Early the next morning, He Yan woke up a bit late. Last night, she had trouble falling asleep while thinking about various matters, only managing to drift off around midnight. By the time she awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. There was no snowfall today, and after the sun came out, she finished her morning routine and went to the main hall for breakfast. As soon as she walked in, she nearly bit her tongue in surprise.

“Why are you here?” He Yan asked.

At the table in the main hall sat someone drinking tea. Qing Mei stood to the side and nervously answered when she saw He Yan: “The Master arrived early this morning. He instructed me not to wake you and said he would wait here until Young Miss awoke.”

Xiao Jue set down his teacup and his gaze swept over her as he asked, “Did you sleep well?”

“…It was fine.” He Yan scratched her head, finding Xiao Jue’s sudden appearance in her home rather terrifying. She instinctively looked up at the ceiling – this was indeed her house, not Liangzhou Guard.

Qing Mei laid out the porridge and dishes on the table. He Yan looked at them in surprise and said, “Qing Mei, did you strike it rich? There’s so much food! These pastries look like they’re from Chen Xiang’s shop?”

“The Master had them sent over,” Qing Mei answered uneasily.

Typically, the He family’s breakfast was simple – they had lived this way for over ten years and no one thought it unusual. Today, with Xiao Jue sending over such an elaborate spread, Qing Mei felt somewhat embarrassed, wondering if their usual fare was too modest.

He Yan showed no such awareness. She had been taking advantage of Xiao Jue’s generosity for quite some time now. She immediately clapped her hands and praised: “Xiao Jue, you’re so thoughtful! No wonder Yan Nanguang always talks about the benefits of having a wife. You’re even more impressive than Princess Shang – I can’t find a single flaw in you.”

Standing in the corner, Chi Wu’s face twitched as he listened. Was this something a person should say? It was too shameless. Unfortunately, their young master was completely besotted and seemed quite happy about it.

“Have you eaten?” He Yan handed Xiao Jue a pair of chopsticks, “Let’s eat together.”

Xiao Jue accepted the chopsticks: “Alright.”

Chi Wu: “…”

He finally understood why his master had left the Xiao residence without breakfast earlier – he had gotten up so early just to come here and eat the food he had sent over. Talk about having too much free time.

Usually, the He household didn’t maintain strict master-servant hierarchies like wealthy families, and Qing Mei would normally eat at the table too. However, with Xiao Jue present today, Qing Mei refused to join them. After some hesitation, she pulled Chi Wu away, saying they needed to sweep the snow. He Yan could only helplessly continue the meal with just Xiao Jue.

The porridge Qing Mei cooked was fragrant and soft, with red dates added for sweetness. He Yan suddenly remembered that this person seemed to dislike sweet things since growing up, so she asked: “I forgot you don’t like sweet things.” She reached out with her chopsticks to pick the red dates from Xiao Jue’s bowl, smiling as she said, “Let me help you.”

Xiao Jue paused for a moment.

Everyone in the Xiao family knew he was particularly fastidious about cleanliness and disliked using things others had used, let alone having someone pick through his food – even Xiao Jing wasn’t allowed to do so. However, when He Yan did this now, he didn’t stop her.

“But you didn’t come here today just to have breakfast with me, did you?” He Yan asked, “What’s the real reason?”

“I plan to visit Xian Chang Academy,” Xiao Jue said. “You’re coming with me.”

He Yan was startled: “…What are we going to Xian Chang Academy for?”

“Since you want to expose He Rufei’s identity, you’ll need evidence. The academy still has your past writings and scrolls – they might be useful.”

“How is that possible?” He Yan asked in surprise. “Those are things from many years ago. How could the academy still keep them?”

Xiao Jue’s lips curved into a smile as he looked at her, his expression slightly mischievous, “Didn’t you know? The calligraphy of Flying Phoenix General and Sealed Cloud General is preserved at the academy to this day. Every spring when new students arrive, everyone must view them.”

He Yan almost choked: “No way? My… calligraphy?”

Heaven and earth! Xiao Jue was one thing, but her “calligraphy” from back then could hardly be considered beautiful – her handwriting looked like a chicken scratch, and her test papers were always ranked last. What was there to see? Showing them again and again, wouldn’t that just be insulting people?

Who could have imagined back then that the student who ranked last at Xian Chang Academy would one day be mentioned in the same breath as the top student, both becoming the academy’s pride? Indeed: Never look down on a poor youth, for fortunes can always turn.

“I don’t want to go…”

Xiao Jue: “Oh.”

He Yan’s face fell: “Alright, I’ll go.”

After finishing breakfast, He Yan left with Xiao Jue.

While in Liangzhou Guard, she hadn’t noticed, but once back in the capital wearing “Young Miss He’s” dresses, she felt completely uncomfortable. It wasn’t for any other reason than the fact that Young Miss He’s clothes were excessively intricate and complex. He Yan simply opted to simplify things, putting away all the elaborate dresses and ribbons, making it much more convenient to go out.

There was no carriage at the door. He Yan paused and asked the person beside her, “Xiao Jue, where’s the carriage?”

“The weather is nice today, let’s walk,” he said.

It was a rare sunny day, and last night’s snow hadn’t melted, making the ground shimmer with golden warmth. Walking in the sunlight truly made all the recent gloom disappear, leaving one’s whole body feeling warm and cozy. He Yan squinted contentedly and said, “If only it could be this warm every day.”

Xiao Jue turned his head to glance at her. The young girl’s smile was bright, and just a bit of sunlight could make her happy. It was hard to imagine that the brave and fierce Flying Phoenix General from the battlefield was this same somewhat silly person before him. The corner of his mouth quirked up slightly as he concealed the smile in his eyes.

The two walked side by side down the street. Although He Yan wasn’t very famous yet, Xiao Jue’s face was certainly not unfamiliar. People recognized him from afar, and while they didn’t dare approach, they whispered and pointed: “Isn’t that Sealed Cloud General, Commander Xiao?”

“Who’s that woman beside him? Don’t seem to have seen her before.”

“When has Commander Xiao ever walked side by side with a woman in broad daylight like this? With such an intimate manner, she must be his fiancée bestowed by His Majesty.”

“Fiancée? You mean that female marquis He Yan?”

“That’s right, that’s right!”

“So this is what the Marquis of Wu’an looks like. She seems so gentle and weak – how could she have gone to battle?”

He Yan’s excellent hearing caught all these discussions unintentionally. Looking at the man walking beside her, whose expression remained calm and indifferent, He Yan somehow felt as if Xiao Jue had brought her out to become familiar with the public – to let people know that this was what Xiao Jue’s fiancée, Marquis of Wu’an He Yan, looked like.

Well, she told herself, let them look. Back then, she had to hide and skulk around wearing a mask when people looked at her. Now she could openly show this face, and even if someone else wanted to take her place, it would be impossible.

After being observed by people all along the way, the two finally arrived at the entrance of Xian Chang Academy.

Years had passed, but the academy looked just as it had before. The weathered gate, the familiar plaque, the apricot tree at the entrance with its snow-laden branches bending down. As He Yan looked at it all, she couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

The days at Xian Chang Academy, which had seemed not particularly easy at the time, now held nothing but happy memories. The teachers here had taught her to understand principles and know righteousness. Without this, a girl disguised as a boy who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong would have remained just a foolish pawn of the He family, unable to control her destiny, even as a chess piece.

The most correct thing He Yuansheng had done in his life was probably sending her to Xian Chang Academy, which ultimately changed her entire life.

“Let’s go,” Xiao Jue said.

As they walked in together, just as they reached the courtyard, they heard the sound of students reciting their lessons.

“The way of great learning lies in illuminating bright virtue, in loving the people, and in resting in the highest good…”

“After all these years, they’re still reciting this passage.” He Yan immediately recalled memories of “making progress together” with Lin Shuanghe. “It’s strange, I could never memorize it no matter how hard I tried back then, but later, after joining the army, I would recite it to myself every night in the tent when there was nothing to do, and somehow I managed to remember it.”

Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows: “You recited books in your tent?”

“Of course,” He Yan said proudly. “At first, before I met Master, my martial skills weren’t very good, so I could only rely on my brain. You don’t know this, but anyone who could read in the Fu Yue Army was highly valued in the camps. Being skilled in both civil and martial arts, you know.”

She was starting to boast again, and Xiao Jue was about to speak when suddenly they heard someone’s voice from ahead: “Commander Xiao!”

Following the voice, they saw a middle-aged man in yellow hemp clothing hurrying over. This man had a very scholarly appearance and a gentle demeanor. When he reached Xiao Jue and He Yan, he smiled and said, “What brings Commander Xiao to the academy today?”

He Yan was startled – this was Master Huang Sancai, who taught mathematics at Xian Chang Academy. He had taught He Yan in the past, and during her studies, since she wasn’t particularly outstanding in any aspect, it was difficult to gain the teachers’ favor. This Master Huang Sancai, perhaps because he was relatively young at the time, was very gentle and kind to students, never treating them differently based on their grades, and was very easy to talk to and accommodating. It was this teacher who had once praised He Yan in class, saying “Diligent study is like spring seedlings, though growth isn’t visible day by day, there is progress. You should all learn from He Rufei,” which had led to quite a bit of resentment from the other young students toward He Yan.

However, seeing Master Huang now, He Yan still felt quite fond of him.

“Just passing by and thought to take a look,” Xiao Jue replied.

Huang Sancai immediately showed an expression of pride and honor, “Please, come in, come in.”

One can’t blame this teacher for appearing somewhat fawning – Xiao Jue was now the famous Sealed Cloud General of Great Wei, Right Army Commander, and the only reason he hadn’t been promoted further was that even after winning battles, His Majesty had no higher positions left to promote him to. Moreover, back when he was at Xian Chang Academy, rather than saying the teachers taught Xiao Jue, it would be more accurate to say that Xiao Jue’s attendance at the academy was merely a formality – the teachers there had nothing they could truly teach him.

To avoid disrupting the students, He Yan and Xiao Jue went to the teachers’ quarters. The teachers rested in this spacious room during the day, teaching only three subjects daily – today’s classes were Literature, Mathematics, and Etiquette. Archery, Horsemanship, and Swordsmanship will be taught tomorrow.

When He Yan and Xiao Jue entered, there was no one else in the room. Huang Sancai first poured them tea and invited them to sit, then got up to adjust the room’s brazier. The room was comfortably warm from the fire, and a cup of hot tea made everything feel just right.

“I hadn’t expected Commander Xiao today,” Huang Sancai smiled as he looked toward He Yan, “And this must be Miss He, the Marquis of Wu’an?”

He Yan quickly stood up and bowed: “He Yan greets Teacher.”

She bowed as a student would to a teacher, which startled Huang Sancai, who hurriedly stood to return the greeting, “Miss He is too polite. Please, sit.”

After He Yan sat down, Huang Sancai smiled and said to her, “When Commander Xiao studied here in his youth, he was quite popular with the young ladies, though he never showed special attention to anyone. I often wondered what kind of woman he would eventually marry. Now all those boys have settled down and married, but we hadn’t seen any movement from him. Now that everything’s settled, I can finally rest easy.”

“This Miss He,” Huang Sancai continued, addressing He Yan again, “is different from ordinary young ladies. I’ve stayed in Shuojing for many years and seen countless young ladies, but Miss He is the first of her kind. Commander Xiao certainly has a discerning eye.”

He Yan: “…”

Huang Sancai probably hadn’t realized that the “young lady” he was now praising endlessly was his former student.

As they were talking, the door opened and someone entered. They both looked over to see a thin elderly man in a brown robe with his hair in a high topknot walking in.

“Master Wei,” Huang Sancai stood up and said to the elderly man: “Commander Xiao and his fiancée Miss He are here.”

Wei Xuanzhang – the headmaster of Xian Chang Academy – looked at the two. He Yan and Xiao Jue stood to bow to him. Unlike Huang Sancai’s obvious warmth, Wei Xuanzhang merely nodded slightly and walked to his table to sit down, placing down the book he was holding. He had just been teaching.

He Yan leaned close to Xiao Jue and whispered: “Look, the person I feared most has arrived.”

During her school days, He Yan had feared Master Wei, the headmaster, the most. Wei Xuanzhang wasn’t just a commoner; he held an official position. However, He Yan had once believed that he established Xian Chang Academy because his personality was too disagreeable – inflexible and stern – and his colleagues in the government disliked him, so they sent him to be the academy’s headmaster.

Unlike the gentle and kind Huang Sancai who never scolded students, Wei Xuanzhang was excessively strict. Any student with poor grades would be punished with copying texts or standing as punishment. Students secretly called him “Old Wei.” As the last-ranked student at Xian Chang Academy, He Yan was naturally viewed by Wei Xuanzhang as the academy’s shame. He Yan believed that if He Yuansheng hadn’t persuaded that mentor, and if the academy didn’t have a rule against expelling admitted students, she would have been driven out by Wei Xuanzhang on her first day and never allowed to step foot in the academy again.

In short, among her memories of this teacher, all He Yan could recall now were unpleasant memories of being hit with the discipline board, standing as punishment, being scolded, and copying texts. Even though she was no longer studying at the academy and could face the Wutuo people without fear, the moment she saw this old teacher, He Yan still felt a chill down her spine.

“This is Miss He,” Huang Sancai said with a smile.

Wei Xuanzhang picked up his tea and took a sip, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over He Yan before he said sternly: “So you’re He Yan? How can a mere woman join the army and fight, exposing herself so publicly?”

He Yan: “?”

How was it that even though she was no longer a student, this Old Wei still had to pick on her? He Yan smiled and said: “It was merely due to circumstances.”

“Living and eating with men, corrupting morals, betraying principles, completely ignorant of proper conduct. Xiao Huaijin has always kept himself pure and proper, how did he end up being deceived by a woman like you?”

He Yan: “…”

Huang Sancai awkwardly wiped his sweat: “Headmaster…”

“Master Wei’s words are too harsh,” Xiao Jue said coolly. “Miss He didn’t deceive me; I was the one who first admired her.”

Wei Xuanzhang’s brows furrowed, his gaze toward Xiao Jue even more disappointed: “For a great man to constantly speak of love and romance, what has become of you!” He glared fiercely at He Yan again: “A beautiful woman bringing disaster!”

He Yan’s smile stiffened. In her two lifetimes, this was the first time anyone had called her a beautiful disaster – she’d take it as a compliment. But Old Wei’s gaze made it seem like she was some evil temptress and Xiao Jue was a foolish ruler destined to lose his kingdom. Perhaps her last-place student qualities had sunk so deep into her bones that even with a different appearance, Wei Xuanzhang would instinctively dislike her on sight.

“We came today with a request,” He Yan changed the subject, fearing that if they continued, Old Wei might chase them out with a long stick.

Huang Sancai asked: “What is it?”

“We’d like to borrow He Rufei’s writings left at the academy,” Xiao Jue said.

At these words, both Wei Xuanzhang and Huang Sancai looked at him in surprise.

“What does Commander Xiao want with He Rufei’s writings?” Huang Sancai asked.

“It’s for me,” He Yan smiled and said: “I’ve always heard that Flying Phoenix General was a great general on par with the Commander, and I admire him greatly. I also heard they were classmates, so I wanted to see traces of Flying Phoenix General’s past…”

“Nonsense! Absurd!” Wei Xuanzhang slammed the table, his face turning iron-grey with anger as he pointed at He Yan: “How dare you be so… so…”

He Yan guessed what he wanted to say and helpfully suggested: “Fickle and inconsistent?”

“You!” Wei Xuanzhang was furious and turned to Xiao Jue: “Xiao Huaijin, is this the wife you’ve chosen!”

Xiao Jue’s mouth twitched as he said: “She’s talking nonsense, Teacher need not take it to heart. Please just let us see He Rufei’s writings.”

“He Rufei was a student of our Xian Chang Academy,” Wei Xuanzhang swept his sleeve and said: “And a great general of Great Wei. How can we let just anyone view his writings?”

He Yan thought to herself that she hadn’t expected to be so important in Wei Xuanzhang’s heart, and felt quite moved, her resentment toward the old man diminishing somewhat.

“I’m not asking as a student,” Xiao Jue said calmly, “but as the Right Army Commander.”

Huang Sancai shivered. He knew that although this young master had seemed to avoid trouble during his time at Xian Chang Academy, he was certainly not an obedient one. Most times, he simply couldn’t be bothered. Now that he was pulling rank, a mere Xian Chang Academy couldn’t defy the Right Army Commander. He pulled Wei Xuanzhang’s sleeve and forced a smile: “What are you saying? Commander Xiao can look anytime he wishes. General He’s writings are all kept in the study, please follow me.”

Wei Xuanzhang was furious: “Huang Sancai…”

“Headmaster,” Huang Sancai moved closer and whispered: “That’s Commander Xiao, and many of our new students each spring come because of Commander Xiao and General He’s reputations. If we offend Commander Xiao and he spreads the word, everyone will go to the Imperial Academy instead. What good talents will Xian Chang Academy be able to recruit then!”

Wei Xuanzhang fell silent. He only knew how to teach and educate; he didn’t understand politics or business. Ordinary matters were usually handled by the shrewd Huang Sancai. Hearing Huang Sancai’s words now, he knew they made sense, but he couldn’t maintain his face, so he snorted and stormed off.

“Master Wei is just a bit rigid in his ways, he means no harm,” Huang Sancai didn’t forget to try to smooth things over with He Yan, “Miss He, please don’t take it to heart.”

“I understand,” He Yan said with a smile. “I won’t take it to heart.”

“That’s good.”

Huang Sancai led the two to Xian Chang Academy’s library and then excused himself. The library had three floors, with the top floor preserving past students’ writings. In recent years, He Yan and Xiao Jue were the academy’s most famous alumni, so their writings and paintings were sealed on the same shelf – Xiao Jue’s on the upper row, He Yan’s on the lower.

He Yan pulled out a stack of test papers and randomly took one out – it was from Mathematics, with a clear “Grade C” marked on it. The paper was full of mistakes.

The moment He Yan saw it, she instinctively hid the test paper behind her back. Xiao Jue glanced at her and sneered: “It’s not like I haven’t seen it before, why are you hiding it?”

He Yan’s mouth twisted, and after thinking for a moment, said: “I think it’s unfair.”

Xiao Jue pulled out a book and flipped through it casually: “What’s unfair?”

“Think about it,” He Yan answered seriously, “when you met me, I was at my lowest point. I wasn’t good at anything. You saw me at my worst. When I went to the battlefield and became good at everything, when I was at my most impressive, you didn’t see it.”

“But when I met you, you were already this amazing,” He Yan said. “Don’t you think that’s unfair?”

Xiao Jue laughed, about to speak when suddenly his expression changed as he looked downstairs: “Someone’s coming.”

“No way?” He Yan whispered: “Didn’t Master Huang let us look for books on our own? Why would he let other students in? If those students see us, won’t it cause a commotion?”

However, she quickly realized this wasn’t the case, because the footsteps coming up the stairs belonged to someone trained in martial arts. Xiao Jue and He Yan exchanged a glance, quickly slipping behind another bookshelf. The space between shelves here was extremely narrow, barely enough for one person to pass through. With both of them hiding in the corner, they had to face each other, standing very close.

Xiao Jue was very tall, and when He Yan lifted her head slightly, she almost touched his chin. As they breathed in such proximity, they could almost hear each other’s heartbeats. He Yan’s palms began to sweat, feeling inexplicably nervous.

However, this nervousness lasted only a moment before her gaze froze. The person who had sneaked up from downstairs quickly darted to the shelf where they had been standing, then took out a flint and set He Yan’s row of shelves on fire.

The fire blazed up with a “whoosh,” and He Yan and Xiao Jue leaped out.

“Stop!”