I Came to Seek a Partnership!

In the garden.

The atmosphere had begun to feel subtly amiss.

On one side, Jiang Xiaobai wore a smile, his expression unhurried.

On the other, Li Zhiwei's eyes were slightly lowered, and a rare, faint blush had colored her already exquisite face.

The night breeze blew, and the lamplight flickered.

That elusive trace of shyness looked all the more captivating beneath the lights.

The maid standing beside Li Zhiwei took it all in and could not help pursing her lips in a soft giggle.

She had served her young lady for so many years.

There were very few people who could draw such an expression from her.

No, to be precise, there were almost none.

At that thought, the maid could not resist stealing another glance at Jiang Xiaobai.

This heir of the Jiang Family...

Was he truly the wastrel of rumor, who knew nothing but eating, drinking, and making merry?

From the looks of it, he had hidden himself deep indeed!

Just as the atmosphere grew increasingly delicate.

Jiang Xiaobai suddenly smiled, raised his head, and looked at Li Zhiwei.

"Miss Li, I still have some matters to attend to, so... I was planning to take my leave."

"So... about the prize!"

Li Zhiwei visibly paused at his words, then tilted her head and whispered a few words into the maid's ear.

The maid immediately gave a small nod.

Then she approached Jiang Xiaobai of her own accord and dipped into a graceful curtsy. "Heir Jiang, this way, please."

"My young lady asked me to take you to the study first."

"She... will join you shortly."

Jiang Xiaobai's brows rose slightly at that.

Then the corners of his mouth lifted, and he nodded.

"Very well."

With that, Jiang Xiaobai took the guard beside him and followed the maid out of the garden.

As Jiang Xiaobai left.

The expressions of quite a few people present grew even uglier.

The young scholars in particular watched with twitching eyes and a stifling tightness in their chests.

They had come to attend a Poetry Gathering!

What had this fellow come for?

To pick up women?

And the woman he was pursuing was Li Zhiwei, the Greatest Talented Lady of the Capital City!

For a moment, many of them secretly clenched their fists.

Had their status and the occasion not restrained them, someone might have lost control right then and there.

After Jiang Xiaobai departed.

The traces of shyness on Li Zhiwei's face gradually faded, and she regained her usual gentle composure.

Li Zhiwei raised her head, looked at those present, and spoke softly. "Everyone."

"I still need to personally inscribe Heir Jiang's prize."

"Please make yourselves comfortable. I will be back shortly."

Having said that, Li Zhiwei offered no further explanation. She bowed lightly, then turned and left.

She left behind a garden full of people wearing all manner of expressions.

Elsewhere.

Led by the maid, Jiang Xiaobai soon arrived in a quiet, secluded courtyard.

Several clumps of green bamboo grew within it.

The night breeze blew, setting their shadows swaying.

The study stood quietly behind the bamboo, brightly lit and exuding a tranquil elegance.

After stepping through the door.

Jiang Xiaobai swept his gaze across the room, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

The study's furnishings were exceptionally refined.

Bookshelves stood in rows, filled with classical works.

The surrounding walls were hung with paintings and calligraphy-landscapes, flowers and birds, and works by renowned masters.

At a glance, the fragrance of books seemed to wash over him.

If the garden outside was the lively setting of the Poetry Gathering.

Then this place was the world that truly belonged to Li Zhiwei alone.

"Heir Jiang, please wait here for a moment."

The maid spoke softly.

Then, without waiting for Jiang Xiaobai's reply, she tactfully withdrew, gently closing the door behind her.

Once the door closed.

The room immediately grew much quieter.

It was then that the guard beside Jiang Xiaobai finally lost his patience and spoke in a hushed voice. "Young heir..."

"The Marquis told you to stir up as much trouble as you could, yet here you are, leaving just like that!"

"What if this gets in the way of our real business?"

"Don't worry."

Jiang Xiaobai merely smiled faintly. "I know what I'm doing."

The guard's lips moved, as though he wanted to say more.

But seeing Jiang Xiaobai's unruffled demeanor, he could only force the words back down his throat.

Still, he could not help muttering inwardly.

This time, the young heir...

Just what was he plotting?

Time slipped by.

Before long, an incense stick's worth of time had passed.

Just then, soft footsteps finally sounded outside the door again.

Then the door slowly opened.

Li Zhiwei walked in. She had changed out of her somewhat lavish outer robe and now wore only a simple, elegant long dress, which made her look even gentler and more serene.

Her eyes, in particular, visibly softened the moment she saw Jiang Xiaobai.

"Sorry for the wait, Heir Jiang."

Li Zhiwei spoke softly, then looked at Jiang Xiaobai with a smile. "What sort of painting or calligraphy would you like?"

Jiang Xiaobai smiled. "How about I tell you, and you create it?"

"Certainly!"

A flicker passed through Li Zhiwei's eyes, and a hint of surprise appeared on her face.

Still, she asked no further questions. Nodding, she walked slowly behind the desk, lifted her slender hand, and began grinding ink at an unhurried pace.

As the fragrance of ink began to rise, Li Zhiwei spoke softly, as though making idle conversation. "Rumor has it that you know nothing but eating, drinking, and making merry, Heir Jiang, with neither learning nor skill."

"Now it seems... that isn't entirely true!"

Standing there, Jiang Xiaobai watched her grind the ink, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. "I had no choice. Sometimes, acting more like a wastrel can keep you alive."

At those words.

Li Zhiwei's hand visibly paused. She raised her head and looked at Jiang Xiaobai, her expression growing more serious. "What do you mean?"

Jiang Xiaobai did not answer immediately.

He merely walked over to one side and looked at a landscape painting on the wall, continuing in a calm voice. "The Jiang Family has served in the military for generations, a household of loyal and valiant souls."

"But in this generation, both my elder brothers died on the battlefield."

"Others say they died heroic deaths, but to my mind... it may not have been so simple."

As those words fell.

An invisible weight settled over the room. The guard accompanying Jiang Xiaobai also grew solemn, looking at him in an entirely different light.

Li Zhiwei's eyes trembled slightly as well.

Yes, she naturally understood what Jiang Xiaobai was implying.

"And the reason I've survived until now."

Jiang Xiaobai slowly turned to face Li Zhiwei. "Perhaps... is precisely because I've carried this reputation as a good-for-nothing."

Li Zhiwei's expression grew grave. Only after a moment did she slowly speak. "Then why have you chosen to reveal your edge this time, Heir Jiang?"

"If concealing your abilities can keep you alive, haven't you cut off your own retreat with tonight's performance?"

"Heh."

Jiang Xiaobai smiled faintly, but rather than answer directly, he looked at Li Zhiwei and asked, "Then why did you hold this Poetry Gathering tonight, Miss Li?"

Li Zhiwei paused. After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "I heard that someone had bought an official position."

"And what they bought was the position of Top Rank."

"So I wanted to use this Poetry Gathering to bring together many of the Capital's scholars, establish the matter beyond doubt, and then jointly submit an Imperial Petition."

At that point, Li Zhiwei paused briefly, her eyes settling on Jiang Xiaobai once more. "Only... I never expected this outcome."

"You never expected that the rumored buyer of office, namely me, would actually have some genuine talent and learning, did you?"

The corners of Jiang Xiaobai's mouth lifted.

As the head of the civil officials, the prime minister would have had little difficulty discovering who had bought the position, so Li Zhiwei must have known as well.

Seeing Jiang Xiaobai lay it out so bluntly, Li Zhiwei visibly froze for a moment. She nodded gently, then asked softly, "So you came here deliberately today to make me abandon my plan?"

"No!"

Jiang Xiaobai spoke earnestly. "I came tonight to seek... a partnership with you, Miss Li."