Chapter 14: Academy

"Not bad practice!" Su Aotian said, leaving behind those meaningful words before walking away.

Afterward, Su Jingyao and Su Jingyan exchanged glances.

"Sister, you practiced really well." The look in Su Jingyan’s eyes as he watched her held a hint of admiration.

Su Jingyao patted his head. "You will be even better than Sister in the future."

"Mm! Yan'er will definitely be even more amazing than Sister one day." Su Jingyan didn't show any false modesty, saying exactly that.

A smile tugged at the corners of Su Jingyao’s mouth as she stared blankly at the wooden sword in her hand.

"Sister, Sister?" Su Jingyan called out twice.

Su Jingyao quickly snapped back to reality. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I heard Father say that you’ll be going to the Academy in a month?" As he thought about it, a look of reluctance appeared in Su Jingyan’s eyes, making Su Jingyao’s heart ache.

"Even though Sister is going to the Academy, I will still come back home to play with Yan'er every month." All female students who went to the Academy were required to live on campus, and they were only allowed to return home for two days each month; the rest of the time had to be spent at the Academy.

This was the Academy’s way of fostering independence. However, some female students still couldn't bear to be away from home and would make a fuss about returning after only a few days. The Academy would send them back home without hesitation, but they would never be admitted again. Therefore, for the female students who entered, it was a tremendous challenge.

The rules for male students were the same as for the female students, though they were slightly stricter. Upon enrollment, all male students were given an examination, and the Academy generally would not accept anyone who did not score at least eighty points.

There was, of course, an exam for female students as well, but they only needed to reach the passing mark of sixty.

Because of this, the students in the Academy were of the highest caliber.

For the entire Northern Yue Kingdom, aside from the Beiyue Academy run by the Imperial family, the Academy could basically disregard all other schools.

The head of the Academy was always a retired Prime Minister, passed down from generation to generation. Thus, the Academy held immense influence within the Northern Yue Kingdom!

"Only two days a month? Yan'er wants to see Sister every day." After saying this, Su Jingyan lowered his head.

"Yan'er is a man, how can you be like this?" Su Jingyao’s expression darkened; it was clear she was displeased.

Seeing this, Su Jingyan immediately grabbed Su Jingyao’s arm. "Sister, I know I was wrong."

Su Jingyao smiled at the sight. However, Jingyan was only ten years old. Once she went to the Academy, if there were trouble at the border, their father would also have to leave the estate. That would leave Su Jingyan all alone in the house, which made her feel a faint sense of worry.

"How about Jingyan goes to a school to study as well?" Su Jingyao suddenly suggested.

"But Father doesn't like me studying. Father hopes that I will go to the battlefield to kill the enemy and serve the country in the future." Hearing him say this, it seemed he truly preferred studying.

Su Aotian made Su Jingyan read nothing but military strategy books every day, which gave the boy a headache.

Getting Su Aotian to change his mind was no easy feat; after all, once Su Aotian made a decision, it was basically set in stone.

Su Jingyao fell into deep thought, and an idea flashed through her mind.

"Yan'er wants to go to school to study, right?" Su Jingyao asked.

Su Jingyan nodded. Compared to going to the battlefield to kill enemies, he preferred studying. He wanted to use the knowledge he acquired to help the people of the Northern Yue Kingdom; he preferred that over fighting.

Moreover, he had a tiny, selfish thought: he didn't want to go to the battlefield, he didn't want to risk his life, and he especially didn't want to make his sister at home restless or cause his mother in heaven to be sad.

He would always remember how his mother looked whenever his father went to the border—restless, unable to eat or sleep, and she had even fainted because of it.

Therefore, he didn't want to—he didn't want to go to the battlefield!

Su Jingyao sighed. If she knew what Su Jingyan was thinking at this moment, she would surely be shocked. To be thinking of such things at his age—he was truly too precocious!

And perhaps she wouldn't know whether she should be happy or sad.