"Luo Wen is that Hidden Guard of yours?" Elder Gu asked.

"Mhm."

"You should ask him for me where he bought it another day." Elder Gu packed up the tea. ’This little bit really isn’t enough to drink.’

Ye Qianning nodded.

"My student said this was for both of us, not just for you. Don’t take it all," Dean Chen said.

"So stingy. Here." Elder Gu tossed a packet over.

"There are three packets, and you only give me one?"

"So, do you want it or not? If not, I’m taking them all back." Elder Gu said as he reached for it again.

Dean Chen snatched it up first. "Just look at yourself. And this tea came from my student, anyway."

Elder Gu huffed and turned to Ye Qianning. "In any case, be extra careful about the matter with Prime Minister Gao. If an imperial decree is truly issued, we need to be ready to handle it."

"Mhm, I’ll have someone keep an eye on the Prime Minister’s residence starting tomorrow," Ye Qianning agreed with a nod.

"Alright. I’ll make some arrangements when I get back, too. And about that marriage arrangement in the family... sigh. I can’t stand it. Do whatever you think is right, you don’t need to worry about me. At my age, I don’t care about saving face anymore."

"I understand."

"Well, I’m off. All of you, just stay on your guard." Clutching two packets of tea, Elder Gu walked out the door.

Dean Chen stood up as well. "I’ll go to the palace first and see what I can find out."

"Why not go tomorrow? It’s already afternoon." A round trip would take until late into the night, and the path up the mountain isn’t easy to walk.

"It’s no trouble. As it happens, I need to visit an old friend in the city in the next day or two anyway. I won’t be coming back tonight."

"Alright. Master, if you do find anything out, please don’t be rash. I’m still young."

"I understand. By the way, I heard from the instructor that your monthly exam results today were excellent." Dean Chen had also seen those ten characters; they were indeed very insightful.

Ye Qianning gave an awkward smile. The moment she and the instructor had locked eyes was still vivid in her mind. ’That look he gave me... you have no idea how reproachful it was...’

’It would have been too unfair to him not to write at least a few words...’

The sun rose slowly in the early morning, heralding a new day at the academy.

The monthly exam was over. On the evening of the rest day, the academy had sent the results to each student’s family. It was a time of joy for some and sorrow for others. Although it was just a monthly exam, all failing grades would be recorded.

Students who failed the monthly exam more than three times would be expelled, so everyone took it very seriously.

The list of monthly exam results was posted on the academy’s notice board. Students heading up the mountain were now crowded around it, checking their rankings.

Ye Qianning had done well this time, her ranking was quite high. Sang Zhi, on the other hand, was a surprise. He had actually failed. ’During the exam, he looked so serious while writing. It didn’t seem like he was holding back. How could he have failed?’

Near the notice board, those who had done well were beaming, while those who had done poorly hung their heads in dejection—with the notable exception of Qian Zhuye, of course.

"Pangtuan!" Qian Zhuye spotted Ye Qianning and immediately ran over.

Ye Qianning frowned. "My name is Ye Qianning."

"Heh heh, I think Pangtuan sounds better," Qian Zhuye said, scratching his head.

"Who did you hear call me that?" ’He always called me Miss Xiang. He never even dared to use my real name, so why the sudden switch to Pangtuan?’

"When I went down the mountain for the rest day yesterday, I met General Xiang! He heard we were good friends and told me to look out for you here at the academy." Qian Zhuye grew very excited just thinking about meeting his hero.

"You’ll look out for me?"

"Yup! Don’t worry, from now on, whenever you get punished by having to copy the academy rules, I’ll do it for you."

"I doubt the instructor will be punishing me anymore," Ye Qianning said.

"Huh? Why? Did you get expelled?"

Ye Qianning gestured with her eyes toward the notice board.

"I didn’t pass," Qian Zhuye said, glancing at the board before turning back.