Chapter 10
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The main mission appeared on the system interface, resembling an ancient bamboo scroll, symbolizing that many small missions had to come together to complete the final goal of the main mission.
Entering the imperial palace and serving as a study companion to the prince could be considered the most crucial step for the male lead. Everything’s design was only considered on the right track from here.
The male lead is now pseudo-sixteen years old. In another two years, the effects of Tianxuan Pill would wear off, and his appearance would revert. He had limited time left for revenge, so he chose to take a risky approach.
In the original plot, the male lead was injured by the original body and returned to the Imperial Academy a month later.
Doesn’t that mean there’s still a month of time before the relevant plot points in the original plot occur? Lin Qingyang thought about whether he should just pretend to be sick for a month before going.
Not sharing the same roof with the male lead, Lin Qingyang instantly felt a sense of relaxation throughout his body. The motivation for both dieting and reading increased significantly, almost akin to being on vacation.
After sleeping until broad daylight, he sat up with full energy, stretched his muscles, and was about to get out of bed.
Suddenly, a sound rang in his mind.
Lin Qingyang thought, could it be that the sub-mission appeared because he didn’t go?
【 Points -1】
Lin Qingyang: ????
What’s going on? Is it a system bug?
Inexplicably, without any explanation, he was deducted one point. Doesn’t that mean his current points are only 5?
Dropping below half of what he had when he first arrived, he felt a sense of panic.
“System, what’s going on? I haven’t done anything! Why am I losing points?”
System: 【 Violation of rules, wasting time. One point is deducted per day and resets daily. Host is advised to be aware.】
Lin Qingyang: !!!!!!
What! There’s such a deduction rule? Does this mean that in the absence of plot missions, he would lose points every day he lived, the points that are essentially his lifespan?
“Unfair! Your missions are randomly assigned. What if you don’t give missions for a long time? Even the initial ten points won’t be enough!” Lin Qingyang’s heart was tightening. This is more terrifying than any other restriction. It’s like holding a big knife and chasing him to do missions.
System: 【 If the host deviates from the plot scope before completing the grand ending, it is considered a violation of time consumption, hence the deduction. However, if the host follows the male lead and remains within the plot, points will not be consumed even during periods without missions.】
Lin Qingyang took in a cold breath. The male lead could kill him at any moment. Now, letting this ‘covetous’ man, who is constantly entangled with the male lead, be around him all the time, is like courting death. He reasonably suspected that the system was eyeing his points, wanting to kill him.
Lin Qingyang instantly cast aside the refreshing feeling of waking up early, and simply lay down, closing his eyes.
Perhaps the system also sensed the master’s resentment and hastily explained: 【 Host can think of it as a daily check-in mission. There’s no need to stick to the male lead all the time. Wasn’t host doing well in the past few days?】
Lin Qingyang’s ears perked up, and he instantly opened his eyes. The events of the past few days replayed in his mind.
Right, as long as there is some interaction with the male lead, even if it’s not face-to-face, it seems to count as ‘following the male lead’s plot.’
If that’s the case, things are much easier.
“Is there a defined standard? Like if I say hello to him every day, would that count as a success?”
System: 【 This requires host’s own exploration. It is not advisable for host to harbor any wishful thinking; there is a set of calculation standards in the background.】
Lin Qingyang, with a troubled expression, furrowed his brows. After some consideration, he decided to leave the exploration of this standard for a time when he had more points.
Right now, he only has five days of lifespan left!
He has to go to the Imperial Academy, meet the male lead, and closely follow… Wait, why did his statement sound like that of a pervert?
Now, not only is he defined as a character secretly in love with the male lead, but he also has to maintain basic interaction. He’s afraid that if he doesn’t handle the situation well, the male lead might think he has ulterior motives, and that would be a real disaster.
Why did he end up on such a strange storyline?
Lin Qingyang called Shuncai over, lazily dressing himself while instructing, “Get ready; we’re going back to the Imperial Academy today.”
Shuncai was puzzled, “Young Master, didn’t you say you wanted to rest for a few more days? Once we go to the Imperial Academy, it might be a while before we can come back.”
Lin Qingyang sighed weakly, “No choice. It’s because Chu Lishu is over there.”
Shuncai was astonished; after just one day apart, the young master missed the person so much. It seemed the young master had indeed fallen.
Lin Qingyang bid farewell to his mother and hurriedly headed towards the Imperial Academy.
The imperial academy in the Great Zhou Dynasty followed a boarding system, so it occupied a vast area. The entire Luojia Mountain on the west side of the capital belonged to the academy.
On the Luojia Mountain in winter, one could see vast plum and bamboo forests, creating a tranquil and elegant atmosphere. The back mountain had both hot springs and cold springs, forming a unique geological landscape.
Guards were stationed at the foot of the mountain, and the carriages of various aristocratic families would stop there. Students would bring their attendants up the mountain, where they would stay for a month.
Climbing the mountain along the stone steps made of blue stones, one could see the main courtyard of the academy.
The main structure was characterized by white walls and gray tiles. Along the outer walls, there were timeless poems left by scholars, resembling the unfolding of a scroll, magnificent and solemn, emitting the fragrance of ink.
The entire Imperial Academy had a complete and rich structure. The elegant Bamboo Garden for literary classes, the martial arts training ground for military classes, and the Danxin Pavilion where the head and assistant teachers resided, formed a basic north-south axis. The courtyards for male and female students, the Sun and Moon Pavilion and the Shooting Star Pavilion, were arranged in an east-west line. The remaining spaces were allocated for the servants and attendants brought by the students.
When Lin Qingyang arrived, it was the end of the literary class, and students were preparing for lunch.
Lin Qingyang first went to the administration to cancel his absence and then went to pay respects to the head master.
The head master had once been the top scholar in an imperial examination, and after retiring from the Wen Yuan Pavilion, he began managing the Imperial Academy. He was quite surprised that Lin Qingyang, who used to be a less polite and less well-mannered student, knew to cancel his absence and then come to him to pay respects. The head master typically had the mentality of getting this underachiever graduated as soon as possible to avoid causing trouble for other students. Therefore, even in the face of Lin Qingyang’s occasional obedience, he maintained a serious expression and said, “Alright, it’s cold in winter. Take care of yourself and prepare for the afternoon martial arts class when you get back.”
At the Imperial Academy, mornings were reserved for literary classes, and afternoons were divided into martial arts and refined arts classes. Today, it happened to be the martial arts class.
Lin Qingyang left with a radiant smile.
In fact, since he entered the Imperial Academy, Lin Qingyang had an uncontrollable sense of excitement. He had dropped out of school to focus on his treatment since junior high, and he had never experienced boarding school learning. Although it was a version from ancient times, it was still quite novel for him.
However, as soon as he thought about the reason he hastily came here, Lin Qingyang couldn’t be happy.
To go to the dining hall and check in with the male lead, it was mealtime now, and everyone should be at the dining hall.
Passing through a scenic courtyard and crossing the Moon Cave Gate, accompanied by the cheerful sounds of flowing water, Lin Qingyang could hear the voices of students—lively and energetic. Male voices were hearty, and female voices were melodious.
Following his memory, he entered and saw a long folding screen, ceremonially separating the dining areas for men and women.
In a sense, Lin Qingyang was now a somewhat influential figure. As soon as he entered, many eyes turned toward him. Some less prominent individuals would even avoid Lin Qingyang, fearing trouble.
After taking just a few steps, he saw someone excitedly waving at him.
It was Qi Yan, the third young master of the Zhongyi Marquis’s residence, who had colluded with the original body and the person who called him to go to the Secluded Courtyard Pavilion that night.
Qi Yan was around the same age as Lin Qingyang, with attractive features. However, when he walked, he had a slightly hunched posture and stretched his head forward, giving off a somewhat creepy vibe.
“Brother, you’re really something. As soon as Mr. Cao starts the class, you take a leave. You’re bold. At times like these, I don’t dare to take leave. You’re braver than everyone here.” Who dared not to leave a good impression on the former Imperial Tutor for the position of a prince’s study companion?
As Qi Yan approached, he slung his arm around Lin Qingyang’s shoulder, enthusiastically guiding him to a seat.
People who were originally sitting at the same table stood up to pay their respects as Lin Qingyang took his seat.
Lin Qingyang absentmindedly went along with Qi Yan, but his gaze had already swept over everyone present. Many important characters who would appear in future plots were here, and Lin Qingyang even spotted Lin Qingxu. The students who were usually with Chu Lishu were also present, but Chu Lishu was nowhere to be seen.
Did he miss him?
“Brother, what are you looking at? Oh, you’re looking for Xu Wenze? He’s already gone back.”
Lin Qingyang was momentarily stunned. Xu Wenze? The young master of Duke Wei Guo’s residence, someone who shared the same courtyard with Lin Qingyang—roommate? Friend? Lin Qingyang’s memories about him seemed a bit fuzzy, but that was normal, considering the fragmented nature of the inherited memories.
Lin Qingyang avoided the topic and ate a little before deciding to leave.
Qi Yan put his hand on Lin Qingyang’s shoulder, preventing him from standing up. “Hey! Brother, why in such a hurry? Do you have a problem?”
Lin Qingyang’s heart skipped a beat, feeling absent-minded. He forgot to maintain his persona. Just as he was about to explain, Qi Yan stopped him and leaned in, whispering, “What’s the matter? Can’t admit defeat?”
Lin Qingyang was genuinely baffled. He raised an eyebrow and saw Qi Yan holding back laughter. “Before the holiday, we made a bet. The stakes were one hundred taels. If you managed to sleep with Chu Lishu, you would win. But I saw Chu Lishu acting like nothing happened yesterday. Instead, you didn’t show up, making me think you were the one who got slept with. But looking at you now, it seems you’re fine. So, you definitely lost. Hand over the one hundred taels.”
Oh no! Lin Qingyang was shocked. Looking around the table, he noticed that the other two people besides Qi Yan were also wearing smirks, clearly aware of the situation.
A bet?! Betting on sleeping with the male lead?! Without a doubt, in the original plot, those who made such bets probably met a particularly gruesome end.
Lin Qingyang’s mouth twitched. He quickly distanced himself, “I was just joking with you guys. You took it seriously. What were you thinking? However you put it, he’s my cousin. I don’t have weird preferences.”
“Enough! It’s clearly you who have a thing for his face, and you find his behavior annoying. You even swore to train him into your male concubine, so he can’t leave your bed, and he won’t need to come to the Imperial Academy anymore. You’ll just have him serve you at home. Have you forgotten your grand aspirations?” Qi Yan teased.
Lin Qingyang took a sharp breath, his ears buzzing. He wished he could smack the rice bowl on Qi Yan’s face, using the rice to block his reckless mouth. If these words reached the ears of the male lead, would he have any way out?
“I think you’re just being cowardly, afraid to follow through, right?” Qi Yan continued to taunt.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I couldn’t control my mouth before, I was just bragging. Let’s not mention it again. One hundred taels, I’ll have my servants deliver it to you later. Consider this matter non-existent. Anyone who brings it up doesn’t want me as their brother, and we won’t get along,”
Lin Qingyang suddenly turned serious. Toward the end, it sounded like a threat. The other two at the table were from their group and naturally didn’t dare to speak up. Qi Yan, however, didn’t take it seriously and just joked about the one hundred taels, saying it would fund their future visits to the Secluded Courtyard Pavilion.
After parting ways with Qi Yan, Lin Qingyang returned to the Sun and Moon Pavilion. Since he didn’t know which courtyard Chu Lishu was in, he had to go back and have Shuncai show him the way. Shuncai had already arranged his bed, even though it was technically a shared room, a large Treasure Pavilion in the middle essentially divided it into two separate spaces.
As Lin Qingyang stepped through the gate, he immediately saw the man sitting by the window, studying a chessboard on the other side.
With delicate and refined features, exuding a scholarly aura, he gave off a friendly and approachable vibe. His sitting posture was elegant and proper.
A gentle breeze passed by, carrying the petals of the plum trees planted in the courtyard. The petals drifted into the room, landing in the middle of the black and white chess pieces. The man’s slender fingers picked them up and placed them on a handkerchief beside him.
On the handkerchief, a small pile of plum blossom petals had already gathered.
He truly was an elegant person.
This was probably Xu Wenze, the young master of Duke Wei Guo.
It wasn’t until Lin Qingyang saw this person that he found a trace of goodwill in his memories. The original body seemed to treat Xu Wenze quite well in some small matters, even though they weren’t playmates, they got along pleasantly.
In his memories, Xu Wenze had a very good personality, treating people with kindness and fairness. He didn’t belittle others or abuse his status. He treated his classmates as equals, especially appreciating those with good knowledge. As a result, his relationship with the male lead was good. However, in the future… he ended up being thoroughly used by the male lead.
Perhaps Lin Qingyang’s scrutiny was too obvious because the moment Xu Wenze noticed the gaze, he turned to look, and there was a clear pause in his expression. He stood up to pay his respects, wearing the uniform of gray-blue, the standard attire for Imperial Academy students. While the outfit might seem ordinary on others, on him, it was eye-catching. It could easily be sketched down and used as a model for showcasing the Imperial Academy uniform.
“Apologies for disturbing you, Brother Xu. Please continue,” Lin Qingyang reciprocated with the attitude he remembered.
Xu Wenze also gave a slight bow, but he seemed hesitant to speak. When Lin Qingyang turned away, unable to resist, he spoke up, “Brother Lin, have you heard about Lishu’s situation?”
Lin Qingyang’s steps faltered, his mind swirling with thoughts. Could it be that those few people had loose lips and revealed the original body’s bet? After all, from this point onward, Lin Qingyang’s fate would diverge from the original body’s. He wondered if there were any rumors originally in the Imperial Academy.
“In this matter, we find it inconvenient to intervene, but since Lishu is your cousin, and Brother Lin is the eldest brother in the Marquis An Nan’s residence, it’s better if you… go and check on Lishu. His body is delicate, the punishment at the Cold Spring Cave has indeed harmed his health.”
Lin Qingyang’s eyes widened in an instant, and he turned without hesitation, asking, “Punishment? You’re saying Chu Lishu has been punished? Why?!”
Without waiting for a response, Lin Qingyang, with Shuncai in tow, swiftly left. Following his memory, he arrived at the Cold Spring Cave.
As soon as he entered the cave, a burst of cold air made him shiver involuntarily. If his robust body felt the cold, what about Chu Lishu’s delicate constitution? What was he doing? Why would he make such a mistake?
Turning a corner, Lin Qingyang heard a sharp sound echoing from inside the cave. His expression darkened, and he quickened his pace.
Inside, he heard a series of fierce sounds.
“Beating you is giving you a lesson, so you understand how severe your mistake is. The head master is lenient, just punishing you with kneeling. If this is reported to the Emperor, it would become a capital offense!”
Lin Qingyang, holding his breath, rushed into the illuminated cave. A surge of anger overcame him as he took in the scene.
Chu Lishu wore only a thin white inner garment. Two people held his arms, forcing him onto an ice block, kneeling on the ground. Another person stood behind, wielding a whip and mercilessly lashing Chu Lishu’s back. The white inner garment was stained with blood.
However, Chu Lishu gritted his teeth, refusing to utter a sound, only the muscles on his back twitched involuntarily.
“Stop!”
The results of Lin Qingyang’s training finally came into play. He dashed forward, attempting to heroically grab the descending whip.
Yet, he overlooked the whip’s length. Even if he managed to catch it, the tip of the whip still lashed fiercely across Lin Qingyang’s arm.
The pain nearly made Lin Qingyang cry out. The force was enough to maim someone. How could the frail body of the sixteen-year-old endure this? Why didn’t the system warn about this?
Lin Qingyang, consumed by rage, forgot all previous fears. He forcefully yanked the whip away and angrily shouted, “Do you want to kill someone?”
The individuals restraining Chu Lishu were momentarily stunned, looking at Lin Qingyang in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Lin Qingyang swung the whip, intimidating the two people holding Chu Lishu. Without support, Chu Lishu couldn’t stay kneeling and slid down from the large ice block, sitting askew on the ground.
His long, dark hair covered his pallid face, and even breathing seemed challenging. His slender body trembled incessantly.
Chu Lishu gritted his teeth, intending to lift his head and see who was meddling in this thankless and foolish affair. Although the voice sounded somewhat like that person, the loud call just now didn’t quite match the memories. Moreover, instinctively, Chu Lishu wasn’t inclined to believe it was that person.
He was becoming anxious, seemingly trying to prove something. However, in the next moment, his entire body was covered with a fox fur cloak, exuding warmth.
The sudden warmth left him a bit dazed.
With focused starry eyes and raised sword-like eyebrows, he finally recognized the almost flustered face. The person was frantically trying to wrap his almost numb body with the cloak to provide additional warmth.
It was Lin Qingyang!
How did he come here?
Were… were the corners of his eyes turning red?
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