Despite his young age, he held extreme power, and together with the Qin family, had marginalized the Emperor, ruling from behind a curtain. The officials might disrespect the Emperor, but they dared not disrespect Empress Dowager Qin Qing.

Qin Qing’s procession entered the Apricot Garden grandly, even more imposing and majestic than the Emperor’s procession, clearly in a position of superiority.

Qiu Shuzhi knelt by the seat, only seeing a swath of dark ink-colored gold-embroidered robes sweep past her eyes.

Qin Qing glanced at the rose in Yue Shen’s hand.

“This must be the Third-Place Lady, raise your head and let me have a look!” A deep male voice flowed like steady water.

“Yes!” Qiu Shuzhi slowly raised her head.

Before her stood a man in dark gold-embroidered robes, his long hair bound by a jade crown, his face handsome and profound, his slender, gentle eyes carrying a faint hint of a smile.

Qiu Shuzhi saw a flash of amazement in his eyes.

However, what attracted Qiu Shuzhi’s gaze the most was the man standing behind Qin Qing.

He wore an official robe embroidered with four-clawed pythons, his chest adorned with a fierce beast resembling a dragon, baring its teeth and claws, chillingly bone-deep. A jade belt cinched his waist, and under the gold-woven black gauze cap was his skin, pale to the point of being almost bloodless. His features were cold and exquisitely beautiful, thick eyelashes casting shadows under his eyes, like a deity looking down on all beings from a snow-capped mountain.

From beginning to end, he kept his eyes lowered and didn’t utter a word, nor did he look at Qiu Shuzhi even once. The hand gripping the embroidered spring sword had visible blue veins, exuding a coldness and danger that kept people at a thousand miles’ distance.

“Father Dowager, the flower-pinning ceremony is not yet complete, please allow your daughter to finish bestowing the flower first,” Yue Shen said.

Qin Qing looked at the rose in her hand and slowly said, “The flower-pinning ceremony should be completed, but this rose is inappropriate.” “What’s inappropriate about it?” Yue Shen frowned imperceptibly.

The flowers bestowed on the top three had been passed down from the previous Emperor, and all previous third-place winners had been given roses. Qin Qing’s words were clearly meant to undermine her imperial authority.

Qin Qing lightly pointed at the pale, misty apricot blossoms in the distance: “Apricot blossoms are the flowers of passing the examination, they would be most suitable pinned in Lady Qiu’s hair. What do you think, Guanyi?” The snow-mountain-like beauty moved his eyelids, his cold eyes looking towards Qiu Shuzhi, but quickly averting when he noticed Qiu Shuzhi was also looking at him, as if he had seen something terrifying. His hand gripping the embroidered spring sword turned white: “It’s up to Father Dowager to decide.” Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes flickered, was she really that frightening?

With these words, before the Emperor could agree, an official below the throne had already broken off a beautifully blooming apricot branch and obsequiously offered it up.

Qiu Shuzhi was closest to the cold-bodied beautiful man, and she saw his hand hidden in his brocade sleeve tightly clenched, his fingertips turning a pale white.

The flower branch was inserted slantwise into her hair, like snow and jade.

Qin Qing smiled slightly, elegant and beautiful: “Indeed, apricot blossoms suit you better. What does Your Majesty think?” Yue Shen pressed her lips tightly, and after a long while said: “Very good.”

“I had long heard that Lady Qiu’s beauty was like that of a divine fairy, and seeing her today, the rumors were indeed not exaggerated. Even the apricot blossoms must feel ashamed, truly the epitome of living beauty,” Qin Qing said softly.

The officials took note in their hearts, with the current Empress Dowager wielding such power over the court, if Qiu Shuzhi could gain his appreciation, her future prospects would be limitless.

“The Empress Dowager flatters me,” Qiu Shuzhi said calmly.

If it were anyone else, they would have been overjoyed and seized the opportunity to curry favor.

Seeing her neither servile nor overbearing manner, Qin Qing smiled and turned to ask Yue Shen: “Has Your Majesty assigned positions to the scholars yet?”

“Not yet.”

“I think the top scorer Qin Shu has talent in political discourse and could enter the Inner Cabinet. The second-place Jiang Si could enter the Ministry of Personnel. What does Your Majesty think?”

Yue Shen inwardly sneered. Qin Shu’s mother Qin Zheng was already an elder of the Inner Cabinet, and now Qin Shu was to enter as well, clearly intending for the daughter to succeed her mother’s position.

She was silent for a moment, then smiled and said: “Very well, let it be as Father Dowager says. As for Qiu Shuzhi, I think her literary talent is outstanding, so let her enter the Hanlin Academy as an Imperial Lecturer.”

Imperial Lecturer, a fifth-rank official position.

Historically, third-place winners usually started their careers as Hanlin Academy Compilers, a seventh-rank position. This showed the Emperor’s favor and was also a compensation for Qiu Shuzhi’s examination ranking.

After the banquet, the Emperor granted the top three the privilege of parading through the capital on horseback. The spring breeze blew, scattering apricot blossoms like rain. The capital’s citizens gathered around, hoping to snatch the flowers pinned to the scholars’ hair.

Some young men even pushed open windows along the street, waving embroidered handkerchiefs at Qiu Shuzhi.

Qiu Shuzhi removed the apricot blossom from her hair and tossed it into the air. The crowd scrambled to catch it, wanting to take it home to bring good fortune to their daughters. In the end, a young boy snatched it and ran off, treasuring it like a precious possession.

Sitting atop her tall horse, her gaze swept through the rain of apricot blossoms, and she inadvertently caught sight of the snow-mountain-like beauty’s departing figure, the fierce beast embroidered on his back staring at her intently.

“What’s this, are you interested in him?” Qin Shu had somehow ridden her horse to her side and whispered in her ear.

“Don’t jest, My Lady.”

Qin Shu said with a smile: “Lady Qiu is now a fifth-rank official, you can have any man you want, no need to waste your thoughts on him, he’s not worth it.”

Qiu Shuzhi smiled faintly: “I merely glanced at him, you’re overthinking. But from your tone, it seems you’re quite familiar with him?”

There was a hint of disdain in Qin Shu’s voice: “He is the Crown Prince Yue Guanyi, the current Emperor’s only legitimate elder brother, and also the Commander of the Imperial Guard. A man doing a job bloodier than a woman’s, no one who enters his prison comes out whole.”

Yue Guanyi

At the mention of his name, Qiu Shuzhi suddenly remembered this man known as the ‘Living King of Hell’ among the common people. She hadn’t expected him to be so handsome.

Having entered officialdom, Qiu Shuzhi had to be extremely careful with her words. Even hearing Qin Shu speak this way, she still had to make amends to avoid being secretly plotted against.

“For the Crown Prince to achieve such a position as a man is truly admirable.”

Qin Shu’s eyes flickered: “Do you really think so? For a man to be so prominent in public, don’t you think it’s improper?”

“There’s essentially no difference between men and women, the capable should be in charge.”

After all, having transmigrated from modern times, Qiu Shuzhi wasn’t influenced by too many feudal ethics here.

Qin Shu’s eyes darkened slightly: “Lady Qiu is indeed different from others, I admire you.”

“But you’d better stay far away from him. He’s no longer pure. During the succession struggle years ago, he was displaced among commoners and sold to a brothel by human traffickers. He even had the word ‘slave’ carved into his body. His personality has changed drastically, becoming extremely ruthless. Even the elders of the cabinet have to yield to him somewhat.”

Qiu Shuzhi didn’t know what to say, after all, he was a prince of the country, yet was being discussed so casually by officials. However, this world was consistently harsh on men, as long as she herself was careful with her words and actions, it would be fine.

The carriage slowly drove through the capital’s streets. A young servant of about ten years old quickly lifted the heavy curtain and slipped inside. High-quality incense was burning, and in the dim light sat a man with cold eyes.

“Your Highness!” The young servant respectfully presented an apricot blossom branch carefully wrapped in a handkerchief.

Yue Guanyi’s slender, fair hand took the flower. His cold eyes stared at the elegantly blooming apricot branch, his mind recalling how it looked when worn in that person’s hair.

He lowered his head and lightly sniffed, the faint fragrance of the flower still carrying that person’s familiar scent, causing his breathing to quicken involuntarily.

He clutched the flower branch to his chest, wanting to be closer to that person, yet afraid that too much force would damage the delicate blossom. This was the flower that had been pinned in Qiu Shuzhi’s hair!

He cradled the flower as if it were a priceless treasure, even his breathing was careful, filled with utmost reverence.

“Finally, finally I’ve waited for you.”