The commotion outside didn’t seem to affect Ye Chutang. After a short stay at Yunlai Tavern, she led her small group back to the Ye Mansion.

After such a long and arduous journey, they should have been resting.

But Ye Yunfeng was still full of energy, trailing Ye Chutang the entire way, looking like he wanted to say something but was holding back.

Only when they reached her door did Ye Chutang turn to look at him. "Is there something else?"

Ye Yunfeng cleared his throat loudly, trying to drop a hint. "Sister, we’re back in the capital now. About that thing you promised me before..."

Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, you mean the Military Book?"

Ye Yunfeng’s eyes lit up instantly, and he nodded eagerly. "Yes, that’s it!"

’His sister had promised him she’d give it to him as soon as they returned to the capital!’

’He knew his sister enjoyed collecting and reading all sorts of books on a wide variety of subjects, but he never knew she had a copy of the Military Book their older brother used to read! He’d been itching with curiosity the entire trip!’

Ye Chutang looked at him, pondering for a moment. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Seeing her hesitate, Ye Yunfeng grew anxious. "Sister, you promised me! A promise is a promise!"

"I never said I wouldn’t give it to you." Ye Chutang tilted her chin toward the study. "It’s over there. Come with me and you can have it."

However, before Ye Yunfeng could celebrate, she added, "But—I have one condition."

"What condition?" Ye Yunfeng faltered for a second before quickly recovering. "Whatever it is, I’ll agree to it, Sister!"

A smile that was both warm and pitying spread across Ye Chutang’s face.

"You said it, not me."

...

A quarter of an hour later, Ye Yunfeng was staring at the sand table before him, plunged into a long silence.

The sand table was about five feet long and three feet wide. Upon it were layered mountain ranges and crisscrossing rivers—it was an exquisite masterpiece.

Ye Chutang sat down leisurely beside him. Seeing him remain motionless for a long time, she finally drawled,

"What’s the matter? Don’t you recognize this?"

Ye Yunfeng turned his neck stiffly, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Sister, this... this... When did our family get something like this?"

Ye Chutang thought for a moment before replying casually, "I had it custom-made a while ago. Oh, right, you and Yan were both at the Imperial College then, so it’s normal you didn’t know."

’Normal?’

’What family just has something like this lying around for no reason!’

"You don’t like it?"

"Of course I like it!"

Ye Yunfeng finally snapped out of it. He took a deep breath, and when he looked at the sand table again, his eyes were gleaming.

"It’s so exquisitely made. Truly incredible!"

Looking at the red and blue flags and the markers placed upon it, he could barely contain the thrill coursing through his veins.

’He knew exactly what this meant!’

Ye Chutang wasn’t surprised by his reaction. She prompted him, "Take a closer look. Where is this?"

Ye Yunfeng froze. He quickly realized the terrain was extremely familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

Suddenly, something clicked.

He whipped his head around to look at Ye Chutang, gasping in astonishment, "This is... this is... Tongtian Pass!?"

Ye Chutang narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, a smile playing on her lips.

"Not bad. You figured it out pretty quickly."

’Of course he could recognize it!’

’For various reasons, Ye Yunfeng was extremely familiar with the battle where Huo Yucheng was defeated at Tongtian Pass. So, upon seeing the terrain on the sand table, he naturally recognized it immediately!’

’But—why would his sister have a model of this particular place custom-made?’

"If you were Huo Yucheng, how would you have fought this battle to win?"

A faint smile bloomed on Ye Chutang’s lips, her voice soft and clear.

"Win, and I’ll give you the Military Book."