Chapter 30
Chapter 30: Practice Problems from the Ning Dynasty Three Hundred Years Ago
Professor Fu was just about to unleash his famous “student-snatching technique” when he suddenly froze. “Huh?”
The principal and the homeroom teacher stared, equally at a loss.
A cousin?
Didn’t Lin Wen Li only have one cousin—Lin Qin?
Professor Fu quickly regained his composure. “You’re saying all of this came from your cousin?”
“Yes.” Lin Wen Li nodded. “She gave me the conclusion first, then handed me a few excerpts from historical records.”
His face remained calm and unreadable, but his thoughts were already in turmoil.
He remembered the first time Lin Huai Jin brought Ye Wan Lan back. Back then, she had read Records of the Ning Dynasty every day without fail—a history book about the Ning Dynasty.
But she’d been strange. She only reread the chapter about the dynasty’s fall, over and over.
And that chapter had nothing to do with Princess Yong Ning.
Because in Shen Zhou Year 1717—six years before the Ning Dynasty collapsed—Princess Yong Ning had already died in a widespread plague.
After that, Ye Wan Lan dropped out during her first year of high school and stopped studying altogether. So when, exactly, had she learned so much about Princess Yong Ning?
“She told you the conclusion first?” Professor Fu’s eyes brightened. “Where is your cousin? I want to meet her—right now!”
Lin Wen Li hesitated. “I don’t know what she’s busy with…”
“That’s fine. Give me her number.” Professor Fu could barely keep himself in the chair. “What’s your cousin’s name? How old is she?”
“Ye Wan Lan—she’s the one who—”
He didn’t get to finish. The principal cut him off, voice crisp. “Wen Li, third period is about to start. Go back to class. Professor Fu and I will discuss the rest.”
Then the principal called sharply, “Teacher Pan.”
The homeroom teacher understood at once. Without another word, he pulled Lin Wen Li out of the office.
Anyone would have been better than Ye Wan Lan.
When Ye Wan Lan dropped out of River City No. 1 High School, she’d caused a massive uproar. Later, when she worked as Sheng Yun Yi’s stand-in, the young masters and young ladies in the upper circles turned it into a campus joke.
Professor Fu watched Lin Wen Li leave, pain written all over his face. “He didn’t even give me her number.”
“But she should’ve been a student here too, right?” He turned back to the principal, almost pleading. “Do you have any way to contact her?”
“Professor Fu, forgive me for being blunt, but Wen Li’s cousin…” The principal shook his head. “She dropped out a long time ago. It’s been three years. She didn’t finish high school, and her reputation is terrible. You may not know this, but she was the Zhou Family’s Second Young Master’s stand-in lover for two years.”
Professor Fu froze. For a moment, it felt like he’d stumbled into some trashy romance novel.
“How could someone like that have talent for archaeology?” he blurted out.
The principal pressed on. “She probably just said it casually. A coincidence.”
“I see…” Professor Fu’s excitement drained into disappointment. “I really thought I could recruit her into Yun Jing University’s archaeology department.”
The principal chuckled. “Professor, if you let her in, she’ll wreak havoc on your department.”
Professor Fu checked the time and sighed. “Looks like I got happy for nothing. I still need to rush to Yan City, so I won’t stay.”
The principal’s eyebrows lifted. “Yan City? Was there a new discovery?”
Yan City was one of the field’s most important research sites. Long ago, it had been the territory of the foremost of the Four Princes—the Prince of Yan.
More importantly, as the Prince of Yan’s younger sister, Princess Yong Ning had left countless traces in Yan City.
For archaeologists, it was a treasure.
The Ning Dynasty three hundred years ago had produced far too many legends.
From Founding Emperor Ning establishing Great Ning and declaring the Tianqi era, to Emperor Zhaozong relocating the capital to Feng Yuan—having the Son of Heaven guard the kingdom’s gates—to Princess Yong Ning, who entered the Eastern Palace as a woman…
Who could have imagined that a golden age like that would shatter overnight?
“It’s not confirmed yet,” Professor Fu said heavily, “but I hope it is.”
He sighed again, longer this time. “It’s just… we’ve studied it for so long, and we still don’t know who the enemy was back then.”
Forget three hundred years ago. Even in today’s modern world, no power—or combination of powers—could wipe out the Four Princes in seven days, slaughter the Six Great Sects, massacre a million lives in Shen Zhou, and end the entire Ning Dynasty.
The principal offered a polite consolation. “We’ll find out eventually.”
Professor Fu gave a bitter laugh. “And what if we do?”
National hatred. Blood feuds. Yet they didn’t even know who to avenge.
He shook his head and left River City No. 1 High School with a shadowed expression.
—
Back in the classroom, the moment Lin Wen Li returned, every classmate snapped their gaze to him. But the bell had already rung, and the teacher had begun the lesson. They swallowed their questions and forced themselves to look away.
Fifty minutes later, the teacher had barely stepped out before the whole class surged toward Lin Wen Li’s desk like a wave.
“Wen Li!”
“Aaaah, Lin the Study God!”
“Good brother, I’m here!”
“Hurry up—what did that professor from Yun Jing University’s history department call you out for?”
Dozens of eyes pinned him. Lin Wen Li’s expression didn’t change. “Nothing. He just said Yun Jing Archaeology Center discovered two days ago that Princess Yong Ning once disguised herself as the Prince of Yan for three months. The paper is about to be published. They’re preparing to announce it.”
The classroom went silent with shock.
For Shen Zhou’s history, it was a bombshell.
“Two days ago? They only figured it out two days ago?”
“Then how did you know?”
“Good brother, I knew you could see the future! Quick—tell me when I’ll become a big official and make serious money!”
“Stop messing around.” Lin Wen Li’s temple twitched. “My cousin told me. I’m terrible at history.”
“Since when do you have a cousin?”
“Who is she?”
“Even Lin Qin in the next class never mentioned a cousin. Good brother, you’re lying, aren’t you?”
Lin Wen Li didn’t bother responding. He opened his book, but his mind flickered back to yesterday—Ye Wan Lan asking him for study materials.
His lips pressed into a thin line.
Fine. He’d give her the mock monthly exam papers from yesterday and let her try.
—
Ye Wan Lan left the company at six in the evening. Sunset flooded the sky; clouds hid the Xing Yue deep in their layers. A cool breeze brushed her face.
On the roadside, she bought a bouquet of irises, brought them home, and arranged them in a vase.
“Hey.”
Lin Wen Li appeared behind her and spoke softly. “Thank you.”
Ye Wan Lan turned, one brow lifting. “For what?”
“I got praised today,” Lin Wen Li said. “By a professor from Yun Jing University. Because of my pre-class presentation.”
“That’s good,” Ye Wan Lan said lightly. “Did he reward you?”
Lin Wen Li’s gaze sharpened. “You…”
He swallowed, then forced the words out. “How did you know Princess Yong Ning once disguised herself as the Prince of Yan for three months?”
Ye Wan Lan didn’t blink. “A guess. I’ve read too many unofficial histories.”
Lin Wen Li pulled out a stack of papers. “This is No. 1 High School’s mock monthly exam. Do it if you want. If you do, I’ll grade it.”
Ye Wan Lan took them and smiled. “Sure. Thanks in advance, brother.”
An hour and a half later, Lin Wen Li heard a knock.
“Come in.”
Ye Wan Lan walked in holding the papers.
Lin Wen Li paused. “Don’t tell me you finished.”
A full set of papers took nine hours.
“Yes,” Ye Wan Lan said. “But I didn’t write the essay.”
Lin Wen Li’s voice cooled. “If you’re going to scribble nonsense, you might as well not write it.”
Even so, he took the stack and flipped open the physics paper on top.