Li Wuting gave a lukewarm smile, “Oh, which grain of rice is my jade ring among?”

Ning Rushen, cherishing the ring, rubbed it gently, “The finishing touch.”

That jade ring was adorned with a long tassel and was always carried around. Though it seemed common, it was indeed given some thought.

Soon, a palace servant wrapped Ning Rushen’s knuckles with a couple of turns of gauze, making it less tight when he next drew his bowstring.

Ning Rushen, surprised, flexed his fingers, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“No need,” Li Wuting dismissed casually, “Continue.”

Ning Rushen shot until his shoulders and hands ached, with Li Wuting watching closely, supervising thoroughly.

“Your hand isn’t raised. Aren’t you skilled, Ning? Why can’t you manage it now?”

Just as Ning Rushen began to reply, a large hand suddenly clasped his shoulder—“Um…!”

Li Wuting’s grip was firm and inescapable, securing his shoulder tightly. He felt like dough being kneaded in someone’s hands, sending a shiver down his spine, “Your, Your Majesty.”

Ning Rushen trembled, “I… can’t withstand such force.”

Li Wuting, “…”

The two stood in silence.

Just then, a guard approached from afar, reporting, “Your Majesty, General Dingyuan has arrived!”

Li Wuting seemed unsurprised, “Summon him.”

Ning Rushen blinked, Who?

The general’s arrival meant a pause in archery training.

Ning Rushen put down the bow and turned to see two pairs of eyes peering from behind a horse, glaring like thieves. He thought, “…”

What’s this for?

An assassination attempt?

Meanwhile, Li Wuting’s irritated voice sounded from beside him, “What a spectacle, all of you, come out!”

Li Yingtang and Li Jingyu slowly emerged, “Oh.”

…

Soon, General Dingyuan was brought over.

Ning Rushen saw a tall and handsome young general approaching in his military attire, his thick eyebrows and prominent nose adding to his martial bearing, carrying a hint of the northern frontier’s icy wind.

He suddenly remembered—

He had seen him at the coronation ceremony, General Dingyuan. Huo Mian.

After the ceremony, Huo Mian had returned to guard the northern borders. It was unclear why he had returned now.

Was there trouble at the frontier?

As Huo Mian approached, talking to a guard beside him, his voice became clear.

“I finally caught up, it’s not over yet? Watch me show off my skills, kill kill kill!”

He even slapped the guard’s shoulder with vigor, smack!

Ning Rushen, “…”

It seems the problem is with his brain.

Huo Mian walked over and knelt to salute, “Your servant greets Your Majesty! Princes of the Xuan and Jing realms!”

Li Wuting, “Rise.”

As Huo Mian stood, he turned and noticed Ning Rushen, seeming curious why he was there. His gaze then fell on the bow in Ning’s hand, “Eh?”

“…” What does ‘eh’ mean?

As if he and the bow shouldn’t be seen together.

Li Wuting said nothing, so Ning Rushen spoke, “I am learning archery from His Majesty.”

Huo Mian’s handsome face immediately showed shock.

Ning Rushen explained, “Mainly because there’s no one else…”

Huo Mian exclaimed, “You’re actually using such a heavy bow!”

…So the shock was about this!

After Huo Mian’s direct and friendly advice, “Beginners should use this, not—”

Li Wuting’s gaze fell upon them.

Ning Rushen hurriedly added, “It’s an imperial gift, an honor.”

Huo Mian abruptly changed his tone, “…Isn’t that quite good?”

“…”

The familiar shift in tone seemed to return to the moment two quarters of an hour ago.

Ning Rushen glanced at Li Wuting, whose expression was colder than the northern winds.

After a pause, a chilly voice fell, “Seeing General Huo unwell from the local water and soil, unclear in speech, perhaps he should return to the northern borders?”

Huo Mian hurriedly waved his hand, “No, no! I still owe a service of a dog and horse.”

Seemingly reminded of something, Li Wuting gestured, and the person left swiftly.

As the dusty figure disappeared at the entrance of the hunting ground, Ning Rushen withdrew his gaze, pondering, What exactly did General Huo come for…

His expression was too obvious.

Li Wuting glanced at him, “It seems Ning does not remember.”

Ning Rushen turned, his eyelashes trembling slightly, “What?”

“The civil service exams were delayed before, pushed to the end of this month. General Huo is the military champion of the thirty-eighth year of Chengping, specially called back to the capital for the military exam assessment.”

—Delayed.

Ning Rushen suddenly remembered the competition for the throne, the death of the previous emperor, the mourning period, and then Li Wuting’s ascension, cleaning up the old factions…

His thoughts were drifting when he suddenly felt a deep gaze on him,

“Speaking of which, Ning is still the literary champion of that year.”

Ning Rushen looked up: ?

Li Wuting smiled subtly and walked away.

Ning Rushen: ? ? ?

·

Ning Rushen was unsettled by Li Wuting’s smile.

After being on alert for a few days back at the camp, the other acted as if nothing had happened, not mentioning a word.

Instead, while Ning was eating melon and watching the sunset by the fence, he encountered Huo Mian, who came to drink.

Ning Rushen greeted, “General Huo.”

Huo Mian looked him up and down, “You’ve changed a lot.”

He sat down with a jar of wine next to him, starting to chat, “But you seem much more at ease now, much more than before.”

Ning Rushen leaned forward, “?”

What’s the matter, another new love or resentment?

Huo Mian spoke plainly, “Oh, we were champions of the same year. Back then, you seemed so intent on climbing higher.”

Ning Rushen hummed, “Is that so?”

He remembered that the original host had lost his father in childhood, a mere commoner.

Maybe it was the environment of growing up? The more you lack something when you’re young, the more obsessively you might pursue it later.

Huo Mian sighed, “Like us who are always fighting on the battlefields, living day by day. Fame and fortune are like floating clouds, never knowing when life might end… You probably don’t understand this feeling, do you?”

Ning Rushen thought of the time he missed a step on the stairs, his mood suddenly complex, “I understand quite well.”

“Really?” Huo Mian glanced sideways, cheerfully offering the wine jar, “Looks like you’ve really let go. Come on, let’s clink glasses!”

Ning Rushen held up half a melon, bumping it, “Using melon instead of wine.”

Huo Mian, “Why, you don’t drink?”

Ning Rushen shook his head, “No, I tend to see bridges and flowers after drinking.”

Huo Mian: ?

…

The spring hunt lasted about ten days and ended.

Ten days later, the civil and military officials accompanied the emperor back to the capital majestically.

Ning Rushen, having been away from the capital for ten days, finally returned to his own mansion. As he entered the door, he almost bumped into Shi Yi.

The two looked at each other, then averted their gazes.

By tacit agreement, they no longer mentioned the encounters during the spring hunt.

After returning to the capital, everything went back to normal.

This time, Ning Rushen, without any sickness or disaster, attended the morning court after a long absence.

The court session was too early, and he stood in the line almost closing his eyes, just thinking about enduring until the session ended so he could go back to sleep.

After a long time, he finally heard De Quan announce, “Court dismissed—”

Ning Rushen turned to leave, but then he heard that long, drawn-out voice, “Summon Ning, the scholar, to the Imperial Study.”

He, “…”

Does Li Wuting have a grudge against his sleep?

·

Ning Rushen followed a young eunuch all the way to the Imperial Study, where he found Li Wuting washing his hands at a basin.

“Your Majesty, you summoned me. What’s the matter?”

He yawned discreetly, his eyes tearing up.

Li Wuting turned around, noticing Ning Rushen’s teary-eyed stare, and paused his handwashing, “I haven’t even mentioned the matter, what’s with that expression?”

Ning Rushen, “Excited, teary-eyed.”

Li Wuting didn’t want to delve into that issue, walking to the desk and throwing a memorial, “Take a look at this.”

“Yes.” Ning Rushen approached and flipped through, seeing it was full of clan names he didn’t recognize.

He guessed while holding the memorial, “Is this a feast prepared for me with a hundred families?”

Li Wuting, “………”

De Quan quickly dusted with his feather duster, “Oh, Lord Ning really doesn’t remember—those are the clans that once sided with the Cui family, not previously sentenced, thus some of their members will participate in this civil service exam.”

Ning Rushen realized all those intricacies related to the Cui family.

Li Wuting looked at him, “Ning, do you think we should give these entangled clans a chance to return to the court?”

Ning Rushen nodded, “Naturally.”

Li Wuting’s gaze deepened, listening as someone said, “But only one chance.”

Ning Rushen calculated quickly, “Just throw out a bait, and they will fight each other like fish scrambling for food.”

Internal competition, he was quite familiar with it.

“……”

After a pause, Li Wuting’s tone rose slightly, “Oh? With so many candidates participating in the civil service exam, how will Ning make them wear each other out?”

Ning Rushen wasn’t sure about the procedures of the civil service exam in the Great Cheng dynasty.

He briefly planned based on his own ideas, “Add a group interview before the palace exam, and place those clans in one group. As for which clan to support, that’s up to His Majesty to decide.”

After he spoke, Li Wuting remained silent.

De Quan was shocked by the similarity.

He remembered vaguely seeing the emperor drafting something similar, only more detailed.

The Imperial Study quieted for a moment.

Then suddenly, Li Wuting chuckled, “Ning.”

Ning Rushen looked at him, seeing Li Wuting’s long eyelashes droop slightly, his lips curving in an indescribable smile.

A rare non-ambiguous, quite refreshing like jade.

Ning Rushen hummed, “Yes?”

Li Wuting said, “Ning’s idea is very good, this group interview will be handled by Ning.”

Ning Rushen: ? ? ?

He was shocked, he just casually mentioned it! And, “Your Majesty, but I’ve damaged my brain!”

Li Wuting nodded, “That’s why you are in charge.”

Ning Rushen, “………”

Does this even respect one party?

His gaze deepened, “Your servant obeys.”

·

Ning Rushen unexpectedly took on the task of interviewing a hundred families.

Seeing Li Wuting had nothing else to say to him, he prepared to return home to catch up on sleep, “Your Majesty, I’ll be leaving now.”

Li Wuting was organizing the memorials, “Ning wouldn’t be going back to sleep, would he?”

“……” Ning Rushen, “How could I, I…”

He paused, remembering the imperial gift of a bow, “I am planning to go back and practice archery diligently, not to disappoint Your Majesty’s grace.”

Li Wuting stopped his actions, “Is that so?”

Ning Rushen, his eyes teary, looked sincere.

Li Wuting glanced at him and chuckled, “Ning is so dedicated, I shall bestow more grace. From today, you will practice archery with me at the Archery Pavilion.”

Ning Rushen’s tears almost receded a bit, “…What?”

Li Wuting had already put down the memorials, “I was just about to go practice archery. Let’s go, Ning.”

Ning Rushen: …%*]#<$!

The Archery Pavilion was located by a pond near the east gate of the palace.

Surrounded by red walls, several clusters of pear branches hung down, their pure white flowers resting on the red wall tiles.

A target was set up directly in front, with low tables around for resting.

Palace servants attended the side, with rings and various styles of bows and arrows all prepared.

Li Wuting changed into light clothes, tied up his sleeves, and picked up his usual bow, casually instructing the inner servants to pick a lighter bow for Ning Rushen, “Not too heavy.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Ning Rushen picked a bow and turned back just as an arrow pierced the air.

Whiz—

The arrow’s tail lightly trembled as the arrowhead sank into the center.

Li Wuting drew another arrow.

His defined profile was handsome and focused, his casual attire accentuating his slim, long figure, and the lines of his forearm were beautifully fluid.

Ning Rushen watched for a moment, then positioned himself as Li Wuting had.

Just as he raised the bow, he heard De Quan from the side sighing long and short, “Lord Ning, your posture isn’t quite standard.”

Ning Rushen, “?”

A few steps away, Li Wuting turned his head, frowning, “Have you forgotten what I taught you?”

Ning Rushen shuffled around, “I remember.”

Li Wuting watched for a few moments, unable to bear it, and put down his bow to come over. He raised his hand toward Ning Rushen’s shoulder, then paused mid-air, suggestively,

“Do you still have anything you can’t withstand?”

Ning Rushen hurriedly said, “I’m ready, I can withstand it all.”

“Still trembling?”

“Not anymore.”

Li Wuting then adjusted him.

Ning Rushen, enduring the natural reactions of his ears heating and his waist trembling, moved around under Li Wuting’s adjustments, suddenly recalling Li Jingyu’s words—

Watch how the emperor manipulates you.

“……”

Li Wuting said “from today on” and he meant it.

In the following days, Ning Rushen was dragged to the Archery Pavilion to practice archery right after the morning court, non-stop.

One time, they even ran into General Huo Mian, who had come for an audience.

Huo Mian saw Ning Rushen and loudly praised, “Lord Ning has really transformed!”

Ning Rushen smiled weakly, “A few more days and I’ll turn into a butterfly.”

Li Wuting glanced over, “What is Ning trying to express?”

Ning Rushen, “Some grateful feelings.”

“……”

·

So it went for five or six days.

Today, Ning Rushen went to the Archery Pavilion as usual after the morning court.

Li Wuting had to discuss the civil service exam in detail with the Ministry of Rites after the court, so Ning Rushen practiced alone in the Archery Pavilion for a while.

Half an hour later.

Li Wuting finished his discussions and came over, seeing from afar the figure ahead, “Your waist is loose again, I said to keep it tight.”

Ning Rushen sucked in his stomach.

“……” Li Wuting, “Not like that.”

Ning Rushen straightened his back, his silver buckled belt tightening around that section of his waist, swaying as he moved, “Like this?”

Li Wuting, unable to bear it any longer, slapped his hand toward the waist and abdomen area, “Here.”

The moment of the slap.

The person moaned, bending over and holding his abdomen as his hair fell forward, covering half of his face, “Hmm!”

Li Wuting’s hand paused mid-air.

Had he used too much force? Or did he hit somewhere sensitive?

“Ning Chen!” His brows furrowed, he reached out to grab the arm, turning his head to command, “Summon the—”

“No, no need.” Ning Rushen quickly stood up.

Under Li Wuting’s gaze, he lifted his belt, embarrassed, “Your Majesty hit my flat walnut, it kind of hurts.”

Li Wuting, “………”

He looked down, the belt was filled with a few crushed walnuts, and there was that jade ring.

This time, no sunflower seeds, but other miscellaneous things.

Li Wuting’s expression darkened.

…

Ning Rushen was eventually sent back.

Thinking of Li Wuting’s dark face, also telling him “no need to come”—he wasn’t sure if it was because of the walnuts in his belt, or because he almost mistakenly had someone summon the Royal Physician, or because after a few days of practice he still lacked strength…

Ning Rushen listed a bunch of reasons and then paused.

He really was good at making people angry!

He sighed lightly, walking out of the palace gate while cracking the walnuts in his hand.

Just as he walked out of the gate, he ran into Huo Mian head-on.

Huo Mian “eh”ed, “You didn’t go to practice archery with His Majesty today?”

Ning Rushen shook his head, “I stuffed walnuts in my belt, His Majesty kicked me out.”

“………”

Huo Mian didn’t understand, but was greatly shocked, “Stuffing walnuts in your belt gets you kicked out?”

Ning Rushen, “There’s a lot of backstory.”

Thinking for a second, Huo Mian patted his shoulder, “Don’t be too sad, come to my mansion to practice tomorrow.”

The walnuts in Ning Rushen’s mouth almost fell out.

Which part of him looked sad!

“No need, I—”

Huo Mian had already walked away, waving from afar, “It’s settled then, come to the general’s mansion!”

Ning Rushen, “……”

Really self-inviting.

Oh well, he hadn’t seen the general’s mansion yet.

Ning Rushen, intrigued, patted the remaining crumbs on his hand, and left the palace to board his carriage home.

·

The next day after the morning court.

Li Wuting, as usual, went to the Imperial Study to wash his hands and change clothes, taking De Quan to the Archery Pavilion.

The usually lively Archery Pavilion was somewhat quiet today.

Only two rows of palace servants stood with bowed heads.

De Quan sneakily glanced at the emperor’s expression, only to see him as usual, picking up a bow and starting to practice. His archery was sharp, never missing a shot.

Not far away lay the bow Ning Rushen usually used.

On a nearby low table were also Ning Rushen’s ring, tea sets.

De Quan was inwardly sighing when the sound of archery suddenly stopped.

Li Wuting put down the bow, turned, and came to drink water at the table.

His gaze paused for a moment when it swept over another cup, then coldly moved away.

De Quan, sharp-eyed, immediately pretended to scold, “Oh, which ignorant palace servant put these things out here, didn’t you hear His Majesty sent Ning back home—”

Someone from the palace was about to step forward to take them away.

A cold laugh fell from the table, “I see letting him go means he dares to slack off, sleep, and defy the imperial order.”

“Ning is still practicing…”

Li Wuting glanced over.

De Quan, remembering what he heard from a little eunuch at the palace gate, cautiously read the emperor’s mood, carefully speaking,

“He went to the general’s mansion, practicing with General Huo.”