Chapter Text
Year 14 of Qingyuan, Wei, at the Xiao Mansion
It was a busy morning at the Xiao mansion. Their second young master was attending the Xiancheng Academy today, and as a result, the household was in chaos. The most nervous one was Song Wan, Madam Xiao, who was worried about her son’s new journey in life. She stood near the manor’s main entrance with a young man in his late teens, fussing over him—dusting invisible specks off his clothes and arranging his hair.
“Do you have everything you need? Did you get enough sleep? You must eat more; otherwise, you’ll feel weak, and also—” She anxiously rambled on. Her youngest son, Xiao Jue, awkwardly stood there, nodding in response to her questions. Observing this, Xiao Jing, the eldest son of the Xiao family, decided to intervene and calm his mother down.
“Mother, take a deep breath. Everything is fine. Huaijin has everything he needs, right, little brother?” Xiao Jing asked, looking at his brother for confirmation. Xiao Jue nodded vigorously.
“Yes, I have everything! You don’t need to worry, Mother. I even have the pouch you made for me!” he assured her, his voice uncharacteristically shy, a tone reserved only for his mother, father, and brother—especially when faced with affection and care. Paying his respects to his mother and brother, he hurriedly departed for the academy, already late. His father was out of town for routine inspections of the Xiao family army, so he couldn’t offer his blessings in person, but Xiao Jue knew his father would be proud.
Song Wan watched her youngest boy leave, her concern for him evident. He was cold and aloof, not as outgoing and socially active as his older brother, Xiao Ruyi, and even she felt a bit lost when it came to him. She did everything she could, loving and cherishing him, while trying to understand his likes and granting them. Whenever she made him osmanthus candy, he would always take it with him. Each time she saw his face light up with a rare smile, it was like witnessing something brilliant and beautiful, akin to the moon. His smile was the most beautiful thing Song Wan had ever seen, and every time she glimpsed it, all she wanted was for him to continue smiling. He deserved to be happy. With a worried expression, she gazed at his receding figure, hoping her son wouldn’t face too many hardships. Her eldest son took her hand and looked at her, silently reassuring her that Huaijin would be okay.
With such amazing and brilliant sons and a loving husband, Song Wan felt she had everything she could ever wish for. Now, all she lacked were two daughters-in-law to complete the family. She wiped away the tears that had unknowingly gathered in the corners of her eyes. Xiao Jing looked at her, confused and worried.
“Mother, why are you crying right now? Did something upset you?” he asked, concern filled in his voice. Her thoughtful son always showed great compassion. She let out a wet laugh and shook her head.
“Don’t worry about mother, my dear. I’m not crying out of sadness; it’s because of my overflowing happiness. I have everything I’ve ever wished for,” she said, patting her son’s cheek lovingly before heading back inside the manor, with her son following closely behind.
Year 14 of Qingyuan, Wei, at Xiancheng Academy
It was He Yan's first day at Xiancheng Academy. The only reason she could attend this school was because she was dressed as her step-brother, He Rufei, whom she had never even met. She had no choice in the matter. Although she knew she was a girl—something often tossed at her as an insult whenever her father was disappointed (which was very often), she had been raised as a boy and taught accordingly. Throughout this, she wore a mask, both literally and figuratively. This mask was designed so that only she could remove it, and it helped to disguise her feminine features with a more masculine appearance.
If asked, she would have said she was nervous, but that would have undermined her feelings; she was terrified. Since she rarely ventured outside, she was unaccustomed to the new environment. Taking a deep breath, she headed to the courtyard where several young masters from noble families had gathered. Keeping her expressions clear, she put on a brave face; if she was skilled at anything, it was putting on an act. After about two minutes of standing there, a graceful elderly man with completely white hair and wise eyes, which seemed to see through everything, caught her attention. He guessed this man was one of the masters at the Academy.
“Today marks your first day at Xiancheng Academy!” the master announced, commanding the attention of all the students. “I know you come from privileged families and have lived in comfort until now. But at Xiancheng Academy, you must study diligently day and night! You will refine your talents through perseverance and serve our nation well.”
The master looked at each student, and his gaze landed on the lean young man whose face was partly covered by a mask. When He Yan felt the teacher’s eyes on her, fear engulfed her, and cold sweat began to trickle down from her hairline concealed by the mask.
“Young man, what's your name?” the master asked, directly addressing her and making her already hammering heart feel even heavier.
“Why do you keep wearing a mask? Hiding your true appearance is rather rude, don't you think?” the master inquired, seemingly amused and curious.
He Yan took a deep breath and bowed respectfully to the master, deliberately using her deeper voice as she replied, “Master, I am He Rufei. My visage is unsightly, and I fear startling others; therefore, I cannot remove this mask.” Her words weren’t entirely false. She would indeed startle others if she took off the mask, and she couldn’t remove it even while sleeping. The master seemed about to respond, but at that moment, another young man dressed in the academy uniform entered the courtyard. Upon seeing him, the other young men began to murmur in awe.
“He is the second son of the Xiao family? His exceptionalism lives up to his reputation!” “Indeed.” They praised the young man, speaking under their breaths, and He Yan’s breath hitched at the sight of him. He was truly handsome; his face was devoid of emotion, but his features were sharp, as if carved from jade. In his blue and white robes, he appeared as the very embodiment of the moon. She wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that this young man had many admirers, and as a woman (albeit in disguise), she understood exactly why. He approached the master and bowed respectfully, his posture impeccable.
“I, Xiao Jue, apologize for being late. Please forgive me,” the newly introduced second son of the Xiao family, Xiao Jue, said to the master.
“Quite all right, young man; it is your first day, and I can overlook this. Go and stand with your classmates,” the master replied. Xiao Jue moved next to a young master who appeared quite naive and energetic. “If you don’t already know, I am Master Wei of Xiancheng Academy, and I hope you are all ready to study hard and serve Great Wei.”
“Yes, Master!” everyone echoed after he finished addressing them. They were then dismissed to their classes. He Yan hoped that if she learned well, her father might be somewhat pleased with her, and she would not be treated harshly. She wanted to make them all proud and succeed in serving her country—or so she hoped.
After entering the academy, Xiao Jue overheard what the young master of the He family, He Rufei, had said. He instinctively turned to observe him more closely. He didn’t seem to have an unsightly appearance, but he appeared to be hiding something, which piqued his curiosity. He was so lost in thought that he almost smacked his nephew (technically) in the face when the boy suddenly appeared beside him to speak.
“Huaijin, I thought you wouldn’t come here; you’re already much more educated than the rest of us, but I’m glad you came now. I won’t be alone,” exclaimed Cheng Lisu, Xiao Jue’s cousin’s son, bouncing with enthusiasm.
Although he and Xiao Jue were close in age, by their relationship, Xiao Jue was Cheng Lisu's maternal uncle. Xiao Jue had been tasked with keeping an eye on Cheng Lisu and ensuring he stayed out of trouble.
“Behave yourself. You are the master of a noble family, yet you’re acting like a child. We are representing our families here, so be mindful of your actions,” Xiao Jue interjected coldly, although his tone was softer than it was with others. Cheng Lisu clamped his mouth shut and walked alongside his uncle to their first class.
Despite his initial doubts about joining the academy, Xiao Jue now found himself looking forward to how things would unfold; he sensed that his life would never be the same again.