Kill the Man, Strike at His Heart!

"Wait."

The voice was not loud, but in the silence of the West Wing courtyard, it rang out with particular clarity.

The speaker was none other than Xiao Qingxiu.

Hmm?

Jiang Xiaobai slowly straightened and turned toward Xiao Qingxiu, his smile undiminished. "What is it? Could it be that the Young Prince... would also like to bow?"

At those words, quite a few people's expressions turned peculiar.

Li Zhiwei pressed her red lips together, but her eyes brimmed with amusement.

Xiao Qingxiu did not lose his temper. He merely glanced at Jiang Xiaobai, then cupped his hands toward Lin Fengshuo. "Forgive me, Elder Lin. I mean no disrespect. I simply believe that taking a master is no trifling matter."

"Especially when that master is Elder Lin. Surely it cannot be settled so easily on the strength of a single poem."

Xiao Qingxiu paused briefly. "The challenge just now certainly demonstrated Heir Jiang's poetic talent."

"But poetic talent only proves that he can write poetry. It does not necessarily prove that he is worthy of being Elder Lin's disciple."

His words stirred something in the hearts of many present.

Though they sounded somewhat like deliberate obstruction, on closer consideration, they were not entirely unreasonable.

What sort of man was Lin Fengshuo?

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

If he reopened his doors to disciples over a single poem, would that not make the matter far too frivolous?

Clearly, Xiao Qingxiu had seized upon precisely that point.

So you want to ride this momentum into becoming his disciple, Jiang Xiaobai?

Then I'll use the sanctity of the master-disciple bond to press you right back down!

For a moment, the atmosphere in the courtyard grew tense again.

Standing to one side, Li Zhiwei knitted her delicate brows.

Naturally, she could hear that Xiao Qingxiu's remarks were aimed squarely at Jiang Xiaobai.

But this time, he had taken the moral high ground of treating discipleship seriously, leaving her unable to refute him outright.

Gu Zhiyan narrowed his eyes at Xiao Qingxiu, then looked toward Jiang Xiaobai, evidently curious to see how the young man would respond.

Zhang Xinnian, who had accompanied Jiang Xiaobai, was much more direct. His gaze on Xiao Qingxiu was icy.

Were it not for Xiao Qingxiu's special status, he would have liked nothing better than to kill the bastard with a single slash!

As for Lin Fengshuo himself, he said nothing.

He merely sat quietly, resting on his long staff, his expression calm, as though none of this concerned him.

Yet that very composure made everyone's hearts tighten further.

It was clear that Lin Fengshuo also wanted to see how Jiang Xiaobai would handle this.

Just then, however, Jiang Xiaobai smiled. "So that's it. And here I thought the Young Prince had something to say."

As he spoke, Jiang Xiaobai leisurely set the brush back on the table, then looked at Xiao Qingxiu.

"There is some sense in what you say. Poetic talent is one thing, taking a master another."

"If a single poem is not enough for you to believe that I, Jiang Xiaobai, deserve to become Elder Lin's disciple, that is certainly understandable."

A flicker of surprise immediately crossed Xiao Qingxiu's eyes.

He clearly had not expected Jiang Xiaobai to follow his line of reasoning so readily.

Could this brat be preparing to back down?

He was not alone.

Quite a few people around them thought the same.

But the next moment, Jiang Xiaobai abruptly changed tack. "However... there is something I am rather curious about."

"The Young Prince just said that poetic talent cannot prove someone worthy of becoming Elder Lin's disciple."

"Then... allow me to ask: in the Young Prince's opinion, what exactly makes someone worthy?"

The question came without warning.

But after asking it, Jiang Xiaobai gave Xiao Qingxiu no chance to speak, continuing with a smile. "Must his family rank be high? Or must his birth be proper?"

"Must his reputation be spotless? Or must his temper be agreeable?"

"Or perhaps..."

Jiang Xiaobai paused, his gaze brushing over the dragon-carved jade pendant at Xiao Qingxiu's waist as the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.

"Must he first possess a fine jade pendant before he is qualified to stand here and say such things?"

An uproar!

Those words sent a violent jolt through everyone in the courtyard!

That was vicious!

This was no longer a simple rebuttal.

He was all but openly asking Xiao Qingxiu whether only members of the imperial family possessed that right.

Gu Zhiyan abruptly raised his head, his eyes blazing.

The three elderly men all paled.

Even Li Zhiwei could not help looking at Jiang Xiaobai, a flash of shock passing through her eyes.

She knew Jiang Xiaobai was bold, but she had never imagined he could be this bold!

As for Xiao Qingxiu, his previously composed face finally darkened completely. He stared at Jiang Xiaobai, his gaze considerably colder. "Heir Jiang, a sharp tongue is hardly an accomplishment."

"Oh?"

Far from getting angry, Jiang Xiaobai chuckled. "Then does the Young Prince mean that you have some other accomplishment?"

"Since Elder Lin and all these esteemed elders are here, why don't the two of us put our skills to the test?"

"If I lose, I will dutifully leave the Lin Estate today and never mention becoming his disciple again."

"But if the Young Prince loses..."

At that point, Jiang Xiaobai deliberately stopped.

That pause instantly left everyone's heart hanging in suspense.

Even Xiao Qingxiu's pupils contracted slightly. Staring at Jiang Xiaobai, he asked coldly, "Then what?"

"Simple!"

Jiang Xiaobai's lips curved upward. "From now on, whenever someone says I haven't a drop of ink in my chest, the Young Prince will have to curse them back on my behalf."

"Pfft!"

Li Zhiwei finally failed to contain herself and laughed aloud. Realizing her lapse, she shot Jiang Xiaobai a glare with her lovely eyes.

The three elderly men, along with Gu Zhiyan, wore peculiar expressions, struggling to maintain their composure.

Even Lin Fengshuo's perpetually stern face visibly twitched.

No one had expected Jiang Xiaobai to take such a winding path only to propose such an utterly shameless wager!

And yet... ridiculous as the wager seemed, it was vicious to the core.

If Xiao Qingxiu refused, it would amount to admitting that he only dared obstruct Jiang Xiaobai with words, not step into the arena himself.

But if he accepted... he would be stepping straight onto the stage Jiang Xiaobai had built!

Naturally, Xiao Qingxiu understood the implications. His face looked ugly, and his fingers curled a little tighter inside his sleeves.

He knew better than anyone that although he studied books and poetry, and could even be considered fairly accomplished...

Compared with Jiang Xiaobai's almost uncanny ability to improvise on the spot...

He truly had no confidence!

Just then, as though he still found this insufficient, Jiang Xiaobai leisurely added another remark.

"Of course, if the Young Prince feels that competing with a wastrel like me is beneath your station, pretend I never said anything."

"After all, you're merely standing there offering a few fair-minded words. It costs no ink and does no harm to your dignity."

"That much, I do understand."

Kill the man, strike at his heart!

That last remark, in particular, had practically backed Xiao Qingxiu straight into a corner!

The entire West Wing courtyard fell terrifyingly silent.

Everyone was watching Xiao Qingxiu.

Would he accept or not?

"Enough."

Just then, Lin Fengshuo, who had remained silent throughout, slowly rose with the support of his long staff.

That single word reduced the West Wing courtyard to utter silence.

Lin Fengshuo first glanced at Xiao Qingxiu, then swept his gaze over everyone present and said evenly, "Whether I open my doors, whether I accept a disciple, is for me to decide!"

"Since when did anyone else have the right to point fingers!"

"Elder Lin..."

Xiao Qingxiu's expression tightened slightly, and he immediately cupped his hands. "I... had no intention of offending you, Elder Lin."

Though he was a member of the imperial family, he did not dare act recklessly before Lin Fengshuo.

"Hmph. I know perfectly well whether you did."

Lin Fengshuo gave a soft snort, then turned his gaze to Jiang Xiaobai. "And you, brat. That poem was indeed quite good, but becoming my disciple... you certainly have lofty dreams."

At those words, the atmosphere throughout the courtyard instantly turned delicate.

Jiang Xiaobai raised his head to look at Lin Fengshuo. Rather than showing the slightest embarrassment, the amusement in his eyes only deepened.

He knew that if Lin Fengshuo truly had no such intention, he would never have taken up the subject.

The next moment, Lin Fengshuo fixed his gaze on Jiang Xiaobai. "If you truly wish to become my disciple, then answer one more question."

His voice paused there as he stared at Jiang Xiaobai.

"The door you wish to enter today-is it truly mine, or... the door to all the world?"