CHAPTER 188: CHAPTER 158 PRELIMINARY SELECTION

"Another Dragon Boat Festival has arrived," Li Ang mused as he strolled down the street, observing the various shops on both sides hanging Mugwort and Acorus at their doors, and couldn’t help but sigh.

The last time I celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival was in Yizhou. Before I knew it, a whole year had passed. Looking back at my experiences during this time—the initial exam, enrollment, cultivation, the underground palace, Ghost Market, Zhao Ming... It feels like it’s been so long since I last relaxed like this, just casually wandering the streets.

"Ma’am, how much for the mugwort leaves?"

He stopped in front of a roadside stall, bought some Marigold and Mugwort, and put them in a cloth bag. Chai Chai and Li Leqing walked side by side behind him. Chai Chai held a soft and sweet walnut date cake in one hand, munching away vigorously, while Li Leqing held a small, delicate osmanthus rice cake in both hands, nibbling like a squirrel.

The two of them chatted and laughed, followed by a group of maids and guards—but this was North Chang’an, where the families of nobles and ministers lived, so such a procession wasn’t considered unusual.

"COUGH, COUGH."

As they passed an intersection, the swirling smoke from burning Mugwort on the street corner drifted their way, causing Li Leqing to cough involuntarily.

The maids attending her immediately approached with anxious expressions, while Li Leqing quickly covered her nose with her hand and gestured that she was fine.

"The smoke from the mugwort is too strong, isn’t it?"

Seeing this, Li Ang took out a Light Wind Talisman from his breast pocket, infused it with Spiritual Power, and tossed it into the air, dispersing the Mugwort smoke for Li Leqing.

"Let’s hurry on."

Chai Chai, holding Li Leqing’s arm, quickly passed the intersection, quietly complaining, "Why are so many people burning Mugwort this year? It makes the sky feel so gloomy."

"It, it must be for mosquito repellency," Li Leqing sneezed, covering her mouth and nose as she spoke. "Actually, it’s a good thing. Every household is contributing, expelling mosquitoes, preventing malaria, ACHOO—"

"Still thinking of the common people; take care of yourself first."

Chai Chai helplessly handed her friend a silk handkerchief. Suddenly thinking of something, she turned to Li Ang and asked, "Eldest Son, didn’t you mention last time that you were going to publish an Academic Palace paper on the effects of mugwort for repelling mosquitoes?"

"I’ve already published it; it’s been out for seven days already," Li Ang said, waving his hand. "The effect of simply burning dried Mugwort leaves to repel mosquitoes is actually poor. The people would be smoked out before the mosquitoes."

The main component in Mugwort that affects mosquitoes is Eucalyptol, which can repel them to a certain extent, but a higher concentration is needed. Believing in mugwort’s mosquito-repelling effect is less effective than planting a eucalyptus tree at the front door.

Li Ang continued, "The experiments have shown that the most effective substances for repelling mosquitoes are various plant essential oils. Nasturtium oil is the best, followed by cinnamon oil, and then the essential oil from Silver Sage, which is mint."

Li Leqing nodded. "Oh, I know. Yesterday, my fourth brother even gave each of us a small bottle of Peony Essential Oil, and it smells pretty good."

Li Ang smiled without saying a word. Ever since he had used the steam distillation condensing device to extract Allicin, many Academic Palace Doctors had become addicted to extracting various plant essential oils. Peony, osmanthus, Gold and Silver Flower, Seven-mile Yellow—even chives weren’t spared a good pressing.

Li Ang was pleased with the Doctors’ thirst for knowledge. While most plant essential oils weren’t of much value, some did possess aromatic, skin-care, or mosquito-repellent properties and could be used as cosmetics and daily necessities. It’s just that they were rather expensive, and the condensing devices used were currently a state secret of Yu Country, with only a few institutions authorized to produce them, so the output couldn’t be very high.

Maybe after some time, when Academic Palace Doctors develop other methods for extracting essential oils, the price will decrease, and production will increase, Li Ang drifted off in thought. Once essential oils are mass-produced, Thai Massage might have to be renamed Yu-style Massage. There could even be massage parlors for the blind on the streets, increasing employment and benefiting the country and the people...

"Hey, Eldest Son."

Chai Chai interrupted Li Ang’s reverie. She pointed to the Marigold and Mugwort in the cloth bag he was carrying. "Don’t we already have these at home? Why buy more?"

"Oh, these are for cooking," Li Ang said, patting the cloth bag.

"Cooking?" Chai Chai and Li Leqing exclaimed in unison.

"Just trying something new." Li Ang chuckled. "Make a dish with Mugwort and fried eggs, or an egg pancake, or boil a chicken soup, things like that."

Of course, the most important thing was to use it to make Qingming Cake with a meat filling, adding some diced bamboo shoots, diced mushrooms, dried tofu...

Although his memories from the Otherworld were incomplete, and Li Ang didn’t know exactly where his Otherworld self was from, the recipes in his mind were plentiful, and he also had an inexplicable obsession with certain things. For example, zongzi, other than the red bean paste ones, must never be dipped in sugar; fruit mooncakes were an absolute travesty; and when eating hot pot, a cilantro and vinegar dipping sauce was unparalleled.

"I want to eat!" As soon as Chai Chai heard there was good food, she immediately raised her hand, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"You won’t miss out." Li Ang smiled and glanced at Li Leqing’s slightly hesitant expression, then said, "If Her Highness wishes to join, it’s just a matter of adding another pair of chopsticks."

"Eh? Really? Thank you." Hearing this, Li Leqing happily nodded. She had long heard from Chai Cuiqiao that Li Ang occasionally got creative at home, experimenting with unique foods that turned out surprisingly tasty—so much so that Chai Chai often exclaimed she had been deceived into cooking for so many years.

The female official in the back row was on the verge of speaking but hesitated. The fact that the Princess was often seen out playing with a commoner girl had already stirred some gossip in the palace. Going to a young man’s house for dinner now... this might be a bit much... The female official glanced at the happy expression on the Princess’s face, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately said nothing. After all, Li Ang’s status was different. He was the Founding County Earl, the Academic Palace Top Scholar, and also the Little Medicine King God with a living temple of his own. Even the newly born imperial princes and princesses were brought to him for inspection each year. It was unlikely that anyone in the Imperial Palace would make any improper comments.

"The results are out! The results are out! Over there, they’ve posted the list! Everyone, come and look!"

"Finally, they’ve released the results! I was nearly dying from anxiety."

A clamor arose from a distance, and the Chang’an citizens, who had been strolling and shopping on the streets just moments ago, flocked towards Vermilion Bird Street as if by common consent. Some stall owners promptly packed up their stalls, asking familiar neighbors to watch them while they hurried towards the front.

"Is this... the Academic Palace posting the results?" Li Ang peered into the distance. At the end of Vermilion Bird Avenue, several boards were posted, covered with densely written names. Those must be the names of this year’s candidates eligible to participate in the Academic Palace’s preliminary examinations. As with previous years, the preliminary examination list was on a scale of ten thousand people.

"Risheng!"

A familiar voice came from ahead. Li Ang saw Song Shaoyuan and You Xiao walking hand in hand, moving against the flow of the crowd.

"Brother Song?" Li Ang caught the unmistakable joy on Song Shaoyuan’s face and immediately realized. "You were selected?"

Song Shaoyuan’s mouth curled into a smile, and he nodded. "I was selected."

"That’s fantastic!" Li Ang and Chai Chai were genuinely happy for Song Shaoyuan. Both he and You Xiao looked much thinner, presumably a result of his diligent study and her careful tutoring during this period.

"Mmm. But this is just the preliminary examination. There’s still the Academic Palace’s initial exam, the re-examination, and the final exam. Each step is a crucial hurdle." Song Shaoyuan sighed. He had failed to pass the re-examination last year, and this was his last chance to enter the Academic Palace. If he missed this opportunity, there would be no more.

"The Heavenly Dao rewards diligence. Eldest Son, you will definitely pass. I believe in you," You Xiao said, gently patting Song Shaoyuan’s hand, her eyes full of love, showering the onlookers with their public display of affection.

"Let’s hope so. Oh, and this is..." Song Shaoyuan and You Xiao turned their attention to Li Leqing, who was standing beside them. Dressed in a luxurious Ru dress, with a group of maids and guards behind her, she was clearly wealthy and noble.

"Oh, let me introduce you. This is my classmate, Li Leqing. And this is my cousin from Yizhou, Song Shaoyuan, and his wife, You Xiao," Li Ang said, introducing both parties.

Song Shaoyuan had just nodded his greeting when he suddenly realized something. Wait, Li Leqing? Why does that name sound so familiar? And looking at those maids and guards behind her, with their dignified and stern demeanor, and the Imperial Palace waist tokens they’re wearing...

"Prin-Princess?" Song Shaoyuan stammered, wide-eyed and speechless, while You Xiao also looked on in astonishment, her mouth agape.