"Don't be jealous, this is the result of my accumulated efforts. In life, the most important thing is to be practical. That's how you get a promotion and a raise..."

On the sixth floor of the Platinum Tower, Yan Yi looked at the "Vice Principal" sign on Le Yu's desk and couldn't help but twitch the corners of her mouth.

If it weren't for the students standing nearby, she would have probably lashed this smug man with an electric arc whip on the spot.

But Yan Yi was a master at crafting legends, and Le Yu didn't want to get on her bad side, so he consoled, "Actually, the title of Vice Principal is just an honorary one. Do you think the principal would share some of his power with me? He's just giving me this title so I have the confidence to argue with the Ministry of Justice, and to indicate that he supports me from behind the scenes. It means nothing more."

"But for the past thirty years, the principal hasn't given this honor to anyone else," Lin Xue couldn't help but say, "Not even to Teacher Zhu."

"The last Vice Principal was Cha Huan himself, and three years later he officially became the principal."

Le Yu's expression remained unchanged: "That's normal. Although Teacher Zhu is indeed respectable, when it comes to contributions to the academy, he may not surpass me. The 'Zhengwei Doctrine' I've compiled has the potential to become a new school of thought, and my 'Silver Blood Oblivion History' will be an unavoidable monument for future researchers studying Dongyang's history. I've bled for the Platinum Tower; I've made merits for the Imperial Academy. This Vice Principal title is well-deserved."

Yan Yi countered, "Teacher Zhu has been teaching for decades!"

Le Yu: "Why should my few months of effort have to lose to decades of accumulation?"

Yan Yi almost lost her cool, and Qin Yueshi and Ming Shuiyun quickly hugged her and pushed her back into a soft chair. This group of people almost visited Le Yu every day, and when Ming Shuiyun casually mentioned there weren't enough chairs on the sixth floor, a student volunteered to bring one up.

Only then did Le Yu understand why Cha Huan only left a single chair in the office—so that visitors would know to leave after they were done talking, instead of sitting down to drink tea and eat snacks for idle chit-chat.

Clung tightly by the two soft girls, Yan Yi was caught off guard, not expecting Qin Leyin to use a beauty trap. Reluctantly, she sat down and said, slightly dispirited, "Looks like he really sees something in you..."

"I'm not a permanent faculty member, so you needn't worry," Le Yu chuckled, "Besides, I don't even like the office above. Even if the principal did have that kind of idea, I would simply refuse. Can he force me into it?"

"You don't understand," Yan Yi sighed, "Do you know why the Imperial Academy seems to be under the principal's sole decision-making? As long as it's an order from the principal, the faculty almost unconditionally complies, and most students follow suit..."

Qian Yuya, who was reading, replied, "Isn't it because disobedient teachers and students would get a 180-day free stay package at the Medical Bureau?"

"That's partly the reason," Yan Yi couldn't refute, "but sheer force only incites fear. To earn respect, one needs to offer profit and idealism."

"You must've heard bits about the principal's rebellious youth. Staying at the Imperial Academy was far from his only path, yet he stayed, primarily out of gratitude for what Principal Dou did for him. His conscience drives him to repay Principal Dou's kindness for the rest of his life."

"Profit, idealism, and conscience—Principal Dou bound Principal Cha with these three chains, and Principal Cha binds the faculty and students the same way. Profit instills desire, idealism instills hope, and conscience instills guilt. Naturally, the world follows, and success is assured."

Ming Shuiyun seemed skeptical: "Isn't that just your assumption, Teacher Yan?"

"The principal mentioned it to me in idle chats," Yan Yi smiled, "You know how the principal is, saying whatever he pleases, too proud to lie, ashamed to play tricks. He trumpets his achievements like building a new restroom, craves praise when cafeteria meals improve, and makes sure everyone knows when he secures more research funding by organizing a lunch treat."

"He's ambitious, straightforward, arrogantly self-assured, demands everyone's praise for good deeds, and confessed to mistakes, expecting reciprocity in kindness, with punishments always well-founded. People respect him because he's Cha Huan, not because he's the principal, and they fear him not because he's Cha Huan, but because they erred."

"He's like a bullheaded child... but we are all willing to charge forward with him in Yanjing."

"So," Yan Yi eyed Le Yu, "if he truly wanted you to succeed him, he'd surely find a way to make you want to charge forward too. Before you know it, those three chains will quietly bind you."

Le Yu was silent for a moment, then laughed, "That is, if I live till he retires."

Yan Yi was momentarily stunned but refrained from looking at Qin Leyin, instead focusing on others. She noticed that whether it was Qin Leyin's own sister, Qin Yueshi, his master, Ming Shuiyun, or Lin Xue, Qian Yuya, they weren't particularly concerned with Qin Leyin's words.

Li Ying and Kui Nianruo, however, looked oddly shrunk at one side of the soft chair, periodically casting fearful glances at the wall, like two hamsters huddled together.

Seeing Yan Yi's puzzled gaze, Qin Yueshi explained: "That's just him; he can't go three sentences without mentioning death, always saying he'll be gone in less than half a year, Teacher Yan, you needn't mind."

"Sword-seeking and vying for position is indeed dangerous," Ming Shuiyun added, "but I've emphasized numerous times, if Mr. Qin encounters any danger, his priority should be preserving his own life. Teacher Yan, you might not understand, but my orders are of the highest priority for him."

This was the confidence of a caretaker.

Lin Xue said, "Teacher Qin is merely reminding us to be cautious."

Li Ying muttered softly, "Or perhaps he's saying that schooling is a dangerous affair."

Yan Yi nodded, as if comprehending their daily humor, "So it's a joke then."

But she couldn't shake the feeling that Qin Leyin wasn't joking. His tone reminded her of her third uncle, the one always shouting, 'I'm going to become light.'

"Since the principal has left the decision to you, how do you plan to handle the Immortal Palace plan?" Yan Yi added quickly, "I'm not trying to probe your plans, but it's clear the Immortal Palace scheme targets the students. I want to collaborate with you to resolve this threat as soon as possible."

"Oh right," Qin Yueshi suddenly pulled out a manila envelope from her book bag and handed it to Le Yu, "It's unopened."

Le Yu opened the manila envelope and shook out a poster and a card. The azure card face immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Not bad luck," Le Yu remarked, examining the card, "Got a rare card on the first try."