Jiang Mingyi didn't even glance at his classmate; he just stared at the book in his hand, seemingly oblivious to everything else.

The student hadn't expected this person to be so boring, and started discussing it with the others again.

"Brother, brother, Mother is back. Hurry home."

Bao'er burst into the school and pulled people out, "I wonder what fun things Mother brought us back this time. Brother, I want to go out with Mother next time, okay?"

The little girl didn't care what her brother was doing; she pulled him away with all her might, her little face turning slightly pale.

Jiang Mingyi had no choice but to pick up the book and follow the person, without bothering to tidy up the desk.

The other students in the academy couldn't help but gossip about it, saying, "These two siblings are too inseparable."

"That's right, how can girls study in an academy? It's truly shameful for us."

However, someone spoke up and said something fair: "This academy was funded by Madam Gu, and Madam Gu also pays for all of Mr. Sun's expenses. If you are not happy, you don't have to study here."

Other students: "..."

Don't we know that? Why do you need to remind us like this?

It's just something to say and enjoy for a bit.

Regardless of what was said at the academy, when Jiang Mingyi and Bao'er returned home, they saw Gu An'an distributing gifts. "This is a knife I got for you. Didn't you say the knives from Xiyong were good? What do you think?"

Xiao You looked constipated. "But boss, I was talking about a treasured sword, not a throwing knife."

Throwing knives are concealed weapons; I don't use them.

Gu An'an looked somewhat embarrassed. "Really, I remembered wrong. It's all my fault for being too busy and forgetting about it."

Xiao You: "..." I think you did this on purpose.

However, the throwing knife is really well-made; it looks like it can cut through iron like mud. She likes it very much.

Xiao Wu was a little flattered when she received the gift, "Do I get one too?"

"Of course, see if you like it or not. I think this is quite suitable for you to play."

Xiao Wu took that set of toys and went out to play.

Bao'er's eyes widened as she looked up and rushed over, hugging Gu An'an's leg. She looked up and said, "Mom, have you missed Bao'er? Bao'er misses you so much. I miss you when I eat, I miss you when I read, and I even miss you when I sleep."

Looking at her rosy-cheeked little daughter, Gu An'an couldn't help but squat down and kiss her. "You always think of me when you're studying, so you haven't been studying hard, haven't you? Didn't your teacher notice?"

"Oh dear." The little girl wrapped her arms around Gu An'an's neck. "Mom, how could you say that? I've been very obedient."

Gu An'an went with a caravan heading to Xiyong this time, and specially found two female bodyguards to accompany her. She didn't let Xiao You go with her, after all, Xiao You had lived in the three border cities since childhood and had a natural hatred for Xiyong, so it was not appropriate for her to go.

Fortunately, the journey there and back was safe. The only thing that worried her was that the situation in the Daye Dynasty had changed so much in such a short time since she left.

Fortunately, the rebellion broke out in the southern prefecture, while Anzhou Prefecture was relatively unaffected, and there were no major disturbances on the way to Xiyong.

"I know you've been good, so I've prepared a gift for you."

"Where is it? Where is it?" Bao'er asked curiously, as she couldn't see the gift anywhere.

Do you like the little white horse in the yard?

Upon hearing this, Bao'er immediately ran out, with Xiao You following behind, afraid that the little girl might be knocked down by the horse's hooves.

She's an impatient little girl, though.

Gu An'an couldn't help but laugh as she looked at Jiang Mingyi standing there.

After some time apart, the young man seemed to have grown taller and more handsome. In another two years, he would probably be a dashing young man on the road.

"Xi Yong's calligraphy and painting are quite good. What do you think of using them?"

Jiang Mingyi failed the provincial examination. Sun Hanzhou even went to the provincial education commissioner of Anzhou Prefecture to inquire about the situation, only to find out that the examiners had different opinions on his answer sheet.

After learning Jiang Mingyi's age, they ultimately decided to let him fail the exam and try again later.

Being too young and having too much success in scientific research is also not a good thing.

Gu An'an thought they were a bunch of old fogies, but seeing that Jiang Mingyi had accepted the fact, she didn't say anything more.

But now the situation has suddenly become unstable, and Gu An'an is even more uneasy, not knowing when dark clouds will gather over the city.

"Thank you, Mother." Jiang Mingyi thanked her politely, then opened the exquisitely packaged writing brush and ink and looked at it. "I'll go check on Baozhu."

Children are playful, and it would be bad if they accidentally hurt themselves.

Looking at the polite young man, Gu An'an felt that Jiang Mingyi seemed a little distant from her after returning from this trip.

Is she overthinking it?

Gu An'an temporarily put aside this thought and waited for Xiao You to return before asking her questions in detail.

"No, Mingyi hasn't had anything going on lately. Don't worry about the students in the academy talking nonsense. He just reads and practices calligraphy every day and hasn't caused any trouble."

Just because you behave yourself doesn't mean nothing will happen.

"Okay, I understand." She was still very uneasy, feeling that something was about to happen, and once it did, she wouldn't be able to control it.

Just as Xiao You was about to leave, she suddenly heard Gu An'an call her again, "Has Jiang Yong'an contacted you?"

The girl from the border stopped in her tracks, turned around to look at Gu An'an with a pained expression, and said, "Master, I really didn't..."

"I just want the answer."

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