Chapter 49

As the stars outside the window shimmered like water, Chen Changsheng and Luo Luo sat on the floor eating a late-night snack. There were a few exquisite pastries, two bowls of herbal porridge whose ingredients were unknown, and a small dish of dried meat that tasted quite good. The two of them, master and disciple, ate with their chopsticks, not bothering to talk.

When the porridge was finished and the pastries were gone, Luo Luo had some time to speak. Thinking about the carriage she had seen at the side gate of the Heavenly Path Academy, she could no longer suppress her curiosity. While chewing on the dried meat, she asked, "Master, what kind of grudge do you have with the Eastern Divine General's Mansion?"

Chen Changsheng knew that curiosity was hard to suppress for long and had been mentally prepared for her question. He casually said a few words, trying to change the subject—his preparation was to bluff, using his status as a teacher to bluff his way through, which he thought wouldn't be too difficult.

But the stars were too beautiful tonight, and Luo Luo couldn't help but press on. Seeing that he wasn't answering, she opened her big, black eyes, which darted around, and tentatively asked several possibilities, mostly revolving around clichés like the son of an old friend or a case of ingratitude.

Chen Changsheng was quite impressed by her imagination and didn't know how to respond, so he remained silent.

Luo Luo gazed at the sky full of stars above the National Teaching Academy, furrowing her brow in serious thought. She picked up a small green tangerine she had brought back from the forest earlier, put it in her mouth, and chewed it tastelessly. Suddenly, she looked at him and exclaimed.

Chen Changsheng thought she was bothered by the sourness of the tangerine and shook his head, sighing, "I told you it was too sour, impossible to eat, and really bad for your stomach."

Luo Luo swallowed the tangerine, showing no sign of being bothered by the sourness. She looked at Chen Changsheng in surprise and said, "Master, you and Xu Yourong aren't betrothed from the womb, are you?"

Chen Changsheng's mouth opened slightly, not knowing what to say. Impressed and helpless, he decided to admit it.

"Hey..."

Before he could react, Luo Luo waved her hands, her face full of self-mockery and embarrassment, and said, "I must be confused, how could I think of such a ridiculous thing? That's Xu Yourong, how could it be possible?"

Chen Changsheng was even more at a loss for words, feeling a bit bitter as he closed his mouth in silence. He thought to himself that this was indeed a ridiculous idea. Luo Luo, who usually respected him so much, would think such a thing? Why would it be impossible for him and Xu Yourong?

"Go to sleep," he thought for a moment and said to Luo Luo, "I have some things to do tomorrow, so come a bit later."

Luo Luo was a bit nervous and asked anxiously, "Master, are you angry?"

Chen Changsheng replied, "Did you do anything today to make me angry?"

Luo Luo thought seriously and realized she hadn't done anything to upset him. At the Heavenly Path Academy's Green Vine Banquet, although she had been overly arrogant and not as obedient as usual, Master had said he wouldn't blame her, so naturally, he wouldn't.

She didn't realize that her casual words had hurt Chen Changsheng's self-esteem.

She had indeed said it casually, so the hurt was real.

...

...

After Luo Luo left, Chen Changsheng tidied up the food boxes and miscellaneous items on the floor, sorted the books on the desk, and put them back on the shelves. He turned off the lights, walked to the door of the library, looked back for a moment, and then left under the cover of night, as if saying goodbye.

Back in the small building, he began to pack his luggage, putting the essential items into a box. Then he drew the short sword from his waist, sat on the bed, and closed his eyes to rest. He wasn't meditating to cleanse his marrow with starlight but waiting for someone to arrive.

At the Green Vine Banquet tonight, Luo Luo had crippled Tian Hai Ya'er, which would inevitably cause a lot of trouble. The trouble would be for her, for him, and for the National Teaching Academy. He didn't know who would come to cause trouble, but he knew those people would be very terrifying.

He knew Luo Luo's background was mysterious and extraordinary, otherwise, the Dean of the Heavenly Path Academy, Mao Qiuyu, wouldn't have secretly protected her at the Green Vine Banquet. But the little monster she crippled was the Empress's nephew, a member of the Tian Hai family—the most terrifying family on the continent.

At first, Chen Changsheng had hoped that Luo Luo's background would intimidate the other party and prevent them from acting openly. But when Xu Shiji said that the Heavenly Path Academy's Dean of Instruction would commit suicide that night, he no longer held much hope.

In the current world, even the Chen imperial family had to bow to the Tian Hai family. The Dean of Instruction of the Heavenly Path Academy had to die because of Tian Hai Ya'er's disability. How much more so for Luo Luo and himself, who directly caused the disability? And the other party had already wanted to cripple the National Teaching Academy.

He was waiting for those people to arrive, preparing to leave. Although he was reluctant to leave the National Teaching Academy and regretted missing next year's Imperial Examination, he wanted to ensure that the matter had a relatively complete conclusion.

In his plan, the National Teaching Academy would soon be engulfed in flames.

He naturally had a way to leave.

The National Teaching Academy would pay the price for Tian Hai Ya'er's disability, and Luo Luo, being no ordinary person, would likely satisfy the other party.

...

...

That night.

Chen Changsheng was alone.

Sitting in the room.

At his feet was an old leather suitcase.

He silently waited for another turning point in his life.

He waited with a calmness that far exceeded his age.

No one knew that he waited in the National Teaching Academy all night long. Even years later, no one would know. Only he knew how long and difficult that night was, how much courage it took.

When the morning light illuminated the campus, nothing had happened.

That night, many people were silently watching the National Teaching Academy.

They, like him, thought that the cruel officials of the Qingli Department would rush into the National Teaching Academy under the cover of night, taking him to the Zhou Prison, which terrified countless ministers and strongmen. Or the hands of the Imperial Palace would come under the cover of night, silently setting fire to the National Teaching Academy, which the Empress detested, turning it into a terrifying inferno.

But none of that happened.

The morning light was like a locust, and the smoke from the stoves in the Hundred Flowers Lane was faint. The bells in the nearby palace rang loudly.

Chen Changsheng opened his eyes, walked to the window, and looked at the quiet morning scene in the capital, puzzled, then understanding.

Because of his instructions the night before, Luo Luo didn't come to the National Teaching Academy until noon, of course, not forgetting to bring the heavy food box.

Chen Changsheng asked her to gather some information.

Before lunch was over, a flute sound came from the other side of the wall. Luo Luo lowered her head slightly and listened quietly for a while.

"No one has seen the Dean of Instruction of the Heavenly Path Academy."

She looked up and said to Chen Changsheng, "Vice Dean Zhuang received a resignation letter, which seems to be a resignation."

Chen Changsheng remained silent. Seeing his expression, Luo Luo understood something.

After resigning and disappearing, whether he retired to his hometown or went into seclusion in the mountains, no one knew. It was impossible to investigate in the short term.

Not a resignation, but a death.

Last night, a white silk might have been added to the residence of the Dean of Instruction of the Heavenly Path Academy, and this morning, some ashes might have already sunk to the bottom of the Luo River.

Such a great figure had quietly died.

Chen Changsheng felt a chill, looking at Luo Luo with a complex expression.

This was a conspiracy, a conspiracy against the National Teaching Academy, or perhaps an open scheme.

The Dean of Instruction of the Heavenly Path Academy had the little monster from the Zongci Institute make a move. No matter how the National Teaching Academy responded, there would be trouble... because he was the Empress's nephew. If he won, the National Teaching Academy would naturally disintegrate. If he lost, the National Teaching Academy would face the Empress's wrath.

But no one expected that the final outcome of the conspiracy would be the Dean of Instruction of the Heavenly Path Academy facing the Empress's wrath and becoming a dead man. The young men and women of the National Teaching Academy would bear no responsibility. Why? Because Luo Luo was very powerful, and her background was even more powerful... in short, Luo Luo was too powerful.

Chen Changsheng looked at her and sighed, "It seems you are even more remarkable than I imagined."

Luo Luo was puzzled and said, "Master, you are the truly remarkable one."

Chen Changsheng scratched his head and said, "Is it appropriate for us to flatter each other like this?"

...

...

Chen Changsheng always believed that life was short, and time should be cherished. If it was only a few decades, it should be even more so. Since nothing had happened, he should continue to study and cultivate. In the evening, he and Luo Luo put down their books, finished the dinner sent from the Hundred Herbs Garden, and began to take a walk around the lake in the National Teaching Academy.

Walking, which seemed to be a waste of time, he didn't mind because he knew it was good for his body.

They walked to the other side of the lake, under a tall banyan tree. Chen Changsheng, rarely in a playful mood, suggested climbing up to see the view. Luo Luo always followed his words, and this was such a fun thing, so she naturally agreed.

A moment later, they climbed to the middle of the tree. The branch they stood on was thick and sturdy, not worrying about breaking. It was about ten zhang from the ground, and the view was far-reaching, allowing them to see the distant streets and even the faint outline of the Imperial Palace.

The sunset made the view of the capital quite beautiful.

The Hundred Flowers Lane outside the National Teaching Academy was clearly visible, as quiet as usual. But both he and Luo Luo knew that the Hundred Flowers Lane was different from before. In the shadows, under the eaves by the wells, countless eyes watched the inside of the wall.

"Master, I'm sorry."

Luo Luo said softly. She felt that it was because of her that Chen Changsheng was dragged into this mess. She knew he cherished time and valued a peaceful life of cultivation, so her apology was deep and sincere.

"The one who should apologize is me."

Chen Changsheng said, "If I hadn't written your name on the roster that day, you wouldn't be a student of the National Teaching Academy, and you wouldn't have encountered these troubles. Although you're not afraid of these troubles, they are still troubles."

...

...

Time doesn't stop for anyone. Otherwise, time around Chen Changsheng would be as hard as a rock.

A few days later, the second night of the Green Vine Banquet arrived as scheduled.

Looking at the invitation on the floor, he was a bit surprised. According to what Xu Shiji had said that night and the warning from the priest before, the Green Vine Banquet this year should be different from previous years. After the bloody battle on the first night, he thought the second night would be postponed.

Luo Luo asked, "Master, are we really not going to attend?"

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "No, we're not going."

The Green Vine Banquet was a spontaneous activity organized by the various academies in the capital and wouldn't affect the Imperial Examination next year. He had attended the first night mainly to understand the rules of the Imperial Examination and to see what kind of person Xu Shiji was. Now that both goals were achieved, why go again?

Moreover, on the second night of the Green Vine Banquet, countless people would be watching the National Teaching Academy, watching him and Luo Luo. He didn't like that feeling.

Luo Luo didn't expect him to really say he wasn't going and was a bit puzzled and regretful. She said, "If we go, we might get a good ranking."

The remaining literary and martial tests of the Green Vine Banquet had specific rankings, and they wouldn't end as hastily as the first night's battle. If Luo Luo continued to participate in the martial test and Chen Changsheng in the literary test, they might indeed bring glory back to the National Teaching Academy.

Chen Changsheng said, "It's not worth it."

Luo Luo looked at him admiringly and said, "Master, you treat fame like a passing cloud, truly admirable."

Chen Changsheng honestly said, "Mainly to avoid trouble."

...

...

On the second night of the Green Vine Banquet, the Heavenly Path Academy was likely bustling with activity, while the National Teaching Academy remained as quiet as usual. The Hundred Flowers Lane outside the academy finally gained true peace, as those who had been watching the National Teaching Academy for days left for the Green Vine Banquet.

Every evening after dinner, they would take a walk around the lake. Although the lake and the trees were beautiful, seeing them too often could become tiresome. Climbing the banyan tree too many times lost its meaning. Seeing that there were fewer of those annoying people in the Hundred Flowers Lane, Luo Luo didn't want to miss this opportunity. She used all her charm and cuteness to finally pull Chen Changsheng from the floor of the library. The two of them walked out of the ivy-covered gate, out of the Hundred Flowers Lane, and began to stroll.

Not far from the Hundred Flowers Lane was the famous night market of the Tile Lane. Under the rule of the Empress, the capital had been peaceful and prosperous for a long time, and the night market was naturally bustling with activity. Pedestrians rubbed shoulders, and the stalls were filled with various delicious foods, very tempting.

Chen Changsheng bought Luo Luo a skewer of candied hawthorns. She was a bit surprised, then happily accepted it, not at all polite—serving the master and providing meals was her duty, and it was also her right for the master to buy her some snacks.

She held the skewer and carefully licked it, worried that she might accidentally lick it down to just a stick, scaring the master.

She looked very cute.

When they reached a stall selling oyster pancakes, she curiously watched the oysters still moving in the batter, about to ask Chen Changsheng if they were edible, when she suddenly saw a large, sturdy figure squatting by the wall, washing dishes. Her brow furrowed slightly.

She looked very serious.

Of course, still very cute.