In a private room on the second floor of a roadside teahouse, a tall man looked down at the street below with great interest.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing." He withdrew his gaze from the outside. "What do you need me for?"
"I heard you were injured. I wanted to visit you at your residence, but I was afraid it would be too much of a fuss, so I asked you out instead. It seems your injuries aren't too serious now."
He observed Xing Shaojun's body, feeling that he wasn't in serious trouble. wap.kanshuwu.net
"Fortunately, I'm not dead!" he replied impolitely.
"Who would dare to injure you in the capital region?"
"We're still investigating, but we'll have results soon."
Xu Ling sent an invitation to Lin Yan for a visit.
Lin Yan brought a considerable amount of pastries and some gifts.
After handing over her gifts to the person who guided her, Lin Yan had Gu Yu and Xiao Man carry the food boxes as they walked towards Xu Ling's courtyard.
"Yan Yan, you're finally here!" Xu Ling was very happy to see Lin Yan.
"I brought you some new items from my shop. You can play with them or give them to others." Lin Yan gestured for the person beside her to bring the box over.
"Your presence is enough, why did you bring gifts!" Xu Ling was a little displeased.
"It's not like I've visited your home before! Oh, and I brought some pastries. Try them later. If you like them, I'll have Gu Yu send you the recipe."
Lin Yan gestured to the food boxes in Gu Yu and Xiao Man's hands.
"Then I won't be polite. Sister Ying and the others are already waiting in the room. Hurry up and come in."
Once Lin Yan arrived, everyone was assembled.
The gathering this time was with people Xu Ling was familiar with, and everyone felt more at ease than at the previous gathering at Prince Ning's mansion.
"Yan Yan, aren't quite a few people from your family participating in the Spring Imperial Examination? How is it going?" Xu Ling asked directly.
"Who can say? It's all about doing one's best and leaving the rest to fate." Lin Yan didn't boast.
She actually thought her nephews were quite good, but she wasn't very familiar with the candidates of this year's examination, so she dared not make any definitive statements.
"Your family's young scholar, Lin, is quite talented. The poem admiring plum blossoms he wrote last time was truly excellent," Xu Ling rarely praised others like this.
"It was indeed good, but we don't know how his essays are?" Cao Ying also inquired.
"They should be alright, but I haven't seen them."
"However, there are quite a few notable figures in this year's examination!" The young lady who spoke next began to list some of the more famous candidates.
Once the topic shifted, Lin Yan did not steer it back.
When everyone began to gather in small groups and chat, Xu Ling came over to Lin Yan alone.
"How are things between you and your fiancé?" Xu Ling asked cautiously.
"You probably know I've moved out of the Marquis's mansion, so naturally, I don't want this marriage anymore."
"Then you..." Xu Ling saw the smile on Lin Yan's face was not fake and understood that Lin Yan genuinely didn't care.
"Why did you suddenly ask me about this?" Lin Yan knew Xu Ling was not usually so curious.
"Because I noticed the young lady from Duke An's family is very interested in your fiancé. But since you don't want this marriage anymore, then it's not something you need to worry about.
However, I really dislike the young ladies from Duke An's mansion; I don't think we are the same kind of people. Although I know that the Marchioness is not easy to get along with, that heir to the Marquis's estate is indeed an excellent match."
Xu Ling wanted to say that without this marriage, Lin Yan might not find such a good match again.
But looking at her demeanor, she seemed to be living quite comfortably now.
"Don't worry, they won't get together," Lin Yan revealed a secret to Xu Ling.
"How so?" Xu Ling became instantly interested.
"His Majesty still has a princess who hasn't married yet!"
"You mean Princess Jiayi?"
"It cannot be spoken of," Lin Yan said meaningfully.
"I live alone now, which is very convenient. If you have time, you can come to my residence to play. You don't need to send an invitation; just come whenever I'm home.
I also have a garden in the suburbs that I've spent a lot of effort renovating. When spring comes, I can invite you all over to visit."
Lin Yan genuinely hoped Xu Ling and the others would visit, as humans are social creatures and need friends.
"Alright, then I won't be polite!"
"Why be polite? I'm the master of my own home, so feel free to visit anytime."
Lin Yan's words made Xu Ling envious again. It was unlikely she would be in charge of her own household for a long time.
The results of the Metropolitan Examination came out quickly. The young men from the Lin family, feigning an air of composure, waited in the teahouse. An uncle from the Lin family, a cousin of Lin Yan's, also accompanied them.
The old steward had sent people to guard the Imperial Academy early, waiting to report the good news as soon as the results were released.
While everyone was filled with excitement, Lin Yan was unusually calm.
The examination was over, and the results were out. Whether they passed or not was already a foregone conclusion. If they passed, she would be happy for them. If they failed, she wouldn't be sad.
Although the Metropolitan Examination was held every three years, the country only selected fewer than a hundred people. One could imagine how difficult it was.
As everyone waited nervously, the first congratulatory report arrived. Before they could rejoice, more reports came in one after another.
Eight people from the Lin family had participated in the Metropolitan Examination, and six of them had passed. Only two did not.
However, these two did not feel too disappointed. In fact, they had already had a premonition after leaving the examination hall. They had just held onto a sliver of hope.
Now that the results were out, they had confirmed it.
They congratulated their cousins without any pretense. Seeing their reactions, their uncle was very pleased. With such an open-minded attitude, their future achievements would not be low.
In three years, they would surely be on the list of successful candidates.
The best performer this time was Lin Yi. Although he was not the top scholar, he was second. If he performed well in the Palace Examination, he might even become the top scholar.
The results of the Lin family's Metropolitan Examination reached the Marquis of Huaiyin's mansion, and the Marquis's expression was quite grim.
If it weren't for his wife, these young scholars should have visited their home, and even stayed at their residence.
But now they had become jinshi, yet they had also developed friction with their Marquis's mansion.
Although they were only minor jinshi, the Marquis's mansion did not take them seriously. But who could guarantee they would always remain so?
How young they were! Jinshi at seventeen. If Lin Yan were still in their home, they would be natural allies with Feiyu in the court.
No, it wasn't too late. As long as Lin Yan married in, the Lin family would still be Feiyu's in-laws and the maternal family of his grandson.
Moreover, he had promised his sister that he would take good care of Lin Yan.
He was truly worried about entrusting Lin Yan to others. Yan Yan was so frail; which lady would like such a daughter-in-law?
In the Marquis's mansion, with him present, they could protect her more. If she went to another family, he would be too far away to protect her.