Lantern Festival night, Old Rain Tower.

Even on Lantern Festival night, when Puyang Yu and Su Chonghua mentioned Ning Yi just now, it was only a small-scale discussion, and if they wanted to make it a topic for everyone, that would be meaningless. You could call him a hermit or an eccentric scholar—anyway, he taught every day and didn't care about you. So when these few went to the window to look out, most people still didn't understand what was happening. Lady Qilan had just performed a song and dance. She was now sitting there resting while chatting and laughing with several talented scholars. Noticing the situation over there, she quietly asked those beside her about it.

This was the situation throughout the gathering, and after some whispering, someone went over: "Seems that Ning Yi, Ning Liheng, is currently downstairs."

"The Ning Liheng who wrote Water Melody Prelude?"

"The Puyang family actually invited him too?"

"That Su family only runs a cloth business, while the Puyang family is Jiangning's richest. How could they not give face? But... I heard this person seeks empty fame..."

"It's true he never participates in such gatherings, though I heard his conversation is quite impressive..."

As everyone discussed quietly, Qilan just smiled and listened. She'd also sung Water Melody Prelude many times. But at such gatherings, someone like her naturally couldn't reveal her inner curiosity. She just followed others' conversation threads, occasionally glancing toward Puyang Yu.

By the window, Su Chonghua and the others had already recognized Ning Yi below, and Xue Jin smiled: "If that's not Xiao Chan then who is? The one in front is Liheng." Puyang Yu glanced at Su Chonghua, who then smiled: "Indeed it's Liheng and that girl Xiao Chan."

Xue Jin leaned over to look: "Wonder what they're doing. Call him up." Wu Qihao said: "Looks like they have business." As they spoke, Puyang Yu was also considering. After a moment, Su Chonghua smiled: "Since we've met by chance, no harm in calling him over. Lantern Festival night, what could be urgent? Just wandering around..."

Su Chonghua was Ning Yi's direct superior, and with him saying this, Puyang Yu made his decision. Seeing Xue Jin seemed about to call out directly, he quickly said: "How could we do that? With Brother Ning's talent, naturally I should go invite him personally. Everyone please wait." Wu Qihao beside him said: "I'll go with you."

The two apologized to everyone and left. The hall immediately filled with whispers speculating about what would happen when Ning Yi came. All sorts of guesses about Ning Yi's talent surfaced again. Xue Jin sneered, said a few words to familiar people nearby, then looked doubtfully at Su Chonghua: What's this old guy up to... Su Chonghua had no good feelings toward him. He bowed and returned to his seat, chatting with the smiling, observing Li Pin...

"Young Master got~ lost~! Young Master didn't~ find~ her!"

In the courtyard below, Xiao Chan spoke with a sing-song rhythm, the tone having some gloating, but mostly relief that Ning Yi couldn't find that female thief. Along the way, she couldn't tie her bun properly, so she simply pulled off the silk from the other side too, letting it fall into two pretty horn braids. As she walked, the braids swayed back and forth—still the image of a well-behaved, sensible maid.

Ning Yi knew her thoughts and smiled, and when he turned around, Xiao Chan thought Young Master would mess up her hair again. She quickly backed away holding her two braids, pursing her lips and smiling happily: "Who says I lost her?"

"Young Master did lose her."

Xiao Chan talked back then smiled again. Ning Yi rolled his eyes: "We'll see." He looked in a certain direction.

Actually he really hadn't lost her. He just understood Xiao Chan's worry. Since she was happy thinking he'd lost the trail, best to let her think that. Currently the restaurant was lively with celebration, everyone joyful and harmonious. But many details couldn't escape Ning Yi's observation.

As some Ardent Wu Army men tracked over, based on the female thief's possible escape route and the soldiers' distribution, he and Xiao Chan should be following closely behind, not far off, and behind the Old Rain Tower, there was a patch of snow on the wall that had collapsed abnormally. At the front entrance, two Ardent Wu Army soldiers were negotiating with the restaurant's guards, just now being allowed in. Earlier when Ning Yi and Xiao Chan circled around half the building, he noticed a room like a storeroom or rest area seemed to have been forcibly opened. Ning Yi deliberately spoke to a servant, making him notice the situation there. Now that servant seemed to be somewhat frantically talking to a manager, holding something red in his hand.

That might be blood-stained cloth, might be an entire changed bloody garment. But encountering such incidents, before clarifying the situation, restaurants wouldn't report to officials or do anything else—mainly they feared making a fuss and ruining tonight's business. Never mind these people didn't know about Vermillion Bird Avenue or Flying Swallow Pavilion. Even if they knew it was an assassin, as long as it didn't concern them, letting her leave on her own was fine. If constables and soldiers were called over, not only would tonight's business be ruined, they might end up implicated and extorted. So temporarily the restaurant could only investigate internally and heighten vigilance.

After those two Ardent Wu Army members, two more entered from the door. They watched for suspicious activity around them. The restaurant manager also called several people over, gave instructions, then these servant-dressed people also dispersed, similarly probing for internal abnormalities without making a scene. The mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind—Ning Yi just needed to follow behind these people watching the situation, quietly being a good oriole.

Since hearing about the magic of qigong and internal energy, Ning Yi had always wanted to witness it, and after over half a year, he'd finally seen someone who seemed to have real skill. He absolutely wouldn't let this pass. What would happen next was hard to say, but as long as there was opportunity, he could always think of methods and adapt. But what he hadn't expected was that while going from the first to second floor, he who fancied himself the oriole was blocked by two hunters completely outside his calculations.

"Brother Ning, Xiao Chan, what a coincidence." Coming down the stairs, the first to greet them at the corner was Wu Qihao, whom he'd met once. Then another young man also bowed in greeting: "Brother Liheng, I've long admired you. I'm Puyang Yu." This was their first meeting, though he'd heard the name—the Puyang family heir.

After Wu Qihao's introductions and pleasantries, Ning Yi learned another Puyuan Poetry Gathering was being held upstairs, and naturally he didn't plan to go: "My apologies, I have urgent business. I cannot attend the poetry gathering. Your kind intentions..."

Before he finished the polite refusal, Wu Qihao had already warmly taken his arm, displaying enthusiasm and boldness: "Since you're here, how can you not sit awhile? I see you're heading upstairs—perhaps you have an appointment there too? Haha, no matter. Delaying a bit, have Brother Puyang send someone to notify them. Besides, Headmaster Su, Li Pin, Li Dexin and others are all there. Everyone admires your talent. If you pass by without entering, that's not the way of friendship... Just show your face. If you truly have urgent business, everyone will understand. Haha, speaking of which, Brother Puyang has been thinking about this for a long time..."

Wu Qihao warmly pulled Ning Yi upstairs while Puyang Yu was refined and proper in speech. The poetry gathering was on one side of the second floor. Once Ning Yi went up, he really couldn't refuse anymore. Looking back, Xiao Chan was also bouncing happily. When his gaze swept over her, she immediately pursed her lips to make her expression more reserved, blinking her eyes innocently.

This girl...

Xiao Chan's thoughts were obvious. He tilted his head to look into that hall. Xue Jin's smiling face was clearly among them. This half year he'd associated with Old Qin and others, also reading many things himself. Small occasions would be fine. But right now really wasn't the time. Looking back at the positions of several blue-shirted Ardent Wu Army men, then surveying the situation with those servants in the building, he frowned slightly.

Then came various greetings and introductions with dozens of talented scholars present—few he had impressions of, many he didn't. Those he truly knew were just Li Pin, Xue Jin, Su Chonghua and others. After Puyang Yu's introductions, the famous courtesan Qilan whose name he'd long heard also stood to bow to him, saying things like "I've long admired Young Master's great name." This woman was eighteen or nineteen, quite pretty. Ning Yi just bowed back: "Pleased to meet you."

"I truly have urgent business today and cannot stay long. Everyone..."

Opportunities are fleeting... Though this might not even count as an opportunity, for Ning Yi, chatting about poetry with these scholars or even participating in their low-level scheming—how could that compare to martial arts' interest? Ning Yi wasn't some romantic pursuing human limits. If he truly wanted pure power, he'd learned some military special forces training methods before. If he went all out training some hard qigong, it wasn't impossible. But he'd already seen too many things. What existed in ancient times existed a thousand years later. The only thing he hadn't seen was this so-called internal energy. So he directly made his farewells. Before finishing, someone spoke up.

"Young Master Ning has great talent. At the Puyuan Poetry Gathering that day, your Water Melody Prelude amazed everyone. Today on this Lantern Festival, also at a Puyang family poetry gathering, why doesn't Young Master Ning leave another masterpiece? It would let us speak of it in the future with shared glory."

"Right, if Young Master Ning leaves another masterpiece, it will surely become a celebrated story."

This was a naked challenge. Ning Yi frowned slightly: "Another day. I truly have business today."

"What urgent business? You can tell us, perhaps we can help Brother Ning."

"Right, a gentleman is open and honest. If Brother Ning truly has urgent business, just say it."

Then someone said quietly: "Could this person look down on us..."

"Too arrogant..."

"Perhaps the rumors are true..."

The voices weren't loud but could just reach everyone's ears. In the front seats, Qilan watched all this as an observer, knowing the Puyang family's thirst for talent. This Ning Yi's reputation had been ambiguous from the start, but Puyang Yu still held hope for him. After all, there were too many fame-seekers among these second-generation rich kids. If he truly had talent, recruiting him would be a great gain. But looking at the current situation, there probably wasn't such good fortune. Looking at Ning Yi's appearance, she also frowned imperceptibly with some sighs.

Ning Yi tilted his head to look out the window. Two blue-shirted men were passing through the opposite corridor. Before he could turn back, Xue Jin suddenly jumped out, blocking his view.

"Brother Ning, let me say something fair—this is your fault." Xue Jin smiled happily. "That Water Melody Prelude on Mid-Autumn night proves you have great talent. At today's gathering, when everyone mentioned your name just now, they all sincerely admired you, praising endlessly. Outside some say you seek empty fame, that Water Melody Prelude was plagiarized. I never believed it. Today we mention you and you arrive—this is Heaven's decree, it's fate! I also know good poems can't be made casually. Brother Ning can wait here a moment. When inspiration comes, casually compose one. It doesn't need to be as wonderful as Water Melody Prelude. Just one poem, and next time if I meet someone on the street slandering Brother Ning about this, I'll absolutely slap them! Call up a dozen or twenty household guards and beat them! Drag them to the yamen, sue them for defaming others' reputation, have the prefect torment them! Haha, wouldn't that be delightful!"

Xue Jin spoke with wild gestures. Ning Yi watched his performance and also laughed.

"In short, we're at the age for timely pleasures. Today with all these worthy brothers and seniors present, Lady Qilan accompanying us, such sincere intentions—what urgent business could there be? If there truly is urgent business, I'll bear all losses! If apologies are needed, I'll go with you, bearing thorns to ask forgiveness. Right?"

After he finished, from another side, amid the hall's whispers, another voice rang out: "Liheng, since everyone says so, don't refuse. It's good for young people to understand keeping a low profile, but occasionally you should show your edge. Today just relax a bit, perform a little. How about it?"

Ning Yi turned around.

The unhurried words came from Su Chonghua with his gentle smile, as if happy that Yushan Academy had produced such a junior. As Ning Yi's gaze swept over, his face suddenly went cold. Then the corner of his mouth pulled into a smile arc. That smile, seen in Su Chonghua's eyes, seemed to have some of Old Master Su's dignity when angry, yet also strangely eerie. Su Chonghua couldn't understand what this expression meant at all.

Su Chonghua struggled to maintain his smile. Fortunately Xue Jin continued speaking.

"Brother Ning, what exactly does this reaction mean? Honestly, recently I heard a rumor spreading wildly, saying you personally told Su family elders that your Water Melody Prelude came from a wandering Taoist priest you heard singing as a child. I didn't believe it. Brother Ning has noble character—how could you do such a thing! But I can't resist the clamoring masses. Brother Ning, if this is true, then I misjudged you. If you truly want to leave today, then pass by me! I absolutely won't stop you! I'll just consider I misjudged you as a person!"

His words had no logical merit, just spoken with righteous indignation. If Ning Yi really left, tomorrow the plagiarism would be confirmed. After his words fell, the hall went somewhat quiet. Others waited for Ning Yi's reaction. Puyang Yu wanted to smooth things over but couldn't find words. Then they saw Ning Yi turn and walk past Xue Jin, saying just one bland sentence: "Very well."

Xue Jin turned to speak, but saw Ning Yi walk directly to a nearby low table and pick up a brush. This gathering was a poetry meeting—brushes, ink, paper and inkstones were everywhere. Someone had been sitting at that low table with a gloating smile, now slightly frozen. Ning Yi dipped the brush tip in ink and paused for a second.

His gaze passed through the crowd toward Su Chonghua, and not far from Su Chonghua's table, a green-clothed serving maid was pouring wine into empty cups. The weather was cold, so these maids dressed thicker, but Ning Yi vaguely recognized that silhouette's outline.

Unexpected... really hadn't lost her...

Xiao Chan had been angry hearing Xue Jin and the others, but now was somewhat pleasantly surprised, following over. Li Pin and others also came over. The brush soaked in ink for two seconds, then descended toward the paper: "Very well. Today on this Lantern Festival, since everyone is so sincere, I dare not hide my humble skills. I'll embarrass myself!"

His gaze followed that maid's back. The brush swished across the paper. But after all it wasn't pen writing—even using wild cursive, Ning Yi didn't write particularly fast. Li Pin watched beside him. After a moment, he helped read out the written characters.

"Green Jadeite Bowl¹... On the first night of a new year..."

His voice was clear and bright, heard throughout the hall. After another moment, his expression and stance became formal as he read again: "Easterlies of the night call to bloom... blossoms of a thousand trees—"

This first line of Qingyu An opened with grand atmosphere!

Xue Jin and Su Chonghua's faces instantly changed...

(End of Chapter)