Not long after Zhao Hao's fourteenth birthday, the new imperial examinations began.
Three years had passed in the blink of an eye, and Lin Yan, who had been the second-place scholar, was now a former scholar. Soon, a new cohort of top scholars would emerge, repeating the glory of the previous session.
"Younger brother Lin, what are your plans?" Cui Zi Yu, who had also become a former scholar, asked Lin Yan.
In these three years, the third-place scholar among them, who had managed to marry a princess, had already been promoted. They, however, remained in the Hanlin Academy, compiling endless texts.
"What about you, brother Cui?" Lin Yan was still young. Even if she wanted to do something, the officials in charge wouldn't take her seriously.
Therefore, she didn't seek any specific opportunities and stayed contentedly in the Hanlin Academy, compiling books.
But Cui Zi Yu was different. He came from a prestigious family and was in his prime. He surely wanted to achieve something.
"I want to seek an external appointment." Having refused the Emperor's matchmaking intentions, he had been largely forgotten by the Emperor. Now, with new scholars replacing the old ones, it was even less likely he would be remembered.
He preferred to take on a substantive position in another prefecture, where he could accomplish tangible deeds.
"Brother Cui's consideration is sound. Securing an external appointment is indeed a way forward."
"And what are your thoughts, younger brother Lin?"
"I... I haven't quite decided yet." Lin Yan felt that she, too, should seek an external appointment. In recent months, Zhao Hao had become increasingly clingy, for reasons unknown to her. Several times, he had almost discovered her true identity.
It was not yet time for him to know. It would be better for her to leave him for a while.
In these past few months, the person in the palace had finally succumbed and passed away. On the day of her death, Lin Yan took advantage of the chaos to visit her in the palace.
She finally understood why the woman had been able to use the curse of ‘Yansheng’. Looking at her wounds, lying in an ordinary coffin, unceremoniously carried out of the imperial palace, Lin Yan couldn't help but feel it was all for naught. She also investigated the palace where the woman had resided. Although she didn't find where the ‘Yansheng’ incantations were recorded, she did destroy many of the woman's magical artifacts.
After her death, the Emperor's attitude towards Zhao Yan Xiang became somewhat colder. However, after all, he was a son whom the Emperor had favored for so many years, and there were still some lingering affections.
Initially, the Emperor intended to arrange a marriage for him, which was also the woman's dying wish. But considering that she was Zhao Yan Xiang's birth mother, a son was expected to observe a three-year mourning period after his mother's death.
Although Zhao Yan Xiang had long considered his mother to be dead, he still had to observe the mourning period. Thus, the imperial decree of marriage was postponed.
Other matters aside, marriage during the mourning period was absolutely out of the question.
Lin Yan, on the other hand, felt that Zhao Hao's health no longer required her constant attention. His frail physique was a foregone conclusion, especially after being ill for so many years and having poor absorption.
No matter how much he ate, he wouldn't gain weight, though his height had increased slightly. Of course, it wasn't a significant growth.
This allowed him to maintain the delicate and ethereal posture of Princess Fu An.
After Lin Yan communicated with the Prince of Yingchuan and discussed matters, she directly requested an external appointment. With the Prince of Yingchuan's intervention, the place of her appointment was not far from Yingchuan, which would allow Lin Yan to assist the Prince of Yingchuan in handling some affairs.
By the time Zhao Hao found out, the document for Lin Yan's external appointment had already been issued.
Zhao Hao found no way to prevent her from leaving, so he could only sulk in frustration. Among his grievances, the one he resented most was the Emperor, who prevented her from living as a man in this world.
Despite his reluctance, Lin Yan was still appointed to an external post. This separation would last at least three years. Since Lin Yan was gone and he had no one to protect him, the Prince of Yingchuan sent a group of people to specifically guard Zhao Yan Xiang's safety.
Lin Yan departed casually, but Zhao Hao was very displeased. However, such displeasure could only be expressed when they met again.
The place Lin Yan was assigned to this time was not a poor county. The county she was appointed to was relatively close to Yingchuan, thus strengthening her ties with Yingchuan.
Such a post would not normally have been hers. After all, she had been very low-key in the Hanlin Academy, almost as if she were non-existent. Her obtaining this official position was largely due to the intervention of the Prince of Yingchuan.
After completing the handover of duties and assisting the prince's mansion with various matters, Lin Yan reported on the local situation and actively worked to improve the lives of the local populace.
By the following year, the living conditions of the county's residents had significantly improved, and tax revenues had increased considerably.
On Zhao Hao's birthday, Lin Yan sent a considerable number of gifts. These gifts were included with the gifts sent from the prince's mansion to the capital.
Zhao Hao was now fifteen years old, which, for a girl, was the age of adulthood. As no valid reason could be found to refuse the Emperor's matchmaking, Zhao Hao's illness worsened that year.
After the imperial physicians examined him, they informed the Emperor that Princess Fu An might not live to reach adulthood. This news was leaked by the subordinates of the Prince of Yingchuan, and no one in the capital was willing to marry such a wife.
If they were to get engaged, the groom might also bear the reputation of being a jinx to his wife. Therefore, when the Emperor subtly hinted at his intentions, all the eligible young men in the capital hastily became engaged.
He was furious and spent a long time trying to find out who had leaked the information, but to no avail. He could only comfort Zhao Hao, promising to find him a better suitor.
Of course, he did not suspect the Prince of Yingchuan of spreading the news, and Zhao Hao put on a show of gratitude.
He also feigned dejection, as if all hope of marriage had been lost.
"Your Majesty, given Fu An's current health, it would be best not to delay others."
"Delay? You are a daughter of the Zhao family, a princess of the imperial clan. To marry you would be the accumulated fortune of their family for generations. Fu An, do not think such thoughts."
Although he knew Fu An would not live long, regardless, Fu An was an imperial princess, and no one could slight her!
Despite Zhao Hao's intense dislike for the Emperor, at this moment, he felt the Emperor wasn't entirely without merit.
Lin Yan was aware of Zhao Hao's predicament, but the Prince of Yingchuan could not directly intervene. All she could do was urge him to be patient.
Lin Yan's outstanding performance in governance did not go unnoticed by her superiors, and it also brought a slight measure of relief to the Emperor's recent melancholic mood.
He delved deep into his memories and recalled information about Lin Yan. A young man from a poor rural family, young but with considerable talent.
"Li Fu, has this Lin Yan gotten married yet?" He remembered that Lin Yan was young when he passed the Jinshi examination, but he wasn't sure if he was married.
Recently, the so-called young talents in the capital had hastily gotten engaged and married. He had only made a slight suggestion, and they had already gone to such lengths to avoid him, completely disregarding his authority.
"This... this old servant is also unsure. But he should not be married yet, right?"
"Oh, 'should not be'?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
"I heard that this Lord Lin is a jinx to his wives." Li Fu replied.
Because the Emperor had wanted to find a worthy son-in-law for his daughter at that time, they had investigated the circumstances of the top scholars of that cohort.
It had only been a few years, and he remembered it quite clearly.
"A jinx to his wives? Interesting."