In front of Buzhi Hall, many pine and cypress trees were planted. If it were during the spring and autumn seasons, looking through the round-arched moon gate at the pine and cypress trees in the courtyard, along with the cranes, it would indeed create a poetic and picturesque scene. However, no matter how beautiful a scene was, after looking at it for years and being blown by the frigid northern wind, it lost its charm.
Yet, the boys’ academy was not like the girls’ academy.
The teachers believed that as men, they needed to understand what it meant to be righteous and upright. So, no matter how noble their backgrounds were, if the rules said that the heated flooring was not to be turned on in winter, then it would remain off.
There were a few charcoal braziers placed in the corners, but the room was spacious, and there were many people—what little warmth could that provide? Now, a group of fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boys sat together, not as orderly as the girls’ academy. Some sat directly on the tables, some leaned against the walls, and those afraid of the cold huddled around the fire basin.
“When exactly is Seventh Young Master coming back?”
A chubby boy dressed in yellow ochre, sitting by the fire, sniffled. Even with the fire, he still felt cold, his voice trembling as he spoke, as if his upper and lower teeth were chattering against each other. “He’s been gone for almost two months now. Just a few days ago, I heard Old Pan complaining to Mr. Xu, saying that if Seventh Young Master doesn’t return soon, they’ll have to expel him.”
“He’s always like this—leaving without a word, not even letting us go find him.”
This boy was Qi Xu, the only son of the Minister of Personnel.
Beside him sat two other boys. One wore a purple robe, arms crossed, his brows furrowed—he was Fu Xian, the legitimate son of the Minister of War. The other, dressed in a long cyan robe, always had a faint smile at the corner of his lips. He appeared much steadier than the others in the room and was none other than Jing Yubai, the second son of the Grand Chancellor.
The three of them were all close friends of Li Qinyuan.
“If he doesn’t come back soon, I’ll go to Jintai Temple tomorrow to find him.” Fu Xian, with his fiery temper, couldn’t hold back, and even though he kept his voice down, his frustration was evident. “Does he really want to become a monk?!”
“With his temperament, if he refuses to return, even if you go looking for him, it won’t be of any use,” Jing Yubai remarked calmly.
“Then he—” Fu Xian frowned and was about to say more when he suddenly saw a figure appear at the doorway. He froze mid-sentence, his words stuck in his throat, and his mouth shaped into an “O” as he stared blankly at the entrance.
Yesterday, the wind had stopped, and the snow had melted. Today, the sky was an expanse of pure blue.
Although there was no sun outside, the light was still distinct, making the inside of the room appear dim in comparison. At the doorway, where light and shadow converged, a youth stood in white robes. As if knowing someone was talking about him, he lifted his eyelids and glanced in the direction of Fu Xian and the others, smiling lightly. “Why do I feel like I just heard someone badmouthing me?”
“Qilang?!”
Qi Xu was the first to jump up in surprise, his face flushed red. It was unclear whether it was from the cold or from excitement.
Jing Yubai, though silent, also stood up, the smile on his face clearly warmer than before.
As for Fu Xian—
After a brief moment of shock, he rushed forward, landed a hard punch on Li Qinyuan’s shoulder, and then pulled him into an embrace. Huffing, he said, “You actually remembered to come back?!”
His strength was not insignificant, and with such momentum, anyone else would have been knocked over.
Yet Li Qinyuan stood straight, his youthful face carrying a gentle, refined charm as he smiled. He patted Fu Xian’s back and said, “Alright, alright, I’m back now, aren’t I?”
“If you disappear for months without a word again, we’re cutting ties!” Fu Xian let go and glared at him, still fuming.
Li Qinyuan chuckled, then turned to look at Qi Xu and Jing Yubai, who had walked over.
Qi Xu’s eyes were already rimmed red. Jing Yubai, on the other hand, remained his usual composed self. Upon seeing him, he simply patted Li Qinyuan’s shoulder and said, “It’s good that you’re back.”
Li Qinyuan nodded at them and smiled. “Let’s go in.”
The four of them walked inside and took their seats. The group that had been chatting earlier instinctively lowered their voices upon seeing Li Qinyuan. Even though they were all classmates and came from prominent families, there were still differences in status.
At Buzhi Hall, the one with the most prestigious family background was Li Qinyuan, followed by Jing Yubai, Fu Xian, and Qi Xu.
However, when it came to family status, they weren’t so far apart.
When Li Qinyuan wasn’t around, they could say whatever they wanted. But the moment he returned, they felt an immense pressure, speaking and acting with more caution. They feared Li Qinyuan. One could even say that in the entirety of Luming Academy, aside from Fu Xian and the other two, there was no one who wasn’t afraid of him.
In their eyes, Li Qinyuan was a madman.
Normally, he seemed indifferent, but when he decided to act ruthlessly, no one could stand against him.
The room seemed to have formed into two distinct factions, with the other students murmuring quietly among themselves. Qi Xu rubbed his frozen cheeks and grinned, “Since Qilang is back today, why don’t we go out for a meal together tonight instead of heading home early? It just so happens that Ah Xian is in a bad mood.”
“Hmm?”
Li Qinyuan raised his eyebrows and looked at Fu Xian. “What’s wrong with you?”
Fu Xian kept his head down and said nothing.
Jing Yubai, smiling, answered, “What else? That little chili pepper from the Gu family is back. He just found out this morning and has been sulking all day. And—” He paused slightly, glancing at Fu Xian’s even darker expression, his voice carrying a distinct note of amusement, “That little chili pepper is now attending our academy.”
The nickname “little chili pepper” was something Fu Xian had given Gu Wuyou when they were children.
According to Fu Xian back then, he had never met such an ill-tempered noble lady—she exploded at the slightest provocation.
Though Li Qinyuan had never seen Gu Wuyou before, he had heard Fu Xian complain about her countless times over the years. He had listened so much that he could practically conjure up an image of her in his mind. However… he suddenly recalled the figure he had seen at Jintai Temple yesterday.
A young girl in a red cloak, standing amidst the boundless white expanse—she was the only trace of color in his eyes.
“Qilang, what are you thinking about?” Qi Xu asked in confusion.
Li Qinyuan lifted his gaze. “Hmm?”
Qi Xu said, “We were discussing where to eat tonight. We called your name a few times, but you didn’t respond.”
Li Qinyuan snapped out of his thoughts, the corners of his lips lifting into a lazy smile. His entire demeanor was relaxed and indifferent. “You guys decide.”
—
Ever since Gu Wuyou learned that Li Qinyuan was attending class today, she had been in a state of excitement. Unfortunately, before she could overhear anything else, the teacher entered the room.
The first class was painting.
The second class was embroidery.
But Gu Wuyou was clearly out of sorts today, making several mistakes. The teacher, aware of her circumstances, did not reprimand her. The other noble ladies, however, let out a sigh of relief… Good, Gu Wuyou was still the same useless girl as before.
Even Xiao Yi, who always remained composed, couldn’t help but curl her lips slightly. As long as Gu Wuyou remained like this, there was nothing to worry about.
Gu Yu, on the other hand, looked rather displeased. While she was pleased to see Gu Wuyou ridiculed, she was also frustrated that Gu Wuyou was bringing disgrace upon the family. This conflicting feeling put her in a sour mood all morning.
Even after the morning classes ended, she still hadn’t calmed down.
It was now time for lunch. Luming Academy did not allow students to bring their own meals, but fortunately, the academy took great care in ensuring their meals were of high quality. Now, a group of students was making their way outside in pairs and groups. Xiao Yi glanced at Gu Yu, then at Gu Wuyou, who was still sitting at her seat, and gently asked, “Ah Yu, should we call your Fifth Sister?”
Gu Yu hesitated.
Gu Yu glanced at the crowd around her and decided she didn’t want to be seen getting too close to Gu Wuyou. Keeping her tone cold and distant, she tersely replied, “No need. Let’s go.”
Naturally, the others followed suit without question.
In no time, the group had left completely. Only after they were gone did Gu Wuyou finally stand up. She needed to figure out a way to find the Great General.
Just as she stepped out of the door, a female attendant approached. “Is the Princess going to the dining hall?”
Gu Wuyou’s heart stirred, and she asked, “Does Buzhi Hall dine in the same place as us?”
The female attendant assumed she was trying to avoid encountering the male students and smiled. “Although everyone dines in the same location, Pingshuo Hall eats three-quarters of an hour earlier than the others.” She calculated the time and added, “Right now, Buzhi Hall should still be in class, so you don’t have to worry.”
Still in class?
Did that mean she could see the Great General if she went there?
Seeing Gu Wuyou remain silent, the female attendant offered, “If the Princess doesn’t know the way, I can take you there.”
Gu Wuyou shook her head. “No need, I’ll go myself.”
With that, she walked along the corridor in a particular direction. Earlier, her second sister had pointed out the way to the dining hall, so she knew where it was. However, at this moment, the direction she was heading in was toward Buzhi Hall instead.
This was because the teachers who lectured usually moved between the two areas.
The connecting door between them wasn’t locked, and since Buzhi Hall was right next to the riding grounds, female students often used this path to get there.
As Gu Wuyou walked along, not only was she not stopped, but she didn’t even encounter a single person. It wasn’t until she neared Buzhi Hall that she finally heard the rhythmic recitation of students. The thought that the Great General’s voice was among them made the smile on her face grow even brighter.
A young servant was walking along the path. When he spotted Gu Wuyou from a distance, he was slightly puzzled but still approached respectfully and asked, “Miss, why have you come this way?”
“I—”
Gu Wuyou glanced at him, then at the moon gate just ahead. If she could just step through that gate, she would be able to see her Great General. But how easy would it be to just walk through?
She hesitated for a moment before reaching into her purse and pulling out a few pearls, handing them to the servant.
The servant was stunned, his voice even faltering. “Miss, what is this for?”
“I need you to do me a favor.”
The servant blinked in confusion, about to ask for clarification when he heard Gu Wuyou say, “Help me find the seventh son of the Li family. I want to see him.”
—
Li Qinyuan wasn’t actually in class. Earlier, after chatting with Mr. Xu for a while, he had lost interest in going back inside and had instead chosen a tree to lie under.
The weather was good today—the sky vast and blue, the clouds scattered. Though the wind carried a chill, he had never been sensitive to the cold, so it didn’t bother him.
He had also chosen his spot well.
The thick tree canopy shielded him from sight, but from his position, he could see everything.
In fact, he had noticed Gu Wuyou’s figure long ago.
The little girl still loved to wear red. Even with his limited sense of aesthetics, he could tell that today’s outfit was different from the cloak she had worn at the temple yesterday. He wondered why she had come here out of nowhere.
But he was too lazy to care.
Reclining against the tree trunk, he casually bit down on a blade of grass he had found somewhere, his hands resting behind his head as his thoughts wandered aimlessly—or perhaps, he wasn’t thinking about anything at all.
It wasn’t until he heard a voice below:
“Help me find the seventh son of the Li family. I want to see him.”
He raised an eyebrow.
Looking for him?
“The young lady wishes to see the Seventh Young Master of the Li family?” The servant was still in shock.
Gu Wuyou nodded. She was just about to speak when a sound from behind made her pause.
She wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling—it was as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t. Her heart leaped into her throat.
She wasn’t concerned about her so-called reputation. After all, she didn’t have much of a good reputation left anyway.
But she still wanted to know who had followed her so silently. Turning around, she deliberately set her expression into a stern one, preparing to question them.
Yet before she could speak, she saw a young man in white robes, his high ponytail swaying slightly. A blade of grass dangled from his lips, and his hands were still tucked behind his head in a lazy posture as he walked toward her.
Under her dazed gaze, the youth spoke in a languid, indifferent tone—
“You were looking for me?”