Chapter Eleven: Don't Offend Women

A lone plume of smoke rises straight from the desert, the setting sun hangs round over the long river. Even before approaching, the thunderous roar of the waves can be heard. The rolling, turbid waves crash against the riverbank, creating earthy white sprays that shatter into heaps of white foam in their undulating journey. Along the riverbank, the mountains are a cold, verdant green, the sky a somber blue; the world seems to be filled only by these crashing waves, a sight that fills the heart with awe.

It was dusk; the setting sun was perfectly round, its afterglow a vibrant crimson, possessing a breathtaking, almost bewitching beauty. A cool breeze carried a damp chill that sent shivers down their spines. After surveying the terrain, Mu Lian insisted on leading everyone to camp upstream on the riverbank. The large ship dispatched by the imperial court had not yet arrived, and they needed to rest there for another day. Deputy Commander Sun remained resentful, grumbling and cursing all the way. In his view, Mu Lian's chosen campsite was a pointless and unnecessary detour.

Not far away, Mu Lian looked down from her vantage point, her bright eyes slightly narrowed, taking in everything. It seemed that this Deputy Commander Sun had been living a comfortable life for too long, forgetting what the Judicial Office was and who its head was.

"My lord, should we?" Behind him, Meng Yuan immediately understood and made a gesture to "let your subordinate handle it."

“No need…” Mu Lian gently shook her head: “Call A Zhe here…”

A-Zhe? Meng Yuan's eyes lit up instantly. How could she have forgotten about this kid? Fortunately, he's clever and knew to abandon the darkness and embrace the light as soon as possible. She wondered how the grueling training had gone; it would be a good opportunity to test it out.

A moment later, A Zhe returned, looking refreshed. He couldn't have been happier to escape the assassin organization. Who would willingly choose such a dangerous profession unless forced to? Now, in the Court of Judicial Review, although he would still face peril, he was, after all, a member of the imperial court, dealing with heinous criminals—a different situation altogether.

"Greetings, Your Excellency..." Upon seeing Mu Lian, A Zhe bowed respectfully.

Mu Lian took out a bottle of medicinal powder from her bosom and handed it to A Zhe, saying, "Lord Sun's diet has been too greasy these past few days; it's time to change things up..."

Lord Sun? A Zhe's mind raced, and he quickly understood the reasoning. He solemnly replied, "Yes." Let alone just teaching this Lord Sun a small lesson, even if he were asked to kill someone, A Zhe wouldn't blink an eye. From the day he was subdued by Mu Lian, A Zhe decided that he would follow the Headmaster to the death for the rest of his life.

That night, at midnight, the camp was eerily quiet. A dark shadow, swift as lightning, flashed past Lord Sun's tent without alerting the guards at the gate. A sharp dagger slit a small opening in the top of the tent, and a slender bamboo tube was inserted through the opening. A gentle breath from the other end released colorless and odorless powder, which poured down the tube and spread around the bed curtains below. In his sleep, Sun Bin felt a tickle in his nose, rubbed it groggily, sneezed several times, and then rolled over and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Ye Yiqing waited in the tent for a long time, but Deputy Commander Sun did not arrive. Upon inquiry, she learned that Deputy Commander Sun had inexplicably fallen ill the previous night, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, as well as developing a rash all over his body, making his already rough face even more uneven.

This illness seems rather strange. Glancing at Meng Yuan, who sat leisurely to the side, and Mu Lian, who stood behind her, Ye Yiqing paused, her hand holding the cup faltering. She finally understood. Indeed, you can't afford to offend a woman, especially a ruthless and powerful one. Otherwise, the consequences will likely be dire.

Thinking of this, Ye Tanhua adjusted his posture, presenting his most handsome and unparalleled side to Mu Lian, ensuring that the true head of the academy could see him with a single glance. Only then did he reveal a charming smile, saying, "Head of the academy has gone to great lengths to protect me along the way, for which I am deeply grateful. If you would not mind, upon entering Luo City, I will host a special banquet for Head of the academy and his subordinates."

A banquet? Through her bamboo hat, Mu Lian's cold gaze swept over Ye Yiqing. This envoy of the Imperial Cauldrons was being so enthusiastic today; he must have ulterior motives. Besides, she usually wore a bamboo hat; if they were at a banquet together, she would inevitably have to remove her disguise and expose herself, which would be inappropriate.

With a light touch of his slender fingertips, Meng Yuan immediately understood and replied, "Lord Ye, you are too kind. Protecting the safety of the Chief of the Imperial Stables is my duty, Lord Ye need not worry about it. I am currently in charge of my official duties and it is inconvenient for me to hold a banquet. Please do not mention this matter again, and I hope Lord Ye will understand." This refusal was straightforward and clear, without any beating around the bush, which was entirely in the style of the Judicial Office.

Ye Yuqing's smile froze slightly. However, being a seasoned veteran, Ye Tanhua quickly regained his composure, appearing even more calm and upright than before.

"It's alright, we can talk about it another time..." Lord Ye picked up his cup again, his demeanor still incredibly elegant.

This scholar, Ye, was quite magnanimous; he remained unperturbed even after being rejected. Mu Lian couldn't help but glance at the man again, wondering if he would ever become a prime minister.

Yu Guangzhong noticed the woman's movements not far away, and a hint of a smile appeared in Ye Yiqing's eyes. It was good that she had attracted attention; at least she could get her name on the head of the academy's radar, and then she could proceed with her plans gradually.

Gracefully setting down her cup, Ye Yuqing continued to subtly observe the woman standing quietly beside her. Suddenly, she recalled the beautiful cat she had kept as a child. At their first meeting, it was aloof and arrogant, but under her relentless, gentle advances, that aloofness and arrogance transformed into tender affection. Except when out, it would always be held close at home. To be able to melt even the hardest steel into the softest silk—Lord Ye thoroughly enjoyed this thrill of conquest.

Life is short, so we should naturally take on some challenging things to make the most of our lives.

Inside the tent, all was calm, but outside, some men and horses were in disarray. Deputy Commander Sun suddenly fell ill with a severe rash covering his face, startling the imperial guards and medics accompanying him. Could it be some kind of plague?

After a series of examinations, inquiries, and palpations, followed by herbal medicine and acupuncture, Sun Bin was thoroughly exhausted. Coupled with his uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea, there were one or two instances where the deputy commander finally couldn't hold it in and soiled himself, the stench instantly filling the entire tent. Even the seasoned military doctor, accustomed to various ailments, was driven away by the stench. Enraged, Sun Bin's face turned from black to red, then back to black again, and finally, unable to catch his breath, he fainted.

Another round of chaos ensued. Fortunately, the imperial guards who accompanied him were his trusted confidants, whom he had personally promoted. Seeing their superior suffering so much, they served him even more diligently, taking care of the unconscious Sun Bin thoroughly and cleaning and replacing everything in the tent.

When Ah Zhe, who had been keeping an eye on things from outside, learned of this, he felt a strange sense of guilt.

"My lord, your subordinate..." After kneeling on the ground for a long time, A Zhe hesitated to speak.

Glancing at A Zhe's flushed face, Mu Lian toyed with the thin-bladed knife in her hand and said calmly, "I understand what you mean, but have you thought it through? Disobeying orders will be punished..."

Ah Zhe quickly looked up at the thin, sharp knife that gleamed with a cold light, hesitated for a moment, and still spoke: "This subordinate understands, please punish me, sir."

"Good, you're a real man..." With a flick of her wrist, the thin-bladed knife spun through the air, circled around Ah Zhe's arm, and returned to Mu Lian's hand.

"Thank you, sir..." Large beads of sweat dripped from A Zhe's head, but he remained silent. Looking to the side, he saw bloodstains all over the places where the thin blade had grazed him, and his arm was in so much pain that he almost lost all strength.

"Having a conscience is a good thing. Daring to disobey orders for the sake of conscience shows that you haven't lost your humanity. You've passed the test..." Mu Lian took out the medicine from her bosom and tossed it to A Zhe before getting up and leaving.

So the adults were just testing me? A sudden surge of excitement welled up inside A-Zhe. Great, that's wonderful!

With burning eyes following the woman's departing figure, A Zhe knew that in this life, he would never be able to see anyone else.