"Miss! Young Master Wen has ranked third in the top - tier imperial examination. He's the Number Three Scholar personally appointed by His Majesty. This time he's sending someone to pick us up to the capital. You're surely going to achieve your wish!"
Inside the carriage, Shen Linyi's face was pale as she murmured softly, "I hope so."
She wore a veil. Although it made her uncomfortable, she didn't slouch.
Despite the weariness in her eyes, they were bright and clear. Under her long eyelashes, all her sharpness was hidden beneath her gentleness and calmness. Just looking at her eyes, one could tell how breathtakingly beautiful the face under the veil must be.
Shen Linyi held the jade pendant in her hand. Her red lips parted slightly, and her tired but still melodious voice sounded, "Liuyun, how much further is it?"
Liuyun calculated quickly and replied, "We're approaching the outskirts of the capital. We should be able to enter the city this afternoon."
Seeing Shen Linyi's uncertain mood, Liuyun hesitated for a moment and then continued, "Is Miss worried? Young Master Wen is now the Number Three Scholar appointed by His Majesty. He sent Uncle Lao to pick us up to the capital. He must remember the kindness of you embroidering handkerchiefs day and night to support his imperial examination studies."
Shen Linyi let out a soft laugh and put the jade pendant back into her bosom. "Silly Liuyun, there's no certainty in the world."
Liuyun didn't understand. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly stopped. She glanced at Uncle Lao who was driving the carriage outside and then lowered her voice, "Is Miss thinking about those heart - less scholars in the storybooks?"
"Young Master Wen has a good character, not to mention his looks. If he can help Miss get out of the low - status register and marry you as his wife, then..."
Shen Linyi interrupted Liuyun. She stretched out her long, fair finger and tapped Liuyun's forehead. Her eyes were full of helplessness.
"You know my intention of supporting Young Master Wen. Why do you need to test me with the matter of marriage? I just want to get out of the low - status register and avenge Mother. I have no interest in romance. Don't mention it again in the future."
Shen Linyi closed her eyes, and her thoughts gradually drifted away.
Back then, Mother was poisoned to death by a concubine in the family. But the man who Mother had loved all her life, the powerful man who could sway the court, just coldly ordered the servants to clean Mother's body and covered up all the evidence for his beloved concubine.
In the end, Mother was slandered for having an affair. Her body was buried without proper rites, and the young Shen Linyi was driven to a manor.
That concubine sent people several times to kill Shen Linyi. Later, with the help of her maternal grandfather, Shen Linyi faked her death and escaped to the south of the Yangtze River. To protect her, her grandfather let her live under the identity of a low - status embroiderer.
Over the years, Shen Linyi had been working hard to get out of the low - status register and looking for an opportunity to avenge her mother.
Thinking of this, Shen Linyi's eyes turned cold. Even Liuyun beside her was infected by the bitter hatred in Shen Linyi's eyes and slowly tightened her lips.
Over the years, Shen Linyi had been constantly planning in the south of the Yangtze River. She had supported countless people like Wen Heyu who wanted to take the imperial examination. In the end, only Wen Heyu had passed the exam and come to pick her up.
If Wen Heyu could really remember her kindness and help her get out of the low - status register and avenge her mother after they entered the capital, then she would use the connections, resources and wealth left by her grandfather to help Wen Heyu rise to power. If Wen Heyu couldn't... Shen Linyi wasn't without other options.
A masked face gradually appeared in Shen Linyi's mind, and the jade pendant in her bosom seemed to be getting hot.
Three months before coming to the capital, Shen Linyi had saved a man one night. Half of the man's face was covered by a mask, and only a pair of star - like eyes were exposed.
He fell in front of Shen Linyi's cottage. His body was full of knife wounds and covered in blood. He had even been poisoned by a powerful drug. Every time he moved, more blood would flow out. It was Shen Linyi who took out the anti - poison pill given by her grandfather that saved the man's life.
Not long after the man was detoxified, his subordinates came to pick him up.
When he was leaving, the man tightly held Shen Linyi's hand in a half - dream and half - awake state. He stuffed a jade pendant into Shen Linyi's hand and said that the situation was critical now, but he would surely repay her for saving his life.
However, the man didn't reveal his identity, nor did he say where to find him.
Shen Linyi secretly sent people to investigate. It wasn't until the day Uncle Lao knocked on the door that Shen Linyi received a letter with the man's identity.
That man was actually the young marquis of the Dingguo Marquis Mansion, Xiao Jinghe.
Xiao Jinghe's father was a hero who had fought with the emperor to establish the country. If the late Marquis Xiao hadn't firmly refused, he might have been the first marquis with a non - royal surname in this dynasty.
The emperor was grateful for the loyalty of the Xiao family and personally bestowed the imperial amnesty edict. After the late Marquis Xiao passed away, Xiao Jinghe was even taken into the palace by the emperor to be personally taught. He was closer to the emperor than the princes.
If Xiao Jinghe could help, Shen Linyi wouldn't have to work so hard. Even if her enemy, who was the prime minister, protected his concubine, she could avenge her mother immediately.
Exchanging the life of her enemy for the life - saving kindness, Xiao Jinghe wouldn't suffer a loss.
Thinking of this, Shen Linyi's heart burned with passion.
Uncle Lao, who was driving the carriage, heard a bit of the whispered conversation between the mistress and the maid. He only vaguely heard words like "Number Three Scholar" and "marriage".
He thought that Shen Linyi and her maid were trying to curry favor. He said, as if showing off or with some hidden intention, "Miss Shen, you don't know. That day when our young master paraded on the imperial street, there was a grand procession in front of him. He wore a blue robe with flowers. He was extremely glorious. Even the white horse of the Number One Scholar wasn't as handsome as our young master's."
"The street was crowded with people. The purses and sachets of the young ladies and noble girls were thrown at our young master as if they were free."
"And the mansion of the Number Three Scholar. It's a three - courtyard mansion of the Mo Xiangfang. In the capital where every inch of land is precious, it's really magnificent..."
Uncle Lao rambled on about the scene of Wen Heyu's parade on horseback. He even described in detail what color clothes the peddlers on the roadside were wearing.
In the end, Liuyun was almost dozing off. She just unconsciously echoed a few words.
As Shen Linyi listened to Uncle Lao's words, the scene of a Number One Scholar's parade on horseback that she had seen in her childhood appeared in her mind.
At that time, Mother was holding her. They followed the crowd all the way, looking at the figure in the red robe on the white horse with excitement. She was holding a bunch of sweet candied haws in her hand and clapping her hands excitedly.
It was a pity that later... Mother was gone...
The carriage swayed and it took more than a month to reach the capital.
"Miss Shen, we're here. Please get off the carriage."
The carriage finally stopped, and Uncle Lao's voice came from outside.
Liuyun excitedly picked up her small package. She lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage first. Then she helped Shen Linyi get off.
But looking at the building in front of her, Shen Linyi frowned.
What was in front of her wasn't the mansion of the Number Three Scholar that Uncle Lao had boasted about all the way, but a nunnery with a sign that said "Jingxin Nunnery".
Shen Linyi's expression turned cold. She turned back and said coldly, "What does this mean?"
Uncle Lao was still sitting on the carriage and didn't get off. He looked down at Shen Linyi arrogantly.
"Miss Shen, our young master is the Number Three Scholar. He should be matched with a noble lady. But for you, it's impossible to be the main wife. However, our young master isn't heart - less. You two can stay in this nunnery for now. After the main wife enters the mansion, you can still be a concubine."