“Find a better gift and outdo him!” After a moment of silence, someone said loudly.

Half the people voiced their agreement. The old master stroked his beard without speaking.

“Bribe close courtiers and sabotage the horse!”

Everyone showed expressions wanting to laugh yet agreeing. The old master slightly shook his head.

“Kill that horse!”

The voice was crisp and full of killing intent, brimming with unwavering determination. Everyone was shocked and turned around one after another. Feng Zhiwei turned and saw a refined face.

It was a fourteen or fifteen-year-old youth with eyes gleaming brilliantly like precious jewels, carrying a blade-like sharpness. However, his features had somewhat incongruous stiffness, as if he’d also disguised his appearance. She focused her gaze on that youth’s face, vaguely feeling that his overall facial contours were somehow familiar.

As for who he resembled, she couldn’t think of it for the moment.

That youth stood up, pressing one hand on the table. After shouting this sentence, he glared around at everyone like a crouching dragon, looking as if he would curse at anyone who disagreed with him. By his side, another youth of similar age with big eyes tugged at his sleeve, saying in a low voice: “Don’t, don’t, sit down, sit down—”

The youth impatiently swatted away his hand. No one spoke. These two were brothers. The gentle, shy elder brother was called Lin Ji, and the domineering, arrogant younger brother was called Lin Shao. They were already rather special figures in the academy. Though their food, clothing, lodging, and travel were nothing special, the attendants around them walked like dragons and tigers—clearly top-level masters. Moreover, the two had temperaments completely different from ordinary officials’ sons. Everyone studying here was sharp as a tack and wisely kept their distance.

Of course, newcomer Feng Zhiwei didn’t know about this.

The white-haired old man Hu in the hall glared at those two, a trace of helplessness flashing through his eyes as he shook his head.

Lin Shao raised his eyebrows, his gaze even more piercing, saying: “In the struggle for the throne, how can one be constrained by extraordinary measures!”

As these words came out, everyone’s eyes jumped in unison, then they put on deaf and mute expressions—not only should such words not be spoken aloud, it was best not even to hear them.

Feng Zhiwei raised an eyebrow, momentarily sensing danger and not wanting to say more. But then she heard Master Hu say: “Wei Zhi, what is your opinion?”

The whole hall’s gazes turned in unison. Feng Zhiwei looked up in astonishment. The old fellow at the front smiled kindly, but his eyes told a completely different story.

The two looked at each other for an instant, each finding in the other’s eyes the feeling of a certain animal known for cunning.

Then Feng Zhiwei respectfully stood up and said in a refined manner: “This student does not know.”

Lin Shao immediately sneered. Everyone whispered among themselves with slightly mocking gazes. Feng Zhiwei remained perfectly composed.

“This old man does not like idiots,” Master Hu said unhurriedly. “Anyone without any opinion of their own need not come see this old man in the future.”

Do I have a grudge with you?

Feng Zhiwei looked innocently at the old fellow, not understanding how she, a newcomer who’d just arrived a few days ago, had caught this old man’s eye, making him relentlessly refuse to let her go.

After a long while, she sighed and said: “Yes. This student believes that the Fourth Prince presenting a black steed to celebrate the imperial birthday was wrong from the start and could not possibly please the emperor, so there’s no need to expend effort responding.”

As these words came out, everyone was in an uproar. Lin Shao looked completely disdainful, seemingly wanting to jump over to debate, but was desperately held back by Lin Ji.

“Oh?” Master Hu smiled meaningfully. That smile, in the eyes of students familiar with him, was mourning Feng Zhiwei’s reckless words—she probably truly couldn’t attend these political theory classes anymore in the future.

“Black steeds come from our northern neighboring country Great Yue, but even in Great Yue, they are an extremely rare famous breed, obtainable only by imperial relatives and nobility. Even in past years’ tribute, this horse was rarely seen.” Feng Zhiwei lowered her eyelashes. “And in Emperor Li’s final years, the country was unstable, wars broke out everywhere, Great Yue grew restless and no longer obeyed Great Cheng’s court control, stationing troops at the border and constantly probing. The situation between the two countries was on the verge of breaking out.”

“And the Fourth Prince, er… according to your meaning just now, was sent far away to the frontier precisely to suppress Great Yue.”

Feng Zhiwei finished speaking, quietly bowed, and sat down.

The whole hall was still stunned, not understanding what these two incoherent sentences meant. A few people somewhat understood and revealed enlightened expressions. Most people were still confused. Lin Shao shouted: “What did you say after all that talking? Inexplicable!” Instead, Lin Ji pulled him down again, turned to look at Feng Zhiwei, revealing an expression of surprise and deep thought.

Feng Zhiwei kept her eyes lowered and brows restrained, without any anger—she never argued with idiots.

Having made it so clear already—Great Yue and Great Cheng were hostile to each other, merchant trade between both sides must have already been cut off, the border was sealed. Where did this famous horse come from? And how did it get through? Connecting this to the Fourth Prince guarding the frontier, commanding heavy troops, facing Great Yue, while this horse could only be used by royalty—the deep implications of this, carefully considered, how could it not make one’s hair stand on end?

Truly, nothing needed to be done. Just lightly remind the emperor in his ear, and if the emperor didn’t connect this to the Fourth Prince, who held military power outside, colluding with Great Yue’s royal family, she wouldn’t be surnamed Feng.

Even if the Fourth Prince obtained this horse through legitimate means, it wouldn’t help. Princes commanding troops outside had always been the targets the emperor most easily suspected.

Master Hu in the hall remained impassive, his eyes cautious.

“Then what do you think of the suggestions everyone just made?”

Old man Hu still wouldn’t let her go…

Feng Zhiwei sighed and answered reluctantly, forced into a corner: “Finding a better gift is just a clumsy method; sabotaging the horse isn’t that easy either—one might be pushed into a trap by other covetous princes. As for killing that horse halfway—setting aside whether it’s easy or not, once the matter is exposed and reaches Emperor Li’s ears, it would be the crime of deceiving the sovereign and cursing the emperor. The offense would be far more serious than sending the wrong gift—regardless of whether Emperor Li likes that horse or not, it’s a birthday gift. The destruction of a birthday gift is extremely inauspicious. No emperor wouldn’t mind this.”

“There are things to do and things not to do,” she finally said lightly. “In this matter, the best way to handle it is not to act.”

“Very good.” In the hall’s silence, Master Hu finally nodded. The old master had always been deep and inscrutable, rarely showing approval or displeasure, and rarely gave anyone words of affirmation. Feng Zhiwei didn’t think much of it, but those familiar with Master Hu looked at Feng Zhiwei with changed eyes.

Lin Shao frowned, staring at the leisurely Feng Zhiwei. After a long while, he suddenly slapped his forehead and muttered: “Tenth brother… why do I feel this example sounds somewhat familiar…”

Lin Ji covered his mouth with one hand, sighed in exasperation at his failure to meet expectations, and whispered a few words in his ear. That Lin Shao almost shouted “Ah!” but was covered again.

Pouting under his brother’s palm, Lin Shao’s brilliantly gleaming big eyes glared at Feng Zhiwei, silently cursing: Another treacherous person!

And Lin Ji stared carefully at Feng Zhiwei with a strange expression.

Outside the window, drooping willow branches swayed gently. The figure that had been under the tree was now gone.

Half an hour later, in a quiet room in the rear courtyard of Qingming Academy, tea fragrance curled upward, bamboo curtains were half-rolled, and a person stood at the entrance of the elegant room with hair hanging loose, white trousers faintly visible beneath his robes.

He stared gleefully in the direction of the courtyard gate while sneakily listening to movements in all directions, constantly asking nervously: “The Seven Golden Flowers really went to the market today?”

“I’ve told you many times, Madam definitely took the six young misses out for a spring outing. I personally watched them go toward West Mountain.” The young servant brewing tea didn’t even raise his head.

“Gods and Buddhas be praised!” That person let out a great breath of relief, patting his chest and sighing deeply. “Yesterday Third Flower’s axe blow had already reached the realm of divine mastery. If I didn’t regularly practice my body, I really couldn’t have dodged it.”

The young servant kept a straight face and shook his head, thinking: You do practice very diligently—climbing brothel walls every day.

He also thought that his master, with such talent and status, was willing to endure the temper of that lioness from Hedong and her little lioness cubs year after year. Outsiders laughed at him for fearing his wife like a tiger. He also complained bitterly a million times about divorcing his wife, but to this day, still hadn’t divorced her.

The tea fragrance gradually permeated the bright spring air, clear and vast, suppressing the fragrance of the garden’s blooming flowers.

“Premium Qishan cloud and mist tea—it’s not meant to be brewed by a boor like you in this fragrance-filled garden.”

Laughter came lightly as someone entered through the curtain, coming through the flowers.

Moon-white robes with hidden silver bamboo patterns flowed like water past the deep green wooden corridor. Flying robe corners were tinged with the delicate fragrance of tender yellow and light red blossoms. Yet when the bright, vivid pale gold mandala on that deep black cloak bloomed alluringly, all the flowers paled in shame.

“You have a dog’s nose? Every time good tea is brewed, you pop up!” The long-haired man insincerely held a folding fan, using it to flirtatiously lift the long hair at his chest, glancing sideways at the visitor with a mocking smile.

“Rather than burning fine instruments to cook cranes, better to await a kindred spirit.” The visitor smiled as he sat down, casually taking the tea the young servant offered.

The moment he took the tea, all the servants around silently withdrew.

“How do you have time to come today?” A pair of hands reached over, steadily pouring tea for him. His gaze suddenly focused: “How were you injured?”

“A momentary carelessness.” The visitor immediately lowered his sleeve, clearly unwilling to discuss it further, and immediately changed the subject: “Academy Head Xin is becoming more and more stingy, secretly hoarding good tea. If I didn’t come, I still wouldn’t get to drink it.”

“You truly came a step late, but not for tea—there was some good drama you missed.” Qingming Academy’s Academy Head Xin Ziyan smiled warmly.

“Oh?”

“Just now Master Hu held a political theory class. I happened to pass by and listened for a bit. I actually heard a profound discourse,” Xin Ziyan smiled even more happily. “Coincidentally, that profound discourse was exactly the same as what you said years ago.”

The visitor was stunned. Xin Ziyan lightly tapped his shoulder with the fan, smiling: “How about it? Interested in getting acquainted?”

The visitor pondered silently, standing with hands clasped behind his back before the window. The morning sunlight was fragmented by the window gauze, falling upon his refined features, decorating them with mottled, unclear expressions. And his pupils hidden in shadow were dark as black jade.

Prince Chu, Ning Yi.