Although they had set out together for their studies, senior brother would not be able to return with him.
He truly hadn't expected senior brother to be so capable, not only possessing great scholarship but also medical skills.
He couldn't fathom how his senior brother had grown up.
However, the journey back would be less enjoyable without senior brother's company. All of his father's attention would then be focused solely on him, a truly sweet burden.
An An's body, under Lin Yan's care, gradually grew stronger. Yet, he remained small, his appearance seemingly unchanged.
Now, he no longer needed to be carried everywhere he went. He could even venture out in the cold weather, even experiencing snow for the first time.
Though it was only for a fleeting moment, An An was already immensely content.
With his health improving, An An also began his studies. To prevent others from knowing that An An's health had recovered, the King and Queen of Yingchuan continued to reside at the estate. Rumors circulated outside that little county princess An An was in poor health.
In the past, the King and Queen of Yingchuan would have been furious upon hearing such news. But now, seeing An An's gradual recovery, they paid it no mind.
As the King and Queen of Yingchuan ignored the rumors, they only intensified. Those who knew of little county princess An An's delicate health believed her condition must be truly dire.
This left the King and Queen of Yingchuan with no time to concern themselves with external gossip, an unintended but fortunate outcome.
Those keeping watch in the city also heard these rumors. Since the King and Queen of Yingchuan had not returned to their manor, and the estate was populated by the King and Queen's trusted confidantes, they were unable to glean any substantial information.
They too believed the rumors to be true, otherwise, why would the royal couple abandon their fine manor to reside on the estate?
It must be that the little county princess was gravely ill and unable to be moved, preventing their return.
Thus, this was the message conveyed to the capital, which also served to further reassure a certain individual in the capital.
After all, a prince without an heir would not garner much support from those who might have ulterior motives.
The provincial examinations were held in the autumn. Lin Yan bid farewell to the King of Yingchuan's family in the height of summer, and An An was very reluctant to see Lin Yan depart.
Even though An An's condition now only required him to take one medicinal pill daily, and he had begun his studies, he still saw Lin Yan every day.
The estate was staffed by the King and Queen of Yingchuan's most trusted individuals, particularly those close to An An, who were the most loyal among the loyal. Thus, they were aware of An An's identity, and no one obstructed Lin Yan's visits with An An.
Because An An endured his physical discomfort with great patience, he was able to focus on his studies despite his young age.
The King of Yingchuan dared not seek external tutors for his enlightenment, so he undertook the task himself. Lin Yan also contributed significantly to An An's early education.
The King and Queen of Yingchuan were deeply grateful to Lin Yan. Without Lin Yan, their child might truly have been beyond saving.
The thought that their child's weakness stemmed from an *yansheng* curse, and that without identifying the cause, even the finest physicians in the world would have been powerless.
If not for Lin Yan's expertise, who could have ever conceived of such a diagnosis? This was also An An's good fortune that Meng Zhou happened to take him as a disciple, and then, out of concern for him, brought his own disciple to visit.
Now, seeing their child appear only slightly weaker than an ordinary child, no longer prone to illness at the slightest gust of wind, able to walk freely in the sunlight, able to freely touch the world.
He felt immense gratitude towards Lin Yan. While they could not fully repay Lin Yan's kindness, they could provide him with better conditions to facilitate his path in the imperial examinations.
The Queen of Yingchuan prepared a comfortable carriage for Lin Yan and provided guards to accompany him.
"Yan'er, it's inconvenient for us to see you off, but I have made arrangements for your journey. You can return with peace of mind to prepare for your examinations," the Queen of Yingchuan's gaze towards Lin Yan was now filled with gentleness. This child could be considered their entire family's benefactor.
"Thank you, Aunt Zhao."
"Here is some travel money. The guards also have some. If you wish to buy anything you desire on the road, tell them." The King of Yingchuan took a box from the hand of a close aide and handed it to Lin Yan.
Lin Yan wished to refuse, but the kindness was too overwhelming, and he could only accept the box.
An An said nothing to Lin Yan, but kept holding Lin Yan's sleeve, his large eyes fixed on Lin Yan, making it impossible for Lin Yan to bear the thought of parting.
"An An," Lin Yan began, but before he could say anything, An An spoke.
"Brother Yan, I will study hard and take my medicine diligently. When will you come back to see me?" An An used the word "return," knowing that Lin Yan would understand his meaning.
Lin Yan did not wish to deceive An An. After passing the provincial examinations this year, he would proceed to the capital for the higher examinations. He intended to conclude his imperial examination journey in the spring of the following year.
The changes in his body could no longer be suppressed by medicine. If all went as expected, his first menstruation would occur next year, and his secondary sexual characteristics would develop rapidly.
Fortunately, the official robes of this dynasty were rather loose, which would fully conceal them. Therefore, he had to don official robes before that time.
"I will be going to the capital next year to take the metropolitan examination. If I pass, I will serve as an official in the capital," Lin Yan stated, unwilling to lie.
"The capital?" An An was also aware of that place. "Will you not return then?"
"After I have served as an official in the capital for a few years, if An An still remembers me, I will seek a post near Yingchuan and come to accompany you, how about that?"
"I will never forget Brother Yan."
"Then I will write to An An at that time." Lin Yan said, and then attempted to gently pull his sleeve from An An's grasp.
The King and Queen of Yingchuan watched the exchange between Lin Yan and An An. Such a child was undoubtedly destined for greatness, and they were very pleased that An An could befriend him.
Setting aside other considerations, Lin Yan's medical skills alone were highly commendable.
An An slowly released Lin Yan's sleeve and then watched as Lin Yan boarded the carriage and departed.
"Father, we will be returning to the capital as well, won't we?" An An asked, looking up at the King of Yingchuan.
"Why do you ask that?" the King of Yingchuan was surprised.
An An's health had improved, but the traitors within the manor had been purged. That individual would surely become suspicious, and might summon them back to the capital very soon.
However, he had never discussed these matters with An An. How could An An have thought of this?
"Some people cannot bear to see us prosper, so we will likely be returning to the capital soon."
As his death had not been confirmed, how could that person feel at ease? Although he had been sickly, he remembered everything his father and mother had said.
He had been aware from a very young age. Sometimes, when his father and mother believed he was asleep, they would speak by his bedside. But in reality, he had not been asleep at all.
He had only pretended to sleep so as not to worry his father and mother.