The worst that could happen would be that the Emperor would simply refuse her request, but it wouldn’t lead to any major consequences for her.

Therefore, if they succeeded, it would be great. If not, no great loss either.

Since there was no Empress, Consort Shun, as one of the senior consorts managing the palace, did not need anyone’s permission to receive visitors from outside the palace.

Consort Shun knew she wasn’t particularly clever—she was far outmatched by her sister at the Marquis of Pingyang’s estate. However, from the beginning, she had refused her sister’s strategy advice. After all, the Marquis of Pingyang and the Emperor were completely different men. Using the tactics that worked on the Marquis on the Emperor would be courting disaster. Consort Shun might not have been smart, but she wasn’t foolish.

She had made it this far and successfully raised her son without incident. Despite the countless new consorts, and even though her favor had long since waned, she still maintained a significant position in the harem—even Consort Xian did not dare cross her. She had her own methods of survival.

In simple terms, she liked whatever the Emperor liked, and she stayed neutral on matters the Emperor disliked. Even raising her child, she took a very ordinary approach, never instilling any particular ambitions in him. Her methods might have been crude, but they were exceptionally effective with Emperor Xuanren.

The Emperor was never particularly cold-hearted; as long as no great wrongs were committed, he didn’t mind the occasional display of personality. Moreover, he was especially forgiving to those who had served him from the time he was a prince, with Consort Shun being his most favored in this regard. Thus, even without romantic favor, the Emperor would occasionally visit her palace, a level of closeness that even Consort Xian did not enjoy. Naturally, this earned Consort Shun envy from other, more powerful consorts.

This connection made things easier for Consort Shun. But would she plead on Yuan Qiyu’s behalf? Certainly not. Knowing full well there was no room for compromise and that Yuan Qiyu was of no real significance to her son, why would she waste precious favor for such a cause? The Emperor’s affection was limited, and especially so with rulers—one should never expect it to last forever. It was something to be cherished and used wisely at critical moments.

This was something Prince Dun wasn’t aware of. However, he didn’t stop her from entering the palace, and Consort Shun wasn’t upset. Her son, like her, wasn’t all that bright, possessing ambitions that exceeded his abilities. Yet, despite that, she never intended for her son to ascend the throne. Of course, she hadn’t shared this thought with Prince Dun. After all, he was her own son, and she still wanted to save him a bit of face.

She was well aware that her son was not a particularly bold person. Even if he had ambitions, he wouldn’t dare go too far. The things he dared to do were still within the Emperor’s tolerance; in fact, one might even say the Emperor was slightly indulgent, treating his son’s antics with a bit of fatherly affection. Emperor Xuanren was in his prime, and there would come a time when he could arrange things well for his son, so Consort Shun wasn’t worried.

Therefore, when in her previous life the throne ultimately fell to Prince Dun, Consort Shun wasn’t happy; she was devastated. She had indeed judged correctly — after her son ascended to the throne, her days did not go well, and her end was tragic.

Now, having agreed to receive the family members from outside the palace, the reasons were twofold: first, they were her own relatives, and second, it was important to issue a subtle warning. Hence, when Consort Shun’s mother brought the Yuan family into the palace, Consort Shun was even in the mood to leisurely arrange flowers in a vase.

After the customary greetings, Consort Shun ordered seats and tea for her guests, then slowly cleansed her hands before speaking.

Before she could say anything, the Yuan family couldn’t hold it in any longer and began to wail their grievances.

It wasn’t their first time meeting Consort Shun— they had been brought into the palace once before by Madam Zhou. Initially, they were nervous. However, having found Consort Shun to possess a gentle nature, they felt much more comfortable this time, paying little heed to decorum or the solemnity of the setting.

“Enough, stop crying. Crying won’t change anything. I will not plead with the Emperor on your behalf.”

The cries abruptly ceased in response to Consort Shun’s cold dismissal. They stared at her in stunned disbelief. Could this truly be the same kind, gentle Consort Shun? Had she become so heartless simply because they were asking her for help? Was she really so self-serving after all?

Consort Shun noticed their changed expressions but didn’t take it to heart. “Your child, I’ve never met. But what happened yesterday, I don’t know all the details. However, from what little I do know, could it be that you’ve spoiled that child too much? Do you realize where you are? We’re in the capital, under the Emperor’s watch, surrounded by important figures at every turn, and yet your child has the audacity to behave more recklessly than any of them.

“Conceited, arrogant, and speaking out of turn without even understanding the situation — let me tell you, if he’d truly crossed paths with someone important, he might have ended up beaten half to death. Besides, take that Wenren Yang for example — everyone in the capital knows of his reputation. The man clearly announced himself, yet your child still marched headlong toward embarrassment. Your child’s been in the capital for a while now, right? As a learned scholar, shouldn’t he be mingling with other scholars? How could he possibly not have heard of someone like Wenren Yang? So what’s he been up to all this time?

“Even if the Emperor’s decree could be altered, I wouldn’t petition for it. I find it disgraceful.

“Frankly, it might be a good thing for him to suffer this setback. It’ll teach him that no matter how great he thinks he is, there will always be someone greater. It’ll prevent him from causing an even bigger disaster later and dragging both me and Prince Dun down with him.”

The Yuan family couldn’t find words to reply. Had their child truly grown spoiled? Perhaps. Their child was intelligent and, with Prince Dun as a close relative, had long been treated as the family’s shining hope. His immediate elders indulged him, others endlessly flattered him, and so he became haughty and arrogant, truly believing he was something special.

They had noticed this behavior but didn’t think much of it before arriving in the capital. After all, they had powerful backers. What’s the harm in a little arrogance? But now…

Madam Zhou remained silent. Naturally, her concern was for her daughter and grandson, more so than for distant relatives.

“Well, if there’s nothing else, then please leave the palace. Today’s Shangsi Festival is a wonderful occasion for a spring outing. Go outside, clear your heads, and stop overthinking things — it won’t lead anywhere useful. Madam, do you want to leave with them or stay for a meal in the palace and head back later?” Consort Shun’s tone when asking them to leave was anything but subtle.

Madam Zhou, knowing that getting a chance to visit her daughter wasn’t easy and couldn’t be done at whim, naturally chose to stay behind, while the Yuan family left the palace.

---

Xiao Cao naturally accompanied her family out this time. Before, she was always alone, and her days were terribly busy, so festivals like Shangsi meant little to her — she treated them the same as any other day, with hardly any difference.

But now everything had changed, and Xiao Cao’s mood was completely different. She found it quite enjoyable to finally experience life in a more relaxed manner.

Compared to yesterday, there were far more people out today. Except for those who couldn’t leave the house or had government duties, nearly everyone else had joined in the festivities. It was a lively scene, bustling with excitement and activity.

The imperial city and the surrounding areas offered many places to visit, and on a festival day like this, the gap between nobles and commoners closed just a little. Still, even in such moments, ordinary folk could only gaze from afar at the splendor of the wealthy and powerful.

To prevent any incidents like the one that occurred the previous day, Han Shi not only instructed the maids to take good care of her daughters, but also warned Wenren Ying that she must not leave the side of her fourth sister. Wenren Ying happily accepted her mother’s request.

Was this a case of “one mistake and your credibility is gone”? Though Xiao Cao felt a bit helpless, she graciously accepted her mother’s orders.

Along the way, they met many familiar faces and exchanged greetings. Xiao Cao made some new acquaintances as well, but as they say, connections deepen with time. After a few more encounters, any initial awkwardness would fade.

The Wenren family didn’t follow the crowd to the riverside. Instead, they chose quieter places like small hills and woods, which were also excellent choices.

They passed many young men galloping on horses, calling out merrily as they rode, dressed in fine clothes, looking as gallant as ever.

Older kids led younger ones, laughing and playing, flying kites and playing games. They had brought along all kinds of snacks and fruits from home. The more meticulous ones set up tables, while the more carefree types spread mats directly on the ground, sitting down casually to enjoy their food. It was a truly lazy, relaxed atmosphere.

Since returning to the Wenren family, Xiao Cao had lived a relatively laid-back life, though it still couldn’t compare to today.

Sitting on the ground with her knees hugged to her chest, she closed her eyes, letting the gentle breeze brush her face. It was comfortable. Wenren Yin, equally lazy, nestled beside her, even wrapped an arm around Xiao Cao’s waist, refusing to let her go. With a grin on her face, she joked that she was afraid Xiao Cao might run away.

Sometime in the afternoon, Han Shi excused herself for a time but returned with a rather unpleasant expression.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” Xiao Cao looked up and asked.

Han Shi sat down beside her. “I just ran into members of the Meng family. Do you remember them?”

“The family of Fourth Brother’s fiancée?” There were so many people it was easy to confuse them.

Wenren Yin also sat up attentively, looking at their mother.

“Yes. On the day we hosted the banquet, her family said she was feeling under the weather and couldn’t attend. When I saw them just now, I went over to ask. The girl’s still not here, so I inquired further. But the Meng family seemed evasive, their expressions a bit off. Now that I think about it, their faces on the day of the banquet seemed unnatural too. I’m worried that something might be wrong with that girl.” As a mother, Han Shi couldn’t help but be concerned, especially given that the wedding was only a few months away.

Xiao Cao disentangled herself from Wenren Yin’s grip, stood up, and stretched. “Mother, if you’re worried, why don’t we go take a look?”

“Right now?” Han Shi was surprised. Was her daughter always this impulsive?

“Well, today’s all about having fun. If I have to sit around all day doing nothing, I’ll be bored out of my mind.”