It was indeed me!

"Mr. Gu, please come in!"

As the two pageboys from the Lin Estate spoke respectfully, the old man nodded slightly and walked slowly into the entrance hall with his personal pageboy.

Only after the old man had gone some distance did the two pageboys guarding the entrance turn their eyes back.

Just as one of them was about to sit down again, he suddenly seemed to remember something and paused. "Huh? Where is the Jiang Family's heir?"

"Well..."

The other pageboy froze at the question and immediately looked around, but Jiang Xiaobai was nowhere to be seen. "Perhaps he left."

"That makes sense."

The first pageboy nodded and gave it no further thought.

Although Jiang Xiaobai came from the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate and held considerable status, this was still the Lin Estate.

Never mind an heir-even ordinary princes and nobles had to follow the rules here and wait politely outside.

As for forcing his way in, unless he truly wanted to throw away all dignity, he had probably seen the odds turning against him and retreated on his own.

With that thought, the two put the matter aside and sat back down at the table.

Meanwhile, inside the Lin Estate.

Jiang Xiaobai had not actually gone far. Instead, he had stopped with Zhang Xinnian beside a nearby corner of the corridor.

The spot was unobtrusive, yet offered a clear view of the path leading inward from the entrance hall.

Zhang Xinnian stood behind him, his expression full of confusion.

Wait...

He had looked ready to barge straight in just now, so why had he stopped after only a few steps?

What was the heir planning this time?

While Zhang Xinnian was still lost in a fog of confusion, Jiang Xiaobai's gaze shifted slightly, as though he had noticed something, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

"Here he comes."

Here who comes?

Zhang Xinnian blinked at those words and followed Jiang Xiaobai's gaze.

At the bend in the corridor ahead, the old man who had arrived later at the gate was slowly approaching with his pageboy.

Zhang Xinnian was immediately startled.

The heir had stopped here to wait for them?

Before he could think it through, however, Jiang Xiaobai had already stepped forward to meet them.

Seeing this, Zhang Xinnian dared not dawdle and hurried after him.

Soon, the two parties met face-to-face.

Smiling, Jiang Xiaobai took the initiative to cup his hands in greeting. "Elder Gu."

Gu Zhiyan stopped and raised his head. Looking at Jiang Xiaobai, who had suddenly appeared in his path, he could not help showing a hint of puzzlement.

"And you are?"

"Oh, I am Jiang Xiaobai, of the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate."

His expression unchanged, Jiang Xiaobai answered with a smile, "I have long heard of your great reputation, Elder Gu, but never had the good fortune to meet you. Seeing you today, I finally understand that beneath a great name, there truly stands a worthy man."

"Your bearing and strength of character, in particular, inspire genuine admiration."

Gu Zhiyan visibly paused at these words. After a moment, he slowly asked, "You are... the son of Jiang Jingcheng, the Marquis of Northern Suppression?"

"Indeed."

Jiang Xiaobai nodded slightly.

Gu Zhiyan's gaze lingered on Jiang Xiaobai a little longer before he gave a gentle nod. "The Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate is a household of loyal heroes."

"All these years, they have guarded Great Hua's borders and repelled its enemies. For the blood they have shed and the merits they have earned, who in court or country does not hold them in respect?"

At this point, he seemed to recall something, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Only..."

As he spoke, Gu Zhiyan looked Jiang Xiaobai up and down before continuing at an unhurried pace, "Lately, I have heard that the Young Heir Apparent of the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate is usually rather... high-spirited."

"Arrogant and domineering, flaunting himself without restraint... could you be the one they mean?"

The moment those words fell.

Zhang Xinnian, standing behind them, immediately began sweating again.

Here it comes!

Sure enough, there was no getting around this!

Yet, to his surprise once more, Jiang Xiaobai showed not the slightest embarrassment upon hearing this. Instead, his smile grew even more natural.

"You are perceptive indeed, Elder Gu. The person they speak of is indeed me."

Hmm?

Gu Zhiyan was visibly surprised as well.

He had thought that, with such a pointed remark, even if the young man did not fly into a rage out of humiliation, he would at least feel somewhat awkward.

Yet Jiang Xiaobai had not only admitted it, but done so with utter frankness.

Seeing the surprise in Gu Zhiyan's eyes, Jiang Xiaobai continued with a smile, "Still, the world's praise and slander often stray from the truth. Hearing of someone a hundred times is no match for seeing him once in person."

"Take me, for instance. I had only heard of you before, but meeting you today, I finally see that your reputation for integrity is far from all there is to you."

"Your bearing and presence alone are enough to win anyone over."

As these words fell.

Gu Zhiyan's eyes brightened slightly, and he gave several hearty laughs. "You are rather interesting."

Indeed, Jiang Xiaobai's remark that "hearing of someone a hundred times is no match for seeing him once in person" was hardly earth-shattering, but he had delivered it with easy candor and a natural composure.

He truly seemed somewhat different from the frivolous, impetuous Profligate Heir described in the rumors outside.

Jiang Xiaobai smiled and smoothly carried the conversation onward. "By the way, if I am not mistaken, your visit to the Lin Estate today is no coincidence, is it, Elder Gu?"

"Oh?"

Gu Zhiyan raised his brows slightly. "What makes you say that?"

"If this were merely an ordinary visit, there would have been no need to come in such haste."

Jiang Xiaobai smiled. "When the Lin Estate's pageboys saw you just now, their respect was mingled with surprise and delight. That suggests your visit was probably not arranged beforehand, but prompted by a last-minute invitation."

"So I would venture to guess that Elder Lin invited you here for something worth seeing?"

"A sharp eye, and a sharp mind."

The admiration in Gu Zhiyan's eyes deepened. "You are correct. Last night, I received a message by carrier pigeon from Elder Lin, saying that four masterpieces had appeared and inviting me to come take a look."

"Four masterpieces?"

At first, Jiang Xiaobai was surprised, but then his expression abruptly turned peculiar.

Wait, could they be...

The very four poems he had written at last night's Poetry Gathering?

At that thought, Jiang Xiaobai's expression grew rather subtle.

Gu Zhiyan clearly had not noticed Jiang Xiaobai's expression. Stroking his beard, he remarked with feeling, "Elder Lin has always set his sights above the clouds."

"It is rare indeed for him to send a message overnight and invite me here specifically."

"So I hurried over first thing this morning."

At this point, Gu Zhiyan looked at Jiang Xiaobai and asked with a smile, "What is it? Judging by your expression, have you heard of those four poems as well?"

"Well... I have heard a little."

Jiang Xiaobai gave a light cough.

Gu Zhiyan thought nothing of it and simply shook his head with a smile. "If you have only heard a little, you can come along and broaden your horizons in a moment."

"After all, works that Elder Lin calls masterpieces are not something one gets to see every day."

The remark was casually made, yet to Jiang Xiaobai's ears, it brought an inexplicable sense of oddness.

Go along and broaden his horizons?

If those four poems really were the ones he had written...

Then this little broadening of horizons would be rather interesting.

At that thought, the smile on Jiang Xiaobai's face deepened.

Jiang Xiaobai then cupped his hands. "In that case, my arrival today truly was well timed."

Gu Zhiyan nodded slightly, seemingly thinking even better of Jiang Xiaobai.

Just then, a short distance ahead, a man dressed like a scholar hurried over. Upon seeing Gu Zhiyan, he bowed respectfully. "Mr. Gu, my teacher instructed me to take you straight to the West Wing when you arrived."

"Very well."

As Gu Zhiyan answered, he turned to Jiang Xiaobai with a smile. "Come along too!"

With that, he lifted his foot to continue forward.

Jiang Xiaobai naturally followed behind.

Zhang Xinnian followed as well, his face filled with shock.

He had thought that slipping into the Lin Estate today was already a remarkable feat for his young master.

Yet now, the heir had actually forged a connection with Elder Gu and been casually invited along?

For a moment, Zhang Xinnian stared at Jiang Xiaobai's back, feeling rather dazed.

For some reason.

He suddenly felt that his young master truly seemed... different from before!

That eye for the situation, that keen observation, and even that effortless eloquence...

Was this still the heir he knew?