I maxed out the Scholar talent at the start, but I want to be a Warrior.

The next morning, Zhang Lie arranged for his men to prepare small gifts and give them to Gu Chang'an and his companion, instructing them to take them to the Shen family.

"I'll take you there, and while I'm at it, I'll say hello to Uncle Shen—"

"No need," Gu Chang'an interrupted him. "You go about your business. Xiao Cheng and I will go by ourselves."

Zhang Lie nodded.

"Alright, then I won't be coy anymore, you guys go ahead."

The uncle and nephew walked eastward along the main street. The main street was wide, with neatly paved bluestone slabs, and most of the shops on both sides were open.

The two were not in a hurry. Gu Chang'an seemed to be reminiscing as he walked and talked to Gu Cheng about the changes over the past ten years.

"There used to be a restaurant here that made particularly delicious roast duck. It is said that they learned the recipe from a master in Xijing (Beijing)."

"The pastries here are very good. Your mother especially loves them, and your father often buys them to bring home."

……

The sounds of clinking glasses drifted from the nearby restaurants, newly arrived silks hung outside the cloth shops, and the blacksmith's shop resounded with constant clanging.

The Shen family lived in the east of the city.

The two walked through most of Shuofang City and turned into a quiet alley.

Tall trees are planted at both ends of the alley.

At the end of the alley, Gu Cheng saw the Shen family's gate.

The gate was painted vermilion, and above the lintel hung a plaque that read "Shen Mansion".

There are two majestic stone lions at the entrance.

The steps at the entrance were swept clean.

Two guards stood at the door, their backs straight.

Gu Cheng scanned the two guards standing at the door with his probe.

Strength 35.

Strength 38.

The level of elite troops in the military.

"Halt! Who are you?" The guard on the left stopped the two.

"Please inform that Gu Chang'an has brought his nephew Gu Cheng to visit Registrar Shen."

The guard sized up the two men. Their clothes were clean, but the material looked cheap. He glanced at the gifts they were carrying and a knowing look appeared on his face.

He waved them away, saying, "Get out of here! You can't just see my master whenever you want."

Gu Chang'an and Gu Cheng hadn't expected that entering the Shen family's gate wouldn't be as easy as they had imagined; they couldn't even get past the guards.

Gu Chang'an announced loudly again, "Gu Chang'an has come with Gu Cheng, the grandson of Shen Gong, to acknowledge our kinship. Please inform him of this."

The guard on the right sneered, "There are hundreds of thousands of people in this Shuofang City, and countless of them want to be my clerk's grandson. Come on, come on, I've worked here for five years and I've never heard of my clerk having any grandson left behind outside."

Just when the uncle and nephew thought they had no choice but to return home today.

A middle-aged man wearing a blue robe came out. He had a fair complexion, was slightly plump, and had small eyes. He looked very kind.

"What's going on? Why are you making such a racket at the door so early in the morning?"

"Master Steward, these two claim to be the patriarch's grandsons."

The guard quickly relayed Gu Chang'an's words to the steward.

The butler glanced at them.

Gu Chang'an said again, "My name is Gu Chang'an. Today, I have brought my nephew Gu Cheng to visit Lord Shen."

The butler's eyes flickered, as if he were recalling something, and he nodded.

"Please wait a moment, both of you."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

The butler returned.

"Please come in, gentlemen. The master is waiting in the main hall."

Be polite, neither servile nor arrogant.

Gu Cheng followed his uncle inside.

After passing through the front yard and a moon gate, we arrived at the main hall.

The main hall is not large, but it is decorated very elegantly.

Several calligraphy and paintings hung on the wall, books were neatly arranged on the bookshelf, and a set of celadon tea set was placed on the coffee table.

A person was sitting in the main seat.

He was in his sixties, thin, with his gray hair neatly combed, wearing a plain-colored robe, and his back was ramrod straight.

He held his teacup in his hand and did not stand up.

Gu Cheng scanned it with his probe.

【姓名：申配】【体质：68（上限）/67（当前）】【力量：48（上限）/ 46（当前）】【精神：72（上限）/ 72（当前）】【战士技：无】【文士技：明鉴（一阶）、烈风（二阶）、龙捲（三阶）】【擅长兵器：剑（资深30.3%）】【装备道具：无】

Spirit 72.

A third-rate scholar.

Shen Pei's gaze swept across Gu Chang'an's face and then landed on Gu Cheng.

It stopped for a long time.

Gu Cheng felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, but he did not look away.

What is he looking at?

After a long while, Shen Pei finally spoke.

"You've grown taller."

He then turned his gaze to Gu Chang'an.

"Chang'an, is there anything you want to say to me?"

"I'm sorry, Uncle Shen. Back then, I disregarded everything and left Shuofang with Cheng'er. If you wish to punish me, I, Gu Chang'an, will accept any punishment."

"Alright, it's good that you're back. Sit down and let's talk." Shen Pei waved his hand, gesturing for the two to sit down.

"Ah Da, serve tea."

The steward, Ah Da, responded and stepped back to summon a servant to bring tea.

Gu Chang'an and Gu Cheng took their seats at the lower end.

"I brought Cheng'er here this time for two reasons. First, to visit Uncle Shen. It was my fault for leaving without saying goodbye. Second, I would like him to study in Shuofang City. I hope you can take care of him," Gu Chang'an said.

Shen Pei held the teacup and slowly took a sip.

"Great! Shuofang Academy will be accepting new students again next month. Let Cheng'er take the test and see which path is more suitable for him."

Shen Pei turned her gaze to Gu Cheng. "Cheng'er, would you rather study literature or martial arts?"

"I want to learn them all," Gu Cheng blurted out without thinking.

Is there even a need to consider this? Only children consider this; I want them all!

Shen Pei nodded, then shook his head. "Wanting to be both scholarly and martial is a good thing, but we also need to pay attention to the methods. Play to your strengths, and then see which area you can improve in faster, and that can be your major."

Gu Cheng nodded, knowing that this was the old man's advice based on his experience.

"Chang'an".

"exist."

"Why didn't you tell us when you took Cheng'er away?"

The voice was flat, but it contained a hint of anger.

Gu Chang'an remained silent for a while.

"The situation at the time... was my fault."

Shen Pei did not turn back.

He stood by the window, his back to them, his gray hair almost blinding in the morning light.

A long time passed.

"Cheng'er is my grandson," Shen Pei said.

Gu Chang'an lowered his head.

"It was my fault."

Shen Pei didn't say anything more.

He turned around, sat back down in the main seat, and picked up his teacup.

It's as if that sentence was never said before.

"That's settled then, Ah Da."

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and the steward pushed the door open and came in.

"Take them to the guest rooms in the west wing," Shen Pei said. "Let them tidy up."

"Master, the room in the west wing..." the steward hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"That room." Shen Pei paused. "Prepare a meal tonight, call Boyong, Zhongwen, and Awan back, and tell them that Cheng'er is back."

But he didn't ask any more questions and simply nodded in agreement.

Gu Chang'an opened his mouth, wanting to say that he wanted to go back to his own home, but he kept his mouth shut.

------

The steward led them through a corridor.

As Gu Cheng passed by a courtyard, he noticed that the gate was closed.

The paint on the door is newer than the rest of the room—it was recently renovated.

The steward quickened his pace in front of the door without stopping.

Gu Cheng remembered it.

The guest rooms are in the west wing, and they are clean and tidy.

But Gu Cheng could sense that this room hadn't been temporarily prepared.

Although the bedding on the bed was new, the closet had a fresh smell—someone had been maintaining the room for a long time.

Fresh fruit was laid out on the table, and a pot of orchids sat on the windowsill.

It wasn't a last-minute tidying up.

It's been kept there, waiting for someone to come and live there.