• The spring exam questions are obviously top secret so they are not only locked up but are heavily guarded. The lock requires three different keys to open and each key is carried by a different official. On the night of the feast, one of the officials who were on the job (the other two were elsewhere) ended up getting tied up and put into the basement by a mysterious attacker. Once the official was freed, the official rushed out to check on the locked chest where the exam questions were kept but were both relieved and puzzled when he found the lock intact. Not allowed to open the lock before the actual exam date, the official could only report the strange incident to city guards who promptly ignored him. 

Minister Wei’s manor, caught on fire. 

The fire started from various points in the courtyard, spreading extremely fast. Almost in an instant, the fire engulfed the whole place. 

This house was the one Yan Huaishi had bought for Feng Zhi Wei when she first became an official. (Bought as in doing the purchasing under our heroine’s direction.) Yan Huaishi had thought they should go ahead and buy a large manor but Feng Zhi Wei at that time didn’t want to stand out too much, plus she wanted to live across from Qiu manor to make it easier for her to go back and forth. They ended up buying a modest place with three rooms and a small garden. Not big, quite easy to burn. 

The fire broke out abruptly and violently. Fortunately, Official Wei came back late in the night and because he was drunk, it took a long while to settle him down. When the fire started, everyone had not fallen into deep slumber yet so all were startled awake. After rushing around to put the fire out and grab the valuables, they belatedly realized they hadn’t saved their drunk master. By the time they rush back for Official Wei, Gu Nan Yi had already flown out with one under each of his arms. (The other being Gu Zhi Wei.)

Feng Zhi Wei woke up from a daze, utterly dumbfounded as she stared at her manor completely engulfed in flames. Her pale face was now so completely blackened that her facial features were hard to discern and only her eyes blinking in shock could be seen clearly…looking very comical. 

It was obviously a serious matter that Minister Wei’s manor is on fire. Those from the Imperial Capital Patrol division came almost immediately. When they arrived, they saw Official Wei sitting only with a cloak over his night robe as he order people to put out the fire and bring over the fire dragon (I am assuming these are like fire hoses). 

In the process of getting the fire dragon, the Ministry of Industry was alerted which then alerted the Second Prince who was over the department. Feeling the need to express his concern towards an important official of the court, Second Prince promptly rushed over. Seventh Prince’s bookstore was nearby, so he also rushed over after getting the news of the fire. 

The princes all sighed with regret when they came over and asked repeatedly how the fire started. Feng Zhi Wei squinted her eyes, looking like he was still not sober yet, clueless about what had happened. 

The Second Prince looked at the fierce fire, his expression unreadable in the fiery light. After a bit, Second Prince said “It looks like Official Wei’s place can’t be saved. But that’s alright. Once Father finds out tomorrow, he will for sure give you another place.”

Feng Zhi Wei gathered around her soot-covered cloak and sighed forlornly, “But I am homeless right now…”

The meaning of those words was obvious. Seventh Prince thought about it and said with a smile, “Why don’t Official Wei and Master Gu come to stay at my humble abode for a while? This way, we can have long discussions at night. Official Wei is our national scholar, so you are the perfect person for me to ask for advice.” 

Second Prince then also offered “My place is close by. Perhaps Official Wei can come to stay for a while.” He only said this one sentence and then promptly stopped talking, obviously not as enthusiastic about the idea as Seventh Prince. 

Feng Zhi Wei rubbed her hands and chuckled, “Seventh Prince and his wife are the most famous loving couple in the imperial capital. It is said that they cannot bear to be apart for even an hour. How can I be a bad guest and go bother them.” 

Second Prince’s expression froze the moment she finished speaking because his wife died not too long ago and he has yet gotten remarried. That means in his house, there is just him and his family, very peaceful and free. Now that Wei Zhi has said that Seventh’s place is not convenient then isn’t that saying his place is convenient and he wants to go to his house? 

Beginning to panic inside but still keeping his expression natural, he forced out a smile and said “True, Seventh, your place is far and inconvenient, Official Wei might as well temporarily stay with me but my place is too sparse, a bunch of guards live in the outer manor…”

“Not sparse, not sparse.” Feng Zhi Wei was all smiles as she cut off his words, picked up Gu Zhi Xiao, and kissed her face “Xiao Xiao, we have a place to sleep tonight! Quickly thank your uncle here!” (Uncle= a polite way for kids to call any adult male.)

Gu Zhi Xiao flashed a huge smile, looking surprisingly like Feng Zhi Wei, “Uncle Prince is so nice! I’ll let you hold me!” 

Before Second Prince could say anything, Gu Zhi Xiao had already thrown herself at him. Left with no choice, Second Prince could only catch her in his arms, but his smile sure looked awkward. 

Feng Zhi Wei inwardly gave Gu Zhi Xiao a big thumbs up. The kid usually refuses to let anyone else touch her. She obviously did not understand what was going on but knew enough from just observing the situation. 

Laying her head on Second Prince’s shoulder, a smiling Gu Zhi Xiao flashed two fingers at her Yi Yi Daddy. 

Feng Zhi Wei didn’t understand what that meant. Gu Nan Yi waited until Second Prince walked away before explaining placidly “Sleep with her twice.” 

“……..”

Feng Zhi Wei sorrowfully patted the shoulder of young Master Gu who made a huge sacrifice, then quickly left him and ran away. 

Chasing Second Prince all the way to his manor, by the time Second Prince arranged accommodations for Feng Zhi Wei and the others with her it was already four in the morning. Seemingly suddenly taking a liking to Second Prince, Gu Zhi Xiao who had been latching onto him like an octopus declared that she wants to sleep with Second Prince. Knowing it would be unbecoming of him to get angry with a kid, Second Prince had no choice but to take Gu Zhi Xiao with her to his room. However, Master Gu also followed, saying he can’t rest easy since Gu Zhi Xiao has the tendency to sleepwalk so he must keep guard. Second Prince tried valiantly to convince Master Gu that there is no need to keep guard outside of his bedroom. Gu Nan Yi slowly munched on his walnuts, looked up at the moon in the sky and asked “Or perhaps Your Highness, we can have a heart to heart?” 

Second Prince fled…

With Master Gu keeping guard in front of Second Prince’s bedroom, there was no chance for some random cat to accidentally step on a broken roof tile or a wild dog to tunnel through the wrong hole…even the bugs didn’t have the chance to chirp a single time… 

At dawn, a refreshed Feng Zhi Wei came to remind the sluggish Second Prince that it was time to go to the palace. (For the morning court meeting with all the officials and the emperor) 

Fully dressed for the court, the two of them were about to get on the sedan chairs when the sounds of horses galloping in the street could be heard. A team of Imperial Guards with their bright shining armor came galloping in, heading straight for Feng Zhi Wei’s charred and still smoking manor. 

“By the imperial order, to apprehend the Minister of Rites Feng Zhi Wei who privately leaked the questions on the Spring Imperial Exam!”  

      All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

You guys, I am so sorry this post is so late! Last week was kinda crazy for me so I actually had this post prescheduled to go live on 11/28…or so I thought. I must’ve mistakenly clicked on the wrong date so this post ended up being scheduled for 12/5. Thank you so much for so many kind words and concerns. It certainly gave me lots of warm fuzzies. There will still be another translation post on 12/5 so we should be back on the regular schedule.

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