Rong Pu’s expression remained unchanged as his long fingers pushed out another mung bean cake.

“The Xiao family privately traffics salt and iron in Yongliang, Jiusui and other places for enormous profits. Their commercial houses span the entire country. At least half of the grain merchants, cloth dealers, transport companies, general stores, pawnshops, and tavern managers in the imperial capital… all have countless connections to the Xiao family. I heard that when Xiao Liheng was assassinated at the Xiao mansion gates, he shouted something?”

Tie Ci said slowly: “…If you want to see grain shortages, skyrocketing prices, supply cuts of all goods supporting people’s livelihoods, chaos in local governments, border instability, and turmoil throughout Da Qian, then go ahead and kill me!”

Rong Pu said: “It wasn’t entirely a threat. If the Xiao family fought desperately, they could achieve it.”

“So I yielded at that time, allowing them to cause trouble for another year.” Tie Ci said. “But the time left for them was also time left for us.” She took the pastry plate and arranged lotus pastries around the mung bean cakes one by one. “Kaiyuan Commercial House, the Tian family of Yongliang, and also…”

She glanced at Murong Yi, who said frankly: “Wanqian Manor.”

“Starting from the beginning of the year, I opened convenient doors for these three houses. Over this past half year, the three joined forces and have already intercepted much of the Xiao family’s business, especially those powerful grain merchants who now stand on the edge of a cliff. They appear unharmed, but if you pull away the last plank beneath their feet, they’ll fall into the abyss.”

Commercial competition wasn’t Tie Ci’s strength, so she had entrusted it entirely to her master and Murong Yi. The wealthy Tian family of Yongliang, just entering the imperial capital’s commercial circle, was also a powerful ally. This inevitably involved court cooperation in competitive pressure, especially in grain and shipping – the top priorities. It was said that those few had laid plans with Gu Xiaoxiao devising strategies and the three major commercial houses executing them. Wanqian, entering the imperial capital’s commercial circle for the first time, disguised itself as a large, powerful, and reputable money house. The court issued tenders on one side while drawing wealthy merchants into the game on the other, simultaneously enticing sons of imperial capital wealthy merchants to borrow money from the money house using their holdings as collateral. When the wealthy merchants had to compete for contracts while facing encirclement by the three houses, cash flow inevitably became insufficient. When old established money houses couldn’t provide support, Wanqian would step in… Now Zhao San was in the imperial capital managing the money house, holding a thick stack of IOUs that could take control of several major wealthy merchant families whenever Tie Ci needed.

Zhao San had suddenly been released by the King of Liaodong not long ago. Who knew what Prince Da’an was thinking – probably feeling that keeping such a hostage served no great purpose for this son? In any case, Zhao San had sent an enthusiastic letter expressing his desire to immediately rush to his master’s side to serve, but his heartless master had dispatched him to the imperial capital to manage Wanqian’s commercial affairs there.

Three lotus pastries surrounded the lone mung bean cake. Rong Pu casually picked it up and ate it. Meeting Tie Ci’s gaze, he said lightly: “Afraid you’d get indigestion.”

Tie Ci could only laugh dryly, her gaze slightly resentful. She felt that Rong Pu should have given up on her long ago, but beneath this person’s noble and pure exterior lay a wicked and unscrupulous nature. Even if he had withdrawn, he didn’t want her and Murong Yi to be happy together, especially Murong Yi.

The mung bean cakes on the table were thus devoured piece by piece by these two men, while the lotus pastries’ situation looked excellent.

Hmm, she hoped they’d both get diarrhea tonight.

Then she could have some peace and quiet.

Laughter and commotion came from the distance. Through the silk tree forest, Tie Ci vaguely saw those excellent young scholars surrounded by a group of women at Liuxiang Lake, signing autographs for them.

Even from far away, she could see the twins smiling brightly, Fang Huai’an blushing and nearly being pushed into the lake, and Qi You welcoming all comers. Seeing a particularly beautiful one, he not only signed her autograph but directly took her hand to go boating on the lake.

Tie Ci couldn’t help but laugh.

Youth – so fresh and vibrant.

Yet hiding in the silk tree forest, secretly plotting the final fierce attack on the Xiao family, she actually felt she had grown old.

Those immersed in political storms and conspiracies would gradually become detestable.

After finishing their conspiracy discussions, evening had arrived. Dean Rong once again acted inappropriately – he arranged for Murong Yi to stay in his former archery instructor’s quarters, claiming it was to “relive old dreams,” while arranging for Tie Ci to stay far away in the expanded women’s academy where female students and female guests all resided, claiming it was to “grow closer to female subjects and gain more popular support.”

The two places were separated by three courtyards and countless pavilions, with a straight-line distance of several li.

Actually, no one could stop anything – this was purely to annoy people.

Tie Ci showed complete tolerance for her future important minister’s petty temper while also working to appease the demon consort. After dinner, she accompanied Murong Yi on a walk through the academy, chatting about things unrelated to state affairs and the future, reminiscing about the academy’s tumultuous yet subtly sweet life, watching those carefree young people, and feeling the slightly cool autumn wind in Qingyang Mountain.

Since their meeting, the two had always been bathed in the sinister winds of murder and scheming, working their hearts and strength, traveling ceaselessly. Tie Ci had deliberately taken this detour, returning to their old place, wanting both herself and Murong Yi to slightly relax their constantly taut heartstrings.

She also rambled to him about how people suffered much and deserved consideration, how many things could be handled in less extreme ways, how giving others a step was also giving oneself a step.

She said that since she was taking on this realm, she would definitely bear its weight. If she couldn’t bear it, she still had to bear it. Everyone grew up through struggles and failures – there was no logic in enjoying success oneself while making others charge into battle.

She said the Way of Heaven naturally had gains and losses, fullness and emptiness. What escaped in one place would inevitably be recovered elsewhere. What harmed others would eventually fall on oneself to bear. Love, hate, gratitude, and resentment – addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division – were each person’s karmic obstacles and consequences, which couldn’t and shouldn’t all be handled by proxy.

She said all the stubborn “I’m doing this for your good” in this world was actually unconscious tyranny and meaningless self-gratification. Whether something was good or not was like drinking water – only you knew if it was hot or cold.

She spoke casually while Murong Yi listened quietly. Tie Ci and he rarely had such heart-to-heart talks, as she respected others’ will and disliked preaching.

Murong Yi turned his head to watch her lips opening and closing, thinking of their soft fullness, really wanting to block them up.

To tell her she spoke very well, but not to do it again next time.

Tie Ci noticed his gaze and helplessly stopped her chattering. Looking up at him, she suddenly grabbed his shoulders, stood on tiptoe, and brought her lips to his.

The two kissed in the silk tree forest with falling blossoms.

Not far away, Liuxiang Lake sparkled with ripples and swans intertwined their necks. Beside them, countless small paths wound through the lovers’ forest where young men and women quietly walked together, weaving among flowers and green trees. Occasionally turning back to see the embracing, kissing figures in the deep shade, they let out soft, knowing exclamations of surprise.

Some covered their faces shyly and hurried past, yet couldn’t help looking back.

Some had bright eyes and bashfully took their companion’s hand.

Some gave Murong Yi’s back a thumbs up, while others lowered their heads to silently recite sage texts.

Whatever their reactions, all were the purest, truest, most beautiful things in the human world.

Tie Ci and Murong Yi didn’t care how others looked at them. The two with excellent lung capacity seemed to want to kiss until the end of time, until finally the flower trees rustled and a night bird, angered at having its sleep disturbed, indignantly dropped a load of excrement on Tie Ci’s head.

In the end, Tie Ci had to wash her hair by Liuxiang Lake. Murong Yi’s fingers moved through her hair, gentle yet strong. At this moment, both recalled their experience washing hair in the pool beneath the academy library.

Tie Ci became interested and also wanted to wash Murong Yi’s hair once, but he complained the water was too cold and refused. Finally, Tie Ci pushed him into the water. They made a wet, noisy fuss for half the night until the equally sleep-disturbed swans indignantly pecked them back to shore.

After making noise all night, no one managed them. Rong Pu was probably furious and actually didn’t send anyone to serve the Crown Princess. Others in the academy all thought they were just young lovers – there were especially many such young couples in the academy these days, all wanting to imitate that Crown Princess pair from back then. Grilling fish at Wuyu Pool, stewing geese at the library, washing hair at Liuxiang Lake, archery at the martial arts field, and fishing for fruit with hanging flowers under the arched bridge in the town below the mountain were all must-do activities.

Most of the academy patrol team’s energy was spent guarding the koi in Wuyu Pool, the swans at Liuxiang Lake, and the books in the library. They really had no energy to manage more, and couldn’t even say anything about impropriety or rule-breaking, since a certain someone had set such a good example.

Late at night, Murong Yi finally escorted Tie Ci back to the women’s academy. The two parted at the courtyard gate. Tie Ci climbed the small building where she was staying with one hand clutching her still slightly damp hair. Rong Pu had arranged a small independent courtyard building for her – originally housing for newly hired female teachers. These past few days, the female teachers had been moved elsewhere while this place was arranged solely for Tie Ci. Dan Shuang and Chi Xue had already moved in ahead of time and prepared hot water.

Tie Ci went upstairs but didn’t rush to bathe. Leaning against the second-floor railing, she wanted to look at the entire academy. As her gaze turned, she saw Murong Yi walking past the flower garden outside the women’s academy when someone suddenly emerged from behind a tree to block his path.

Tie Ci was startled. With her exceptional eyesight, she could naturally see clearly that the person blocking Murong Yi was that girl called Jian Xi.

Through the tree shadows, she vaguely saw the young woman block Murong Yi’s path and seemed to stammer something, her expression quite shy. Then she handed something over. Looking at its shape – round and white – it could be medicine pills, candy, or pastries.

Tie Ci smiled slightly.

This looked like intercepting someone on the road to confess love.

Speaking of which, Murong Yi was naturally blessed with looks that attracted admirers. Drawing attention daily was normal, but people rarely confessed to him face-to-face because his beauty carried a hint of severity. When looking at people, he never liked to look directly, and the gaze beneath his dense long lashes was like a demon blade – richly colored yet soul-stealing.

Ordinary women simply couldn’t withstand this kind of devastatingly beautiful aura.

So even though it looked very much like that, Tie Ci didn’t think much of it.

Moreover, she was certain Murong Yi wouldn’t accept it.

But soon she was proven wrong.

Murong Yi actually took the thing and looked at it. With his back to Tie Ci, she couldn’t see whether he made any motion to put it in his chest.

That little girl called Jian Xi then smiled, blushed as she took her leave, and quickly walked away.

Like a happy young girl whose confession had succeeded.

Tie Ci suddenly remembered You Weixing who had once chased after Murong Yi’s horse at the academy.

She remembered that sour plum drink with water droplets condensed on its rim.

Tie Ci raised her eyebrows, waiting for Murong Yi to turn back and share this intercepted gift-giving incident with her.

But she was proven wrong again.

Murong Yi didn’t turn back and went directly toward his lodging.

Footsteps came from behind as Chi Xue poked her head out to ask: “Your Highness, the water has cooled… What are you looking at?”

Tie Ci withdrew her gaze and returned to the room: “Nothing.”

…