Gu Yanshu was slightly taken aback by Gu Yanli's suggestion.
From Young Master Gu's memories, it was clear that although Gu Yanli was the most academically gifted descendant of the Marquis Cheng'en household in three generations, he had always preferred martial arts over scholarly pursuits. The friends he associated with were mostly young men who shared his passion for martial training. In Young Master Gu's recollections, Gu Yanli had been the most learned among his circle of martial-minded companions.
Because of this, when Gu Yanshu had been considering potential candidates, he had instinctively dismissed the idea of seeking help from Gu Yanli.
Who would have thought that Gu Yanli would now claim to have a friend who fit all of Yanshu's requirements?
How could this not surprise him?
Perhaps Gu Yanshu's expression of astonishment led Gu Yanli to misinterpret his reaction as reluctance.
"Of course, I was merely making a suggestion. If you find it unsuitable, we can disregard it," Gu Yanli quickly backtracked.
"Elder Brother hasn't even told me who this friend is yet. How can I judge whether he's suitable or not?" Gu Yanshu couldn't help but chuckle. Perhaps due to Young Master Gu's past behavior, Gu Yanli always seemed to tread carefully around him. "If he truly meets the criteria I mentioned earlier, I would be grateful to you, Elder Brother, not opposed."
Realizing his misunderstanding, Gu Yanli swiftly suppressed the flicker of disappointment that had risen in his chest.
"The friend I mentioned is Wen Qingxiao."
"Wen Qingxiao..."
Gu Yanshu repeated the name softly. It sounded vaguely familiar, yet no matter how much he searched his memories, he couldn't recall any concrete details about its owner.
Just as he was puzzling over it, Gu Yanli added, "The sixth young master of the Wen family, the Hanlin Academician's household."
At this, realization struck.
"The tanhua from three years ago?" Gu Yanshu blurted out.
Gu Yanli nodded in confirmation. "That's right. What do you think? Does he meet your requirements?"
Gu Yanshu fell silent for a moment, his mind racing through the legends surrounding Wen Qingxiao.
Wen Qingxiao, the sixth young master of the Wen family, had once been a household name in the capital.
Even someone like Young Master Gu, who had spent his days idling about with no interest in scholarly matters, had heard of him.
Three years ago, Wen Qingxiao had been as renowned in the capital as the Third Prince, Qin Lu.
While Qin Lu had dominated the battlefield, Wen Qingxiao had shone brilliantly in the academies.
Like Qin Lu, Wen Qingxiao had once been the subject of endless praise.
Legends said he had composed poetry at three, written essays at five, and was well-versed in both astronomy and geography. Many esteemed scholars had engaged in academic discussions with him.
Among literati, he was hailed as the reincarnation of the God of Literature, a man whose mere presence could make others feel inadequate.
Yet, three years ago, his legend had come to an abrupt end.
At sixteen, Wen Qingxiao had taken the imperial examinations, achieving dual first-place honors (jieyuan and huiyuan) before advancing to the palace examination.
His policy essays during the final assessment had left the examiners and even the Emperor in awe.
Yet, in the end, he had been named tanhua—the third-ranked scholar—rather than zhuangyuan, the top honor.
There were theories about why.
Some said the examiners feared that granting him the triple-first title at such a young age might stunt his growth.
Others claimed it was due to an unspoken tradition—that the tanhua must be the most handsome among the top three scholars.
(The other two finalists? One was nearly forty, the other plain-faced.)
Wen Qingxiao, with his noble bearing and youthful radiance, had been the obvious choice.
Regardless of the truth, the mere existence of such rumors proved his unparalleled brilliance.
His future had seemed destined—perhaps the youngest Grand Secretary in Tianqi history, a man who would surpass even his father's legacy.
But fate had other plans.
Just before he was to assume his post in the Hanlin Academy, a riding accident had left him with a shattered ankle and paralyzed legs.
Though the Tianqi court was not as strict about physical appearance as some dynasties, it still barred those with disabilities from holding office.
No amount of family influence or literary genius could overturn that rule.
And so, Wen Qingxiao's star had fallen.
People still praised his writings, scholars still analyzed his insights, but everyone knew—it wasn't the same.
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, public sympathy had been abundant. Some had even argued that rules should bend for such brilliance.
But as time passed, the world moved on.
The last time Young Master Gu had heard Wen Qingxiao's name mentioned had been two years prior—when his childhood sweetheart, his betrothed, had come to break off their engagement.
Her words had been venomous:
"A cripple still dares to drag my daughter down with him?"
"Know your place now!"
"With the Wen family's status, surely some lowborn girl would take you. Why cling to my daughter?"
Though some had criticized her cruelty, others had whispered that she wasn't entirely wrong—why should a promising young woman be tied to a man with no future?
The scandal had raged for weeks before fading into silence.
Since then, Wen Qingxiao had vanished from public life entirely.
If not for Gu Yanli mentioning him today, Gu Yanshu might never have recalled this once-glorious figure.
"If we're speaking of Wen Qingxiao... then yes, he does meet the qualifications," Gu Yanshu admitted after a long pause.
In terms of pure academic merit, Wen Qingxiao was beyond reproach. Even now, his writings were widely studied by scholars preparing for the exams.
But Gu Yanli immediately raised the critical question:
"But would he be willing?"
Wen Qingxiao might fit all the criteria, but after everything that had happened—disability, lost career, public humiliation—could a man once so brilliant endure stepping back into the spotlight?
His two-year seclusion suggested otherwise.
What if they planned everything only for Wen Qingxiao to refuse?
"This..." Gu Yanli hesitated, his expression uncertain. "Perhaps I should speak with Qingxiao first. If he agrees, then I can arrange a meeting between you two?"
Gu Yanshu found this approach reasonable. "That would be best. Thank you, Elder Brother."
"Merely mentioning it to him is no trouble at all," Gu Yanli demurred.
But inwardly, he was far less confident.
As Gu Yanshu had guessed, the series of blows had devastated Wen Qingxiao.
Initially, after the accident, he had not completely broken.
He had even claimed that being freed from official duties might allow him to focus solely on scholarship, perhaps achieving greatness in another way.
But his fiancée's betrayal had been the final straw.
While outsiders didn't know the full story, Gu Yanli and Wen Qingxiao's close friends did.
After Wen Qingxiao was named tanhua, rumors had spread that Princess Ankang fancied him and had requested the Emperor appoint him as tanhua in preparation for a marriage alliance.
Though absurd, such things had historical precedent.
At the time, neither Wen Qingxiao nor his friends had taken it seriously—after all, he was already betrothed.
But his fiancée had heard the rumors and, in a fit of jealousy, insisted on a countryside outing to "reaffirm their vows."
It was during this trip that the accident occurred.
Wen Qingxiao had been nearby when her horse spooked. Without hesitation, he had rushed to save her.
Though known for his scholarship, Wen Qingxiao was no weakling—under normal circumstances, rescuing someone from a horse would have been simple.
But his fiancée's frantic struggles had enraged the stallion, and in the chaos, Wen Qingxiao had been trampled.
Had Gu Yanli and others not intervened, he might have died.
When the Wen family demanded answers, Gu Yanli had been ready to expose the truth, but Wen Qingxiao had stopped him.
"I only did what any man, any fiancé, should do. What's done is done. No need to make things harder for her when she joins our household."
He had shielded her, considering her future.
And how had she repaid him?
By waiting until the scandal died down, then publicly discarding him with cruel words.
"If you couldn't save me completely, why bother at all?"
The betrayal had shattered him.
Since then, Wen Qingxiao had withdrawn completely, burying himself in books but rarely speaking. Were it not for Gu Yanli's occasional visits, he might have gone months without conversation.
The newspaper project would require frequent interaction with others. Gu Yanli had suggested Wen Qingxiao in hopes of pulling him out of his despair.
But now, faced with Gu Yanshu's eager agreement, Gu Yanli found himself doubting whether he could truly persuade his friend.
Watching his younger brother's anxious expression, and thinking of Wen Qingxiao's increasing reclusiveness, Gu Yanli made a silent vow:
Even if I have to drag Wen Qingxiao out by force, I'll make him take this position.