The old madam had never interfered much with Lu Huan before.
But ever since he entered the Imperial Academy as the Fifth Prince’s study companion and was promoted to the ninth rank, the old madam had been urging him every evening to come and pay his respects.
Naturally, what she asked about were all matters concerning Lu Huan’s relationships with the various princes.
The Ning Prince’s Residence had long been in decline. In recent years, no one from the household held office in court, and it had already become the sort of mansion the officials of the capital wanted nothing to do with. For many years, its doors had been deserted, no guests calling.
For the old madam—who had once come from a glorious and distinguished family—this was, of course, something utterly intolerable!
Now that she finally saw a glimmer of hope in Lu Huan, she began, for once, to act the part of a kindly elder concerned about her illegitimate grandson’s studies.
She even specially opened a small garden within the Ning Prince’s Residence, naming it Jingyuan, and bestowed it upon Lu Huan as his private study.
Both the Ning Princess Consort and the two Lu brothers, Lu Yuan among them, could clearly see what was in the old madam’s heart. Secretly furious and consumed by jealousy, they could do nothing against Lu Huan.
However, though he now enjoyed the old madam’s favor within the residence, outside of it, things were different.
That day, as the Ning Princess Consort saw rain begin to fall from the eaves—it was the season of continuous spring rain—she asked the matron beside her, Mama Jia, “Did Father return from Yunzhou after being ordered there to supervise the construction of the imperial palace?”
“Reporting to Madam,” Mama Jia replied, “Scholar Shangguan just returned yesterday. He came back late and did not have time to send word. Early this morning he went to court to pay respects to His Majesty, and by now, he should already be at the Imperial Academy giving lessons.”
The Ning Princess Consort’s expression turned faintly smug at that. Her nails dug into her palm as she said coldly, “Prepare the carriage. I’m going back to Father’s estate tonight.”
───♡───
Su Xi accompanied her Zai Zai at the Imperial Academy every day.
Aside from grinding ink and setting up archery targets for the Fifth Prince, her Zai Zai’s duties as a ninth-rank study companion were rather light.
And so, more than ten peaceful days passed like this.
Zai Zai was extraordinarily diligent.
Every night, after practicing martial arts and studying until late, he still found time to read.
At the fifth watch, before dawn broke, he would already be awake, continuing to study the books he hadn’t finished the night before.
Only when the morning sun rose did he hurriedly wash up, take a few steamed buns from the servants outside the courtyard, and eat as he ran toward the Academy.
For the first ten days or so, Su Xi hadn’t realized that he was rising so early—before even the rooster crowed.
She only noticed that every time she logged in, his books were more tattered, filled with even denser notes in tiny handwriting. She couldn’t help but find it strange.
Clearly, just last night, Zai Zai had only read one-third of the book.
How come by tonight, it was already finished?!
Did he finish it sleepwalking?!
And Zai Zai, seemingly afraid of worrying her, had never told her the truth—until Su Xi, one in-game morning during the weekend, launched a surprise visit and discovered his secret diligence.
It made her feel downright ashamed as a “mother”!
Su Xi had no idea why Zai Zai was working so hard. She only sensed that, over these ten-odd days, his chubby doodled avatar had noticeably slimmed down—a once-plump milk dumpling now turned into a thin one.
That night, she couldn’t help but tell Zai Zai to take a break.
“Stop studying for now,” she urged. “Let’s go ride horses outside the city.”
Lu Huan felt a wisp of wind brush between his brows—it was as if she were pressing gently at his jingming acupoint. Without realizing it, he set down his book, the tips of his ears turning red.
Before, Lu Huan had thrown himself into learning only because he wished to escape the plight he faced in the Ning Prince’s Residence as soon as possible.
But now, his sleepless devotion came from another reason entirely: he wanted to grow stronger—strong enough to find her a proper body someday, so she wouldn’t have to drift about like this any longer.
Besides that, the capital was treacherous, filled with open and hidden dangers. He needed enough strength to protect her in the future.
The books he studied in secret each morning were all about the methods of spirits and possession.
Before finding a workable way, Lu Huan didn’t want to tell her—he wanted to wait until he succeeded, and then surprise her.
Of course, Su Xi knew nothing of this.
During her own breaks from writing assignments, she was still pondering how to complete the game mission: earning the trust and support of the Zhenyuan General.
She took advantage of the time when Zai Zai was practicing martial arts to stroll around the street market outside the imperial palace, hoping she might find some kind of breakthrough.
Just then, she noticed a crowd of little cartoon figures gathered near the public bulletin board on the main street, chattering animatedly about a new notice posted there.
Using her in-game advantage, Su Xi zoomed in on the bulletin board and at once saw clearly what was written on the paper.
It turned out that due to frost disasters and droughts in the northern borderlands, unrest had broken out. Neighboring nations were eyeing Yan Country covetously, and with the empire’s troops stretched thin, the Zhenyuan General’s Residence had been ordered to recruit soldiers.
The recruitment served both as a warning to the bordering states and as preparation for suppressing the rebellion.
Those who enlisted this way would obviously start as mere foot soldiers, unlikely ever to come into contact with the Zhenyuan General.
Zai Zai was no longer the illegitimate son of the Ning Prince’s Residence of the past. He was now at least a ninth-rank official and the Fifth Prince’s study companion; there was no reason for him to enter the army through such a route.
Still, Su Xi seized the chance—while the other little figures weren’t paying attention, she tore off a copy of the recruitment notice and swiftly switched the screen to Zai Zai’s room, slapping the paper down on his desk with a “pa!”
Zai Zai stopped writing annotations with his brush, glanced at the paper, and said,
“I also heard about the Zhenyuan General’s Residence recruiting soldiers when I left the Academy yesterday. The northern border has been troubled recently. If I wish to make achievements and establish myself in court, this would indeed be the fastest way.
However, entering the army through recruitment is hardly ideal—it’s too roundabout.”
Su Xi was thinking the same thing.
She felt a bit of a headache coming on. This Mission Seven really had no clear starting point.
Then she heard Zai Zai continue: “However, I heard a few days ago that there is a vacancy for the position of Clerk of the Ministry of War. It’s a fifth-rank post and would be quite suitable. But both the Zhenyuan General and the Minister of War hold a poor impression of the Ning Prince’s Residence. Without someone to recommend me, entering the Ministry would be very difficult.”
Su Xi hadn’t realized that in the ten-plus days since Zai Zai entered the Imperial Academy, he hadn’t been idle at all.
He had already, through the young heirs studying there, mapped out most of the relationships among the officials at court.
She couldn’t help but admire him—so dependable! What help did he even need from her anymore?
“You needn’t worry,” Lu Huan looked toward the empty air, a faint smile in his eyes. “You only need to accompany—”
Perhaps realizing that the word “accompany” sounded too tender, the young man’s ears flushed red, and his voice abruptly cut off.
He changed the phrasing slightly.
“Just stay by my side.”
Su Xi didn’t yet know what plan he had in mind.
But thinking back to the incident at Yong’an Temple, she knew that she had merely played a supporting role—most of the work had been accomplished by Zai Zai himself.
So Su Xi trusted him completely.
Seeing Zai Zai’s calm and confident demeanor, her motherly pride flared up, and her heart began beating like a war drum.
Son, go seize your destiny!
───♡───
The capital had been drenched in rain for days. Out on the farmstead, the greenhouse sheds were beginning to show their worth—the crops planted inside had started sprouting rapidly.
From time to time, Su Xi would switch the interface to check on them, helping to loosen the soil or tossing in some 100 %-effective fertilizer purchased from the in-game shop.
Farmhand Wu was constantly bewildered as to why the crops in their greenhouse grew far better than those of any other farm.
He had no choice but to ask Lu Huan for more silver and double the workforce—from thirteen laborers to twenty-six.
The farm was running smoothly.
As for Lu Huan, since the heavy rain made riding and archery practice impossible, the Imperial Academy adjusted its curriculum. That day’s lesson was on court etiquette.
It was an exceedingly dull subject.
Aside from the low-key and well-behaved Second Prince and a few dutiful young heirs who had to attend, the pleasure-loving Third Prince and the arrogant Fifth Prince always skipped this class.
Although the Fifth Prince didn’t come, Lu Huan, as his study companion, had to attend, taking notes on the lesson for the prince to review later.
The young heirs and sons of officials who did show up were all dozing off anyway—after all, they could just copy their notes from Lu Huan of the Ning Prince’s Residence.
Over these past days, the scholars of the Imperial Academy had all grown fond of the Fifth Prince’s study companion—he was diligent, quick-witted, and could respond fluently to any question posed.
But today, something seemed different.
The young heirs, who had been dozing off during class, suddenly heard a loud bang from the lectern. The scholar teaching etiquette, Master Shangguan, slammed the table, face dark with fury.
“Lu Huan! Stand outside!”
Even Su Xi, who was doing her homework outside the game, jumped in fright. What happened?!
She tugged at Zai Zai’s sleeve.
Lu Huan lowered his eyes, glanced at his left sleeve, and gave a small gesture to indicate she needn’t worry.
Then he raised his gaze toward Master Shangguan on the platform. His dark eyes were cool, expression unreadable. Without arguing, he walked straight out of Guangyetang Hall.
It was still pouring outside!
The young heirs had no idea what was going on. One who hadn’t fallen asleep whispered to the person next to him, “Master Shangguan said Lu Huan handed in a blank sheet, so he flew into a rage and sent him out into the rain.”
“How is that possible? We all turned in blank papers, but Lu Huan never would. If he answered, his paper would’ve been flawless.”
Another murmured oddly, “When we first came to the Academy, those two legitimate sons from the Ning Prince’s Residence—one mediocre, one downright stupid—but their younger half-brother, though a concubine’s son, is brilliant. Seems the Ning household’s intelligence was all concentrated in this illegitimate one.”
A sharper one, putting the pieces together, craned his neck and whispered, “You don’t know—the scholar Master Shangguan is the Ning Princess Consort’s father.”
“Oh…” The other two finally understood.
So that was it. A family feud.
No wonder when Master Shangguan entered the hall today, he’d been glaring daggers at Lu Huan the whole time, as if he wanted to flay him alive.
Although these young nobles had happily been copying Lu Huan’s notes lately, when it came to something like this, there was nothing they could say.
After all—Lu Huan’s only misfortune was being born the wrong son.
Sigh.
Looking outside again, they saw him standing alone in the rain, a solitary figure. Even those two who once tried to drag him to a brothel couldn’t help feeling a twinge of pity.
The eaves outside Guangye Hall were narrow—no matter how one stood, half the body would be soaked.
Yet, at that moment, not a single drop of rain fell on Lu Huan.
He looked up—and saw that, somehow, a huge leaf had appeared above him, like an umbrella hooked onto the eaves, shielding him completely.
Rain streamed down the edges of the leaf, forming silvery strings of droplets.
A quiet warmth rose in Lu Huan’s chest.
He took hold of the giant leaf and, lowering his voice, explained softly to the unseen presence, “A few days ago, the Ning Princess Consort went back to her maiden home. This scholar, Master Shangguan, is her father. Don’t hold up the leaf, your arms will tire. And don’t get wet, come inside.”
The Princess Consort had long been gnashing her teeth over the old madam’s favor toward Lu Huan. Unable to find a direct way to harm him, she had instead enlisted her father to act on her behalf.
Su Xi tugged at Zai Zai’s left hand to say she understood and squatted under the leaf beside him.
Still, her heart was heavy. Zai Zai was so obedient, yet there was always someone looking for ways to bully him.
If she hadn’t logged into the game while doing her homework today, he would’ve been drenched again.
She felt a pang of pity—but when she looked at him, standing beneath the eaves, head tilted slightly upward toward the pouring rain, there was no gloom on his round little face. Instead, there was calm—almost serenity.
