Bai Yuan's smile carried a trace of something difficult to decipher.
"Your Highness," he said gently, "going to the capital to serve the emperor is not a matter for just anyone. The Prefect of Nanyang advised you against it, and you did not listen. I will not repeat his words. I can only offer a single piece of advice."
Zhu Yujian inclined his head. "Please."
"When a weapon rests in the emperor's hand," Bai Yuan said, "the sharper it is, the better. But when that same weapon is held by someone who might threaten imperial authority, the duller it is, the safer."
Zhu Yujian stood silent, clearly struggling to grasp the deeper implication.
Bai Yuan did not press him. "Given who we are, and where we stand, marching to the capital with soldiers at our backs is not a simple act of loyalty. Your Highness would do well to exercise caution."
He clasped his hands in farewell, gathered the militia, and led them north without another word.
Zhu Yujian watched his departing figure for a long time, thoughts turning over in his mind like stones in a riverbed.
The guard commander, misreading that silence as hesitation, hurried forward with renewed hope. "Your Highness, perhaps we should reconsider. Returning to Nanyang would still be wise."
Zhu Yujian lifted his head. The doubt in his eyes had settled into resolve.
"We continue," he said quietly. "Do good deeds and do not ask about the future. Someone must stand before the Jiannu. Someone must defend the capital. I may not possess great strength, but what I have, I will offer."
The commander sighed, recognizing that no argument would sway him now. "Very well. We march."
And so the Prince of Tang pressed northeast.
The road was not smooth. They encountered scattered bands of bandits along the way, some fleeing at the first clash, others fighting with desperate ferocity. Victories alternated with setbacks. It was no glorious march, merely a stubborn advance marked by dust, fatigue, and uncertainty.
Far away in Puzhou, within the bustling compound of the Flower World Star Agency, the atmosphere could not have been more different.
Lao Nanfeng entered side by side with Cai Lin.
Cai Lin's hair was now arranged in a married woman's bun. Only days earlier, the two had completed their wedding rites and officially become husband and wife. It was precisely because of this recent marriage that Lao Nanfeng had not been allowed to accompany Wang Er, Bai Mao, and Ma Shouying on their expedition to the capital. Sending a newlywed into battle carried an obvious risk, and Li Daoxuan had no desire to create widows among his own people.
The couple slipped cheerfully into the backstage dressing room.
Chen Yuanyuan sat before a bronze mirror, carefully removing the elaborate makeup from her most recent performance. She had just stepped off the grand stage, where applause and scattered silver had rained down upon her as usual.
Though only thirteen, she was already the undeniable star of the agency. Each appearance drew thunderous cheers, and the silver coins tossed onto the stage could hardly be gathered fast enough. She had quietly accumulated several hundred taels in savings, a fortune for someone her age.
Lao Nanfeng sat down beside her and produced a thick stack of papers.
"Yuanyuan," he said with a grin, "we're preparing a new film. We want you to play the lead."
Chen Yuanyuan's eyes brightened. "What kind of film?"
She glanced at the title.
Student Years.
The story unfolded within Gao Family Village's Thirty-Two Middle School, following a group of students through their diligent studies and into the diverse paths they pursued after graduation. The central character was Gao Yiye. Gao Yiye herself would portray her adult self, while Chen Yuanyuan would play the younger version.
The supporting cast read like a who's who of Gao Family Village. Young Master Bai. The Third Young Lady. Gao Sanwa. Chen Yuanbo. Gao Shan. Wang Tang. Liu Maopao.
Each would appear as their adult selves, while child actors would portray their earlier school days. Even San Shier, Principal Wang, Song Yingxing, and others were listed for brief appearances. At the bottom of the page, in smaller characters, was an even more astonishing note.
Dao Xuan Tianzun and the Saintess would make cameo appearances.
Chen Yuanyuan's fingers tightened around the script.
"So many prominent figures?" she murmured. "Even Dao Xuan Tianzun and the Saintess? Is this film directed personally by Dao Xuan Tianzun?"
Lao Nanfeng coughed lightly. "Not exactly. It's planned and produced by our agency."
Her expression shifted at once.
"So all these illustrious people are gathering… to make one of your terrible films?"
Lao Nanfeng nearly choked.
It was not entirely unfair. Aside from a handful of war epics personally overseen by Dao Xuan Tianzun for educational purposes, most productions funded by Lao Nanfeng had been, in polite terms, uneven.
He cleared his throat. "This time is different. The script was written by the most renowned popular author."
"Who?"
"Gao Sanwa."
Chen Yuanyuan froze.
Her lips parted slightly. If the man before her had not been her patron, she might have burst into unrestrained commentary.
"Would Dao Xuan Tianzun truly appear in such a film?" she asked softly.
"Of course."
The golden-threaded figure embroidered upon Lao Nanfeng's chest shimmered faintly, and a familiar voice emerged.
"Such an entertaining project would be a delight to join."
All three immediately bowed.
"Greetings to Dao Xuan Tianzun."
Li Daoxuan laughed. "I have read the script. It carries Gao Sanwa's mischievous flair, but beneath that is a warmth that lingers. The final act, where the students leave school and step into their respective professions, is particularly meaningful. This is not merely entertainment. It is instruction disguised as storytelling."
Lao Nanfeng's face lit up. "Your praise honors us."
Li Daoxuan continued, "Education in Gao Family Village has always been free. Yet even so, many families hesitate to send their children. A child of ten can plow fields, transplant rice, tend livestock. To them, school appears as lost labor. If the child cannot pass the imperial examinations, what is the point?"
He paused, then added thoughtfully, "This film offers an answer. It shows that learning is not solely for officialdom. A child who studies may become an engineer, a merchant, an inventor, a leader in countless fields. Through characters like Young Master Bai, the Third Young Lady, Gao Sanwa, and Chen Yuanbo, we can show that knowledge illuminates every path."
Chen Yuanyuan felt the earlier pressure transform into determination.
If Dao Xuan Tianzun himself endorsed the project, then it was no mere vanity production.
It was a statement.
"Very well," she said with renewed energy. "I will play young Gao Yiye properly."
Lao Nanfeng immediately set about contacting the various luminaries of Gao Family Village, persuading them to lend their faces and names to the film.
Behind the laughter and bustle of preparation, something larger was quietly taking shape.
While princes marched toward uncertain battlefields, another kind of campaign was being prepared in Puzhou.
One fought with muskets and steel.
The other with stories.