Tonight was Moonlight Pavilion's annual graduation ceremony.
Another group of students was about to graduate. Those invited were their parents and elders, along with some highly respected people of distinguished status.
Moonlight Pavilion admitted only a hundred students each year, and the nobles practically battered their heads bloody fighting over those limited places. Everyone knew that successfully graduating from Moonlight Pavilion would gild their credentials and earn them recognition as true nobles.
The graduation ceremony was held on the third floor, and many people had already arrived.
As the mistress of Moonlight Pavilion, Tang Yuehua wore a silver court dress, a gentle smile on her face as she greeted the guests with effortless poise.
After some time, when a maid reported that all the guests had arrived, she announced the formal start of the ceremony.
Accompanied by light footsteps, a group of boys and girls in silver evening attire filed in, approaching from either side to take their seats.
Over a hundred people brought not a single stray sound into the hall. Warm smiles lit every face, and every movement was so elegant, so refined.
Just then, a door on the other side of the hall opened, and a young man dressed in white slowly emerged, carrying a golden harp.
His clear, ice-blue eyes were transparent to their depths, and his short, aqua-blue hair was neat and clean, giving him a refreshing air. Nothing about him felt improper, as though he gathered all the world's finest qualities in himself-the beauty nurtured by heaven and earth, outstanding talent, handsome looks, and elegance.
Almost the instant he appeared, he became the focus of the entire hall.
Male and female students alike, young and old, all cast him attentive glances. The female students, in particular, broke into lovestruck smiles.
Sometimes, one really had to admire these fangirls' persistence. They had followed him from Heaven Dou to his home, from his home to the Great Soul Arena, and now all the way to Moonlight Pavilion...
This was truly a case of not needing a wall to lean on, but having to bow in admiration to them.
The white-clad young man set down the harp and gracefully took his seat. First, he nodded to the guests, acknowledging everyone and observing every courtesy, before sitting down again and beginning to play with the fluid ease of drifting clouds and flowing water.
Pure, elegant notes, crystalline as dewdrops, slowly flowed from the harp. The hall instantly grew quiet enough to hear a pin drop. The heavenly music soothed the mind and lifted the spirits, like a fountain beneath the moonlight, suffused with poetry and picturesque beauty.
Judging by appearances alone, this white-clad young man was undoubtedly exceptional. None of the students present could compare with him, and his uniquely tranquil air was especially endearing.
Tang Yuehua stood to one side and listened carefully. Only she could distinguish the difference in his music, and she knew that this young man was the same inside and out, his body and mind equally calm.
Unlike Tang San in the original story, who had washed away his worldly veneer, he needed no change. He already possessed peerless grace. A year had passed, and only his bearing had grown steadier.
That was indeed his nature.
Tang Yuehua nodded inwardly.
The one playing the harp was clearly Lin Qian. Compared with a year ago, he had changed, yet had not. Only those familiar with him could tell.
His once-childish face had lost its immaturity, revealing a masculine vigor that drew the attention of countless women in the world.
The very first lesson Tang Yuehua had taught him was to learn to control everything about himself, including his emotions and aura.
Lin Qian had undoubtedly done very well, far better than Tang San in the original story. In less than half a year, he had mastered every course at Moonlight Pavilion so thoroughly that even a noblewoman as exacting as Tang Yuehua could find no flaw.
Had the ceremony not still been some time away-and had he not wanted something to do-he could easily have graduated early.
Having a graduating student perform on the harp had always been Moonlight Pavilion's tradition. Only the most outstanding student could receive this honor. Lin Qian's place here clearly had nothing to do with anything else; he had earned it through his own efforts.
The elegant music poured forth in an orderly flow. Thanks to the fangirls who had followed their idol here, many high-ranking officials and nobles had learned Lin Qian's identity.
The other students had also heard something about him. Those fangirls, for example, had learned far more than outsiders through persistent inquiries that rivaled hiding under his bed.
Since he had joined midway through the term, many students had initially thought little of his prospects. But Lin Qian was gentle and sought advice humbly, soon fitting right in with the others. His learning ability, in particular, far surpassed that of ordinary people and left everyone amazed.
At one solo recital, his handsome appearance and outstanding skill had even won Princess Xue Ke's favor.
Below the stage.
Qian Renxue was the last to arrive, hurrying through the doors only halfway through the performance.
Ever since infiltrating Heaven Dou, she had been extremely busy every day. Especially after replacing Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, affairs of state and miscellaneous duties had left her little time even to cultivate.
Now, a year later, she could finally free her hands to do a few other things.
Qian Renxue had long known about Lin Qian's summons. Being busy was secondary; mainly, she did not want to see him.
Ever since that meeting at the Papal Palace, she had hated Bibi Dong, and even everyone connected to her.
As the pope's personal disciple, and the one she valued most-on the surface-Lin Qian had unfortunately been caught in the crossfire and subjected to Qian Renxue's fiercest hostility.
Thus, even though he kept bombarding her with urgent reminders, she remained seated firmly on her fishing platform, leaving the matter hanging high and untouched.
With Tang Yuehua's invitation this time, she knew Lin Qian was also at Moonlight Pavilion. After thinking it over again and again, she had come after all.
Life undercover had deepened her self-restraint and worn away her resentment. She was much steadier now, no longer the ignorant girl who had shouted and jumped about, unable to take a loss after losing their duel-the one at the Worship Hall.
Before leaving the palace, she had still been hesitating, wondering what the young boy from back then looked like now. Would he blame her, resent her for repeatedly standing him up?
Before entering, she had wavered, only stepping through Moonlight Pavilion's doors at the urging of her "younger sister," Xue Ke.
Walking into the hall, she spotted him at once.
After a year apart, the young man had grown taller and much more handsome. At her very first glimpse of him, Qian Renxue was utterly stunned.
There was not a single flaw. She could find no imperfection in him whatsoever, not even if she tried to split hairs!
After making a few simple inquiries among the surrounding nobles, she learned that he came from the Far North and that his martial soul was a rare ice-attribute soul beast. His homeland had suffered a beast tide, wiping out his entire village, and he had been forced to come to Heaven Dou Imperial City to seek refuge with his father's younger cousin, Minister of the Interior Li Yan.
All this private information came from fangirls driven mad by love. In her case, however, the firsthand information had been brought by her ready-made younger sister, Xue Ke.
Xue Ke was still young. Having happened to visit Moonlight Pavilion for fun, she had met the peerlessly graceful Lin Qian and fallen in love, with no pulling her back.
For this ceremony, for example, besides Tang Yuehua's warm invitation, Xue Ke's strong recommendation had also played a major role.
Qian Renxue could refuse Tang Yuehua, but she could not ignore this ready-made younger sister of hers. Of all his children, Xue Ye doted on this daughter most, and securing her support was crucial to her.
It counted as a reason to meet him, at least!
As Qian Renxue thought this, she looked toward the stage, just as he happened to look over as well.
Their eyes met, sparks flashing like lightning.