In the Imperial Palace's Imperial Study, the Emperor was reviewing memorials.
"Your Majesty, Ren Jie, the Ren Family Head, has sent an invitation." The Emperor disliked being disturbed while reviewing memorials, and only Chief Steward An of the inner palace could assess a matter's urgency and report it to him. Since it involved the heads of the Five Great Families, Chief Steward An—who had followed the Emperor for over twenty years and was nearing fifty yet still looked barely into his twenties—entered and spoke softly.
"Read it." The Emperor did not even raise his head or give it much thought.
"Tonight, the Ren Family Head will be taking on a disciple and invites Your Majesty to attend as a witness." After reading that casual sentence, written as though it were mere conversation, Chief Steward An could not help feeling caught between laughter and tears. Looking up, he found that the Emperor had stopped reviewing memorials and was staring at him.
Chief Steward An said helplessly, "Your Majesty, that is all it says."
"Taking on a disciple? Him?" Even the Emperor found it absurdly amusing. Ren Jie was still studying at Jade Emperor Academy and, if nothing unexpected happened, would soon become the Ren Family's first direct descendant to repeat a year. Yet he had the nerve to take on a disciple—and make such a grand spectacle of it.
"The one who delivered the message was Tong Qiang. After delivering the invitation to the Imperial Palace, he went on to deliver messages to the Wen Family, Gao Family, and Fang Family." Chief Steward An was nearly fifty, but his skin was delicate, and even his eyebrows had been groomed with meticulous care. As Chief Steward, he wielded enormous power within the Imperial Palace and counted as an important figure even in