Outside the main gate of the Prince Qingjun's Mansion, Cang Xuan and a team of men had been waiting there early. Today, he had come specially to send Su Yuanyuan to the examination venue.
Mo Shi sent the children outside the gate. She exchanged a look with Cang Xuan from afar. She nodded slightly and said, "Yun Jian, I'll leave Yuanbao in your care."
Cang Xuan replied, "Don't worry, foster mother. Yun Jian will surely protect my foster sister."
The three siblings bid farewell to their mother, elder brother and sister - in - law, then got into their carriages respectively and embarked on their own exam journeys.
The carriages drove away in three different directions. Cang Xuan rode on his horse, escorting Su Yuanyuan to the Imperial College.
After turning a street corner, a person was standing by the road waiting. Seeing this person, Cang Xuan raised his hand to signal, and the carriage stopped. Su Yuanyuan was a bit curious, so she propped open the carriage window and looked out at Cang Xuan. Cang Xuan said, "It's Master Shanyin."
It's Master?
Su Yuanyuan's face was full of surprise. She immediately lifted the carriage curtain and jumped out of the carriage without waiting for help, then trotted towards Bai Jun.
Bai Jun didn't expect the young girl to rush straight at her. She was hugged tightly by the girl. She heard the girl say happily, "Master, why are you here? Did you come to send me to the Imperial College?"
The young girl's face was rosy, her eyes as bright as stars. Her vitality and vigor infected Bai Jun, making her can't help smiling.
Bai Jun tidied up the stray hairs on the girl's temples and said, "Yes. They say that when children take exams, their relatives should see them off so that they can get good grades. How could I not come to see you off?"
"Great!" Su Yuanyuan took Bai Jun's elbow affectionately. "With Master here, Yuanbao will surely pass this exam smoothly!"
The master and the apprentice got into the carriage together. The carriage, which had already stopped, rolled its wheels again and drove forward.
"Here, this is the dry food I made for you myself. Although the Imperial College will take care of your food and accommodation during this exam, it won't be very delicate. With this dry food, you won't go hungry inside."
Inside the carriage, Bai Jun also handed Su Yuanyuan a food box.
Su Yuanyuan opened the food box in front of Bai Jun. Inside were several kinds of desserts she had picked and eaten when she went to the Bai Mansion before. She didn't expect Bai Jun to remember her preference.
She immediately picked one up and took a bite. The sweet taste that melted in her mouth filled her tongue. The young girl's eyes curved into a smile and she said, "It's so delicious!"
Bai Jun held her hand tightly and said with a smile, "I'm glad you like it."
"Master, with so many vacant positions in the Imperial College for this special imperial examination, has the principal come to ask you to return to the Imperial College?" Su Yuanyuan asked while eating the dessert.
Bai Jun shook her head.
The principal had indeed come to her. He not only wanted to invite her back to the Imperial College as an assistant professor, but also wanted her to be an invigilator for this special imperial examination. However, since Su Yuanyuan was taking the selection exam for the music doctor, for the sake of fairness, as her master, she needed to avoid it, so she declined the principal's invitation.
Su Yuanyuan felt quite regretful. "I was still thinking that we could work together."
Bai Jun was amused by her. She reached out and poked the young girl's forehead. "Take the exam well. Don't think about these things."
Escorted by Cang Xuan, the journey was peaceful and the carriage arrived at the Imperial College smoothly.
However, when Su Yuanyuan lifted the carriage curtain, she saw a figure outside the Imperial College that surprised her.
Lady Tong, the wife of the Marquis of Pingyang, was standing outside the Imperial College wearing a thick cloak. There were several maids beside her whom Su Yuanyuan was very familiar with.
Su Yuanyuan couldn't help frowning.
Why is Lady Tong here?
It was obvious that Lady Tong had come for Su Yuanyuan. She took two steps forward and showed a kind smile to Su Yuanyuan. She said softly, "I heard that the princess is taking the exam today. I came here specially to see you off."
Bai Jun had no good impression of Lady Tong at all. Seeing Lady Tong intercepting Su Yuanyuan on her way to the exam, anger gathered on her face. She was about to step forward and scold her, but Su Yuanyuan grabbed her and shook her head imperceptibly.
Su Yuanyuan looked at Lady Tong and said indifferently, "Thank you, Lady of the Marquis of Pingyang."
Then, she was about to walk towards the Imperial College with Bai Jun and Cang Xuan, but Lady Tong rushed forward and blocked Su Yuanyuan's way.
"Princess!"
Lady Tong said anxiously, "Princess, please stop. This... this is the dim sum and dry food I prepared for you. Once you enter the Imperial College for the exam, you won't be able to come out for three days. With these dim sums, you won't be afraid of getting hungry. Please accept them!"
Then, Lady Tong's maid Zining handed a food box to Su Yuanyuan.
Su Yuanyuan looked at the food box in Zining's hand and was angry and amused.
What's going on recently? Is it a bad year for me? First Su Zeqian, and now Lady Tong. They all come to make trouble for me. I know why Su Zeqian did what he did, but what's Lady Tong's reason?
Su Yuanyuan smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Lady of the Marquis of Pingyang. My mother has already prepared dry food for me. I won't trouble you."
Lady Tong's eyes fell on the burden and food box in Su Yuanyuan's hands. Hearing her mention "mother", she felt a pang in her heart.
She said, "I have no other intention. Does the princess remember that in Fuxing Temple before, I fainted due to my weak body. It was because of a piece of maltose from the princess that I was able to wake up. I've always wanted to repay the princess for saving my life, but I haven't had the chance. This food box is my way of showing my gratitude."
Su Yuanyuan looked down at the food box in Zining's hand.
Afraid that she wouldn't accept it, Lady Tong added, "It was my fault for not disciplining my children well before, which made them disrespect the princess. As their mother, I apologize to the princess on their behalf."
Su Yuanyuan said, "There's no need for an apology. Since the lady said that you came today to repay me for saving your life, then I'll accept it. But after I accept it, we'll be even and have nothing to do with each other anymore. Chunxiao."
Chunxiao stepped forward upon hearing this and took the food box from Zining. Su Yuanyuan didn't look at Lady Tong anymore and walked towards the main gate of the Imperial College.
Taking the opportunity when they passed by each other, Lady Tong glanced at the side of Su Yuanyuan's neck, but found it empty, without any small mole.
Lady Tong was instantly stunned there, her eyes full of disbelief.
There's no mole? How could there be no mole?
She was sure that she had seen a red mole on the young girl's neck in Fuxing Temple!
Lady Tong instinctively wanted to chase after her, but Cang Xuan stepped forward and blocked her way. He said with a smile, "Lady, please go back."
Lady Tong anxiously looked ahead and only heard Su Yuanyuan say to Bai Jun, "Master, I'm going in. You can stop here."
Bai Jun nodded with a smile. She took out an amulet from her body and put it into Su Yuanyuan's hand. "You will surely pass the exam. Master believes in you."
Hearing the two call each other master and apprentice, Lady Tong was even more convinced of Su Yuanyuan's identity. She just didn't know why the red mole on the back of her ear and neck had disappeared. She was eager to find out the truth, but Su Yuanyuan had already entered the Imperial College under Cang Xuan's escort.
Seeing that Bai Jun was about to leave, Lady Tong immediately stepped forward and blocked her. She anxiously asked, "Master Shanyin, you've also recognized that she's Yuan'er, right?"