A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Episode 13 Recap
> A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Recap
After the guards departed, Sang Qi found herself alone with Yan Yunzhi in the tea room of the Grand Tutor's Residence. She questioned his presence there, but he claimed he was merely feeling tipsy and sought tea leaves to sober up. Before Sang Qi could press further, Zhuo Wenyuan arrived. Seeing Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi emerge together, Zhuo Wenyuan grew suspicious and a hint of jealousy arose within him.
Yan Yunzhi quickly explained his tipsiness while Sang Qi stated she was merely passing by. Zhuo Wenyuan, however, deemed their unauthorized entry into the tea room inappropriate and urged them to leave to avoid being mistaken for thieves. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Yan Yunzhi was secretly on a mission, with an official cooperating to help him solve a mystery. The students were overjoyed to learn they would be working at the tea plantation the following day.
They expressed excitement at the prospect of an escape from classroom studies, viewing it as a welcome break before the imperial examination. Yan Yunzhi, however, reminded them that the purpose was to experience the hardships of farm life, not for leisure. As they prepared to depart, Zhuo Wenyuan brought oily pastries for Sang Qi, having woken up early to buy them. He also offered her a ride in his carriage. Sang Qi, finding the cakes too oily, politely declined.
As Yan Yunzhi approached, he announced a strict rule: no unnecessary items were allowed, and everyone must hike up the mountain on foot to temper their characters. Despite the students' complaints, they had no choice but to comply. On the journey, Yan Yan accidentally slipped, bumping into Sang Qi and causing her to sprain her ankle.
Zhuo Wenyuan immediately offered to carry her, as did Yan Yan, citing his recently healed leg injury and a desire to repay a past favor. However, Yan Yunzhi swiftly intervened, stating that as her teacher, it was his responsibility to ensure her safety, especially given the treacherous mountain path and their heavy luggage. He then carried Sang Qi on his back. Upon reaching the tea plantation, the students drew lots for their rooms.
Yan Yunzhi, however, arranged for Sang Qi to have a single room for her convenience as a female student. He then assigned Zhuo Wenyuan to share a room with him. Yan Yan, initially displeased with his roommates Song Luotian and Wei Zhan Hong, even considering a swap with Zhuo Wenyuan, ultimately decided against rooming with Yan Yunzhi after the latter imposed a strict rule prohibiting students from visiting each other's rooms after dark.
Later, Yan Yan and Zhuo Wenyuan paid a visit to Sang Qi's spacious and well-appointed room, admiring its amenities, including rouge and powder, which led Yan Yan to speculate that Yan Yunzhi had made special arrangements for their accommodation. Sang Qi, feeling tired, asked them to leave, prompting Yan Yan to hurry off, concerned about Song Luotian eating his fruit platter.
That night, as they lay in bed, Zhuo Wenyuan asked Yan Yunzhi if he feared his diligent efforts were one-sided. Yan Yunzhi, after a moment of thought, responded that he was unafraid and sought no returns for his actions. Zhuo Wenyuan called him stubborn, to which Yan Yunzhi retorted that Zhuo Wenyuan was no different.
When Zhuo Wenyuan asked if Yan Yunzhi believed Sang Qi would choose him, Yan Yunzhi admitted he didn't know, only that he would give his all. Zhuo Wenyuan implied that Yan Yunzhi was leveraging his position as Deputy Chief, but Yan Yunzhi readily agreed to fair competition between them. They then ended their conversation for the night. The next morning, Song Luotian and Yan Yan erupted into a heated argument over a missing fruit platter, nearly coming to blows.
Sang Qi quickly stepped in to mediate, but it was Yan Yunzhi's timely arrival that finally quelled the dispute. Yan Yunzhi then declared that formal labor had begun, instructing them to adhere to the tea plantation's rules as tea farmers. He led by example, joining the students in weeding, loosening soil, and picking tea leaves, with plans for tea roasting in the afternoon. Zhuo Wenyuan quickly demonstrated his efficiency in weeding, earning praise from his peers.
Yan Yunzhi, noticing Sang Qi's still-injured ankle, took over her heavy work. Later, Yan Yunzhi's assistant urged him to be more direct with Sang Qi about his feelings, but Yan Yunzhi insisted that now was not the time, as he needed to prioritize his investigation into the Song Tea Plantation, which he planned to conduct at night.
During their afternoon break, Lian Pian brought a box of snacks to Sang Qi, but to Sang Qi's disappointment, they were all Yan Yan's favorites. Lian Pian explained she had brought them for Yan Yan since his leg injury had just healed. Meanwhile, Yan Yunzhi and Zhuo Wenyuan engaged in a sharp debate about the art of tea picking, each highlighting the subtleties of their preferred methods.
Zhuo Wenyuan deliberately blew on the tea leaves in Yan Yunzhi's hand, causing some to fly into Yan Yunzhi's eye. Zhuo Wenyuan, expressing immediate concern, gently blew on his eye to remove the debris. From Sang Qi's perspective, this interaction appeared to be an intimate gesture, causing her to panic and quickly usher Lian Pian and Yan Yan away.
Later, Yan Yunzhi announced a tea tasting session for everyone to enjoy the fruits of their labor after roasting their picked leaves. Yan Yan, hoping to extend his time with Lian Pian, suggested that Sang Qi act as the tea master, a role she accepted, recalling her brother had taught her the art of tea. However, the proposal immediately sparked a contention between Zhuo Wenyuan and Yan Yunzhi, who both demanded that Sang Qi brew their tea first.
Their bickering escalated into an intense argument, causing Sang Qi considerable distress. Overwhelmed, she forcefully pushed them apart, stating that a tea ceremony should be an elegant affair. Lian Pian later confided in Sang Qi, suggesting that Yan Yunzhi genuinely had feelings for her. Sang Qi acknowledged his kindness but remained uncertain if his affections stemmed from genuine interest or merely from his connection to her late brother.
At night, Yan Yunzhi continued his investigation of the Song Tea Plantation, searching for something specific despite the moist soil being unsuitable for Xizhao plants, but he felt it was nearby. He instructed his assistant to proceed with caution due to increased night defenses. Sang Qi, also out late, encountered Yan Yunzhi and inquired about his injured hand.
He assured her it was fine, revealing that he had protected her earlier because her tea ceremony skills were passed down from her brother, Sang Yu, and he didn't wish for her brother's legacy to be tarnished. Sang Qi, feeling that his concern was still tied to her brother, was then joined by Zhuo Wenyuan, who also claimed he couldn't sleep.
The three of them decided to walk Sang Qi back to her room, with Yan Yunzhi and Zhuo Wenyuan warning her not to wander alone at night. During the daytime labor, Song Luotian brazenly called in many long-term farmworkers to do his share of the work, while he idly sat in the arbor, giving orders. Yan Yan, unable to tolerate this, confronted him, leading to another heated argument that almost escalated into a physical fight.
Sang Qi intervened once more, trying to calm them. Amidst the commotion, an unnoticed man quietly left the tea garden. Later, Su Jieyu arrived at the tea plantation with a selection of tasty dishes for the students. Yan Yunzhi appeared flustered by her presence. When Su Jieyu settled beside him, Sang Qi felt a surge of jealousy.
Su Jieyu then directly stated that she was aware his presence at the tea plantation was merely a pretense for investigating a case, and she had come to offer her assistance. However, Yan Yunzhi, addressing her as Lan, firmly rejected her involvement, reiterating his previous stance and urging her to return to Bianjing due to the inconvenience of her presence there.
Observing the exchange, Lian Pian noted Yan Yunzhi's specific care for Sang Qi, including arranging a private room for her, and expressed concern about the deepening relationship between Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi. That same night, Zhuo Wenyuan secretly brought drunken fish and vintage wine to Sang Qi's room, hoping to cheer her up as he had noticed her looking worried throughout the day. Sang Qi, however, was not interested and asked him to leave.
Zhuo Wenyuan insisted on staying, explaining that he had sneaked the food and wine in and feared being discovered by Yan Yunzhi if he left immediately. He offered to chat if she had anything on her mind, but Sang Qi maintained there was nothing, attributing her mood to tiredness. Suddenly, they heard someone approaching outside, causing them to fear that Yan Yunzhi was conducting a room inspection.
