Xu Wan rolled her eyes at him and said, "Young master, it seems you’ve grown in knowledge but not in brains. Can the term 'tyranny' really be applied to me? If someone with ill intentions overhears, could you bear the consequences?"
The little troublemaker’s face turned red with anger, his eyes glaring at her like an enraged frog, his chest heaving with frustration.
He held it in, he held it in.
Once he passed the imperial exams with top honors, he would immediately send Xu Wan off to the villa and never lay eyes on her again!
Seeing that the little troublemaker was unusually quiet, Xu Wan noticed a glint in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. The kid was probably plotting how to get back at her after acing the exams.
It was laughable. Once she secured that hundred million and retired in glory, she would rush straight to the villa, live in a grand mansion, and spend lavishly. She had no intention of seeing this little nuisance every day.
When Baili Xi arrived to give his lecture, Xu Wan finally left the study.
As soon as she stepped out, she turned to Cui Zhi and asked, "Did you find out what happened at the hunting grounds yesterday?"
The Crown Prince had suddenly gifted Jin Cheng something so valuable, and even the Crown Princess hadn’t kept it a secret. In fact, the Crown Princess had personally come to remind her. What were the two of them scheming?
Cui Zhi shook her head. "I couldn’t find out. The Crown Prince was alone at the time, and it seemed only he and Young Master Jin Cheng were there. Buyan wasn’t present either, and Young Master Jin Cheng refused to say anything when asked."
Xu Wan frowned. "Given his boastful nature, it’s unlike him to stay silent…"
Cui Zhi reassured her, "In any case, Young Master Jin Cheng now has the Crown Prince’s protection, which is a major advantage. It’s more good than harm, isn’t it?"
Xu Wan shook her head.
She firmly believed that good things didn’t just fall from the sky, and the little troublemaker’s charm, while undeniable, shouldn’t be enough to sway an adult like the Crown Prince.
Gifting a jade pendant wasn’t just a casual gesture of affection.
Xu Wan said, "The Crown Prince said it was for Jin Cheng’s protection. I’m wondering if Jin Cheng has offended someone."
Since marrying into the Marquis Manor, she had focused entirely on educating the little troublemaker, ignoring even her scoundrel father and stepmother. The only time she’d offended anyone was during her visit to the Eastern Palace, where she’d crossed the Duchess of Jin.
Oh, and Madam Zhai as well.
But both incidents were because of the little troublemaker. If offending these two hadn’t prompted the Crown Prince to gift a jade pendant, then perhaps it was someone even more powerful…
Cui Zhi disagreed. "Madam, you might be overthinking it. Our young master is just a bit mischievous, and he’s been improving lately. It’s unlikely he’s offended anyone of great importance."
Xu Wan still felt it was something she couldn’t ignore.
She asked, "Are the four servants who haven’t returned to Jin Cheng’s quarters skilled in martial arts?"
Cui Zhi thought for a moment. "I don’t think so. They were just there to play with the young master."
Xu Wan nodded. "Alright, none of them need to come back."
Cui Zhi chuckled. "The young master has been behaving so well lately that he hasn’t even mentioned them. He’s too busy to go out and cause trouble."
Xu Wan wasn’t in the mood for jokes. She pressed on, "Are there any other guards in the Marquis Manor as skilled as Buyan or Cui Liu?"
Cui Zhi replied, "Not currently, but if Madam needs them, I’m sure the Old Marquis could provide some."
Xu Wan sent a request to the Old Marquis, and that very night, he sent over a team of skilled guards.
Among them was a special individual.
"Madam, I am An Ying, formerly the young marquis’s shadow guard." An Ying’s appearance and build were unremarkable, the kind of person who would blend into a crowd unnoticed—perfect for a shadow guard.
Xu Wan met with him privately.
She gave him his orders: "From now on, you will secretly protect Jin Cheng. If anyone threatens his life, you must save him."
An Ying bowed. "Understood. I will protect Young Master Jin Cheng with my life."
"Go. You don’t need to report to me," Xu Wan added, "Jin Cheng is always getting into trouble, but unless it’s a matter of life and death, even if he breaks an arm, don’t reveal yourself. No one must know of your existence."
If anyone became aware of him, they would take precautions, and a single shadow guard might not be enough to save the day.
An Ying nodded. "Understood. I will take my leave."
After giving instructions to the shadow guard, Xu Wan turned her attention to the remaining ten guards, pondering how to assign them.
She called Cui Zhi over and instructed, "Send one to Zong Wenxiu’s quarters. The others can stay on standby in the manor."
"Yes."
Cui Zhi didn’t fully understand, but since Xu Wan didn’t elaborate, she didn’t press further and soon forgot about it.
The little troublemaker’s presence was simply too overwhelming. He was constantly howling in the study—sometimes about the sheer volume of books he had to memorize, sometimes about how uncomfortable the chair was, and other times about how the imperial exams were taking too long to arrive, hindering his path to first place.
The Marquis Manor was in a constant uproar. Despite only having two children, it felt like an army of thousands, with most of the noise coming from one of them.
Xu Wan even dreamed of the little troublemaker’s howls during her nap, no matter how much she yelled in her dream, "Cry already! Shed some tears! Haven’t you had any water?" The little troublemaker in her dream remained tearless.
When she woke up in frustration, the howls from the study were still ongoing.
Xu Wan sat up, rolling her eyes dramatically.
"That noisy little brat!"
She got up, put on her shoes, and stormed toward the study, muttering, "It’s midday nap time. If he wants to study, fine, but he’s disturbing everyone else’s rest. That little rascal… I’m going to glue his mouth shut with fish glue today!"
Xu Wan charged over with murderous intent, only to find the study empty.
Zong Wenxiu was quietly writing, but the little troublemaker’s seat was vacant. Not only that, but Shunzi and Buyan were also missing. It didn’t seem like they’d just stepped out for a moment.
"Where’s Jin Cheng?" Xu Wan asked.
Zong Wenxiu looked up. "Someone came to report that Wei Xinglu was here to see him, so he went out."
"Wei Xinglu?" Xu Wan frowned.
One of the four notorious troublemakers. What good could come from his visit?
She turned around swiftly and headed for the entrance. "Come on, Cui Zhi, let’s see what they’re up to. I don’t want them causing any more trouble."
At the entrance of the Marquis Manor, Wei Xinglu and Zong Jincheng finally met. The little troublemaker, frustrated with his studies, was thrilled to have a friend come by to play.
"Xinglu, come in! It’s been so long since you’ve visited the Marquis Manor." Zong Jincheng wasn’t one to hold grudges against his friends. A little argument was forgotten in a few days.
Wei Xinglu, touched by his enthusiasm, was nearly in tears. Jin Cheng was still his best friend, the kind of friend who wouldn’t argue with him or force him to memorize books.
Wei Xinglu missed the old days with the little troublemaker, so he’d come today to rescue his friend and bring him back to his true self!
His eyes gleamed as he concocted a plan. "Jin Cheng, I’ve come up with a great idea for He Zheng to escape over the wall, but we need a place to test it. Can we try it here at the Marquis Manor?"
