The leader of Rong Pu’s guards approached silently, hesitating to speak before finally couldn’t help saying: “Young Master, the Crown Princess is indifferent—why must you travel a hundred li back and forth in midsummer for such things?”
Rong Pu turned back with a smile: “If I don’t show my utmost sincerity, with the Crown Princess’s wariness toward the Rong family, how could she allow me to get one step closer to her?”
The guard smiled: “Then what? You’re overthinking it. The Crown Princess surely wouldn’t fail to respect the Rong family.”
Backed by the Rong family holding the highest ministerial position, accustomed to seeing flattery throughout the court, though outwardly modest, he inevitably carried a trace of subtle pride.
So what if she’s the Crown Princess? Doesn’t she still have to depend on the Rong family’s favor? Why should the Young Master be so humble?
Is he truly smitten to this extent?
Rong Pu seemed to understand his thoughts, smiled faintly, and twirled the bamboo umbrella in his hand: “The graceful lady—the gentleman pursues her. This isn’t a humble thing. And one who fears not failure and never gives up while even a thread of possibility remains—that’s a true warrior.”
The guard thought it was all wasted effort.
“I want her to see me in her eyes. I want her to feel guilty. I want to make the utmost effort for her, to let her see that the Rong family from the previous generation to the next has always been loyal to imperial power. I want her to gradually lower her guard—if she can’t give love, she can at least give trust. I want to ensure that when she wields her blade to settle accounts with powerful ministers in the future, she cannot bypass my merits, cannot trample the Rong family underfoot. I want my name to endure through history—if I cannot become the founding father of the Tie dynasty, I’ll accompany her in lasting fame through another means, to stand alongside her forever in history books, imperial scrolls, and chronicles…”
The guard was stunned.
For a moment he didn’t understand what he had heard, then vaguely realized he had comprehended a person’s most vast vision and ambition.
So beneath the cloak of romantic love, the Young Master’s heart harbored the magnificent court and distant starry sky.
“If I cannot gain her trust, none of this will exist in the future.” Rong Pu’s bamboo umbrella spun lightly, casting off dappled sunlight like rain. “Neither I nor the Rong family will have a future.”
…
The sun moved grid by grid across the sky.
Those cursing had run out of energy. Some had already dragged out long tables, prepared paper, brush, and ink, and begun discussing how to write memorials impeaching the Crown Princess.
Those stewards who claimed to respect the Crown Princess didn’t stop anyone now.
As the sun was about to set in the west, a single rider came galloping like the wind, a small flag on his shoulder, shouting from afar: “Imperial decree from the Crown Princess: Due to urgent official business requiring return to the capital, the imperial procession has turned back. The inspection of Yueli Academy will be discussed later. Yueli Academy’s teachers and students are ordered to disperse immediately—”
With a thunderous roar, the dark mass of waiting crowd exploded.
Tie Ci was walking toward the Wu dormitory when she heard this news and straightened her back.
Having guessed at several possibilities for this empty city stratagem, the Xiao family had indeed chosen the most vicious one.
She gave a cold laugh, entered the Wu dormitory door. The Wu dormitory was still as messy and dimly lit as ever, though several young masters had recently moved in and quietly added many things. The floor was covered with rugs, the windows hung with green shadow gauze and black fine gauze that could be used alternately. Her bed had the newest and best bedding, the washing utensils were the most exquisite, and a delicate little wooden rack had been added beside her bed that could be pulled out to hold teacups. The complete tea set was fine porcelain from the famous Panyun Studio—cloud kiln masterpieces worth a thousand gold. Recently there had been mosquitoes in the room, so shark gauze netting was added, and precious Sanhe incense burned in the tripod beneath the bed.
Originally all arranged by Rong Pu under the pretext of caring for dormmates—Tie Ci couldn’t refuse harshly. Later additions like rugs and mosquito netting were Dan Ye’s handiwork, as if competing over who could spend more money.
The Wu dormitory’s original conditions were dirty, messy, and poor, but since these two had moved in, even the air had become much fresher.
Now Tie Ci quickly put all these things away. She even packed away the elaborate bedding from her own and Rong Pu’s beds into the cabinet, taking out the original thin, old, dirty bedding to replace them. She even jumped outside the window to fetch Fat Tiger’s stinking, impossible-to-clean chamber pot, holding her nose as she carried it inside.
Then she lay on the bed, listening to the commotion outside.
At this time, the messenger on horseback circled the academy gate shouting three times, then rode away without looking back, not even dismounting. This was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. Those instructors and students who had been hesitating shouted “The Crown Princess insults us!” and with a whoosh unrolled long scrolls, picked up brushes to write, splashing ink onto the burning ground as countless people rushed forward competing to sign their names.
Some even rolled up their sleeves, picked up their luggage, and clamored to go to the capital immediately to find censors and file imperial complaints.
While this side was in tumultuous uproar, the officials over there continued smiling and drinking tea. Most who came today belonged to the Xiao faction. Though the local highest military commander, Regional Military Commissioner Gan Tian, wasn’t exactly under the Xiao family, the Xiao family was skilled at winning hearts and he had received many benefits. At this moment Gan Tian glanced outside with some unease, saying quietly: “Perhaps… we should go mediate a bit? It would at least show an attitude.”
Xiao Chang lifted his tea cup, slowly drank for a while, then said after a long pause: “Then let’s go take a look.”
He stood up and left the hall, looking at the commotion outside with amusement in his eyes, unconsciously raising his hand to touch his chest.
The kick the Crown Princess had given him in Ruixiang Hall several months ago seemed to still hurt now.
Low damage but extremely insulting.
So insulting that he could never forget. He had seized this assignment to leave the capital just to see how wretched she could become while mingling among commoners.
If she finally recognized her identity in such dire circumstances and understood what a puppet should do, he wouldn’t mind bringing up old matters again.
A group of teachers and students hurried toward him, the leader holding a scroll dripping with ink—apparently wanting to petition this high-ranking capital official to impeach her.
Xiao Chang coughed once, straightened his expression, and listened to the leading instructor passionately curse the Crown Princess. Inwardly pleased but maintaining a solemn expression, he was about to reach out to accept the manifesto.
Suddenly the ground shook violently with faint sounds of thundering hoofbeats. The scholar presenting the manifesto was so excited his hands were shaking, and startled by this, the manifesto fell to the dust.
Everyone turned to see that outside the already opened academy gates, a black line was faintly visible.
The black line continued advancing, gradually revealing gleaming spear points under the sunlight.
The spear points shone like silver waves in the brilliant sun, rising and falling rapidly. In a few moments they reached the mountain gate, and at the very front a bright yellow flag unfurled in the wind, showing a golden phoenix soaring among mountains, rivers, and seas.
The phoenix banner—the Crown Princess’s exclusive symbol.
Behind the phoenix banner, the dark mass of armored troops moved like a mountain, producing steady and magnificent clanking sounds.
Everyone froze like clay sculptures and wooden carvings, shocked as they looked up at the army’s mountain-like shadow enveloping them.
The Crown Princess’s Nine Guards.
The Crown Princess’s exclusive military guard force. In the capital they seemed rather timid, so low-key they appeared to be mere shadows, mechanically and silently guarding around Ruixiang Hall. But today in the wilderness, the galloping Nine Guards were like fangs wiped clean of dust, instantly piercing through Qingyang Mountain.
The leader was a man in his thirties, not at all as people imagined. The commander of the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards should be heroic and tough to be worthy of such a fine title and represent the imperial family’s dignity. The one before them was slightly plump with a round, pale face, eyes always seemingly half-asleep, reminding one of lazy cats basking belly-up in the sun.
His hair hung very long across his forehead, covering half his brow in an unconventional style, so people couldn’t easily see the few tattooed characters there.
The symbol of a criminal prisoner.
Xia Houchun, leader of the Nine Guards, was Great Qian’s first and last martial arts champion in the imperial military examinations, the youngest Commander of the Five Armies. Yet barely a month after taking office, he was imprisoned for serious crimes, originally sentenced to exile in Qiongzhou. However, due to the Emperor establishing the Crown Princess and declaring a general amnesty, his exile was commuted. He had planned to spend his life in prison, but during one of the Crown Princess’s prison inspections, she took notice of him and selected him as a personal guard. After several years, the Crown Princess promoted him to leader of the Nine Guards.
Tie Ci had rescued him back then because she had heard of his legend early on and was curious, so she pulled him out. At that time the Empress Dowager was still relatively tolerant toward the father and daughter. Hearing this person was already ruined in prison, she didn’t interfere much.
After Tie Ci pulled him out, she had also taken careful care of him, but this person seemed truly ruined—lazy and procrastinating with an unpleasant personality. Tie Ci later stopped managing him.
When she was twelve and establishing the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards, she needed to appoint a leader. The Empress Dowager wasn’t comfortable with her choice, and she wasn’t comfortable with the Empress Dowager’s preference. In their stalemate, Tie Ci petulantly appointed Xia Houchun.
This way, the Empress Dowager was happy—after all, a waste from humble origins couldn’t become the Crown Princess’s wing.
Tie Ci also thought this was good and convenient. The Crown Princess’s Nine Guards numbered ten thousand with decent combat power and excellent equipment, but before she could use them with confidence, they were just for show. She didn’t mind another figurehead commander.
For the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards, she secretly had other trusted people.
At this moment, the cat-like Xia Houchun led the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards advancing not in fierce charge but very slowly, step by steady step. The rumbling sound of military boots, metal, and ground friction created an extremely oppressive atmosphere as they approached.
In the eyes of the academy’s teachers and students, it seemed the mountains and fields were full of their people, surrounding the academy.
Until a loud shout rang out: “The Crown Princess’s Nine Guards come to serve the Crown Princess—idlers stand aside!”
The crowd unconsciously parted. Some people confusedly started to kneel but were held back by others.
Some reacted, saying quietly: “What does this mean? Come to serve? The Crown Princess isn’t with the Nine Guards? Didn’t she say she had to hurry back?”
Someone said: “Is this a feint to avoid impeachment?”
Amid the discussions, Xia Houchun had already led his troops to stop at the main gate. He didn’t order everyone to enter the academy but waved his hand: “Form the newly drilled formations outside the memorial arch and wait. Enter only upon orders—violators will be executed.”
He himself led a hundred-man squad dismounted and entered the arch.
His deputy commander caught up a few steps: “Commander, with the main force outside the arch, if the Crown Princess encounters danger, how do we respond…”
Xia Houchun snorted lazily: “Are you the commander, or am I the commander?”
The honest-faced deputy commander choked and retreated resentfully.
Though Xia Houchun seemed unreasonable, his bringing only a hundred men into the academy made the teachers and students’ expressions much more relaxed.
Still following proper protocol.
Xiao Chang led people forward to greet them, his expression somewhat puzzled.
Naturally there were Xiao family people in the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards, some in high positions, but why had his side received no information at all?
His gaze covertly swept over someone behind Xia Houchun, who barely perceptibly shook his head at him.
Xiao Chang withdrew his gaze and was about to exchange pleasantries with Xia Houchun, but Xia Houchun lazily cupped his hands to him: “Forgive me, Commissioner. This subordinate has official duties and must finish the work before chatting.”
After speaking, he ignored him and led his people inside.
Some academy affairs officials—the current high-level administrators of the academy—hurried forward to greet them: “May we ask, Commander…”
Xia Houchun said: “Didn’t you hear? I came to serve my master.”
The official was startled, exclaiming: “Didn’t the Crown Princess return to the capital?”
“Who said that?” Xia Houchun was even more surprised, his narrow eyes widening to double their size. “Isn’t the Crown Princess studying at Yueli Academy?”
“…”
In an instant, all of Yueli Academy froze.
The Crown Princess we’ve been cursing all day is among us?
Then why did they say she left the capital to inspect?
Xia Houchun led his people, talking as they walked: “I only know the Crown Princess is studying at Yueli Academy, but I don’t know where in the academy she is. The Eastern Palace tutors are all great scholars of the current dynasty—even with the Crown Princess’s learning, she should be in your First dormitory, right?”
Everyone naturally nodded. Even if the Crown Princess didn’t love studying, with so many great scholars around her, her starting point was extraordinary. The academy assigned dormitories based on academic ability, so naturally she should live in the First dormitory.
So they frantically tried to think who in the First dormitory could be the Crown Princess, eyes sliding over recent new students.
The First dormitory supervisor, having received the news, opened the dormitory door with a sweaty head to wait, but inside was empty—everyone was outside watching the excitement.
Someone said: “Perhaps the Crown Princess is in the crowd?”
Xia Houchun said disappointedly: “The Crown Princess doesn’t like crowds. She said she’d wait for me in her dormitory. Besides, since when do rulers welcome subjects?”
Everyone thought this made sense. Someone tentatively said: “Then perhaps… in the Second dormitory?”
“Impossible!” Xia Houchun whipped out a booklet. “These are the Crown Princess’s daily essays, previously praised by tutors and lecturers who said they wanted to include them in their own collections. Look at her writing—Second dormitory?”
Someone took it and looked, showing shame after reading, then passed it to the next person.
After reading, all fell silent.
They couldn’t bring themselves to mention Second dormitory again.
Xia Houchun lazily folded his arms, looking skyward: “Our Crown Princess admires Haiyou’s literary culture and Yueli Academy, specially coming incognito as a commoner to study. Your academy wouldn’t judge people superficially and be so shallow and snobbish as to ostracize us poor outsiders, would you?”
Everyone’s eyes whooshed toward the academy affairs officials and group of stewards below.
Personnel, dormitory arrangements, and such were all handled by these Xiao faction people.
The academy affairs official paled: “The academy strives for equality, treating everyone the same…”
Xia Houchun pointed his nose skyward, saying sarcastically: “Then the Crown Princess’s learning must be insufficient. Let’s check the Second dormitory.”
The Second dormitory opened its doors, everyone crowded in, having prepared expressions for meeting the Crown Princess, but again found nothing.
Xia Houchun’s expression was already quite ugly: “How is the Second dormitory also empty?”
The academy affairs official wiped sweat: “…Perhaps she went out?”
Xia Houchun walked to the door to check the Second dormitory student roster hanging there. After reading it, he sneered.
“Not there. Tsk tsk.”
“Then… Third dormitory?” The academy affairs official said this with gritted teeth, deciding that afterward he would definitely kick out the steward responsible for dormitory arrangements.
Misplacing the Crown Princess was a small matter, the Xiao family’s management losing face at the academy was also small, but if this caused criticism and intervention from the court, that would be serious.
The academy affairs official secretly prayed they would find her in the Third dormitory. Poor arrangements could be blamed on stewards not knowing how to evaluate talent, or the Crown Princess herself keeping a low profile, but if it was too bad, there would be no explaining it.
But contrary to hopes, the Third dormitory was also empty.
By now all the academy’s people were following behind Xia Houchun’s group searching, a vast procession. Xiao Chang and others followed alongside, watching Xia Houchun’s cold smile grow thicker, the academy teachers and students’ expressions grow stranger, the stewards’ expressions grow more uneasy, and the bad feeling in his heart grow stronger.
What game was Tie Ci playing?
He turned back to glance at the dark mass of Crown Princess’s Nine Guards outside the memorial arch, a trace of sinister light flashing in his eyes.
Everyone finally surged toward the Fourth dormitory.
After this period of buffering, having heard Xia Houchun casually mention how much the Crown Princess admired the academy, how sincere she was in coming, how diligent she was daily, and how much she praised teachers and students, much of their anger had dissipated. They all felt a faint pride.
Someone said: “I heard the Crown Princess doesn’t love studying. As a woman, if she wants to rule the world, how can she not study properly? She should indeed come to our academy to learn thoroughly…”
The Fourth dormitory’s door was wide open. The conditions here were obviously much worse than the first three dormitories. When the supervisor came to open the door, his face was embarrassed.
Everyone’s expressions were unpleasant—they both hoped to find the Crown Princess here and hoped not to.
The old building’s four doors were wide open, but still no one was inside.
Everyone looked at each other. Someone couldn’t help saying: “Are we being fooled again? Has she already left the academy?”
Xia Houchun turned to the academy affairs official: “Have we seen everything?”
“Everything. The academy only has First, Second, Third, and Fourth dormitories—the whole world knows this.”
“Really nothing else?”
A moment of silence, then someone said hesitantly, “There’s still one more…”
“Impossible!” the academy affairs official immediately objected.
The academy’s Fifth dormitory was just what students called it—in fact, that dormitory wasn’t even on the roster. It was nothing more than a gathering place for hopeless cases.
How could the Crown Princess possibly be assigned there?
“There’s still the Fifth dormitory? Let’s go take a look.” Hearing this, Xia Houchun waved his hand and walked off.
Seven turns and eight bends, walking to increasingly remote areas. Many students were visiting the Fifth dormitory for the first time and were amazed seeing those low, shabby buildings with mottled gray walls.
Entering the courtyard, they were startled by the muddy ground.
The Fifth dormitory had no supervisor. The small courtyard couldn’t fit so many people, so some climbed the walls. But after only a few people climbed up, the wall collapsed with a thunderous crash.
It wasn’t even a spectacular collapse—it crumbled softly like loose candy. Looking at it, the earthen wall hadn’t even been properly tamped.
Many academy students learned for the first time that the academy had such a trashy place and were amazed.
Someone standing in the courtyard said doubtfully: “How could the Crown Princess possibly live in such a place…”
The rumors described such an extravagant and dissolute person.
Dan Ye had been smiling and following in the crowd, but now suddenly touched his earring: “Could she have started in the First dormitory but later fallen to the Fifth dormitory due to poor academics? I heard the Fifth dormitory doesn’t have special arrangements—only those with poor academics or character get exiled there.”
The supervisor immediately said: “Right, right, the Fifth dormitory doesn’t have special arrangements except for those with poor academics!”
Someone said: “If we find the Crown Princess here, we’ll have to revise our petition to ask the Crown Princess to study properly…”
“Study what?” someone suddenly emerged from the door.
Upon seeing this person, someone exclaimed: “Ye Shiba!”
The name was famous as thunder—everyone had heard it. Someone smiled: “Shiba, why are you here? We were discussing the Crown Princess studying…” Speaking with considerable pride, he turned to Xia Houchun: “Commander, regarding the Crown Princess’s essay you showed earlier, we feel ashamed and inferior, but the academy doesn’t lack talent. This Brother Shiba writes well, excels at practical affairs, is strong in mathematics, and has excellent archery and martial arts skills…”
Xia Houchun listened with a seemingly mocking smile, nodded, stepped forward, lifted his robe, knelt on one knee: “This subject greets Your Highness the Crown Princess! Long live Your Highness!”
Armor clanged as his guards whooshed to kneel in unison.
“…”