Their future depended on Yin Hui, so they would never dare to bully Jiujiu.
The brothers Maqi and Ma Wu were highly valued by Kangxi, full-blooded sons of the elite Banners, and Kangxi favored Baozhu especially.
But to think this rascal also participated in the martial exam while Tahui and Baozhu did!
Kangxi watched as Fan Lianghan deftly, yet politely, defeated both men, quickly becoming the martial candidate with the most victories.
Sitting in the place of honor, with years of martial experience and a keen eye, he even spotted Fan Lianghan making the two boys suffer small losses with subtle tricks.
This made Kangxi hesitate.
His daughter, naturally, deserved the best son-in-law.
Fan Lianghan’s status was no issue—just a matter of promotion.
But Fan Lianghan’s wisdom and composure made Kangxi doubt whether his naive daughter could handle such a cunning boy.
Fan Lianghan always knelt with composure, waiting for Kangxi to name the martial top scholar, Tanhua, and Bangyan.
From beginning to end, he never seemed anxious.
But, unnoticed by others, he carefully adjusted the jade pendant hanging from his sash.
Kangxi narrowed his eyes.
That jade was made from the finest Hetian jade, taken as spoils during his campaign against Galdan in the western desert.
Apart from making several pieces of jewelry for Fang He, he kept one piece for himself, and gifted the rest to Jiujiu and Yin Hui.
Jiujiu had once given him such a jade pendant—but hers bore a dragon pattern, not a bamboo grove.
Kangxi coldly stared at Fan Lianghan, “Raise your head!”
Fan Lianghan raised his face halfway, respectfully and calmly meeting the emperor’s gaze.
He knew: the emperor was judging whether he was worthy of standing by the princess’s side.
Kangxi, too, understood: this brat was telling him he would always cherish Jiujiu as a precious gem.
The tense, stifling confrontation between the two made many defeated martial candidates break out in a cold sweat.
Kangxi only watched.
Amidst all these battered figures, only Fan Lianghan remained as unruffled as a clear wind and bright moon.
Kangxi snorted inwardly, but his face relaxed as he said, “Good, good boy. There aren’t many who can withstand my pressure. Pengchun, your Dong’e boy lost!”
Pengchun of the Dong’e family, as Minister of War, wasn’t serving as examiner this time since his clan nephew participated.
He attended with Mingzhu, selecting talent for the ministry.
At these words, Pengchun grinned at Fan Lianghan, “Your Majesty, winning and losing is common for soldiers. As long as Your Majesty is willing to assign this top scholar to the Ministry of War, I’ll treat him as my own kin!”
The Dong’e family had many daughters.
As long as one married over, they could pull this talent into the clan—no fear of him slipping away.
Kangxi smiled meaningfully and said, , “I think he’s excellent as well. Let’s name him the top martial scholar. It’s rare for the empire to produce a civil and martial champion—what a story this will be.”
The officials all knelt, praising the emperor’s wisdom.
Fan Lianghan, along with Tahui as Bangyan and Baozhu as Tanhua, also knelt to express thanks.
Kangxi added, “Since it’s a fine story, it shouldn’t be buried.”
“Convey my decree: raise the Fan family into the Imperial Guard of the Han Army Bordered Yellow Banner, and promote Fan Lianghan, Dong’e Tahui, and Fucha Baozhu to third-rank bodyguards, specially assigned as imperial attendants.”
If Kangxi’s earlier words had been ambiguous, this edict made his intentions crystal clear.
Good heavens!
The emperor was choosing a son-in-law.
He had set his sights on this civil and martial champion!
Dong’e Pengchun shook his head, half laughing, half crying—well, the Dong’e family had no luck for such a good son-in-law this time.
But that didn’t stop Pengchun and the other officials from being especially courteous to the newly minted top scholar.
Of all the princesses near Fan Lianghan’s age, only the Seventh Princess remained.
The top scholar was destined to be the Seventh Princess’s consort, so it didn’t hurt to build relationships early.
When everything settled, Jiujiu finally saw Fan Lianghan again—he was already on duty outside Qianqing Palace.
Jiujiu had made a mink hat for Kangxi and was happily bringing it over with Chunlai.
She took a turn at Sun Essence Gate, walked beneath the covered walkway, and spotted Fan Lianghan looking at her with a gentle smile.
Seeing Jiujiu freeze, staring at him in a daze, Fan Lianghan smiled and bowed, “Third-rank bodyguard Fan Lianghan greets the Nine Princess!”
He straightened, his eyes smiling deeper, filled with a quiet confidence.
“This humble official has waited here for the princess a long time.”
Jiujiu snapped out of it under his burning gaze, but instead of acting shy, her face quickly turned cold.
She asked, “I wonder why Brother Fan has been waiting for me?”
Fan Lianghan immediately sensed something was off, paused, then unconsciously touched the jade pendant at his waist, smiling as he explained, “Of course, I was waiting for the surprise the Nine Princess promised me. I wonder if your previous words still—”
“Of course they don’t!” Jiujiu cut him off, expressionless, standing tall and cool.
“Pastries left over from last year aren’t fit for even mice—tokens from the year before mean nothing now, either. If Brother Fan wants a surprise, I’ll prepare one for your wedding day.”
With that, she strode past the dumbfounded Fan Lianghan, her pace quick as if a dog were chasing her, and disappeared into Zhaoren Hall.
Fan Lianghan, always clever and never tripped up, now stood there in a daze, frowning deeply.
He didn’t understand—he was sure of the Nine Princess’s affection, and he didn’t dislike her.
Since the exam, all his energy had gone into drawing near to her.
He didn’t want to brag about his efforts or how many nights he’d agonized over how to handle all the “bees and butterflies” around her without soiling her reputation or causing trouble for her.
Now that he had made it to her, why… was she upset?
Although Jiujiu hid it well, the anger and grievance she thought she concealed were plain as day to Fan Lianghan.
For the first time, Fan Lianghan couldn’t figure out the reason, no matter how he tried.
***
Inside Zhaoren Hall, Jiujiu went straight to the side chamber, finally letting the hurt she’d been holding back glimmer in her eyes, tears dropping onto the chopped-up aspidistra plant Fang He had trimmed.
Chunlai spoke anxiously, “Princess…”
“I’m fine. Just mad,” Jiujiu choked out, cutting her off.
“Don’t tell my father or mother about today.”
She had only just realized: Fan Lianghan didn’t lack feelings for her—maybe he even knew all her previous hope and stubbornness, which was why he tried so hard to get close.
She’d thought she’d be happy once Fan Lianghan approached her and confessed his feelings.
But all she felt was anger and grievance—not happiness at all.
He’d climbed up alone, trying to reach her, then came asking for her promise—had he ever considered letting her know?
Jiujiu had seen the way her father looked at her mother, and had seen her own eyes in the mirror when thinking of someone she loved.
She knew what it meant to love someone.
Fan Lianghan had sincerity, enthusiasm, and ability—yet he alone lacked tenderness.
So what did that make her?
Just a milestone on his journey, or an ornament representing his status?
Jiujiu quietly wept for a while, collected herself until all traces were gone, then went to Hongde Hall.
Chunlai couldn’t help but ask, “Princess, you’re not going to give up?”
Others didn’t know, but Chunlai, who accompanied Jiujiu every day and protected her, was well aware of her feelings.
She herself didn’t plan to marry, but in her view, any man who made the princess cry wasn’t worthy to be her consort.
Jiujiu curled her lips in a cold smile, “Of course not. It’d be too easy on him to let him go.”
If Fan Lianghan truly never knew or never responded to her feelings, then even if he took many wives and she wept herself blind, it’d have nothing to do with her.
But if he knew all along, yet used her feelings as a bargaining chip—hmph!
She’d give him a taste of his own medicine!
***
From this day on, Kangxi’s mood improved noticeably, getting better day by day.
Just as Fang He said, their youngest daughter seemed to have suddenly patched up a hole in her cotton coat—so warm and considerate.
Today she sent medicinal cuisine to clear her mother’s heat, tomorrow she’d give her father a hand-sewn pouch.
In the mornings she brought her siblings to Qianqing Palace to pay respects, and at night she dined with her parents, saying sweet things that made Kangxi and Fang He burst into laughter in the hall.
All this cheer and Jiujiu’s thoughtful gestures fell into Fan Lianghan’s eyes, making him grow more silent each day.
He still couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but he wasn’t the type to sit and wait for death.
The Nine Princess was about to come of age; everyone in the palace thought he’d become her husband.
His two defeated rivals, Tahui and Baozhu, true warriors both, were both patting him on the back as a good brother while pursuing Nine Princess even harder.
Yet Nine Princess didn’t reject either man’s attentions, often going out with Fifteenth Prince and the two of them, while remaining polite but distant to Fan Lianghan—enough to give him a headache.
He couldn’t imply disinterest to a royal princess, nor suggest he preferred another—such things were courting disaster.
But he also couldn’t just watch as Nine Princess married Tahui or Baozhu.
That day, seeing Jiujiu again dressed in men’s clothes, happily taking her brother out incognito with Tahui and Baozhu, laughing as they left, Fan Lianghan clutched his increasingly uncomfortable chest and went to find Liang Madam.
He wondered if he had heart disease, probably from the irritation caused by those two blockheads, Tahui and Baozhu.
After taking his pulse, Liang Madam snorted, “With your constitution, tempered since the womb, if anyone’s got a problem it’s not you—don’t torment yourself.”
Seeing his mother about to leave, Fan Lianghan stopped her uneasily, finally pouring out his confusion.
Liang Madam: “…..”
As expected, her foolish son was pitifully clueless.
She clutched her belly and laughed loudly, then scolded him roundly when his face turned expressionless.
“You think you’re some rare treasure no one can bear to part with? Bah, your father never had such a big ego!”
“You know Jiujiu likes you—whether you accept or not, have you ever thought to talk to her? You think she can read your mind?”