In late autumn, the branches were bleak.

The last yellow leaf was swept away by the west wind and landed at the entrance of Jingsi Hall, just in that moment, stepped on by a black shoe.

After stepping down, it didn’t lift up for a while.

The owner of the shoe stood quietly at the door, looking at Miss Tang inside the room.

The young girl was wearing the uniform blue jacket of the academy students, but uniquely, a few maple leaves were embroidered on the cuffs, bringing a strong sense of autumn.

She was bent over the desk writing something intermittently, occasionally frowning her delicate white brows.

Perhaps she was too focused on her thoughts and didn’t notice someone had stopped at the door.

However, there wasn’t just Miss Tang in the room; another young lady sensed the change in light, looked up, and upon seeing the person at the door, stood up respectfully, hands down, and said: "Second Miss, Mr. Pei is here."

Tang Xiaobai then raised her head and stood up as well.

"Senior Brother Pei."

Early this year, Pei Xuan was appointed as the Minister of Communication by the emperor, accompanying him daily, but still made time to visit the academy at every ten-day break.

Pei Xuan gave her a slight nod, took two steps forward, his gaze landing on her desk: "What are you drawing?"

Tang Xiaobai was a little embarrassed: "I recently read a geographic annals of Hedong, so I’m just casually drawing a map of Hedong..."

It had been over half a month since her brother and little ancestor left, and she was more worried each passing day.

How is her brother’s injury and poison? Has Doctor Feng successfully left Ren Zhi Palace?

Have they started suppressing the bandits? With his injuries, her brother shouldn’t be on the battlefield, right?

Will the little ancestor go on the field? With blades and swords blind, he mustn’t rush forward recklessly.

Also, she heard Prince Qing brought many from the Yuwen Family; she wondered if they would add to the confusion...

Because of all these worries, she couldn’t help but focus on news related to Hedong, reading relevant books, and in her spare time, she would casually draw maps of Hedong, guessing where they had gone, where bandits might be, or which places might be harder to fight.

Unfortunately, she was young and didn’t understand military matters, so she couldn’t help much, the only thing she could do was to mentally support them and try not to cause trouble —

"Those who privately create maps are sentenced to be quartered and the extermination of three generations."

Tang Xiaobai stared wide-eyed at Pei Xuan.

His expression was as usual, indifferent, calm, and serious.

Not like he was joking —

Tang Xiaobai immediately crumpled the map she had drawn on the table!

When had Mr. Pei ever joked!

After crumpling it, she looked around; she couldn’t just throw it away, or was someone intended to come and pick it up?

She unfolded it again, intending to tear it up.

No, that’s not good either! What if someone pieced it together after she tore it up?

Perhaps... swallow it?

Thinking this, Tang Xiaobai crumpled the paper again, into the smallest possible ball, opened her mouth — 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

No...

She couldn’t bring herself to swallow it...

Thinking again, she unfolded it, picked up a pen, and scribbled all over it.

Not until the entire paper was covered in ink, leaving no trace of a map, did she let out a long sigh of relief and looked up innocently at Pei Xuan.

Pei Xuan quietly watched her entire process of destroying the evidence, and when she looked up at him, he said lightly: "Rough and inaccurate, with no measurements, it doesn’t matter."

Tang Xiaobai froze: "Why didn’t you say so earlier..." Senior Brother Pei had actually become mean!

"In those days, the Qin Family had a son skilled in drawing maps, so when Feng Pu accused the Qin Family of treason, public outrage believed the Turkic invaders succeeded because they obtained Qin’s maps," Pei Xuan said.

Tang Xiaobai sighed: "I get it, I won’t draw them anymore."

Since it’s a dangerous item, she decided not to draw anymore.

But even though she let it go, Pei Xuan didn’t: "Why did you suddenly think of drawing this?"

"My brother and Ah Xiao both went to Hedong, and I’m worried about them," Tang Xiaobai said honestly.

Then, she suddenly had an idea: "Senior Brother Pei, how about we discuss ’The Art of War by Sun Tzu’ next time?" Although she couldn’t help now, she could learn!

Unexpectedly, Pei Xuan showed a hint of hesitation.

"Uh..." Tang Xiaobai asked cautiously, "Senior Brother Pei... you haven’t read ’The Art of War by Sun Tzu’?"

"I’ve read it, but—" Pei Xuan gave her a puzzled look, "Your father and brother are both renowned generals, well-versed in military texts; how dare I show off my skills before such experts?"

Tang Xiaobai was taken aback.

Right...

...

As soon as she got home from school, Tang Xiaobai asked: "Is the Duke in Ningchun Court?"

Her father, if at home, was usually sticking close to her mother.

However, the answer this time wasn’t what she expected: "The Duke is in the study."

Tang Xiaobai ran to her father’s study, and upon entering, saw Tang Shigong writing by the window.

"Looking for me?" Tang Shigong, with one hand behind his back and a pen in the other, asked without bothering to lift his head.

Tang Xiaobai was about to talk about studying military strategy when she caught sight of an envelope near his hand, her attention drawn away. She asked excitedly: "Has brother written a letter back?"

The little ancestor and brother had been in Hedong for over half a month without writing back, one of the reasons for her restless concern.

"No," Tang Shigong replied.

Tang Xiaobai let out a disappointed "ah," complaining: "Are they so busy they don’t even have time to write a few words? Previously, when father and brother were fighting the Turkic people in Tingzhou, they weren’t this busy!"

Tang Shigong paused his writing, looked up, smiled at her, and comforted: "Don’t worry, they can handle it."

"It’s not that I don’t trust their abilities; I’m just worried those from the Yuwen Family will hold them back!" Tang Xiaobai said.

Prince Qing finally found a chance to promote his cousins, and on the day they were sent off, she saw no fewer than five young and older generals with the surname Yuwen.

In her eyes, these people weren’t going to suppress bandits but to hinder the effort.

Tang Shigong still smiled: "The few useless ones from the Yuwen Family are not worth worrying about."

Since her father said so, Tang Xiaobai felt that saying more would be a disservice to her brother and the little ancestor. She shifted the topic back to her real purpose: "Dad, I want to— huh?" Catching sight of what Tang Shigong was writing, Tang Xiaobai exclaimed in surprise, leaning on the windowsill to get a closer look.

After confirming, she was even more shocked: "Dad, what are you writing?"

"Didn’t you see?" Her father truly had the demeanor of a great general, caught red-handed yet still at ease, showing no guilty expression at all.

"You, you’re tricking Mom!"

Her father was writing a letter meant for her mother, but not actually a letter from him, rather, a letter mimicking Tang Ziqian’s handwriting and tone, addressed to her mother.

Tang Shigong glanced at her: "What? Do you plan to rebel against your father and report to your mother?"

Tang Xiaobai stared at the letter for a while, then said: "So, you also think brother and the others shouldn’t have taken this long without sending word, right?"

Tang Shigong didn’t answer.

Tang Xiaobai looked up, observing his expression.

Tang Shigong smiled at her, his demeanor and gaze both calm and natural.

Her father was the Great General, stationed at the frontier for ten years, a battle-hardened great general, with deep scheming, how could she see through him?

"Dad, is something happening in Hedong?" Tang Xiaobai decided to ask directly.