Chapter 56: Changes

On the martial field of the National Academy, most people had already left. A boy of about ten years old, dressed in training attire, stood alone in front of the target, continuously drawing his bow and shooting arrows.

“We should get Ah Chen to consult a master and see how his and the old man’s eight characters align. They’re probably born to clash with each other—completely irreconcilable,” muttered Mu Fengwu lazily. He leaned against a tree, legs shaking, hands behind his head, resembling a street rascal while speaking as though he were a wise master.

Yun Yifan didn’t respond. It was rare to find two meaningful sentences out of ten from this young master’s mouth. Instead of wasting energy figuring out what was useful and what wasn’t, silence was the better choice—it saved time and effort.

Having spent a long time with the Yun brothers, Mu Fengwu had grown accustomed to being ignored. He’d talk to himself regardless. Ninth Prince Yun Yifan was smooth and clever, while Prince Jing’s eldest son, Yun Yichen, was strong-willed and stubborn. Despite being a scion of a noble duke’s household, Mu Fengwu found himself with no advantage compared to the two of them.

After a short while, Yun Yichen took the towel handed to him by a servant, carefully wiped his face and hands, adjusted his attire, and walked toward the two of them.

“How does today’s performance compare to the day before?” Yun Yifan asked.

“I hit the bullseye three more times than two days ago,” Yun Yichen replied. Though he’d felt dissatisfied in the past, he sincerely appreciated General Xiao. Without three years of grueling training under him, he wouldn’t have achieved such rapid progress. Now older, Yun Yichen understood things more clearly. His strict training must have been ordered by the Emperor and his father. Without their instructions and approval, no one would dare to antagonize a prince and a noble son.

Having realized this, Yun Yichen gradually stopped trying to compete with General Xiao in everything. While their mentor-student relationship had already been established during the first days of training, General Xiao’s harshness on Yun Yifan had only fueled Yun Yichen’s defiance. Accustomed to being the center of attention, Yun Yichen hadn’t taken kindly to being disciplined.

Thus began a cycle: one pressed harder, the other resisted more. Looking back now, even Yun Yichen found his actions laughable. What was the point of competing with an old man?

Now, he no longer openly defied General Xiao. Tasks he was willing to do, he completed obediently. Tasks he disliked, he avoided or performed half-heartedly. He thought stepping back would ease tensions, but unfortunately, the old man now not only disliked him but also grew increasingly irked by Yun Yifan and Mu Fengwu. Despite their efforts to deduce the cause, they remained clueless.

Yun Yifan nodded in approval. “Impressive. Much better than me.”

Mu Fengwu gave a thumbs-up. “This kid’s a genius, sent by the heavens to humble me. Luckily, I’m broad-minded; otherwise, I’d be crushed by jealousy.”

After packing up, the three of them left the National Academy together.

Back at the royal residence, Yun Yichen first went to Jinhua Pavilion to visit his mother and younger sister. In front of his mother, Yun Yichen occasionally displayed emotions fitting his age, with small complaints or flashes of discontent.

Yin Qianhua didn’t want her son to suffer too much for the sake of protecting her and her daughter in the future. She even considered advising him to stop learning martial arts.

However, Prince Jing’s words had enlightened her: a future head of the royal household could not afford to be complacent. If one day, they were gone, how would he handle Han Side Consort and her family? And what about Ruonan?

Over the past year, her son had stopped complaining and applied himself more diligently to both literature and martial arts. While Yin Qianhua felt comforted by his growth, she also felt a pang of sorrow. She frequently found ways to prepare nourishing food for him.

“How has Ruonan been feeling with Doctor Lin’s new medicine?” Yun Yichen asked, sitting beside his sister.

“Thank you for your concern, brother. I feel much better,” Yun Ruonan replied, glancing at him briefly before lowering her head again.

Polite and formal—this was how the siblings interacted. Yun Yichen, reserved by nature, couldn’t bring himself to be affectionate or casual, while Yun Ruonan, shy and introverted, struggled with social interactions. As a result, their relationship had become distant and somewhat awkward.

“Your sister is much better now. Doctor Lin’s new medicine is very effective,” Yin Qianhua interjected on behalf of her daughter. Indeed, Ruonan no longer suffered frequent headaches or fainting spells, with the last episode occurring at the beginning of the year.

“That’s good. Try to spend more time outdoors. Staying cooped up isn’t good for your health.”

“I understand. Thank you, brother.”

Yun Yichen’s maturity pleased Yin Qianhua, but she remained concerned about the overly formal dynamic between her children. They seemed more like distant acquaintances than siblings.

“If you have any issues, you can always come to me,” she offered.

“I can handle my own affairs, Mother. You needn’t worry.”

“You should visit the palace more often. The Empress Dowager genuinely cares for you.” Protecting her son from rash decisions born of resentment, she believed the Empress Dowager’s favor could safeguard his path, deterring threats from people like Han Side Consort and her family.

“Rest assured, Mother. I’ve grown up and know what to do.” Yun Yichen reassured her instead.

Unbeknownst to his mother, the Empress Dowager’s methods to control Prince Jing had long since failed, especially after Ruonan’s poisoning incident. Now, both the Empress Dowager and the Han family avoided provoking Prince Jing, recognizing his authority as head of the Imperial Clan Court.

The Han matriarch had shifted focus, seeking to mend ties with Prince Jing to ensure her family’s future.

“Have the people from Jin Xiu Pavilion caused trouble for you or Ruonan?” Yun Yichen asked.

“Not for a long time now, and your father has assigned more guards to Jinhua Pavilion. You can focus on your duties without worry.”

“General Xiao’s birthday is approaching. Have you prepared a gift?” Yin Qianhua reminded him.

Yun Yichen froze. If his mother hadn’t mentioned it, he would’ve completely forgotten!

That evening, Prince Jing also reminded him about the occasion, noticing his guilty expression. Having trained under General Xiao for three years, forgetting his mentor’s birthday was inexcusable.

“I’ll prepare a gift and personally visit to celebrate,” Yun Yichen promised earnestly.

“What’s your impression of the Xiao family’s younger generation?”

Could he admit he had little impression of them? Aside from the occasional presence of two youngsters following General Xiao, he didn’t know much about them.

Sighing inwardly, Prince Jing realized his hopes of forging familial ties were likely in vain.

“Should the opportunity arise, I’ll make an effort to get to know them,” Yun Yichen said half-heartedly.

“Forget it. I won’t bring it up again,” Prince Jing replied. “Your path is yours to choose.”

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