C10 The Heavens will Kill Her

At that moment, all the students began their exams, the sound of pens scratching on paper filling the room. Only Jing Bao sat there like a statue, waiting for someone to bring her a pen. In the entire exam hall, there was only one spare pen.

In the distance stood two figures, a master and his servant. Qi Lin looked sympathetic, "Sir, is this really the right thing to do?"

Gu Changping turned to glance at him, his dark eyes deep with thought. Disguising as a man was a serious offense. If she continued this charade, what good could possibly come of it? Gu Changping said nothing and walked away.

It was quite a while before Jing Bao finally received a third pen. Her hand shook uncontrollably before she started writing. Thankfully, the pen didn’t break this time. Jing Bao wrote quickly, and when she finished, she looked up to find she was the only one who had stopped writing.

Jing Bao stood up and walked out of the inner hall. Shen Changgeng was grinding his teeth in frustration, thinking: This kid is causing trouble, and on top of that, he’s not taking it seriously! After wasting so much time, he was the first to turn in his paper. Could he have done it well?

When the assistant collected the papers, Shen Changgeng glanced down and was stunned.

...

Lunch was provided by the college—three dishes and a soup, which were quite tasty. After eating, Jing Bao began reviewing her notes, as the afternoon exam would cover the Four Books and Five Classics, her weakest subjects. When she received the exam paper, she looked at the first question and felt a jolt. The first topic was to write an essay on "Benevolence is human; when combined, it is the Way."

Tough!

Jing Bao closed her eyes, desperately trying to figure out the solution to the problem. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly, and a wave of intense pain hit her.

Oh no! She had to use the bathroom!

Jing Bao felt like crying but held back her tears. Unable to endure it any longer, she raised her hand to signal the proctor.

Shen Changgeng, already exasperated, instructed an assistant to follow her to prevent any cheating during her bathroom break.

Jing Bao rushed into the restroom, quickly finished, and dashed out. Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in front of her, causing her to let out a startled yelp and stumble backward.

She was scared out of her wits!

The person waiting at the door was the same one who had lifted her curtain outside the city!

Gu Changping looked at her with a blank expression, enunciating each word slowly, "You... are... too... late!"

Boom!

The words exploded in Jing Bao's ears like a thousand firecrackers. She couldn't worry about anything else and took off running.

Gu Changping watched her panicked retreat, a slow smile forming on his lips.

Seventh Jing used every ounce of strength to race back to her seat. Time ticked away.

The bell rang.

Proctor Shen Changgeng ordered everyone to put down their pens.

The color drained from Jing Bao's pale face as she hung her head, shivering slightly. The final question, with its last few crucial lines, remained unwritten.

Someone came over to collect the papers, urging the scholar to leave. Jing Bao picked up the artifact box and left, aimlessly following the crowd outside.

What a coincidence.

Walking alongside her was that well-dressed young man. Earlier at lunch, Jing Bao had made a point to note the name on his table card. His last name was Qian, first name Sanyi, a name just as awkward as Jing Bao's.

Jing Bao forced a smile and tentatively asked, "Sir, I was hoping to ask you something. Is there an official at the Imperial College who's very young, quite handsome, tall, and rather slender?"

Qian Sanyi gave Jing Bao a mocking glance. "His name is Gu Changping. He's the Libationer of the Imperial College, and he personally reviews our exam papers!"

"…!"

Jing Bao felt a lump in her chest, unable to speak for a moment. The Libationer of the Imperial College, a fourth-rank official. More importantly—

She didn't know him at all. If the advice outside the city could be seen as kindness, then why was he deliberately standing outside the restroom today? Is this person an enemy or a friend?

As they exited the National Academy, Mann approached. "Seventh Master, how did the exam go? Was the essay difficult? What was the topic? How did you tackle it?"

Jing Bao gave her a long look. Mann was taken aback. "That's impossible! The fortune said it would be a great success!"

The vein on Jing Bao's forehead twitched twice.

"Are you the Seventh Master of the Jing family?"

A cold, sharp voice sounded from behind, and Jing Bao turned around. At some point, a tall, imposing figure had appeared, wearing a headscarf, with a sinister expression.

Who is this guy?

The newcomer let out a cold snort. "My last name is Shea, first name Shun. My father is Shea of the Ministry of Punishments!"

Jing Bao felt a storm brewing inside, her fists clenched tightly in her sleeves, nails digging into her palms.

One of the culprits behind Fourth Miss's death!

"What guidance does Mr. Shea have for me?"

"Guidance? Oh, Seventh Jing, we've got plenty of time for that." Shea Shun raised an eyebrow.

Yan, standing nearby, flashed a sharp look and silently moved closer, standing tall behind Jing Bao.

Seeing this, several of Shea Shun's servants also stepped forward.

Jing Bao tossed the artifact box into Yan's arms with a slight, cold smile. "Mr. Shea, what do you mean by 'plenty of time'?"

Shea Shun's eyes roved over Jing Bao with a lecherous glint. "Either you don't step foot into the Imperial College and scurry back to Lin'an Prefecture, or if you do, you'd better pray you don't fall into my hands, or else..."

Jing Bao bowed slightly. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Shea, but the one who should be praying is you, not me."

Shea Shun's face darkened, his composure slipping. "Care to say that again?"

“Recently, there have been rumors of a haunting at the Marquis Mansion. Considering the timing, it seems the Fourth Miss's spirit might still linger in this world.”

Jing Bao's lips curled into a subtle, fleeting smile that seemed to carry a hint of mockery or disdain.

“Mr. Shea, you better watch out. They say those who die with grievances become vengeful spirits, relentless until they find peace.”

With that, she turned and walked away, her silhouette stretched long and thin by the setting sun.

“Jing, you think you can spook me? Just wait and see how I deal with you next time!” Shea Shun muttered as he hurriedly climbed into his carriage, clearly a bit shaken.

The entrance to the National Academy fell silent.

Two figures emerged from behind the stone lion statues, one with his hands behind his back, his face slightly pale.

Qi Lin glanced at his master, noting the cold glint in his eyes, and sighed, “Seems like there's no love lost between Seventh Master Jing and the Shea family. If you ask me, Master, it might be wise to head back south sooner rather than later.”

Gu Changping gave a smile that was hard to read.