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"Dean." Li Chenjing pressed his lips together, raised his hand politely, and bowed. When he looked up, he saw the Dean's ever-changing, troubled expression suddenly brighten—

"Eh? Ah? Oh my! Grand Secretary Li, you're finally here! This old man was just waiting for you. Come up, come up! Say a few words to everyone, a few words from the heart or something! You're the head of the Six Ministries in our Dongxu Mansion Student Council! Come on up! We all want to hear your lecture, hahaha. Tell the new students some of the loyal advice and remonstrances you usually offer the Holy Emperor, won't you?"

"No need."

"What I say to His Majesty is useless to normal people."

"..." The implication was that the monarch they were supposed to serve and remain loyal to for life was just how abnormal.

"Th-then if you don't want to speak, this old man won't force you. Then I'll, I'll continue speaking?"

"..." Li Chenjing did not move. He merely stared straight at him.

"Grand, Grand Secretary Li, you... don't look at me like that. It makes me feel terribly uncomfortable..." Even when Grand Secretary Li's alluring peach-blossom eyes stared at a man, they still inspired all sorts of wild thoughts. "Could it be that you... have some other instruction? No, no, I mean an order. What do you need me to do? I can send someone to handle it immediately."

"It is you, Dean, who needs something."

"Me?"

"The Imperial Sword."

"..."

"You were just shouting that you wanted the Imperial Sword to cut someone down. May I ask whether you need this student to fetch it for you?"

"Clang!"

The Dean lunged forward in a tiger-pouncing-on-the-ground pose...

Half a moment later, he fainted and was transferred to the Infirmary.

The Dean's speech had officially ended!

Thunderous applause erupted from the Student Seating—finally, they were free! What a hardship for the Prime Minister's Son to draw his sword and help someone in distress!

Zhu Bafu perfunctorily joined the applause around her as she raised her brows and watched Li Chenjing ignore it completely, flick his sleeves, and leave.

She had long heard that Dongxu Mansion had a powerful Student Council formed by the heads of the Six Ministries. All six heads were personally appointed by the Emperor, making it seem like a Mini-Court within the mansion.

She had not expected even the Dean to have to depend on others' goodwill. So the Dean was not as powerful as the head of the Student Council, meaning that the Student Council was essentially the Supreme Authority within the academy!

No wonder that Minister of Revenue had dared to act so outrageously, using that damned whatever-it-was seal to harass her dear little brother!

Fortunately, Young Master Piao had come to her to ask about gossip concerning the six ministry heads. If other people found out that Xiaojiu had some kind of connection with that

old man,

wouldn't Xiaojiu's entire life be ruined?

For now, the priority was to figure out exactly who that beast was. Perhaps she could even follow the trail and uncover the whereabouts of the remaining five seals.

She had heard Xiaojiu, who worked as a Study Attendant in Dongxu Mansion, say that the Inner Chamber in the East Courtyard had an Annex Courtyard, where the six ministry heads usually kept their studies.

The Square Central Hall connected to six Wood Pavilions, each leading to one of the six Elegant Chambers.

Personnel, Revenue, Rites, Military, Punishments, and Works.

But... Zhu Bafu frowned as she studied the six identical-looking Elegant Chambers.

How was she supposed to tell which one was the study of the Minister of Revenue?

Some door eaves had a pair of polished jade ornaments hanging from them, while some door bolts bore several peonies. Two sharp swords hung by the roof entrance of that room. Hmm, and why was there one with two cement-and-wood buckets hanging from it...?

Ah! Two abacuses hung from the beam over there. That had to be the Minister of Revenue's study, right?

Tiptoeing toward the door with the abacuses, Zhu Bafu peered inside through the half-closed gap.

She saw a slender, jade-like hand holding a white jade vase, delicately picking up several gorgeous peonies and inserting them into the vase.

A wo... woman?!

There were women in this academy? What had the Dean shouted about the academy's century-old prohibition in front of everyone just now?

The rules at Dongxu Mansion were strict. Even the female relatives and wives of academy students were all refused entry. Put plainly, this was a monastery overflowing with masculine energy!

That old beast, the Minister of Revenue, was not only preying on children—he was even hiding a woman in Dongxu Mansion?

The delicate hand arranging flowers in the room paused. A peony spun in her palm, its stem pointing outward like a sharp weapon before it shot over and struck the doorframe with a smack.

Zhu Bafu nervously sucked in a breath, covered her mouth, turned, and fled down the wooden stairs.

From the shadows, however, a silver tobacco pipe suddenly extended and lightly hooked her foot. She was caught off guard and tripped, sending her entire body flying off the wooden staircase and rolling down it with a clatter.

"Ahh! Yamete! Help me—bang, smack, thud!"

The fall was both brutal and spectacular. Zhu Bafu lay sprawled on the floor, battered and bruised, groaning for a long while without managing to get up.

She supported her aching back, bared her teeth, blinked, and looked toward the man standing above her, smoking his pipe.

"I wondered what reckless fool had the nerve to trespass into the Six Ministries Forbidden Land of Dongxu Mansion. So it's you, Zhu Bajie!"

Huh? That familiar yet grating voice, the strong smell of tobacco, and that awful habit of calling her Zhu Bajie at every opportunity—

Young, Young Master Long?!

What was he trying to do? Why was he haunting her everywhere?

Could it be that her beauty had truly captivated him? That day, he had relentlessly chased her and tried to propose to her. After she rejected him, had he become enraged with embarrassment and followed her here today to ruin her plans?

Black boots advanced toward her one step at a time. She had fallen so hard she could barely catch her breath and could only crawl along the floor, utterly unable to stop him from drawing closer with his sinister presence.

"You... don't come any closer!"

She understood things like a woman's innocence and chastity. If he tried to force himself on her, she would bite through her tongue and die right in front of him.

"Hmph." Young Master Long let out a mocking laugh, then crouched down before her until their eyes were level. With a smile tugging at his lips, he sighed hypocritically.

"You little cheap slut! You took my money but failed to get the job done, and you still dare to show your face in front of me? Have you come looking for death? Hmm?"

"I... how did I fail to get the job done? I delivered the love letter to the Prime Minister's Son! Personally, with my own hands, personally—"

"Personally what?" He suddenly reached out and gripped her chin, pulling her a little closer.

Ranking List

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Historical Romance

Woman Dressed as a Man