Song Zhi withdrew his gaze that had fallen on that man and, paying no more attention, returned to sit in his original seat.

As soon as he sat down, many scholars surrounded him.

Asking him all sorts of questions.

Nothing more than wanting to know who the person in the pavilion was.

He could only smile all over his face but not say a single word.

Everyone found it extremely boring.

So they all dispersed.

Yuan Jiang pulled him aside and asked softly a few questions.

He still refused to speak.

Having no other option, Yuan Jiang couldn’t very well ask more.

At this time, many people had already begun composing poems in the courtyard.

Or they were picking up brushes to write something on the white paper spread on the tables.

It was quite lively!

Song Zhi had no heart for it at all. He was still thinking about what Na Yan had said earlier.

That matter concerning being a “protégé.”

Agreeing was not right, not agreeing was also not right!

This was truly vexing people to death.

At the same time.

Because tonight was Gaoding City’s annual lantern festival, Li Cheng naturally would not miss it, so he drove his carriage to the old residence.

Preparing to call on Ji Yunshu and Jingrong to go enjoy the festivities together.

How could he know that upon arriving at the old residence, he discovered no one was there.

Instead he ran into the cook that Jingrong had previously invited to the residence to prepare meals.

The cook was tidying things up in the kitchen.

Because before leaving, Jingrong had arranged for the cook to stay behind and continue making meals for Song Zhi.

“How is no one here?”

When the cook saw it was Young Master Cheng, he quickly put down the work in his hands and said: “They’ve all left.”

“Left? Went to the lantern festival?”

“No, they left.”

“What do you mean left?”

The cook explained: “Early this morning, Young Master Jing and the others departed from Gaoding.”

Uh!

Li Cheng was dumbstruck.

His lips trembling, he asked: “What did you say? What do you mean departed from Gaoding? You’re saying they left?”

The cook nodded frantically.

For a moment Li Cheng didn’t know what to say.

Just left like that?

Without saying a word!

What did they take Li Cheng for? For thin air?

Rather than saying he was reluctant to see them go, it would be better to say his belly was full of fury.

He raised his foot and kicked over a wooden bucket full of water at his feet, clenched his fists and said viciously: “Not considerate at all!”

He left in a rage!

The cook stood frozen in place, looking at the water all over the floor.

Extremely disheveled.

…

After leaving the inn, Jingrong and Ji Yunshu began strolling around the streets.

The surroundings were very lively.

Even more lively than Dalin’s lantern festival.

Coming out for a walk was indeed good!

The two walked in front while Lang Bo and Bai Yin followed behind.

Lang Bo glanced at Bai Yin: “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

Bai Yin: “Didn’t you also say you weren’t coming?”

“My prince wanted to come, so of course I had to follow.”

“My younger sister wanted to come, so of course I also had to follow.”

Fine!

Lang Bo was at a loss for words.

The several people strolled to the side of Wen Bridge and saw the cluster of scholars across the way.

Either reciting poetry and matching couplets or writing and painting.

Filled with a strong literary and artistic atmosphere.

The road to Wen Bridge had been blocked off—only those who had received invitation cards could pass.

Many common people could only watch from afar on the opposite bank.

All around, people were discussing.

“I don’t know who is holding a poetry gathering here today. All the talented individuals of Gaoding City have come, and those great literary masters are all here too.”

“Don’t know who has such great influence! It would be wonderful if we could go over and take a look.”

“This side of Wen Bridge has been completely sealed off by people. There’s no way to get across.”

“The background must be quite substantial.”

…

These words reached Jingrong and Ji Yunshu’s ears. The two exchanged a glance, then very tacitly cast their gazes toward the opposite bank.

As a result, they saw Song Zhi sitting inside the corridor!

That fellow was also there!

Lang Bo also saw him, slapped his forehead and said: “I almost forgot about this! A few days ago, Young Master Song received an invitation card, inviting him here to participate in some lantern festival. Turns out it’s actually some poetry gathering held by literary people!”

How boring.

Turning his head, he inquired of Jingrong: “Young Master, should we call out to him?”

Jingrong: “No need.”

“Oh.”

At this time, more and more people began gathering around.

Everyone craned their necks to look over there.

All were very curious.

Wanting to catch a glimpse of those literary figures.

Because there were too many people, Jingrong pulled Ji Yunshu to prepare to leave.

But—

Ji Yunshu suddenly saw a familiar man.

It was the person who had collided with her today.

She followed that man’s gaze and discovered he seemed to be staring fixedly at the pavilion.

That kind of look, as if wanting to penetrate through the gauze curtain hanging outside the pavilion and stab straight through.

Extremely fierce!

Something was wrong.

Just at this moment, someone lifted the gauze curtain of the pavilion.

Several people walked out from inside.

Leading them was unexpectedly the Second Prince Na Yan!

She hadn’t expected him to be here.

The moment he emerged, all the scholars stopped what they were doing, their gazes following him.

“So it’s the Second Prince.”

“Didn’t expect it to be him!”

Some were excited, some were stirred.

There were also those trying by every means to approach him.

Hoping he would become their patron!

And just as Na Yan walked out from the pavilion, that man with fierce eyes wearing a scholar’s robe rose from his chair and walked step by step toward Na Yan.

His hand also slowly reached into his sleeve.

As if grasping something!

He passed through one scholar after another, and was getting closer and closer to Na Yan.

Ji Yunshu suddenly realized.

The calluses on that person’s palms!

So he was not a scholar or student at all, but rather… an assassin.

“This is bad, that person wants to kill the Second Prince.”

What?

Hearing this, Jingrong looked at her in surprise: “What did you say?”

Her whole body tensed. She pointed at that man: “He wants to kill the Second Prince!”

Uh!

Jingrong followed the direction her hand pointed, and sure enough, that person drew a dagger from his sleeve.

When no one was paying attention at all, he aimed the sharp dagger at Na Yan.

And thrust it viciously.

At this moment, Jingrong could have chosen to ignore it and mind his own business.

But—

Out of an instinct, he immediately snatched the lantern from the hands of a woman nearby.

He immediately pulled out the long stick that held the lantern.

He threw it over there.

Aiming at the dagger in that person’s hand.

The force was just right.

The direction was also just right.

Just as that person’s hand was being raised, the dagger was knocked away by that stick.

Then—

The dagger stabbed viciously into a red wooden post.

That person froze.

The scholars across from him were also all shocked!

They all scattered in all directions!

“Ah!”

The opposite side of Wen Bridge immediately erupted into chaos!

And one second after the dagger in that person’s hand was knocked away, several people suddenly jumped out from among those scholars. They pulled out long swords they had prepared long ago from under the tables and all aimed at Na Yan.

Na Yan retreated several steps.

Guards rushed over from all sides, hurrying forward to protect their master.

“Protect the Prince.”

The two groups of people fought together. The scene descended into chaos.