Chapter 150 - 110: Tea Art Master Zeng Anmin

Chapter 150: Chapter 110: Tea Art Master Zeng Anmin

Inside the Imperial College.

"Ahem." After taking his seat, Zeng Anmin distinctly sensed that something was off about the atmosphere around him.

Qin Wanyue kept her head down, reading. The copy of "The Book of Yi" in her hands had been thumbed through so many times that the pages were slightly wrinkled. Behind them, the Little Fatty Crown Prince and Liu Xian both had their arms crossed, giving him very strange looks.

Baffled, Zeng Anmin sat down. However, unlike before, the moment he took his seat, Qin Wanyue subconsciously shifted inward, putting a slight distance between them. Even this tiny movement was enough for the perceptive Zeng Anmin to realize something was wrong.

"Wanyue?" Zeng Anmin called out to her tentatively.

"Mhm," her voice was flat. She didn’t turn her head. Her eyes remained glued to her book as if she were trying to extract some profound secret from "The Book of Yi".

Something was wrong! Very, very wrong!

Remembering the odd expressions of the two sitting behind him, Zeng Anmin turned to look at them. Meeting his gaze, the Little Fatty Crown Prince and Liu Xian still looked incredibly strange. Fortunately, they didn’t leave him hanging. The Little Fatty Crown Prince shot him a meaningful glance, then darted his eyes toward Qin Wanyue.

Zeng Anmin rubbed his chin. He wasn’t entirely clueless about romance. Naturally, he could sense the heavy jealousy radiating from her. His mind instantly flashed back to his recent meeting with Sai Chuxue.

"No way? Is it really this melodramatic?" he wondered.

Blinking, Zeng Anmin let out a light cough and tested the waters again. "Wanyue, I’m a bit hungry. Do you happen to have any fish cakes today?"

He wore a bright smile as he spoke, even deliberately lacing his tone with anticipation. "If a day goes by without eating the fish cakes you made with your own hands, it feels like life has lost some of its joy."

Zeng Anmin, the master of emotional manipulation, was putting on a clinic!

Sure enough, his expectant gaze and tone made Qin Wanyue’s hand clench slightly. She fought down the urge to turn and look at Zeng Anmin. Pursing her lips, she slowly shook her head. Instead of a simple one-word "no," she offered a soft explanation. "I’m sorry. I was feeling a little unwell yesterday, so I didn’t prepare any food."

Zeng Anmin glanced back at the two behind him. Liu Xian and the Little Fatty Crown Prince were shaking their heads frantically. Liu Xian, in particular, was clearly bursting with a desire to perform. First, he mimed holding a perfectly square box. Then, he acted out violently throwing it to the ground. Finally, he looked up, threw his hands wide open, and gave an innocent shrug.

Alright then. That sequence of gestures was packed with information. Zeng Anmin thought for a moment and quickly pieced together what had happened. He discreetly gave Liu Xian a thumbs-up, his eyes filled with praise to say, "What a good brother!"

Liu Xian immediately puffed out his chest, adopting an expression of breezy nonchalance as if it was the least he could do.

Watching this exchange, the Little Fatty Crown Prince fell into deep thought.

"Did you misunderstand something, Wanyue?" Zeng Anmin asked, blinking innocently at Qin Wanyue’s stunningly beautiful profile. "I’ve known Ms. Sai longer than I’ve known you, but I only see her as a friend. If I wanted something more with her, I wouldn’t have waited until now."

This was the culmination of twenty years of masterful emotional manipulation! Could anyone resist it?!

As expected, upon hearing these words, Qin Wanyue’s expression softened slightly. She didn’t turn around right away, however. She simply pursed her lips, still refusing to look at him.

He wondered why it hadn’t worked. Normally, such a perfectly crafted line would be an unstoppable weapon that would sweep away all obstacles. Why was she still acting like this?

Zeng Anmin cast his gaze back toward the two in the back row. This time, the Little Fatty Crown Prince decisively seized the opportunity. He first pointed at Zeng Anmin, then pointed outside. Next, he clasped his left hand over his right, flashing a wicked, suggestive smirk while winking at Zeng Anmin.

Okay, okay! Zeng Anmin instantly understood again. Great. Qin Wanyue must have seen the scene where Sai Chuxue was inspecting his skin! So that was the root of the problem!

Zeng Anmin quickly turned back to Qin Wanyue. "The selection exams are in a few days. Since I don’t have any official academic rank yet, I wanted Ms. Sai to come over and imprint a Power Array on me."

At this point, he let out a soft sigh. "You know me, Wanyue. I have my own pride. I know I could pass the exams just by saying a word to my father, but I never want to use his influence to suppress others. I only want to earn everyone’s recognition through my own hard work."

He gave a self-deprecating smile. "Perhaps no one understands this mindset of mine. I suppose I’m just being full of myself... Alas."

His sigh carried the profound loneliness of being completely misunderstood. He tilted his head up slightly, his eyes brimming with a sorrow that seemed to pierce the heavens.

Critical hit!

Qin Wanyue’s body trembled slightly. She whipped her head around, meeting Zeng Anmin’s melancholy gaze. Her heart instantly sank in her chest.

"That’s not true, Quan Fu. I understand you." She pursed her lips, casting a worried look his way. "Please don’t overthink it."

Zeng Anmin paused for a moment before giving her a deeply moved look. "Really, Wanyue?" he asked cautiously.

"Really!" Qin Wanyue nodded emphatically. "I will definitely bring you fish cakes tomorrow, Quan Fu!"

"Thank you, Wanyue!" Zeng Anmin replied, his face lighting up with pleasant surprise.

Having witnessed this entire scene, the Little Fatty Crown Prince and Liu Xian were utterly stunned. They looked at each other, both seeing the dumbfounded shock in the other’s eyes.

Was... was this actually a viable strategy?!

The selection exams.

In name, it was a process to choose which Capital City students were qualified to participate in the imperial examinations. In reality, it was a direct competition between the students of the Imperial College and the Qi Lin Academy. It was the ultimate battleground for the fierce, open, and covert rivalries between the two institutions.

Truthfully, neither side’s students were desperate for these exam quotas. Any student who could study the Confucian Dao at these two prestigious academies hailed from a family with significant background and resources. So why did students from both academies still flock to the selection exams every year?

The answer was simple. Of all the earthly pursuits of wealth, rank, and glory, this event alone offered ultimate fame. If one could overpower the rival academy’s students during the selection, they wouldn’t just earn the title of "genius." They would also return to their academy to bask in the reverent gazes of all their peers.

This year, the exams were being hosted inside the Imperial College.

On the Imperial College’s Training Ground.

A massive crowd of students had gathered. The students were largely divided into two distinct uniforms. Those from the Imperial College wore red academic robes, while those from the Qi Lin Academy wore blue. They split into two factions, drawing a sharp dividing line between them. The students on both sides chattered amongst themselves, occasionally casting disdainful and contemptuous glares at their rivals across the way.

Standing amidst the crowd, Zeng Anmin glanced outward and spotted a graceful figure walking along the corridor, carrying a food container. At that exact moment, Qin Wanyue looked up. As if connected by a shared telepathy, their eyes locked.

When she saw him, a radiant smile blossomed in her eyes, and she immediately began walking toward him.

As a woman, Qin Wanyue naturally couldn’t participate in the imperial examinations. While there were historical precedents for female officials in this world, they were explicitly banned from taking the exams. Her main reason for being there today was simply to accompany him during his tests.

As she made her way through the dense crowd, her presence brought a sudden hush over all the students in the Training Ground. Soon, hushed whispers began rippling through the masses.

"Wow... that girl is incredibly beautiful!"

"Is she here for the selection exams too?"

"Are you crazy? Women can’t take the imperial exams. Why would she participate in the selection?"

"Then why is she..."

The discussions came to a screeching halt. Everyone watched in stunned silence as the beaming Qin Wanyue walked right up to a young man and sat down next to him. She then thoughtfully pulled food from her container... looking as though she was mere seconds away from hand-feeding him in front of everyone!

"Are you confident in today’s exams?" Qin Wanyue asked, looking at Zeng Anmin with a radiant smile. Her voice carried a distinct tone of tenderness.

"Don’t worry. When it comes to archery, there isn’t a single person here who can rival me." Zeng Anmin took a bite of the fish cake, and his eyes instantly lit up. "This is delicious!"

"Hehe." Qin Wanyue simply offered a gentle smile. "Don’t eat so fast," she said softly. "Be careful not to choke."