They went to the training ground empty-handed but returned leading a horse.

It felt like getting something for nothing – He Yunsheng quickly chastised himself for such thoughts. This wasn’t taking advantage, this was a gift from a hero!

But General Feng Yun was even more handsome and elegant than rumors suggested. When would he be able to become someone like Second Young Master Xiao?

He Sui looked at He Yunsheng – the youth was lost in thought, his spirits unusually high. Then he looked at He Yan who, though veiled, seemed troubled.

What was wrong with these two? They were both silent on the way home, lost in their thoughts. He Yunsheng’s behavior made sense, given Xiao Huaijin’s gift of the horse, but why was He Yan also quiet? Xiao Huaijin was accomplished at a young age and one of Great Wei’s most handsome men – surely his daughter hadn’t fallen for him? What to do? First Young Lord Fan, and now Commander Xiao? The capital had countless Young Lords Fan, but Great Wei only had one Xiao Huaijin!

Thinking of this, He Sui developed a headache.

The three returned home preoccupied, drawing curious looks from Aunt Li who sold tofu next door. She pulled He Sui aside and asked with concern, “Brother He, did something happen at home? Yanyan and Yunsheng seem troubled.”

He Sui was at a loss for words.

When they entered the house, Qing Mei had already prepared dinner. As they ate their porridge, He Sui finally remembered to ask, “Yanyan, what brought you to the training ground today?”

He Yunsheng was one thing, but He Yan never went to the training ground.

He Yan finally returned from her thoughts and replied to He Sui, “It’s like this – I wanted to tell Father that Yunsheng is at the age where he should enter school. Learning some martial arts casually isn’t as good as having a proper teacher’s guidance. It’s not too late now, spring is when schools accept new students. What does Father think?”

He Sui opened and closed his mouth, unsure whether to be touched that his daughter was concerned about her brother’s affairs or worried that he couldn’t address the issue she raised.

“Yanyan, I’ve thought about this before, but right now… we’re short on silver,” he scratched his head awkwardly, “We might need to wait until I receive my monthly salary, then I can gather a bit more.”

If not for this, he wouldn’t have tolerated Young Lord Zhao’s insults today.

He Yunsheng kept his head down while eating, but his ears perked up. He knew how hard it was for his father to earn money and felt unfilial even thinking of bringing it up. He was relieved that He Yan had spoken these difficult words instead.

“Don’t worry about the silver.” He Yan went to the inner room and returned with a jewelry box. When she opened it, the jewels and silver inside dazzled He Sui and Qing Mei’s eyes.

He Sui’s chopsticks clattered to the table. “Yanyan… where did this silver come from?”

“Yunsheng won it at Le Tong Manor,” He Yan answered smoothly.

He Yunsheng sprayed out a mouthful of porridge.

“He Yan!”

He Yan winked at him, her lying expression unchanged: “Yunsheng had really good luck, and won a lot of silver on his first visit to Le Tong Manor. I counted – besides the tuition fees, this is enough for us to use for several years.”

He Yunsheng moved his lips but said nothing.

What could he say? That it was He Yan who gambled? Not only would He Sui not believe it, he wouldn’t believe it. Besides, He Yan had worn his clothes that day, and others only remembered seeing a youth – he couldn’t explain it even if he had a hundred mouths. Moreover… thinking of how He Yan had stood up for him today and raced against Zhao, he felt a surge of kinship.

For the sake of brotherhood, he’d take this blame!

He Yunsheng said, “Yes, I won it gambling. Father, let’s use this silver for school!”

He Sui stared at him steadily: “You won this gambling?”

“That’s right.”

“Won big on your first visit to a gambling house?”

“Indeed.”

“Indeed… indeed!” He Sui exploded in anger, slapping the table and grabbing a wooden board to strike at He Yunsheng, “You unfilial son! You dare go to Le Tong Manor!”

“I work hard to provide for you, and you dare go to Le Tong Manor! Have you no shame? What would your dead mother think?”

He Yunsheng fled while covering his head: “Father, it’s only because our family is too poor! If you didn’t tell mother so much, how would she know!”

“Still arguing! Where did you learn such degenerate habits, going to gambling houses? He Yunsheng, you’re asking for trouble!”

He Yan quietly shrank into a corner of the room. What a close call – good thing He Yunsheng took the blame. If He Sui knew it was her and tried to hit her, she might accidentally strike back and hurt him. Then she’d truly be an “unfilial daughter.”

After the chaos settled, the matter was finally concluded.

He Yunsheng took a beating, but the issue was smoothed over. Next came the question of which school in the capital to choose for him. It needed to include martial arts training, neither too poor nor too prestigious – birds of a feather flock together, and too prestigious a school would be full of rich young lords who might be a bad influence on He Yunsheng.

Sitting in He Yan’s room, He Yunsheng tapped a small comb against the lampstand, saying, “All this choosing and still no good choice. It’s giving me a headache.”

“It’s not something to be decided in one night,” He Yan glanced at him, “There’s plenty of time.”

He Yunsheng pouted, “You’re so worldly now, don’t you know which school in the capital is best?”

“I don’t go to school, what would I know?” He Yan said, “Though I do know about gambling houses.”

He Yunsheng said, “I underestimated you!”

He Yan smiled at him: “Thanks for the compliment.”

Thinking of the beating he took for nothing tonight, He Yunsheng felt frustrated again and left with an “I’m going to feed the horse.”

After He Yunsheng left, Qing Mei took away the washing basin, and He Yan blew out the candle, removed her shoes, and got into bed.

The window was open, but the spring night wasn’t cold. Moonlight spilled in, flooding the table with light. As she gazed at it, she thought of meeting Xiao Jue today.

In her panic then, fearing Xiao Jue would recognize her, she lowered her head. But later she realized that she was no longer that “He Yan” – even face to face, Xiao Jue wouldn’t recognize her. Besides, back then, she had always worn a mask.

The last time she saw Xiao Jue seemed like ages ago. Back then, he wasn’t as cold and distant as he was now, keeping others at arm’s length – he was an arrogant but carefree youth in green.

The best school in the capital was called Xian Chang Academy. Both of Great Wei’s current famous generals, General Feng Yun, and General Fei Hong, had studied there.

Counting back, she and Xiao Jue had only been classmates for one year.