TNIBFT -Chapter 343 The End – Ye Shuangxue

The imperial palace of the Great Zhou was magnificent, with carved beams and painted pillars, towering and grand.

From the Hall of Diligent Governance to the inner palace, the distance was still considerable. Qin Fengyi sat atop the dragon carriage, surrounded by a group of eunuchs and palace maids, as the entourage made its way toward the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace.

Along the way, the guards and palace attendants bowed their heads and knelt on both sides of the road whenever the carriage passed.

Shangguan Ning walked alongside Qin Fengyi. “Your Majesty, do you really think that university Ye Tian set up will work?”

“Before, selecting ministers was all based on inheritance or recommendations from noble families. Some official positions were passed down through generations. Ye Tian suddenly does this—wouldn’t it cause chaos?”

Shangguan Ning lifted her head slightly.

The Shangguan family had served as close ministers to the emperor for generations. For example, Shangguan Ning’s aunt had been a lady-in-waiting to the late emperor, managing the palace’s secrets.

Qin Fengyi said, “I think my husband’s idea is excellent!”

“To select the virtuous and the capable, and let the competent hold office—is there anything wrong with that?”

Shangguan Ning sulked and fell silent.

At this moment, inside the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace:

“Your Highness, have you memorized the poems and essays that Grand Tutor Li assigned?”

“And can you explain Grand Tutor Zhang’s governance strategy, especially the importance of farmland for the ruler and the people…”

“You haven’t finished writing yesterday’s large characters yet…”

“And the other assignments from the Grand Tutors…”

Several aunts respectfully stood before Ye Shuangxue, reporting on her progress over the past two days.

Ye Shuangxue had her hair tied in a bun atop her head, and her delicate, fair face still held a touch of baby fat, plump and tender like a little steamed bun. At a glance, she resembled a miniature version of Qin Fengyi—her demeanor cold and imposing when she wasn’t smiling.

Her small face drooped in despair, utterly lifeless. But when she saw the aunts look up at her, Ye Shuangxue’s eyebrows curved and she smiled brightly: “I understand!”

“Aunts, you may leave now. I will… immediately… write it all down, okay?”

No anger?

And she was actually cooperating—this disbelief left the aunts exchanging stunned glances.

Still, no one dared say anything. After all, this little princess was the emperor’s only daughter, the sole Grand Princess of the Great Zhou, a treasure of the nation.

“We take our leave!” The aunts bowed and left the room in orderly fashion.

Once the door was closed, Ye Shuangxue exhaled deeply, stretched herself out on the soft couch behind her in a star shape, utterly disregarding appearances: “I can’t learn this!”

“It’s too hard. Someone, please save me, wahhh…”

Ye Shuangxue helplessly covered her head with a blanket, thinking of her master, Sun Wuji—the strange old man had disappeared somewhere to enjoy life.

“No!”

“I can’t let this slide. I have to find my master!”

She sprang up, took out a prepared package from the cupboard, and changed into a tattered male outfit. Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, Ye Shuangxue nodded in satisfaction.

The dog hole was ready.

It was time to step into the martial world and show everyone who was truly number one in the world!

“Hehe…” Ye Shuangxue clenched her fists and grinned wickedly.

“Bang!” A loud crash sounded.

Ye Shuangxue nearly leapt out of her skin, instinctively hiding her package under the blanket.

“It wasn’t me, it was Zhuang Zhuang!”

At the palace gate, Old Yang’s eyes darted around. He was holding a baby whose teeth hadn’t even fully grown. The little one, seeing Ye Shuangxue, babbled incoherently, waving tiny arms and legs excitedly, drool trickling from the corners of the mouth.

“Si… Sister…”

“Sister!”

Zhuang Zhuang waved his little arms, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Ye Shuangxue, reaching out for a hug.

So cute—who could resist?

Seeing her little brother, Ye Shuangxue suddenly didn’t want to leave. But thinking of all the Grand Tutor’s assignments, she shook her head: “Sentimentality aside, someone with great ambitions cannot be held back by a little brother.”

“What did you say?”

Old Yang craned his neck curiously, eyes glinting mischievously as he looked at Ye Shuangxue.

He was now the Right General of the Imperial Guard, responsible for palace security. But an even more important duty was taking care of the children for her parents—a full-time nanny disguised as a general. Before, he looked after himself; now, it was little Zhuangzhuang.

“Nothing!” Ye Shuangxue’s eyes flicked, then she said, “Uncle Yang, I heard that a new batch of martial prodigies just arrived at the training arena…”

“Where?”

Old Yang perked up excitedly.

Ye Shuangxue widened her eyes and said, “My father probably wants to select someone from them. The Imperial Guard needs a commander—don’t you want to go see?”

Old Yang’s eyes lit up at once.

His entire life, as fragile as thin ice, had been devoted to climbing ranks and making money.

Hearing Ye Shuangxue’s words, he smiled ingratiatingly: “I’ll go check it out for you! If I find someone strong, I’ll come back and tell you!”

“You watch Zhuangzhuang for me first. I’ll be back soon… I’ll be back soon, I promise…”

Old Yang ran off, looking back as he went.

Ye Shuangxue looked at her little brother, plump like a milk bun, and couldn’t resist kissing his little face. Zhuangzhuang grinned happily, giggling, showing his bare gums. Ye Shuangxue smiled indulgently: “So ugly!”

“Do you want to come out and see the world with sister?”

“Yes… yes…”

Zhuangzhuang spoke with effort, dribbling saliva all over Ye Shuangxue’s face. She was used to it and casually wiped it away.

If she didn’t want to part with Zhuangzhuang, why not take him along?

Ye Shuangxue clapped her little hands in delight at her own cleverness.

She put her brother into her bundle and carried him on her back, thoughtfully letting his little head peek out, then placed a small hat on him. The siblings sneaked off through a dug-out dog hole while no one was around…

Once out of the imperial city, to avoid being dragged back, Ye Shuangxue rented a carriage and headed north.

By the time night fell, the coachman lifted the curtain, glancing around with shifty eyes. “We’ve reached the outskirts of Dongcheng. Little girl, it’s so late—want me to take you somewhere safe?”

Ye Shuangxue’s eyes flickered, and the corner of her mouth curled up: “Sure!”

That easy to trick?

The coachman grinned smugly, sizing her up. “Little girl, you’re wearing rags, carrying a child alone, coming all this way… That child in your arms—did you steal him from some noble family?”

A cold wind lifted the corner of the carriage curtain.

Outside was pitch black and desolate.

A moonless, windy night—the perfect time for murder.

Ye Shuangxue held her brother and asked calmly, “So… what do you want?”

“Hand over all your silver! I don’t believe you didn’t steal anything else. And that child—you’ll hand him over too!” The coachman dropped the act, suddenly turning hostile.

Ye Shuangxue shrank back, fear on her face: “I… I really don’t have anything else valuable.”

As she spoke, she instinctively reached for the bundle beside her. The coachman’s eyes lit up; he flung open the curtain and leapt into the carriage.

The next moment,

Ye Shuangxue waved her little hand, and the coachman was lying in the corner of the carriage, eyes wide in terror.

He looked at Ye Shuangxue in horror, moving his lips, but no sound came out.

Ye Shuangxue smiled: “I didn’t rob you—you should be grateful. And yet, you dared try to rob me?”

“Hand over all your valuables, or I’ll leave you here for the wolves…”

“Waa… waa…”

Suddenly, Zhuangzhuang woke up, wailing loudly.