Arriving once more at the familiar Academy, Chu Ming gazed at the halls where he had spent his days, the corridors he had walked through...

It seemed he hadn’t stayed for long after all...

"Isn’t that Chu Ming over there?"

"Chu Ming? That’s Senior Brother Chu!"

"Senior Brother Chu? That’s Lord Chu now!"

"You must not know—Lord Chu is now the Senior Seventh Grade Chief Clerk of Xirong County, overseeing industries like agriculture, livestock, and mining." With this, a junior examinee started bragging, as if he himself were Chu Ming.

"Senior Seventh Grade?! Are you serious?"

Naturally, some junior examinees couldn’t believe such shocking news. Just a little over a month ago, Chu Ming was just like them, just another examinee at the Academy.

"You all should get out more. Always reading books, no wonder you’re out of touch. Do you know who promoted Lord Chu to Chief Clerk?"

"Who?"

"I heard Lord Chu was close to Mr. Shen, and Mr. Shen knows some high official at the Commandery Mansion..."

"Heh, you know quite a lot, but..." That junior examinee puffed up his chest. "Lord Chu wasn’t promoted by the Commandery Mansion."

"But aren’t all Xirong officials recommended and promoted by the Commandery? You’re just making things up!" Another junior examinee, annoyed at his air of superiority, retorted.

"Shows your ignorance!" The examinee pushed his chest out even more, clasping his hands, bowing to the heavens with a solemn expression. "Just days ago at the Mid-Autumn Festival, two princes visited Xirong County in person and hosted a grand lantern and verse banquet. Lord Chu, thanks to his own talent, took first place in one stroke."

"The Princes?!"

"He took first place?!"

At these words, all the junior examinees were stunned, awe mixing with envy, and underneath even jealousy.

At the back of the crowd, a figure’s eyes were reddened, fists clenched tight.

"Sigh, Senior Brother Xu, I remember you’re Lord Chu’s true senior. Senior Brother Ningx and Senior Brother Liang went to greet him. Why aren’t you going?"

"..."

The juniors’ discussions fell clearly into Chu Ming’s ears. His expression remained calm; he paid them little mind.

That night at the lantern banquet, he hadn’t actually won first place. This Chief Clerk post wasn’t quite as glorious as outsiders imagined—rather, it was rife with hidden danger, as witnessed in last night’s assassination attempt.

Soon, they arrived at the dining hall.

Activating the Sword Gourd Spirit, Chu Ming sensed that many guards were stationed around the hall.

Reaching the second floor, the wine and dishes were already neatly set.

"Commander Meng, this way please." Fu Chang, experienced in officialdom, began ushering the guests.

"Lord Chu, please sit here."

Though Chu Ming’s rank was one step lower than Fu Chang’s, the Baiyuan County Magistrate was shrewd enough to assign Chu Ming a seat right beside Meng Zhen, close to the upper tier.

By his side were two more prominent seats, reserved for Shen Yu and Ye Hong.

"Lord Feng, this way please." Fu Chang then arranged for Feng Yuan to sit just beside Chu Ming.

Feng Yuan hesitated, then took the seat.

Back when Feng Yuan had risked his life to plead for Chu Ming, Fu Chang had since treated him with courtesy, fully aware that Chu Ming’s future was limitless—and Feng Yuan, by association, would undoubtedly rise as well.

"Mr. Feng." Chu Ming saluted Feng Yuan alone.

With Feng Yuan by his side, grinning and nodding at Chu Ming, his face glowed with satisfaction, though worry lingered in his brows.

He was content that his faith hadn’t been misplaced: Chu Ming’s talent truly astonishing, in just two months ascending from a backwater like Liuu Town to Senior Seventh Grade Chief Clerk in Xirong County.

But the Chief Clerk’s seat was not easily occupied. He knew a few things, which underlay his worries.

After arranging for Feng Yuan, Fu Chang then sat with Liu Sitong.

As for Ning Hao, Liang Yuan, Hou Wuchun, and the others, they were naturally unqualified for this table; Ning Hao’s father, Ningx Yi, barely managed a lower seat.

Soon after, Shen Yu and Ye Hong arrived, having settled their things, and the banquet formally began.

"A toast to Commander Meng, Lord Shen, Lord Ye, and Lord Chu." Fu Chang stood and raised his glass, joined quickly by Liu Sitong and Ningx Yi.

Meng Zhen and Ye Hong returned the toast, though their manner was cold at best.

Shen Yu sipped his wine absentmindedly. "This wine...doesn’t taste quite right."

"Lord Shen, this is Immortal Brew from Drunken Immortal Tower," Fu Chang explained.

"Immortal Brew, eh..." Shen Yu set down his cup, voice odd. "No wonder. I’ve been in Baiyuan for decades and never once shared a drink with Lord Fu, have I?"

The implication was clear enough.

Fu Chang and Liu Sitong’s faces immediately showed their embarrassment.

Outside.

Ning Hao, Liang Yuan, Luu Xian, and Guan Chong had no heart to eat or drink, ears strained listening for sounds within.

"Brother Ningx, now that Brother Chu is Chief Clerk, maybe he looks down on us," Liang Yuan whispered. "He hasn’t so much as glanced at me all evening."

Ning Hao was silent; Luu Xian and Guan Chong bowed their heads, saying nothing.

The food was fragrant and beautiful, but they hadn’t the appetite for eating.

The banquet did not last long, ending as soon as Shen Yu declared, "I’m full."

"Senior Brother Ningx, Senior Brother Liang," Chu Ming emerged from the hall, "Do you two have some time?"

"Yes, yes!" The two, still sunk in dejection moments before, instantly lit up with joy.

"Brother Luu, Brother Guan, here is some silver taels," Chu Ming took out two silver notes and handed them to Luu Xian and Guan Chong.

Both had helped him greatly when he entered the Academy—a hundred taels apiece, a token of his gratitude.

Thereafter, Chu Ming led his group to the West City Chu Mansion.

"Here are some paintings I did—and a few verses—for my two senior brothers."

Chu Ming had specifically invited Ning Hao and Liang Yuan to give them these gifts.

Two poems and two scrolls; with his reputation and skill, they were surely of no small value now.

His senior brothers had aided him much, from painting, to teaching disguise techniques, to taking him to painting workshops and so on.

Ning Hao and Liang Yuan took the scrolls and poems with excitement.

"Brother Chu..." Liang Yuan unrolled a scroll; the first depicted their Yunqi Courtyard residence, the second showed Ning Hao and Liang Yuan in white robes, sitting at a stone table.

They weren’t exactly "as elegant as jade trees in the wind," but even from the paintings, their aura seemed ready to step out into life.

The poems, too, were newly composed just for them.

"Thank you, both senior brothers, for taking care of me back at the Academy."

Chu Ming cupped his fists and bowed.

Ning Hao and Liang Yuan looked upon the scrolls and verses—such a gulf now lay between their statuses, they hardly knew what to say, some new distance forming between them.

"Oh, right, here’s a cultivation technique. If you’re interested, feel free to practice it."

Cultivation technique?

The two accepted it, stunned.

"It’s getting late. You both should return and rest soon."

"Brother Chu... thank you." The two were moved, but knew Chu Ming still needed to see Feng Yuan, so they took their leave from the Chu Mansion.

Soon after the two left, Feng Yuan arrived.

"Mr. Feng." Chu Ming greeted him with respect.

"The Chief Clerk’s seat is not easy." Feng Yuan’s brow was tightly furrowed—these were his first words.

"Junior understands."

"I’m sure Mr. Shen knows the waters behind Chief Clerk better than I do; I won’t belabor the point."

"You are not a junior anymore—and should stop calling me ’Sir’—but I must say this," Feng Yuan’s expression was grave. "Put your own safety above all things."

Chu Ming nodded solemnly.

Then, he produced the cultivation technique he had especially prepared: "Mr. Feng, this manual should be a bit better than the one before."