Tie Ci fled in panic, returning to her quarters and throwing herself onto the bed. Her heart raced, her mind buzzed with noise, and she couldn’t even hear what Li Zhi, Tian Wu, and the others were saying nearby, until Tian Wu reached over to shake her: “Shiba! Shiba!”

Tie Ci jumped up suddenly. “What?”

“Shiba, why is your face so red?” Tian Wu looked at her in surprise.

“Perhaps it’s too hot today.” Tie Ci touched her burning face, unconsciously wanting to touch her lips, then forcibly stopped herself.

She glanced at Rong Wei’s empty bed and began to feel grateful that he had moved out, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

It was also good that Rong Pu wasn’t here, otherwise with his perceptive nature, he would definitely notice something and pester her about it.

Her mind wandered off like a galloping horse, sometimes with Feiyu clip-clopping through, sometimes with Rong Wei clip-clopping out. She could only see Tian Wu’s mouth opening and closing until a few words jumped into her consciousness, bringing her back to attention: “…what about Dongming and Yongping?”

“I was saying that Brother Li Zhi was assigned to Dongming County, and I was assigned to Yongping Prefecture.” Tian Wu was extremely excited. “For three months! Heavens, I’ve always longed for Yongping Guard! Longed for the Di family’s Scorpion Camp! Longed for military service! Although I might just be a clerk or aide, who knows, I might even meet that Commander!”

Tie Ci was stunned, not expecting these two had also signed up for the practical training.

Regarding the training arrangements, she had previously discussed with the dean that since scholars were physically weak, the training locations generally wouldn’t be too far from Haiyou. Therefore, they settled on Dongming County, Huaiqing Prefecture, and Yongping Prefecture, conveniently located at the westernmost, southernmost, and northernmost points of Haiyou. Among these, Huaiqing Prefecture was the supervisor’s idea, saying that place had been the academy’s training ground for many years and couldn’t be changed casually. In truth, Tie Ci knew that the prefectural governor there was a direct descendant of the Xiao family, probably Xiao Chang’s cousin. For many years, training had been conducted there, but it was really just to cultivate and recruit talent for the Xiao family, establishing connections early on. However, removing Huaiqing at this point would indeed be too obvious, so she had no objections.

Dongming County was chosen because she had previously heard a returned training senior mention the River Bureau there, and she vaguely felt something was amiss, so she wanted to take a look. Additionally, Dongming County was the Xiao family’s ancestral home, where the Xiao family’s old residence and ancestral graves still remained, with many clan members still living in Dongming County.

Yongping Prefecture was her real objective.

Commander Di had remained aloof from the court for many years, maintaining a transcendent position. Her Scorpion Camp lived up to its name—venomous and ruthless, with extraordinary combat power. Through the academy incident, Tie Ci had learned some things about Old Lady Rong and increasingly felt that this Di family branch member who grew up in the Rong family might have had some history with the Rong family back then. Perhaps she wasn’t the Rong family’s blade as Tie Ci had thought, so she might still be worth winning over.

Military power was too important for her.

Moreover, there was Shadow’s note pointing to Yongping Prefecture. Her heart was always shrouded by Hidden Dragon’s shadow—she didn’t want to work hard only to end up making wedding clothes for others, so she definitely had to go see for herself.

But the military was different from other places; she needed a reasonable excuse to hide her identity. Therefore, during the lottery drawing, she had Shen Mi manipulate things, asking him to help screen the applicants for training and select suitable people to place in Yongping Prefecture, so she could cultivate trusted allies in the future. After all, battlefield comradeship created extraordinary bonds.

Now hearing that Tian Wu was selected, though expected, she was still pleased.

Just as they were talking, Shen Mi came to visit. Tie Ci went out to receive him, and Shen Mi looked apologetic: “During today’s lottery, somehow Cui Shi ended up drawing Yongping Prefecture.”

Tie Ci raised an eyebrow.

She hadn’t expected Cui Shi to sign up as well. Shen Mi would definitely not have arranged for him, but he still drew it—this was rather interesting.

On the surface, she appeared unconcerned, comforting Shen Mi: “No matter. Though this person’s character is poor, I certainly won’t be afraid of him.”

Shen Mi continued: “Shiba, perhaps I should also…”

“You stay at the academy. Study well. Serve your mother well. Next year’s imperial examination—I’ll wait for you to achieve success on the honor roll.” Tie Ci said, “The academy factions have been scattered by me, and many of those chaotic rules have been abolished. I need you to stay at the academy and help me guard this place. Continue the food delivery business, relay any news you receive to me. The academy and the capital breathe as one—I cannot lose this place.”

Shen Mi nodded, and before leaving, he smiled: “I also have to help you raise cats. When you officially return to the capital, I’ll return three fat cats to you.”

Tie Ci laughed: “Right. By then, who knows…”

Shen Mi smiled: “The cats might even reproduce. By then they might have endless descendants—shall I send them all to you?”

Hearing “endless descendants,” Tie Ci felt her face heat up for no reason. She picked up Rong Yi to look at him—this little tomcat had grown fur and opened his eyes. He was extremely beautiful with big eyes, a small mouth, natural eyeliner, and snow-white fur with small tortoiseshell patches—an outstanding calico.

Even more remarkable, there was a pattern on his belly that was actually heart-shaped, a tortoiseshell heart with a black heart nested inside. When Tie Ci first saw this pattern, she immediately thought of Rong Wei. It truly was incredible.

At this moment, the little cat curled up in her palm licking his fur, opened his tender pink mouth to yawn, then curiously moved closer to look at her. A round-eyed cat face enlarged before her eyes, with dark eyes taking up half his face, so adorable it made her heart tremble. Tie Ci suddenly remembered that scene on horseback, and her old face heated up again.

Tian Wu poked his head out from behind the curtain just in time to see this, muttering: “Is Shiba sick? Even looking at a cat face makes him so red.”

Tie Ci pretended not to hear, picked up Rong Yi, and said coldly to Shen Mi: “I’m entrusting you with something. Find a skilled master craftsman and have this cat neutered.”

Shen Mi: “…??”

Tie Ci smiled coldly.

Men who attract butterflies and cause trouble—it’s all because of this troublemaker. Since Rong Yi was so beautiful, to prevent the surrounding female cats from being harmed, it was better to wield the knife for self-castration early.

Seeing the expression on her face, Shen Mi shivered and quickly slipped away quietly. Tie Ci felt disturbed inside. Seeing the sky darken and most classmates still studying in the quiet hall, she held the cat and sat under the eaves to enjoy the cool air while petting him.

The little cat had been well-cared for these past few days—Dan Shuang must have put effort into it. However, she hadn’t appeared much in front of Tie Ci these past two days. She wondered if the travel preparations were ready. Tomorrow, after that farce was over, if everything could be concluded smoothly, they should leave too.

Thinking of tomorrow, Tie Ci suddenly remembered something. Tomorrow she would probably have to reveal her identity, and then Rong Wei would know too. He… what would he think?

Would he leave in anger, or pester her relentlessly?

Neither seemed to be what she wanted.

But no matter what, she would have to explain her engagement to him clearly.

Perhaps by then he would naturally know, after all, selecting the Crown Princess’s consort was an imperial decree announced to the world.

By then, what would he think…

Just as she was feeling conflicted, something suddenly fell on her head. Though distracted, her senses were sharp—she reached up and caught it, discovering it was a pebble.

She looked up to see Rong Wei sitting on the slanted roof across from her, holding up a wine flask and shaking it at her.

Whenever he sat on rooftops, he invariably drank wine—what clichéd behavior.

Tie Ci didn’t move, raising the cat in her hand to signal that instead of drinking, he should come down and pet the cat.

She just wanted to hide in the shadows under the eaves, afraid Rong Wei would see her face heating up again instantly.

She didn’t want to get too close to that face, afraid she couldn’t restrain her bestial nature—that wouldn’t be good.

After all, someone’s taste was indeed quite good.

But Rong Wei didn’t listen, flicking another pebble that hit her cat this time.

Tie Ci protected the cat’s head and looked up angrily: “That’s your brother, and you’re hitting him too!”

Rong Wei on the roof laughed once and said: “If you won’t come up, so be it. I came to bid you farewell.”

Tie Ci’s heart jumped. Without thinking, the next second she was on the roof: “Why are you suddenly leaving?”

She was a bit confused. This… kissing and then running? How scummy could he be?

On second thought, it seemed she hadn’t planned to take responsibility either?

Truly scummy enough to shame the sun and moon.

Rong Wei looked up at her standing figure, moonlight flowing thinly over his jaw, making his smile seem somewhat cool: “Isn’t it because I’m unwelcome, being driven away with shouts of beating and killing, so I can only pack up and leave early to avoid being an eyesore?”

Tie Ci found these words strange and was about to ask more clearly when she heard Rong Wei continue: “I was originally just substituting as a teacher for a while. The real archery instructor is someone else. Now that there’s something at home, naturally I should leave.”

He had originally gotten the academy’s recommendation letter from Murong Duan, only discovering after receiving it that it was a recommendation to become a teacher. But it didn’t matter—it was just a cover anyway. His purpose was to lure out Fourth Brother and resolve that matter. Now that the goal was achieved, he should have left long ago. He had only stayed a few extra days for Ye Shiba, but now, stimulated by Dan Shuang and suddenly understanding some things, he was determined to leave urgently.

Zhao San and Mu Si were somewhat puzzled by this, not understanding why he was so mercurial.

Zhao San even said that since he wanted to kill the Crown Princess, and the Crown Princess was here for inspection, wasn’t this perfect timing?

He scoffed at this.

Clearly, the Xiao family was up to something to ruin the Crown Princess’s reputation.

Setting aside that the Crown Princess had recently been in the capital suburbs, even if the Crown Princess had left the capital and truly wanted to visit the academy, would the Xiao family allow her to reach into academy territory? Would they be so actively arranging her inspection of the academy?

This was definitely an empty city stratagem, meant to further damage the Crown Princess’s image in the academy students’ minds. He couldn’t be bothered to waste time here.

With his current identity bringing many inconveniences, staying by Ye Shiba’s side was troublesome and even annoying him to the point of sending people to drive him away—why bother?

Since he said this, Tie Ci couldn’t ask more. She stood silently for a long while, feeling lost inside, even forgetting her earlier shyness. After a long moment, she managed to squeeze out a smile: “Then wait a moment.”

She leaped down from the roof. Rong Wei waited with interest, thinking he had caught her off guard and now she was having second thoughts. Was she going to give him some important token, or was she regretting it and ready to change her mind and confess her feelings?

If that were really the case, he wouldn’t need to go through more trouble and could strike while the iron was hot right here.

If he could sleep with her once more, that would be even better.

Rong Wei touched his chest where he kept several erotic novels he had sent people to collect—the male-male kind. He had already studied them quite thoroughly himself, and while being shocked and enlightened, he had also established a great ambition. He planned to give these as parting gifts to properly enlighten that little fool Ye Shiba.

After reading more of these books, gradually Ye Shiba should come to accept it.

Wind rustled softly as Tie Ci leaped back up, just in time to see Rong Wei’s strange and lascivious smile.

What was this guy thinking about with such a lewd expression?

Was he this happy about leaving?

Tie Ci felt somewhat irritated and threw over a pouch. Rong Wei caught it and opened it to find a thick stack of bank notes.

He was somewhat surprised and not too pleased, weighing it and curling his lip: “Is this a wedding gift or dowry?”

Tie Ci ignored his flirtatious words.

“The money we won was quite scattered, so I had Dan Shuang exchange it for large-denomination bank notes for easy carrying, and also prepared some small-denomination notes and loose silver. I just finished handling it, so here it is for you.”

“Is there really this much?”

Naturally there wasn’t this much—Tie Ci hadn’t taken a single fen. From childhood, her assets had been managed by her master, whose business acumen was unparalleled in the world. She had long been an ultra-wealthy woman, not to mention that in her heart, all of Great Qian belonged to her—why would she need to compete for profit with others?

But Rong Wei clearly had difficult circumstances. Though his family had money, his relationship with them was poor, so managing money might not be convenient.

To stand out, financial resources were essential. So Tie Ci had exchanged everything together and given it to him.

She said: “Naturally. Did I give you extra somehow? That would mean I worked for nothing.”

Rong Wei’s gaze swept over it and knew this must be everything. Though his expression remained unchanged, the persistent gloom in his heart was mostly dispersed. After thinking, he put away the bank notes.

He wasn’t short of money either—his mother’s family was wealthy enough to rival nations. When his father married his mother, wasn’t it precisely because he saw that the Sun family clan had operated in Liaodong for many years, possessed shocking wealth, and had extensive connections that could help him stabilize his princely position and pacify Liaodong?

But after his father secured his footing, he began to despise his mother’s merchant family background. Moreover, the Sun family was rumored to be descendants of imperial relatives from hundreds of years ago. His own grandfather, the previous Sun family head, was famously intelligent and broad-minded, with friends throughout the realm. Though born to merchants, he was extremely well-regarded and called “Jade-faced Lord Mengchang,” with everyone saying he had the bearing of a king. This created some truly terrifying rumors and legends that violated the great king’s taboos.

During those years, the royal palace openly and secretly seized, plundered, and suppressed the Sun family until grandfather died and there was no successor. Only after the Sun family fell did his father feel at ease.

Generally, people who do wrong become guilty and paranoid. The Sun family later became the great king’s taboo. Along with this, Consort Baoxiang fell from favor, remained childless for years, and only had him by accident. The reason he wasn’t favored either, besides that matter of male-as-female behavior, naturally also involved the Sun family.

But even the great king didn’t know that the Sun family’s main assets had long been gradually transferred by grandfather over the years. There were treasuries that could support all of Liaodong, and various merchant houses and trade routes that had changed names and continuously expanded within Great Qian territory. If not for encountering formidable commercial opponents during grandfather’s final years, with expansion hindered, the Sun family might have been capable of controlling half of Great Qian’s economic lifelines.

He had been raised by his grandfather from childhood. Grandfather had invested countless effort and money in him, using secret formulas worth ten thousand gold to cleanse his marrow from birth—even common poisons couldn’t harm him. Grandfather had also sought capable people throughout the world for him to learn all sorts of miscellaneous skills. He learned disguise and mask-making from a foreign expert, learned how to change his voice by controlling his breathing from a master hiding in the opera world, learned how to alter his height from a circus performer. He could farm, do carpentry and masonry, forge iron and smelt gold, mend bowls and repair porcelain, sculpt clay and carve wood. Even in opera, from “Gaoyang Fu” to “Eighteen Touches,” he could sing everything with expertise.

When grandfather died, he entrusted him with the token controlling the entire Sun family—not to Consort Baoxiang. Consort Baoxiang still thought the Sun family had fallen.

Grandfather’s only deathbed request was for him to be patient and filial to his mother.

He had taken his mother’s wealth and managed his own enterprises, openly controlling the Embroidered Guards while secretly maintaining huge forces of death warriors and continuously expanding. Being somewhat patient with her was appropriate.

How ridiculous that his father always thought he had strangled the Sun clan’s neck and swallowed the Sun family’s wealth, never considering that a man like grandfather would never sit idle waiting for death. Even at the end, it was he himself who…

Rong Wei cut off his train of thought.

He stood up and said: “I’m leaving.”

“Ah… so soon?” Tie Ci hadn’t expected him to leave immediately.

“Perhaps you’d like a farewell…” Rong Wei’s gaze fell on her lips.

Tie Ci immediately said: “Not needed, unwilling, unnecessary, thank you, goodbye.”

She flipped backward off the roof. Just as her feet touched ground, she saw Rong Wei hanging from the eaves, shouting down: “I just wanted a farewell embrace—where did your mind go? Is your head full of erotic novels?”

His shout was too loud, waking roommates. Windows snapped open with countless sleepy heads poking out.

At the same time, Rong Wei threw down several books: “Then I’ll give you these. Remember to read more and think of me.”

Wind gusted, uninvitedly flipping through books, page by page of illustrations in vivid colors, detailed drawings, lifelike.

On beds, on tables, on swings, on stove tops.

Sitting, lying, leaning, from behind.

Everyone: “…”

Sleepiness instantly vanished.

Tie Ci: “…”

I was wrong—I shouldn’t have given you a single coin.

Turning around, burning gazes behind her, winking and nudging.

Tie Ci crushed the swing crabapple blossom sleep illustration with one foot.

Shouting at Rong Wei’s fleeing figure ahead:

“You’re the one on bottom—why do you worry so much!”

In the distance, Rong Wei stumbled.

…