Yiguan County had two major academies. One was the martial-focused Eternal Peace Academy, where martial arts instructors predominated and daily lessons centered on combat training. As a result, most students there were descendants of martial sects.
The other academy, named Thousand Peaks Academy, emphasized literary studies. Its students were mostly connected to court officials in some way—whether distant cousins serving in the capital or fathers and brothers holding official or military positions in Yiguan—all aiming to pass imperial examinations and secure official posts.
Thousand Peaks Academy, with a century-long history, had produced countless top scholars and examination laureates, earning the reputation as the foremost institution of learning in the northern region.
However, these two academies had long been at odds, a continuation of the conflict between martial sects and court officials.
Given Wen Lisheng’s background, she should have been a student at Thousand Peaks Academy. But she simply couldn’t adapt to its atmosphere and even got into a physical altercation with the eldest daughter of a prominent local family. Consequently, Wen Puchang had no choice but to transfer her to Eternal Peace Academy.
As dawn approached, the Wen family carriage hurried toward Eternal Peace Academy. Passing through an intersection, Wen Lisheng heard a commotion outside. She leaned out the window and saw lanterns still glowing along the street, winding like a luminous dragon in the fading night.
The street was sparsely populated, mostly with early-rising merchants going about their business.
“Hurry and look! Eternal Peace students are causing trouble at the Thousand Peaks entrance, arguing with their students!” someone shouted.
“What?!” Wen Lisheng couldn’t resist upon hearing this, wishing she could fly out of the carriage. She immediately called for a stop.
But Yu Gui cautioned, “Miss, if you delay here, you’ll definitely be late for morning lessons.”
Wen Lisheng frowned deeply, glancing at her palms that had been struck twice earlier, hesitating.
“They’re fighting!” another voice cried out.
Wen Lisheng sprang to her feet, only to be pressed back down by Yu Gui. “Miss, your palms swelled up for days last time!”
Her expression wavered; the bamboo cane strikes had indeed been painful.
“Good heavens, their robes are torn!”
Wen Lisheng’s eyes widened. Gritting her teeth, she declared fiercely, “Even if my palms swell up from caning today, I must see this spectacle! Stop the carriage! Stop it!”
The feud between Eternal Peace and Thousand Peaks had lasted at least several decades. Back when Wen Puchang studied at Thousand Peaks Academy as a youth, the two academies frequently arranged brawls.
Disorder was far more rampant then, with roving martial ruffians causing trouble everywhere. Wen Puchang, as the well-behaved and scholarly eldest son of the Wen family, was typically gentle and courteous. Yet even he had been provoked into fighting multiple times by Thousand Peaks students.
Later, when Wen Puchang became an official, his first decree strictly prohibited public disturbances or brawls on the streets of Yiguan County, with severe punishments for violators. This allowed him to vent the resentment from being beaten by Eternal Peace Academy’s hooligans in his youth.
Over the past decade, the two academies had toned down their conflicts but still held mutual disdain, engaging in covert rivalry each year. Eventually, Wen Puchang ordered Eternal Peace Academy to relocate, placing the two institutions far apart, which gradually reduced clashes.
An incident like Eternal Peace students picking a fight at Thousand Peaks’ entrance hadn’t occurred in nearly ten years. Faced with such a major spectacle, how could Wen Lisheng not get involved?
Yu Gui anxiously tried to stop her. “Miss, think twice!”
Wen Lisheng clung to the doorframe, ready to disembark. “Even if eight horses were dragging me by the neck, they couldn’t pull me away now!”
Yu Gui truly couldn’t hold her back, and Wen Lisheng ultimately leaped from the carriage.She wore an apricot yellow short jacket and a pale pink long skirt. When she jumped down, the hollowed-out bells on her hair collided, producing crisp, ringing sounds. The newly risen morning sun was not glaring, casting its light on the silver-thread embroidered magnolia flowers on her dress, making her look like a fluttering butterfly. With light and brisk steps, she followed the others to see the commotion.
Yu Gui had no choice but to follow, getting off the carriage and running to catch up with her.
At this moment, there weren’t many people yet, and no crowd had formed. Wen Lisheng easily bypassed those in front and stood at the forefront. At a glance, she saw Shen Jiaqing gripping a young man’s collar, tilting his head back to ask, “What did you say?!”
That’s right, tilting his head back.
The young man he grabbed was half a head taller than him, so despite Shen Jiaqing’s fierce expression, it had no intimidating effect. Instead, the young man snorted disdainfully, “Do you dare stand a little higher to look at me?”
Shen Jiaqing was infuriated by this subtly mocking remark, hopping in anger. “Even if I’m not as tall as you, I can still beat you until you’re crying for your mother!”
The young man was tall and slender, wearing the uniform of Thousand Peaks Academy. Half of his sleeve was torn, yet despite having his collar grabbed, he showed no sign of backing down, coldly retorting, “You can try.”
Wen Lisheng had expected to see some excitement but didn’t realize the protagonist of the story was Shen Jiaqing. She immediately called out, “Shen Jiaqing, what are you doing?!”
Shen Jiaqing was about to take action when he heard Wen Lisheng’s voice. He paused, turned to look at her, and showed a rather surprised expression. “Lizi? What are you doing here?”
Taking advantage of his distraction, the young man shook off his hand and stepped aside to straighten his collar.
Wen Lisheng opened her mouth to speak but hadn’t made a sound when Shen Jiaqing raised a hand to stop her, rolling up his sleeves with a fierce expression. “Wait a moment, let me beat this kid up first.”
“Those who cause trouble and fight in the streets will be whipped five times and imprisoned for ten days. Do you want to go to jail?” Wen Lisheng spoke quickly, trying to calm him down. If it were someone else picking a fight, she’d be happy to watch the spectacle, but when it came to Shen Jiaqing, that wouldn’t do. After all, they had grown up together as good friends.
Shen Jiaqing hesitated, seemingly realizing the severity of the punishment.
Just when she thought she had talked him down, a voice from the side chimed in, “He wouldn’t dare to fight anyway.”
These words were nothing short of adding fuel to the fire. Wen Lisheng followed the direction of the voice and glared angrily.
She saw the girl who had deliberately stirred up trouble hiding behind someone nearby. As Wen Lisheng retracted her gaze, it suddenly stopped.
There, standing in the sparse crowd, was Xie Xiaonan, whom she hadn’t seen for over ten days. The unique snow-blue uniform of Qianshan looked particularly distinctive on him.
His hair was tied into a neat ponytail with a white jade hairpin, and he stood with his arms crossed, watching the commotion with the same leisurely curiosity as the others.