Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Chuntao greeted the Owner of the bookshop, Ru Gaoying. "Thank you, Master Ru, for the healthy meal that you had sent." 

"I am glad that you liked the food. Come home someday. My wife will be happy to meet you," Ru Gaoying stated. Chuntao nodded her head. "You can wait for Nianzu in the other room. Ye Fang will show Lady Chuntao the room," Ru Gaoying stated and went towards a customer. 

Ye Fang took her to the room where many tables and benches were put. Chuntao sat on one of the benches and looked at the stack of the old books at a table. 

Chuntao thanked Ye Fang for the help. 

"Sister Chuntao, I will see you later. I have some pending work left," Ye Fang informed Chuntao. 

"Sure, Brother Ye. Thank you for the help," Chuntao stated. Ye Fang passed her a smile and walked out of the room. Chuntao rested her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her palm. 

"Nianzu's workplace is friendly. I am glad that he did not have to suffer here," Chuntao murmured. A man who was resting on a bench got disturbed by the voice of a woman. He moved his arm from his forehead and sat up on the bench. He had some messy hair. A headband was tied around his head. 

Chuntao widened her eyes when she saw a man in that room. She immediately stood up from the table. "Who are you?" 

The man had worn the blue robes. He quickly stood up from the bench and took a wooden box, and dashed out of the room. Chuntao was intimidated for a second after seeing the man in the room. She frowned and looked towards the door when Quan Bo entered. "What happened, Sister Chuntao?" He asked as he put the tray on the table.

"Master Ru has sent tea for Sister Chuntao," Quan Bo told her. 

"A man was resting here. He suddenly stood up from the bench over there," Chuntao pointed towards the end wall and continued, "and then he rushed out of the room." 

"What? He might be some copyist, Sister Chuntao," Quan Bo stated and checked the other benches. "There is no one here. No one will enter the room, Sister Chuntao," Quan Bo assured Chuntao, who thanked him. 

"Sister shall drink the tea before it gets cold," Quan Bo reminded her before leaving the room. Chuntao sat back on the bench and looked at the teapot. 

"Master Ru is too kind to me," she murmured. "However, how can I drink the tea when Nianzu is giving his exam?"

In the examination ground, the candidates' identities were carefully checked to prevent forging. The invigilators were scrutinizing the candidates. In the chilling heat, everyone was writing the exam. It was the first time Nianzu was under such heat.

His head started to ache because of the scorching sun rays. He looked around and found that people had brought the hats. 'I should have brought a bamboo hat,' Nianzu thought and shook his head. 

"What are you looking at?" An invigilator asked him. 

"Nothing, master," Nianzu quickly shifted his gaze to the sheet in front of him. He still had five questions left- two on philosophies, one on poetry, and two on mathematics. He dipped the brush in the ink and asked for another sheet. 

He completed the exam at the exact time and submitted the response sheets to the invigilator. Many candidates had started to submit their response sheets. Nianzu came back to his seat and wound up his things. He put them in the bag and took out the handkerchief that Chuntao had put inside it. He wiped the sweat formed on his forehead and stood up. After collecting his identity card at the counter, he left the ground. As he came out of the gate, Fei Jing stopped him. 

"Nianzu, there is a small party in my house. I would like to invite you there," Fei Jing humbly requested. Three friends of Fei Jing wondered why he was inviting a commoner. 

"Forgive me, Young Master Fei, but there is no reason for me to attend the party in your house. Moreover, I am a married man. Therefore, I do not leave my house after evening," Nianzu politely refused the invitation of Fei Jing. 

"Hey, Commoner! You shall not talk this way with Fei Jing. Don't you know his father is the--"

Nianzu cut the words of Fei Jing's friend's words, in the middle. "I am not interested in knowing the profession of the Young Master's father," Nianzu menacingly said. "I shall take my leave," Nianzu stated and walked ahead when another friend of Fei Jing extended his leg out. Nianzu couldn't react, and his feet hit against it. He fell and injured both of his hands. 

"A commoner shall know his place," the same man said and started to laugh. Lian Hong noticed that, but he could not do anything about it. Fei Jing helped Nianzu in standing up. 

"Don't laugh at him," Fei Jing scolded his friends. "I would like to see you Nianzu at the party that night's party. You shall not decline the offer of an upper-classman. I will wait for you," Fei Jing patted his shoulder. 

Nianzu was unable to understand what Fei Jing was trying to do. He did not know that upper-classmen treated a commoner this way. "Young Master does not owe me anything that I cannot decline his offer. So, there's no need for me to come to your party. You are a young man with a lot of fortune to spend. I have a family. Hope, I have made myself clear," Nianzu kept his tone as polite as he could. He passed him a tiny smile and left.

"Who is he? Shall I show him his place?" The friend of Fei Jing stepped ahead when he stopped him. 

"There's no need," Fei Jing stated. 

"He talked informally with you, Fei Jing. The Royal Inspector is here. Don't you think he shall get punished?" His other friend asked. 

"No," Fei Jing replied. "I do not want to create a nuisance for petty reasons," he pronounced. 

"Let me become a government official, then I will show him his place," the same friend stated and clenched his fist. 

Fei Jing did not say anything.. "I will make sure to make you owe me something, Nianzu," Fei Jing murmured.