During the morning lesson the next day, Master Wang deliberately praised Zheng Yuan for the excellent policy essay he had written during the major examination.
“An endless stream draws from inexhaustible waters. Zheng Yuan’s Discourses on Salt and Iron established its grand theme from the very first sentence. Later, he used examples involving the transport routes of grain and commerce, advocating the use of trade to supplement official resources and proposing new methods of transportation reform. Truly brilliant.”
Murong Yun sneezed.
Her seat was positioned in the middle of the classroom, with an empty stretch around it, making every little movement of hers especially noticeable to her classmates.
She shrank into herself and wiped her nose haphazardly with a piece of paper.
The previous night, she had stayed up memorizing texts until midnight. She had been so exhausted that she forgot to cover herself with a blanket before falling asleep. The wind had been strong, and she had caught a cold.
“Murong. With the provincial examination only a month away, do you take the academy for some pleasure house?” Master Wang lightly tapped on her desk.
Master Wang was deeply respected and beloved by the students. Even Xiao Heng, who struggled the most academically, never dared slack off in his classes.
“Master, this student knows her mistake.”
Yet the next instant, Murong Yun let out a yawn.
Master Wang’s expression stiffened immediately. The quieter the classroom became, the more awkward he felt.
He had long heard the other two masters complain that Murong Yun was a difficult student to handle.
He simply had not believed it.
Who would dare challenge him?
“Ah… ow…”
Breaking the silence, Murong Yun slowly stood while rubbing her temples.
As soon as she looked up, she saw Master Wang raising the ruler again, clearly intending to strike a second time.
Murong Yun immediately dodged.
The ruler came crashing down onto the desk with a sharp cracking sound.
“Strict teachers produce outstanding students. How can my students be so negligent?”
Murong Yun straightened herself.
“The wind was strong last night, and I forgot to cover myself with my blanket. I caught a cold, and my head aches while my whole body hurts. That’s why I fell asleep during your lesson. Surely that doesn’t warrant hitting a student on the head?”
As she spoke, Murong Yun’s eyes reddened as if tears were about to spill over. Her voice had turned hoarse, and she clutched her head as though she might collapse at any moment.
The other students might complain about Murong, but if a teacher could hit someone over a mere yawn, they could not help imagining themselves in her place.
Seeing Murong Yun sniffing pitifully with tears in her eyes, whispers spread through the room.
“Murong definitely needs someone to discipline him for sleeping in class, but hitting his head… what if it makes him stupid?”
“The master could punish him by striking his palms. Hitting someone’s head does seem excessive.”
“Exactly! Even my parents would never hit me on the head.”
Master Wang finally realized he had overreacted. Lowering the ruler, he waved his hand.
“Go kneel in the corridor and copy Excellent Strategies on Salt and Iron five times as punishment.”
“This student accepts the punishment.”
Murong Yun gathered paper and brushes, then settled behind the classroom door, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed.
She did not want to miss the masters’ lectures.
Whether the masters liked her or not was irrelevant.
Yu Ziyang sat near the doorway in the last row. From time to time, he could not help glancing toward Murong Yun.
The copy of Excellent Strategies on Salt and Iron in her hands tilted at an angle. The autumn breeze lifted its pages, revealing densely packed notes written in careful script, alongside annotations connecting the text to matters of livelihood.
He stared absentmindedly until Master Wang suddenly appeared beside him.
Yu Ziyang jolted back to attention.
“Do all of you think the provincial examination is some kind of game? Go outside and copy texts alongside Murong.”
“This student accepts the punishment.”
Lowering his head, Yu Ziyang avoided every mocking gaze directed at him.
He had performed terribly in the recent examination. Zheng Yuan’s group would certainly speak ill of him behind his back.
After all, he himself had once joined them in criticizing others.
No one understood better than he did exactly what they would say.
Yu Ziyang walked carefully.
Murong Yun slept so soundly that she did not even notice when he sat beside her.
The parasol trees in the courtyard had turned a brilliant red. Leaves drifted down onto the yellowing grass below. The wind swept through the corridors, making Yu Ziyang pull his robes tighter around himself.
Murong Yun leaned slightly to one side. Her eyelashes were long, and her pale complexion carried a faint blush.
Yu Ziyang cursed inwardly. Pretty boy!
Murong Yun loosely held several sheets of blank xuan paper. One page after another fluttered in the wind before settling back down.
Yu Ziyang pulled the papers from her grasp, studied the handwriting in Excellent Strategies on Salt and Iron, then lowered his head and began copying.
He grumbled silently.
Why did this person’s handwriting have to be so neat?
How long would it take to finish all of this?
By the time he was done, his hand had grown sore. He pinned the completed pages beneath other sheets before circling around Murong Yun to tuck them inside the book.
As he lowered his head, he noticed a loose strand of hair brushing against Murong Yun’s cheek.
Murong Yun scratched at her face in her sleep but failed to remove it.
Rolling his eyes, Yu Ziyang lifted a hand toward her face, only to stop halfway.
Murong Yun’s eyebrows bore traces of dark makeup. Resting against the wall, her delicate features possessed an unmistakable feminine softness.
He paused. Instead of touching her, he retreated to the other side to continue copying, though his gaze drifted toward her from time to time.
Murong Yun wore black today. Normally she preferred lighter colors, only occasionally dressing in darker shades.
When Master Wang dismissed the class, Shangguan Xuan was the first to step outside.
He shook Murong Yun awake.
“Go back to your room and sleep a little longer. I’ll wake you when it’s time for lunch.”
“No. I still need to finish copying.”
Yawning, Murong Yun sat up.
Then she noticed the completed pages filled with brushwork identical to her own.
Tilting her head, she blinked.
“When did I become capable of writing this quickly? Have I reached the point of finishing assignments without realizing it myself?”
The next moment, Yu Ziyang found himself meeting Shangguan Xuan’s gaze.
For some reason, Shangguan Xuan looked at him with icy hostility. His eyes brimmed with aggression far fiercer than when disciplining Xiao Heng.
Startled, Yu Ziyang hurriedly looked away.
He had done nothing wrong, yet guilt inexplicably crept into his heart.
“Someone copied them for you,” Shangguan Xuan said, raising an eyebrow.
Only then did Murong Yun turn around.
“You copied these for me?”
Yu Ziyang folded his arms.
“It was nothing. The master punished me too. You were sleeping like the dead, and I didn’t want everyone getting punished tomorrow because of you.”
Murong Yun nodded enthusiastically.
“That makes perfect sense. Still, thank you.”
Yu Ziyang lifted the corners of his lips.
“It took less than half an hour. If your copying speed were anywhere close to mine, you wouldn’t have to worry.”
Murong Yun’s eyes brightened.
“Wonderful. Then I’ll have to trouble Brother Ziyang with future copying assignments. Less than half an hour? As expected of you. You’re incredibly fast. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you according to market rates.”
Shangguan Xuan glanced at her.
“When have your submitted assignments ever looked this neat?”
Murong Yun sighed.
“I usually prioritize speed, so my handwriting becomes a little ugly. Luckily, I have Brother Ziyang. We won’t have to endure scolding in the future, right?”
Yu Ziyang felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Why had he insisted on boasting that he could finish in under half an hour?
If payment were truly based on market value, messy handwriting and beautiful calligraphy commanded entirely different prices.
But the words had already left his mouth.
His face had been thoroughly slapped by his own pride.
“…Fine.”
Only after exhaling did the pressure in his chest ease.
Shangguan Xuan casually glanced at Yu Ziyang’s hunched posture.
“It’s time to apply medicine to your injuries. Let’s go.”
Murong Yun lifted her head. Hadn’t the wounds already scabbed over?
Did they still require medicine?
Yet she answered instinctively. “All right.”
After walking for quite some time, Yu Ziyang stared after their retreating figures.
One tall and one shorter.
They somehow gave off the impression of two handsome young men strolling through the streets together.
His gaze swept across the ground.
Then his expression changed. There were bloodstains.
Inside the classroom, students crowded around Master Wang, begging him to reveal the identities of the provincial examination examiners.
Yu Ziyang wanted to hear the information as well. Knowing the examiners’ preferences would make it easier to curry favor through connections.
Yet at this moment, he had something more important to do.
“Oh? Has the person punished with copying become a lowly janitor now?”
“Who cares? If he wants to be some humble sweeper monk, let him.”
“Make sure you clean properly!”
As Zheng Yuan passed Yu Ziyang, he snorted, brushing dust from his sleeves without sparing him a glance.
Yu Ziyang stepped aside.
Once the pale stone pavement was free of all traces of blood, his heart finally settled.
Silently, he put away the broom and basin, ignoring everyone around him.
From that day onward, his gaze frequently drifted toward Murong Yun.
Yet whenever Shangguan Xuan caught him looking, Yu Ziyang would awkwardly avert his eyes.
Murong Yun remained secluded in her room for days.
Her monthly cycle had arrived, leaving her physically uncomfortable. She also had to change her menstrual cloths regularly, otherwise blood would stain through her clothing.
Thus, she obediently stayed indoors, studying everything according to the books provided by the system.
On the academy’s rest day before the provincial examination, she once again dreamed of Song Qi’s tragic death.
Her heart pounded uneasily.
She knocked on Shangguan Xuan’s door.
“Going down the mountain?”
Shangguan Xuan had saved her twice.
Ever since Song Qi’s death, Murong Yun had become increasingly dependent on him.
Rubbing his eyes, dark circles visible beneath them, Shangguan Xuan nodded.
“Yes. Give me a moment to get ready.”
Murong Yun stepped into his room as he bent down to organize books one by one.
There was not even a decent table or chair in the room.
Every surface was stacked with books arranged meticulously by chronology, publication date, and authorship.
The degree of orderliness was astonishing.
“Murong.”
Shangguan Xuan suddenly spoke.
“How did you place first?”
“Me?”
Murong Yun guiltily gulped down two mouthfuls of water.
“Pure luck. I didn’t perform well on either policy essay.”
That afternoon, the two skipped Master Xu’s class and asked Zhao Mingyuan to request leave on their behalf before visiting Granny Wei to see Xie Yuan.
Xie Yuan had improved considerably. Although she still could not walk, she had begun working on embroidery pieces, hoping to increase Granny Wei’s income while saving some money for herself.
“Here. This is for you.”
With considerable effort, Xie Yuan retrieved a worn and yellowed manual from beneath her pillow.
Thirteen Forms of the Light Sword.
“There are only thirteen moves. Is that enough? What if I encounter powerful enemies? Wouldn’t I simply be at their mercy?”
Murong Yun flipped through several pages casually.
Some of the techniques seemed vaguely familiar from other books she had read.
“These thirteen forms are the foundation of light swordsmanship. Once you master them completely, learning other techniques will become much easier.”
Nearby, Granny Wei fed firewood into the stove beneath a kettle of hot water.
“This manual wasn’t easy to find,” she said with a smile. “Xie Yuan asked several neighbors for help searching the bookshops. It may be old, but everyone said it was quite rare.”
Murong Yun stroked the yellowed title page.
“You’ve both gone to a lot of trouble. I’ve practiced martial arts for almost half a year, but my progress has been slow.”
Xie Yuan soaked her numb, weakened legs in the basin of hot water Granny Wei had prepared.
Squinting as she smiled, she replied, “I’m just glad you like it.”
Without a sword, Murong Yun could only practice with sticks.
Shangguan Xuan accepted the manual.
“You’re staying here tonight. I need to take care of something. Don’t wander around.”
Xie Yuan raised an eyebrow, about to object.
Murong Yun nodded. “All right, I’ll wait here until you return.”
Granny Wei shut the doors and windows tightly.
“Come pick her up tomorrow. If you’re late, don’t blame me.”
Shangguan Xuan squeezed Murong Yun’s hand gently.
“In the end, I still can’t stay angry with you.”
Even now, she had never mentioned the truth about her gender.
He had thought distancing himself for a few days might prompt her to confide in him.
Instead, he had been the only one suffering.
The moment she came looking for him, his heart had surged with excitement despite the calm expression on his face.
His heartbeat had betrayed him completely.
“What are you angry about?” Murong Yun tilted her head.
“That your policy essays are better than mine.”
His voice softened. “Wait for me to come back.”
Long after Shangguan Xuan departed, Xie Yuan remained stunned.
Murong Yun and she were simply going to sleep in the same room?
Granny Wei laid a fresh quilt on the floor.
“Murong, you’ll have to make do with sleeping on the floor tonight.”
Moonlight streamed through the room as Granny Wei extinguished the candle.
The three women slept together in the same chamber.
Granny Wei labored during the day and cared for Xie Yuan whenever she had spare moments.
Exhaustion quickly lulled her into loud snores.
Murong Yun slept restlessly, tossing and turning.
Lying on the inner side of the bed, Xie Yuan secretly peeked at Murong Yun.
Murong Yun possessed sharp brows and striking features.
When Shangguan Xuan had wanted her dead, it had been Murong Yun who saved her life.
The sword manual Xie Yuan had gifted her rested nearby.
Xie Yuan lowered her gaze and lay back down.
She recalled seeing handsome young men and beautiful women riding horses together during spring outings.
If her legs recovered, perhaps she could one day go on such outings with Murong Yun.
The following morning, Murong Yun rose early to memorize texts.
Massaging the acupoints around her eyes, she recited passages smoothly as the words surfaced in her mind.
“My goodness, such a thick book memorized in just an hour?”
Granny Wei handed Murong Yun a piece of naan.
“It’s a little hard. I’m not sure whether you’ll like it.”
Murong Yun took a bite.
The bread was dry and tasteless, and she chewed for quite some time before finally swallowing it.
“It’s delicious.”
Upon hearing that, Xie Yuan immediately offered her own portion.
“Take mine too. I can’t eat this much. You’re a scholar, and studying is hard work. You should eat more.”
“I have enough.”
“Not at all. You like it, and this definitely isn’t enough.”
Murong Yun forced a smile. With Granny Wei watching nearby, she could not reject their goodwill.
“All right, I’ll eat more and memorize more books.”
Granny Wei beamed. “I knew you’d like it! I’ll make extra flatbreads later for you to take back with you.”
“Really, there’s no need…”
“Don’t be shy!”
When Shangguan Xuan finally returned, his eyes were bloodshot.
He found Murong Yun hiccupping repeatedly while memorizing yet another book.
“Drink more water. It should stop the hiccups.”
Granny Wei emerged from the kitchen.
“Shangguan, you’re back. Perfect timing. These are all Murong’s favorites. Eat more and take some with you. Winter is coming soon, so I’ve dried vegetables and radishes for you both as well.”
Shangguan Xuan paused at the sight of the naan in Murong Yun’s hands.
“You like these?”
Murong Yun nodded enthusiastically.
“I do! I really, really do…”
Hic! The corners of Shangguan Xuan’s lips curved upward.
“Then stop eating for now. This is for you.”
He placed a sword with a green hilt onto the table.
A jade pendant of green stone hung from the tassel attached to the hilt.
“My jade pendant!”
Murong Yun hugged the sword tightly.
“And this sword is for me too?”
“Yes! A sword manual alone isn’t enough. Consider this green sword a gift. With it, your martial arts are sure to improve by leaps and bounds.”
A dull ache throbbed at Shangguan Xuan’s temples.
Murong Yun carefully touched the recovered green jade pendant, secretly relieved that it had been returned.
It had belonged to the original owner of this body and had always been carried close.
She resolved never to pawn it off so carelessly again.
“Where did you get the money to redeem it?”
Shangguan Xuan replied calmly, “I used force to make them return it.”