August fifteenth, the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Coincidentally, it was the day for the scholars to exit the examination hall.
Su Xiaoqi had been waiting by the entrance of the examination hall since early morning.
The sun was about to set, hanging in the western sky, releasing its last rays with all its might.
Su Xiaoqi was getting a bit anxious waiting. She wasn't just here to pick up Shen Yun today; she had another purpose.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Shen Yun emerged.
He was dressed in a cyan scholar's robe and wore a scholar's cap. Although his attire was identical to that of the other candidates, Su Xiaoqi recognized him instantly in the crowd.
While their clothing was the same, in her eyes, his demeanor was different.
Moreover, his spirit and energy were far superior to everyone else's.
Some had been tormented by the three examinations and had lost a significant amount of weight.
In contrast, Shen Yun's presence was contained, his radiance bright, his mind clear, and his spirit refreshed, showing no sign of fatigue.
Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but mentally praise him again. He truly lived up to his reputation as someone destined to become a powerful minister, unlike ordinary scholars.
At that moment, Shen Yun also spotted her among the waiting families.
She was wearing a flowing cloud-patterned brocade cross-collar long dress, the color of lake blue. Standing by the carriage, she was like a flowing lake, clear and translucent, lively and graceful.
He curved his lips upwards. This was his wife, and she had come to pick him up.
Before the smile could fully form on Shen Yun's lips, he heard Su Xiaoqi's urgent voice, "Husband, you're out! Quick, come, I'll take you somewhere." With that, she pulled him towards the carriage.
Shen Yun was curious. Although Su Xiaoqi was usually a bit impulsive, she had never been this hurried.
After not seeing him for so many days, she hadn't even asked how his exams went.
Or if he had been uncomfortable inside.
However, he wasn't one to dwell on such things and obediently got into the carriage.
He found Du Yiyi inside as well, waving to him, "Brother Shen."
Shen Yun nodded in greeting. The carriage set off, quickly traversing more than half of Yizhou Prefecture and arriving at a bookstore located in the north of the city.
Without a word, Su Xiaoqi pulled Shen Yun straight to the medical books shelf and handed him "Miscellaneous Illnesses" for him to examine.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yun decided not to guess her intentions anymore. He directly held her hand, understanding all her thoughts.
So, she had come for a book...
He felt a slight pang of disappointment.
But then, what could he do? She was his wife. If he didn't dote on her, who would?
He flipped through the book as quickly as possible. Half an hour had passed.
The sound of shutters being closed echoed from outside.
The bookstore was about to close.
Shen Yun had finished reading. He slowly looked up, twisting his neck uncomfortably.
In the cramped space of the examination hall these past few days, he hadn't slept well at all.
Yet, he still asked, "You want it?"
Su Xiaoqi pointed to the words on the shelf, "Yes, but he won't sell it."
Shen Yun helplessly pulled at the corner of his mouth and took her hand to lead her out, "You should have said so earlier!" You made me memorize it here for so long.
He had a hundred ways to get this book.
The two approached the counter. This time, Lu Yang did not pretend to be asleep.
Because he saw Shen Yun.
His eyes suddenly lit up. He was hesitant, wondering if he should ask, when Shen Yun spoke.
"Old sir, how much is this book?"
Lu Yang's sharp gaze fixed on him, and for a moment, he forgot to answer.
Shen Yun had to speak again in a gentle tone, "Old sir..."
Lu Yang finally reacted and shook his head, "This book is not for sale!"
Su Xiaoqi was a bit disappointed, suspecting that the intimate relationship between the two characters written in the novel might be false.
Why was it that bringing Shen Yun over didn't seem to help much?
But soon, Shen Yun's words stunned her, "Since it's not for sale, then give it to me."
What, what, what?
Was there such a thing?
Not only was Su Xiaoqi astonished, but Du Yiyi also looked on with great interest.
And Lu Yang's old eyes flickered, an unspeakable emotion surging within him.
But he still said, "It's not for sale, and it's not for giving away."
Shen Yun remained undeterred and calmly said, "When the liver is full, the kidneys are full, and the lungs are full, it all leads to swelling. Lung obstruction... the stomach pulse is deep, drumming, and rough. The stomach exterior is large and pulsating, the heart pulse is small, firm, and urgent...
When the pulse arrives like burning firewood, it is the heart's essence being gained and lost. It withers and dies. When the pulse arrives like scattered leaves, it is the liver qi being weakened..."
What Shen Yun recited was precisely the content of the book "Miscellaneous Illnesses."
Su Xiaoqi couldn't recite it, but it sounded familiar.
She looked at Shen Yun with adoration. Listening to him speak fluently, she clasped her hands together, pressing them tightly, almost unable to help but applaud silently.
He was amazing, truly miraculous.
Was this the legendary photographic memory?
After all, Shen Yun had only read it once.
Lu Yang's previously hesitant face was now filled with absolute certainty. He trembled and said, "You, are your surname Shen?"
Su Xiaoqi: "..." They actually knew each other?
But was it too late to recognize him now?
Shen Yun looked at him calmly and said in a low voice, "This junior's surname is Shen, given name Yun, style name Xuzhi. The style name was given by this junior's teacher."
He didn't remember knowing this old man. How did he know his surname? Was it just a coincidence?
"Yes, yes, I thought to myself, how could there be such a similar person in this world?
You must be his descendant," Lu Yang exclaimed.
"Whose descendant?" Shen Yun frowned, displeased.
He realized that the person Lu Yang mentioned would not make him happy.
"You are from the Shen family, and you come from the capital?" Lu Yang was still immersed in his excitement.
Shen Yun shook his head, denying it concisely, "No, I am from Zhaojia Village in Mianzhou City."
"Impossible. Your surname is Shen, you have a photographic memory, and you bear a seven-tenths resemblance to him. In this world today, there cannot be anyone else..." Lu Yang muttered to himself.
But Shen Yun was not concerned about all this, about his background.
He knew a little.
Of course, he heard the most about how his biological father had died young when he was a child, and his widowed mother had raised them, his siblings.
He didn't want to hear any other versions; he believed his mother wouldn't want to hear them either.
"Alright. Whether you give this book or not, I have already memorized it. I owe you this favor, and I will repay it in the future."
"No, no need. If it were anyone else, I would not sell or give it. But if it is you, take it," Lu Yang suddenly became extremely accommodating.
He was completely different from his previous self.
Su Xiaoqi remained silent, trying hard to recall the description of Shen Yun's background in the novel.
She only remembered a sentence mentioning that his father was from the capital, but after that, there was nothing more.
When Shen Yun gained power and ruled supreme, he no longer needed his paternal family, so the novel did not mention them at all.
However, she was well aware of the Shen family in the capital because the novel had devoted considerable space and text to them.
It wasn't that Shen Yun was close to them, but rather that Shen Yun was plotting against them.
"Thank you, old sir. This favor is accepted by this junior. Should I need anything in the future, I will surely go all out," Shen Yun's clear voice rang out, interrupting Su Xiaoqi's chaotic thoughts.
The three walked out of the bookstore. Du Yiyi looked at Shen Yun with infatuated eyes, clapping continuously, "Brother Shen, you are too amazing, too amazing.
Not only did you manage to get a book from Mr. Lu that he wouldn't sell, but you even got him to give it to you for free..."
What kind of influence was this?
Shen Yun spread his hands, appearing nonchalant. He took Su Xiaoqi's hand and placed it in hers, saying gently, "For you."
Su Xiaoqi's lips curved into a smile, a smile as brilliant and dazzling as a blooming flower.
Shen Yun's eyes softened. He leaned in and whispered, "I worked so hard, what will my wife give me in return?"