Was there something urgent the headmaster wanted to tell him?
Qin An sat down opposite the headmaster.
A pot of tea had already been set on the table, and its temperature was just right.
The headmaster raised a hand. "Have a cup. The academy isn't particular about food or tea. This is only ordinary tea."
Qin An nodded slightly, picked up a cup, and drank.
It tasted sweet at first, with a lingering finish.
Even though Qin An rarely drank tea, he knew it was good.
But it was only good.
Compared with the tea enjoyed by other powerful figures, it would hardly merit a glance.
Qin An was no tea enthusiast. After one cup, he set it down and asked, "You said you had something to discuss with me. What is it?"
He went straight to the point without wasting time.
Emperor Xuanwu had called him here today simply to meet the headmaster.
Qin An had no idea what the headmaster wanted to say.
After a brief pause, the headmaster said, "Before that, I'd like to know what Lord Qin thinks about the traitor within Great Qian."
Qin An's hand tightened slightly against the table. Then he narrowed his eyes. "It seems everyone in Great Qian's upper ranks knows there's a traitor among them."
If Emperor Xuanwu had been the only one who knew, he would never have told Qin An so much.
Nor would the headmaster have spoken of a spy in Great Qian's upper ranks.
"No wall keeps out every draft."
The headmaster shook his head and sighed. "The only way to seal a secret is for no one to know it. Once even one person knows, it can get out."
"Besides, anyone capable of holding a place in Great Qian's upper ranks must have considerable ability