Help her… press a few spots to try?

Did he mean… in the same way she had just pressed down on that young woman?

A mouthful of blood nearly surged up Feng Jiu’er’s throat — Ninth Imperial Uncle’s words, always so utterly shocking, were truly enough to frighten someone to death without consequence.

Suddenly, a small booklet was tossed over by him, landing at her feet.

“What is this?” Feng Jiu’er picked it up and leafed through it casually.

“The Military Academy? The Longwu Army? Ninth Imperial Uncle, these are the forces under your command?”

This booklet contained a complete listing of the Academy’s various institutes. The very first one to appear was the Longwu Army.

“The Military Academy is full of hulking brutes — pick something else.”

Although the Longwu Army was his, having a little girl spending every day among a group of men gave him an inexplicable sense of… slight discomfort.

“Since you know medicine, you may as well go to the Medical Institute,” Ninth Imperial Uncle said.

“The Medical Institute — the place that will supply talent to the Imperial Physicians’ Bureau in the future?”

“Yes.”

“Then I certainly don’t want to go.” She had always been confident in her medical skills — but if she entered the Medical Institute, her future would only ever be serving in the palace as a female physician.

Essentially, she would spend her days treating the consorts, princesses, and daughters of ministers and noble families in the rear palace.

It wasn’t that she looked down on such patients — it was simply that her ambitions lay beyond this.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle, I want to go to the battlefield!” To defend the homeland and save the wounded and dying — that was the life she desired.

“Absurd.” What kind of outcome could a woman possibly have on a battlefield?

“The battlefield is a place of flashing blades and spilling blood, full of peril on all sides — one lives a life soaked in carnage. What would you go there to do?”

“I could serve as a field physician — I could save lives.” She burned with patriotic fervor. What did he know of it?

Though, now that she thought about it, she had not yet developed much attachment to this nation of Bei Mu.

“Regardless, this Prince forbids it!” Zhan Qingcheng gave a long sweep of his sleeve. “Stop the carriage.”

…And just like that, Feng Jiu’er was dropped off — and this time, it was not at the Medical Institute, but at the Ethics Institute.

Feng Jiu’er flipped through the small booklet Ninth Imperial Uncle had given her and finally found the entry for the Ethics Institute.

The description stated that the Ethics Institute was for studying the Four Books and the Five Classics, along with the Three Obediences and the Four Virtues — what the — ! This was a place designed to ruin a woman’s entire life!

The Ethics Institute was clearly established specifically for princesses and noblewomen!

Ninth Imperial Uncle had actually dropped her off outside the gates of a completely useless institute like this — even if he was angry, he could not harm her like this!

That wretched man! He had gone far too far!

“Miss, are you here to register at the Ethics Institute?” a guard at the gate called out loudly.

“No!” Feng Jiu’er fled as though she had seen a ghost.

The Three Obediences and Four Virtues — whoever wanted them could study them. Not an ounce of ambition, just pondering how to be a dutiful wife and raise children — disgusting!

Past the Ethics Institute was the Astronomy Institute, a place dedicated to the study of celestial and terrestrial geography.

Earlier, when everyone had been queuing outside the main gates of the Imperial Academy, they had been waiting to receive this small booklet that Ninth Imperial Uncle had given her, after which they would decide which institute to register at.

Of course, simply registering did not guarantee admission — everyone still had to go through a selection process.

Those who passed would be accepted on the spot; those who did not would have their names placed in a provisional queue.

After each institute had selected its first cohort, if the numbers were still insufficient, they would draw from the provisional list to fill remaining spots.

If an institute had already filled its quota, it would accept no further applicants, leaving the remaining candidates to be chosen by institutes that still had openings.

By now the courtyard of the Astronomy Institute was already crowded — it seemed there were quite a few people looking to enroll there as well. Feng Jiu’er, booklet with its simple map in hand, continued searching for the location of the Military Academy…