Grand Preceptor Ye was indeed remarkable. He possessed the talent to win top honors in all three imperial examinations before the age of twenty.
But what did that have to do with him?
He was the Sixth Prince, a true-born son of the Emperor. Did anyone truly expect him to sit for the imperial examinations?
Everything Emperor Xuanwu said went in one of Yun Chuhuan's ears and right out the other.
Each day, he counted on his fingers how many days remained until the second issue of Capital Weekly would be released.
And he was not alone. Countless noble ladies and young mistresses across the city were doing the same.
Among them, no one was more eager than the second legitimate daughter of the Zhao household, the censor's family.
This young Lady Zhao—still barely fourteen—was the one who had previously declared Cao Wenbin to be the ideal match. With less than a year remaining until her hair-pinning ceremony, she was at the tender age of first longing, just as her family had begun the search for a suitable husband.
It was during this season of yearning that she happened upon Yun Shu's portrayal of Cao Wenbin in Capital Weekly. Though he was already married, that hardly prevented a young maiden from shaping her fantasies around his image, using him as the prototype of her ideal future husband.
Perhaps the unfinished tale of the princess and the scholar in the first issue might yet offer more inspiration to refine her dream.
So, the moment the second issue was released, Lady Zhao immediately paid a tael of silver to acquire a copy.
To her delight, it included another story featuring none other than Cao Wenbin:
"For You, I Would Do Anything."
"Young Master Cao is truly too good to his wife!"
Lady Zhao read the article slowly, savoring every word with care. Since she was at home, with no friends present to share in her emotions, she clutched her handkerchief and turned to her maid to vent:
"That Tang family girl has such a perfect husband and yet takes it for granted. Not only does she fail to cherish him, she behaves with such arrogance."
"She could have sent a maid or a servant to fetch the roasted duck. Why did she insist on troubling Young Master Cao himself?"
"She is far too spoiled!"
"But..." the maid hesitated, having not read the story herself. She could only piece things together based on her mistress's complaints.
"Miss, didn't we see that Tang family young lady once before? She didn't seem the sort to be arrogant or demanding."
"That's because one can know a person's face but not their heart. You think a single glance is enough to understand her nature?"
Lady Zhao huffed and threw her handkerchief onto the table.
"The story about Young Master Cao being unable to eat duck came directly from Young Master Chen of the Ministry of Personnel. And the fact that Young Master Cao often went to Fuman Tower to buy roasted duck for her? That was witnessed by countless commoners!"
"These are indisputable facts!"
"Oh..."
The maid scratched her head, easily convinced.
Lady Zhao, having gotten that frustration off her chest, returned to reading the rest of the paper.
Normally trapped within the deep courtyards, only able to gather occasionally with her peers, she never had a chance to enjoy this kind of unfiltered gossip. Reading Capital Weekly felt like diving headfirst into a field full of juicy melons—each one sweeter than the last.
One moment she was indignantly defending Cao Wenbin. The next, she was giggling and unable to contain her delight.
That was, until she reached the final article—a continuation of the story about the princess who married the top scholar.
It turned out that all the tenderness and devotion had been a lie.
Even their first meeting, that so-called "rescue," had been a carefully staged act. Everything had been calculated.
The truth was, the scholar came from a poor household and had long since married a farmer's daughter in his hometown. She bore him three children and worked from dawn until dusk to earn what little they had, spending every coin to support his studies.
But once he rose to fame and passed the exams, he became greedy for power and status.
He began to scorn the illiterate wife who had stood by him through hardship, and schemed to marry into the imperial family by wedding the noble princess.
To the outside world, he was the model husband—handsome, gentle, endlessly devoted. No matter how unreasonable the princess appeared, he always tolerated her.
But only the princess knew the truth.
Her husband was a monster in human guise. He kept countless mistresses. He subjected her to constant emotional abuse, and at times even laid hands on her.
She had tried to expose him. No one believed her.
She begged her Imperial Father to grant her a divorce, but all she received was harsh rebuke.
Everyone thought the problem lay with her, because the prince consort had played his role too perfectly.
She fell into despair.
She had done nothing wrong, and yet everyone blamed her. So much blame, in fact, that even she began to doubt herself, wondering if perhaps she truly was in the wrong.
Bit by bit, she withdrew into silence. She stopped mentioning divorce. She stopped speaking altogether.
Trapped in her own world, she wasted away.
Her husband told others that she was ill. He wore a mask of worry and exhaustion, pretending to be a devoted caretaker.
But in truth, he never once brought her a bowl of medicine.
On the contrary, when she lay too ill to rise, he would deliberately bring his mistresses into her chambers, embracing them right in front of her.
With no proper care and constant torment, even the most delicate flower was bound to wither.
As the princess neared death, Heaven finally took pity.
In a moment of arrogance, the prince consort slipped. The Emperor grew suspicious and ordered an investigation.
The truth was laid bare for all to see.
At long last, the princess received her long-awaited divorce decree.
On that bright, sunny day, she smiled gently.
And passed away.
She... passed away!
All because of that beast in human form!
Why?!
Lady Zhao stared in disbelief at the ending. A surge of nameless fury rose in her chest. She wiped away the tears that clung to the corners of her eyes, grabbed the paper, and stormed out.
"Prepare the carriage. I'm going to the Yu residence!"
She had reached her limit.
She had to find her best friend and curse that prince consort into the ground. And those people who refused to let the princess divorce? Were they all fools?
Since when did a woman seeking divorce mean she had no virtue? Since when was it considered shameful?
What did they know?
If she hadn't been utterly desperate, would the princess have begged for it?
Those people... those people were infuriating!
Lady Zhao was so enraged she could barely breathe.
As she rode off, she cursed the prince consort through gritted teeth, all the while trying to comfort herself:
Thankfully, thankfully the prince consort was fictional, while Young Master Cao was real.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder—
What on earth was the Fifth Princess thinking?
Why write such a heart-wrenching tale?
Could she not give them more men like Young Master Cao instead?!