Correct!

Tang Jianxi nodded with great pride.

His junior martial sister was the cleverest woman in this world—many men couldn’t compare to her.

Master once used one sentence to evaluate this daughter—

“Were she male, I would certainly cultivate him into ministerial talent. Pity she’s female. When women are too intelligent, their fortune is shallow. I’d rather she be more foolish, more stupid.”

Master’s words proved prophetic.

“Continue guessing!”

Seeing Xie Zhifei had nothing more to add, Young Master Pei could only repeat what he’d heard from Guihua.

“She loved listening to opera. Upon hearing opera, she couldn’t move her feet. Occasionally she’d dress up and perform.”

Tang Jianxi nodded, then shook his head.

What did that mean?

Half right, half wrong?

Young Master Pei silently reconsidered. “Loved listening to opera, but never performed. Actors are the lowest class—boudoir ladies couldn’t learn such things.”

Tang Jianxi: “Young Master Pei, guess again—from whom did she learn this opera-loving habit?”

Still need to guess?

“Her mother?”

Tang Jianxi shook his head.

“Her father?”

Tang Jianxi continued shaking his head.

Young Master Pei was stumped and guessed wildly. “Could it be from you?”

Tang Jianxi nodded.

Everyone looked surprised.

No wonder Young Master Pei was shocked—listening to opera really didn’t match a recluse’s identity. It felt oddly incongruous.

“I loved listening to opera as a child.”

Since it concerned himself and had nothing to do with the Tang family, Tang Jianxi spoke freely. “The mountains had no opera, so I’d run to the county town. What the county couldn’t provide, I’d run to the prefecture.”

“He not only listened to opera but also wrote opera scripts.”

Tao Qiao’er looked at her husband with a smile.

“He wrote countless scripts about talented scholars and beautiful ladies. After writing, he’d just toss them at me. My rouge and powder money all came from selling his opera scripts.”

“I also took you to listen often.”

“Yes, took me often.”

Tao Qiao’er smiled. “Once we couldn’t return in time and stayed overnight in the county. My parents were frantic. The next day they caught you and gave you a thorough beating.”

“Your father held nothing back—real, solid blows from that rod. He even complained to my parents. When I got home, I was beaten again. It hurt like hell.”

“Stop, stop, can we return to the main topic?”

Young Master Pei felt his teeth aching.

What was this—using reminiscence as a pretext for flirtation?

Simply shameless in their old age!

“Does Young Master Pei have someone he fancies?” Tang Jianxi’s gaze fell on Pei Xiao.

“I…”

“Likely not.”

Tang Jianxi looked at the person beside him. “If you did, every little detail would be a memory—you couldn’t stop.”

Who says I don’t have someone?

I just disdain to mention it.

“Today’s young people simply can’t hold steady!”

Tang Jianxi shook his head. “What does ‘The Palace of Eternal Life’ sing about? About Emperor Minghuang and Yang Guifei’s love unto death. At the Incident at Mawei Slope, to preserve himself, Emperor Minghuang had to watch his beloved woman die. What does this show?”

Young Master Pei: “Shows men are heartless.”

“Shows that even born into an imperial house, there are times of helplessness. Shows that even a wise ruler has moments of foolishness. Shows that human nature cannot withstand testing.”

Tang Jianxi looked at Pei Xiao, sneering coldly. “Young Master Pei, people should watch more opera, listen more—opera also contains the rise and fall of glory and disgrace.”

“It also shows that before power, women are worthless, can be sacrificed and abandoned. Good men are hard to find!”

Tang Jianxi’s expression suddenly changed drastically. “Miss Yan, what did you just say? Can you repeat it?”

“Shows that before power, women are worthless, can be sacrificed and abandoned. Good men are hard to find.”

Tang Jianxi’s expression became agitated instantly, shouting, “She said that too! She said exactly that!”

Yan Sanhe’s scalp tingled at his shouting. The next instant, she sensed something wrong.

Among so many opera texts, he specifically mentioned ‘The Palace of Eternal Life’—was this casual mention or deliberate suggestion?

A strange notion suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Yan Sanhe asked, “Tang Zhiwei had good family background, good looks, and was a renowned talented woman. Did the former Crown Prince once develop feelings for her? Did she refuse him?”

Tang Jianxi stared fixedly at the young woman before him.

Before they entered this study, he and his wife had carefully discussed how to guide them step by step to ask certain key questions.

He’d brought up listening to opera, brought up ‘The Palace of Eternal Life,’ precisely wanting them to think in this direction.

He’d anticipated it wouldn’t be easy, yet this Yan Sanhe had pierced through with a single statement.

Too intelligent a girl—comparable to his junior martial sister!

That year, on Master’s forty-eighth birthday, a stage was set up in the back garden with performers from the Qingyu Troupe.

On stage, voices sang melodiously. Junior martial sister and he shared a pot of tea and a plate of pastries, watching with great interest.

Others watched opera for excitement; the two of them watched and took it to heart, tasting each lyric carefully.

In the evening, the Crown Prince arrived quietly at the Tang residence. Master sent someone to the back garden for him.

He hurried to the study and found Zhu Yanting also there.

Master had countless disciples in his lifetime. His three most accomplished were—Zhu Yanting was his second senior martial brother, a man of exceptional talent and profound learning.

He and Zhu Yanting exchanged glances, both understanding Master intended to introduce them to the Crown Prince.

He would forever remember that day the Crown Prince wore ordinary clothes, his features clean as a scholar’s, yet the nobility radiating from his entire being made one dare not look directly.

He and Zhu Yanting knelt to pay respects.

The Crown Prince personally helped them up, saying meaningfully, “You two studying under Master means we share the same school. Today there are no rulers and subjects, only colleagues and brothers.”

One sentence moved Zhu Yanting to tears, pledging lifelong devotion to the Crown Prince from that moment.

“Where is our junior martial sister?”

He quickly responded, “Your Highness, Junior Martial Sister is listening to opera.”

Zhu Yanting hurriedly said, “I’ll call her.”

“No need!”

The Crown Prince waved his hand. “I’ve long heard people say the capital’s Qingyu Troupe performs excellently. Today, having leisure, please lead the way, both martial brothers.”

How would they dare? They sought Master’s opinion with their gazes. Master’s lips curved as he nodded slightly.

By then, the guests had long dispersed. The opera on stage sang only for Junior Martial Sister alone.

The Crown Prince walked over and sat beside her.

Seeing it was him, Junior Martial Sister smiled lightly. “Let me finish watching this opera before paying respects to Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince feigned anger: “What an impertinent girl.”

Junior Martial Sister pinched up a piece of lotus paste cake and offered it ingratiatingly. “Will you eat it?”

“Is it sweet?”

“Cloyingly sweet.”

The Crown Prince loved sweets and took a bite.

“There now—having eaten someone’s food makes you soft-handed. From now on, Your Highness can’t scold me. You must properly accompany me to finish watching this opera.”

The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned.

He and Zhu Yanting couldn’t help wanting to laugh.

This girl had always been full of mischievous ideas. With Master doting on her, she’d developed a fearless temperament from childhood.

After the Crown Prince finished the lotus paste cake, he rinsed his mouth with tea and asked smilingly, “What are they singing?”