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Chapter 78: Seventy-Eight Treasures ?

New Year's Day was even more lively.

Xu Zhen smiled at Xun Qianchun over her wine cup, then moved over with the wine jar and two cups, asking, "Want a drink?"

Xun Qianchun said, "I drank last night."

"Let's have more today, something different," Xu Zhen grinned. "Here, this one's for you."

Taking it, Xun Qianchun asked, "What's different?"

Xu Zhen leaned in, whispering, "Cross-cupped wine, how about that?"

Xun Qianchun froze momentarily, her pale skin flushing.

She accepted the cup and, following Xu Zhen's lead, linked arms to drink. The strong wine burned her throat, and she closed her eyes, feeling a new sensation in her chest.

Xu Zhen asked, "What's wrong?"

Xun Qianchun slowly opened her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows, "It's good."

Xu Zhen chuckled, "You've tasted it before. This wine's always had the same flavor. You brought it, so why enjoy it so much now?"

"Today, it tastes especially good," Xun Qianchun replied, looking down at her cup in silence.

Xu Zhen said, "I think it's good too. Perhaps because after drinking this wine, our relationship feels different. Had I known you liked cross-cupped wine, we should've had a wedding in the Hu Kingdom first."

Xun Qianchun looked at Xu Zhen and said, "We'll do it when we go back."

Slightly excited, Xu Zhen smiled, "Good, remember that."

A few carefree days passed before palace lectures resumed. When Xu Zhen attended, she momentarily forgot her role as a cleaner and nearly began teaching, almost earning a scolding from the director.

Quickly realizing her mistake, Xu Zhen slipped out of the classroom, grabbed a broom, and began sweeping nonchalantly outside.

The Imperial Academy remained operational, as did the imperial examinations. It attracted the finest students from across the country and royal family members. With its grand halls and expansive grounds, the Academy had previously housed thousands of students. Even in these turbulent times, it still accommodated four to five hundred pupils.

Additionally, over fifty scholars specializing in the Five Classics were in residence.

But none of it involved Xu Zhen.

She swept for a while.

Snow began falling heavily. Xu Zhen moved to the entrance hall to rest, her gaze drifting towards the distant palace. The once uniformly bright red walls had undergone significant changes; half were now painted blue, while some sections remained white and red, awaiting their transformation.

Though blue lacked the traditional grandeur of red, it had developed a unique beauty over time, reminiscent of the little beggar's blue eyes.

The thought of the little beggar's eyes brought a chuckle to Xu Zhen's lips.

As the snow continued to fall, a woman dressed as a blue-clad guard appeared at the Imperial Academy's entrance. Xu Zhen, not recognizing her but feeling obligated, inquired, "Who are you here to see?"

The blue-clad female guard smiled and replied, "I'm an administrator from the palace, here to find someone."

Xu Zhen asked, "Who are you looking for?"

The female guard inquired, "With the palace's uncertain future, I see you're smart. Why come here for work?"

Xu Zhen replied, "I want to contribute to the country, even as a servant under the current emperor."