By morning, Principal Yao still remained at the site of the incident. The cat had slept on the rooftop, growling any time the Mayor’s Office or City Guards attempted to interfere with the Imperial Observatory’s investigation. As it pertained to the safety of a student, the role of overseer had fallen to her.

They had completed most of the interviews and interrogations. The information offered by the suspected catalyst, the Black Fan Society, was particularly enlightening.

The fact that a group of students considered becoming involved with gang conflicts as playing in the capital was something she could and couldn’t believe at the same time. The reason anyone could possibly believe it was that the girl called Hei Ruidie took responsibility, or ‘credit’ as she referred to as during her questioning. Troublesome.

At this moment, three people stood in front of the cat.

Sun Ming, who led the officials from the Mayor’s Office, was speaking. “When she came to me asking about the capital’s gangs, I should have known avoiding them was the last thing she was planning to do. I am prepared to take all the blame.”

Lei Shiwen bowed. “Principal Yao, as her teacher I fully accept this incident as my failure to properly guide the younger generation.”

Luo Yizuan closed his eyes. “The mistakes of the young belong to their elders.” He did not say much, but the meaning was clear.

The cat meowed and bobbed their head. “In the end, I was the one who gave her the bell, which is likely the reason for her reckless behavior. In a way, this is my fault.”

A monkey suddenly dropped down from the nearby balcony. “Fault? Cat, isn’t it obvious whose fault all this is? It’s obvious to me! It’s all the girl’s fault!”

Principal Yao chuckled. “You are the Principal of Thousand Thought and she is one of your students. Maybe this is your fault, Monkey.”

“My fault?”

“The students are not to blame. They are victims. Reckless danger-seeking victims, but victims nonetheless. All this is pointless to discuss now, there is much more surrounding this incident that the Palace will want to know about.”

…

In the Great Hall of Tranquility, greater than a hundred officials stood on two sides facing one another. None dared to even glance at the front of the hall, where a white curtain was drawn. Behind the curtain, something the audience had begun growing used to, was not one but two figures. Two Saints ruled the land.

The eyes of the audience instead rested on a man who kneeled at the center of the hall.

The Chief Censor stood apart from the rows of officials. “Xiao Tuangan do you admit your crime?”

The First Master of the Xiao Family, Xiao Tuangan, felt the stares of the court. He threw his head onto the floor to where it resounded. “This subject admits his guilt!”

The officials shifted in their places and murmured. Near the front, the Ministry of Rites’ Minister's crestfallen expression could not darken any further.

The Chief Censor narrowed his eyes. “Then, does the Xiao Family admit their guilt?”

Against the floor, Xiao Tuangan’s eyes shook. His mouth dried.

“Xiao Tuangan! What is your answer!”

As Xiao Tuangan opened his mouth, the gates of the hall opened, reverberating and creaking as it did.

Two young men entered. They bowed and continued with lowered heads until they reached the center of the room.

The first young man wore a yellow gown and slim features. “Li Shen greets Imperial Majesty, Imperial Mother, and the audience.”

The second young man had already kneeled and did not speak, but everyone knew his identity. Xiao Anyin, the Third Mister, was the youngest son of the Second Master. “Hello, Uncle,” he quietly slipped. “You should have visited home. The family has a new addition.”

Xiao Tuangan gritted his teeth without looking up. It is precisely Xiao Anyin who his brother, the Second Master, supported to succeed their father.

The old Chief Censor blinked twice and looked towards the Head Eunuch, expecting him to address the Crown Prince, but Chancellor Zhangsun Guanzi stepped out from the audience. “Crown Prince, what is the purpose of your interruption?”

Prince Shen turned towards Chancellor Zhangsun. Though his eyes sharpened, his lips smiled. “As this prince met and conversed with a friend visiting the capital, I learned that what he knows may be imperative to the circumstances of today’s court session. It is for the benefit of the court and the land that I brought him here.”

“Is that so?” he said raspingly.

Xiao Anyin raised his head. “I have traveled directly from Luoyi and have the words of my grandfather.”

Many shifted their brows. In such a short time, Luoyi had already acted.

“What are his words?” the Chief Censor said.

“First, Grandfather pleads leniency from Imperial Majesty in the account of the Xiao Family’s lasting friendship with the Imperial House.”

Chancellor Zhangsun shifted his brow. Does the Old Master want leniency? What power does that man have left?

The figures behind the curtain did not move.

“Second, Grandfather will donate one hundred million taels of silver directly to the Treasury.”

Murmurs began. How large were the coffers of the Xiao Family? Do they want to openly bribe their way of out of their own mess? Many wondered at the same time.

“And third, Grandfather requests goodwill from the court.”

Now, the officials became even more confused. Goodwill? What did that mean?

Then, abruptly, the Minister of Rites fell to his knees onto the floor. A dozen more within the audience followed. Vice-Ministers and Bureau Chiefs from the Six Ministries. Censors from the Censorate. Secretaries from the Secretariat. Each one’s voice echoed the same meaning. “This official pleads leniency from Your Majesty.”

The eyes of the audience had just begun to widen when a young eunuch ran through the door. “Outside in the yard! More than a hundred officials! They’re all kneeling!”

The hall became silent when everyone’s mouths hung open. No one knew what to say. How many people have the Xiao Family bought over the years? Have many favors are they collecting? How many were in their debt?

Chancellor Zhangsun looked towards the curtain. Behind the thick gauze, the Emperor was still, but the Empress shook her head.

He pulled up his lips. Empty tricks! As he began to speak there was yet another interruption.

Chancellor Pei stepped out of the audience from the opposing side. “Her Highness Jiading has written a memorial intended to comment on the discussion today. Fearing it would not reach Imperial Majesty’s ears in time, she has instructed me to deliver it.”

No one could follow the series of surprises. Chancellor Pei waited until this moment to speak and not earlier. The man helped the Liu Family deliver a letter, which made sense considering both the Pei Family and Liu Family were a part of Guanzhong’s Surnames, whose relations have recently grown closer. Although the Emperor had other sisters within the Imperial House, none wielded political power as Princess Jiading did.

A cough echoed.

“Your Majesty!” the Head Eunuch cried in concern.

“Give me the letter,” a dry voice said.

The Head Eunuch immediately took the letter and stepped within curtains before exiting.

The crinkling of paper was heard. Even from outside, everyone noticed the first figure within the curtain shake.

Just as the Head Eunuch feared for the worst, the man behind the curtain stood up and reached the candle stand behind him. He burned the letter. “Xiao Xuangan and his son are to be dishonorably discharged from service. Every official kneeling inside and outside is to be dishonorably discharged from service. Anyone who wants to complain is to be dishonorably discharged from service. Nothing else needs to be spoken of. This session has concluded! Everyone leave!”

…

Ruidie stared outside the window of the carriage at the passing streets. Turning her head had her face Ran Qiang, the other person she rode with.

“If you aren’t going to thank me, at least tell where we’re going?”

Ran Qiang sighed. “Do you ever listen to the gossip around the school?”

The girl thought about it and shook her head. “None. I usually blot out everything I hear from other students.”

“My father is the head of the Ran Family. After my birth, Mother suffered from complications and could not have another child, so I was raised as the next heir.”

“So that’s where the crossdressing originated from.”

She grounded her teeth. “I happen to find these more comfortable.”

“So you do like it. Maybe I should try too!”

“Why is it so hard to converse normally with you.”

“Your front just makes it easier to tease.”

Ran Qiang folded her lips and remained silent.

“Please continue,” Ruidie encouraged.

“On the contracts, the Ran Family paper business is owned by me. It is for this reason that no matter what, as long as I deny it, they can’t be bought from the Ran Family. However, last year, my mother had a son.”

“Ah,” she reacted. Anyone could tell how this type of story went.

Ran Qiang continued. “This is why the Xiao Family thought that my position in the family could be weakened. There is a stipulation in the contracts that if I was no longer the heir, ownership of the business would fall to the family instead of my name. Then will enough taels to throw around, even my uncles would eventually be blinded by them. So, besides external issues, all my uncles had met attacks from this angle.”

Ruidie laughed. “Idiots.”

Ran Qiang raised an eyebrow.

“As the one attending the Capital Schools, going to join the Spring and Autumn Archives, and partnered with Orchid Bookstore, you are the core of the Ran Family’s future political, trade, and ascetic connections. It is impossible for your baby brother to be the next heir. If the Ran Family had such shortsightedness, they don’t deserve to grow,” Ruidie said.

“You are not wrong. That’s why with the pressure gone, the family has made a decision. It was supposed to be after I graduated and entered the Spring and Autumn Archives, but now ahead of time, I’m the head of the Ran Family. We are currently heading to a banquet in celebration of this occasion.”

Ruidie’s mouth opened.

Ran Qiang could guess what she wanted to say. “No, I don’t intend to torture you with remaining to watch every ceremony. Someone asked to meet you, and this was the easiest way.”

The carriage stopped.

The banquet took place in the front yard behind the gates of Ran Manor. Ran Qiang immediately stepped inside and was then dragged by family members further in when they spotted her.

There were several families of the capital at the tables. Ruidie did not recognize anyone at the tables and no one there recognized her either.

“Hei Ruidie,” a voice behind her called.

She spun around. Standing there was a girl and another youth behind her. They were familiar faces.

“I’m Ran Wen. The one behind me is- you can introduce yourself.”

The youth creased his lips. “Call me Gao Jian. We are both students of your father. Like you, we passed our entrance exams this year.”

Ran Wen spoke. “Although I know you likely don’t care, will you still be partaking in your bet with Yuwen Du?”

“I fully intend to study arithmetic and use the bet as an opportunity to test myself with the end of the year exams,” Ruidie said. She learned that the Capital School’s facilitators would allow her to participate in the Arithmetic School’s exams because the bet existed. It was fascinating what the Capital Schools allowed to facilitate wagers between students.

Ran Wen held up a tied package of scrolls and paper. “These are for you.”

“What are they?”

“You may not care about the bet, but Yuwen Du is the type of person that does. Written here are all of the books he has studied so far as well as concepts he’s focused on. His classes and the concepts taught within the classes. I even have copies of some of his notes. Later in the year, we will supply you with more information on his progress.”

She blinked. “I can work with this, but why?”

Gao Jian grinned. “We want him to grovel on the ground in defeat.”

“Aren’t both of you his friends?”

Ran Wen nodded. “It’s because we are friends that we want him to experience being knocked down. Teacher have always spoken about facing setbacks early so that recovering from a fall becomes easier. Last year, both Gao Jian and I failed the entrance exams, and have learned from it. Overconfidence becomes the downfall of those that never face setbacks. It’s a matter of disciplining arrogance.”

Overconfidence. Ruidie’s mind wandered but nodded anyway.

“In return for beating him, we’ll owe you another favor,” Ran Wen said.

“Another?”

She suddenly bent her waist and inclined her head. “I wanted to thank you, not on behalf of my father, but myself. The one thing I hated seeing was his stressed features and declining health without any way to stop it.”

Her eyes swerve. “You?” Ruidie deflected to Gao Jian.

He shrugged. “I don’t know the things going on in the palace, but one of my uncles has been promoted to the position of Minister of Rites. So I guess I can thank you for that.”

Ruidie took the tied package and gestured towards the banquet. “Do I have to stay?”

Ran Wen shook her head. “We have a seat for you at our table if you want to stay, but the carriage driver outside has also been instructed to take you anywhere in the city.“

“Then I’ll choose to leave.” She nodded goodbye and left Ran Manor. When the carriage driver asked where to go, she declined and decided to walk instead.

Ran Manor was located near a stream and a busy commercial district. At a food stall, she placed down a coin and bought two sticks of candy. Each was a column of semi-transparent spheres skewered in a stick. She bit off one and found them chewy and sweet.

At top of the stone bridge’s arch. She stopped and sat on the railing, facing the opposite of the clear stream. “So, what do you want to talk about? Or do you want one?”

Sitting on the opposite railing was Jiang Jingxin. “Glad you were able to spot me. I’ll take your offer.” He took the other candy stick. “These are third in the rankings of Taiping’s candied foods.”

“There is a ranking for candy?”

“Personal ranking.”

“What’s first?”

“I’ll do you one better and give the top five. Fifth is hearth candy. Fourth is sesame candy. Third is this. Second is dragon beard candy. Finally, first is indisputably rock candy.”

Her head tilted. “You sure know a lot about this.”

“When people come to the capital, wandering the streets is obviously the first thing they do, at least I did. The candy stalls were what I encountered the most, close yet unreachable at the time. So I began making money. By the end of that week, I tasted every single candy in Taiping’s stalls.”

Is this all we’re going to talk about? More importantly. “How did you know I would be here?”

“I planned on coming here anyway. This meeting is an additional benefit. After that evening, I found out two things. The first was a certain type of moth flying in the rafters which reminded me of what I heard occurred at the Vermillion Pavilion. The second was the connection to the Ran Family, who supplied the Six Ministries, based on the fake documents’ paper and ink. From there, I can figure out the relative means and motives for the events of that evening.”

“Are you going to spout something like ‘I’ve been made a fool and you have made an enemy’?”

“No, I have better things to do than have to deal with you.”

“Eh? Too bad. I would have responded with, ‘Really? I’m worthy? This is the best day of my life.’”

“Would it have been?”

“No. I lied. I’m rarely happy.”

“Don’t mind,” he waved. “I can’t remember the last time I was happy either. What I actually want to say is simple. We are both students of Thousand Thought. You stay out of my way and I stay out of yours. From one senior to their junior, this is an agreement between peers.”

“No.”

Jingxin’s head bobbed. “Why?”

“I won’t lie. If I have something I want and our interests collide, it will be impossible for me to compromise and give up first.”

“I see,” he nodded and touched his chin. “I am the type of person who would compromise first, but that only matters if someone can make me compromise. Well, you don’t count in this case, so your answer is good enough for now.” He stood and began walking away. “Let’s hope a conflict doesn’t occur in the future.” After biting off a skewered candy, he waved the stick as a farewell.

Ruidie spun around and faced the water, gazing at the reflection below. She also had more important things to do. Continuing classes, advancing her cultivation, and studying arithmetic. The most crucial aspect of all of this was time. Time which she has both gained from the stone pillow and lost from beginning to cultivate. In a way, things haven’t changed at all. Like so, the girl continued going forward towards the end of autumn.