Academy

"Old man, a bowl of Tofu Brain, two Fried Dough Sticks, and a Wheat Cake Scramble!"

"Alright, honored guest."

"Honored guest, it's you!"

"Honored guest, you don't live around here, do you? I haven't seen you in a long time. These past few days, this old man has been looking forward to your visit!"

"I've been busy handling some matters recently, so I haven't been out much!"

Old Man Hao stared blankly at Chen Ping'an, scenes flashing through his mind.

He suddenly remembered that the first time he saw the other party seemed to be the very day the Deputy Commander took office in White Stone City!

So... he is the Commander?

Old Man Hao felt dizzy. No matter how much he thought about it, he would never have imagined that the head of the White Stone Town Pacification Office would eat breakfast at his inconspicuous Tofu Brain stall and even chat with an old man like him, who had one foot in the grave?

This is simply...

Chen Ping'an rode on a tall horse, chatting and laughing with his subordinates around him. Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly. He spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. His gaze fell, and he saw that the other party was also looking at him. Their eyes met, and a brilliant smile appeared on his face.

"Long time no see!"

The enthusiasm of the people of White Stone City was somewhat beyond Chen Ping'an's imagination. People followed closely behind all the way to the entrance of the Town Pacification Office.

"Sir, you've been away for so long, everyone has been looking forward to your return!" Shan Qiwang said with a fawning smile.

"Yes, Sir, you are deeply loved by the people, and everyone is showing it with practical actions!"

"That's right."

Everyone around echoed, expressing the significant importance of Commander Chen Ping'an to them, their flattery and praise overflowing.

Chen Ping'an smiled without speaking.

At his current position, there wouldn't be just one or two lackeys around him. And which words should be taken seriously, and which words should just be heard and forgotten, this was a lesson he needed to learn.

"Welcome back, Commander!" The Yamen Runners at the entrance of the White Stone Town Pacification Office shouted in unison, their faces filled with reverence, welcoming Chen Ping'an's return.

"Good!" Chen Ping'an raised his hand slightly and dismounted. Then, amidst the welcome of his subordinates, he stepped through the main gate of the White Stone Town Pacification Office.

The Town Pacification Office was still the same Town Pacification Office, but his state of mind upon returning was vastly different!

When he left here, he was just a Patrol Deputy Envoy who had just been promoted to the Deputy Commander level and needed to go to Wei River County City to handle the procedures. This time returning, he already held sole authority over the outer patrol of the trade route, a standard Commander level, and was even included in the candidate list for Vice Commander.

Such an existence, even looking at the entire Wei River County, was a sought-after figure!

"Brother~"

Not long after Chen Ping'an stepped through the gate of the Town Pacification Office, his expression shifted, and then he heard an extremely familiar voice.

Looking at the girl who was running towards him, a long-lost warmth appeared on Chen Ping'an's face.

Since Chen Ping'an had finished the promotion procedures and was transferred to the outer patrol of the trade route, there was no way for him to return in a short time. He sent a letter to White Stone City, asking someone to protect Chen Er'ya well.

He had never forgotten the lesson learned from the Blood Oath Alliance incident.

If they were in the courtyard, even if he constantly assigned experts, the effort would be limited. It just so happened that within the Town Pacification Office, there was a backyard where he, the Commander, resided. With this back and forth, he had the little girl and Peony move into the Town Pacification Office to live.

Looking across White Stone City, where could possibly be safer than here?

Who could have imagined that Commander Chen, who had caused heads to roll in White Stone City and was known for his ruthless cruelty, would have such a tender moment?

Shan Qiwang, Cheng Renjing, and others stood far behind, not daring to disturb the Commander's mood in the slightest.

"Brother~ you're back!"

The little girl blinked her eyes, carefully examining her brother whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Yes, I'm back!" Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "Oh, I haven't seen you in a while, Er'ya has grown taller!"

"No way!"

Although they hadn't seen each other for several months, there was no awkwardness between the siblings. They chatted about their recent lives.

"Brother, I was so engrossed in reading, they didn't dare to disturb me, that's why I didn't come to the door to greet you..." The little girl playfully stuck out her tongue.

How could Chen Ping'an blame the little girl for this? He said, "It's okay!"

Afterward, he became interested in the little girl's studies and casually asked her what books she was currently reading.

The little girl casually listed a few for him, but Chen Ping'an found that he couldn't understand any of them. These books were no longer common books on the market, but had moved towards more profound subjects. After a brief inquiry, he learned that the teacher responsible for teaching the little girl was also present. So, he simply sent someone to call the person over.

This teacher was someone Chen Ping'an had sent for initially. They were highly reputable within White Stone City and usually did not teach easily. But no matter how difficult it was to get them to teach, when he, the head of the White Stone Town Pacification Office, wanted to make it happen, his subordinates would naturally find ways to arrange it properly for him.

This teacher would come to the Town Pacification Office every day to teach Chen Er'ya. Every ten days, they would have a day off.

Chen Ping'an met Chen Er'ya's teacher in the Main Hall of the Town Pacification Office.

Although referred to as a teacher, it was actually a female teacher. Her face looked somewhat aged, but she was dressed very appropriately and exuded a strong scholarly aura.

"Greetings, Commander." Upon seeing Chen Ping'an, the female teacher appeared somewhat reserved.

No matter how talented she was, she dared not be the slightest bit presumptuous in front of the Commander!

To put it less politely, her life and property, as well as all aspects of her family's life, were essentially at Chen Ping'an's whim.

If she offended this lord, her home might never know peace!

She had heard about the methods of this Commander; they were brutal and ruthless, striking fear into everyone in White Stone City.

Towards such an existence, she was naturally extra careful.

What she didn't expect was that this lord was much gentler than she had imagined.

"Hahaha, no need for formalities! No need for formalities! You are Er'ya's teacher, so you are also a distinguished guest here!"

Chen Ping'an's attitude slightly eased the female teacher's mind. Her subsequent responses became much more natural.

Through their questions and answers, Chen Ping'an learned about Chen Er'ya's current academic situation. With the little girl's current knowledge, she was already no less capable than an adult who had studied diligently for ten years.

Chen Ping'an hadn't expected the little girl's academic progress to be so fast in just a few months!

It seemed the little girl's talent in academics was far more exaggerated than he had imagined.

With such talent, the little girl couldn't be wasted in his hands. Chen Ping'an couldn't help but pay more attention to the little girl's studies.

The Great Qian Dynasty was founded on martial prowess, but also governed by literary means! Even among the Great Families, in addition to supporting Martial Path experts, they would also support some literary retainers to serve as strategists and advisors.

It is said that the dynasty's two great academies, Jixia Academy and Yin Yang Academy, taught everything from diplomacy and strategy to celestial phenomena and divination. If one could study deeply and comprehend the natural world, there would even be protectors of the Dao willing to follow to the death and protect them with their lives!