Chapter 339: Dean, is anyone still lurking in the dark?

That icy place has only scheming, only profit, only power—where is there any human warmth?

He didn't want to become like that, a shell driven by profit.

"Your parents have their considerations, you have your own choice." Kang Zhiqiu heard it and could only offer such comfort.

"Difficult!"

Zhang Cunwen gave a hearty laugh, swallowing all his bitterness: "It's fine; if we can't, the young master can go into business—he can afford tuition and earn silver."

His path is destined to differ from his family's.

In his parents' eyes, as long as the eldest son is fine, he has no great ambitions.

Jiang Yunchu still heard about Zhang Cunwen's matter from Zi Su, and she also knew that when the Jia family had trouble, the Lady of Yong Bo Hou came to see Zhang Cunwen, and it seemed they parted on bad terms.

They didn't know exactly what was discussed, but they could guess a bit.

"Let him decide for himself." Jiang Yunchu shook her head; she couldn't intervene in this matter.

Early the next day, a full fifteen carriages lined up and left Jingdu's city gate.

"After all these years, we're still leaving from Jingdu." The great-aunt opened the carriage curtain, looked at the outside sky, a big sun shining down, fields of crops lining the road, a lush green expanse.

One could even smell the earth, and the lingering floral scent.

"If you miss home, just come back." Jiang Yunchu set down the book in her hand; this time she wore a woman's outfit, though neat and tidy for ease of movement.

Zhuang Miao looked at her and gently shook her head: "How easy could that be?"

If it were easy, she wouldn't have been away from home for so many years.

Four girls per carriage, eight boys sharing two carriages; as they left Jingdu, they chattered noisily all along the way.

Everyone's mood seemed to have reached a high point.

But this mood didn't last long; their spirits fell into fatigue, some already asleep, others hugging books and beginning to read.

The carriages swayed gently; after the initial freshness wore off, the long journey continued.

"Let's stay here for the night."

"Bai Zhi, take the token and ask how many rooms are available."

After Bai Zhi withdrew, Du Er took his place, guarding beside the Princess Consort.

"Greetings, Princess Consort."

The station steward came out and knelt before the carriage.

"How many rooms are left?" Zi Su asked.

"Your Consort, there are four upper rooms, five middle rooms, and the rest are lower rooms."

"Take all the remaining rooms, prepare good fodder, quickly get hot water ready, and send it to each lodging." Zi Su, seeing her lord's expression, swiftly made the arrangements.

"Yes!"

The steward quickly agreed, then instructed those behind him to make arrangements; the people below unloaded the carriages, and Du Er left a few people here to guard the horses and wagons, preventing anyone from tampering.

The night had grown deep.

Jiang Yunchu, worried about the children, took a middle room; the five connected middle rooms were occupied by her, while Zhuang Miao, with the Kang clan's protectors, stayed in an upper room.

Du Er, with the others, stayed in the lower room.

The lower room is a large dormitory; wherever there is space, people crowd in to sleep.

"Princess Consort, let me stand guard." Du Er, truly uneasy, said that if the Princess Consort stayed here and he couldn't hear any disturbance below, should an accident occur, he would deserve death.

Jiang Yunchu smiled and gently shook her head: "Go rest; even if this is their turf, they won't attack here."

"This is an official relay station; if something happened, it would be a slap to Da Ning's face—they haven't grown so brazen."

"Rest well today; before we set out tomorrow, check the dry rations and water."

Upon hearing this, Du Er immediately clasped his fists and said, "Yes."

That night was unusually quiet; all sides were eerily honest, like the calm before a storm.

Meanwhile, everyone gathered in her room among the five middle chambers.

"This time we must guard not only our belongings but also the people—Wang Fu has fifty guards, Kang Fu four; but you may only assign the Wang Fu guards, the Kang Fu guards are for protecting the Grand Madam, and you have no authority to move them."

"Besides me, only Bai Zhi is with me; you may reassign her, but only if you convince her." Jiang Yunchu spread her hands.

Studying abroad, read ten thousand volumes, travel ten thousand li.

They have been at the academy for over a year; it's time to go out and see Da Ning's rivers and mountains, see the places they aspire to protect, see the true appearance of commoners, and observe how they live.

Ning Hanmo nodded, then directly pulled his companions to another spot; this middle room wasn't large, and its airflow wasn't as smooth as the upper rooms, but the youngsters showed no sign of disdain.

Even though they set out today, they still wore coarse cloth garments, each face bearing a thoughtful expression.

"Priority order."

Ning Hanmo looked around, then suddenly spoke: "Priority order"—in ancient times it was an unfamiliar term, they didn't even know what it meant, yet they all understood.

People first, things second, retaliation light.

"Then we'll do it like this…"

For a moment, the youngsters chatted, as if shaking off a day's fatigue; Jiang Yunchu held a cup of plain water and sipped lightly, while Zi Su had specially brought the lord's favorite tea, but the outside water was poor, and the lord was so picky about tea that he probably wasn't used to it.

After a full half-hour passed, the youngsters finally came over, saying, "This is our deployed formation; there will be unexpected events, points where we will break through, and key places needing protection."

"We cannot reassign Bai Zhi, Dean; your side must never be without a person."

Ning Hanmo, speaking for several people, gave a solemn answer.

Jiang Yunchu was somewhat surprised, after all Bai Zhi's martial skill is considered high here, yet……

"Tomorrow, tell Du Er your deployment directly; he will follow your orders, but you must learn to bear the corresponding results."

This time Jiang Yunchu was very solemn, looking at the twelve children; their thinking patterns, under her guidance, have become incomparable—only great pressure can let them break through their current bottleneck.

She could feel that several children, in some aspects, have reached a bottleneck; if they continue like this, they will settle for the status quo.

Only by increasing the weight can the scale tip, enabling them to find the ability to maintain balance.

"Yes!"

Twelve children, holding those few light-as-air white sheets, suddenly felt as if they weighed a thousand catties.

Just then, Ning Qiancheng suddenly spoke up, "Dean, is anyone still in the dark?"

Jiang Yunchu looked at him, and under their despairing gazes, shook their head, adding two words, "No."