Many things pass, many people are forgotten—because time keeps moving forward. Time is more heartless than people, yet among the few fair things in this world, time is one of them.

Li Diudiu passed one summer and one autumn in the academy. When winter came to Jizhou City, a certain bleakness settled over it—probably because poets never much cared for winter, since there was little left to compose about.

Li Diudiu rarely went out at night to stake out his spot anymore. Although he did still catch some offenders on occasion, most of those he apprehended were ordinary folk driven to theft by desperate circumstances—people who were wrong, yes, but against whom Li Diudiu couldn’t bring himself to strike hard.

From his first day in the first-character hall to the present, exactly half a year had passed. Li Diudiu had placed first six times, yet Xu Qinglin still seemed unable to accept life in second place—just as Tang Pidi had been when he was at the academy.

Yet Xu Qinglin was not Sun Rugong. He was of a far higher caliber than Sun Rugong.

Over the half year of peaceful routine, Li Diudiu had already let himself forget many things—or at least, most of the time he pretended he couldn’t remember them. Things like Zhang Xiaolin. Things like Liu Shengying.

No—her name was Liu Yingyuan.

Over this half year, Li Diudiu and Gao Xining had seen each other very rarely—about once every ten days or so. This was because every ten days, the Garrison Commissioner would invite Dean Gao over as a guest, and this had become an established pattern. The first time, Gao Xining had snuck out on her own to find him. But the second time, she didn’t come, so Li Diudiu worked up the nerve to go to Dean Gao’s residence himself.

The first time they’d met, Gao Xining had said she’d barely managed to get her maid to cooperate before she could slip out. Li Diudiu had thought at the time—how hard could one maid be?

When he worked up the nerve to visit Dean Gao’s home, he found out exactly how hard.

The maid’s name was Ruoling, and when Li Diudiu looked up at her, it was like staring at the end of days.

Ruoling wasn’t too harsh about it—she simply said that if he could beat her in a fight, she’d let him in to see the young miss. Ruoling was only two or three years older than Gao Xining in reality, though she certainly came across as older. At that age, girls are reluctant to stand in the way of something beautiful. She believed the young miss had feelings for Li Chi, even if the young miss herself didn’t think so.

Li Diudiu was too embarrassed to strike first. To demonstrate his sincerity, he said: why don’t you hit me first, and if I can’t take it, I’ll leave.

Ruoling smiled radiantly and agreed—then punched Li Diudiu roughly a zhang and a half backward. If he hadn’t guarded with both fists, that punch could have sent Li Chi flying rather than merely walking away.

In fairness, it wasn’t entirely Ruoling’s fault. Gao Xining had praised Li Diudiu to the heavens, saying his martial arts, if not unrivaled among those under twenty, was surely unrivaled among those under sixteen.

Ruoling was sixteen.

Fortunately, Li Diudiu was never short of other methods. He warmly invited Ruoling and Gao Xining to come have hot pot at Instructor Yan’s small courtyard, saying it was Instructor Yan’s invitation. Ruoling thought: if Instructor Yan is the one inviting, it should be fine.

The third time was hot pot at Instructor Yan’s again. The fourth time was the same. The fifth time, still the same…

Until one day, Instructor Yan sat down for a proper talk with Gao Xining.

After the meal, Li Diudiu cleared the table; Ruoling took the dishes to the kitchen to wash. At that moment, Instructor Yan called Gao Xining outside to the small courtyard. He glanced back at Li Diudiu clearing the table, then glanced at Ruoling heading to the kitchen.

Once certain neither of them could hear, he lowered his voice and said, “I know about the promise between you and Li Chi—you want to find him a wife, right? I think it’s a bit childish, but that’s between the two of you, and it’s not my place to interfere… But could you possibly do this somewhere else?”

Gao Xining smiled. “Is Instructor Yan about to be eaten into poverty by us?”

Instructor Yan sighed. “I could put up with being eaten into poverty. But right now it’s all over the academy—people are saying you’re trying to find me a wife. That the wife in question is your maid Ruoling. And that I’ve agreed, so every ten days Ruoling comes here once, and you and Li Chi are providing cover.”

Instructor Yan said, “I won’t even say whether I’ve been wronged. But hasn’t Miss Ruoling been wronged?”

Gao Xining thought it over and said, “That is bad for her reputation.”

Yan Qingzhi: “…”

He took a deep breath, then smiled gently. “And what about mine? I’m an instructor at the academy—could you spare some consideration for me as well?”

Gao Xining thought again, then nodded. “I understand. How about next time we come, you step out for a bit, instructor? That way you’d avoid the suspicion.”

Yan Qingzhi was completely bewildered.

He pointed at himself and said, “My courtyard. My home. You come, and I step out?”

Gao Xining said, “It’s good of you to make such a sacrifice, instructor.”

Yan Qingzhi waved his hand. “I’m not sacrificing anything. I’m not going anywhere. You’d still be eating my food even if I left. Forget I said anything—I accept my fate.”

At that moment, Ruoling came out of the kitchen carrying a basin of warm water, a towel draped over her shoulder. She walked over and said gently, “You’ve just eaten, and your hands and face are probably oily. Wash up.”

Gao Xining giggled. “Thank you, my dear Ruoling.”

Ruoling hip-checked Gao Xining aside and continued smiling warmly. “Instructor, wash your face.”

Yan Qingzhi looked up, then obediently washed his face and hands.

Ruoling was actually quite pretty. Her figure wasn’t something she could control, but her face was by no means fat—her features were delicate and refined.

On the other side of the courtyard, Gao Xining nudged Li Chi with her shoulder and said casually, “Jiabei has asked me several times already—when can she meet you? You keep putting her off. When are you going to give a straight answer?”

Li Diudiu shook his head. “I’m still young. No rush.”

Gao Xining said, “She knows about you. She’s even snuck over to Cloud Studio Teahouse a few times to have a look at you. Before, she never used to eat breakfast. Now she goes to the academy’s main cafeteria for breakfast every single day. Have you noticed?”

Li Diudiu said, “Why would I pay attention to a girl? Hmm… at the main cafeteria, I mainly pay attention to Aunt Wu.”

Gao Xining knocked him on the head in exasperation. “She’s going there to look at you. Would it kill you to notice?”

Li Diudiu rubbed his head. “If I see her at breakfast tomorrow morning, I’ll notice. All right?”

Gao Xining nodded. “Now you’re talking.”

Just then, Xiahou Zuo strolled in from outside, a dried reed stem dangling from his mouth, looking as nonchalant as ever. He glanced at Li Chi, then at Gao Xining.

Li Chi always felt there was something improper about the way Xiahou Zuo looked at things, though he had no evidence.

“Tomorrow is a rest day,” Xiahou Zuo said to Li Diudiu. “Come home with me for a visit. My father… wants to meet you.”

Li Diudiu asked, “Why?”

Xiahou Zuo said, “I’ve mentioned you to him a few times. He knows you have a good character and can fight, and that you’re a disciple of the Changmei Daoist. So he wants to meet you.”

Gao Xining said, “Li Chi, you’re not allowed to go.”

Xiahou Zuo asked, “Why not?”

Gao Xining said, “He won’t go meet the girl I’m trying to set him up with, so what gives him the right to go with you to meet the family?”

Xiahou Zuo thought about this—something didn’t quite add up.

The next morning, Li Diudiu specifically changed into a fresh set of clothes, getting himself looking neat and proper from head to toe. He was going to meet a prince, after all—he couldn’t appear to lack courtesy.

Xiahou Zuo came to get him, took one look at Li Diudiu’s stiff, barely-able-to-walk appearance in his new clothes, paused, then let out a sigh. “Why have you dressed yourself up like this?”

Li Diudiu said, “What else was I supposed to do—show up in old clothes and look disrespectful?”

Xiahou Zuo gave him a kick in the backside. “Go change. You look ridiculous dressed like that.”

Li Diudiu went back and changed into his usual clothes, which felt considerably more comfortable. The two of them walked and chatted their way to Prince Yu’s residence. Because of the situation with his mother, Xiahou Zuo rarely returned to the prince’s residence, and even when he did, it was only to handle something and then leave.

More than half a year ago, on his account, Prince Yu had flown into a rage and ordered several side consorts hanged. Naturally the common people knew nothing of this, but who among the people in the residence didn’t know? People in the residence factionalized just as anywhere else; the servants schemed against one another just the same—but none of that prevented them from presenting a unified front when it came to their attitude toward Xiahou Zuo. Because their masters all disliked Xiahou Zuo, they all had to follow suit.

The reception hall already had wine and dishes laid out. After Li Diudiu greeted Prince Yu, they ate together. During the meal, Prince Yu spoke pleasantly about inconsequential things, mainly offering praise for Li Chi’s academic performance at the academy.

Six consecutive months of first place in the monthly exams—if it had been the child of a wealthy family, word would have spread throughout Jizhou City by now, with the family celebrating loudly and widely.

“Zhuo’er.”

Prince Yu looked at Xiahou Zuo and said, “My memory really has gotten poor. I prepared a few things for you—they’re in the study. I forgot to bring them out. Go get them yourself.”

Xiahou Zuo’s brow creased slightly. He knew his father was sending him away, but he couldn’t refuse. He nodded. “Yes. I’ll be right back.”

It sounded like he was addressing his father, but was actually directed at Li Diudiu.

After Xiahou Zuo left, Prince Yu smiled warmly and said, “Zhuo’er never stops praising you in front of me. He says even if you searched all of Dachu, the number of young men who could stand as your equal would be countable on one hand.”

He pointed at the tea. “Have some tea.”

Li Diudiu immediately picked up his cup. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Prince Yu became even warmer, his voice gentle as he asked, “Even though you’ve only just been at the academy for half a year, your record is excellent. Entering government service in the future shouldn’t be difficult. With your intelligence, you must have thought about your own future.”

Li Diudiu said, “I’m rather slow-witted and inclined to play—I haven’t given such things any thought. I hope Your Highness will forgive my lack of seriousness.”

Prince Yu laughed. “No matter—you’re still young after all. Because of your relationship with Zhuo’er, I do sometimes think ahead for both of you. Making plans for Zhuo’er means making plans for you too—you are his best friend.”

Li Diudiu immediately rose and offered thanks again.

“Sit and speak comfortably.”

Prince Yu said, “Would you be interested… in coming to work for the prince’s residence in the future? You still have several years of studies ahead—there’s no hurry. You can go back and think it over carefully. If you agree, I’ll instruct my people to give you a monthly allowance equivalent to a residence manager’s stipend as advance compensation.”

Li Diudiu was startled. His mind worked rapidly, trying to figure out the reason behind all this.

Xiahou Zuo clearly hadn’t known this was his father’s intention in summoning Li Chi—if he had, he would certainly have warned Li Diudiu.

“Li Chi.”

Prince Yu said, “You are a person of great potential, and you will certainly accomplish great things in the future. But I also know you don’t wish to wade through filth alongside others. Rather than sinking into the mud, it is better to remain at my side. I employ talent regardless of origin—any person of ability I will value. Once you graduate, I can even recommend you to Garrison Commissioner Zeng. That would be the matter of a single word.”

Li Diudiu grew more and more baffled. This was clearly not merely an appreciation for talent on Prince Yu’s part. Besides—aside from demonstrating some fighting ability, what else could Prince Yu possibly see in him right now?

His scholarship?

Impossible. Prince Yu would have no need to personally and so warmly receive a young man simply because of his scholarship. If Prince Yu were so inclined, promising young men were his for the taking by the dozen.

So Li Diudiu’s sharp instincts told him: Prince Yu wanted to use him because he could fight.

And that fighting ability—it was needed for killing.

At that moment, a man stepped into the room from outside, bowed low, and said, “Your Highness, the arrangements have all been made.”

Prince Yu smiled. “Good timing. Come—allow me to introduce the two of you.”

He gestured toward the man. “His name is Yao Wuhen, he is—”

Before Prince Yu could finish, Li Diudiu had already risen to his feet.

—