The capital, the Left Prime Minister's Residence.
"Honored teacher, you seem troubled." Ji Zhibai carefully set the tea on the desk before Liu Shan, then just as carefully withdrew his hand. His fingers curled tightly, then slowly relaxed.
Back then, they had been teacher and student. Although Ji Zhibai had held Liu Shan in awe, he had never bowed and scraped. Sometimes he had even acted a little presumptuously and been scolded by Liu Shan, which had actually pleased him.
But ever since his literary guts had been destroyed, Ji Zhibai had noticed that his honored teacher cared less and less about him. He had lowered himself bit by bit, becoming increasingly servile, unable to return to the pure bond of teacher and student they had once shared.
Ji Zhibai's hatred for Fang Yun grew by the day, and with it, resentment toward his honored teacher.
Yet no matter what, Ji Zhibai always remained meek and obedient before Liu Shan.
Liu Shan had a fair complexion and a refined appearance, still retaining traces of the handsome man of Jing Kingdom he had once been. Now, however, his temples were graying, fine wrinkles had appeared on his forehead, and there were even slight bags beneath his eyes.
Liu Shan sighed softly and slowly shook his head. "The Dragon Gate appeared in the Sea of Learning, and one hook caught ten thousand hearts. The Ten Kingdoms have made it a celebrated tale. You and I have both entered the Sea of Learning, so we know how difficult it is. Yet Fang Yun managed to catch a hundred thousand fish all by himself. Even if I wished to feign composure, I simply could not."
Ji Zhibai found it hard to accept that Liu Shan had stopped referring to himself as "your teacher" and