No doubt about it!

The voice of praise came suddenly.

And from the moment it rang out, it carried undisguised admiration.

Huh?

Everyone turned to look.

Beyond the moon gate on the other side of the west wing, three figures had appeared without anyone noticing.

Leading them was an old man in a wide-sleeved scholar's robe, his face lean, his hair and beard white, an ebony staff in his hand.

He might not have been particularly tall, but the bearing he naturally exuded was extraordinary.

At that moment, his slightly weathered eyes ignored everyone else and rested squarely on Jiang Xiaobai.

There was unmistakable appreciation in his gaze.

The other two beside him were equally eye-catching.

One was a woman in a long dress.

Her air was refined and otherworldly. Even the veil covering her face could not conceal her gentleness and distinction. Standing there, she resembled a painting washed in pale ink, quiet yet captivating.

She was none other than Li Zhiwei, whom Jiang Xiaobai had only met the night before!

Li Zhiwei had clearly recognized Jiang Xiaobai as well, and a flicker of surprise passed through her clear eyes.

She evidently had not expected him to appear here.

On the other side stood a young man.

He wore a sumptuous robe, his figure slender, his features handsome, and an air of noble privilege permeated his entire being.

The dragon-carved jade pendant hanging at his waist, in particular, made it clear at a glance that his background was anything but ordinary.

The arrival of the three brought the murmuring students to silence almost simultaneously.

Even the elders seated to one side rose, their expressions turning much more solemn.

Gu Zhiyan was the first to recover. He immediately smiled and greeted him. "Elder Lin."

As soon as he spoke,

everyone around them came to their senses and bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Elder Lin!"

"Greetings, Elder Lin!"

For a moment, voices rose one after another.

Lin Fengshuo merely nodded slightly, his expression as serene as ever, though his gaze remained on Jiang Xiaobai.

"You... what is your name?"

Lin Fengshuo's voice was not loud, yet once he spoke, not another sound could be heard in the courtyard.

Jiang Xiaobai immediately stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Elder Lin, this junior is Jiang Xiaobai, of the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate!"

"Oh, so you are Jiang Xiaobai?"

A trace of surprise flashed through Lin Fengshuo's eyes before he smiled. "I never imagined that a military brute like Jiang Jingcheng, who knows only how to brandish swords and spears, could have a son like you."

"Good. Very good."

At those words,

not only did the other students' expressions change, but the face of the student who had mocked Jiang Xiaobai earlier instantly froze.

Who was Elder Lin?

A former Grand Tutor, a venerable scholar of the age!

Hearing even one word of approval from him was exceedingly rare.

Now he had offered it twice in succession. The weight of that praise needed no explanation.

Jiang Xiaobai remained composed. He merely smiled and cupped his hands again. "You flatter me, Elder Lin."

Lin Fengshuo nodded gently without saying anything more. He lightly tapped his staff against the ground, then walked into the courtyard.

Gu Zhiyan and the others naturally accompanied him.

Jiang Xiaobai shifted his gaze toward Li Zhiwei, just as her eyes met his.

As their gazes met, a distinct flicker of awkwardness passed through Li Zhiwei's clear eyes.

She looked away, a faint, barely noticeable blush creeping over her ears.

The corners of Jiang Xiaobai's mouth lifted slightly. He said nothing, though a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.

Then his gaze settled on the last of the three, the young man.

At the sight of the dragon-carved jade pendant at his waist, something stirred in Jiang Xiaobai's mind.

A name surfaced almost naturally in the next instant.

Xiao Qingxiu, the second son of the current Eighth Prince!

He was royal kin through and through, his exalted status beyond question.

In his memories, the original owner of this body had seen him on a few occasions, but they had never interacted much, let alone formed any friendship.

At the thought, an unusual glint passed through Jiang Xiaobai's eyes.

No wonder the man's bearing was so exceptional.

Yet as Jiang Xiaobai studied him, the young prince, Xiao Qingxiu, also glanced his way.

There was little curiosity in that gaze. Instead, it carried the aloof indifference of someone looking down from above.

A moment later, Xiao Qingxiu calmly looked away, as though someone like Jiang Xiaobai did not merit any further attention.

Jiang Xiaobai did not mind.

Indeed, whether the man held exalted status or belonged to the imperial family, he was merely a stranger Jiang Xiaobai had yet to truly deal with.

The man might look down on him, but Jiang Xiaobai did not necessarily think much of that self-important manner either.

Just then,

Zhang Xinnian edged closer and lowered his voice. "Young lord."

"Hmm?"

Jiang Xiaobai turned to look at him.

Zhang Xinnian cautiously glanced at Xiao Qingxiu before whispering, "This young prince... seems somewhat hostile toward you."

"Hostile?"

Jiang Xiaobai raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. I've spent years in the army. There are things I may not judge accurately, but I've seen that sort of look plenty of times."

Zhang Xinnian nodded, his expression earnest. "When he looked at you just now, there was clear dislike in his eyes."

"It felt as though... he already had some grievance with you."

"That's normal."

Jiang Xiaobai merely chuckled. "With my reputation, who in the whole Capital City wouldn't frown at the sight of me?"

"Well..."

Zhang Xinnian paused, then could only smile wryly.

That was true enough.

Yet for some reason, he kept feeling that the young prince's attitude toward his young lord went beyond simple disdain.

It seemed more as though... some other emotion was mixed in.

Despite his words, Jiang Xiaobai was pondering the matter.

If Xiao Qingxiu merely looked down on him because of his reputation as a wastrel, that was hardly surprising.

But if there was more to it...

Then that hostility was rather intriguing.

Was it because of Li Zhiwei?

Or something else?

A sharp gleam flashed through Jiang Xiaobai's eyes, but he did not dwell on it.

After all, this was not what mattered most right now. He had come to the Lin Estate today to become a disciple.

As for the young prince's hostility, he could not be bothered to care.

With that thought, Jiang Xiaobai set the matter aside and looked ahead again.

By then, Lin Fengshuo had taken the seat of honor.

Gu Zhiyan and the other elders had also seated themselves.

Li Zhiwei and Xiao Qingxiu stood to one side.

With Lin Fengshuo's arrival, the atmosphere throughout the west-wing courtyard had become thoroughly solemn.

Lin Fengshuo smiled at Li Zhiwei. "Zhiwei, bring out those four poems and lyrics for everyone to see!"

He paused, then continued with a smile. "I read those four works over and over last night. The more I read them, the more stunning I found them."

"If we judge them solely by their spirit and strength of character, both the poems and the lyrics stand equal to the celebrated works of our age!"

Cough, cough, cough...

The moment Lin Fengshuo finished speaking, a sudden fit of coughing rang out.

Almost as one, everyone turned toward the sound.

Their gazes finally settled on Jiang Xiaobai...