Chapter 11: The Imperial Academy, Returning to Studies

Chapter 11: The Imperial Academy, Returning to Study

Dongshuang pursed his lips, hesitated for a long moment, and finally said, "The one who wants to push you to be the Martial Arts Alliance Chief is the head of the Four Mansions, the old master of Mingjiang Manor—Ming Hanche."

Ming Hanche—this name resounded like thunder through the martial arts world.

It was said that a scholar once encountered bandits on the road. Pretending to stay calm, he told the bandits he was Ming Hanche's grandson, traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations. If they spared him, the Ming family would surely repay them generously. But if they killed him, the Ming family would not let them off either.

With that, the defenseless scholar walked away unscathed. Not only did the bandits spare him and his money, they even escorted him safely through the most dangerous Eagle's Beak Gorge.

The scholar was, of course, a fake grandson—merely riding on the tiger's coattails.

But when Old Master Ming heard of this, he actually sent men to bring those bandits into his fold, allowing them to reform and become guards of the Ming estate.

Thus, Old Master Ming's reputation resounded throughout the martial arts world, respected by both the orthodox and the unorthodox.

Ning Xishi was perplexed: "I've never crossed paths with this Old Master Ming—I haven't even met him. Why would he contact me?"

Dongshuang shook his head. The message had come through the Jule Gang's coded channels. It seemed they were worried about someone intercepting it or guessing Ning Xishi's true identity, so the letter contained only that single line.

Dongshuang asked, "Young Master, how should we respond?"

Ning Xishi was really getting into playing with the cat: "Two words—no time."

Ning Xishi genuinely didn't want to wade into this mess. He was good at neither books nor blades, couldn't endure hardship, and was terrified of death. He had taken over the Beggar Gang back then purely out of an edgy teenage phase, and besides, the gang had already faded into obscurity under his master's leadership, invisible to outsiders, causing no disputes.

But the Martial Arts Alliance Chief was different—that made you a lightning rod for trouble. If the imperial court ever turned its attention to purging the martial arts world, the Alliance Chief would be the first to die.

Dongshuang acknowledged the order and hurried off to send the reply.

Ning Xishi thought of something else and asked, "Who delivered the message for Old Master Ming?"

Their Beggar Gang was one tight-knit group; it was unlikely any of their own would help outsiders contact their Gang Leader. After all, that would risk exposing his identity.

At this, Dongshuang's expression soured even more: "It wasn't one of our brothers. It was a former protector who served the old gang leader. Later, because he was getting on in years, he went to the Ming family as a distinguished guest. Old Master Ming has always loved befriending people from all walks of life; taking in this old protector was probably also a way to keep a line to our Beggar Gang."

Dongshuang continued, "And the coded message was delivered to the Imperial Academy."

Ning Xishi bristled at that. He jumped up, holding Biniang: "What did that old protector tell the Ming family?"

Dongshuang certainly wouldn't know that; he could only shake his head.

Ning Xishi never imagined that someone who had left the Beggar Gang years ago could plant such a time bomb for him.

Did the other party know his identity?

Or did they only know to contact him at the Imperial Academy?

If this protector had stayed by his master's side, then he would definitely know Ning Xishi's identity. After all, the fact that the Beggar Gang Chief had passed the position to his final disciple couldn't be hidden, and these old protectors also knew that Ning Xishi had secretly studied martial arts with his master.

Putting two and two together, they would know that this grandson of Qin Du from Shaozhou was the new Beggar Gang leader.

Ning Xishi shut his eyes: "Let me see that coded message. Don't rush to reply. And quietly remove the contact signal at the Imperial Academy—don't let anyone discover it."

Dongshuang received the command: "Yes."

·

At the same time, a similar conversation was taking place in the General's Mansion study.

"The Beggar Gang has been lying low these past years. If they're stirring now, something big must be brewing in the martial arts world." Qiu Changyu rubbed his chin, still unable to stop his face from twitching whenever he thought of that little white cat named Biniang.

However, finding 'Biniang' had cleared Second Young Master Ning's name regarding the Beggar Gang, but it had also severed their trail for tracking the gang's secret signals.

Qiu Changyu continued, "Rumor has it that the Beggar Gang has now renamed itself the Jule Gang, reformed their ways, and no longer meddles in martial arts affairs. But now that their high-level contact signal has appeared, that rumor collapses on its own. They must be plotting something in secret. General, our Iron Cavalry has been resting and sharpening our edge for so long—in three years, we're meant to fight a great battle. If internal troubles arise now, our odds of winning don't look good."

This was the plain truth.

To repel a powerful enemy, the whole country must pull together. If martial artists held them back, supplies wouldn't keep up, and countless Iron Cavalry lives would be at stake.

Xie Jingxing had already thought of this without Qiu Changyu needing to say it. His imperial brother had grown more and more paranoid of those around him in recent years, and his behavior more and more absurd and tyrannical. The martial arts world was already whispering that the Dynasty was on its last legs.

Moreover, those martial artists were a pack of reckless fools who would follow anyone who lit the fuse. Even the previous Martial Arts Alliance Chief had crowned himself a petty tyrant, and people still followed him. Xie Jingxing didn't dare imagine the chaos they could stir up if they got going.

The romantic mood from this morning had been scattered to the winds. Xie Jingxing pressed his fingers to his temple and said, "Watch that mark. If anyone tries to remove it, they're definitely from the Beggar Gang."

Qiu Changyu's eyes lit up: "Brilliant, General. I'll go handle it right away."

·

Dongshuang had just reached the courtyard gate when Ning Xishi called him back again.

"No good. Since that mark appeared at the Imperial Academy, there's a high chance someone's already noticed it. Rushing to remove it now would only tip off the enemy."

Ning Xishi sighed again at how the old hand always knew best. It seemed the former Beggar Gang protector was firmly loyal to Old Master Ming, determined to leave him—the current gang leader—out to dry.

Ning Xishi looked up at the sky, his gaze filled with helplessness: "Get me changed. I'm going back to the Imperial Academy to—hit the books!"

Returning to study the day after his big wedding—if his father knew how studious he'd become, he'd be moved to tears.

Ning Xishi had barely walked out of the courtyard when Steward Li Yuan heard the news and came rushing over in a fluster.

"Young Master Ning, are you leaving the mansion?"

Li Yuan was groaning inwardly as well. His general felt bad for this young master who had been forced into marriage as a male wife, and treated him with exceptional favor—no spies from the mansion were allowed in his courtyard. But as the steward, Li Yuan couldn't just plead total ignorance, so he had to come ask himself.

Ning Xishi felt his reason was perfectly righteous. He stopped, his gaze firm: "Steward Li."

Li Yuan was momentarily dazzled by Ning Xishi's look: "Ah?"

Ning Xishi said, "Before my marriage, my parents often taught me that a man born into this world must either take up a spear to defend his country, or wield a brush to serve his emperor. I have often felt ashamed of my shallow learning and have reflected on it deeply, Steward Li."

Steward Li was caught off guard by being addressed by name, blinking with utterly bewildered eyes at Ning Xishi.

Then Ning Xishi stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and said, "I've reflected—I must not continue being idle. I must take up my brush properly."

Steward Li tried to pull his hand back, but Ning Xishi held on tight, and he couldn't free it.

So he was forced to play out a deeply emotional scene of holding hands, staring at each other, too choked up to speak with Ning Xishi.

Ning Xishi didn't let go until Steward Li turned his face away. Then he released his grip and called out, "Dongshuang, let's go. Back to study."

And so, with Dongshuang in tow, he walked openly and without any shame past Steward Li and headed toward the Imperial Academy.

Steward Li: "...Young Master Ning is truly studious."

He scratched his head, utterly bewildered. This... this didn't match the rumors at all.

·

The location of the General's mansion had been chosen years ago, just two streets away from the cluster of major government offices of the Six Ministries and Three Departments. The residents here were all heavyweights who could make the Dynasty tremble with a single stomp of their feet.

Although Ning Xishi's father was the Minister of Rites, he had only been promoted later in life, having risen to prominence late, and naturally hadn't been qualified to purchase a residence here.

But as soon as Ning Xishi left the house, he still hurriedly took a detour to the bustling Tingqiao Street, avoiding the various uncles and elders who served in the major government offices.

—Those were all his father's close friends. Now that he, the legitimate second son of the Minister of Rites, had been wedded as another man's wife, his father would inevitably suffer a loss of face. Ning Xishi still didn't want to be seen by anyone, so as not to upset his father further.

After all, if anyone on the way to the Imperial Study were to mention, "I ran into your youngest son on the street, the one married off as a wife," his father would surely be so furious his beard would tremble.

In the past, Ning Xishi wouldn't have bothered with such face-saving gestures.

But thinking of how the book described that after his death, his father's hair turned white overnight, and he knelt for a long time before the Imperial Study, begging to resign his post and retire, Ning Xishi couldn't help but be deeply moved.

Even with this detour, Ning Xishi was still brushed by a passing sedan chair. He only noticed that the sedan chair bore no official insignia, so he simply clasped his hands in a bow and went on his way.

Unexpectedly, inside sat a friend of his mother's. This friend later told his mother about the encounter, reducing the whole family to tears—but that's a story for later.

Ning Xishi bought a few of his usual snacks and crispy fried chicken on Tingqiao Street, planning to bring them to the Imperial Academy as snacks.

When he arrived at the gates of the Imperial Academy, two guards stopped Ning Xishi outside and sent someone in to announce his arrival.

This wasn't the guards giving Ning Xishi a hard time; it was simply that the Imperial Academy held an exalted status, and any entry or exit outside of regular school hours required a written note from a teacher.

The teacher in charge of attendance felt a headache coming on upon hearing Ning Xishi's name. He wanted to send him back, but neither Ning Xishi's father nor his current husband were people he could afford to offend, so he had to hurry out himself, intending to talk this little ancestor into leaving.

Ning Xishi grabbed the teacher's hand and repeated the same speech he had given to Steward Li.

His words made the teacher's hair stand on end. The teacher quickly struggled free and stammered, "You... you are now another man's wife. Though you are male, you... you should also keep your distance from others. If... if the General gets jealous, we'll... we'll all be in trouble."

Ning Xishi, who had thought his acting was quite good: "???"

He turned to look at the equally bewildered Dongshuang, and the master and servant were left standing in the wind, completely bewildered.

==========Author's Note:==========

Good night