After arriving in the capital, Lin Yan settled her clan elders and others she brought with her, then went to the Ministry of Personnel to report back.
The top three in the first rank were to enter the Hanlin Academy. Lin Yan was now a compiler in the Hanlin Academy and would only be able to officially take up her post after reporting back.
Lin Yan and Lin Bo hosted a banquet for some of their fellow scholars who had also just returned, and at the same time, they brought along their two paternal cousins to broaden their horizons.
During the banquet, everyone was talking about how excellent the collection of essays from the imperial examinations published by the Cui family bookstore was, and that their cohort had been lucky.
Although their names were not yet on this collection, it had made it known that their cohort was not lacking in true talent.
Everyone also knew that this collection of essays was initiated by the second-place scholar, Lin Yan, and the top scholar, Cui Ziyu. During the banquet, Lin Yan was also showered with compliments.
However, they also knew that Lin Yan was rather shy and introverted, so they did not say too much. Nevertheless, their attitude towards Lin Yan was exceptionally good.
Many of them were currently awaiting their official appointments, so they were relatively free lately.
Lin Yan did not say much, leaving all the social interactions to Lin Bo, while she meticulously gathered information.
When Lin Yan was notified of her official appointment, she invited the top scholar Cui to accompany her. However, upon arriving at the Hanlin Academy, they discovered that although three people from their cohort had arrived, only the two of them were starting their tenure.
After meeting their superiors, they were assigned tasks and began to busy themselves in their allocated spaces.
At lunchtime, they learned about the third-place scholar. It turned out he had already started his duties and had even been exceptionally promoted to a reader.
He had become a favorite of the Emperor. Because of this third-place scholar, the impression of Lin Yan and Cui Ziyu among the people in the Hanlin Academy was not very good.
Lin Yan and Cui Ziyu thus suffered undeserved misfortune, but they did not mind. There were many books in the Hanlin Academy, and they enjoyed reading.
Lin Yan, while handling the tasks assigned by her superior, continued to compile her reference books for the imperial examinations.
Time flew by, and summer turned into autumn.
Over these months, the attitude of Lin Yan and Cui Ziyu was observed by the staff in the Hanlin Academy, and they realized that they were different from that third-place scholar.
One autumn afternoon, Lin Yan received word that the young princess of the Yingchuan Royal Estate had been summoned to the capital by the Emperor, ostensibly for her to recuperate.
The Emperor had even prepared a hot spring manor outside the city for her to reside in, and a residence within the city as well.
Although the Emperor very much wished for Fu'an to reside in the imperial palace, the Yingchuan Royal Estate would certainly not agree.
Hearing this news, Lin Yan realized that she had been separated from An'an for nearly a year. She wondered how An'an's health was now.
However, she had been in the capital for a long time and had not yet met the heroine of this world. She should have arrived by now.
At this moment, the heroine whom Lin Yan was thinking of was staying at her maternal grandfather's home.
She was not the original Wang Linlang. The people around her had been constantly instilling in her the idea that her maternal grandfather's family was patriarchal and did not like her.
This was why she had not interacted much with her maternal relatives. However, after some investigation, she discovered that compared to the feigned affection of her paternal family, her maternal relatives were the ones who genuinely cared for her.
In her father's household, she was merely a pitiable child, unloved by her father and stepmother. Despite possessing countless assets, she still lacked the affection of family.
But at her maternal grandfather's home, it was entirely different. Not only was she more at ease, but she also had a group of elders and brothers to support her.
It could be said that among all the noble ladies in the capital, no one could match her freedom.
However, she had caused some trouble a few days ago and had been too afraid to go out in recent days.
Thinking of the clothes and jewelry that person wore, she knew he was definitely not an ordinary person. But by offending him in such a manner, she was certain to bring trouble to her maternal grandfather's family.
If she were at her father's home now, she would not be afraid. She would actually welcome causing trouble for that scumbag father.
In any case, in his eyes, she was already someone who loved to cause trouble. But now, living with her maternal relatives, who treated her so well, how could she bear to cause them any trouble?
Therefore, she had not gone out for a long time, fearing that if she went out again, she might run into that person.
Although that person was quite handsome, his temper was truly terrible, a waste of his good looks.
"Linlang, there's a Cuju match at the training ground north of the city tomorrow. Do you want to go?" her cousin asked her.
"I..." I want to go! Her spirits immediately lifted, but thinking of the trouble she had caused, she deflated again, "I don't understand it anyway, so I won't go."
"It's okay, we'll explain the rules to you then, and you'll understand. Many people will be going tomorrow, and quite a few young ladies as well. Mother has already agreed to let us take you, so come with us." Another cousin coaxed her to go.
"Did Auntie agree?" If Auntie agreed, it seemed like many people were indeed going to this match.
"Yes. Mother said you've been a bit down lately, and she wants us to take you out to relax."
Hearing her cousin's words, Wang Linlang was touched by her aunt's thoughtfulness and the attention from her relatives.
"Then I will go." She would wear a veil then. After all, she had only met him once. If she applied some makeup, she should not be recognized.
Speaking of which, the cosmetics in ancient times were not inferior to modern ones, especially since they were truly extravagant.
Of course, whether ancient or modern, women spent a great deal for beauty.
Thinking this way, it seemed quite easy to earn money from women. She had seen many videos about making cosmetics by hand before, especially lipstick. She had her own shop, so she wondered if she could make some and sell them in her shop.
Although she had a considerable amount of money, who could complain about having too much money?
Just like her scumbag father and stepmother, were they not always eyeing her mother's dowry? If it weren't for her maternal grandfather sending many people, they would have likely moved it all out long ago.
It was a shame her scumbag father called himself a scholar. With him like that, he was definitely a hypocrite!
A true scholar should be like the newly appointed Jinshi she saw parading through the streets. That parade of the top scholar truly made her witness what it meant to "ride a horse in the spring breeze, seeing all the flowers of Chang'an at once."
Although she did not join the crowd and throw flowers, she truly admired the faces of those newly appointed Jinshi.
Especially hearing that the top scholar, having already had a betrothal, had refused a princess, thus displeasing the Emperor, she felt even more that such a person could be considered a scholar.
It was just a pity that the top scholar was already engaged, otherwise, he would have been an excellent candidate for marriage. Who wouldn't want to have such a trustworthy gentleman?