On the other side.
Song Xue had come to the birthday banquet with her "father" today.
As the only young lady of the Song family, she had kept a safe distance from the Zhao family members and hadn't suffered the tortures of River Witch's Tower like the other unlucky ones.
So, on the surface, her identity was still secure. She could attend the banquet openly as herself.
Now seated at the table for the wealthy merchants' children, Song Xue was surrounded by several young women who kept trying to draw her into conversation. Their words were full of probing questions and envy—her family wasn't particularly powerful, yet she had just managed to strike up a conversation with one of Master of Ten Thousand's subordinates.
They had only stood together and chatted for a few minutes, but to these young men and women, speaking with one of Master of Ten Thousand's extraordinary subordinates meant she had found a connection on his side. Would Master of Ten Thousand give the Song family more wealth and opportunities because of her?
The merchants were skilled at playing power games with one another. Their children were nowhere near their level, but Song Xue could almost see their fear and resentment at the thought of losing their wealth.
"Miss Song, just tell us the truth~ You're so capable, and you managed to befriend that gentleman. How did you do it?"
"Exactly. We're not as beautiful as you, so even if we knew the whole story, we couldn't imitate you."
"Miss Song, do you know when Mr. Liu will take on students again?"
The gentleman they meant was the scholar who stayed at Feng Manor to teach the young masters and ladies. No one knew his name, where he came from, or who had taught him. They