A Few Words on Publication and Volume Two Character Introductions, with Selected Highlights Included as a Complimentary Gift-The Top Scholar's Princess(Victory)

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Hahaha—at last, the novel is finally being released. Do you know how long I have waited for this day? It has been about five or six years since my first novel, Cherry Blossom Fate. From the days when typing two characters took me two hours and left me panting for breath, to now, when I can manage several characters in a single minute, five or six full years have passed. For me, being able to use a computer at all is a miracle; being able to write novels is an even greater one. Perhaps you cannot imagine how skillfully I have learned to use the keyboard to control the computer. All right, I will not say more for now. Once I have finished the novel, I will definitely add a chapter about my own story.

New characters in Volume Two

Fei Shu, full name: Xuan Yuan Fei Shu

Age: 18

Height: 190

Occupation: Clerk at the Wenxuan Archive; Prince Qing

Personality: Dominant, impulsive

Hobbies: Eating, drinking, and every sort of amusement

Note: He is the youngest brother of Xuan Yuan Ren

Name: Shang Zhi Xia

Age: 22

Height: 180

Occupation: Minister of Justice

Personality: Steady, composed

Hobbies: He has few leisure pursuits; his only interest is solving cases

Note: He believes in love at first sight, and he has already acted on it. As for who the object is, you will have to read on and see for yourselves.

Name: Yun Qing

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Age: 16

Height: 175

Occupation: Princess of a neighboring kingdom

Personality: Willful, spoiled

Note: She shares a strange bond with Fei Shu. They are both stubborn as mules. Will sparks fly when they collide? Stay tuned.

Other less central supporting characters: the calm and experienced Wen Si Bo, the proud yet kind Li Hao, the twin brothers Hai Yang and Hai Ming, and others...

The children: lively and adorable Hui Si Yuan; the extraordinarily different dragon-and-phoenix twins Yu Mu and Yu Ling; and the somewhat timid An Jing

The story is wonderful, dear readers, so please wait for it!

Now let me introduce some of the exciting developments that lie ahead:

1. The one who looks the most slender is the person on the left; just from his figure alone, he gives the impression of a frail scholar.

2. Zhao Cheng Xian, who stands a little farther forward, looks much more mature now. The brightness and ease have diminished, and in their place there is more weariness and sorrow. When he lifted his head and saw the scholar standing before him, he froze, because that man looked so much like Yue Er. If one were to look only at his features, he could truly be mistaken for her. Zhao Cheng Xian did not react for a long while. When he finally did, Xuan Yuan Ren hurriedly signaled to him not to act rashly. Zhao Cheng Xian stared blankly at the scholar and thought: Is it her? Could there really be two people in this world who look so alike? He was utterly bewildered. For two years he had never once forgotten Hui Yue Er. Now, seeing a man with Yue Er's face, he found it deeply strange and could not help suspecting that this person was Yue Er in male disguise. He looked toward Xuan Yuan Ren, hoping he would quickly find the answer.

3. Scholar Yang Wen Tai's essay was full of insight and deeply pleased me, and so Yang Wen Tai was selected as this year's top scholar.

4. Everything began from this moment on. Zhao Cheng Xian refused to believe that Yang Wen Tai was a man. How would he prove it?

5. "This year's top scholar resembles one of my old acquaintances. Sadly, she has already passed from this world." Then he drank the wine in his hand in obvious gloom, making his sorrow plain for all to see.

Yang Wen Tai lifted his cup and comforted him, saying, "Your Highness need not dwell on it. Objects have their likenesses, and people their resemblances. Many people look somewhat alike; only the degree differs. Besides, Your Highness should not grieve for her any longer. If she knew, she would be unable to bear leaving." Her expression did not change at all; she remained calm and simply emptied the cup.

Zhao Cheng Xian said with detached composure, "Is that so? Did she truly wish for me never to think of her again?" He said it so softly that only Yang Wen Tai, who stood directly before him, could hear. A trace of embarrassment appeared on Yang Wen Tai's face, and that was precisely the effect Zhao Cheng Xian had wanted.

One toast after another left the three newly appointed champions nearly drunk senseless. In the end, it was Xuan Yuan Ren who had Steward Rong arrange sedan chairs to send them back to their respective homes. Zhao Cheng Xian wanted to follow along and see where Yang Wen Tai lived, but Xuan Yuan Ren stopped him. Looking at Zhao Cheng Xian, Xuan Yuan Ren said, "He is not her. Do not indulge in fantasies anymore. Face reality." He believed his uncle would not deceive him.

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Although Zhao Cheng Xian did not give chase, doubt still lingered in his heart. How would he investigate?

6. By then, Yang Wen Tai was already beyond consciousness, murmuring, "I do not want you to forget me, but now I must forget even myself." Wine does not intoxicate a person; rather, the person is intoxicated by his own heart. Because of those words, because they hurt and shattered her heart, she finally became drunk.

7. Yue Er nodded and smiled. "Bookworm, do not underestimate me, Hui Yue Er!" She blurted it out entirely on instinct. Only after speaking did she realize what she had said. She cast a timid glance at Zhao Cheng Xian. Seeing that his expression had not changed, she thought the wind had been too loud and that Zhao Cheng Xian, preoccupied with finding a foothold, had not heard her words. She felt somewhat relieved, yet also a little disappointed. Deep in her heart, she had hoped that Zhao Cheng Xian would hear it. Had he truly not heard? The corner of Zhao Cheng Xian's mouth curved into a sincere smile. This must be what it means to see genuine feeling in times of hardship.

8. Yue Er suddenly threw herself into Zhao Cheng Xian's arms, startling everyone. If Fei Shu's identity had only shocked Hai Yang, then Yue Er's action shocked everyone present. Yue Er knew all too well how dangerous it was for Zhao Cheng Xian to remain here, and at that moment she no longer cared about the gaze of others. She whispered in Zhao Cheng Xian's ear, "Bookworm, I will wait for your safe return. When that day comes, I will tell you everything." Although, in everyone else's eyes, two men holding each other and whispering secrets was somewhat strange, they all assumed Yue Er had discovered some hidden matter and was privately reporting it to Zhao Cheng Xian. No one suspected that their relationship was abnormal, after all, in their eyes Yue Er was the top scholar Yang Wen Tai, not Hui Yue Er, the female escort captain of the Hui family escort bureau.

Zhao Cheng Xian truly wished time could remain forever at this moment. It was the happiest instant of his life over the past two years. With the most heartfelt smile, he said, "Do not worry, Little Crescent. Since you are waiting for me, I could not bear not to return." Then he gently pushed Yue Er away and smiled at her. "Scholar Yang, rest assured, I will certainly return safely." Yue Er only smiled faintly, mounted her swift horse, and left with Fei Shu and the others. Zhao Cheng Xian watched the dust thrown up by the hooves and did not want to miss a single opportunity to look at Yue Er, even if only her back. They had already been separated for two years; he truly did not want to miss any more. Though he knew that losing control of his emotions just now might have exposed Yue Er's identity, he understood that they would not regret what they had done, because the more perilous the moment, the more readily feeling overcomes reason.

9. Yue Er lay happily against Zhao Cheng Xian's shoulder and asked, "Do you blame me for deceiving you?" She dearly hoped time could stop here and remain forever in this instant, because they both knew that once dawn came and Yue Er was once again Yang Wen Tai, there would only be the relationship of superior and subordinate between them. They could not behave too intimately; even a single glance would have to be carefully measured.

With his usual good temper, Zhao Cheng Xian patted Yue Er's shoulder and said, "To see you standing here before me, alive and real, still feels like a dream. How could I blame you? And I know you had no choice." Right now, he wanted nothing more than to hold Yue Er tightly, because he feared that in the next second she might vanish. So he could only cling to her all the more.

Yue Er gently pushed Zhao Cheng Xian away and looked at him with a mischievous smile. "Want me to prove that you are not dreaming?" Then she waved her fist in front of him and laughed. "Close your eyes. I will prove it to you!" In truth, she would not strike him.

Zhao Cheng Xian also wanted to prove whether he was dreaming again, because dreams like this came to him almost every night; yet when he awoke, nothing remained, only boundless emptiness and sorrow in his heart. So he really did close his eyes and said, "Little Crescent, be gentle wit..." Before he could finish, Yue Er had already kissed his lips. It was the first time Yue Er had truly kissed him of her own accord. In an instant he gathered her slender waist in his arms and kissed her with complete abandon. Even the moon seemed to think it should make way for this ill-fated pair of lovers, so it hid itself behind the clouds.

10. There are four great joys in life: the wedding night, success in the imperial examinations, timely rain after a long drought, and meeting an old friend in a distant land. Yue Er has managed to claim the first two. Tonight is her wedding night, and Qiqi is keeping Yue Er company while they wait for the groom, Zhao Cheng Xian.

Marriage is not the end. I will write the rest later, and then you can read it for yourselves.

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Ladies and gentlemen, old and young alike, and all those in between, hurry and shower me with gold tokens, red packets, and gifts. Do not hold back—let the storm come crashing down even fiercer!