Three grandsons of dukes.
Two Grand Confucians, representing the four great academies.
All of them offered Xu Qingxiao an olive branch. Such treatment was enough to make anyone die of envy.
The teachers thought little of the military officers' attempts to recruit him. After all, civil officials and military officers had rarely seen eye to eye since ancient times.
With political factors compounded by differences in temperament, their inability to get along was inevitable.
It was exceedingly rare for both sides to favor the same person, but they also understood why the dukes wanted to win Xu Qingxiao over.
“Man Jiang Hong,” a Timeless Verse destined to endure through the ages, suited only to soldiers who fought on the battlefield. Those dukes all had their eyes on it. If Xu Qingxiao dedicated it to any one of them, it would add another bold stroke to that duke's legacy.
Their interest in Xu Qingxiao was therefore perfectly understandable.
The military officers exchanged a few disparaging remarks, then said no more. Quarreling before so many outsiders would only disgrace them. If word reached their families, they would probably get a beating.
After the two Grand Confucians put the essay away, Zhao Yuan hurried over and handed the jade box to Grand Confucian Zhou Min.
With the item in hand, the group lingered no longer.
“Young friend Qingxiao, we shall meet in the Capital City.”
"If escorting this peerless essay were not so urgent, I would gladly stay and have a proper conversation with you, young friend Qingxiao. What a pity."
The two Grand Confucians bade Xu Qingxiao farewell, their eyes filled with smiles.
“Take care, everyone. When this student reaches the Capital City, I will certainly pay you a visit.”
Xu Qingxiao bowed and saw them off, explicitly promising to visit them.