Xiao Tianyang had not taken many disciples in his lifetime, but those few had all become formidable in their own right, founding their schools and allowing their students to carry on his legacy.

The prosperity of the Xiao school had little to do with its master, but rather with the brilliance of later generations.

Those who could receive personal instruction from Xiao Tianyang not only needed exceptional talent but also had to catch his fancy.

As luck would have it, this young lady possessed both qualities.

His earlier dismissive attitude completely vanished, and Xiao Tianyang now gazed at the slender young woman as if he had discovered a treasure, feeling somewhat excited.

However, he still maintained his pretense: “Pity… you’re a bit too old. Had you met me earlier, you would already be Dafeng’s foremost female warrior by now. What do you say? Beg me a little, and if I’m in a good mood, I might take you as my final disciple!”

He had already relented. But this young lady, failing to recognize his generosity, shook her head vigorously. She withdrew her stance, walked to the table, took a pastry, and said, “I cannot endure hardship. Becoming a female warrior requires years of bitter training. Please spare me, honorable master… Besides, who else but Lady Ye could claim the title of Dafeng’s foremost female warrior?”

Her flattery immediately opened the old warrior’s floodgates of conversation.

Xiao Tianyang and Ye Zhanxue had once trained together on Qiuming Mountain, a beautiful memory he could never forget.

Yet he had no one with whom to share these stories. Feng Yuan, though intelligent and perceptive, was tight-lipped—essentially a sealed bottle, impossible to reminisce with.

Speaking to others about the woman he had admired in his youth required a certain intimacy that was lacking.

But this young lady was Feng Yuan’s intimate bedchamber companion, and somehow matched Xiao Tianyang’s temperament perfectly. Being led into conversation by her, he found himself unable to stop talking.

Yan Xiaoying’s deliberate approach was not mere idle chatter.

She had grown increasingly curious about the mysterious “Master” lurking in the shadows, and wanted to extract information from Xiao Tianyang, hoping to discover which of Ye Zhanxue’s old acquaintances might have the power to become that “Master” who controlled the iron trade and manipulated court officials.

“Zhanxue’s close friends? Oh, she had so many! Do you know? If not for the scolding from her father and brother about her unruly behavior, she nearly established her school. What a pity she was held back by that mediocrity, Feng Qishu. Had she not married, what a free-spirited life she would have led!”

On this point, Xiaoying strongly agreed.

“Why did Lady Ye agree to marry into the Feng family back then?”

At this, Xiao Tianyang’s expression turned sour: “It was all because that scoundrel Feng Qishu was so persistent! He already had a fiancée but deliberately concealed it while pursuing Zhanxue.”

“A fiancée?” Xiaoying’s eyes lit up at this gossip.

Xiao Tianyang gave a cold laugh: “Yes. My niece had a childhood betrothal with Feng Qishu, but after meeting Zhanxue, he disavowed it. My niece had developed feelings for Mu Shen, so both parties willingly broke the engagement. Otherwise, had my niece married Feng Qishu, Mu Hanjiang would be a prince now!”

Xiao Tianyang’s joke caused Xiaoying’s mind to explode with connections.

“Are you saying Princess Anqing didn’t have feelings for His Majesty, but actively broke off the engagement herself?”

“Indeed! Feng Qishu wasn’t exactly a catch back then—just an obscure imperial relative. How could he compare to the stable household of Duke Ding’s heir, Mu Shen? Looking back now, my niece was clever to avoid that poisonous trap of the imperial palace early on, unlike Zhanxue, who was tortured to death before her time…”

At this point, Xiao Tianyang’s nose slightly reddened: “She was too young then. No matter how intelligent she was, she hadn’t yet witnessed truly wicked people in this world. That Feng fellow was handsome and full of promises. She didn’t realize that some people’s words change as soon as they have the chance to curry favor with higher powers! But Zhanxue refused to believe otherwise…”

Regarding Emperor Chunde’s youthful appearance, Xiaoying had already received firsthand confirmation through Feng Yuan.

That kind of devilishly wild handsomeness indeed had a powerful attraction for young women.

Imagining a gentleman who looked like Feng Yuan, and who could also speak honeyed words, would truly be a calamity in any woman’s life.

Even if Lady Ye later saw through the illusion of love, her father, brothers, and clan had already been bound to the Feng family’s advancing war chariot. Whether to stop or continue, even the course of her fate, was no longer under her control…

At this point, Xiao Tianyang sank into a rare mood of melancholy.

However, he was not by nature one to dwell on sorrows, nor did he wish to shed tears before the younger generation.

So his spirits quickly lifted, and soon he turned to discussing martial arts, chatting idly with Xiaoying while insisting she demonstrate more skills for him.

Thus, Xiaoying found herself entangled with this martial arts enthusiast, realizing she would not be released until she joined the Xiao school.

Eventually, Xiao Tianyang rummaged through his weapon storehouse and handed Xiaoying a saber measuring three feet and seven inches.

“This saber is called ‘Raven’s Cry,’ forged by Zhanxue. Unfortunately, after forging it, she preferred using a sword, letting this saber gather dust in storage. Now, the palm technique you’re practicing specifically counters old villain Chen Xifan’s curved saber. Paired with this saber, which can both cut and thrust, your power will be doubled!”

Xiaoying accepted the saber with both hands. As the narrow blade emerged from its scabbard, purple light flashed intensely.

She was amazed to discover that the material of this blade was superior even to the one the “Master” had given to Feng Yuan.

When Xiaoying inquired about the saber, Xiao Tianyang replied casually: “Of course it’s different from others. The iron was personally sourced by Zhanxue and improved upon. She burned countless furnaces of molten iron before forging this. Unfortunately, this saber is too small, not quite suitable for men, so it has been neglected all this time.”

Xiaoying knew this material must be the geng iron that Feng Yuan had mentioned.

Thoughtfully, she asked: “What happened to the Lady’s iron-forging formula afterward? Who received it?”

Xiao Tianyang scratched his head: “Zhanxue was free-spirited and liked to befriend extraordinary people. She learned such a diverse range of skills. Her various manuscripts could fill several large chests! Later, I believe they were all transported to her old residence, Listening Heart Garden.”

Xiaoying had learned about the Western Mountain Iron Mine in her studies at Listening Heart Garden.

She had visited the study there, which contained numerous travel journals and maps, but completely lacked any manuscripts on iron forging techniques, or even military texts.

It was as if books on these subjects had been carefully screened and removed before being transported, leaving only harmless travel journals and maps as relics for Feng Yuan.

There was also the blood manuscript that Feng Yuan had mentioned, which described someone vastly different from the naturally open-minded, intelligent woman she understood Lady Ye to be.

Could life’s tragedies truly have transformed Ye Zhanxue so fundamentally in her later years that she would record her grievances in blood and relentlessly urge her son Feng Yuan to avenge her?

While pondering this, she heard a woman’s voice behind her: “Master Xiao, where is your honored guest? Dinner is ready.”

Xiaoying recognized the voice as that of Master Ge’s wife, Sun Shi. She thought “oh no” and wanted to put on her face veil, but it was already too late.

Sun Shi had already entered the training ground and was smiling at her.

However, when she saw Xiaoying’s face, her smile gradually faded, and she looked at the young woman with confusion.

“Who is this…?”

“She’s A’Yuan’s little concubine, the one who saved you and your husband! How can you not recognize her?” Xiao Tianyang, not noticing anything amiss, introduced her casually.

Sun Shi looked at Xiaoying’s face again and exclaimed in shock: “How does this lady look so… so much like…”

With things having reached this point, Xiaoying forced a smile and introduced herself: “This humble one is Ying’er, greetings to Madam Sun.”

Indeed, the voice matched that of the veiled woman who had rescued the couple.

But why did she look identical to the Crown Prince?

Just then, someone else entered: “Why isn’t anyone coming to eat? This old man is hungry.”

It was Master Ge, who had returned from the palace and was also staying at Xiao Tianyang’s residence.

When he saw Yan Xiaoying’s face, his smile also gradually faded as he stared at his student in astonishment.

Was His Highness the Crown Prince indulging in some sort of theatrical play? Why was he standing before him wearing women’s clothes?

Xiaoying inwardly cursed Feng Yuan again, suspecting he had done this deliberately. Knowing that the Imperial Tutor and his wife were present, he still brought her here. What was his intention?

Fortunately, she had experienced such awkward situations before, so she maintained her composure and greeted Master Ge naturally.

As expected, Master Ge was rooted to the spot upon hearing her gentle, feminine voice, looking at Yan Xiaoying with confusion.

Having spent considerable time with the Crown Prince, he was certainly familiar with the young man.

Feng Yuan had taken a concubine who looked like the Crown Prince? What was that child trying to achieve?

Among everyone present, only Xiao Tianyang failed to notice anything unusual, cheerfully telling Master Ge how the young woman had such great talent that he had taken an immediate liking to her and wanted to accept her as his disciple.

Master Ge finally regained his composure and smiled: “Taking a clever disciple is certainly a good thing. Speaking of which, one of my students is also quite talented, but unfortunately, he has gone away, leaving this teacher missing him dearly.”

Xiaoying knew Master Ge was trying to prompt her, but she just smiled without responding.

She hadn’t started this confusion and had no desire to resolve it.

If pressed for answers later, they couldn’t blame her for dropping the pretense and simply walking away!

Fortunately, Master Ge and his wife were no ordinary people, and they refrained from further questioning, attending to Xiaoying at dinner as they would any younger family member, thoughtfully offering her dishes.

However, the Imperial Tutor’s gaze remained fixed on her, as if trying to find traces of the Crown Prince in her.

In the evening, Madam Sun personally helped Xiaoying prepare her room and brought hot water for her to wash up.

But when Xiaoying was about to undress for bathing, she didn’t leave.

Xiaoying guessed this must be at Master Ge’s instruction, so she simply allowed Madam Sun to observe without objection.

When Madam Sun finally confirmed that this slender but curvaceous young woman was not a man in disguise, she still looked at the lady’s face with some confusion.

Tonight, someone would certainly have trouble sleeping, but it wouldn’t be Xiaoying.

The next morning, as she opened her eyes feeling warm and comfortable in her bed, she discovered that Feng Yuan had arrived at some point and was half-reclining beside her, his long eyelashes lowered as he gazed at her intently.

Xiaoying inwardly warned herself—how had her vigilance dropped so much? Spending the night in a strange place, and not even noticing when someone entered her room?

Feng Yuan caressed her cheek with his long, slightly callused fingers and observed: “Did Third Uncle exhaust you?”

Xiaoying’s face slackened slightly: so that was why she had slept so deeply.

Feng Yuan’s merciless training regimen had been inherited from Xiao Tianyang!

The old man had latched onto her yesterday, determined to transform her into a peerless female warrior in a single day, ready to slay several of Chen Xifan’s disciples.

Feng Yuan reached out to massage her shoulders.

Xiaoying emitted a muffled groan like a cat, then asked softly: “Wasn’t my foster father supposed to meet with His Majesty today? Why have you come to the mountain as well?”

Feng Yuan’s hands were relaxed yet powerful, but his tone was icy, tinged with mockery: “Princess Anqing personally entered the palace yesterday with the dossiers Mu Hanjiang gave her, and cleared your foster father’s name. His Majesty has already issued an edict, considering that Meng Zhun had been wrongfully accused for many years and had assisted in defending Linchuan. He has pardoned him and his officers of their past crimes, while granting them good farmland and gold, allowing him to return to Jiangzhe to live out his remaining years.”

Xiaoying hadn’t expected Princess Anqing to act this way and couldn’t understand: “But yesterday she sent someone to poison him in prison. Why would she then enter the palace to plead for my foster father?”

Feng Yuan gave a cold laugh, seemingly unconcerned about Anqing’s motives.

But Xiaoying knew that her foster father’s pardon was not the end.

For her foster father and herself, the matter would not be resolved until they found the blade that had massacred the entire Meng family!

Princess Anqing must have realized this, which made it even more puzzling why she hadn’t taken the opportunity to deliver a killing blow, but instead had so diligently worked to exonerate him.

Feng Yuan’s focus, however, differed from Xiaoying’s.

“I heard… that those dossiers of Mu Hanjiang’s were given to him by you when you were in Jiangzhe?” He couldn’t help but recall Xiaoying and Mu Hanjiang alone together, and something like wild grass seemed to grow uncontrollably in his heart, causing great discomfort.

“No, I only asked him to deliver a message to Director Dong at the Imperial Household Department. The dossiers were ones I had previously left at the department.”

Feng Yuan’s grip on her neck tightened slightly: “You certainly trust him, entrusting him with such an important message!”

Xiaoying had the strange feeling that the gentleman massaging her was displeased, and that if she didn’t answer this question correctly, he might pin her down on the bed by the neck in the next moment.

“Though he’s somewhat suspicious by nature, he’s fairly upright in character. At the time, I didn’t know Princess Anqing was connected to my foster father’s case…”

“Upright?”

Feng Yuan’s smile didn’t reach his eyes: “Your ‘upright’ Master Mu has sent quite a few spies to Jiangzhe, meticulously investigating your and your father’s life histories. He’s also sent many people to monitor the ‘Crown Prince’ at his recovery location. Now, if the ‘Crown Prince’ were to fall seriously ill, his men would dare to open the coffin for examination!”

Xiaoying raised her head sharply: “Does that mean the Crown Prince cannot ‘pass away’ anytime soon?”

Feng Yuan raised an eyebrow at her: “If you’re in a hurry, you could beg your ‘upright’ Master Mu and see if he’s willing to show mercy and let the Crown Prince depart for the Western Paradise sooner?”

Xiaoying looked at him, feeling his words had a sour tone, as if he were mocking her, with the source of his mockery being her previous trust in Mu Hanjiang.

Such a grown man, yet with such a petty mind?

Just then, Madam Sun called from outside that breakfast was ready.

After acknowledging her, Xiaoying asked Feng Yuan, “Master Ge is suspicious. Have you told him about my relationship with the Crown Prince?”

Feng Yuan replied indifferently: “I haven’t told Master Ge. If you want to explain, you may do so yourself.”

This secret involved not just Xiaoying, but also Feng Qiyuan and Yan Shan. Xiaoying was protective of her loved ones, and no one could harm those she wished to protect.

If Xiaoying didn’t want to tell, he wouldn’t tell anyone either.

Unfortunately, Xiaoying didn’t appreciate his consideration. If he truly meant well, why bring her before these people in the first place?

Deliberately creating such an awkward situation with all her old acquaintances—how could she just leave it hanging?

She even suspected Feng Yuan had done it intentionally, like a three-year-old child who had finally gotten a toy and couldn’t wait to show it off everywhere!

Though Xiaoying couldn’t quite figure out what exactly he was trying to show off.

When they left the room, Feng Yuan naturally took Xiaoying’s hand as they headed toward the dining hall.

Although they had long known that this young woman was Feng Yuan’s concubine, when they saw the usually cold Feng Yuan intimately holding the lady’s hand as they entered the dining hall, the Ge couple couldn’t help but exchange glances.

When they saw Feng Yuan personally ladling porridge for her, skillfully peeling a salted egg, then placing the yolk in her porridge bowl, apparently following the lady’s usual habit of mashing the yolk into her porridge, Master Ge wanted to touch the face of the child he had raised, to see if someone was impersonating him.

When Feng Yuan had come to him as a child, though young in years, his personality had already been shaped by his upbringing in various imperial relatives’ households.

The young A’Yuan had interacted with others with extreme caution and unfamiliarity.

Even later, after spending so many years by his side, that innate distance had never changed.

Ge Danian knew this was a psychological knot, and could only lead by example, keeping him close to the couple, letting him observe how ordinary families interacted in daily life.

Later, Feng Yuan did improve somewhat, able to help his teacher’s wife with chores, and even cooking meals and brewing medicine when his teacher was unwell.

He had always thought A’Yuan’s temperament was improving.

Until the incident at the Mu family’s residence. He had returned with a bloody dagger, his eyes showing not fear or regret, but an indescribable calmness.

When Ge Danian asked him why, he refused to speak, so his teacher reprimanded him, asking if he knew he had done wrong.

Feng Yuan quickly admitted his error, saying he indeed shouldn’t have acted impulsively, but should have planned more carefully.

If he had been patient for a few more hours, waiting until Mu Shen took Mu Hanjiang out, he would have been able to kill those he wanted to kill!

These words made Ge Danian tremble at the time.

A’Yuan’s personality might have been tolerable in an ordinary family’s child.

But he happened to be born into an imperial family, in that vortex of power struggles. With such a sharp edge and such a propensity for holding grudges, how could he protect himself?

So when A’Yuan was later brought into the palace by His Majesty, not only Madam Sun but also Ge Danian was anxious to the point of sleeplessness.

He worried both that others might harm the child and that the child might continue to be immersed in hatred and coldness, eventually becoming unrecognizable.

Later, his fears were indeed realized. A’Yuan inexplicably went mad, nearly strangling the Crown Prince, and was consequently imprisoned in Desolate Palace for ten years.

When A’Yuan was carried into the great hall, covered in wounds, Ge Danian discovered that the young man who should have been burning with resentment was able to calmly bow to His Majesty, admit his wrongs, and even sensibly plead for leniency for Xiao Tianyang’s rashness.

At that moment, Ge Danian felt not pride in the child’s maturity, but an inexplicable shudder running down his spine.

This child seemed to have grown into someone no one could understand, becoming quiet and frightening.

Most frightening of all, because of his strong resemblance to His Majesty, the clouds of doubt about his bloodline had nearly dissipated.

This meant that, if Feng Yuan wished, he was fully qualified to join the competition for the imperial succession, crushing one by one those brothers raised in luxurious palaces who had never encountered true cruelty, fear, or restraint, and who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, then calmly seizing ultimate power.

Whenever he thought of this, Ge Danian, steeped in political machinations for years, felt no excitement or relief, only concern for the empire’s welfare.

If an heir to the throne harbored boundless resentment, once unleashed and allowed to climb to the pinnacle of power to vent at will, it would certainly not be a blessing for the empire!

But now this young man was no longer the child fostered in his courtyard, nor was he someone Ge Danian could control alone.

Even if he was unwilling to support Feng Yuan’s ascension, Feng Yuan seemed to have found other supporters, quietly planning the recovery campaign for Feng Tail Slope.

And the brutality of that Feng Tail Slope campaign seemed to further confirm Master Ge’s concerns.

But Master Ge never imagined that he would also need to worry about the Grand Prince’s bedroom preferences.

This child Feng Yuan… could he be so extravagant?

Even if he hated his half-brothers bitterly, what was the meaning of taking a concubine who looked exactly like the Crown Prince?

Like the Third Prince, Ge Danian knew that Ying’er was truly female, but instinctively felt Feng Yuan was humiliating the Crown Prince.

But now, witnessing the interaction between this young couple, Ge Danian was no longer certain.

Was this… humiliation?

Though they were eating, Feng Yuan’s eyes hardly left the young woman.

If she glanced at a dish a few times, Feng Yuan would, disregarding all the elders at the table, naturally move the plate toward her.

The lady found this inappropriate and seemed to have kicked A’Yuan hard under the table, glaring at him, then smiling awkwardly at them.