The round head—in reality, this person’s face wasn’t truly circular; it was just that the flesh on his face was so plump that the extra width made him appear round.

The round body—his excessively portly figure completely overshadowed his not-so-short height. If this person hadn't approached him, one would have mistaken him for a short man from a distance.

"Li Xiaoyao?"

Asking again with uncertainty, Ye Wen felt sweat beading on his forehead. "Good heavens, I thought my own antics were wild enough, but this world is far more ruthless than I imagined! This fellow must weigh at least three hundred jin, right? How can he possibly live up to the name Xiaoyao (carefree/unfettered)?"

That Li Xiaoyao let out a hearty laugh, clapping a hand the size of a cattail fan onto Ye Wen's shoulder. "We’re brothers, just call me Xiaoyao! Or, if you prefer what the neighbors call me, you can call me Da Zui (Big Mouth)!"

Without caring about Ye Wen’s bulging eyes, he proceeded to explain: "Originally, my mother named me hoping I would live a carefree and happy life, but not long after I was born, our family fell on hard times, and my father passed away from melancholy. What little inheritance was left, bolstered by my cousin’s family's support, allowed us to open this restaurant!"

"But I’ve loved eating since I was small, so I always found excuses to sneak into the kitchen for food. My mother got so angry she changed my childhood nickname to Da Zui!" He laughed heartily. "But now no one controls me. All the dishes served at our Ke Man Lou (Full House Restaurant) come from my hands. No one tastes them before I do!"

Every head chef in the culinary world shares a certain habit: when a new dish is presented, the chef in charge must be the first to sample it. One reason is to inspect the quality of the cooking, and the other is to satisfy their craving—it’s said that no chef is immune to gluttony.

Ye Wen, however, muttered internally, "I bet his nickname, Da Zui, also comes from the fact that he can’t stop talking!"

Ye Wen fished a handkerchief out of somewhere and wiped the cold sweat from his brow, offering a nervous chuckle. "Greetings, greetings! It's a pleasure to meet you! A true pleasure!"

"Don't be so polite! Since you’ve come, you’re a friend. Are the dishes here to your liking? Need a few more orders? Let me tell you, my skills are famous even in the capital city. Many princes and nobles specifically come to Ke Man Lou just to eat what I cook!"

He walked toward Ye Wen’s table, chattering endlessly. It seemed this man was naturally gregarious. Only after sitting down did he remember: "Oh dear, look at my absent-mindedness. I haven't even asked your esteemed name, brother?"

"I am Ye Wen!"

"Ye Wen... you sound like a scholar. Perhaps you are here for the Imperial Examination finals?"

This time, it wasn't Ye Wen who answered. It was Lin Pingzhi, the cousin of the head chef, who spoke up: "Cousin, what is wrong with your head? The Imperial Examination finals are today. If Brother Ye were here for that, would he be eating at your restaurant?" He then added, "Didn’t you see the Zhuangyuan Lang (Top Scholar) parading through the streets on horseback just now?"

Li Xiaoyao wiped his brow. "How would I see? I was stuck in the kitchen earlier, running around like crazy! I was wondering where all those rascals disappeared to—not even one helper available! Turns out they all ran off to watch the Zhuangyuan Lang! They didn't even bother to call me over!" With that, he casually poured himself a cup of wine. "Dock their pay for skipping work!"

Ye Wen was thoroughly impressed by this man's self-absorption. The group of young masters with Lin Pingzhi, however, were quite used to it and started teasing him for his indignation. "Whether you dock their pay or not doesn't seem to be your jurisdiction, Da Zui, does it?"

Li Xiaoyao felt his face flush from the retort. If it were just these familiar faces, he wouldn't have cared. But with Ye Wen, the newcomer, sitting there as a potential friend, he felt a bit of face was at stake. He forced a tone of authority: "Why wouldn't it be my jurisdiction? In a few more years, this restaurant will be mine to manage. Do you think I won't be in charge then?"

Another person chimed in, "I heard Aunt Li wants to hire a manager, keeping you on as the chef!"

"Who said that? Which scoundrel said that? This is my Li family’s restaurant; why should an outsider be the manager? If I catch them, I'll give them a good slap..."

A few young masters and Li Xiaoyao engaged in lively banter. Only Lin Pingzhi turned to Ye Wen. "May I ask, Brother Ye, what is your connection to the new Top Scholar?"

He had seen the Zhuangyuan Lang address Ye Wen as "Senior Brother" earlier, which left him utterly astonished. Even Elder Brother Fang let out a sound of surprise, remarking, "Could this young man be both scholarly and martial?"

These people assumed Ye Wen and Xu Xian had studied together at the same academy, and they absolutely did not consider the martial arts aspect. After all, Xu Xian had coughed faintly a few times while riding his horse, not very obviously, but the martial artist among them still noticed he had a hidden ailment; such frailty did not seem characteristic of a martial practitioner.

Ye Wen guessed their thoughts and clarified, "That Top Scholar is also from my sect. Because he joined later than I did, he is my Junior Brother!"

"Does the Top Scholar also know martial arts?" Lin Pingzhi’s eyes widened. He had assumed the scholarly and martial talent belonged to Ye Wen; it turned out the truly accomplished one was the Top Scholar who had just ridden past.

According to what Elder Brother Fang had implied, this gentleman (Ye Wen) possessed strong martial arts. Therefore, even if his junior brother was slightly weaker, his abilities would still be considerable. Combined with ranking as the Top Scholar—a mark of literary talent—and that handsome appearance, he was truly a rare talent in this era.

Thinking this, Lin Pingzhi smiled. "Brother Ye’s junior brother is going to be quite busy these days!"

"Why is that?"

Lin Pingzhi explained, "The Top Scholars are always handsome and talented elites. Since he has taken the top spot, entering the imperial court is inevitable. Countless families will be watching this position, hoping to forge connections! And families with marriageable daughters will certainly seek a fine son-in-law, making the Top Scholar the prime choice!" Jiao Tian looked unconcerned, but Huang Rongrong next to him subtly changed expression, wanting to speak but swallowing the words back down.

Lin Pingzhi continued, "Now that I mention it, I recall my father also sent people out onto the streets today to see if the Top Scholar would suit our family. If he looks suitable..."

"Suitable for what?"

Lin Pingzhi scratched his head. "Probably to settle my older sister's marriage!"

"Oh? You have an older sister?"

Lin Pingzhi hadn't finished when Li Xiaoyao, who had been talking incessantly, suddenly shuddered and turned to Ye Wen. "Brother Ye, let me advise you—it’s best not to ask too much about my cousin!"

This only piqued Ye Wen’s interest further. He wondered aloud, "Why is that?"

Seeing Ye Wen insisted on knowing, Li Xiaoyao began, "She is quite famous in the capital for being..." Uh, "That... um..." He thought hard, glancing at the others around him. They were all smirking, clearly wanting to hear how he would describe his cousin.

Even Lin Pingzhi looked on with similar expectation. Li Xiaoyao probably feared that if he chose the wrong word, he'd be reported later, leading to serious trouble. After surveying the scene, Li Xiaoyao resolved himself and blurted out, "In short, she’s fierce! An ordinary man couldn't handle her! I detour completely when I see my cousin now—I refuse to make eye contact with her!"

"That’s because you always speak ill of her!" Lin Pingzhi, who seemed to know the most, interjected with a smile. "Or perhaps, Cousin, you secretly pine for my sister, which is why you badmouth her so she can’t find a husband?"

Li Xiaoyao pulled a pained expression. "It’s not my badmouthing that keeps her single! With that temper of hers, if she dislikes someone, she grabs the whip and starts lashing! What man would dare marry her?" As he said this, he shivered violently, then looked around quickly. Not seeing the person he was thinking of in his mind, he breathed a silent sigh of relief and told Ye Wen, "In any case, Brother Ye, stay far away from my cousin to avoid getting hurt!"

Ye Wen merely rubbed his nose, finding the situation amusing. The members of the Shushan sect just found it funny, thinking to themselves that with their Sect Master's skill, it was uncertain who would end up hurting whom! However, they couldn't voice this directly, lest outsiders assume the Shushan Sect was showing off their strength.

As the group grew livelier, they simply combined their tables to eat and drink. Li Xiaoyao, the chef, went back downstairs to prepare a few more dishes, then personally brought them up, as the previous table’s food had nearly vanished under his supervision in the time it took to talk.

Ye Wen was eating on one side, while Xu Xian was dining on the other.

However, Xu Xian’s meal was hardly comfortable. Although the banquet in the Imperial City boasted exquisite dishes, fragrant wines, and an array of beautiful young palace maids circulating nearby, making one feel as if they had arrived in a fairyland, eating the meal itself was a torment.

Firstly, the seating arrangement was painful. It wasn't that the chairs were uncomfortable, but the people seated could not sit as casually as they would at home. Even the gentleman seated furthest from the Emperor only managed to perch on the edge of his seat, let alone Xu Xian, who sat directly under the Emperor’s gaze.

"What agony!" He then glared resentfully at the other newly appointed scholars nearby, cursing internally, "I held back, and you still couldn't snag the Zhuangyuan title—can't you all be more competitive?"

Having been busy all day, his stomach was empty. Yet, despite the fragrant dishes before him, he dared not move his chopsticks rashly. Only when the Emperor raised his cup did all the new scholars dare to raise theirs and take a meager sip of watered wine. As for the food, none dared to touch it.

After a few cups of wine, Xu Xian felt his stomach growing increasingly uneasy. Furthermore, drinking too quickly had caused him to choke, triggering his chronic cough, which sent him into a fit of hacking.

This coughing spell drew the attention of the entire hall, even Emperor Wei Hong, who asked, "Minister Xu, your health does not appear robust! Was the journey to the capital too rushed?"

He had initially observed Xu Xian’s slender build, noting he wasn't as frail as some scholars buried in books, suggesting a generally good constitution. He hadn't expected the coughing to persist throughout the day without improvement. However, he didn't dwell on it, assuming Xu Xian had caught a chill due to the recent change in weather on his journey.

Xu Xian replied, "This cough of Your Majesty’s has been a chronic condition for many years, not a recent illness!"

"Oh?" Hearing this, Wei Hong realized Xu Xian’s ailment was long-standing. Coupled with his admiration for Xu Xian’s examination papers, he considered him a future pillar of the state and showed concern. "Have you sought medical treatment?"

"I have been treated, but it requires gradual recuperation. It will likely take another three to five years to fully recover!"

When he said this, the others in the hall realized how serious Xu Xian’s illness was—it would take three to five years to manage. Judging by his words, he had already been treating it for quite some time.

"What exactly is the illness?" they wondered silently, some even thinking, Why hasn't he already coughed himself to death?

Wei Hong, hearing the projection of three to five years, knew the illness must be difficult to cure. As Emperor, he enjoyed the finest food, the finest women, and the finest doctors. He stated, "What ailment requires three to five years of care? Why don't I summon the Imperial Physician to examine you, Your Majesty? Perhaps there is a better prescription!"

Without waiting for Xu Xian’s consent, he immediately addressed the young eunuch attending nearby: "Go summon Imperial Physician Chen!"

The eunuch responded with a quick nod and darted away. The Emperor’s command was not something a eunuch dared to delay. The eunuch likely ran even faster once outside the hall, for within moments, he returned, followed by an old man around sixty years old, whose hair and beard were streaked with grey.

Seeing the physician arrive, Wei Hong skipped the customary greetings and pointed directly at Xu Xian. "This is the newly appointed Top Scholar, Xu Xian, suffering from a chronic cough. Elder Chen, examine him and see if you have any methods for treatment?"

The physician Chen acknowledged the order and approached Xu Xian. He first observed his countenance. Initially, Physician Chen hadn't shown much interest, but upon seeing Xu Xian's face, he let out an immediate, soft sound: "Yi?"

Then, he promptly seized Xu Xian’s wrist to take his pulse, his expression growing solemn as he continuously examined Xu Xian’s facial features, neck, and other areas. After feeling the pulse for a moment, Physician Chen uttered another "Yi?"

These two sounds baffled everyone in the hall, including Emperor Wei Hong, who couldn't make sense of it. He remembered Physician Chen as highly skilled and always calm and collected. To hear him express surprise twice over Xu Xian in such a brief time was rare.

"Physician Chen, what exactly is Minister Xu’s condition?"

By this time, Physician Chen had released Xu Xian’s wrist and looked him up and down again. Responding to the Emperor’s inquiry, he immediately stated, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Top Scholar's ailment is a peculiar condition, one that cannot be cured by ordinary medicine!"

"What?"

Physician Chen failed to notice Wei Hong's expression darkening, and he continued, "The Top Scholar’s illness is caused by an extremely potent cold energy that invaded his viscera and injured his lung meridians, resulting in his intermittent coughing. The strength of this cold energy is something this humble servant has never witnessed in my life; I am truly helpless!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Hong's face grew darker. He felt that the excellent official he had finally found might perish soon, which naturally dampened his spirits, making him feel heaven itself was working against him.

However, Physician Chen kept his head bowed and didn't notice the Emperor's increasingly grim expression, continuing his monologue: "However, the Top Scholar is blessed with good fortune. He has learned a profound energy circulation technique from an unknown source, which happens to counteract that cold energy. Moreover, the Top Scholar's cultivation in this technique already shows achievement, so I expect the cold energy will dissipate on its own before long!"

This statement caused Wei Hong’s heart to leap from rock bottom back up. He hastily asked, "So, Minister Xu will be fine? You mean that cold energy won't suddenly relapse?" As an emperor, Wei Hong had also learned some energy circulation methods, but state affairs prevented him from making much progress, so his cultivation was limited. Furthermore, confined to the Imperial City, he lacked expertise in martial arts, merely understanding that external energy invading the body was never a good thing.

Physician Chen replied, "With the sheer depth of the Top Scholar's internal energy, he is the one who will resolve the cold energy. That cold energy absolutely cannot stage a counterattack!"

At this point, he turned to Xu Xian and declared, "I did not expect the new Top Scholar to be a master of both literature and martial arts! I congratulate Your Majesty on gaining such a great talent!"

It was only then that Wei Hong processed the information: Xu Xian knew an energy circulation technique, meaning he possessed profound internal martial arts! He had sought a Top Scholar and ended up with a gifted man proficient in both scholarly and military arts. Physician Chen’s congratulations elevated Wei Hong’s mood even further than its recent recovery.

"I did not realize Minister Xu also understood martial arts; truly, a hero among the youth!"

Wei Hong, seeing that Xu Xian was roughly his age, didn't pay too much mind to his knowledge of martial arts, assuming it was comparable to his own, perhaps even less developed. When he had begun learning martial arts, those who taught him naturally flattered him excessively, leading him to believe he was a martial arts prodigy. He had no idea how much superior this young man’s actual skill was.

"It is merely some insignificant skill I learned; please forgive my display before Your Majesty," Xu Xian replied politely.

While Xu Xian was courteous, the other scholars became increasingly indignant. They muttered internally, He learned a little three-legged trick somewhere, yet claims to be accomplished in both arts? Bah!

Jealousy simmered among this group. Those with better composure hid their feelings, but many could not conceal their thoughts. Xu Xian’s perception was sharp; he saw their intentions immediately. Yet, he reassured himself that since he wasn't involved in officialdom, he didn't need to concern himself. He responded calmly whenever the Emperor addressed him.

As a result, Wei Hong grew fonder of Xu Xian due to his composed demeanor and increasingly distinguished bearing. He felt as if the ancestors had sent him a reliable arm to lean on, so he frequently addressed Xu Xian when speaking. While he didn't intentionally neglect others, this behavior fueled the resentment of those displeased with Xu Xian.

After chatting for a while longer, Wei Hong suddenly recalled hearing the palace guards discuss matters of the current Jianghu (martial world) when he was learning martial arts. Curious, he asked, "I wonder, which sect or school does the energy circulation method Minister Xu learned belong to?"

Xu Xian replied, "It is from a sect in my remote hometown, called the Shushan Sect. Because it is situated far away, its reputation is not widespread!"

Wei Hong assumed it was a small, provincial group. However, considering it was Xu Xian’s root sect, and that Xu Xian was the young man he valued most, he remarked, "A technique that teaches such profound energy circulation must belong to a major martial sect!" This was his own deduction, as Physician Chen had stated that the cold energy in Xu Xian’s body could not be treated by medicine, proving that the cold was formidable. Since the technique Xu Xian learned could cure it, it must be an exceedingly precious and advanced internal art.

He reasoned that Xu Xian must have joined the Shushan Sect to learn this internal art to save himself after contracting this strange illness, unaware that Xu Xian had contracted the illness after joining the Shushan Sect.

"May I ask who your esteemed master is?"

Just as he was trying to recall if he had heard of any powerful masters, Xu Xian spoke again: "The Master of our sect is my Senior Brother. I was accepted into the sect by my Senior Brother on behalf of the Master, so all my skills were taught by my Senior Brother!"

"Oh?"