Chapter 62#

Two conflicting thoughts—strict law and forbidden impulse—collided violently in Wen Zhuo’s mind. He allowed himself to return Shen Zhi’s kiss for a brief moment, then twisted out of that warm embrace, his earlobes burning hot as he fled like the wind, disappearing into the back courtyard in a flash.

Shen Zhi was momentarily stunned by this sudden withdrawal. Watching that flustered, fleeing figure, he couldn’t help but smile.

But after studying it for a while, his gaze gradually turned solemn and profound.

He belatedly realized the particularity of this Great Qian dynasty.

What seemed perfectly natural to him—emotions following their course—was, in Wen Zhuo’s eyes, a transgression against the authority of law.

He must cherish and treasure Wen Zhuo’s response. This was entirely different from mutual affection in the modern era. It meant that Wen Zhuo had placed his fate, future, reputation, honor, and disgrace—all his most vulnerable vulnerabilities—into his hands.

To respond to his kiss, Wen Zhuo had abandoned the ‘safety’ that those in high positions valued most.

Jiang Man-nü and Liu Qiying heard the commotion and turned back in surprise.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong with our Lord?”

The sensation of Wen Zhuo’s waist still lingered on Shen Zhi’s fingertips. He quietly savored the remaining warmth in his embrace, unhurriedly replying, “I provoked him. A small matter.”

After a moment, Wen Zhuo had washed his face again and emerged from the back courtyard with a composed expression. Aside from a faint trace of rosy red on his lips, there was no sign of any intimate encounter.

As if nothing had happened, he walked straight toward Six Monkey, who was deep in thought with his head lowered: “Do you still remember where the Wen family kept the children they bought?”

Six Monkey was inherently more clever than his peers; previously, he had only been deceived due to his shallow experience and lack of guidance. Now, with Shen Zhi and Wen Zhuo’s probing questions, he began to ponder the strangeness of it all.

“I remember! At Dongyaizi!” Six Monkey answered immediately.

Wen Zhuo furrowed his brows slightly. “How did you escape from a place like that?”

So-called Dongyaizi was a medium-sized island.

A large river flowed through Liangping County, locally called Wangtiangou. The waters of Wangtiangou were swift and turbulent, flowing straight to the sea. Locals who drew water from the ditch often slipped and fell to their deaths, so it was secretly called ‘Suominggou’—Life-Snatching Ditch.

Dongyaizi was an isolated piece of land in the middle of the ditch, eroded by water year after year, visibly shrinking. It was surrounded by dangerous shoals and treacherous waters. Without a boat, ordinary people could hardly approach it.

“Heh, you wouldn’t know this!” Six Monkey puffed out his chest proudly, his face full of self-satisfaction. “I grew up in the water. I swim faster than a fish! That Wangtiangou might seem fierce and terrifying to others, but to me, it’s no different from my own backyard. I can hold my breath for a quarter of an hour. With just two or three breaths to catch, I can swim from the island to the shore!”

Unexpectedly, this young man had such a skill.

Wen Zhuo pondered for a moment, his almond-shaped eyes curving slightly. He took out the piece of ambergris and handed it to him: “Six Monkey, would you be willing to go to Dongyaizi again and help that old man from yesterday find Zhiwa?”

Six Monkey’s face flushed bright red. He hurriedly turned his head away, not daring to look directly at Wen Zhuo’s features, stuttering his reply: “Why wouldn’t I be willing! I’ve been worried about Zhiwa too. I wanted to go back and check on things long ago, but I haven’t found my mother yet. I can’t just sell myself out, can I?”

Wen Zhuo signaled to Jiang Man-nü with his eyes, then said to Six Monkey, “I’ll find someone to pose as your father and accompany you there. Remember, after you give this keepsake to Zhiwa, swim back immediately and report to me the number of children on the island and their situation. As for your mother’s whereabouts, we’ll help you find her.”

Six Monkey carefully took the piece of ambergris. Looking down, he saw the incense block was grayish-white overall and ugly in appearance.

Yet it was such an unremarkable thing that had cost that old man his life.

He gripped the incense block tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white. He hesitated, then raised his head: “Do you think… is it possible that Liu Kangren is actually a good person?”

“I don’t know,” Wen Zhuo answered truthfully.

Six Monkey lowered his head, his voice carrying a hint of resentment and remorse: “I cursed him I don’t know how many times before. I even spat in his yard several times and kicked his wall. If he… if he really isn’t a bad person, I want to apologize to him personally.”

Having said that, he raised his hand to wipe his eyes, turned around, and ran into the room. He sat down cross-legged with his back to everyone, refusing to say another word.

Suddenly, the sound of bailiffs cursing came from the entrance of the alley. Everyone tacitly held their breath and listened quietly.

“Damn it! Can’t even get a decent night’s sleep, running around all day for these blasted tasks!” One bailiff’s impatient, grating voice carried far.

“Bah, stop complaining! Hurry up and search! Master Wen is pressing hard. If we can catch them, the thirty taels of silver reward is real!” Another bailiff was clearly tempted by the money.

“Don’t you find it strange? Just a few people—one consumptive, one so-called gentleman, and two women—and it’s like they’ve vanished into thin air. No one’s seen them!”

“Mianzhou Prefecture is huge. Hiding a few people isn’t hard! Stop talking nonsense. Check house by house properly, and we’ll eventually dig them out!”

Immediately after, a loud “Bang bang bang” knock on the door sounded. The bailiffs pounded on the gate of the courtyard across the street.

“Open up! Open up! Official investigation! Hey, have you seen these two people?”

The gate across the street creaked open, and a well-dressed woman walked out.

The bailiff shook out two portraits and held them up to her. The woman squinted at them for a long time, shook her head repeatedly, and soon slammed the door shut again.

“Hey, that courtyard diagonally across the street—haven’t we checked it yet?”

“Are you stupid? That’s Liu Kangren’s house! It was confiscated just a few days ago. That bastard is still locked up in jail awaiting execution.”

“Oh… I forgot about that.” The bailiff who had asked earlier said resentfully, “What bad luck! I heard they didn’t even find a decent silver hairpin when they raided the place. All that work for nothing! And he was supposed to be the son of a high official, a former general! What a pauper!”

“A general, so what? Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river!” Another bailiff scoffed.

The two traded barbs, their footsteps gradually fading away.

Wen Zhuo withdrew his gaze from outside the courtyard, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear. His peripheral vision swept over Shen Zhi as he calmly spoke: “If you want to see Liu Kangren, Your Highness only needs to reveal your identity to Lou Changsui. But saving him—that would be as difficult as reaching the heavens.”

“If Liu Kangren indeed stole the grain, then the evidence Lou Changsui submitted would be flawless. Under His Majesty’s wrath, the triple-review process would move very quickly. I imagine the imperial rescript from the capital will arrive within ten days at most.”

Shen Zhi looked at Wen Zhuo’s expression and knew that in this short moment, he had already formed a plan in his mind.

What an exceptionally clever little cat.

Shen Zhi quickly dragged over an old wooden chair left by Liu Kangren from the courtyard, gently pressed Wen Zhuo’s shoulders to make him sit, and said respectfully but with a hint of cunning: “So thorny. It seems that in all the world, only my teacher can devise a solution.”

Wen Zhuo glanced sidelong at him, his mind flashing with that series of gentle yet irresistible kisses. The tips of his ears burned slightly.

He turned his face away, steadied himself, and said seriously: “Although Your Highness holds the Imperial Sword, if you defy national law to forcibly protect Liu Kangren, it will certainly displease His Majesty. His Majesty might even suspect Your Highness of ulterior motives, of trying to win over Duke Liu. So the risk cannot fall on Your Highness, and the release cannot come from Your Highness either.”

Liu Qiying frowned deeply, utterly confused: “According to that, doesn’t this matter become increasingly hopeless?”

She had been agonizing earlier about whether a hasty meeting with Liu Kangren might expose their identities and undo all their secret investigations. But after Wen Zhuo’s analysis, any intervention seemed a dead end. The road was only narrowing.

“Then… may this student ask for his teacher’s instruction?” Shen Zhi bent down to meet Wen Zhuo’s eyes, all ears.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Wen Zhuo’s eyes, there and gone in an instant, before he resumed his calm, unconcerned demeanor: “So the only way now is to make Lou Changsui deliver the person to us willingly, while we remain passive recipients throughout, completely innocent.”

“How is that possible!” Jiang Man-nü blurted out.

Wen Zhuo casually rolled up his sleeve, revealing a section of fair, jade-like arm.

With a light flick of his wrist, a palm-sized ivory plaque appeared before everyone’s eyes.

The plaque was milky white, with a warm, smooth texture. The top was carved with delicate ruyi cloud patterns, and a vermilion cord was threaded through the hole in the middle. Below, seven characters in regular script were clearly engraved: “Wen Zhuo, Head of the Hanlin Academy.” The calligraphy was vigorous and powerful. On the reverse side, two lines of small characters were incised: “Court officials attending audience must wear this plaque. Do not lose it. Violators will be punished.”

It was noon. The sunlight pierced through the old tree’s withered branches in the courtyard, drenching the ivory plaque. The sharp characters sparkled in the light, an air of official authority pressing down on everyone.

A faint smile curled at the corner of Wen Zhuo’s mouth: “Nothing in this world is absolutely impossible.”

Shen Zhi loved his faint smile that hid shrewd calculation. In front of others, he couldn’t kiss him, so he took a handkerchief and wiped Wen Zhuo’s still-damp cheek: “I’ve always had great confidence in my teacher.”

That afternoon, as the sun slanted westward, a guard dressed in coarse, short clothes, leading Six Monkey who was similarly shabbily attired, slipped out of the Liu residence without a sound, heading directly for the south gate of Mianzhou Prefecture.

At the city gate, archers holding portraits were checking everyone leaving the city one by one.

The two mixed in with the commoners exiting the city, dusty-faced and shabbily dressed. The archers casually glanced at the portraits, then glanced at them. Seeing no resemblance, they waved their hands impatiently.

Keeping their heads down, the two passed through the city gate, heading west, racing toward Liangping County.

At dawn the next day, just as the city gates opened, five more guards disguised themselves, split into three groups, and left Mianzhou Prefecture one after another.

One of them had an object hidden close against his inner garment—Wen Zhuo’s ivory plaque as Head of the Hanlin Academy.

Ten days earlier.

Under this same cloudless sky, while Mianzhou’s climate was still mild, snow was already falling in the capital.

Within the Wuying Palace of the Forbidden City, an icy chill filled the air, and the atmosphere was oppressive.

Duke Liu knelt in the hall, haggard in appearance. His once-black sideburns had turned completely white, messily disheveled.

He shuffled forward on his knees, knocking his head heavily against the cold golden bricks. With a frightening dull thud, his forehead instantly bruised with a patch of shocking crimson.

“Your Majesty, I beg you to spare my son’s life. Let this old minister bear the punishment in his stead!” His voice was hoarse, filled with sorrowful entreaty.

Emperor Shunyuan sat upon the dragon throne, trembling with rage. His palm slammed onto the memorial from Mianzhou on his desk: “Liu Yuanqing, you still have the nerve to plead for him!”

Not satisfied, he angrily threw the memorial in front of Duke Liu, shouting sternly: “Look at what your son has done!”

Before his voice died away, Emperor Shunyuan began to cough violently, his shoulders heaving with each fit, bringing up phlegm tinged with blood.

Liu Quan, who was nearby, quickly stepped forward to offer a handkerchief, but the emperor slapped his hand away fiercely.

“I was wondering earlier why Du Yanbei returned looking like skin and bones. So it was all Liu Kangren’s doing in Mianzhou! He is the mastermind behind all of this!”

“If it weren’t for the blessing of heaven upon Great Qian, upon me, and for the warning signs sent down, wouldn’t all the people of Xing and Jing provinces have been killed by him?” The emperor’s voice grew sharper, filled with deep hatred. “Not only the common people suffered—Fifth Prince and Wen Wanshan, who borrowed grain and delayed disaster relief, I cannot forgive either! So many grievances, each and every one caused by him! Liu Kangren cannot atone for his crimes even with ten thousand deaths!”

Duke Liu’s face was streaked with tears. Murky tears flowed down his deeply lined cheeks. The bruise on his forehead had broken through the skin, seeping blood. The heroic bearing that once commanded armies on the battlefield was now completely gone.

Dazed and disoriented, he straightened up and looked up at Emperor Shunyuan high above. Suddenly, he raised his hand and tore at his official robe. In a few motions, he stripped off his upper garments, revealing a body covered in hideous, twisted scars.

The scars were crisscrossed, from cuts and axes, shocking to behold. Each one was a mark of his devoted service to Great Qian.

“I know Kangren’s sins are grave, and he cannot atone even with ten thousand deaths! But I beg Your Majesty, in consideration of this old minister’s past service, for which I risked my life for Great Qian, allow me to exchange my life for his!”

“Liu Yuanqing, you are forcing my hand!” Emperor Shunyuan’s chest heaved violently, nearly spitting blood.

He still remembered how, back then, if not for Liu Yuanqing leading the military forces to support him, cooperating with Liu Changbai to decisively suppress the restless ambitions of the various imperial uncles, he would never have secured this dragon throne.

Otherwise, with only his meritorious service in the southern border, Liu Yuanqing would not have been enough to be enfeoffed as a duke.

But now it seemed that Liu Yuanqing and Liu Changbai were no different—both presuming on their past merits to threaten their sovereign. Their hearts were worthy of execution!

Duke Liu slowly shook his head, his eyes full of despair and entreaty: “I am not one who cannot distinguish right from wrong, stubbornly shielding my own. But my eldest son has been bedridden with illness for years and needs meticulous care. My wife and I are both advanced in years, with little time left. I fear that after I pass, my eldest son’s remaining years will be unbearable. I only hope Your Majesty will show mercy, spare Liu Kangren’s life, and let him take care of his elder brother. I will be eternally grateful in the underworld!”

Emperor Shunyuan’s face darkened, and he was silent for a long time. The golden bricks reflected the dead, still morning light in the corner of the hall, making it difficult to breathe.

After a long while, he slowly spoke: “My beloved ministers, tell me—should I pardon Liu Kangren?”

Bu Zhangyi was astute. Watching the turn of events, he knew that Lou Changsui, that sly old fox, had many tricks up his sleeve. Liu Kangren had been made a scapegoat.

So be it. Everything in Mianzhou would continue as usual, and it would remain the Wise Prince’s money pouch.

At this moment, a Censor-in-Chief stepped forward, flicking his sleeve, and said with righteous indignation: “I believe that Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, should prioritize the state’s well-being and uphold the law as the guiding principle. You absolutely cannot bend the law for personal gain and abandon the public good of the realm!”

Duke Liu’s heart sank heavily, as if falling into an ice cellar.

He closed his eyes, completely abandoning the dignity of a courtier. He turned and stumbled toward the censor, kneeling in the most humble manner: “Lord Helian! This old minister, Liu Yuanqing, begs you to leave a thread of hope for my son!”

The censor’s face assumed a sorrowful, helpless expression, but his tone remained cold and hard: “Duke Liu, it is not that I intentionally target you, but this matter concerns the law and discipline of the state. There is absolutely no room for leniency!”

“That’s right!” Another remonstrance official chimed in. “An ancient saying goes, ‘If a prince breaks the law, he is judged the same as a commoner.’ Now, Liu Kangren’s actions are perverse, wreaking havoc in Mianzhou, stirring popular resentment, unsettling the people’s hearts, and shaking the very foundation of Great Qian. If he is not severely punished to uphold the law, how can we quell the anger of the four seas?”

Duke Liu dragged his battered body, turning again to that remonstrance official, and knelt deeply: “Lord Bai! I beg you, speak a good word for my son!”

The official turned his head away and ignored him, his expression cold.

One after another, officials stepped forward, their words forceful: “Your Majesty should issue a clear edict immediately, handle the matter according to law, and make an example of him to warn others. Only then can you live up to the people’s hopes and the state’s trust!”

Duke Liu’s internal organs felt filled with lead. He went from one official to another, kneeling on his knees, knocking his head against the cold golden bricks again and again. Blood streamed down the bridge of his nose: “My lords! I beg you, show mercy! Leave a path for my Liu family! My son was wrong. He was truly wrong…”

Jun Dingyuan couldn’t bear to watch this iron-boned, commanding old general now bare-chested, suffering such humiliation. His pride was being trampled.

His brows furrowed, and he was about to step forward to help Duke Liu up.

But as soon as he moved his foot, someone grabbed his wrist tightly.

Jun Dingyuan turned his head and saw Mo Shu standing behind him, gently shaking his head.

The two were not originally standing together. Clearly, Mo Shu had anticipated Jun Dingyuan’s inability to restrain himself and had risked being penalized by the Court of State Ceremonial officials to come and stop him.

Jun Dingyuan’s lips moved, and the veins on his forehead bulged. But he saw Mo Shu’s eyes darken, growing more serious.

His senior brother’s words had a special effect on Jun Dingyuan. He could only hang his head dejectedly, forcefully stepping back, his knuckles turning white.

Emperor Shunyuan watched Liu Yuanqing’s wretched state, and the last trace of pity in his heart vanished. He closed his eyes and said coldly: “When Liu Kangren was defeated in battle in the past, he should have been punished according to law. I, recalling that he was from a military family, let bygones be bygones and demoted him to the Thousand Household Post in Mianzhou, hoping he would reform and atone for his past crimes. Who would have thought his ambition was untamable, ungrateful for imperial grace, and audacious enough to steal official grain, causing the disaster relief to fail and popular anger to boil over. This act shows utter disregard for the law, bringing calamity to the state and the people. I hereby order: dispatch a decree to Mianzhou Prefecture, bind Liu Kangren and take him to the execution ground. Behead him without pardon!”

Duke Liu stared blankly after hearing this decree. He felt all his strength drain away, as if he were in a dream, ethereal and unreal.

Then his vision went black. His body swayed, and he collapsed heavily onto the golden bricks, unconscious.

After court, Jun Dingyuan walked out with long strides, a furious expression on his handsome face.

Mo Shu exchanged a few quiet words with Gu Weizhi. When he looked up, Jun Dingyuan was already out of sight.

Mo Shu sighed to himself, took his leave from Gu Weizhi with a nod, and quickened his pace to catch up. He didn’t call out to the man until they reached the long street outside the main hall.

“Huaishen!”

Jun Dingyuan spun around abruptly, agitated: “Senior Brother, why did you stop me in court just now? We are both men who have fought on the battlefield. Seeing him stripped to the waist, covered in scars, I couldn’t bear it!”

Mo Shu shook his head with a faint smile.

Still acting on impulse, not changed at all.

He softened his tone: “Huaishen, let me ask you: according to the memorial, was Liu Kangren deserving of his punishment?”

“Yes!” Jun Dingyuan said without hesitation, but quickly added, “I’m not defending him. I just couldn’t stand seeing Duke Liu so humiliated in court.”

Mo Shu’s tone was calm: “He was humiliated to save his son. Would helping him have made any difference? He would only have knelt again, or begged you to speak for him. Would you have pleaded for Liu Kangren?”

“No! He ruined my sister’s life, separated mother and child. Now he’s harming the common people. He deserves to die long ago.” Jun Dingyuan gritted his teeth.

“You see, you can’t restore his dignity with a helping hand, but that one gesture would have endless consequences.” Mo Shu analyzed calmly. “You are the Fifth Prince’s maternal uncle. That you will eventually serve His Highness is already an open card. Previously, you were repeatedly ambushed. In His Majesty’s eyes, you were wronged but safe. Today, when all the civil and military officials stood idly by, you alone stepped forward. If Duke Liu remembers your kindness, then both the ‘Southern Liu’ and the ‘Northern Jun’ would become His Highness’s men. How could His Majesty not be wary?”

Jun Dingyuan was momentarily speechless.

Mo Shu urged him to keep walking: “Moreover, even if you helped him, Liu Kangren would still die. Duke Liu would not remember your kindness. For the sake of his bedridden eldest son’s future, he would eventually lean toward another prince. Then he would become a major concern for His Highness.”

Jun Dingyuan sighed heavily, his face filled with nothing but regret: “Senior Brother is right. I was reckless and nearly caused a disaster.”

Mo Shu shook his head, his expression grave: “Never mind. We don’t know the situation in Mianzhou yet, whether His Highness and the Head of the Academy have been successful. I’m afraid it won’t be that simple.”

The two walked side by side for a while. Jun Dingyuan suddenly stopped, scratched his head, and said quietly: “I’ve got you recorded by the Court of State Ceremonial again. How about… you punch me a couple of times to let off steam?”

Mo Shu couldn’t help but laugh: “Give me a break. With your temper, this isn’t the first time you’ve dragged me into trouble.”

That day, a captain of the Imperial Guard, bearing a bright yellow imperial edict on his back, mounted a dark steed and sped toward Mianzhou.

At the same time, it was a different scene at the Wise Prince’s residence.

The Wise Prince’s faction, seeing the situation in Mianzhou change, felt joy rising in their hearts.

Bu Zhangyi said with a smile: “Lou Changsui’s side is settled. That saves us a lot of trouble.”

The Wise Prince, who had been gloomy all day, was finally in good spirits. He paced back and forth in his mansion, calculation flickering in his eyes. He pointed as he gave orders: “In that case, let’s do him a favor. Send a letter to Lou Changsui, informing him that Wen Zhuo and the Fifth Prince have detoured to Liangzhou to collect grain and will go to Xing and Jing provinces first for disaster relief before heading to Mianzhou. Tell him to prepare early, clean up the traces, and leave no evidence.”

Bu Zhangyi: “Your Highness’s concerns are well-founded. I will arrange it.”

The Wise Prince’s close attendant immediately received the order, turned around, and rode out of the mansion. He was only half a day’s journey behind the imperial guard.

The sunlight in the courtyard was just right. A gentle breeze brushed the face, neither cold nor warm.

With all matters arranged, Wen Zhuo was completely at ease, his expression relaxed. He took a scroll from his bag, found a stone bench to sit on, and opened the book to read.

But as he read, he was distracted by the gaze beside him.

Shen Zhi was propping his chin on his hand, staring at Wen Zhuo without blinking. Sometimes he smiled lightly, sometimes he seemed lost in thought. His deep eyes couldn’t hide his admiration.

Wen Zhuo couldn’t help but say: “Time is tight. This is the only plan I could think of. Whether it will work is still uncertain. Shouldn’t Your Highness be a little worried?”

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhi not only didn’t restrain himself but moved closer, murmuring softly: “Between Bo and Zhong, you match Yi and Lü; in command and strategy, you surpass Xiao and Cao. Right now, all I want to do is write a biography for my teacher.”

Which scholar wouldn’t love having someone write their biography and compose books about them?

It would make their name known through the ages!

Wen Zhuo was no exception. He couldn’t help but hold back a smile, then felt it was improper, so he quickly composed his expression, pretending to be nonchalant: “That poem is Du Fu’s praise of Zhuge Liang.”

“The poem belongs to someone else, but the biography—I’ll write it myself. I’ll make sure everyone knows just how—how remarkable you are!” Shen Zhi deliberately dragged out his words to please him, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

When he wrote down everything he had experienced and passed it on, future scholars shouldn’t curse cats as treacherous ministers, make arbitrary criticisms, or engage in extreme slander.

He wanted to leave behind the best and most moving posthumous reputation for him.

Wen Zhuo pricked up his ears, couldn’t help shifting his knees, turning around to ask curiously: “…Then how does Your Highness plan to begin?”

Just as Shen Zhi was about to speak, Wen Zhuo immediately added with a touch of pride: “I don’t care about these vain reputations. I’m just afraid Your Highness’s writing is inadequate.”

Shen Zhi struggled to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth, pretended to think for a moment, cleared his throat, and said: “Hmm… My teacher, Wen Wanshan, was like jade trees in the wind, pure and flawless. He held office with clean integrity and incorruptibility. His wisdom was outstanding, and when faced with matters and plans, he never made a miscalculation.”

Wen Zhuo raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling a hint of pleasure.

Could Shen Zhi actually be serious?

As he spoke, Shen Zhi flipped through the scroll resting on Wen Zhuo’s lap, his words flowing like a spring: “…Moreover, he was eager to learn and diligent in practice. He delved deeply into the classics, history, and the art of governance. He was a rare talent in this world.”

Wen Zhuo listened intently, a shimmering light in his eyes, the corners of his mouth almost rising high!

Shen Zhi felt his literary cultivation was still passable. Seeing Wen Zhuo—if he had a tail, it would be wagging contentedly—

He then abruptly changed his tone, slowly and with a hint of teasing: “…However, he was not perfect. He had a sweet tooth and was quite particular about delicacies and dishes. Occasionally, he deceived his teacher and sometimes paid lip service while acting otherwise. More often, he disregarded his own health and acted willfully, causing concern.”

“?”

In an instant, shame and annoyance surged into Wen Zhuo’s eyes. He flicked his sleeve and was about to stand up.

How could future generations know he was addicted to sweets? Where would his dignity be?

Shen Zhi reacted quickly. He grabbed Wen Zhuo’s sleeve and smoothly pulled him into his embrace, coaxing softly: “Don’t be angry, Teacher. The earlier part was for the world to see. The latter part is what I want to quietly keep in my heart—because I truly care.”