Chapter 797: Front and Back Changes

Bi Linglong replied, "Pei Yi, the second son of Grand Councilor Pei Ming, has two sons, Pei Zuo and Pei You. The one who came this time is Pei You. He has been intelligent and astute since childhood, and is considered one of the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Pei family."

Zu An thought to himself that indeed, none of the participants were from the direct eldest son's lineage. It seemed the Crown Prince's faction was also taking precautions. He had initially expected it to be Big Manman, but it seemed he had overthought things.

"What's wrong? You look disappointed," Bi Linglong asked curiously.

"Nothing," Zu An certainly wouldn't be so foolish as to mention another woman in front of her. "By the way, is the Pei family on good terms with yours?" He recalled Pei Mianman mentioning that her family was aligned with Prince Qi.

Bi Linglong shook her head. "It's a long story, but simply put, the Pei clan is mainly divided into two branches. One is Duke of Linhai, Pei Zheng, who serves as a Palace Attendant. He has many children and is connected through marriage to various forces like Prince Liang, the Liu family, and the Jiang family. On the surface, it seems he's betting on both sides, but I know very well that he leans more towards supporting Prince Qi."

Zu An nodded discreetly, realizing that Big Manman belonged to this branch.

Bi Linglong continued, "As for Pei You, who's here this time, he's from the Duke of Julu branch, Grand Councilor Pei Ming's lineage. Because they both work in the Secretariat, he and my father have always been at odds..."

Zu An was surprised. "Given that enmity, why would his grandson be allowed to participate in the Crown Prince's Imperial Examination?"

Bi Linglong explained, "Perhaps you're not fully aware of the unspoken rules among these prestigious clans. A large family isn't necessarily a monolith; there are often many differing opinions internally. Although Pei Ming and my father don't get along, his second son, Pei Yi, is my elder brother's sworn brother. Furthermore, Pei Ming's wife and my mother are biological sisters. With these two layers of relationship, we naturally wouldn't refuse Pei You's participation."

Zu An couldn't help but marvel at how these aristocratic families intermarried. Even rival families often ended up as relatives. He couldn't help but chuckle, "If Pei You's grandmother and your mother are biological sisters, then wouldn't he have to call you 'Aunt'?"

Bi Linglong's face flushed slightly. "That's just the seniority. Age-wise, he and I are quite similar; we're peers."

Zu An was about to tease her further when he suddenly realized something. Pei Zheng and Pei Ming were cousins, and Big Manman was Pei Zheng's granddaughter. By that logic, wouldn't Big Manman also have to call Bi Linglong 'Aunt'? Then wouldn't she also be *his* aunt...? Realizing this, the smile on Zu An's face froze instantly. *Pah!* When the time came, he'd address them separately and ignore their family hierarchy.

Just then, Bi Linglong said, "Given the stance of the Pei family's other branch, I suspect Pei Yi's closeness to my elder brother is a deliberate attempt to infiltrate us. Therefore, we must be wary of their people. This time, we need to pay close attention to Pei You and see if he tries any schemes."

"Understood." Zu An nodded. This woman was indeed very calm, not at all blinded by family ties; she was a born politician.

Bi Linglong continued, "Furthermore, the Liu family has sent Liu Xian, the second son of General Wei Liu Yao. This fellow is a complete wastrel. Despite the Liu family's resources, he's well into his thirties and has barely reached the fifth rank. It's truly disgraceful."

Zu An paused. "This Imperial Examination for the Crown Prince is of great importance. Why would they let such a good-for-nothing participate?" To be fair, a fifth-rank cultivation wasn't low; in some smaller places, it could be considered the peak. But this was the capital, a place where talents emerged constantly, making him seem rather unremarkable by comparison. Most importantly, he was already well into his thirties. The fifth-rank students at Brightmoon Academy were all prodigies, barely in their teens. For someone in their thirties to only be fifth-rank, especially with abundant resources, calling him a good-for-nothing wasn't an exaggeration.

Bi Linglong gave a wry smile. "There's no other way. Precisely because this examination is so important, various families send some of their children to 'gild their resumes.' After all, many believe this examination will ultimately be a safe process. If they can seize the opportunity to 'share hardships' with the Crown Prince and help him complete the tasks, they'll earn recognition for assisting the future emperor. Every major family has their own calculations, and as an ally, I must also consider their interests. I couldn't possibly refuse his participation."

"However, the Liu family does know what's important. Besides sending Liu Xian, that arrogant scion, they also sent their nephew Gao Ying. He's much more capable. Around the same age as Liu Xian, he has already reached the peak of the sixth rank and has always acted prudently, making him trustworthy."

Zu An smiled. "It seems the Liu family isn't entirely made of good-for-nothings." Speaking of which, Old Man Liu Yao was somewhat mediocre, so it was normal for him to raise such a useless son. Come to think of it, among the Liu family members he had met, the Empress was the most formidable, both in and out of bed...

Bi Linglong rolled her eyes. "You can say such things in front of me, but if the Empress or the Duke of State heard you, you'd be in for it."

Zu An said with a smile, "I only say this to you because I consider you one of my own."

Bi Linglong's face reddened. Was this fellow trying to flirt with her? She instinctively wanted to scold him but worried it might hurt his feelings, especially since she would need his help for the upcoming Crown Prince's examination. Besides, she mused that his words weren't overly rude, so she let it slide and changed the subject. "Oh, and the Meng family has sent their second son, Meng Pan. He's more capable than Liu Xian and is already at the sixth rank."

Having been in the capital for so long, Zu An naturally knew about the Meng family. The Meng family patriarch was Meng Jing, the Grand Minister of Works and one of the Empire's Eight Dukes. However, he was old now. The current head of the Meng family was his son, Meng Yi, who served as the Imperial Secretariat Supervisor and had several sons. His youngest daughter was also Prince Dai's consort.

"Additionally, Prince Liang's Manor is led by Prince Liang's youngest son, Zhao Xi. Zhao Xi is quite talented."

"The Bi family, meanwhile, will be led by Gu Heng and Gu Xing, my elder brother's trusted retainers. These two are from the Gu family, a clan affiliated with the Bi family. They grew up and trained with my siblings and me, so we know them well. Both brothers are diligent and talented, and have now both broken through to the sixth rank."

Zu An's expression turned odd. "Oh, childhood sweethearts, then."

Bi Linglong quickly explained, "Don't overthink it. I just regard them as half-brothers and family." After saying it, she herself was momentarily stunned. *Why did I need to explain myself to him?*

Fearing he might infer something, she quickly changed the subject. "As for you, I've used my father's connections to add you to the list. Although your cultivation exceeds the seventh rank, it's not by much, so there shouldn't be a major issue. Rest up today; tomorrow, we'll head to the secret realm together."

Zu An couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. This girl was still relying on her family's influence, unaware that the Emperor had already arranged everything. However, he didn't say anything, simply giving a solemn nod.

Early the next morning, Bi Linglong woke up early to get ready. Thinking about the day's significant events, she had tossed and turned all night, though thankfully, as a cultivator, one night's restless sleep didn't affect her much.

As her maid, Rong Mo, combed her hair, she couldn't help but sigh, "My Lady, since you didn't sleep well last night, you should have slept in a bit more. Why wake up so early and meticulously apply makeup? I didn't even see you put this much effort in when you were getting married."

"What do you know, you mischievous girl?" Bi Linglong's face flushed slightly as she gazed at her exquisite makeup in the mirror, which made her look even more alluring than usual. She couldn't help but be startled. *Why was I doing this? Was it to see him?* Her heart skipped a beat, and she hastily explained, "This matter concerns the Crown Prince's future. Naturally, I must appear at my best, not only to declare war on Prince Qi's faction but also to bolster the morale of our own people."

Rong Mo pursed her lips and smiled. "With My Lady looking so beautiful, those annoying men will surely be vying to impress you."

Bi Linglong scoffed. "How can you spout such nonsense?"

"Well, the Crown Prince isn't here anyway," Rong Mo said dismissively. "Speaking of which, My Lady, your spirits have been much better lately."

"Really?" Bi Linglong was momentarily taken aback, as she hadn't noticed it herself.

"Yes," Rong Mo chattered on. "Before, My Lady, you always woke up with a hint of faint sorrow in your brows. But now, every day, there's an irrepressible smile even at the corners of your eyes."

"Nonsense! I haven't changed that much," Bi Linglong's heart skipped a beat as she quickly chastised her. Then, gazing at the enchanting woman in the mirror, she gently touched her own cheek. *Could it be because of... him?*