At Cloud Deer Academy on Clear Cloud Mountain, the academy perpetually shrouded in righteous energy, Yang Gong’s eyelids trembled slightly before opening.

The first thing he felt was bone-piercing pain, his muscles torn and meridians broken. Then came the burning in his lungs and parched throat, each breath aggravating his injuries.

However, his mental state was good, his thoughts clear, with imperceptible rays of pure light contained in every inch of his flesh, in every cell.

Finding it difficult to move his limbs, Yang Gong tried unsuccessfully to sit up, then said in a deep voice:

“Tea!”

The teapot on the table flew up by itself, moved above his lips, and then tilted its spout, pouring tea at a measured pace.

*Gulp, gulp…* Yang Gong opened his mouth to receive the tea, drinking until half full. Only then did the burning in his lungs and the parched feeling in his throat subside significantly.

After quenching his thirst, Yang Gong surveyed the room and found it was his residence at the academy.

*They brought me back to the academy. I wonder if Yong Province was held, how many soldiers who retreated with me are still alive…* Yang Gong’s heart grew heavy thinking about the battle situation.

The joy of surviving catastrophe diminished accordingly.

*How long was I unconscious? Is the Northern Border conflict over? Has the State Mentor reached First Rank? With Yong Province’s current forces, if we hold out defensively, not many will survive…* The more Yang Gong thought, the more anxious he became. After struggling mightily for a moment, he finally managed to sit up.

He exhaled and said in a deep voice:

“Dress properly!”

The robe hanging on the rack flew over by itself. The scholarly robe that would normally be troublesome to put on was donned in the blink of an eye, his hair automatically coiled up, and a jade hairpin flew in to secure the topknot.

Then Yang Gong recited:

“I am at the bamboo house on the back mountain.”

The scene before Yang Gong’s eyes blurred as he knew he was performing spatial teleportation. In his vision, he saw Principal Zhao Shou’s bamboo house shift from blurry to clear. Just as he was about to arrive, suddenly a familiar voice came to his ears:

“No, you’re not at the bamboo house, you’re here with me.”

The nearby bamboo house became blurry, and another scene appeared before Yang Gong—in an elegant, bright tea room, Li Mubai and Chen Tai were drinking tea and playing chess. Not far from them at another table, Zhang Shen stood beside the desk, instructing Xu Xinnian in deeply mastering Scholar-realm abilities.

This scene was both leisurely and harmonious, making Yang Gong freeze in place, doubting whether he was hallucinating.

Zhang Shen glanced at him and said:

“The Principal is working at the Inner Cabinet, not at the academy.”

Having said this, he continued instructing his prized student.

“You all…” Yang Gong took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions as he probed: “How long was I unconscious? What’s the current battle situation? Did we hold Yong Province? What’s the outcome of the Northern Border tribulation battle?”

“You were unconscious for half a month.” Li Mubai picked up a chess piece and placed it with a snap, not looking up as he spoke.

“The Yun Province rebellion has been quelled. Xu Pingfeng is dead. The rebel leaders like Qi Guangbo will be publicly executed at the vegetable market in three days,” Chen Tai said regretfully. “The Principal had me stay at the academy to watch over things—I didn’t earn any military merits at all.”

Xu Er Lang looked up at the Purple Yang Resident Scholar and added:

“My brother,

“Has reached First Rank.”

Yang Gong’s mind buzzed. Though seeing their relaxed manner had given him some guesses, out of caution he had only assumed the Northern Border tribulation battle had succeeded, Great Liang had regained the advantage, and they were at a stalemate with the Yun Province rebels.

He hadn’t expected everything to be over already.

It was like a young man with nothing who was only thinking about getting married, but on his wedding day suddenly had a mansion, carriages, a lovely wife, and even children—it couldn’t be more perfect.

Among all these realities, what Yang Gong found hardest to believe was: that Xu Qi An had reached First Rank?!

First Rank Martial Artist?

If he remembered correctly, Xu Ning Yan had only reached Second Rank after the Director was sealed. How long had it been? How could he have become a First Rank Martial Artist so quickly?

But if Xu Qi An truly had advanced to First Rank, combined with the State Mentor who was a Terrestrial Immortal, it was indeed possible to quell the Yun Province rebellion in an extremely short time.

Li Mubai smiled and said:

“The fact that we can leisurely play chess here is the best proof.”

Yang Gong exhaled, barely digesting these shocking pieces of news.

Chen Tai examined Yang Gong:

“Righteous energy fills your body, cleansing your flesh. You’re about to enter Third Rank.”

After saying this, he, Li Mubai, and Zhang Shen all felt envious.

Yang Gong smiled:

“This is the feedback from the court, the soldiers, and the common people.”

Since Yun Province’s uprising, Yang Gong had been on the front lines resisting the rebels, from Qing Province to Yong Province, exhausting himself mentally and physically, nearly dying in battle.

He had finally achieved a breakthrough through this, touching the threshold of Third Rank.

Chen Tai said sourly:

“The Principal said His Majesty plans to promote you to Prefecture Chief of the Capital. When the imperial edict comes down, those golden words will help you advance to Transcendent. Zhang Shen and Li Mubai earned quite a lot of military merit too, benefiting greatly. They just need to be granted official positions by the court, and their cultivation will advance to another level.”

Fortunately, after Huaiqing’s ascension, the court no longer opposed Cloud Deer Academy’s scholars.

Previously, the Emperor, Director, and ministers had suppressed Cloud Deer Academy’s scholars, restricting Confucianism’s development.

Now with turmoil in the Central Plains and the court reshuffling, the officialdom no longer resisted Cloud Deer Academy, even welcoming them.

After all, class interests took precedence over personal interests—first came class, then individuals. If the class was lost, what of personal interests?

In the ministers’ view, Cloud Deer Academy’s scholars were entities who could stabilize class interests.

Yang Gong sighed:

“Compared to Xu Ning Yan, this is nothing.

“Xu Ning Yan truly lives up to being my student. In twenty years of teaching, I’ve had students spread across the land, but among them all, I particularly like Xu Ning Yan.”

Li Mubai spat out a mouthful of tea:

“Shameless!”

Chen Tai sneered:

“Read the sages’ books all your life just to learn the word ‘brazen’?”

“It’s a pity there was no chance to let you record spells. Combat is the best way to master Scholar-realm abilities.” Zhang Shen turned his head to spit:

“Ptui!”

*Isn’t there a chance now…* Xu Xinnian thought for a moment and said:

“Teacher, now that I work at the Hanlin Academy when recording history in the future, I can add this line: ‘In their youth, the Xu brothers both studied under Zhang Shen!'”

As his words fell, the tea room went silent.

…

“Quick, go out and watch the show, the great scholars are fighting again!”

“What are they fighting about this time? Did Silver Constable Xu come?”

“Come on, let’s go watch the fun!”

“Ah, with the Principal not at the academy, won’t they tear the place apart?”

The righteous energy at Clear Cloud Mountain’s peak fell into chaos, pure energy surging to the clouds.

Students rushed out of their classrooms, eagerly watching the four great scholars trading blows in the air. The students found the scholars particularly worked up today, seemingly wanting to kill each other.

Xu Xinnian seized the opportunity to record many spells that weren’t high-ranked but were extremely practical, then tucked the “spellbook” into his robes and left Clear Cloud Mountain in good spirits.

“The teacher is right, combat is the best opportunity to master Scholar-realm abilities. The gains weren’t bad.”

Xu Xinnian mounted his horse and returned to the capital along the straight, broad official road.

He was in a good mood because he had finally reached Sixth Rank, becoming a “Scholar.” In the Confucian system, only at the Sixth Rank did one have considerable combat power.

Only at Sixth Rank was once considered a true pillar of Confucianism.

“Though I can’t catch up to my brother, I can’t fall too far behind. Now I can be considered somewhat of an expert. In the Xu family, my cultivation talent ranks second—even Father isn’t as good as me,” Xu Xinnian thought to himself.

As for Lingyin, she was just a child, and when she left the capital she was only in Ninth Rank.

…

At the Xu mansion.

Xu Lingyue sat in the pavilion, her delicate hand propping up her chin as she watched the little white fox darting about in the flower beds. Her mother and Mu Nanchi were crouching beside the flower beds, planting exotic flowers and herbs.

“Mother, with Brother’s marriage to Princess Lin’an approaching, should we bring Lingyin back?”

Xu Lingyue thought of her sister growing up wild in the Southern Borderlands.

Her aunt immediately thought of her young daughter too and quickly nodded:

“I’d forgotten all about it! We should bring her back. I’ll talk to your brother when he returns.”

The happily running Baiji in the flower bed suddenly stopped, looking vigilant.

“What’s wrong with it?”

Aunt noticed Baiji’s unusual behavior.

“Probably remembering how your daughter wanted to eat it,” Mu Nanchi said matter-of-factly.

After they finished planting the flowers and herbs, Mu Nanchi gently blew out, and immediately the entire flower bed bloomed with flowers of various beautiful forms. Aunt’s eyes sparkled with delight.

Mu Nanchi said:

“Your flower-growing technique leans more toward the southern style used by wealthy households, but the capital is more northern, so many flowers won’t grow well.”

The aunt said helplessly:

“Ning Yan’s mother taught me. Back when Xu Pingzhi was fighting at Shanhai Pass, I was lonely at home alone, so I learned flower growing from her to pass the time.”

Mu Nanchi’s heart stirred, and she asked:

“What kind of person was Xu Ning Yan’s mother?”

Aunt tried hard to remember for a moment, then shook her head:

“I can’t remember clearly anymore. She was a very good person though—when she was here, I didn’t have to manage anything, it was so easy.”

After all, it was twenty-two years ago—Aunt couldn’t remember things from so long ago.

At this moment, she heard her daughter in the pavilion cry out joyfully:

“Brother…”

The cry cut off abruptly.

Aunt and Mu Nanchi heard something unusual and turned to look. They first saw Xu Qi An, returning to the mansion for the first time since quelling the rebellion, then their gazes fell simultaneously on the graceful, gentle woman behind him who was clearly no ordinary person.

Aunt froze. In that instant, buried memories flooded her mind like a dam breaking.

Mu Nanchi frowned slightly—she instinctively rejected any woman around Xu Qi An.

“Xiaoru.”

Ji Baiqing walked to Aunt with a smile and said softly:

“Twenty-two years without seeing you, you haven’t changed at all.”

Aunt’s face was blank as her lips moved slightly:

“Sister-in-law?”

The woman smiled and nodded.

Xu Qi An explained from the side:

“I brought her back from Yun Province.”

Mu Nanchi gave an “Oh” and her slight hostility disappeared. She didn’t feel the awkwardness of “ugly daughter-in-law meeting mother-in-law” either—after all, she didn’t like Xu Qi An, they were just friends…

Aunt’s expression was complex, showing both the joy of reunion with an old friend and the awkwardness of not knowing how to greet and interact.

“Lingyue greets Aunt.”

Fortunately, there was still a weak and vulnerable daughter in the family who stepped forward at the right moment to ease the awkwardness.

Aunt quickly said:

“Sister-in-law, this is my daughter Lingyue. You left in such a hurry back then, you never met my children…”

As she spoke, her eyes suddenly reddened.

Xu Qi An knew Aunt had a very good impression of his birth mother. Whenever she mentioned her before, Aunt would say she was an excellent person.

Ji Baiqing examined Xu Lingyue with a gentle smile:

“So beautiful!

“Has she been promised to anyone?”

Hearing this, Aunt said helplessly:

“Not yet. Lingyue just has high standards—she doesn’t approve of any of the capital’s young nobles.

“A grown daughter can’t be kept at home; keeping her too long breeds resentment. I must marry her off this year.”

Ji Baiqing smiled:

“There’s no rush. True love is the hardest to find in this world. While their parents’ wishes are important, she must also approve of herself. I can see Lingyue is a girl with her mind.”

Xu Lingyue smiled slightly, immediately taking a liking to this unfamiliar aunt.

Aunt humphed:

“What kind of mind could she have? She’s just soft and weak, everyone can bully her. Not like me at all.”

*Indeed not like you…* Xu Qi An internally snarked. He was somewhat amazed at his birth mother’s perceptiveness—from Aunt’s helplessness, she had seen that the mother couldn’t make decisions, deducing that Lingyue was very strong-willed.

After a brief catching up, the strangeness of the long separation gradually faded. Aunt immediately said:

“Lingyue, take your aunt to the inner hall to sit. Have the servants serve tea.”

She gave Xu Qi An a meaningful look.

After Xu Lingyue led her sister-in-law into the inner hall, Aunt tugged Xu Qi An’s sleeve and frowned:

“What’s her story?”

Xu Qi An looked at her, understanding Aunt’s meaning, and said quietly:

“It’s a long story. If she hadn’t secretly escaped to the capital to give birth to me back then, I probably would have died long ago.”

Only then was Aunt completely relieved.

Though she had a very good impression of this sister-in-law, she was afraid her sister-in-law might be of the same disposition as Xu Pingfeng.

Aunt was particularly sensitive about money and children.

After reassuring Aunt, Xu Qi An turned to look at Mu Nanchi and asked quietly:

“Why are you here?”

He had left Mu Nanchi at Observatory Tower.

“Didn’t you arrange through Huaiqing for me to come to the Xu mansion?” Mu Nanchi frowned and asked in return.

…Xu Qi An stopped asking.

The three entered the inner hall where Xu Lingyue had already prepared tea. Aunt linked arms with Mu Nanchi and said warmly:

“Sister-in-law, this is Mu Nanchi, my sworn sister.”

Before the woman could speak, Xu Qi An suddenly raised his voice:

“What?!”