Tie Ci actually wasn’t clear about the events of those years. The related personnel had been cleanly eliminated, and the related records had been burned or sealed away in unknown places. Even Father Emperor was reticent about discussing it. Tie Ci had only vaguely heard that back then, Prince Tang and Prince Lu’s failure came very quickly—so quickly that they didn’t have time to recruit more men and horses, and their original plans couldn’t be implemented. Calculating the time, it was roughly not long after He Zi was released from prison that they failed.

He Zi was silent for a while, then said: “I’m very skilled at analyzing and integrating various types of information.”

Tie Ci looked at him.

This time He Zi was silent for even longer before saying: “I was rescued by people from the palace. After returning, I heard news of her death. In my fury, I analyzed and organized the fragmentary information I had gathered during those few months while getting along with the advisors of Prince Tang and Prince Lu, guessed what they were planning to do and the approximate timing… and handed it over to the palace.”

He spoke vaguely, but Tie Ci understood that “the palace” most likely referred to the then-Empress Xiao Taihou and the Xiao Family.

She closed her eyes and said softly: “I understand.”

She bowed to He Zi: “Please follow me out of the valley, sir. Tonight, I will give you the truth.”

…

When night fell thick and deep, the Mountain Dean returned to his own courtyard.

His wife, famous for her virtue, had long since personally washed her hands and prepared soup, setting out a table of light yet exquisite dishes for him.

The dining room faced the small Buddhist hall at an angle. The Mountain Dean glanced at the half-open door of the small Buddhist hall and said: “I’ve already told Ye Shiba about Lady He’s matter.”

The Mountain Dean’s wife’s hand trembled slightly as she poured wine for him.

“I expect Ye Shiba will explain the truth of those years to Master clearly…” The Mountain Dean said to his wife, “You should prepare wine and gifts early. We’ll go kneel before the valley entrance to beg forgiveness. Regardless of whether Master will forgive us, this is what we should do.”

The Mountain Dean’s wife sighed and said: “Husband was also protecting the honor of his superior and concealing things for his superior back then. I think sir should be able to understand husband’s painstaking efforts. But I have one thing I don’t understand.”

“Mm?”

“The matter has passed for many years. Why does sir suddenly want to investigate this matter? And what’s the background of that Ye Shiba? Just arrived, yet he was able to figure out the whole story. Is he really Lady He’s nephew?”

The Mountain Dean hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to her ear and whispered a few sentences.

The Mountain Dean’s wife’s eyes gradually widened, and she said in surprise: “Really?”

The Mountain Dean nodded and said: “Just pretend you don’t know… go prepare.”

The Mountain Dean’s wife obediently rose. Behind her, the Mountain Dean suddenly said: “After a while, I plan to go out wandering. The long-term kind.”

“…Then the academy…”

“For the academy, I’m thinking of recommending Rong Pu. Though he’s young, he passed the imperial examinations in his youth and is the youngest Hanlin in the Hanlin Academy. He’s also from the Rong family, so his qualifications are quite sufficient.”

“This… why not Director Ge? These years when you haven’t been at the academy often, he’s handled all the academy’s affairs, big and small, very orderly. Otherwise, the Dean would also work—he’s also from the Rong family. Young Master Rong is so young, how can he convince the masses?”

“Old Ge…” The Mountain Dean zoned out for a moment, shook his head, but didn’t say anything. He continued: “Because of the favor the Xiao Family showed in rescuing Master back then, the academy has been very tolerant toward the Xiao Family these years, letting them stir up wind and rain. This time Ye Shiba has come, and seeing his various moves, he’s more worthy of trust than the Xiao Family. With her there, Rong Pu can establish himself. If these two people can’t even hold down the academy, then it’s better to exit early.”

The Mountain Dean’s wife said no more and returned to the inner room. Soon she had people arrange four types of gifts. The Mountain Dean looked them over and nodded: “Master loves this Qingyang Daqu wine the most. You’re thoughtful.”

The Mountain Dean’s wife gave a gentle smile, but said: “Master hasn’t seen us or accepted our gifts for many years. If you want to see Master and pour out your heart this time, I’m afraid it still won’t work. Why not entrust these four types of gifts to Ye Shiba to deliver? Master, for her sake, cannot refuse to accept them, and once he accepts, he cannot refuse to see us.”

The Mountain Dean thought about it and clapped his hands, laughing: “Linglong truly has the most clever and perceptive heart. Then let’s do it this way. Someone, go call Ye Shiba…”

Before he finished speaking, Tie Ci’s laughter already rang out in the courtyard: “No need for the Mountain Dean to call. Eighteen has come.”

“Eighteen, you’ve come at just the right time. These four types of gifts…” The Mountain Dean hadn’t finished when Tie Ci had already walked around his side, heading straight for the Mountain Dean’s wife. She reached out and grabbed the Mountain Dean’s wife’s wrist, laughing: “Since we’re giving gifts, let’s go together!”

The Mountain Dean’s wife turned pale, and the Mountain Dean also frowned, thinking that since you’re going out dressed as a man and there are servants around, what propriety is this, rushing toward my wife like this? Just as he was about to scold this youngster, he saw that Tie Ci was already disregarding everything, pulling the Mountain Dean’s wife along.

As she walked, she casually picked up those four types of gifts. The Mountain Dean’s wife kept trying to break free, but Tie Ci’s wrist was like cast iron. The Mountain Dean’s wife angrily said: “How can you abuse your power and bully others like this…”

Tie Ci laughed once, ignored her completely, and pulled her away in a flash. The bewildered Mountain Dean chased out and quickly grabbed a martial arts-capable patrol guard: “Take me to chase them! Also send someone to notify the Director and Dean!”

Tie Ci pulled the Mountain Dean’s wife forward all the way. The Mountain Dean’s wife completely abandoned her gentle and virtuous demeanor, shouting loudly: “Help! Help!”

The night patrol guards and students who hadn’t rested yet heard the commotion and came running, just in time to see Tie Ci “kidnapping” the Mountain Dean’s wife as they ran down the road.

Everyone looked at each other, stunned.

Ye Shiba had only been quiet for a few days?

The Mountain Dean’s wife, her hair disheveled, cried: “He’s a lecher! He broke into the Mountain Dean’s courtyard, kidnapped me and ran! Help—”

The guards and students immediately changed color upon hearing this.

The Mountain Dean’s wife was like everyone’s teacher’s wife, and she was usually gentle in temperament, caring toward the students, with an excellent reputation.

How could everyone allow her to be insulted? Immediately some guards caught up, but couldn’t match Tie Ci’s pace. A student rushed out from the roadside, seeing he couldn’t catch up, angrily picked up a stone from the ground to throw at the back of Tie Ci’s head.

Suddenly his hand was held down. Looking up, he saw the academy’s newly arrived beautiful teacher Rong Wei standing beside him. This person hadn’t been here long but had already earned a nickname “Beauty Lamp”—meaning he was so beautiful that he generated his own light, making him impossible to look directly at.

Now this Beauty Lamp looked more like a death lamp, surrounded by dark energy. He held down the student with one hand and said ominously: “What use is such a small stone? Even if you hit that bastard, it won’t even scrape his skin.”

The student deeply agreed and was very excited, immediately turning to look for a bigger one. Rong Wei turned his other hand, holding a millstone-sized rock, placed it in the student’s hands, saying: “This one’s suitable!”

The student caught it, his hand sank, he let out a loud cry, and with a dull thud, the stone smashed onto his boot tip.

And Tie Ci had long since dragged the person away.

…

The Mountain Dean’s wife’s calls for help were fruitless. Seeing they were walking further and further off the beaten path with everyone unable to catch up, she first angrily scolded, then pleaded, and finally sobbed. Tie Ci just smiled, not answering, not asking, not responding. The Mountain Dean’s wife cried and cried, seemingly about to raise her hand to smooth her hair. As soon as she raised her hand, Tie Ci’s other hand went over, pressing down on her shoulder, laughing: “Madam, save your strength.”

The Mountain Dean’s wife stopped talking.

Tie Ci pulled the person all the way to the entrance of the forest at the edge of the martial arts field. Someone stood in the moonlight with their back to Tie Ci, hands behind their back, looking up at the sky.

The Mountain Dean’s wife saw that back figure and her eyes flashed.

The figure turned around—it was He Zi waiting there. He looked at the Mountain Dean’s wife and vaguely recognized this as his disciple’s wife. Then he looked at Tie Ci, who made a gesture for him to remain calm.

After a while, the Mountain Dean, Director, and others all came running breathlessly. Tie Ci turned back to look and said: “Everyone’s here?”

The Mountain Dean bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath: “You little madman… let go of my wife… ah, Master!”

He Zi gazed at his disciple whom he hadn’t seen for many years, smiled after a long moment, and said: “My, you’ve aged.”

Tears rolled in the Mountain Dean’s eyes, and he choked up: “But Master is still young.”

The Director and Dean had already bowed deeply.

But Tie Ci didn’t let them reminisce. With one hand grasping the Mountain Dean’s wife and the other taking the Qingyang Daqu from the four types of gifts, she flicked off the mud seal with a snap, releasing a wine fragrance.

She held up the small ceramic jar, showing it to everyone, then slowly poured the wine onto the grass.

With a slight hissing sound, under everyone’s bewildered gazes, the green grass visibly turned black.

The Mountain Dean’s whole body trembled as he suddenly turned to look at his wife.

Lady Zhu now showed no trace of panic, raised her hand to smooth her hair at her temples, and smiled.

The Mountain Dean looked at his once-beloved wife and stepped back.

“Why…”