This vacation was something Yun Ye had discussed and agreed upon with several old men. Originally, Yun Ye had planned to endure Xu Jingzong for a few months, thinking he would leave once he found it boring. Who knew that as soon as he spoke, he was scolded by Li Gang, who said something like: people in official circles consider taking advantage as commonplace. As long as you loosen up a little, they can tear it into a huge hole. As long as it benefits their career, they won’t give up until they’ve squeezed the Academy dry. They don’t value the long term, only care about immediate benefits. Big, bold, fast, advance—these are the four-character secrets to promotion. Enduring for a moment won’t calm the wind, nor will it settle the waves. The best strategy is to give him no place to sink his teeth, letting his heaven-shaking talents have nowhere to be deployed.

After all, he was an old bureaucratic fox who had served two dynasties—his words made sense. Since they made sense, they had to be executed.

As soon as Xu Jingzong registered with the Ministry of Personnel, preparing to take up his post at the Academy, Liu Jinbao had already galloped back with the report. The Academy’s unscrupulous parents included several people in the Ministry of Personnel—getting wind of such news was simple.

So as soon as Xu Jingzong set out from Chang’an, the Academy immediately began its annual summer vacation.

Learning from informed sources, it turned out this fellow couldn’t get by in the Ministry of Works and wanted to run to the Academy to take refuge, conveniently making connections with powerful parents in preparation for future opportunities—what a good way to kill two birds with one stone. He just underestimated the Academy’s vigilance toward him. Can’t get by in one place, so switching places would be better?

He was too proud, relying on his high talent. In his arrogant recklessness, he had offended many important ministers. Hearing rumors that someone wanted to deal with him, it just so happened that he came to the Academy on business and discovered the Academy was really a good place to seek future advantage. So he requested that Li Er let him teach at the Academy, and actually received approval.

Who knew what Li Er was thinking—perhaps it was for the purpose of throwing sand in the gears.

Yun Ye didn’t want to think about it, nor could he. If he lost Li Er’s support, the Academy would be just a castle on the beach, vanishing in smoke and dispersing in clouds in an instant.

He could only deal with Xu Jingzong, not point the spearhead at Li Er. This was why the Academy adopted soft measures rather than hardline resistance.

On this big apple that was the Academy, absolutely no fat worm could be allowed to crawl up—this was the resolution Yun Ye made in secret, even if it meant using the most vicious thoughts.

One month was enough time for Yun Ye to maneuver. A memorial was brought back to the palace by the vacationing Liu Xian, awaiting Li Er’s decision on Xu Jingzong’s fate.

Xu Jingzong could see neither Yun Ye nor Li Gang. He could only helplessly live in the courtyard provided by the Academy, waiting for the new semester to arrive. He believed that with his own abilities, taking control of the Academy was only a matter of time. Yun Ye and the others were no match for him.

He had absolutely no idea that out of fear of him, Yun Ye had for the first time in his life harbored murderous intent toward someone.

Yun Ye had merely eaten one fat worm—after feeling disgusted, he’d vomit a few times and be done with it.

But Li Ke felt like he’d eaten a whole pile of worms. The Academy’s construction was continuing. At the beginning it went smoothly, and he was quite confident he could complete all the projects before winter arrived. Who could have anticipated that after his father learned the Academy construction possessed large quantities of never-before-seen new materials and new tools, he sent him countless minor officials from the Ministry of Works, ordering him to teach these low-level officials to use the new things.

“Ye-zi, I don’t want to use these idiots. Not only do they know nothing on the construction site, they won’t even learn. Every single one claims to be a meritorious minister, saying that building houses with stone would disgrace their ancestors.” Li Ke was after all only a twelve-year-old youth. He couldn’t harden his heart or make decisions. It seemed this kick would have to be delivered by Yun Ye himself.

“Oh? I don’t care about this. I only require that before the first snow falls, the masters must move in. Whatever you build is what kind of houses the masters will live in. Even if there’s no roof, that’s your business. Your business, you handle it yourself.” Having said this without even looking at Li Ke whose face had crumpled like a bun, he turned and left.

Sure enough, the next day Li Ke erupted. He sent back eleven officials who had various connections. All that awaited them was dismissal and return home. The rod was raised high. Glaring with bloodshot eyes at those trembling minor officials, only then did Li Ke breathe a sigh of relief.

Recently everything had been going badly. His entire life was mixed with gloom. Only when watching the Yun family estate gradually become prosperous and wealthy could Yun Ye’s heart feel a little better. He had originally planned to live a happy life as a wealthy idle gentleman, but his bit of selfish desire had stirred things up so there was never any peace.

The broomcorn millet in the fields had just sprouted. Looking from afar, it was a patch of tender green. The worried expressions on the estate residents’ faces gradually faded. Even the disaster refugees from outside no longer wore expressions of panic and despair. The children were as healthy as little calves. The women hid at home counting the copper coins in their hands one by one—each additional coin brought a measure of happiness to their hearts.

This is the result of my several months of effort, Yun Ye told himself.

A great sense of pride arose spontaneously. Thinking about the nameless rage from a few days ago, he found it laughable. Just a Vice Director, and he’d been forced to harbor murderous intent. In his two lifetimes, he’d never been stained with human blood. To harbor murderous intent now—how foolish! Even though there were countless methods to make people die without a sound, they couldn’t be used lightly. Kill the first one, and you’ll kill a second. If you only have a hammer in hand, then the only way to solve problems is by smashing. This was too terrifying. That’s how the First Emperor of Qin did things, and the result…

His heart had walked into a dead end, covered by desire, unable to see himself clearly. The bronze mirror was blurry and indistinct, showing only vague outlines. Once the demon at the bottom of one’s heart was released, it could never be taken back.

That fellow Xi Tong hadn’t come back either. Who knew if he’d gotten to the bottom of things? Didn’t he know how curious Yun Ye was about knights-errant? He was waiting for him to return and inquire.

Were there really two idiots who used someone’s thigh as drinking accompaniment? Did the heroic knights-errant described in Li Bai’s poems truly exist? Right now, the closest one was Xi Tong, that lovably foolish fellow. Seeing knights-errant dressed fellows all over the streets, his mind ran wild with racing thoughts, yet his body felt relaxed, with a floating sensation.

Qian Tong had been standing behind the Marquis. Seeing the Marquis smiling as he went into a daze, he knew this was his daily required course and also his happiest time each day. Unwilling to interrupt, he just followed behind until the Marquis woke up on his own.

When the Marquis let out a long breath, he knew it was time to speak.

“My lord, Old Marquis Niu has arrived.”

“What? You’re saying the old master has returned to the capital? How did I not know?” The joy in Yun Ye’s heart was indescribable. He had a kind of respect and love for Niu Jinda that came from the bottom of his heart, so much so that his behavior also looked to the old man as a model.

Hurrying home, as soon as he entered the door he heard Old Niu’s hearty laughter. The dark clouds in his heart dissipated without a trace in an instant. With Old Cheng and Old Niu absent, Yun Ye always had a feeling of fighting alone. Now that they were back, all difficulties seemed to not exist. Old Niu was such a powerful existence like a sea-stabilizing pillar.

Xinyue was paying respects to Old Niu. Her bashful appearance provoked Old Niu into hearty laughter. Madam Niu beside them took out an exquisite hairpin and inserted it at an angle in Xinyue’s hair, then pulled the head-bowed, silent Xinyue to the rear quarters.

“This boy pays respects to Uncle Niu.” Before he finished speaking, Old Niu grabbed Yun Ye and looked him up and down a few times.

“Not bad—you’ve grown taller, and you’re even betrothed now. Good! Old Cheng will definitely be very pleased when he knows.” Old Niu’s eyes were full of warmth.

“Weren’t you leading troops to Yunzhong? How have you returned now? Next month will be the critical moment. Do you have urgent business returning to the capital at this time?” Yun Ye remembered the ongoing war and hurriedly asked Old Niu’s purpose for returning to the capital.

“Still so lacking in promise. A major battle can’t start in just a moment. Which major battle doesn’t begin after both sides have prepared properly? This time is no exception. Do you think it’s the Warring States period where one surprise attack decides victory or defeat? Surprise attacks are things you can do after crushing the enemy’s main forces. Sneak attacks again and again only wastefully consume battle strength. Current battles can only be fought with real blades and spears, relying on strength.”

Old Niu’s mind hadn’t turned the corner. This time Li Jing would rely on a surprise attack with three thousand light cavalry to establish victory on the battlefield.

“Coming back this time is to find you to go to the front lines. The Turks have started using despicable plague tactics again. The military sanitation regulations were formulated by you, so you must be very clear on how to prevent and treat it. Li Jing hopes you can go to the military to see if there are good methods.”

He hadn’t expected he’d still have an opportunity to participate in the Battle of the Northern Desert. Thinking of cavalry charges all over the mountains and plains, Yun Ye trembled with excitement.

“What are you trembling for? The battlefield has no place for you. You have to hide in the city behind and find ways to solve the plague—that’s what you should do.” Old Niu very much looked down on Yun Ye’s combat ability.

“The Turks are merely using the old Xiongnu trick—using dead cattle, dead horses, and dead sheep to contaminate water sources, using diseased livestock to harm our Great Tang military horses.” Yun Ye rather looked down on these country bumpkins’ wild imaginings. As long as the Left Militant Guard’s sanitation regulations were strictly enforced, those things would be completely useless.

“Hmph, don’t be arrogant. Huo Qubing fell to this very thing. The great grassland stretches endlessly—where there’s water, where one can make camp, this is common sense. Boy, if you hold such thoughts, better not go to the front lines at all.”

“This boy naturally wants to see how our Great Tang’s iron cavalry tramples the Turks. It’s just that there’s a stinking bug in the Academy. Your nephew must get rid of it before he can go to the great grassland with peace of mind. Otherwise, your nephew’s painstaking efforts will be wasted.”

“You mean Xu Jingzong, right? The memorial you submitted to His Majesty—His Majesty didn’t agree. Then I requisitioned Xu Jingzong to the front lines. This fellow will be in the military. I want to see how he plays tricks. As long as we catch him in the act, even if we chop him with one stroke, His Majesty won’t have anything to say.” Old Niu’s words were ruthless!

The joy in Yun Ye’s heart was about to overflow from the bottom of his heart. The person who had been giving him such a headache was so vulnerable before Old Niu’s absolute strength. Yes, as long as he was in the military, Xu Jingzong was truly just an ant that could be crushed at will.

He only hoped he wouldn’t be foolish. If he honestly joined Yun Ye in the military camp to save lives and heal the wounded, that would be fine. If he had other thoughts, dying would be what he deserved.

Thinking of Xu Jingzong fleeing disaster only to flee to the battlefield, Yun Ye felt sorrow for the fellow. How unlucky must this person be to have such an outcome?