The crowd let out low murmurs of gossip and amazement.

Tomorrow’s wine shops and tea houses would have countless topics for free discussion.

On the field, Rong Pu and Shen Mi were at loggerheads.

The Crown Princess seemed at a loss, supporting her forehead with a sigh.

One was a friend from humble beginnings, the other a trusted right-hand man – both were indispensable confidants, and favoring either would be inappropriate.

Sure enough, soon someone came forward to help the Crown Princess resolve this dilemma.

The heads of both Celu and Mingquan Academies stepped forward. One said: “We have long admired Master Shen’s great reputation. Celu Academy would be honored to sweep the couch clean in welcome.”

The other spoke even more warmly: “Mingquan Academy has long admired Master Shen. Our land of Zhongbian is blessed with natural treasures and outstanding people. The misty rains of Jiangnan, the green willows along the long embankment. Has Master Shen heard this saying: ‘If one does not visit Jiangnan in this lifetime, knowing all the scenery would still be in vain?'”

One said: “If Master Shen comes to our Celu Academy, the position of supervisor awaits.”

The other sneered coldly: “Brother Qu is being too stingy. A mere supervisor position – how could that match Master Shen’s great talents? Our academy is willing to offer the position of vice-dean.”

One said: “Celu is located in the capital region, at the feet of the Son of Heaven.”

The other said: “Mingquan is situated in the central province, second to none in prosperity.”

…

Everyone’s heads turned back and forth, watching the two big shots compete.

Most people understood that while Shen Mi was indeed talented, he hadn’t reached the level of being fought over and honored to this degree. The two deans’ current competition served multiple purposes: first, to curry favor with the Crown Princess; second, to poach from Yueli Academy; third, to step on Yueli; and fourth, to advertise their own academies – killing several birds with one stone.

Finally, both turned to Shen Mi and said in unison: “Please let Master Shen choose for himself!”

Shen Mi clearly hadn’t expected to be so popular. With a look of astonishment, he first thanked both deans for their regard, then after thinking for a long while said: “My elderly mother and young sister are still in the capital…”

This indicated he was choosing Celu Academy. The Mingquan Academy dean retreated with disappointment, not forgetting to throw shade at his old rival: “If Celu Academy mistreats you, Mingquan’s doors will always be open to you!”

“Many thanks, Dean.”

The Celu Academy dean smiled with narrowed eyes, full of pride and satisfaction.

Rong Pu’s expression was completely that of “good, this piece of trash has finally rolled out of my sight.”

Everyone was happy.

Tie Ci immediately beamed with joy. When Rong Pu’s selected students came to pay their respects to His Highness, Tie Ci looked kindly at the fresh sprouts on his plate, his gaze sweeping over the tall female warrior standing behind Jian Xi, making encouraging gestures with her fists.

He suddenly said: “Speaking of which, Bai Xingchu and Jian Xi have not undergone the riding and archery examination.”

Everyone tensed, thinking there would be another complication.

Tie Ci said: “Since the competition has already ended, there’s no need to hold another formal session. You two can just give everyone a demonstration. The format will be the same as before, and since it’s more interesting with more people, you two may invite friends and family to form teams to assist you.”

Both accepted the order. Before long, Bai Xingchu formed a three-person team with his martial brothers. Jian Xi, as expected, teamed up with that tall female warrior and another young lady.

The targets were set up again. This time everyone’s arrow quivers were carefully inspected to ensure they were proper. After a whistle blast, the competition began again.

But contrary to everyone’s imagination of a vigorous, competitive scene, just half a quarter-hour into the competition, that tall female warrior committed a foul.

She swung an arm and nearly batted a cold arrow shot at her right back into someone’s eye.

Another half quarter-hour later, the female warrior fouled again.

One of her arrows was too forceful, shattering someone else’s arrow and cracking the target as well.

Yet another half quarter-hour later, she continued to foul – she shot and cracked all of Bai Xingchu’s team’s targets.

Her own target remained empty, apparently she had been busy with destruction the whole time.

The Mingquan Academy students watched and cursed continuously. Tie Ci actually found it amusing and finally signaled to stop the competition.

Since it was just for demonstration anyway, there was no need to get genuinely angry.

That one, he could see, was someone who feared the world wasn’t chaotic enough.

He beckoned for Jian Xi’s three-person team to come forward, giving rewards to Jian Xi and the other young lady. That girl called Zhu’er stared at him with a flushed face and heaving chest, her hands shaking so much she nearly dropped the brocade box he handed her.

Murong Yi had never left, casually leaning against her chair with crossed arms and legs folded. Seeing that even women behaved this way, his expression immediately soured completely.

After receiving her reward, that young lady didn’t immediately leave. She glanced at Tie Ci, then quickly at Murong Yi, and said softly: “I wish Your Highness and Master Murong a hundred years of harmonious union.”

Murong Yi, who had been looking displeased, immediately relaxed his expression.

Tie Ci smiled: “Thank you for your blessing. We will.”

The girl hadn’t expected her to respond so openly. Trembling with excitement all over, she gathered courage and said: “Actually, this commoner feels that no one in this world is worthy of You…”

Murong Yi’s face darkened again.

“…But whoever You like is whom we adore… Master Murong, please be good to Her Highness, even better, always cherish her, never betray her, otherwise, even if we risk our lives, we… we won’t let you off…”

For the first time in his life, Murong Yi faced such “fierce” threats. His expression became somewhat strange for a moment.

Tie Ci was afraid he might get angry – the demon consort didn’t have the best temper. She gently grasped Murong Yi’s hand.

But Murong Yi’s expression finally became serious. For the first time, he looked directly at another woman and said solemnly: “Rest assured, I will.”

The young girl clutched her reward to her heart and retreated with complete satisfaction.

The tall female warrior had been watching this scene with a half-smile throughout. Tie Ci beckoned to her and personally handed over a reward, saying: “I haven’t asked this heroine’s honored name yet?”

The female warrior accepted the reward and cheerfully tossed the brocade box in the air, laughing: “Palace Master.”

Tie Ci: “?”

“Palace as in palace hall, master as in master.”

There actually existed such a ready-made name in the world.

Palace Master explained: “That wasn’t my original name. I changed it myself. I think it’s convenient and domineering.”

Tie Ci nodded: “It is indeed quite domineering. Well then, Miss Palace Master, I can see your martial arts are exceptional. I have a niece in my palace who also knows some martial arts, and her skills are somewhat similar to yours. Would you like to go to the capital with Jian Xi to have some fun and make a few friends?”

After speaking, she looked at her with burning eyes.

This was precisely her intention in impromptu adding this demonstration match – to naturally establish a connection with this mysterious female warrior.

This person’s appearance was definitely not coincidental.

Palace Master said: “Your Highness is talking about Pingzong, right? She could be considered my distant grand-niece.”

Tie Ci: “…”

Accidentally became a generation younger.

“Miss Palace Master and Pingzong are relatives? Then you should definitely go meet her.”

“No thanks.” Palace Master shrugged with a smile. “The person I really wanted to see isn’t her, but someone who has shown some kindness to our family. I wanted to see what kind of person she is. Now I can be considered to have met her, and I’m quite satisfied. Your Highness, I’m giving you a painting. If you encounter trouble in the future, find a place where people can see this painting, sing ‘Eighteen Touches’ there, and you’ll receive help. Remember this well, okay?”

Before her words finished, her figure flickered and she vanished. Only a painting remained on the ground.

It looked like a map, but not of any countries that Tie Ci currently knew.

Rong Pu had already ordered someone to pick up the painting first, not handing it directly to her – Tie Ci knew this was to guard against the painting being poisoned.

Tie Ci knew that the person Palace Master mentioned wanting to see was herself. It turned out that while she was observing the candidates, someone was also observing her.

It seemed the evaluation results were quite satisfactory.

However, Tie Ci thought for a long time but couldn’t recall any prominent Palace-surnamed family in Da Qian.

She vaguely remembered that Master He’s wrongfully deceased wife seemed to have come from a martial world family with the original surname Palace.

She had heard Master He mention before that the martial world Palace family wasn’t considered a major family, just a branch, but the main family seemed to be a reclusive wealthy clan.

She wondered whether this Palace Master came from the martial world Palace family or the reclusive wealthy Palace family.

At this point, the day’s events were concluded and it was getting late. According to custom, there would be a victory banquet for the winners in the evening. Although many incidents had occurred, the feast had been prepared long ago and was set on the newly built Lintian Tower within the academy.

On Tie Ci’s way to Lintian Tower, she was surrounded by students asking for autographs. She signed a great many, and countless female students tearfully presented various sachets, pouches, and small handkerchiefs, making Tie Ci sneeze continuously. Finally, it was Murong Yi who protected her as they fought their way out of the crowd.

Even after walking far away, they could still hear calls from behind, with someone singing veiled love songs. Murong Yi’s gaze swept through the crowd like lightning, searching for this suicidal fool, until Tie Ci forcibly turned his face away. She thought that in the future, if she could avoid public appearances, she should – not that she minded enjoying top celebrity treatment, but she was afraid Murong Yi might die young from being perpetually soaked in vinegar.

Tonight’s banquet saw the selected candidates either injured or poisoned, several officials humiliated and having no face to linger, since they still had to rush back to figure out how to write their apology memorials. Shen Mi didn’t come, Rong Pu also excused himself citing poor health, and the Crown Princess also made only a brief appearance before leaving. Thus, the victory banquet ended hastily.

However, an atmosphere of excitement flowed through the academy. People kept jumping into the icy waters of Fragrant Lake in deep autumn, howling about catching the fattest swan to roast as an offering to the Crown Princess, only to be precisely speared one by one by the well-prepared academy patrol teams.

Bonfires blazed in the small grove by the lake, with many people gathered there in animated discussion, occasionally glancing around, hoping the Crown Princess might suddenly appear or be hidden in the darkness listening to their eloquent speeches. The crowd included students from all three major academies as well as many scholars from other academies. After several days of exchange, the distances between academies and between students had drawn much closer.

Near midnight, clusters of bonfires were extinguished one by one under the patrol teams’ supervision.

Tie Ci held a lantern in one hand, a wine jar swaying at her waist, unhurriedly ascending the steps.

Under the lamplight, the wine jar spun out arc-like shadows that fell across the face of Murong Yi, who followed a step behind with a dark expression.

In the dead of night, she was still going to keep that appointment with the lotus flower!

That white lotus was so pretentious – not even giving the Crown Princess face by feigning illness at the victory banquet, yet making private appointments afterward!

The banquet was still set in Lintian Tower, but in the warm pavilion on the highest floor. That level was normally off-limits to people, facing a vast platform. Above the platform, moonlight was like water; below the platform, myriad trees formed a forest.

“Reaching Heaven” meant to touch the sky – this tall building had originally been constructed for the Crown Princess.

The warm pavilion’s door stood open, with dim candlelight within. Under the candlelight, people were drinking together, one cup for you, one cup for me.