Of course, this was only something she could think about. Murong Liu called Qinglong and Baihu aside, giving them a few instructions, seemingly to send her back, then quickly left with Murong Qi, Murong Jiu, and Agu.

Someone was escorting her—this clearly meant she couldn’t follow him, nor could she say anything more to Mu San and Li Zhaoting.

Returning to the Huo family’s separate residence, she saw four young men waiting in the courtyard.

Her eyes immediately grew hot. She had messed things up. If not for this, she could still have secured a way out for Wuqing and the others, instead of hiding in this small courtyard to avoid Lian Xin.

Qinglong and Baihu exchanged glances, both showing slight surprise.

Lengxue asked, “You two, is there something?”

Baihu smiled, “We didn’t expect the people being hunted are all hiding in Marquis Huo’s residence.”

Suzhen’s heart dropped upon hearing this. The National Academy disaster—Lian Xin had indeed put out warrants for them, yet they never told her.

“You two gentlemen, are you here to arrest us?” Wuqing asked calmly.

Qinglong replied coldly, “If we wanted to arrest you, we wouldn’t need to do it ourselves.”

Zhuiming wanted to get angry upon hearing this, and seeing Suzhen’s appearance, as if she’d been bullied, though he knew these two weren’t simple, he couldn’t help sneering coldly, “Mere rats—naturally not worth gentlemen lifting a finger. Please enlighten us with a few moves.”

As he spoke, he assumed a fighting stance, but Wuqing punched him in the stomach, “Lengxue hasn’t even moved yet—what’s your hurry? If Huaisu has trouble, he’ll call us.”

But Lengxue was looking at Suzhen, who was frowning tightly, lost in thought. Seeing Qinglong and Baihu about to leave, she quickly ran over, blocking their path, asking urgently, “You two, did Sixth Young Master leave any message for me?”

The two exchanged glances, and Baihu said, “There is, actually.”

You jerks, if I didn’t ask you wouldn’t have said anything >_< She was finally both shocked and delighted, “What is it? What is it?”

“Sixth Young Master instructed that if you asked, we should tell you a few things. If you don’t ask, then forget it.”

Qinglong was proud by nature but exceptionally sharp, seeing through her internal complaints at a glance.

Suzhen stuck out her tongue, only urging repeatedly, “Huaisu knows Brother Qinglong is formidable—hurry up! What exactly did Sixth Young Master say?”

“Water can carry a boat and also overturn it—this is the great trend, unstoppable. Yet boats are born with oars; without boats there are no oars, and when boats are destroyed, oars die.”

Suzhen felt like crying. Having culture was truly frightening—she couldn’t understand what this meant at all. Seeing her stare at him with that wretched expression, Qinglong also broke out in sweat, “Don’t look at me—I don’t know what it means either.”

Baihu was the smiling type, showing white teeth, “If we knew, we could be Sixth Young Master ourselves, right? Young Master Li, think it over carefully. Oh, and Sixth Young Master said if you can’t figure it out, don’t bother going to tomorrow’s palace examinations. Even if you go, you’ll surely lose.”

After those two left the courtyard, Suzhen ran to Lengxue’s side with a mournful face, “Lengxue, punch me once—kill me! I caught that flower-obsessed disease again today. Originally it didn’t have to make that person hate me.”

Lengxue was startled, then gave her a contemptuous look and walked away. She ran to Wuqing’s side, but Wuqing turned his wheelchair around and ignored her too.

When she reached Zhuiming, Zhuiming hesitated, “That wouldn’t be good—my martial arts are strong, you’d be in a lot of pain.”

Tieshou didn’t talk much but was a practical child. Before Suzhen could rush to him, he silently stepped forward and punched her right in the face.

Moreover, he was called Tieshou, and his most powerful weapon was—

Everyone was dumbfounded, Suzhen was dumbfounded. After the pain passed, she chased him around the courtyard.

On the rooftop, Baihu was sweating profusely. Qinglong said expressionlessly, “Better to fear pig-like teammates than god-like enemies. Fortunately our master wants to abandon this person, otherwise it would directly lower our collective intelligence.”

“But master left words for him.”

“Do you understand what those words mean?”

“No.”

“Then that’s it—this is exactly where our master’s brilliance lies.”

“Ah?”

“Let me give you an example and you’ll understand. Those fortune tellers in the martial world love to ramble randomly—who knows what they’re saying?”

“…You mean our master just grabbed some random words to brush off Li Huaisu.”

“Mm, after all, life-saving grace can be repaid with material goods, but entering the imperial court involves layer upon layer of dangerous mechanisms. If things go wrong, not only would he die, but he’d implicate our master too.”

“True, if not for Li Huaisu’s behavior showing absolutely no feminine characteristics, I’d suspect he’s actually a woman.”

“Why?”

“He spoke up for women… actually I think he’s… how to put it, anyway, he said things we didn’t dare say.”

“Huh, are you a woman?”

“Get lost! Of course I am—I just dress as a man for convenience traveling, okay!”

“You’ve only seen him a few times and already fallen for him?”

“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a few times. Wherever master goes, we follow. The inn, Prime Minister Yan’s residence, the National Academy, tonight—that’s four times.”

“I’ll have master marry you to him later, perfectly repaying master’s debt from that day.”

“When did I fall for him? Qinglong, you bastard, don’t run!”

At the same moment, at Hongtu Wine House.

“Never expected that in the end it would be just the two of us drinking here, thanks to Murong’s sixth son.”

Mu San raised his cup with a light laugh, his face stunningly beautiful in the lamplight.

Sitting across from him was Li Zhaoting.

Li Zhaoting sipped his wine, his gaze slightly downcast, pausing at the rim of his cup, saying softly, “Senior Brother, regarding Li Huaisu’s matter, I apologize. Only, if possible, I don’t want him dragged into our affairs.”

“What apology is needed? Regarding Lian Xin’s matter, I quite like this youth and wanted to bring him under my wing to assist you. But you opposed it, saying he wasn’t suitable. I still decided to have a talk with him. Upon meeting, we hit it off, so I persuaded him to meet with you once to see if you could accept him. Who knew you refused him that very night? Of course I let it be, only secretly looking after his meals. I didn’t expect him to later trick his way into getting an exam seat token. If not for running into Gao Chaoyi at the National Academy the next day, when that man boasted to me of his merit, I still wouldn’t have known he had such ability.”

“So Senior Brother ranked him ninth in the metropolitan examinations?”

“Zhaoting, you’re not unaware—test papers are recopied by relevant personnel before we grade them. Unless arranged beforehand, there’s absolutely no possibility of cheating. I… didn’t do such a thing. I wanted to see how far he could go.”

Mu San smiled again, his long eyelashes casting shadows in the lamplight.

“Li Huaisu loves to cause trouble most, but originally… he also hid some things from me. His talent and learning run deep.”

The curve of Li Zhaoting’s mouth deepened slightly, but his gaze darkened somewhat.

After all, he was that person’s child.

“You think even Lian Yu took notice of this talent, and the two seem to have prior acquaintance. Only, as you said, he doesn’t seem suitable as a chess piece—a chess piece shouldn’t have such a nature. Perhaps as a pet he’d be quite good.”

“So Senior Brother deliberately pointed this out before Lian Yu, letting Lian Yu know she has old ties with you?”

“Mm, Lian Yu couldn’t possibly use him again unless he’s gone mad. Today’s two matters put Li Huaisu at a disadvantage—this too is heaven’s will. Lian Yu is no easy lamp to deal with. He’s already learned Great Wei will raise grain and oil prices. He can’t possibly agree to this. Knowing I have good private relations with Great Wei’s Prince Zhennan, only I can negotiate this price reduction effectively. So though he knows you’re my disciple, given your ability, with his throne not yet secure, he can’t possibly show favoritism before all his ministers. Added to the grain and oil matter, he must give me some leeway. Tomorrow, your most formidable opponent is Prince Jin Lian Jie’s disciple Si Lanfeng. Just defeat him, claim the top scholar’s laurel, and I’ll unite the ministers to secure you the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice.”

“Once Lian Yu ascended the throne, former Supreme Court Assistant Minister Feng and Fu Jingshu, who had deep private ties with Assistant Minister Feng, were sentenced to complete family execution. Senior Brother wants Zhaoting to find a way to retrieve the case files from that Prince Jin treason case Assistant Minister Feng tried twenty years ago?”

“Mm, the world knows it was a rebellion case, but what if the throne was originally supposed to go to someone other than Lian Yu’s father?”

“Then it would be… usurpation!”

“Lian Yu is far more capable than his father. Assistant Minister Feng managed to hide from the world for twenty years, but he still tracked him down.”

At this time, Lian Yu, who had ordered the complete execution of the Feng and Fu families, was on his way back to the palace.

A moment before, he was still called Murong Liu.

The current Empress Dowager’s maternal family had the compound surname Murong.

“Li Huaisu, that fool, wasted our time.”

Murong Jiu, namely Lian Qin, cursed harshly, “Sixth brother, you and Mother already had a falling out over previous matters. Now you’re bringing Quan Feitong’s fiancée back to the palace late at night—Mother would be strange not to be furious. Seventh brother, don’t you think so?”

Lian Yu removed the blue robe from his body, changing into the yellow satin garments handed over by a female official, “What does seventh brother say?”

Nearby, Murong Qi—Lian Jie—smiled, “Didn’t this minister brother already give royal brother an answer?”

“Fine, you’re speaking in riddles again—this little prince can’t understand.” Lian Qin rolled his eyes.

Lian Yu waved for the female official to withdraw, slowly tying the sash of his robe himself, “Mm, the dignified Prince Jin giving away clothing equals returning Li Huaisu another favor, which is to say he doesn’t want me to take Li Huaisu.”