A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Episode 5 Recap
> A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Recap
The Lantern Festival brought a bustling atmosphere to the streets of Bianjing. Zhuo Wenyuan arrived at the gathering with Qian Jiu, a renowned entertainer, for a specific task, indicating he would reward her handsomely once it was completed. The day also marked the end of a bet between Sang Qi and Song Jiayin. Sang Qi, having seemingly lost, was obliged to attend dressed as an entertainer, much to her chagrin.
Song Jiayin, upon seeing Sang Qi in her entertainer costume, wasted no time in mocking her. Sang Qi, quick-witted, took a generous amount of makeup and smeared it on Song Jiayin's face, pretending to help her doll up to join the stage. In the ensuing commotion, Song Jiayin stumbled backward. Zhuo Wenyuan promptly stepped in, preventing her fall. Once Song Jiayin realized who had saved her, she recoiled, glaring at Zhuo Wenyuan.
He then revealed two other entertainers, coincidentally dressed exactly like Song Jiayin, much to her mortification. Humiliated, Song Jiayin quickly took off her outer garment and left, while Zhuo Wenyuan playfully called after her to wait for him on stage. Zhuo Wenyuan, noting that the Deputy Chief, Yan Yunzhi, seemed content to see Sang Qi embarrassed, had arranged for Qian Jiu, the finest entertainer in Bianjing, to secretly perform in Sang Qi's place.
However, Sang Qi firmly rejected the offer, stating that her family could afford to be embarrassed and that Qian Jiu's exceptional skills should not be used for such trickery. She announced that she had practiced the guqin all night and was ready to face the audience herself, albeit warning them to cover their ears. With a determined sigh, she walked onto the stage, preparing to begin the performance.
Sang Qi introduced herself as Sang Qi, the daughter of the Grand Commandant, newly arrived in Bianjing, and expressed her intention to open the Lantern Festival with "Po Zhen Zi," wishing for favorable weather and peace. However, her playing was truly dreadful, quickly filling Bianjing with cacophony. The audience erupted in jeers and complaints, with some shouting for her to leave the stage.
As Sang Qi continued to play, feeling utterly mortified, fireworks suddenly illuminated the sky, captivating everyone's attention and silencing the mockery. Yan Yunzhi, seemingly relieved, then gracefully ascended the stage. He suggested that since Sang Qi grew up by the frontier fortress and her musical skills might not meet expectations, she could instead sing a frontier folk song to entertain everyone. The crowd, eager for any amusement, cheered in agreement.
With Yan Yunzhi accompanying her on the guqin, Sang Qi’s singing gradually improved, impressing the entire gathering. The atmosphere became lively and harmonious. As the song concluded, Sang Qi watched Yan Yunzhi walk directly towards a beautiful woman, unable to keep pace with him. From Zhuo Wenyuan, Sang Qi learned that this striking woman was Su Jieyu, Yan Yunzhi’s destined fiancée. A strange pang of bitterness surged through Sang Qi, leaving her confused about its cause.
Shortly after, Yan San Lang from the Prefecture Court discovered suspicious individuals trying to poison food during the festival and gave chase. Sang Qi, not fully understanding the situation but driven by curiosity, also pursued them. In a narrow alley, she confronted one of the culprits but, due to the disparity in strength, she lost her balance and stumbled backward. Yan Yunzhi appeared just in time, catching her.
However, seeing Su Jieyu approach, he quickly released Sang Qi, appearing somewhat flustered. Su Jieyu introduced herself as Lan Ji among friends and expressed admiration for Sang Qi's singing, revealing her acquaintance with Sang Qi's elder brother, Sang Yu. Sang Qi, intrigued by Su Jieyu's connection with her brother, later asked Zhuo Wenyuan more about her.
Zhuo Wenyuan revealed that Su Jieyu was the daughter of Head of the Secretariat Chancellery Su Ting, and the Yan and Su families had been friendly for generations. Su Jieyu was renowned as Bianjing's foremost bluestocking, excelling in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Everyone in Bianjing knew that Yan Yunzhi and Su Jieyu were childhood sweethearts, and their return hinted at an impending marriage.
Soon after, Zhuo Wenyuan took Sang Qi away, while Yan Yunzhi entrusted Su Jieyu with analyzing some suspicious substances. Some days later, Sang Qi encountered Su Jieyu at a stationery shop. Su Jieyu, admiring Sang Qi's purchases and offering to cover the cost of her paper, cordially invited Sang Qi to a banquet hosted by her elder brother, Qing Xuan, at his residence, Jianshan Pavilion.
Sang Qi was excited by the invitation, especially upon learning that her brother, Sang Yu, and Yan Yunzhi often gathered there. Upon their arrival, they indeed found Yan Yunzhi present. Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi immediately fell into their usual playful bickering, discussing past events like a bet and a pouch. The atmosphere, though lively with Sang Qi's presence, took a melancholic turn as the group began reminiscing about their old friend, Sang Yu, and his virtuous character.
During their heartfelt conversation, a crane suddenly flew into the courtyard. Yan San Lang then recounted the story of Qing Xuan, who, to escape his family's insistence on marriage, had married his pet crane, enraging his father, Su Ting, and prompting the Emperor's amusing approval of the union. Sang Qi reacted strongly to the crane, which puzzled Yan San Lang, who questioned if the daughter of a Grand Commandant was afraid of birds.
Sang Qi, noticing Yan Yunzhi's discomfort, quickly explained that she was merely unfamiliar with such birds, having grown up on the frontier. The conversation then shifted to Sang Qi’s persistent inquiry about "White," a close friend mentioned in her brother's letters, described as gentle, adorable, and loyal. Yan Yunzhi, however, dismissively commented that "White" sounded more like a dog than a person, further fueling Sang Qi's suspicions about his identity.
As Sang Qi left Jianshan Pavilion, feeling a bit inebriated, she stumbled into her carriage, only to find Yan Yunzhi already seated inside. He offered her a bottle of sober-up medicine, which she initially eyed with suspicion. Yan Yunzhi leveraged this moment, reminding her that he had shielded her secret about having pteronophobia when the crane appeared earlier. He demanded that she honestly tell him what he wished to know in return.
Despite Sang Qi's attempts to feign drunkenness, Yan Yunzhi eventually admitted that he was indeed "White," her brother's dear friend. Sang Qi, elated by the revelation, clung to him, playfully accusing him of being "Black" due to his strictness, a stark contrast to her brother's description of "White" as gentle and humble. She also playfully complained that her brother had told White to let her slack off, but Yan Yunzhi had only ever disciplined her.
