As expected, Yuxian's performance in the military arts school was outstanding. It was not long before he ascended the student ranks to become one of the darlings of the school. To top it off, he had a cheerful personality and was pleasant to everyone and he quickly become the most loved discipline amongst the teachers and his fellow student.
Yuxian was those rare gifted student who took no time in mastering the arts of archery, music, calligraphy, ritual, and mathematics.
Time flew by and Weiying was sixteen years of age, Yubin and Yuwen were seventeen and eighteen.
"Young mistress, if you're so good at everything, I'm afraid it will be hard for you to find an actual husband who is better than you." Yubin said one day.
"Yes yes, no man will live up to your standards!" Yuwen added
"Then I will stay single! I don't need a man in my life!" No I will marry the most beautiful woman in time you dumbass!
"Nooo.. Don't say that young mistress! Don't let anyone hear that! We Yu brothers swear that he will only find the best man in the world worthy of you!"
Weiming frowned as Yuxi told him the news. "Weiying is getting better and better. He needed to keep a low profile. If this continues, he will be trained under the imperial military school and by that time it will be harder to hide his identity." He said to his wife.
After Aying's birth it seemed that the curse was broken and Madame had given birth successfully to two more girls.
In the Wei Residence, Weiying's true identity was a highly guarded secret. The only ones aware besides his parents were their trusted aides uncle Yuxi and Naima. Even Weiying's younger sisters Wanqing and Wanping did not know that their 'sister' was actually a 'brother'.
It was a hot noon and the students took their turn shooting targets with a bow and arrow on horseback. The spiritual targets were tied with a red ribbon on their feet. They were not real birds, just spiritual birds that mimic real birds.
The students had to collect the red ribbons as part of their training.
Despite excelling at everything else, Weiying's weakness was animals. He was not good with horses. He always thought the animal had an enmity with him. They refused to listen to his commands and would give him trouble. He would kick the horse and the horse would not move. When he wanted the horse to slow down, it would kick around almost causing him to fall.
That day was especially hot and since Weiying was quite sensitive to heat, he raced ahead of Yubin and Yuwen. When he got to the forest covers, his horse became especially cranky and jumping around angry and threw Weiying off the horse. He was about to fall and hit the ground when he a strong pair of arm grabbed him, breaking his fall.
It was a fellow student dressed in white. He was holding Weiying, his hands were on his back and thighs. Weiying had never been held this way by anyone before. He was startled and almost push the guy away in reflex. Shocked at his reaction, the guy dropped him roughly to the ground.
'Ouch!!' He looked up at the boy who was around Yubin's age. He was wearing a white robe that was flowing in the breeze. His figure stood tall and firm like a cypress tree. Feeling the burn in his behind from the fall, Weiying glared at the stone-faced beauty.
It was Lanwangji, the top student in the academy.
"Why did you have to drop me like that?? Can't you be gentler?"
"Gentle? Are you a girl?"
"You!!! Still!! You don't have to be so rough!!"
"Why are you holding a foxgrass stalk in your hand? Are you stupid?"
"Huhh?? You mean this?" Weiying lifted up a small branch on his hand. Thickets of tiny heart shaped leaves were still attached to it. He had casually picked it up on a nearby shrub since it was pretty and he liked the smell of it.
"This is to tame the horse."
"You mean to piss off the horse? Horses hate the smell of those things. No wonder he was kicking around trying to push you off him."
Huhhh? Weiying had no idea. No wonder horses hated him. It was because he had been using fox grass stalks to try to tame the horse but it actually gave him the opposite effect.
"Umm.. I didn't know."
The boy in white flicked his sleeves and left.
How rude!! What was his problem?
Weiying was watching the guy's white robe fluttering with the wind, stunned by what happened. He was dumped on the ground and scolded right after?? What kind of a person was that?
Still sitting on the ground dumbfounded, Weiying heard faint footsteps approaching him.
"Young mistress...I mean Yuxian what are you doing sitting on the ground?"
It was Yubin and Yuwen
"You guys are late. I fell of the horse."
"Ohh nooo... Gosh are you okay?"
"So sorry we're not there to protect you. Where does it hurt?" Yubin and Yuwen said in unison.
"Hmmmpph too late. Lanzhan came and saved me"
"Whatt??? Langongzi? He saved you?"
Weiying nodded. As he got up and beat the sand and dried grass stuck to the hem of his robe.
"That cold Langongzi.. Woww.. I must thank him later." Yubin said.
"No need. That arrogant stone-faced peacock!!! He didn't even put me down properly. He just dropped me on the ground. And he even had the balls to scold me. What a douche bag!!!!"
"Ohh nooo.. that's not good. Are you okay young.. Yuxian?"
I'm fine. Its not like I'm made of glass that will break so easily. Haven't you realized your young mistress has grown pretty strong after all the training?
"Yeah I suppose so."
That was Weiying's first interaction with Lanzhan and needless say, he did not have a good feeling toward the guy. He was arrogant and depended on his father's status to get away with his standoffish behavior. Even the teachers were afraid to reprimand him for his occasional rudeness. Weiying felt the need to bring down that kind of pride. He needed to know that the world would not revolve around his little finger all the time. Arrogance will only lead to downfall. So when the opportunity presented itself, Weiying was more than glad to jump at it.
*
One afternoon not long after that incident where he faced Lanwangji head to head, his father called him to his study. He did not have any good feelings.
"Weiying, you have to stop going to school. Today is your last day. Your cover will be blown and your mother and I can't have you be conscripted to the imperial army. You're our only son and your mother and I have other plans for you and being a soldier isn't one of them.
But father, I finally beat Lanzhan at archery!! You should have seen his face. I finally saw it! his face was so shaken with anger. I'm so happy!!! Weiying's face lit up as he talked about that aloof cold boy of the Lan family.
"It was precisely because you beat that boy in such high profile match that we have to pull you out of school. His father is the Commander of the imperial army and he periodically scouts outstanding students to be trained under him. You stand out way too much. Remember how you were warned about being low profile. How could the son of a servant do so well exceeding most of the boys in the school? They will surely come for you and forcefully enroll you in the military academy in three months. You have to disappear. Or there will be trouble."
"But father..."
"Weiying, listen to your father. We only have you and your two sisters. Mother can't risk anything." His mother said. Her gaze was firm and determined.
*Aying's identity at school was the son of Yuxi, servant of Minister Wei.
Weiying knew that it was useless to keep pushing for it. He could only accept it. He went back to his room quietly, his head hung low.
His naima looked at him with tears in his eyes. What a good child bubbling with such youthful energy but he had to be locked away due to some curse. Fate is such a cruel thing. Naima held back her tears as she combed Aying's hair,.
"Aying, look, your hair has grown fuzzy from too much training under the sun. Mingyu, make young mistress some herbal gel for her hair."
"Yes Naima"
Mingyu was Weiying's handmaiden who followed her since a few years ago. Despite her mistress' odd behavior such as she would never let Mingyu bathe her and other odd ungirly things about her mistress, Mingyu served her mistress with utmost dedication. She was fastidious, quick witted and extremely loyal.