When entering, they heard retching sounds from inside, and saw Qi Yuansi facing a latrine pit, vomiting loudly. Tie Ci said nothing, standing with hands clasped behind his back watching him vomit until even yellow bile came up. Only then did Qi Yuansi say in a dying voice: “Please trouble you to find some container to hold water for me… I really… I really…”

“Qi Yuansi,” Tie Ci said, “why did you dare make that bet with me in the first place?”

“I thought, I thought…”

“You thought I didn’t have the ability to get three excellents in a row. Qi Yuansi, this is the first lesson I want to give you.” Tie Ci said, “Remember, without understanding you have no right to speak, without understanding don’t draw conclusions. Without understanding never easily gamble with consequences you cannot bear.”

“The second lesson is to make you see clearly that friends are not the more the better. Some people will only waste your time and money, and drag you into the same mire as themselves. When great disaster comes, even husband and wife fly apart – what can you expect from friends?”

Qi Yuansi suddenly roared.

“Shut up! I’ve already eaten shit, what right do you have to humiliate me further!”

“Having eaten shit, what humiliation is there left to fear,” Tie Ci said calmly. “Besides, eating shit is better than making irreversible grave mistakes in the future.”

Qi Yuansi bent over halfway, hands braced on his knees, eyes closed, gasping heavily.

“This mistake… is enough…”

Tie Ci nodded.

“I think it’s enough too.” She said, “Swear an oath that from now on you won’t engage in factional strife in the academy, won’t get involved in the court’s scheming and intrigue, won’t set rules for fellow students, won’t bully others with power, won’t be arrogant about your talents, won’t form cliques. Reform completely, be an honest person, lead those who admire you to study well, teach well, take the imperial examinations well, and properly correct the academy’s atmosphere. When you achieve success on the golden list and receive the golden hairpin in the palace hall, I look forward to seeing you.”

Qi Yuansi suddenly raised his head to look at her.

“This debt will be recorded for now,” Tie Ci said expressionlessly. “As long as you fail to do it, I will come to collect payment at any time.”

Qi Yuansi stared at her blankly, not understanding why Ye Shiba would say such things. Whether the academy’s atmosphere improved or whether these people could study well – what did any of it have to do with him?

It wasn’t until that day later, beneath the towering great hall, before the thousand jade steps, when he heard the crisp sound of whips at the Meridian Gate, and followed the candidates from the palace examination as they walked in formation toward the Chongming Hall, kneeling in order below the vermillion steps, preparing to listen to the instructions of the Son of Heaven, that he glanced up and saw her sitting beside the Nine Dragon Throne, wearing a jade crown and yellow robes, smiling slightly…

Only then did he completely understand the true meaning of today’s words.

I look forward to seeing you.

I wait for you who will achieve success on the golden list, here in the golden hall.

…

But at this moment, Qi Yuansi naturally didn’t understand.

However, not understanding didn’t mean he didn’t know to seize this opportunity. He stood up abruptly, about to express thanks, when he heard Tie Ci say loudly: “Ah, Brother Qi, I was just joking around, and you actually ate it! Ugh… Come, quickly rinse your mouth!”

Qi Yuansi: “…”

Thank you and your whole family.

Now, whether he ate it or not, he had eaten it. Talking about not forming factions anymore – from now on he would probably be known as “Dung Mouth.” What face would he have left to gather companions!

But he didn’t dare protest.

He felt that once he protested, Tie Ci might immediately demand he honor the bet.

Choosing the lesser of two evils, let this be a lesson for his arrogance.

After gasping for a long while, he smiled bitterly and bowed deeply: “No matter what, I still thank Brother Eighteen for his magnanimous tolerance. From today on, this humble one owes Brother Eighteen a favor. In the future, whatever you may require…”

Tie Ci smiled and waved his hand.

She was willing to let him off because although this boy appeared gentle on the surface but was gloomy at heart, his character was still decent. Having him come to Fresh Fragrance Lake to eat fresh food was actually a test. As long as he dared to agree and dared to take responsibility, why would she need to hurt her own eyes?

The two walked out one after the other. Qi Yuansi endured the furtive glances that constantly fell on his face and mouth from the crowd. Occasionally when he broke down and raised his eyes to look back, the other person would panic and look away, their posture indescribable, their expression revealing despite trying to conceal.

The ten thousandth time wanting to die.

As for Tie Ci, wherever she passed, crowds scattered even faster than before, like a devil ray entering a school of fish.

The devil ray swam all the way to Excellence Hall, facing everyone’s complex gazes.

Tie Ci glanced around and saw Dan Ye and Rong Pu both sitting at the back, very far from the teacher’s lectern, one on the left and one on the right – two great guardians.

Neither had the attitude of studying.

But Rong Pu was already a Hanlin Academy member, qualified to be an instructor, yet insisted on being a student – which teacher would dare make demands of him?

Dan Ye belonged to the high ranks of a friendly nation. He could attend whichever hall he pleased, and if he didn’t want to study, no one would grab him by the neck demanding that Xirong’s future wolf king must receive Central Plains education.

Huyin was also there, the only female student sitting in the men’s hall. On one hand this was also friendly nation treatment, on the other hand she disagreed with separating men and women into different halls, especially since the teachers in the women’s hall were mostly female instructors whose main subjects weren’t the Four Books and Five Classics, but rather “Women’s Rules,” “Women’s Standards,” “Heroic Women,” “Records of Virtuous Chastity,” and such.

Huyin absolutely refused to waste time on such rubbish books.

Wei Xuan did obediently attend classes in the women’s academy, seemingly also earnestly studying women’s rules, consistently scoring first – the female academic star was therefore extremely popular. But Tie Ci had personally seen her use “Women’s Rules” as a table leg pad and “Women’s Standards” to clean miscellaneous items from her desk.

Tie Ci saw Huyin sitting in the front row, head buried in her books, and immediately felt great fondness for her, going over to sit in an empty seat beside her.

The two men understood why Tie Ci didn’t choose to sit beside them. Dan Ye even felt he had won a round and smugly raised his eyebrows at Rong Pu.

Rong Pu smiled faintly and lowered his head to read.

The students in Excellence Hall learned their lesson and absolutely didn’t dare challenge Tie Ci again. This day passed very peacefully.

At noon, Tie Ci ate a few bites in the dining hall, hesitated for a while, then finally called Dan Shuang over, bought a few light dishes, and had her take them back to Rong Wei, also telling her to make some porridge.

Just consider it caring for an invalid.

When afternoon classes ended, Tie Ci tapped the desk, and the students who usually scattered in a rush all froze in place.

“Thanks to all you brothers’ favor, I earned some silver today.” Tie Ci patted the money pouch at her waist. “Tonight I’m treating everyone at Peach Grove Town down the mountain. Would fellow students from Excellence Hall and Virtue Hall be willing to honor me with your presence?”

Everyone was silent.

Did they dare not honor her?

After a moment, enthusiastic responses nearly broke through the roof.

“Excellent! Brother Eighteen is righteous!”

“Definitely coming, definitely coming!”

“Thank you, Brother Eighteen!”

Tie Ci smiled and cupped her hands.

So damn fake.

She personally went to Virtue Hall to invite them as well. Virtue Hall also stared blankly for a long time, but their level of fakeness was better than Excellence Hall, the cream of the crop – they wore expressions of serious consideration.

Tie Ci didn’t care, agreed on the time, then went back to change clothes and invite her dormmates. Li Zhi, Tian Wu all happily agreed. Tong Rushi’s bed curtains were drawn tight. Tie Ci originally thought he wouldn’t go, but unexpectedly he silently lifted the curtain and came out.

Tie Ci glanced at Rong Wei lying like a corpse on the bed. Seeing he had no intention of getting up, she didn’t say anything and went straight out.

Rong Pu had already sent someone to call for a carriage waiting at the foot of the mountain. The group first went down the mountain.

Walking on the mountain path, Tie Ci seemingly casually walked to Shen Mi’s side at the very back of the group. Shen Mi was carrying large and small packages, with several mountain children following beside him.

Shen Mi nodded to her and handed over a piece of cloud cake.

The pastry was marked with several seals. Shen Mi said: “I went personally. Taking advantage of when he was eating, I quietly looked through his desk. Didn’t have time to make rubbings, so I memorized them based on impression.”

Tie Ci’s delivery business, since being handed over to Shen Mi, had expanded to include the teacher level, and suppliers were no longer just the academy dining hall but extended to the nearest small town and farmers down the mountain.

Academy students had heavy studies and couldn’t possibly run around the mountains picking up and delivering food. So Shen Mi hired those idle mountain children. These children normally ran around the mountains climbing up and down to gather firewood and dig for medicine. Now they only needed to walk to the academy’s broad mountain road to earn money, and could also appreciate the world-famous Leaping Carp Academy and listen to some free lessons – it was like pie falling from heaven.

Thus, teachers and students at the academy who weren’t short of money could frequently change their diet, while mountain folk also had a source of income. The children’s delivery fees were paid by the shops down the mountain to Shen Mi, and for every portion of food sold, the shops also had to give Shen Mi a corresponding commission. So Shen Mi’s delivery platform was getting something for nothing – spending nothing while still earning. Shen Mi also convinced the supervisor to specially open a small gate at the back mountain gate for children delivering food and wild game, with dedicated guards to ensure the academy’s order.

Shen Mi didn’t take commission from the delivery fees the shops gave the children. The reason for handling it personally was to understand various secrets of the different dormitories and halls during daily accounting. The children were young and walked between dormitories, while students liked to gather and discuss grand topics, not being guarded around children. Those children could easily overhear all kinds of gossip. For instance, a certain female student in the women’s academy was there to escape marriage, and her husband’s family was very powerful. For instance, a certain student in Dormitory B had used someone’s connections and would serve that person in the future, and so on.

Delivery to high-level academy personnel was done personally by Shen Mi and those poor students. Thus they also learned that the Mountain Chief’s wife had a small Buddhist hall. In an inconspicuous corner of the hall was an inconspicuous memorial tablet reading simply “Spirit of Lady Gong” – so simple it invited suspicion.

Madam He’s surname was Gong.

Below that spirit tablet were double portions of offerings.

Once a student delivering food happened to arrive just as the Mountain Chief’s wife was in the small Buddhist hall. She had him leave the items in the courtyard. He moved closer and heard the Mountain Chief’s wife murmuring in prayer: “Elder sister sent word that she’s been having nightmares lately, asking me to chant extra sutras for you… We wronged you, but after all these years, we’ve also performed many religious services for you. Won’t you let everything go and reincarnate…?”

For instance, once a student delivering food didn’t leave after delivery. Through the outer wall of the new house that was ultimately never properly repaired, he heard the Supervisor’s wife arguing with the Supervisor. The Supervisor’s wife’s voice was shrill: “That boy bullied me, how can you not say a word?”

The Supervisor said: “What bullying? You know your own nature – it would be good if you didn’t bully others! That person was recommended by Master, favored by Master – he’s a fellow student. How can I put on airs as a teacher before him!”

The Supervisor’s wife sneered: “What Master’s recommendation? Isn’t it just because he’s that slut’s distant relative! You think I don’t know your little thoughts? That stack of paper money you burn extra every Qingming Festival – who is it for?!”

The Supervisor: “The walls are low and the courtyard shallow – keep your voice down!”

Shen Mi reported all of this to Tie Ci. What he delivered today were rubbings of various private seals from the Mountain Chief’s study. Tie Ci compared them – still nothing matched.

Could it be that the contact from back then had already left the academy?

But judging from these clues, the Mountain Chief, the Mountain Chief’s wife, and the Supervisor were probably all involved.

There might even be people who had already left the academy.

Originally thinking that even if there was truth to uncover, it would just be some individual’s wrongdoing. Who would have thought it actually implicated all the academy’s high-level officials? Combined with that suspected spy lead, Tie Ci had an ominous premonition growing in her heart.