Records of the Academy
The three returned to their lodgings. Ning Yan looked serious, her hands unconsciously clenching her sleeves. "A-Wan has been acting strangely ever since last night. When I came to the academy this morning, she was acting very strangely. A-Lian went back to the palace. If she hadn't been on leave, she wouldn't have known about this incident. Let's not mention A-Xu for now. We'll see if A-Wan's condition has stabilized in a while."
Xu Zizhi readily agreed; she was unwilling to associate herself with a snake, and this suggestion suited her perfectly.
"The academy's summer program is over, and you'll be going to Luoyang again." Ning Yan frowned, sighed deeply, and looked very worried.
"There's no need to worry about it. He's cunning and treacherous, but he's still just a weak scholar. He can't get close to me." Sui Zhixu then noticed the ink stains on his shawl, casually tossed it aside, and said indifferently.
Ning Yan was both amused and exasperated. Sui Zhixu's attitude worried her even more. She was concerned that Cui Wan's sisterly relationship would break down after she learned that Xi Yushao had feelings for Sui Zhixu. Sui Zhixu believed that Xi Yushao wanted to harm her, which caused them to worry.
Good heavens, none of them are giving us a moment's peace.
As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, the weather became increasingly hot and humid. Ning Yan felt as if she were in a furnace, constantly hitting walls and obstacles.
Xu Mingyi sat obediently to the side, burying her head in her chest, full of doubt, "Xi Langjun looks so scary, why does Lady Cui like him?"
She remembered that Madam Cui had stood up for her at the Cheng family banquet; she was a very kind person and dared to stand up for her in front of Madam Liu.
Knowing that Xu was puzzled, she truthfully replied, "She thinks he's good-looking."
Ning Yan shrugged. "I like men like my Sanlang. Hey, why do you like Cheng Langjun? Is it because of his looks? Many women in Chang'an like him just because of his face."
"Huh? Me?" Xu Mingyi pointed to herself, and after receiving a confirming look from the other person, she timidly said, "I like him... I, he's very good to me, very gentle, and very patient."
“I grew up on the estate since I was a child, and I was not raised by anyone. Unlike the ladies in Chang’an, I don’t know many words and I didn’t have a good life.”
“It was Ah Hui who picked me up, took me in, and taught me to read and write. He was very talented but never looked down on me for being stupid. He took me to see fireworks and lantern festivals and paid attention to many details in my life. It’s hard not to like someone like that.”
“I see. He must like you very much too. As far as I know, he is cold-hearted, just like Ah Xu. He has rarely attended banquets over the years. Apart from the Marquis’s mansion, the place he spends the most time is the Prime Minister’s mansion, where he studies diligently all day long.”
"Aside from Lady Liu being related to Cheng Langjun's mother, I've never heard of him having any contact with that lady. Even I used to think he would marry Lady Liu."
"Awan was very angry about this, feeling that Liu Niangzi had become the daughter-in-law of the Sui family head and Cong Xiang. She never expected that someone like him would take the initiative to ask for a wife. It was like an iron tree blooming."
"ha?"
While Su Zhixu was drinking tea, he was stunned when he suddenly heard his parents' names.
“Ah Wan is still young. She was only thirteen years old when she heard about the deeds of the head of the family and Cong Xiang and admired them greatly. She still admires them now, but her fanaticism is much less than it was a few years ago.”
Sui Zhixu nodded silently, "I didn't expect that."
"There are many things you didn't expect. Awan didn't study hard before, but ever since she learned that Shanhai Academy was related to the Sui family head, she has been studying diligently, burning the midnight oil in order to pass the academy's examination and get in."
Ning Yan chuckled to herself as she spoke, "If only you could have seen her back then, it would have been so interesting."
Sui Zhixu put down his teacup and said expressionlessly, "I'm sorry to disappoint her. I got here through connections."
Ning Yan chuckled and tapped her head. "You're only staying for a month or two, which is different from us. A-Lian dropped out of school early, and Ming-Yi will also drop out after getting married in a while. Only I stayed behind to study with A-Wan. It's because I'm always running off to investigate cases. The headmaster thinks I've fallen too far behind and won't allow me to drop out. He insists on waiting for me to catch up."
Xu Mingyi smiled in the corner, then lowered her head. The shadows covered her upper body, making it impossible to see the emotions in her eyes.
As Xu Youyou drank tea, she listened to Ning Yan say that Ning Yan was a smooth talker who never missed a topic, and that the atmosphere would never be dull with her around.
As time went by, Ni Zuilan never mentioned Sui Zhixu's unfinished policy essay again, and patiently taught her poetry, literature, and national affairs.
Since they spent their days wandering around here, they could only get together for meals and rest.
On the last day, she arrived at Ni Zuilan's room on time and sat at her small table, but Ni Zuilan was nowhere to be seen.
Sui Zhixu stared intently at the hourglass on the table. A quarter of an hour... half an hour passed. She had a bad feeling and got up to call for Liu Lü.
"Have you seen the headmaster walk this way?"
She saw Liu Lü shake her head, her gaze fixed on the direction of the back mountain. Outside the window, the bamboo forest rustled, and countless shadows of leaves fell onto the window frame.
The light and shadow fell on the mermaid pearl by Sui Zhixu's ear, and she said sternly, "Come with me to the back mountain."
As she rushed out of the house, she ran all the way to the back mountain. The back mountain was quiet and secluded, with stone steps at every step. Countless flowers and plants grew lushly along the roadside, and small animals such as raccoons and rabbits would occasionally run out to observe her.
A raccoon dog rolled around Sui Zhixu's legs. Helpless, she picked it up and put it in the grass. "I don't have any food on me. Be good, go down the mountain and find the other students."
Meow~
Sui Zhixu stroked its chin for a while, making a gurgling sound.
Before she could go far, it followed her again. This time, Sui Zhixu ignored it. She needed to find Yueling first. The headmaster was always punctual. Even if something came up, he would send someone to inform her. He would never be two quarters of an hour late for no reason.
"Meow!"
The cat clung to Sui Zhixu, and when she continued forward, it even let out a sharp cry.
Su Zhixu stopped to look at it. Many families in Chang'an kept cats to protect their grain from rats. The book describes the cat's eyes and fur as being very sensitive to changes in its surroundings.
She crouched down and tapped its nose. "Is there danger ahead?"
"Meow—"
It lay down, exposing its belly, its round eyes staring at Sui Zhixu, its furry paws waving back and forth, determined not to let Sui Zhixu leave.
Sui Zhixu simply picked it up and walked forward, which made its fur stand on end. It quickly ran away from her arms and hid not far from the bamboo forest.
"That's right, don't follow us anymore. Willow Green, let's go."
Sui Zhixu stroked the cold outer shell of the sleeve dart inside his sleeve; six arrows were inside, hoping it would hold.
The two moved swiftly, getting closer and closer to the summit. Everything around them became even quieter, and the faint smell of blood lingered in the air.
Liu Lü stood guard by Sui Zhixu's side, sword in hand. As they climbed the last step, Yue Ling, Ni Zuilan, and a stranger appeared before the simple thatched hut at the top of the mountain.
Hearing the noise, he turned his head for a moment and saw his face, which was sinister and full of evil.
Evil nature, age, being alone—all these factors are intertwined.
"Your little apprentice? She doesn't look very promising. I wonder if she can survive his clutches. I might as well take care of her today, so you won't have nowhere to collect her body later."
His suspicions were confirmed by what followed, and Xu gripped the hidden arrow tightly; it was indeed He Miao.
"How dare you! Ah Xu, get out of the way! I'm here today to clean house for my master!"
Yueling drew her sword and slashed at her lover, but he blocked it with his hand. The cold glint of the sword fell into his eyes, and he mocked, "The change of dynasties is an inevitable trend. Senior sister, you should not try to stop the will of Heaven."
Yueling kicked him three inches below the groin, cursing, "Go to hell! You think you're something special just because you're wearing a mask? You think you can just let the wheel of fate turn naturally and claim it's destiny? I could say destiny has fallen on my head! You never listened to your master's teachings, you cultivate heretical and crooked paths without repentance, and you even wantonly interfere with the workings of the world. If you can become an immortal, it will be against the natural order!"
Sui Zhixu had already positioned himself in front of Ni Zuilan, and sent Liu Lü to take the stage when the opportunity arose. He himself prepared his hidden arrow, ready to fire at any moment.
Taking advantage of that kick, Liu Lü swiftly stabbed at his back. He Miao clutched his lower body, sensed something, and swept his leg downwards with fierce and powerful movements.
Liu Lü was too fast, and her sharp leg wind blocked her path. She used her sword to touch the ground and stood up, barely avoiding the attack.
The gust of wind from that strike cleaved through the surrounding rocks and clods of earth, sending dust flying in an instant.
The three became entangled again. Sui Zhixu silently observed, while He Miao's moves were insidious and ruthless. In their back-and-forth exchanges, he blocked the two's combined attacks.
"Senior sister, don't waste your time. The two of you can't kill me."
Age: "Enough with the nonsense!"
Sui Zhixu, pulling Ni Zuilan into the shadows, waited for the right moment, nocked a hidden arrow, and shot it at the spot where He Miao would next land. The arrow pierced deeply into He Miao's calf.
"You!" A cold, bloodshot gaze shot towards Sui Zhixu, and Yueling, seeing this, quickly stabbed him in the abdomen.
He Miao retreated repeatedly, sneering, "When did Senior Sister ever bully the weak with numbers?"
Yueling rolled her eyes in a rather ungraceful manner. "Do you need this?"
Liu Lü stepped forward, and He Miao glanced at her and threw a smoke bomb. Instantly, the smoke filled the air, making everyone choke and unable to open their eyes.
A sinister laugh echoed through the mountains, "Hahaha, we'll meet again. I hope your little apprentice will still be alive next time."
When the smoke cleared, He Miao was nowhere to be seen; only the mess in front of the thatched hut proved his presence.
Sui Zhixu walked to Yueling's side, placed his hand on her head, and comforted her, "Don't worry, I'm here, I won't let them take your life."
She shook her head; she was mentally prepared for the pursuit and wasn't flustered.
It must have been the meeting with Prince Xuanping a few days ago that aroused his murderous intent. Prince Xuanping's system should have realized long ago that part of his luck had disappeared.
"It's alright. Do you still have to study today?"
The second half of the sentence was addressed to Ni Zuilan. She shook her head and said, "No need. I wasn't planning to study today. I wanted to discuss your strategies with my master. I'm sorry, things got urgent, and I didn't have time to send someone to deliver a message to you."
As if just remembering her purpose for the day, Yue Ling ruffled Sui Zhixu's hair in an annoyed manner.
"When I teach you to write policy essays, I mean you should write what's in your heart. Why write those fancy-sounding ones? I'm not teaching you to take the imperial examinations. Only the latter half is useful. Geniuses don't care about fate. We cultivators emphasize self-cultivation. Self! Do you know what self means?"
Sui Zhixu: "I don't understand."
"Don't understand?!" Yueling grabbed Sui Zhixu's face. "Your own destiny is your own, whether fate counts or not is also your own. Our Yueshan cultivation emphasizes doing what you feel is right and what you are naturally like. You've been following me for so long, you should be able to see it from my own actions, right?"
"I said you're Cherry, right?" Sui Zhixu touched her nose. How could she tell that she was always so frivolous?
"What have you been thinking of me behind my back again? You little brat, talking about me behind my back again? So you stole my cherries because you wanted to bite me to death?" Yueling reached out to scratch Sui Zhixu.
Xu retreated repeatedly, sternly warning her, "Don't come any closer."
The moon keeps chasing after Zhixu, circling around on the mountaintop.
Sui Zhixu wondered who she really was in the past.
It must be someone who holds an important position by his side, someone he frequently uses among his bodyguards; otherwise, how could he be so familiar with someone just by looking at their figure?
Fan Lingzhang keeps insisting that she is A Ling, but after thinking it over, she realizes that she is not A Ling either. A Ling passed away two years ago, so the timing is wrong.
A-Ling is the daughter of the Princess of Runan County. How could an ordinary young lady know martial arts?
Sima An wouldn't know either.
It was the same martial arts technique used by the black-clad men sent by Prince Xuanping.
Whether she can obtain more information from the people she is hunting remains to be seen during her trip to Luoyang.
And is bearing destiny because fate itself is in one's own hands?
"You're asking for it!"
As Sui Zhixu's mind wandered, Yueling swiftly grabbed her, saying, "Let's see how you run now!"
"Stop scratching, Yueling, Master! Master..."
"Now you know to call me master? Too late!"
Ni Zuilan watched the two of them fooling around with a smile, believing that her junior sister had gained something from it.
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