After forcing out a few tears, she immediately abandoned any thoughts of leaving.
Chen Kai offered to take her back to the Chen family estate, but she politely declined.
The first New Year in Liang Capital, she spent quietly in the academy among her brushes and paper.
Another spring, the academy resumed classes.
Without worries, Wu Ciyun began to reveal herself little by little, privately selling her Zhisheng essays, which were in high demand.
Xitong knew of her secret dealings and warned that trouble was sure to come, but Wu Ciyun paid no heed and made no effort to conceal it.
In June, one of her essays sold to a prominent son of a noble family received high praise from Master Zheng, who even remarked that the insights far surpassed the conservative Wen Guanyu.
This single comment sparked much controversy.
Wen Guanyu said nothing then but repeatedly reread the essay.
The noble son grew anxious, afraid of offending Wen Guanyu and making an enemy.
He nervously confessed everything.
Master Zheng, who thought he’d found a rare prodigy, was furious to learn the “prodigy” had spent twenty taels on a ghostwriter.
In anger, he reported the matter to the Headmaster.
Such an offense couldn’t withstand close inspection.
After thorough investigation, the blame fell squarely on Wu Ciyun.
“Where did you sneak these essays in from?” the academy’s moral supervisor slammed a pile of ghostwritten essays on the table, coldly demanding, “The academy strictly forbids outsourcing. How did you know the Teachers’ assignments?”
Realizing escape was impossible, Wu Ciyun gritted her teeth and confessed, “I didn’t sneak them in. I wrote them myself.”
“You wrote them?”
Master Zheng flipped through over a hundred essays, frowning, “I know your capabilities. Don’t spout nonsense. How could all these be your work?”
Wu Ciyun had no choice but to pick one and recite its contents.
Everyone exchanged astonished looks. No one expected she actually had that ability.
By regulations, Wu Ciyun’s actions warranted expulsion.
But Master Zheng cherished talent and pleaded repeatedly for her, buying her a few more days of grace.
“You’ve learned some crooked tricks,” Master Zheng pulled her aside and scolded bitterly, “If you truly had talent, why not dedicate yourself to passing the imperial exams? Why waste time earning a few taels ghostwriting? When your inspiration runs dry, what then?”
“Teacher, I really have no choice.”
Wu Ciyun lowered her eyelashes and quietly said, “My family suffered disaster last year. Without this, I probably couldn’t even afford the enrollment fee…”
Master Zheng paused, stroking his beard, recalling academy gossip.
In the end, he sighed, “Fine. You have no other option. But the Headmaster has no tolerance for troublemakers. Go pack your things. Don’t do this again.”
That was to say, she had no choice but to leave.
Seeing Master Zheng moved, Wu Ciyun did not argue but subtly asked about the cause.
She learned she was betrayed because her Zhisheng essays overshadowed Wen Guanyu—she almost laughed in disbelief.
The Headmaster wouldn’t return for two or three days.
In the meantime, Wu Ciyun was banned from the Study Hall, confined to her room for reflection.
Early the next morning, she picked a crowded moment and stopped Wen Guanyu in the hall.
“Young Master Wen.”
Wen Guanyu glanced indifferently.
Seeing a stranger’s face, he frowned ever so slightly and assumed she was trying to flatter nobles.
He was about to walk away.
But Wu Ciyun was quick and grabbed his leg, crying and shouting, “Young Master Wen, I truly didn’t mean it! I didn’t expect the Teacher to say my Zhisheng was better than yours…”
Wen Guanyu was caught off guard and conflicted, his expression darkening immediately.
His attendants tried to drive Wu Ciyun away, but she clung tightly to Wen Guanyu’s robe.
They hesitated, fearing harming their master.
Passersby began gossiping, piecing together half-truths from Wu Ciyun’s words.
Wen Guanyu was utterly baffled and, increasingly angry, said coldly, “Whether your essays are good or not has nothing to do with me. Let go now!”
Tears streamed down Wu Ciyun’s face.
She alternated between lamenting her dead parents and her usual hunger and cold.
She resolved to pin this black mark on Wen Guanyu.
If the Headmaster truly expelled her, Wen Guanyu would share the blame for suppressing a talented classmate.
If Wen Guanyu didn’t want his reputation ruined, he had to find a way to keep her around, silencing the gossip.
Whether he would later sabotage or even poison her, Wu Ciyun didn’t care.
Her identity was stolen anyway.
If anyone checked in Nan’an, they’d discover she wasn’t Chen Yuanqing.
She only wanted a few more days of study here.
Afterward, she’d leave the country, start anew in the Sheng Dynasty and still find her place.
Better to be a shattered jade than an intact tile.
If this plan succeeded, everyone would be happy.
If it failed, Wen Guanyu would suffer alongside her.
Wen Guanyu finally pieced together her story from her jumbled words.
He lowered his eyes and stared at Wu Ciyun for a long moment, expression complex.
“So, you’re the one ghostwriting for Tang Xing?”
Wu Ciyun’s eyes reddened as she nodded.
She expected Wen Guanyu to offer some lofty words of pretense.
Instead, he grabbed her by the collar, dragging her away in front of everyone.
Wu Ciyun was startled.
Even Wen Guanyu’s two attendants looked shocked, instinctively opening their mouths to protest.
“Master, you can’t…”
Wen Guanyu ignored them.
With a cold face, he pushed her onto the writing desk and ordered, “Write.”
“Write what?”
Wu Ciyun was bewildered, suddenly realizing her impulsiveness.
She tried to run, but as soon as she stood, Wen Guanyu pressed her down again.
“Write a Zhisheng.”
Wen Guanyu’s expression was blank, a cold sneer in his voice.
“You said your writing was good, so write now.”
“I… I’ll write it at home…”
Wu Ciyun was genuinely scared.
She had thought Wen Guanyu was like other noble sons who cared about reputation and appearance.
But his dragging her away showed he didn’t care at all.
If he killed her in a moment of anger, it would be a huge loss.
She wanted to run, but couldn’t.
Wen Guanyu sent his attendant to request leave from Master Zheng.
He took an ancient book and sat nearby, watching Wu Ciyun’s every move.
“Go grind ink for her. She can leave when she finishes writing.”
Wen Guanyu ordered his book attendant to prepare ink.
Wu Ciyun could only wipe her tears and write.
She finally finished one essay.
Wen Guanyu wasn’t satisfied and made her rewrite it.
This cycle repeated endlessly.
For the same topic, Wu Ciyun wrote over ten different Zhisheng essays.
Wen Guanyu flipped through them, unreadable emotion on his face.
He remarked calmly, “No wonder you’re a ghostwriter.”
All ten essays on the same topic had different angles and writing styles.
Some were plain and straightforward; others were elaborate with literary allusions.
If not for identical handwriting, no one would believe they came from the same person.
He placed the papers on the desk and casually said, “From now on, you live with me. I’ll cover your enrollment fees.”
Wu Ciyun was stunned.
She stammered, “But Master Zheng said we must wait for the Headmaster to return…”
Wen Guanyu said calmly, “I’ll speak with the Headmaster.”
Wu Ciyun quietly asked, “Can I return to my own courtyard to live?”
“Did you not understand what I just said?”
Wen Guanyu glanced at her coldly.
“You slandered me for no reason today, so you’ll stay with me for now. When the rumors die down, you can move out.”
Wu Ciyun had no choice but to agree.
That night, she packed and moved next door to Wen Guanyu’s place.
Though they both studied at the academy, Wen Guanyu’s lodgings were clearly superior—better food too—saving her much trouble.
The only annoyance was being dragged to the study room every few days to write Zhisheng essays.
At first, Wu Ciyun thought Wen Guanyu wanted a ghostwriter for himself.
But she soon realized it wasn’t that.
He gave her topics and questioned her on how she developed them.
Rather than seeking a ghostwriter, he was learning to innovate and think differently, like Wu Ciyun.
She studied by day and ghostwrote by night.
Now, she was chased by Master Zheng during the day and forced to write by Wen Guanyu at night.
The silver Wen Guanyu occasionally gave her was more than what she earned ghostwriting before.
Her remaining at the academy was pure luck.
Master Zheng, known for cherishing talent, even offered to pay her enrollment fee after learning Wen Guanyu had already arranged it.
He said nothing more, treating Wen Guanyu as a fellow patron of talent.
Still, Wu Ciyun wanted to move back to her old lodgings.
First, she was a woman.
The pampered young master she shared with before was a bigger fool than Wen Guanyu.
Second, Wen Guanyu stayed up late and woke early.
He didn’t sleep and forbade her from sleeping.
Whenever she complained, he quoted tales of diligence and urged her to study harder.
Wu Ciyun always felt sleep-deprived.
Privately, she asked Wen Guanyu’s attendant.
He said Wen Guanyu had frequent nightmares and thus slept little.
Wu Ciyun thought he deserved it.
Someone like Wen Guanyu who wouldn’t sleep and wouldn’t let others sleep deserved to fall ill and stay bedridden—then she could rest too.
But perhaps Heaven heard her reluctance.
With the coming of autumn, Wen Guanyu caught a cold and stayed bedridden for two days with no improvement.
Wu Ciyun was ecstatic.
Before she could breathe easy, Wen Guanyu’s annoying attendant returned, smiling.
“Young Master Chen, our master requests your presence.”
“Wen Guanyu is resting. I’ll not trouble him,” Wu Ciyun politely declined.
The attendant refused her refusal just as politely.
“Master ordered it himself. You’d better ask him directly.”
Wu Ciyun swallowed her pride and went to Wen Guanyu’s room.
Wen Guanyu was reading.
He handed her the book to read while reclining on soft pillows, clearly treating her as a book attendant.
The book was old history—both dense and boring.
Wu Ciyun nearly dozed off and misread several lines.
Wen Guanyu, usually picky, said nothing.
Hesitant, Wu Ciyun stopped reading halfway.
Seeing no reaction, she was sure he was truly asleep.
So tired.
She yawned, wanting to return to bed but feared he’d wake and force her to continue.
She leaned against a bedpost and dozed off.
Wen Guanyu opened his eyes and glanced at her.
An attendant came in to pour tea.
Seeing Wu Ciyun asleep, he wanted to wake her but was stopped by Wen Guanyu.
Listening to her even breathing, Wen Guanyu closed his eyes again.
When Wu Ciyun woke, Wen Guanyu still slept.
Thinking she hadn’t been noticed, she sighed with relief.
After waiting a bit without Wen Guanyu waking, she quietly left, happily planning a nap.
But no sooner had she left than Wen Guanyu opened his eyes, staring at where she had been.
He thought for a while, then called an attendant.
“From tonight, have Chen Yuanqing move in to live with me.”
“What?”
The attendant hesitated, “But will Young Master Chen disturb you?”
Wen Guanyu closed his eyes slightly and said nothing.
The attendant gave up and quietly relayed the order.
Wu Ciyun had just settled down when the attendant knocked again.
“Young Master Chen, Master ordered you to move in with him tonight.”
“But Master is still sick. Isn’t that inappropriate?”
What moving in? She’d just become his servant, fetching tea and attending to him.
She’d served as both maid and book attendant before.
If her master needed water or to adjust his quilt in the middle of the night, she had to be careful attending.
Finally one Chen Yuanqing was gone, now she had Wen Guanyu.
And Wen Guanyu was still ill.
What if he passed his sickness to her?
Wait…
Could this bastard Wen Guanyu think she was clever and deliberately want to wear her out until she got sick and he could replace her?
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