After eating to his heart’s content, the academy head looked somewhat more adorable. The northern aged wine got rid of his solemness. He seemed like a tiny old fellow with rosy cheeks that returned to the human world from above the clouds. He looked as amiable as uncle Chen.

“Do you want to stay in the academy?” He asked Shen Leng as he narrowed his eyes at him.

“No.”

“The food you cooked are really good…”

“See you again, academy head.”

The academy head looked at Shen Leng, who had tidied up the used bowls and chopsticks and was preparing to leave, and looked rather despondent. “Why don’t I move the academy to Anyang?”

Shen Leng replied, “You’re drunk.”

The academy head sat on the chair and smiled with his eyes closed. “Drunk? The wine was not enough to make me drunk. Those two girls at the door can go back themselves. This little fella will stay behind and become a chef here.”

Master Cha, who was at the door, looked to her left and right. There were no girls around – only her. After a while, she came to the realization that the academy head was having double vision.

“Little fella, are the twin sisters your women? How fortunate.”

“Academy head…”

Shen Leng covered the academy head’s mouth. “This aged wine burns the throat, but why doesn’t it shut one’s mouth…”

The academy head grabbed Shen Leng’s hand and swayed it. “Oh, you have a twin too.”

Shen Leng was speechless.

The academy head asked, “Is it very perplexing and distressing? What if people can tell you apart?”

Shen Leng saw a deck chair not far away from them. He carried the academy head and placed him on it before covering him with a blanket. The academy head muttered something under his breath and fell asleep. Just as Shen Leng was about to walk out of the door, he heard the academy head mumbled, “The all-military competition will be held a year from now. I want to see you compete against Meng Changan and see who prevails.”

Shen Leng turned around and looked at him. “The all-military competition?”

However, the academy head had already started snoring.

Shen Leng and master Cha starting making their way out of the academy. As they walked, he asked, “The academy head seemed to be scared because of you?”

“I’m not a boorish person, why would I scare him? Besides, I can tell that there’s someone else in his room. Like a shadow.”

“Indeed.”

Shen Leng’s voice became very soft, “That person should be both the academy head and His Majesty’s person, which is why everything will be passed onto His Majesty as it is.”

Shen Chayan asked, “You said those intentionally?”

Yeah, I sensed something amiss when I entered. I couldn’t sense where the other person was at, but I was sure that there was definitely someone there. A skilled person.”

As Shen Leng walked, he spoke, “If Mu Xiaofeng weren’t Mu Zhaotong’s son, it would not be this troublesome. It’s good to let His Majesty know about this.”

Shen Chayan grunted. “Did everything go smoothly in the northern border?”

“Yes, except that it was somewhat dangerous. If I got there any later…”

Master Cha started to tense up. “What’s wrong?”

“Meng Changan might have killed all of them by himself.”

Master Cha snorted. Shen Leng started laughing, “From the looks of it, I might be losing the bet between us. Halfway through our journey back, His Majesty’s decree should be sent out. Nobody can touch Meng Changan’s Fifth pin.”

Master Cha placed her hands behind her back as she walked. She only acted somewhat adorable like a little girl in front of Shen Leng. After all, she was only a seventeen year old girl. Because she was too independent and strong, people tend to overlook her age.

When she flung her ponytail, it made Shen Leng’s heart race.

“Actually, I lied.”

“You lied to the academy head?”

“Yeah.”

Shen Leng said, “The academy head asked why I got back so quickly and I gave him a bunch of reasons. However, those were not important. The most important reason was that I miss you.”

Master Cha blushed. She looked around; there were people walking around in the academy. When Shen Leng said such a thing out of the blue, it made her feel somewhat embarrassed. She glared at Shen Leng hard. “Do not say anymore.”

Shen Leng thought she was mad. After all, the sweet words he said today were not subtle.

Master Cha turned around and continued walking. “You can continue when we get home. I counted the number of days you were gone for. Three times for each day you were gone…say it all in one go for me to hear.”

Shen Leng laughed; his laughter was bright.

Not long after Shen Leng left, the academy head woke up. His face was still flushed but his eyes were exceptionally clear. There were not a lot of wines in this world that could make him drunk, the northern aged wine included.

That year, when Tie Liuli returned to the capital from the northern border to report His Majesty, he was scolded by him. That was because Tie Liuli loved drinking wine, and even loved to make his subordinates drink with him, resulting in them puking throughout the entire night.

The academy head drank heavily with Tie Liuli during the banquet that night to the point that Tie Liuli got so drunk that he knocked his head against the table, and tried to drag the academy head to do the ritual kneeling, which was done by brides and grooms during their wedding ceremony. After that night, Tie Liuli was so drunk that he stayed in bed for one day and one night. After he got up, he ran to the palace and knelt there for four full hours before he got summoned by His Majesty. Ever since then, Tie Liuli had never drank that much ever again.

After that, whenever Tie Liuli saw the academy head, he would feel ashamed. No matter how hard the academy head tried to persuade him to drink, he simply refused to.

Bai Ya walked out from behind the folding screen and looked outside. “He’s a very interesting person. Last time I saw him, I did not think much of him. I thought that he was just a brute. But now, I guess I really should re-examine him.”

The academy head grunted. “Remember everything he said and pass it on to His Majesty. Make sure you don’t miss out a single word.”

He let out a long sigh. “This little fella’s position in Tian Wen Ge should be shifted up. His Majesty said that we should not rank the talents according to one pattern. He was referring to people like Shen Leng…”

Bai Ya was somewhat put on the spot. “I guess it’s better for you to personally make a trip to the palace. His Majesty summoned you.”

There was a secret path within the academy head’s residence. There was a compartment behind the academy head’s study. Information was transmitted over through the secret path.

“Hoo.”

The academy head stood up. Once again, he exhaled and inhaled long breaths. When he walked forward, his face was not red anymore, and the steps he took were steady. Who could tell that he was drinking earlier? Bai Ya looked at him and could not help but feel emotions surging within him. He felt that the number of people in this world, who were as graceful and charming like the academy head, could be counted on one’s fingers.

The academy head got into the chariot and headed towards the palace. On his way there, he suddenly heard a familiar sound. He pulled open the curtain slightly and looked; he saw Shen Leng buying a beautiful hairpin by the roadside, before sticking it into that young lady’s hair. The young lady smiled sweetly like a flower. Her cheeks were rosy, making her look very beautiful.

Young people’s spirit was admirable, and young people’s affection for each other made others envious. Looking at the silly fella picking another hair ornament and clumsily attempted to put it on her hair made the old academy head wear a mother-like smile on his face.

He closed the curtain once again. He put his hands together and placed them on his slightly bulging tummy. Both his fingers started tapping rhythmically; he was in a better mood and felt as though he was twenty years younger.

Master Cha was holding a stick of candied fruit skewers in her left hand and a newly bought scarf, as well as a velvet hat, in her right hand. She lowered her head and lifted her eyes without moving at all, waiting for Shen Leng to finish putting the hair ornament on her head. She looked very adorable to the extent that it made people want to pinch her small cheeks. Of course, her cheeks could only be pinched by one person. If other people tried to pinch them, needless to say, they would meet with a tragic end.

“Let’s stop buying, we have already spent a lot of money.”

“Look at how pitiful the peddlers in Changan city are. We should help them by buying more things from them, so they can knock off earlier and go home to accompany their wives and children.”

“You talk a lot.”

“Eh, they sell overcoats over there. They look really nice. Leng, it’s time for you to buy a thicker overcoat. We should buy one for sir and uncle Chen too.”

“I don’t need one, but we should buy one for sir and uncle Chen.”

Their voices gradually became softer and softer, before they faded away. However, the smile on the academy head’s face still lingered.

The chariot stopped outside of the palace. The guards saw the academy head and quickly saluted. In the whole of Changan, only three people could enter the palace without announcing. One of them was the great general of the imperial guards, Tantai Yuanshu; the other was the great scholar, Mu Zhaotong; and the last person was that amiable old man.

The academy head smiled and nodded. He walked in a relaxed manner into the palace. He asked where His Majesty was before heading straight for Si Mao Zhai.

The window of Si Mao Zhai was opened; perhaps it was because the fire was too big. The study was not big in the first place and was indeed rather warm. The view outside the window had already became a little bleak. Without any leaves blocking, the view of the dark path outside was unobstructed.

The emperor heard footsteps and looked outside. Looking at the way the academy head was walking, it made him smile.

The young were promising and brilliant, but the elders still had high aspirations. This was what the emperor liked.

Looking at the emperor sitting by the window, the academy head smiled and bowed. “Enjoying the cold, Your Majesty?”

He was somewhat less serious, hence the emperor knew that he must have drank a lot. Even if he looked more serious, he would still talk more.

In this cold winter season, enjoying the cold…

After entering the door, the academy head took down his thick overcoat and hung it properly. His Majesty pointed next to the fireplace and glared at him. “Sit!”

The academy head sat next to the fireplace. “Your Majesty, are you writing a letter?”

The emperor tossed the piece of paper at the academy head. The academy head laughed out loud, “Indeed.”

The emperor stood up and moved his limbs about. “Pei Tingshan is a stubborn old mule. I spent an hour thinking about but I still can’t think of how I should write the letter. He has already reached the highest official position. There is nothing else for me to bestow him.”

He was a first class state founder, a great pillar of the country, and a great general. Naturally, he was already at the highest official position.

When the emperor said that, the smile from the academy head’s face slowly faded away. Naturally, what His Majesty was worried about was not the letter he was writing to appease Pei Tingshan, but rather, his last sentence…there was nothing he could bestow him.

He had already done everything he could do, and yet it still was not enough to set His Majesty’s mind at ease. Did it mean that he did not fulfill his duty?

“I’m not going to think about this anymore. Let’s talk about the young man.”

The emperor shifted his gaze away from the trees outside the window, whose leaves had fallen. He looked at the academy head. “What do you think of that young man?”

“Better than expected.”

“Compared to your beloved disciple Meng Changan?”

“He surpasses him.”

“Oh?”

The emperor’s eyes lit up. “For you to say that, that fella must be very capable.”

The academy head stayed silent for a while before speaking, “I am not worried about that little fella – if he does not die, he will definitely make a name for himself. I am worried about Zhuang Yong.”

The emperor understood what the academy head was worried about – there was an inside intelligence box within Zhuang Yong’s Navy.

“You don’t have to worry about Zhuang Yong. After Shen Leng had set off, I have already sent someone to bring my handwritten letter there. I have already told Zhuang Yong about Cen Zheng’s matter. Hence, I intend to transfer Cen Zheng away.”

“Pingyue division?”

“Yes.”

The academy head was slightly taken aback. Pingyue already had Ye Kaitai and Ye Jingtian; together with Cen Zheng, there would be three of His Majesty’s counselors in Pingyue. It was clear that it was a place of great importance.

“What about Cen Zheng’s post?” The academy head could not help but ask.

“Shen Leng can take over.”

The academy head was very shocked; he stood up abruptly. “Your Majesty, that is rather inappropriate. He’s not even eighteen years old yet, and his meritorious deeds are not sufficient to promote him to a Fifth pin general. This matter will cause a huge controversy. The civilian court officials would certainly not agree to it that easily…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the emperor gestured and interrupted him, “Cen Zheng is leaving, but the inside intelligence box cannot leave. Don’t tell me you don’t understand?”

The academy head was deeply stunned. The inside intelligence box…it was something that only His Majesty’s former counselors had control over. Every word within the inside intelligence box could greatly influence the structure of the imperial court. Be it experience or capability, Shen Leng was lacking. What was going on with His Majesty?

“Hei Yan sent me a letter from Anyang. Daoist Qingsong had something to tell me, and he said it with a lot of sincerity. I said before that I understand him well.”

The emperor looked at the academy head. “Shen Leng is Daoist Qingsong’s disciple. Most importantly, he can travel long distances to kill people on my behalf. He has never once said that he deserves anything. Since he did not ask for anything, I must reward him!”

The academy head shut his mouth. One idea from His Majesty could change the entire structure.