No need to rush!

"Heh, leave your name off it?"

Hearing Jiang Xiaobai's words, Lin Fengshuo glanced at him, then slowly said, "Once an essay this fine is released, it will be enough to earn you admiration for a hundred generations!"

"And enough to wash away that reputation as a wastrel known throughout the city!"

"A temptation like that..."

At this point, Lin Fengshuo's gaze settled on Jiang Xiaobai, and his voice paused slightly. "Can you truly resist it?"

"Teacher, do you think..."

Jiang Xiaobai merely smiled faintly at those words. "If I put my name on it now, will anyone believe it?"

That simple question fell.

Lin Fengshuo froze for a moment.

Indeed.

He had only been thinking about how astonishing "On the Teacher" was. Once it spread, it would surely shake the literary world, perhaps even wash away Jiang Xiaobai's disgrace overnight.

But he had overlooked one thing.

Jiang Xiaobai's current reputation was simply too terrible.

If his name really went on it now, others might not marvel at the essay first. Instead, they would question whether Jiang Xiaobai had truly written it.

And once such doubts arose, matters might not develop in the best direction after all.

At that thought, Lin Fengshuo's brows drew together slightly.

Just then, Jiang Xiaobai spoke again.

"Sometimes, an essay will speak for itself."

Jiang Xiaobai looked calm, a faint smile still touching his lips. "So there's no need to rush!"

Indeed, when he truly published an essay under his own name, people would naturally begin to suspect that "On the Teacher" was his work too.

Suspect-that was the key!

At that point, there would be no need to explain. Everyone would come to accept it on their own!

"Heh, you're a hard lad to read. Very well... we'll do as you say!"

After shaking his head, Lin Fengshuo solemnly rolled up the second half of "On the Teacher" again, handling it far more carefully than before.

Then Lin Fengshuo raised his head and looked at Jiang Jingcheng. "Marquis Jiang, I'll take my leave."

Indeed.

His main purpose in visiting the Marquis's Residence today had been to obtain the second half of the essay.

Now that he had it, the worry weighing on his heart had finally settled completely.

There was little reason to stay any longer.

Hearing this, Jiang Jingcheng immediately nodded. "Of course. I'll see you out, Elder Lin."

With that, the group headed outside together.

They arrived outside the gates of the Marquis's Residence.

Supported by his page, Lin Fengshuo climbed into the carriage.

After the carriage slowly departed, the previously harmonious atmosphere shifted slightly.

Standing there, Li Bingzhang glanced toward Jiang Jingcheng and gave a quiet snort.

His meaning was obvious... he still found the Marquis of the North rather displeasing.

However, everything that needed discussing had been discussed today, and everything that needed settling had been settled, so he could not be bothered to trade barbs with Jiang Jingcheng at the gate.

He promptly turned his gaze toward Shen Yun and spoke in a reasonably courteous tone. "Madam Jiang, we'll take our leave as well."

"Of course."

Shen Yun smiled with her lips pressed together, her expression thoroughly gentle. "Safe travels, dear in-law!"

That simple address subtly brought the two families closer together.

Li Bingzhang nodded slightly and said no more, then climbed into the carriage with Li Zhiwei.

Before boarding, however, Li Zhiwei could not help casting another glance toward Jiang Xiaobai with her clear eyes.

Naturally, Jiang Xiaobai smiled at Li Zhiwei as well.

Beneath her veil, Li Zhiwei's cheeks immediately warmed again. She quickly withdrew her gaze and lowered her head as she climbed into the carriage.

As the carriage gradually receded into the distance.

Jiang Xiaobai slowly drew his gaze back as well.

At that very moment, however, Jiang Jingcheng's eyes had already swept toward him. "You little brat, come with me!"

With that, Jiang Jingcheng turned and strode straight into the Marquis's Residence without waiting for Jiang Xiaobai's response.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaobai rubbed his nose helplessly.

Indeed.

He had known this ordeal would come sooner or later.

And so, with a soft sigh, Jiang Xiaobai could only follow him.

Inside the study.

The moment the door closed, Jiang Jingcheng spun around and glared straight at Jiang Xiaobai, who had just stepped inside.

"You little brat, just how much are you still hiding from me? Tell your father right now!"

At that shout, even the air in the study seemed to tighten.

It could not be helped. Everything that had happened today had simply shaken Jiang Jingcheng too deeply.

From Li Bingzhang's personal visit, to Lin Fengshuo coming to ask for the essay, to arranging the engagement, discussing matters, obtaining "On the Teacher," and promoting the essay...

Every single matter had been almost entirely under Jiang Xiaobai's control.

Even his own father had been led around by the nose by this little brat!

It left Jiang Jingcheng both pleased and somewhat heavyhearted.

He was pleased that his son was finally no longer the ignorant, uneducated wastrel others spoke of.

In fact, he was far more outstanding than Jiang Jingcheng had imagined!

Yet that was also where his worries lay.

Because Jiang Xiaobai had been far too calm.

Too calm for a boy still in his teens.

Whether it was his cunning, his calculations, or his methods of handling the situation, everything revealed an indescribable sophistication.

Even as it pleased Jiang Jingcheng, it stirred a vague, inexplicable unease within him.

Standing there and watching Jiang Jingcheng's expression, Jiang Xiaobai immediately understood a little of what he was feeling.

Indeed.

His father was not asking that question purely out of bewilderment.

More than anything, he was probably worried.

Worried that Jiang Xiaobai was hiding something behind the scenes.

And worried that the storm engulfing the city had pushed him too hard.

At that thought, Jiang Xiaobai sighed softly inwardly.

Then his expression grew a little more restrained, and he looked at Jiang Jingcheng with a rare seriousness.

"Father, you're afraid I'm calculating too much and taking too many risks, and that I'll end up sacrificing myself too. Is that it?"

As those words left his mouth, Jiang Jingcheng's glaring eyes faltered slightly.

At last, Jiang Jingcheng snorted coldly. "So you do know?"

"I've fought across battlefields for so many years. I've seen more blood than you've eaten salt!"

"But even so, watching you advance step by step today left my heart trembling!"

At this point, Jiang Jingcheng's brows knitted ever tighter. "That old bastard Li Bingzhang is one thing, but you even dared to draw someone like Lin Fengshuo into your calculations!"

"Are you really not afraid that one wrong move will cost you the entire game?"

Jiang Xiaobai smiled at his words. "I am. Of course I'm afraid. But even if I'm afraid, I still have to move forward."

"Father, if I don't, how long can you protect me? Today, you're here, Mother's here, and the Marquis's Residence is still here!"

"But if that storm truly descends one day, how many times can you shield me from it?"

As Jiang Xiaobai's words fell, Jiang Jingcheng's expression slowly darkened.

Indeed.

Those words pierced his heart, but they were the truth.

"So I'm not trying to hide anything from you."

Jiang Xiaobai continued, "It's just that, until certain things succeed, telling you about them would do nothing except make you worry."

At this point, Jiang Xiaobai raised his head and looked at Jiang Jingcheng, his tone gradually growing more solemn.

"But Father, I can promise you one thing. Every step I took today was for survival."

"Not just my own survival, but to let the Jiang Family... survive as well."

After those words, the study fell silent once more.

Jiang Jingcheng stood there without speaking for a long time.

His formerly sharp eyes were now fixed intently on Jiang Xiaobai.

Only after a long while did Jiang Jingcheng slowly exhale, his voice growing lower. "You little brat... you're starting to look like a man."

"Was that a compliment, Father?"

Hearing that, Jiang Xiaobai could not help smiling.

"A compliment, my ass!"

Jiang Jingcheng glared, then gave another cold snort.

Yet after snorting, he did not continue berating him as he usually did.

Instead, he turned his back on Jiang Xiaobai and walked over to the bookshelf, as though suppressing some emotion.

A moment later, Jiang Jingcheng spoke again. "Since you've already come this far!"

"There are some things I ought to tell you too..."