Chapter 577

The students' eyes lit up as they asked, "Academy Head, can anyone go?"

"Are the weak meant to go die?" Zhang Ziwang said. "I'm sending you out to gain experience, not to lose your lives or cause trouble for your senior brothers and sisters. So, all first-, second-, and third-year students who wish to go must pass an assessment."

Pan Yun widened her eyes: "First-year students too?"

Zhang Ziwang glanced at her: "Pass the assessment."

After the assessment, only one first-year student, Qu Le, passed—oh, if Tao Yanbai's accelerated promotion counts, then there are exactly two.

As for second-years, including Pan Yun and her four senior disciples, there are nine total.

Third-years aren't many either, totaling ten.

So, the majority of those going on this expedition are fourth- and fifth-year students.

Excluding those currently on external training and unable to return, or those who didn't receive the notice, seventy-eight students were selected from the two grades.

The list came out extremely quickly.

When Pan Yun and the others rushed to the notice board and saw their names, they sighed in relief, then couldn't help muttering, "Feels like there's favoritism."

"Definitely," Miao He whispered. "The requirement is Fourth Stage cultivation—many got filtered out. We barely scraped by, yet Qu Le can't even beat us—he's barely at the end of Third Stage in Wu Gong. How did he make it?"

Pan Yun: "This is a collaboration between the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion and the Wu Lin Alliance. Qu Le is the pivot. But… he's weak in martial arts. Now he's a student here—if something happens, won't it be a diplomatic crisis?"

Tao Yanbai frowned: "Diplomatic crisis?"

Seeing Miao Zhen: "A diplomatic crisis between the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion and the Wu Lin Alliance."

Pan Yun smirked: "Looks like the Academy will have to assign someone to protect Qu Le. Wonder who's so unlucky."

The next day, Pan Yun stood in Chongqing Academy, utterly incredulous: "I'm assigned to escort him? Why me?"

"Why you?" Zhang Ziwang said. "Because it's the Academy's arrangement! Do you think this is your personal training, where you can do whatever you want and go wherever you please?"

He said, "This is a collaboration between the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion and the Wu Lin Alliance, aimed at clearing Japanese pirates along the coast—it's a collective operation. You must follow orders!"

Pan Yun's cheeks puffed up with anger.

"Don't be upset, don't be upset," Xue Taixu smiled. "Pan Yun, this is the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion's trust in your abilities. Among the entire fifth-year cohort, only you've reached First Marquis cultivation. Who else could shoulder this responsibility?"

Pan Yun immediately pointed at the grinning Li Wenying.

Li Wenying's smile vanished instantly. He said sternly, "I'm a teacher. My duty is to ensure the safety of the entire student group."

Xue Taixu said, "Mr. Li and his team will naturally protect Qu Le, but with ninety-eight students from the entire Academy going out, their attention on Qu Le will be minimal. Close protection must fall to you."

Pan Yun: "Can't he just stay at base as a mascot?"

Zhang Ziwang said, "This time, the nautical charts, coordinates of pirate dens, and locations of coastal villages where the Japanese pirates hide—all were provided by the Wu Lin Alliance. Qu Le is the intermediary. If our Academy can't even protect him, how will the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion ever have the confidence to cooperate again?"

Pan Yun: "Doesn't the imperial court have these?"

Zhang Ziwang paused, then said, "They do. But what they provide isn't as complete or precise as what the Wu Lin Alliance has."

Pan Yun frowned: "Is the navy this weak now?"

Zhang Ziwang glared at her, warning: "Though the imperial court isn't sending troops this time… there may still be court agents in the group. I advise all of you to be cautious with your words and actions outside—don't invite unnecessary trouble."

Pan Yun was puzzled: "If the court wants to suppress pirates, why not openly send the navy, lead under its own name? Wouldn't that be better than partnering with the Wu Lin Alliance?"

Zhang Ziwang frowned, about to speak, but Xue Taixu beat him to it: "The court isn't ruled by one person. Some want to send troops, others oppose. By the time they reach consensus, the flowers will have long withered."

Zhang Ziwang exclaimed, "Master Xue!" Xue Taixu smiled warmly: "We're all insiders. Nothing's off-limits."

He turned to Pan Yun: "In terms of hardship, they suffer no less than we do. They must obey orders from above. But to take up private missions to suppress pirates shows their loyalty and righteousness."

"If they die on the battlefield, they get compensation. The court supports widows and elders. But if they die at sea on a private mission, their families may never hear from them again—even their life or death remains unknown."

Pan Yun thought of her parents, from her past life.

She lowered her eyes and said nothing.

Xue Taixu said, "Don't think Qu Le's low martial arts are dragging you down. His value to our Academy far exceeds that of a First Marquis. The nautical charts, pirate den coordinates, and land hideouts the Wu Lin Alliance holds—these secrets were uncovered at the cost of countless lives."

"Even the navy can't get these from them. Why would they freely share this information with our Academy?"

Xue Taixu said, "Protecting their liaison is our Academy's sincerity. This person could be Qu Le, or Wang Le, Zhang Le, Qian Le."

Pan Yun understood. She solemnly replied, "Yes, disciple obeys."

Xue Taixu stroked his beard and smiled. "Good. June is coming. Prepare for your descent. Go now."

!

Pan Yun bowed and left.

Zhang Zi Fang watched Pan Yun depart. As soon as she was gone, she turned to look at Zhang Ziwang, studied him for a moment, then immediately fixed her gaze on Xue Taixu.

Xue Taixu still wore his smiling expression, eyes twinkling as he asked, "What are you looking at, Zifang?"

Zhang Zi Fang: "I'm wondering what special quality you have—when we talk to her, she's like a firecracker. But when you talk to her, she just agrees immediately?"

Xue Taixu: "I think this girl is quite reasonable. Clearly, it's you who are unreasonable."

Everyone: …

Only Li Wenying nodded: "They have terrible tempers. That's why they're annoying."

Xue Taixu nodded in deep agreement: "You all just never learn. Pan Yun responds to softness, not force. Next time, reason with her properly. If you're wrong, admit it. She usually won't hold a grudge."

Everyone: …

Zhang Ziwang stood: "Since Qu Le is assigned, I'll go meet Lin Mengzhu first."

Pan Yun returned to Fengqi Courtyard and sighed at the courtyard full of senior disciples: "The unlucky one has been chosen."

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He had already forgotten yesterday's topic. They looked confused: "Huh? What unlucky one?"

Pan Yun: "The unlucky one assigned to escort Qu Le."

Seeing Miao Zhen studied her junior aunt's expression and felt a bad premonition: "Who?"

Pan Yun pointed at them, one by one: "You, you, you…"

Finally, she pointed at her own nose: "And me!"

The three: …

Tao Yan Bai, sensing the mood had turned sour, quickly said, "Little Uncle, you have a letter today."

Pan Yun: "Where from?"

"Ji'an."

(End of Chapter)