My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

The first batch of profits transported from the Zhen family of Wuji arrived in Zhuojun at the end of the winter month.

It wasn't boxes of five-zhu coins; those were too bulky and conspicuous, and besides, the five-zhu coin had been depreciating rather quickly lately...

Those were boxes of converted gold ingots, along with some high-quality cloth and medicinal herbs that were in short supply in Youzhou. They filled three large carts and were escorted by Zhen's trusted confidants, quietly transported into the governor's mansion's treasury.

Accompanying the carriage was a silk scroll handwritten by Zhen Yi.

Ji Xuanyuan unfolded the letter in his study.

Zhen Yi's handwriting was smooth and refined, revealing the shrewdness of a businessman. His words were polite and considerate, first praising the smooth cooperation and thanking General Ji for his care, and so on.

However, as he looked into the middle, Ji Xuanyuan's brows gradually furrowed.

The letter reads: "...My daughter, Mi'er, lost her mother at a young age. She is of a solitary and pure nature, intelligent yet taciturn. Even as her father, I find it difficult to understand her heart. This time, she has impulsively followed the General, a truly unprecedented act. I have observed that Mi'er's eyes occasionally sparkle when she is by the General's side, and she seems happier than when she is at home... I have been busy with salt affairs lately, and clan matters are numerous, making it difficult for me to spare time. Furthermore, I fear that bringing her back rashly would only upset my children. If the General does not find Mi'er troublesome, could... she be allowed to stay in Zhuojun temporarily? Mi'er is young, and if she behaves inappropriately, I earnestly hope that the General will be understanding and forgiving..."

Ji Xuanyuan held the letter, lost in thought for a long time.

busy?

Can't get away?

A powerful family like the Zhen family, with countless servants, would they really be unable to spare the manpower to even send back an eight-year-old daughter?

That's a really lame excuse.

He walked to the window and looked out over the courtyard.

Zhen Mi was sitting on a stone bench under the eaves, her small body wrapped in a thick fur coat, holding a scroll of bamboo slips, reading quietly.

Snowflakes occasionally drifted down onto her hair and shoulders, but she seemed oblivious.

"Was he deliberately left behind..." Ji Xuanyuan muttered to himself.

Zhen Yi, that old fox, is indeed very cunning.

He kept Zhen Mi by his side for a reason that was not simply because "his daughter seemed happier."

This is a bold, almost gambling-like investment.

She used her favorite young daughter to deepen her connection with a young warlord who commanded elite troops, controlled lucrative salt resources, and whose future was uncertain.

He was gambling on Ji Xuanyuan's character, on Ji Xuanyuan's future, and even more so on whether the "immeasurable nobility" predicted by the fortune teller for his daughter would truly come true in this person.

"You've got a really big heart..." Ji Xuanyuan shook his head helplessly.

To abandon an eight-year-old daughter in a military camp of almost complete strangers—this boldness and shrewdness are truly befitting of a wealthy merchant who could build a thriving business in turbulent times.

He put the letter away and sighed.

What else can we do?

Let them keep them; the household isn't short of food anyway.

As for the future... let's wait and see.

Time passed quickly, and Zhen Mi settled down in the Prefectural Governor's residence in Zhuojun.

She was so quiet that people almost forgot she existed; aside from meals, she spent most of her time reading.

The mansion's collection of books wasn't extensive, but the private collections that Ji Xuanyuan brought back from Yingchuan, as well as those of Lu Zhi, Guo Jia, and others, were enough for her to peruse at her leisure.

She was unlike any other child.

One day, on the main street outside the mansion gate, there were acrobats performing on horseback, accompanied by loud gongs and drums. This attracted nearby children and even many servants to crowd around the gate and watch in amazement.

The lively sounds reached the inner courtyard, and Ji Xuanyuan, who was playing chess with Guo Jia, looked up to listen.

Zhen Mi, who was sitting on the veranda reading a book not far away, did not even lift her eyelids, as if the noise came from another world.

Guo Jia placed a piece, finding it quite amusing, and called out, "Little Zhen Mi, it's so lively outside, why don't you go and take a look? Are you shy?"

Zhen Mi slowly put down the bamboo slips, turned her head, her small face as calm and undisturbed as ever, and said in a clear, cold voice: "Mr. Guo, riding horses, wielding swords, beating gongs and drums—these kinds of entertainment are for men to watch. As a woman, how can I imitate children and rush to participate in such things?"

Guo Jia's hand, which was holding a chess piece, froze in mid-air, speechless for a moment.

This answer, this composure... how could it be like an eight-year-old child?

For the first time, he truly focused his scrutinizing gaze on this excessively quiet little girl.

Zhen Mi loved reading and had a photographic memory.

She often borrowed the brushes, inkstones, paper, and ink from Ji Xuanyuan's study to practice calligraphy or record her thoughts.

She copied Ji Xuanyuan's calligraphy and managed to capture three or four parts of its elegant and refined style.

On one occasion, Guo Jia saw her writing at her desk again and joked, "Women should focus on needlework and embroidery, knowing a few characters is enough. Are you trying to become a 'female PhD' someday?"

Zhen Mi continued writing without raising her head, calmly replying, "Virtuous women of ancient times, such as Mencius' mother and Ban Zhao, were all well-versed in the classics and history, understood right and wrong, used them as a mirror to reflect on themselves, and rectified their families. If one does not read, how can one know the past? How can one learn from the present? How can one understand principles?"

These words were spoken calmly and deliberately, yet they completely stunned Guo Jia.

He put down his wine gourd, walked to Zhen Mi's desk, carefully examined her writing, and then looked into her eyes. A slight tremor ran through him, and after a long pause, he sighed, "The younger generation is truly formidable... truly formidable!"

He told Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and Lu Zhi about this, and the three talented men, who were used to seeing all kinds of things, were quite surprised.

Tian Feng stroked his beard and said, "This girl is precocious and has extraordinary insight. Given time, she may very well become a talented young woman."

Lu Zhi exclaimed, "No wonder Zhen Yi has such a daughter..."

Only Ji Xuanyuan, after listening to Guo Jia's vivid description, simply smiled faintly, showing little surprise.

Of course he knew.

Empress Wenzhao Zhen in history was known for her virtue and talent from a young age, and in her later years, she left behind poems such as "Tangshangxing" and was praised by later scholars as "a scholar in the inner chambers".

Her extraordinary qualities are etched into the trajectory of her destiny.

He even said to Guo Jia and others: "This girl is exceptionally gifted and has a calm temperament. If she receives guidance from a good teacher, she may very well become a talented woman in the future, and even... she may even write books and become famous for her talent. If you gentlemen have some free time, you may wish to give her some pointers, which would be a very elegant thing."

However, Tian Feng and Ju Shou were busy supervising the construction of new salt-making workshops and expanding production, while Lu Zhi was preoccupied with Ji Xuanyuan's new plan to "establish official schools in Zhuojun City and recruit poor students for enlightenment."

All three of them were too preoccupied to attend to anything else.

Therefore, the responsibility of "giving guidance" mostly fell on Guo Jia, who was the most "idle".

Guo Jia was quite happy to agree.

He was naturally free-spirited and unconventional, and lacked reverence for worldly etiquette. Teaching an exceptionally intelligent little girl was far more interesting than dealing with those pedantic students.

Initially, Zhen Mi's questions mostly revolved around classics such as the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, and the Book of Rites. Guo Jia spoke eloquently, feeling quite accomplished as a teacher.

However, the topic quietly shifted at some point.

"Mr. Guo, what kind of herbal decoction does the general take when he has a severe cough? Is it recorded in the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica?"

"Sir, the general seems to dislike meat, especially pork. Why is that?"

"Sir, was the phrase 'Guo Fengxiao' in 'Bring in the Wine' truly an impromptu composition by the general? What was the general's expression at the time?"

"What kind of person is Mr. Xun Wenruo? It seems he and the general have known each other for a long time?"

"When the General was at Shuijing Manor... did he also neglect his health and often stay up late, overworking himself?"

The questions remain clear and logical, but the core issues almost all revolve around Ji Xuanyuan.

From daily habits to past events, from poetry and prose to interpersonal relationships... Guo Jia initially answered patiently, but later he gradually became dazed.

This little rascal isn't really studying; he's clearly trying every trick in the book to find out everything about his senior brother!

That attention was so meticulous and thoughtful, it far exceeded the curiosity an eight-year-old child should have towards their elders.

Guo Jia tried to steer the conversation back to classical texts, but Zhen Mi would stare at him quietly with her clear, unwavering eyes, making him feel uneasy. He had no choice but to surrender and try to brush her off with whatever he could say.

On this day, Guo Jia finished dealing with a few unimportant documents and felt bored.

Zhuojun is freezing cold; it has nothing like the bustling prosperity of Luoyang and Yingchuan.

His alcoholism and some other addiction flared up at the same time, so he quietly changed into an inconspicuous set of ordinary clothes, slipped out of the prefect's mansion, and turned into the "Drunken Fragrance Courtyard" in the west of the city with familiarity.

He had only "discovered" this place by chance a few days ago while "observing the people's conditions".

Although it cannot compare to the extravagance of the brothels in Luoyang, it has its own unique, bold and unrestrained flavor of northern beauties.

He had just gone in and ordered two girls he knew. The food and drinks hadn't been served yet, and he was just about to relax when he suddenly saw the madam push the door open and come in looking flustered.

"Master Guo..." the madam said in a low voice, her expression strange.

"There's a young lady downstairs... she said she's here to see you."

Guo Jia's heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

He rushed to the window and peered through the crack. He saw Zhen Mi standing there on the bustling street, dressed in a plain white fur coat, like a snowflake standing alone in the world.

She was accompanied only by a maid who looked anxious and was trying to pull her away, but she didn't move. She just looked up at the sign of "Zui Fang Yuan" with no expression on her face, but Guo Jia felt that her gaze could penetrate the wall and be fixed on him.

"My goodness!" Guo Jia was terrified, all his drinking and leisurely mood vanished.

If his senior brother found out that he had brought Zhen Mi (even if it was by chance) and lingered around the entrance of a place like this... he couldn't even imagine what would happen to him.

He scrambled down the stairs, practically rushing to Zhen Mi, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Miss Zhen, what are you doing here? This place... this isn't a place for you!"

Zhen Mi quietly observed his flustered appearance, then glanced at the heavily decorated gatehouse behind him. Her voice remained calm and even: "I noticed that you left in a hurry, as if you had important business to attend to. And since you haven't returned for a long time, I was worried about you and came looking for you. Is this... the place where you conduct your important business?"

Guo Jia broke out in a cold sweat. Quick-thinking, he coughed twice and said sternly, "Ahem! Exactly! This is…this is a crucial place to delve into the streets and understand the people's sentiments! It concerns the hardships of the people, customs, and education; it cannot be ignored! However, this place is a melting pot of all sorts of people, certainly not a suitable place for Miss to stay. We must leave immediately!"

Having said that, almost without further ado, he gestured to the maid and, half-inviting and half-dragging, led Zhen Mi away from this place of trouble.

Even after walking a long distance, Guo Jia's heart was still pounding.

He glanced at her and saw that Zhen Mi was letting him pull her along, her face still expressionless, but in her overly calm eyes, there seemed to be a faint, all-knowing understanding.

Guo Jia sighed inwardly: This is no eight-year-old girl! She is clearly a little demon! The days of being a "master" from now on will probably be even more difficult, and the source of all this seems to be his sickly senior brother who always attracts all sorts of "abnormalities".

He safely escorted Zhen Mi back to the mansion, repeatedly instructing the maid not to make a fuss. He then touched his pounding heart and secretly decided that, for at least the next month, he would completely give up the habit of "observing" the people's conditions at Zuifang Courtyard.

Inside the study, after listening to the guard's whispered report that Guo Jia had brought Zhen Mi back hastily from somewhere in the west of the city, Ji Xuanyuan pondered for a moment and guessed the gist of it.

He shook his head helplessly and looked out the window at the fine snow that had begun to fall again.

Keeping Zhen Mi around seems to mean more than just having one more mouth to feed.

The peaceful days seemed to be stirred by the arrival of this little girl, creating subtle and interesting ripples.