All of February passed in a flurry of shipments for Moonlight Fragrance.

When March arrived, Zhao Jing packed his bags, preparing to set off for the Prefecture to take this year’s prefectural examination.

The prefectural examination this year was scheduled to begin on the sixth day of the fourth month.

The journey from Qingshui County to the Prefecture took a full eight days by land. Traveling by water was much faster, but would still take about six days.

Setting out in March seemed a bit early.

But that wasn’t the right way to think about it.

There were far too many potential mishaps on the road. Perhaps a torrential downpour would cause a landslide. Perhaps one could catch a cold and come down with a fever. Perhaps one’s travel money could be stolen, or a moment of carelessness could lead to getting entangled in a lawsuit.

Even if one managed to arrive at the Prefecture safely and on time, there were still many things to do.

First, one had to find a place to stay.

Ideal lodgings—close to the examination hall, yet in a quiet, secluded environment—were generally booked far in advance.

If you arrived late, you could forget about finding a quiet place near the examination hall; even the ordinary inns would be packed. You would either have to sleep on a large communal platform with peddlers and porters or, if truly desperate, rent a room or two in a private residence and live with the family—a troublesome affair in itself.

Second, one needed to gather information about the chief examiner. For instance, how many official posts had he held? In what year did he become an Advanced Scholar? Who was his mentor? What literary style did he favor?

Only by catering to the examiner’s tastes could a candidate gain an advantage and secure the title of Scholar.

Third, all the other examinees were fellow candidates. As the saying goes, it was always wise to befriend a few like-minded people; you never knew when those connections might prove useful.

Finally, one needed proper rest after days on the road. Arriving just before the examination was out of the question. By then, one would be physically exhausted, and performance in the examination hall would be severely hampered. If, on top of that, one couldn’t acclimate to the new environment, it would be a true disaster ordained by the heavens.

For all these reasons, setting out well in advance of the examinations was an absolute necessity.

However, since he was leaving a full month in advance, items needed for the examination itself could not be prepared yet. This was especially true for food. Anything prepared now would have to be eaten as rations on the journey; if saved for the exam, it would be moldy by then.

A cool breeze wafted through the room, causing the candlelight to flicker.

By the dim, yellow candlelight, Chen Wanqing opened the bags she had just finished packing for Zhao Jing to check them one last time.

The bags contained four sets of clothes for spring and summer. Fearing he might get cold while traveling, she had also packed a thick, unlined cloak. In addition, there were several pairs of shoes and socks and sets of undergarments; three of each wooden hairpin, hair ribbon, and scholar’s kerchief; two bottles of every type of medicinal pill; two boxes of cooling balm; a book chest filled with exam-preparation books, the four treasures of the study—brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—and candles; and a personal set of a lunch box and chopsticks...

After checking everything one more time and confirming nothing was missing, Chen Wanqing finally relaxed a little.

Just then, Zhao Jing came in from outside, carrying a basin of hot water.

Seeing that she was still checking the things for his journey, Zhao Jing asked, "Wanqing, you already checked twice this afternoon. I’m sure nothing is missing. Please, don’t worry."

"It’s precisely because I’m worried that I keep checking. What would you do on the road if you really were missing something?"

"It’s alright. I’ve arranged to travel to the Prefecture with Wang Jun. If I really forget something, I can just borrow from him. And even if sharing is inconvenient, I can buy whatever I need in the towns we pass through. Besides, we’re going to Mother’s place early tomorrow. I can compare my things with what De’an has packed, and if I’m missing anything, there will still be time to get it."

"I suppose that will have to do."

"Let me finish packing the trunks. Wanqing, come and soak your feet."

"Let me pack. You go first. I’ll soak my feet after you’re done."

"You go ahead, Wanqing. I’m going to tidy up the study. I’ll come back later to empty the water for you."

With that, Zhao Jing decisively took the two trunks and set them aside. He then gently but firmly pressed Chen Wanqing down to sit on the bed, removed her shoes and socks, and lowered her pale, slender feet into the warm water.

Still unaccustomed to him waiting on her like this, Chen Wanqing struggled slightly. "Go on and do what you need to. I can do this myself."

So Zhao Jing went to attend to his tasks.

But he returned quickly, his timing perfect. He came back just as Chen Wanqing finished soaking her feet and was about to empty the basin.

And so, as had become the norm, it was Zhao Jing who emptied the water again that day.

Chen Wanqing had already washed up for the night, so after soaking her feet, she got into bed. Zhao Jing went out to fetch water to wash himself. When he returned, he found her reading her fragrance recipes.