Cen Junce: “Master?”
Xie Yi snapped back to attention and continued the previous topic: “…After I go to Qingzhou, someone will help you become a disciple of Guozijian sacrificial wine Shi Xingchuan.”
Cen Junce froze: “It is… Master Shen Zhai?”
This was a great Confucian whose reputation resounded throughout the Yuchao Dynasty. In his early years he traveled across the land, teaching wherever he went. Many scholars had received his instruction; Cen Junce himself had once attended his lectures with his father as a child and was even praised by Shen Zhai for an innocent remark.
However, Shen Zhai was extremely strict in accepting disciples and currently only had five or six.
Cen Junce never dared imagine he could become his disciple. If someone else had said this, he would have thought it a joke—but since it was Xie Yi who said it, he inexplicably believed it.
Xie Yi continued: “In the next two years, you do not need to do anything unnecessary. Stay in the Hanlin Academy and focus on serving your teacher.”
Cen Junce opened his mouth but did not know what to say.
After becoming Xie Yi’s subordinate, he knew his master had far-reaching ambitions, and also understood his own role.
He had originally thought his master would arrange for him to contact fellow provincials and classmates to prepare for the future. Doing such things in the capital was very dangerous, but Cen Junce also understood that without his master, he and his younger brother would likely already be dead.
He just did not expect the arrangement to be completely beyond his expectations—far from danger, it was practically a dream.
Cen Junce accepted the orders in a dazed state.
The Qi Prince’s spies were still watching nearby, and Xie Yi could not stay long.
Lin Zhiji and Cen Xuezhou were chatting happily and felt reluctant when it was time to leave.
Xie Yi looked at him, his eyes slightly cold.
The two walked out of the residence. Xie Yi skillfully lifted Lin Zhiji by the knees and carried him into his arms.
“W-wait a moment.”
Lin Zhiji grabbed his arm. Previously he had not reacted in time before Xie Yi jumped out the window.
But this posture was really awkward!
He tried to negotiate: “Can you carry me on your back?”
Xie Yi lowered his gaze, his voice gentle to an almost soft degree: “You don’t want to be carried?”
Lin Zhiji vaguely felt something was wrong and hesitated: “If possible…”
But the next moment, Xie Yi carried him up onto the courtyard wall.
Lin Zhiji: !!!
Lin Zhiji thought he had gained experience and would not be more flustered this time.
But he was wrong.
He had experience—but it could not withstand Xie Yi suddenly changing routes and increasing difficulty.
If the previous was a normal drop tower, this was now a 360° full-spin roller coaster.
Because he was too frightened, Lin Zhiji even forgot to scold Xie Yi.
He only clung desperately to Xie Yi, not only wrapping his arms tightly around his neck, but even burying his head into his neck.
Xie Yi could feel that the young man in his arms clung to him like a fledgling bird, his fluffy hair rubbing against his neck, as if his entire world depended only on him.
This caused the vague irritation and sour tightness in Xie Yi’s heart to gradually dissipate with his breath.
He tightened his arms again, holding Lin Zhiji firmly.
Returning to the inn, Xie Yi placed Lin Zhiji onto the couch and went to pour tea.
Lin Zhiji was still shaken and instinctively grabbed Xie Yi’s collar.
Xie Yi narrowed his eyes, but still leaned down following his pull.
Their noses were so close they nearly touched, breaths mingling for a brief moment.
Lin Zhiji’s face instantly flushed red, and he hurriedly released his grip, his body falling backward.
Xie Yi raised a hand to protect the back of his head, naturally straightening his body as though nothing had happened at all.
“Thirsty?”
Only then did Lin Zhizhi realize how dry his throat was.
Earlier, he had gotten too caught up chatting with Cen Xuezhou and completely forgotten to drink water. Then Xie Yi had carried him flying all over the place, making him scream silently into the void. The little moisture left in his mouth had long since been blown dry.
Before he could even answer, Xie Yi had already risen and poured him a cup of tea.
Lin Zhizhi’s hands were still trembling slightly. Just as he reached for the cup, Xie Yi pulled it back.
“I’ll feed you.”
Lin Zhizhi: “No—”
But before he could finish refusing, the edge of the porcelain cup was already pressed lightly to his lips, warm tea moistening them.
Lin Zhizhi could only suppress that strange awkwardness and drink more than half the cup from Xie Yi’s hand.
Afterward, Xie Yi said, “Those two spies have probably grown impatient waiting. We should head back down.”
Lin Zhizhi had recovered some of his energy by now. Thinking of Xie Yi’s insane antics on the way back, he had originally intended to complain—but was blocked by such a proper excuse.
Fine. He’d keep score and settle it later.
But the moment he stood up, he realized his legs felt as limp as noodles, and he involuntarily collapsed back onto the couch.
“Can’t walk anymore?” Xie Yi asked.
Lin Zhizhi glared furiously.
Fake concern!!
Whose fault is it that I can’t walk?!
Xie Yi seemed completely unaware this was his doing and even started walking toward him.
Lin Zhizhi’s scalp tingled. “D-Don’t carry me!!”
Flying around in the sky earlier was one thing.
But if Xie Yi actually carried him out of the inn, who knew what kind of rumors would spread?!
Did his dignity mean nothing anymore?!
Unexpectedly, Xie Yi merely half-supported, half-held him upright.
Lin Zhizhi: “……”
Xie Yi smiled faintly. “Oh, so carrying you was what you were thinking about.”
Lin Zhizhi: !!!
You did that on purpose!!!
Lin Zhizhi was furious, but he still had to lean against Xie Yi for support, his face flushing bright red.
The two left the Heaven No. 1 Room together.
The two spies sat in the corner, their eyes fixed on the staircase—and happened to witness the scene.
Xie Yi’s collar was disheveled, the fabric across his chest wrinkled, a smile lingering at his lips as he half-held a young man in his arms.
The boy’s face was flushed red, his expression embarrassed and indignant, his legs seemingly weak enough that he had to lean against the other man.
Oh dear.
Broad daylight debauchery!!
And that intense!!
The corners of both spies’ mouths twitched.
Fortunately, after all that nonsense, Xie Yi finally looked satisfied enough to escort the little attendant into a carriage and head back to the general’s estate.
—
The carriage stopped at the entrance to the General’s Manor.
Xie Yi stepped down first, then reached back to help Lin Zhizhi down.
Neither of them thought anything of it, but Steward Xie, who had been waiting at the entrance, couldn’t stop the twitch at the corner of his eye.
“Third Young Master, the General has ordered that you go directly to the main courtyard upon returning.”
Xie Yi showed no surprise.
He had already guessed Xie Pingyue’s patience had run out.
Steward Xie’s eye twitched again as he watched Xie Yi bring Lin Zhizhi straight toward the main courtyard.
He wanted to stop them, but remembering the Third Young Master’s past behavior, he suspected that if he dared say a word, the next moment this young master would simply drag the boy back to Qingping Courtyard and make the General come find him instead.
So Steward Xie swallowed his objections and merely sent someone ahead to notify Xie Pingyue.
Thus, the moment Xie Yi stepped into the study—
A teacup came flying straight at him.
Xie Yi calmly tilted his head, allowing it to smash onto the floor outside.
Lin Zhizhi, meanwhile, had been following Steward Xie toward the neighboring side room and jumped in fright at the sound.
Then he heard Xie Pingyue’s furious roar from inside:
“You unfilial son! Have you no sense of propriety?!”
Steward Xie truly lived up to being head steward, remaining perfectly composed.
“The General places great expectations upon Third Young Master. Deep love brings stern discipline—surely Young Master Lin understands?”
Lin Zhizhi found it somewhat funny.
He hadn’t expected the first round of probing to come from Steward Xie.
If he and Xie Yi really had the kind of relationship people rumored, he might actually have wavered.
Unfortunately, not only was their relationship different from what people imagined—it was even stronger. Completely unshakable.
Of course, that was what he thought internally. Out loud, he still felt obligated to disgust Steward Xie a little.
Resting his chin on his hand, Lin Zhizhi wore an expression of innocent sincerity.
“Of course I understand. The deeper the love, the greater the responsibility! It means fully supporting Third Young Master, right? I get it.”
Steward Xie: “???”
That is NOT how that phrase works!!
Meanwhile, inside the study, Xie Pingyue slammed the table and thundered:
“You are the Third Young Master of the General’s Manor, yet broad daylight and you’re bringing around another man… spending every day coming and going together. Aren’t you afraid of ridicule?!”
“Ridicule…” Xie Yi lifted his eyes with a faint smile. “Who would dare?”
The words were mild, yet the threat within them was unmistakable.
Xie Pingyue froze.
He suddenly realized—
The current Xie Yi was no longer the powerless illegitimate son of the General’s Manor.
Now, he was the Crown Prince’s favored subordinate, soon to lead troops to Qingzhou to suppress bandits. If he earned military merit and gained command of the Zhechong Camp, his standing in court would become incomparable.
And all of this had begun when Xie Pingyue casually handed over the Zhechong Camp and sent him into the Eastern Palace.
No.
Perhaps even earlier.
From the moment Xie Yi used Madam Jiang’s framing to smoothly appear before him.
Taking advantage of his predicament, Xie Yi entered the Eastern Palace, then leveraged the Zhechong Camp wrested from him to gain the Crown Prince’s favor. Every step had been meticulously calculated, borrowing power to fight power—yet his ambitions had always extended beyond court politics.
That fiercely contested Left Guest Official position had never even been part of Xie Yi’s plan. From beginning to end, he had only one goal:
Go to Qingzhou, suppress bandits, and naturally seize military authority.
Only now did Xie Pingyue feel both unfamiliarity and fear.
The Xie Yi he thought he knew had been hot-blooded, arrogant, and reckless.
But the real Xie Yi was calculating and unfathomable, manipulating the entire court without revealing a trace.
And he himself—
Had merely been a chess piece in Xie Yi’s hands.
Xie Pingyue had joined the army young, fought hundreds of battles, risen from deputy commander to a great general commanding three hundred thousand troops.
And now he had been played so thoroughly by his own son.
How could he not burn with fury?
Coldly, he said, “You think because the Crown Prince agreed to let you go to Qingzhou, you can simply go?”
He was the commander of the Shuofang Army.
If he wanted to reclaim the Zhechong Camp, who could stop him?
Yet Xie Yi remained completely calm.
“The General is welcome to try.”
The last time Xie Yi said those words had been when he broke the young marquis’s leg.
The result?
Xie Pingyue had been forced to shield him from the Marquis Zhaode’s household, making everyone even more convinced of his favor toward Xie Yi and of Xie Yi’s control over the Zhechong Camp.
That, in turn, had led to the Crown Prince valuing him.
Remembering this, Xie Pingyue nearly coughed up blood.
A terrible sense of foreboding crept into his chest.
Yet he truly couldn’t think of what backup plan Xie Yi might still have.
Even if the Crown Prince supported him, the imperial court was not the Crown Prince’s alone.
At the very least, Prince Qi would never allow someone from the Eastern Palace to gain military authority!!
This unfilial son had to be bluffing.
Watching the uncertainty flicker across his face, Xie Yi suddenly remembered one of Lin Zhizhi’s favorite sayings.
The corner of his lips lifted.
“Oh. As long as you’re happy.”