Chapter 2: So What If That Good-For-Nothing Really Shows Up?

Lu Shujin fiddled with a silver ingot, turning her head as her ink-black eyes watched Xiao Jin, surrounded by a crowd of people showering him with flattery, gradually walk off into the distance.

She sighed inwardly—only a family like the Xiao clan, with such a deep foundation, could spoil someone into becoming such a wasteful and unruly young master.

She had been in Yuncheng for about half a month now, and of course, she’d heard of the Xiao family.

Three generations of the Xiao clan had held immense power in the court, each a highly ranked official with unmatched influence. Xiao Yunye, in particular, had leveraged his background as a noble scion to lead countless battles with his long spear, pacifying the borders and quelling rebellions, earning himself the title of General Zhenning.

Though the current dynasty prioritized civil officials over military ones, Xiao Yunye was still greatly valued and trusted by the emperor. No one in the court, whether civil or military, dared oppose him.

Xiao Yunye’s official wife had died early, and his first two sons were born of concubines—one was now a fifth-rank civil official, and the other a military officer, both serving under Xiao Yunye. The third child was a striking beauty who had entered the palace through the selection process a few years ago and quickly gained the emperor’s favor, rising to the rank of consort.

The Xiao family was a powerful clan that had entrenched itself in the capital for many years. Its descendants were all outstanding, each more accomplished than the last.

Xiao Jin, however, was the only legitimate son of Xiao Yunye and the future heir of the vast Xiao family estate—the next family head. And yet he was left alone in Yuncheng, a sign that Xiao Yunye had completely lost hope in his only legitimate son.

Even so, this man was still arrogant, unruly, uneducated, and always causing trouble, yet no one dared say a single word against him to his face.

As for those unlucky souls today, they had simply run into Xiao Jin while gossiping—and so a beating was inevitable.

News spread quickly. Soon, everyone from the teachers to the students had heard about how, on the very first day of classes at Haizhou Academy, Xiao Jin had already beaten someone up right at the entrance.

When the news reached Dean Qiao’s ears, he shook his head and sighed, inwardly lamenting that this little tyrant was at it again.

Dean Qiao came from a humble background. When he placed first in the imperial exams, he was only twenty-six. At the time, he was a naive scholar who knew nothing outside of his books. Fortunately, he had met Xiao Yunye, a straightforward and attentive man who had helped him navigate the treacherous waters of officialdom. Thanks to his guidance, Qiao Bailian had managed to survive and now served as the dean of Haizhou Academy. His foremost wish was to nurture Xiao Yunye’s legitimate son into a worthy successor.

But this child was wild and defiant, brimming with rebellion and hard to figure out, leaving Qiao Bailian quite troubled.

He had earnestly tried to advise and discipline Xiao Jin several times, but the boy remained unrepentant and even grew more outrageous. He was clearly spoiled rotten. If he had even half his father’s ambition, he wouldn’t be so impossible to teach.

Just as Qiao Bailian was sighing in frustration, someone knocked on the door. He put away his thoughts and looked up, only to see a slender young man standing at the entrance, dressed neatly with a fair and clean face. His jet-black, bright eyes held not the slightest trace of fear.

“Dean Qiao, this student has come to collect supplies.”

Qiao Bailian’s face immediately lit up with a kind smile as he waved to Lu Shujin. “Come in, child. I’ve been waiting for you.”

In truth, Lu Shujin hadn’t arrived late. Even though she’d run into Xiao Jin beating someone up at the academy gate, it hadn’t delayed her long. But since Qiao Bailian said so, she lowered her gaze and adopted a modest, well-behaved demeanor. “This student apologizes for being late. I ask for the Dean’s forgiveness.”

“No matter, no matter,” Qiao Bailian said, waving his hand dismissively.

Some days earlier, when the academy had opened registration for the entrance examination, he had gone to the site in person and spotted Lu Shujin standing among the crowd at a glance.

She wasn’t very tall, dressed in plain, modest clothes that made her dark hair and bright eyes stand out. She stood quietly in line, not trying to push ahead or draw attention, looking calm and obedient.

Later, when Qiao Bailian personally supervised the exam and saw Lu Shujin quietly pick up her brush and hand in a paper that pleased him immensely, he had already developed a fondness for this student. That was why he had waited here just for her.

Qiao Bailian took the items he had already prepared for Lu Shujin from the nearby cabinet and placed them on the table. As if making small talk, he asked, “You haven’t been in Yuncheng long—where have you been staying?”

“In a rented courtyard house on Changqing Alley in the northern part of the city,” Lu Shujin replied.

Qiao Bailian mentally ran through the name of the alley before recalling its location. It was indeed quite a distance from Haizhou Academy. If one were to walk, it would take no less than half an hour. Feeling a twinge of pity for the seemingly delicate child before him, he said, “Now that the academy has begun classes, you can stay in the dormitories. No need to travel back and forth every day. Focus on your studies.”

As he spoke, he placed the books he had prepared earlier into the wooden basin and added, “I copied all these books by hand. I’ve read your policy essay from the entrance test—you have great insight. Take these back and study them carefully. I’m sure you’ll gain a lot from them.”

Lu Shujin was briefly stunned by the expression on Qiao Bailian’s face.

In that moment, the esteemed and highly respected Dean looked just like a kindly elder offering guidance to their own child.

She hadn’t felt this kind of care from an elder in a long time. Her heart warmed, and she quickly lowered her head to express her gratitude, promising, “Thank you, Dean. This student will surely read them day and night, study diligently, and live up to your expectations.”

Qiao Bailian had always favored students with ambition and a thirst for knowledge. He smiled gently. “Go on then, child.”

Lu Shujin left the office with the wooden basin in her arms, her heart still feeling warm.

However, Haizhou Academy was quite large, and it took her some time to find the student dormitory courtyard. Since it was registration day, many students around her age were coming and going, instructing their servants to arrange their belongings.

The dorms were spaced apart, arranged in neat rows with green-painted walls and black tile roofs. A wooden sign hung above each door with a number on it, corresponding to the small wooden tag on the room’s key.

Lu Shujin walked past room after room and finally found her dorm at the very end, near the wall: Room Twenty-Six.

When she pushed open the door, Lu Shujin was immediately delighted by what she saw.

The room was quite spacious. Upon entering, she saw a large folding screen set up in the center. Embroidered on the black background were a soaring eagle and a tall pine tree. The screen divided the wide room into two parts.

There was an open space on either side, and toward the back near the window was a bed. A gauze curtain hung from the ceiling, and beneath the window sat a desk and chairs. Though this dorm room was shared by two people, the screen and curtains ensured privacy—allowing both occupants to go about their daily routines without being seen.

Further inside was a small inner room used for bathing and washing, and the door could be locked from the inside.

The conditions were far better than Lu Shujin had imagined. She had thought staying in a dorm might be inconvenient, but upon seeing the thoughtful layout and design of the room, her worries immediately vanished.

Satisfied with the dorm, Lu Shujin’s mood lifted. Seeing that the other person had not yet arrived, she chose a bed for herself and arranged the few clothes and items she had brought, along with what Dean Qiao had given her. She then made a list of supplies she still needed to buy before heading out.

In fact, she had almost run out of money. But this morning, a silver ingot had unexpectedly landed in her hands, giving her enough to purchase more supplies—and even hire a cart and a servant to help move her bedding and other belongings.

Lu Shujin returned to the courtyard house she had previously rented. She had the cart wait at the entrance and moved her things herself.

She had only been in Yuncheng for about half a month and hadn’t brought much with her to begin with, so apart from some bedding and clothes, there wasn’t much to pack. As she was moving things, a young woman opened the door and stepped out, stopping her.

“Shujin.”

Lu Shujin paused and turned to the woman with a smile. “Sister Peier, not going to the embroidery workshop today?”

The woman’s name was Peier. Her room was next to Lu Shujin’s and she was the first person to take the initiative to speak to her. Lu Shujin, being away from home, wasn’t fond of interacting with others. Even after living in the courtyard for half a month, she’d only spoken to a middle-aged couple and Peier. She rarely even saw the other tenants.

Courtyard rentals like this were common, usually occupied by people from out of town trying to make a living in Yuncheng. Peier was about eighteen and worked as an embroiderer in a shop on a nearby street. She earned only a modest income and had looked after Lu Shujin quite a bit over the past two weeks, often inviting her to eat together.

“The academy’s starting classes already? You’re moving over there now?” Peier asked seriously, without a smile. “Will you still come back?”

Lu Shujin was about to answer when a tall, dark-skinned man stepped out of the room behind Peier. He had a small scar about the length of a finger at the corner of his lips and asked quietly, “Who is this?”

Peier smiled. “This is a younger brother I recognized recently. He also came to Yuncheng from elsewhere to study—and he even got accepted into Haizhou Academy!”

The name “Haizhou Academy” was as well-known as thunder in Yuncheng. The students there were either wealthy or noble—future top scholars in the making. People tended to be respectful and eager to please anyone from the academy. As expected, the dark-skinned man’s expression softened considerably upon hearing this. He smiled and said, “Didn’t expect you to have such good luck, recognizing a future scholar as your younger brother.”

Lu Shujin replied, “You flatter me, sir.”

Then she answered Peier’s earlier question: “The academy opened today. I went to collect the dormitory key, and I’ll be moving in today. But I’ve rented this place for half a year, so I’ll still return during rest days.”

Some belongings were safer left locked in the room than carried around.

Peier stepped forward and handed something to her—a handkerchief. The fabric wasn’t fancy, but it was beautifully embroidered with a lifelike magpie. It looked elegant and refined. Peier said, “I don’t have much to give you to celebrate, so I embroidered this handkerchief for you. Just something small, don’t mind it.”

Lu Shujin initially wanted to refuse, but she noticed Peier’s fingers were wrapped in cloth, probably injured from work. Remembering how hard it was for an out-of-town girl like Peier to make a living in Yuncheng, and how kind her intentions were, Lu Shujin smiled and accepted it.

“Thank you, Sister Peier. When the academy’s on break, I’ll come back to see you.”

She made a mental note to bring Peier a bracelet or hairpin next time as a gift in return. Just as she was about to say goodbye, Peier stepped forward again, looking concerned.

“You’re all alone here in Yuncheng, without anyone to rely on. Now that you’re in Haizhou Academy, be careful. Don’t provoke those young masters inside, and be respectful to the instructors. Focus on your studies. Also, Yuncheng hasn’t been peaceful lately. The yamen has already received several missing persons reports—all outsiders. Don’t wander around during your breaks, understand?”

Her words sounded just like those of a caring older sister, and Lu Shujin was genuinely touched. She nodded to each piece of advice, and when she reached the door, she said, “Don’t worry, Sister Peier. I understand all of this.”

She wanted to chat more, but when she turned around and saw the tall man still standing behind Peier, she felt it was inconvenient to speak freely with an outsider present. She exchanged a few more words with Peier before carrying her things onto the cart. Along the way, she bought all the items she needed. Only after confirming she had everything did she return to Haizhou Academy.

Today, the academy had relaxed its entry restrictions for registration day, so the cart was allowed all the way to the dormitory courtyard gate. After carrying everything into her room, Lu Shujin aired her bedding on a bamboo rack in the open space outside, then went in and thoroughly cleaned the entire room.

Afterward, she wandered around the academy grounds, familiarizing herself with the layout and classrooms for daily lessons. She then bought a cheap meal from a food stall.

By the time she returned, the sun was already setting. Most of the other dorm residents had already settled in. She brought in her bedding and made her bed, and even by nightfall, her mysterious roommate was still nowhere to be seen.

She couldn’t help but wonder—would this roommate be easy to get along with?

Lu Shujin waited several more days, but the mysterious roommate never appeared. That’s when she slowly realized—this dorm room was hers alone.

She had been assigned to the academy’s Jiazi Hall. All three students who passed the entrance test were in that class, and all of them came from genuinely poor backgrounds. One of them, named Wu Chengyun, was rather cheerful. He and Lu Shujin had met during the test, and now they shared a desk and had become friends.

Wu Chengyun told her that most of the students at the academy were locals of Yuncheng. The young masters from wealthy families didn’t actually live in the academy dormitories, but since their tuition fees included accommodation, their names were still listed for the rooms. As a result, many dormitory spots remained vacant.

Lu Shujin had just happened to benefit from this situation, so she no longer wondered about her missing roommate.

Once classes began, she gradually adjusted to the academy’s daily routine. Each morning, she woke at the hour of the Rabbit (around 5–7 AM), washed up, and walked with the other students past the food stalls to buy a simple breakfast. Then they would rush to the classroom, and as soon as the bell rang, the teacher would enter and begin the lesson. There was an hour-long break at midday for lunch, followed by two more hours of lessons in the afternoon. Only then would the day’s literary studies be considered complete.

However, it wasn’t all literature every day. After two consecutive days of literary classes, there would be one afternoon of martial arts. These classes covered basic stances like horse-riding stance and simple self-defense techniques.

Fortunately, summer days were long. There was still daylight after classes ended, so things didn’t feel too hectic.

Lu Shujin wasn’t talkative. It was a habit she had developed after years of living under someone else’s roof. Now that she had escaped, she had to be even more cautious. After all, disguising herself as a boy and sneaking into the academy was an audacious move. If she were discovered, she’d be handed over to the authorities. They would soon find out she had escaped from Yangzhen. If she were sent back, then all her efforts would have been for nothing.

So she didn’t interact much with her classmates. Most of the time, she buried herself in her books. She occasionally spoke a few words with Wu Chengyun. She always came and went alone and didn’t form any personal friendships.

Other than the first day when she bumped into Xiao Jin at the academy gate and witnessed him beating someone up, the following days had been uneventful.

But the matter from that day involving the steamed bun stall didn’t just fade away.

That afternoon, after class, Lu Shujin was walking back to her dorm when she was stopped by three people.

At a glance, she recognized them as the same three who had been gossiping at the bun stall on the academy’s opening day—and who had been brutally beaten by Xiao Jin.

“What do you want?” Lu Shujin was well aware of their intentions. She knew they were here to settle scores from that day. But she kept a blank expression, pretending to be confused.

“Don’t pretend to be clueless! If you hadn’t pointed us out that day, would we have ended up beaten like this? And now you want to act like you don’t even know us?” the tall, skinny one on the left screeched.

Among the three, one had a black eye, another had a bruised cheek, and the short, chubby one—who had taken the worst of the beating—still had to walk with a cane. His nose had bled profusely that day, and now as he stood before Lu Shujin, the fat on his face trembled with rage. He stared at her with clenched teeth, burning with hatred.

“I never pointed you out,” Lu Shujin said, feeling utterly wronged.

All she had done was speak the truth.

“Still trying to deny it!” the chubby one shouted and raised his cane high, ready to strike her.

Seeing this, Lu Shujin immediately looked behind them and widened her eyes in shock. “Young Master Xiao, what brings you here?”

The three of them were startled out of their wits and instantly turned to look behind them.

But there was no one there—only a few passing students who, seeing trouble brewing, kept their distance. The area was empty.

There was no Young Master Xiao at all.

Only then did the chubby one realize he had been tricked. When he turned his head, he saw that Lu Shujin had already taken off running. He shouted, “After him! Don’t let him get away!”

Lu Shujin ran ahead, with the three of them chasing behind. Passing students stepped aside to make way.

The chubby one was slow due to his injuries, but the other two were perfectly fine, and naturally, Lu Shujin couldn’t match the stamina and speed of two teenage boys.

She hadn’t gone far when one of them caught up and tripped her. She immediately fell to the ground and couldn’t get up again. Gasping for breath, she flipped onto her back and sat there.

The other two arrived shortly after. The chubby one was also out of breath and looked like he was about to keel over. After catching his breath, he pointed his cane at Lu Shujin’s nose and growled, “You little bastard! Let’s see where you run now!”

“This is Haizhou Academy,” Lu Shujin said, sitting on the ground but looking up at them without a hint of fear in her eyes. Her voice remained calm. “If you dare cause trouble here, I’ll report you to the tutors. You’ll get punished too—hurting others won’t do you any good.”

The chubby one’s face turned red with anger. He shouted, “Even if you run to the magistrate, I still have to give you a beating today to vent my anger!”

“Hold on a moment!” Lu Shujin knew that with all the commotion, some student might have already gone to fetch a tutor. She just needed to stall for time. She said, “If you’re angry with Young Master Xiao, you should come for me privately. Picking a public fight—aren’t you afraid he might show up?”

The chubby one sneered, “Almost fooled me again. That damn Xiao Jin has already skipped three days of class. He didn’t even come to the academy today—how would he catch us?”

Then, perhaps realizing his words made him sound foolish, he added, “And even if that useless guy did show up, so what? I—”

A long shadow suddenly stretched out beside Lu Shujin’s hand.

The chubby one choked on his words and went completely silent.

The three of them had been looking down while speaking to Lu Shujin and hadn’t noticed someone approaching. Now, in their peripheral vision, they saw someone had walked up behind her. They looked up at the same time, and their expressions instantly changed—eyes wide, faces filled with dread.

Lu Shujin sensed something too and slowly turned her head.

Standing behind her was a young man dressed in a light apricot brocade robe, his long hair tied up high. The western sun cast a long shadow behind him, and the golden light caught the loose strands of his hair. Arms crossed, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

“I’m here. What are you going to do about it?” he asked coldly.

It was none other than Xiao Jin himself.

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