The imperial family was heartless, cold, and devoid of familial affection. No sooner had they woken than Yun Ye and Li Tai were driven out of the palace by Zhangsun without even being given breakfast. Duan Hong, his entire body wrapped in bandages and walking bowlegged, still persisted at his post. It was incomprehensible—this expert’s joints were clearly dislocated, yet why could he now stand there perfectly fine? This obviously didn’t conform to the general laws of nature. What was the reason?

Experts had their dignity. Duan Hong said nothing, but his body twisted for a moment, and Yun Ye watched as all his joints came loose again, his face distorting into an elongated shape. Even his head seemed to become pointed. Yun Ye and Li Tai were dumbstruck.

“The ancients spoke of the ‘cock crowing and dog thievery.’ What you’re seeing now is ‘dog thievery’—the ability to pass through places ordinary people couldn’t possibly squeeze through. This was essential specialized talent that aristocratic families and powerful clans had to possess in the past. This skill made Duan Hong suffer terribly. Its cruelty makes even this old man shudder in fear.” Wu She, his head bare and wearing a blue cloth robe, walked out of the palace. Seeing Yun Ye’s astonishment at Duan Hong’s abilities, he explained with a chuckle.

Duan Hong’s entire body rippled like a wave, and he immediately returned to normal. He prostrated himself at Wu She’s knees and said quietly, “Congratulations to Great Ancestor on achieving complete merit and virtue. Now you can be free and unrestrained. Duan Hong offers his congratulations to Great Ancestor!”

Wu She helped Duan Hong up and said with emotion, “His Majesty is an honest and trustworthy sovereign. My today is your tomorrow. Guard His Majesty well—this is the duty of us eunuchs. Though we have no descendants, we too have ways to pass on our legacy, so we won’t be forgotten after death. This old man is the pioneer, exploring the path for you all.”

Duan Hong was crying, which Yun Ye found strange. Last night this fellow hadn’t even had human form, still showing that grimacing ugly appearance, yet now over just one sentence, he cried so sorrowfully.

Wu She laughed heartily, slapped Duan Hong once, and said to Yun Ye, “Marquis Yun, this old man is now completely alone with nowhere to go. It’s time for you to fulfill your promise. House, carriage, servants, cook, silver—not one thing can be missing. This old man has already chosen—across from the Academy on East Yang River, there’s an exquisite little building most suitable for a single person like this old man. That’s the one.”

“You really know how to pick! That little building may look small, but its interior is decorated most exquisitely. Lady Yang Fei’s candy box can’t compare at all. That place is only suitable for hiding a beauty in a golden house. It’s wasted on an old geezer like you living there.”

“This old man served as a slave his entire life. Now that I’m making my own decisions, of course I choose whatever’s expensive, not whatever’s right. That little building it is! Hahaha!”

Duan Hong looked enviously as Wu She, Yun Ye, and Li Tai boarded the carriage and left the Imperial City surrounded by a large group of guards. Wu She’s words seemed to still linger in his ears. He couldn’t help but gather his spirits—he too would be like this someday. If he could also go to the Academy at that time, how wonderful that would be.

Sixteen-year-old Gou Zi was still selling tea at the Thirty-Li Post. His mother’s health had greatly improved. The handsome youth ignored the burning gazes of the noble ladies coming from Chang’an, calmly and cheerfully serving tea to those women. Though his hands were always being fondled, his pocket already contained three hairpins. For the sake of the silver, he still smiled sweetly.

On this road, only the Marquis’s carriage dared to charge about like a wild boar. Old Madam, Young Madam, and Second Madam were all refined people who wouldn’t urge the Yun family carriage to such speeds.

The carriage stopped in a cloud of dust beside the tea stall, and Yun Ye’s voice rang out, “Gou Zi, hurry up! A pot of hot tea, and three bowls of your mother’s cold noodles too—put extra chili oil in them.”

The smiling Gou Zi quickly agreed, first sending a pot of hot tea into the carriage, then bringing out three bowls of cold noodles from behind the bamboo shed and delivering them inside.

The arrogant behavior of the carriage owner drew eye rolls from a large group of noble ladies. However, seeing the large group of guards behind the carriage, they didn’t dare make a scene. Their pleasant, warm atmosphere had been destroyed by a wild boar—this was their collective sentiment.

Wu She took a bowl of cold noodles, and his gaze inadvertently swept over Gou Zi’s ten fingers. He let out a soft exclamation and grabbed Gou Zi’s hand with his other hand, spreading his five fingers apart. There was a series of crisp cracking sounds from the joints, and Gou Zi’s hand seemed to grow somewhat larger.

Gou Zi, strongly enduring the pain, pulled his hand back and glared at Wu She angrily. Because this person was the Marquis’s guest and shouldn’t be offended, he could only endure. But Gou Zi, born a warrior, still clenched his fist.

“Young man, I see you have extraordinary bone structure, refined exterior and intelligent interior—you’re excellent material for martial arts training. Though you’re a bit old, with this old man here, you still have hope of becoming a first-rate expert. If you’re willing to call me grandfather, I’ll teach you.”

Wu She spoke these words very seriously, without the slightest hint of joking. Yun Ye turned his head toward Gou Zi and nodded, hoping from his heart that Wu She would take Gou Zi as a disciple.

Seeing Yun Ye nod, the clever Gou Zi immediately knew the beardless old man before him must be extraordinary. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Looking at your age, calling you grandfather isn’t a loss, but you should at least let me see what skills you have.”

Wu She smiled so much his eyes squinted. Changing his palm to a claw, with one grab he tore off a piece of the precious sandalwood tea table in the Yun family carriage and handed it to Gou Zi, squinting his eyes waiting for Gou Zi to call him grandfather.

An old soldier helping sell tea immediately kicked Gou Zi’s knee, bending down to Wu She and saying, “Sir, you are an extraordinary expert. That you would deign to take this child as a grandson is truly his fortune. This child lost his father young and was raised by his widowed mother, lacking in discipline. Please don’t take offense.”

Wu She nodded. At this point, Gou Zi also knelt on the ground and properly called out “Grandfather.” Hearing Gou Zi call him grandfather, Wu She opened his mouth missing one tooth and smiled with extreme pleasure. He took out a small silver token from his bosom and handed it to Gou Zi, saying, “This is the symbol of my school. In three days, bring this token to the Academy to find me.”

Watching Gou Zi receive the silver token with both hands, Wu She instructed the carriage to depart. Inadvertently discovering a good prospect made Wu She very happy. He only wanted to quickly reach the Academy to find more grandsons for himself. He had been looking forward to this moment for a long time.

Yun Ye put down his empty bowl and extended his hand to Wu She, saying, “Actually, I too am a person of extraordinary bone structure. It’s just that I’ve always kept a low profile and don’t like to show off. Sir Wu She, why don’t you examine my hand—am I also one in ten thousand?”

Li Tai, who was eating cold noodles, choked and nearly sprayed them out. He looked at Yun Ye, then at Wu She, and lowered his head to continue eating his cold noodles.

Wu She glanced at Yun Ye’s chubby palms and snorted, “Your two hands are only suitable for braising, with no other use.” After saying this, he picked up his bowl of cold noodles and ate with his head down, not looking at Yun Ye again.

Awkwardly withdrawing his hand, Yun Ye said to Li Tai in embarrassed fury, “Starting tomorrow, in my family’s cellar, you and I will properly study how to make that thing. After you learn it, get lost immediately. As long as you’re around, I have bad luck.”

Li Tai helplessly put down his bowl and said angrily to Wu She, “Couldn’t you have humored him a bit? Did you have to tell the truth? Don’t you know that when the two of them fight in circles, I’m always the one who suffers in the end?”

Toward his former master, Wu She gave a couple of chuckles but said nothing more, continuing to eat his cold noodles. From Li Tai’s words, he sensed a hint of respect, no longer the lofty attitude of the past. His heart felt free, making him want even more to reach his own domain as soon as possible.

Yun Ye saw through Wu She’s thoughts. He called over a family guard and gave him a few quiet instructions. The guard immediately spurred his horse and galloped swiftly toward the Yun estate.

When they reached the Yun home, Yun Ye drove Wu She off the carriage, “Take your own carriage! Don’t squeeze in with me. You’ve ruined another perfectly good sandalwood tea table. Don’t come to my house either—you have your own home now, go to your own home. Remember, from now on you’re not allowed to freeload meals at my house or break things in my house. These hands of mine that are only fit for braising can’t serve you properly.”

The words were spoken quite heartlessly, but Wu She wasn’t angry in the slightest. He grabbed his bundle and got off the carriage. He saw a carriage pulled by two horses stopped at the intersection. A young servant in blue clothes rushed up and bowed, saying, “Old Grandfather, this servant has been waiting for you quite a while.”

Wu She boarded his own carriage with great emotion, touching here, looking there. The carriage wasn’t particularly good—it couldn’t even compare to his carriage in the palace. There was no gold inlay or silver decoration. The interior of the carriage had no luxurious silk decorations either, just simple blue hemp cloth. The horses pulling the carriage were also nags. But it was precisely this very ordinary carriage that truly belonged to him. This was the first thing he owned in this world between heaven and earth. He had mentioned it once in casual conversation with Yun Ye, and unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, he possessed it. This nearly brought tears to Wu She’s old eyes.

“Old Grandfather, bath water has been prepared at home, and Madam Feng San also asked me to inquire whether you prefer to eat noodles or rice.”

The young boy chattered on endlessly, all meaningless idle talk, but Wu She found it very interesting. Seeing the youth constantly urging the horses, he said, “What’s your name?”

“I’m called Xiao Man. I’m fifteen this year. The Yun family’s steward bought me from the slave market to serve Old Grandfather. He also said the money to buy me will be deducted from Old Grandfather’s wages. Old Grandfather, what are wages?”

“Hehe, wages are work money. But this old grandfather’s wages aren’t given by the Yun family—they’re given by the Academy. Xiao Man, drive the carriage more slowly. These two horses aren’t coordinating too well yet. Don’t let them get injured…”

When Yun Ye returned home, Shishi ran over saying she now recognized many characters—would Master test her? Yun Ye habitually looked toward the corner of the wall. Sure enough, a triple bun was faintly visible. Who else could it be but Xiao Wu? She’d instigated Shishi to come find him, but actually wanted to show off in front of Yun Ye herself, afraid Yun Ye wouldn’t know, revealing her hairstyle to indicate her presence.

This girl had developed a sense of crisis. After her father died, her mother returned to Shu with her elder and younger sisters. Only she stubbornly stayed at the Yun estate, refusing to go anywhere. Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang wanted to marry their sister off to a wealthy household and came to the Yun estate to make trouble three times. At that time, Yun Ye hadn’t yet returned. Xiao Wu knelt before Xinyue with scissors, declaring her resolve—if forced to return, she would commit suicide. For this reason, Xinyue refused her two brothers’ demands.