Birds returned to roost in the old woods. Dusk parted the clouds, and the evening glow filled the sky.
Another day had come to an end.
Lu Mingyuan, dressed in a thin, pale white robe, sat on a stone chair in the courtyard and wiped his blade. It was extremely difficult to obtain a good saber in the Imperial Palace. The best he could manage was to pick out a Black Brilliance Iron Saber forged from top-grade refined iron at the Great Yan Armory.
Though the wind was bitingly cold, a protective layer of red, Powerful Qi sealed his pores, so he felt no chill.
Once it was clean, he admired the long saber. The cold, sharp glint of the Cross Saber was on full display. A Qilin Pattern was carved into the hilt, and the weapon felt light and perfectly balanced in his hand.
This was the exclusive saber of the Moqilin Guard, a fusion of the Artisan Workshop's latest techniques. It was unbelievably sharp, so much so that it could sever a falling hair. To Lu Mingyuan, it was a work of art he couldn't bear to put down.
'What boy could possibly resist a weapon this cool and stylish?'
He sheathed his saber, his training for the day complete.
Lu Mingyuan stood and, facing the last rays of the setting sun, fell into thought.
He had learned almost everything the *Great Yan Military Seven Realms Martial Technique* had to offer. It mostly contained self-defense skills akin to Military Boxing, some Basic Martial Arts, and a fundamental introduction to the Martial Dao.
It was systematic and well-explained, but also very superficial.
It was more than enough for the average soldier's Cultivation and was considered required reading for the rank and file. But for him, it was far from sufficient.
In other words, he was ready to learn more profound Martial Arts. He even needed a teacher.
A Grandmaster of Martial Arts, one with profound accomplishments in the Martial Dao, could have a massive influence on a beginner Martial Artist.
'But in his situation, how could he possibly find one?'
Lu Mingyuan shook his head, abandoning the impractical thought.
He was a disgraced prince; his Imperial Father would never grant such an unreasonable request. 'A Grandmaster might not even be enough. Ideally, I'd need a Middle Fifth Grade Cultivator.'
Besides, a Cultivator who had broken through to the Middle Fifth Grade was considered a master among masters—whether in the rural Jianghu, the courts of the Mortal World, or even across the entire Central Plains. They usually served the Dynasty as Tributors or held the venerable rank of Marquis. Why would such a figure deign to teach him?
Just as Lu Mingyuan was lost in thought, Zi Yun's voice came from outside the gate:
"Sixth Prince, someone is here to see you."
"Who? Is it my mother?"
Lu Mingyuan asked, his brow furrowed.
If he didn't go out himself, the main gate of Qingzhu Hall rarely opened, perhaps once every ten to fifteen days. The only exception was for his mother's visits. Otherwise, there were never any visitors.
"It is not the Noble Consort. The Eighth Prince is here to visit."
Zi Yun replied.
"The Eighth Prince..."
Lu Mingyuan wracked his brain, trying to recall his memories of this person.
The Eighth Prince, Lu Yunqing.
He'd had a good relationship with Lu Mingyuan's predecessor since childhood. As a child, Lu Yunqing had been meek and timid, often bullied by the other Princes. It was the original Lu Mingyuan who had repeatedly stood up for him and chased off those little bastards.
Lu Yunqing was a natural-born scholar. He was well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, a master of Confucian scholarship, and an excellent essayist. He was highly regarded by other scholars, and his poetry was recited throughout the court and even sung in the brothels.
Lu Mingyuan couldn't help but feel a sense of pity for his younger brother.
Born into the Royal Family, Lu Yunqing could earn fame through his studies, but never any real power. He could never become a high-ranking official or enter the Cabinet.
Emperor Yong'an himself was an Iron-blooded Emperor who had risen to power through a sea of blood and a mountain of corpses. He held all power in his hands. Learning from the mistakes of the past, he ensured that all the Princes were granted only a mansion and the right to recruit Guest Scholars; they held no real power in the Imperial Court. They were merely given the title of a Scattered Official and a noble rank, left to enjoy their stipends and nothing more.
Compared to the other Princes, Lu Yunqing had another weakness: he was the son of a concubine. His mother was from the Lower Class, not one of the high-ranking consorts, but a mere Ninth-Grade Noble. Naturally, his starting position was far below that of the Eldest and Second Princes.
He was even worse off than Lu Mingyuan.
'What's he doing here at a time like this?'
Lu Mingyuan was thoroughly confused.
"Let him in."
Lu Mingyuan gave the order for Zi Yun to bring his younger brother inside.
Soon, a handsome young man appeared. He wore a cyan, crane-patterned robe, his features as fine as jade, and he carried a natural scholarly air about him. Anyone who didn't know better would have mistaken him for the young master of a great scholarly Noble Family.
Lu Mingyuan was taken aback when he saw him.
'In my memory, Yun Qing was just a little kid. Now he's come of age, a grown man nearly as tall as I am. He's changed so much.'
The last time they had seen each other was seven or eight years ago. His predecessor's nocturnal lifestyle meant he was unlikely to have ever crossed paths with this younger brother, who was so devoted to the Confucian classics.
"Sixth Brother!" Standing at the gate of Qingzhu Hall, Lu Yunqing called out enthusiastically from a distance.
Hearing that, Lu Mingyuan felt a thrill run through him, and a sense of heartfelt familiarity washed over him.
'Perhaps this is a lingering emotion from my predecessor's childhood.'
He smiled and walked over, patting Lu Yunqing's shoulder and teasing,
"Well, look at you! You've gotten so tall. Found a nice girl yet? What made you think of coming all the way out here?"
After coming inside, Lu Yunqing looked all around, clearly concerned about his brother's living conditions, before smiling and replying, "I just came to see you, Sixth Brother."
"It's been a long time. You look much healthier than before, Sixth Brother. And this place is so clean. It seems you're living a rather peaceful life here."
Lu Mingyuan nodded. "It's incredibly boring in the Cold Palace. With nothing else to do, I might as well work out."
"You've had it rough, Sixth Brother," Lu Yunqing said with a sigh, his expression turning somber.
He had clearly already heard about what happened to the Sixth Prince.
"Most people don't come to the Cold Palace. A visit like this could get you impeached by the Advisory Platform Bureau." Lu Mingyuan was still trying to probe his brother's intentions.
Anyone could come to the Cold Palace, but a visit from Lu Yunqing would undoubtedly attract the most suspicion.
Lu Yunqing smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry. I asked Father Emperor to let me come see you and deliver a message. Thankfully, he agreed."
"Oh? Father Emperor has a message for me?"
"Yes."
Lu Yunqing explained, "The new year has arrived, and it will soon be time for the various nations to present their tribute. The surrounding countries, large and small, will all come to our Great Yan to pay homage. Father Emperor will prepare a grand banquet to host the foreign emissaries, and there will also be a poetry convention—a friendly gathering of minds."
"Father Emperor says that to preserve the dignity of Great Yan, he is making an exception and allowing you to attend the convention for a single hour. All the Princes are required to be there."
Lu Yunqing said, his tone perfectly serious.
'A grand banquet for all nations? A poetry convention at the Imperial Palace?'
At these words, Lu Mingyuan finally understood.
'This so-called poetry convention sounds like a treacherous affair. All sorts of important figures will be there. Besides the Royal Family and Nobility and high-ranking Court officials, representatives from the Three Religions—Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism—will likely attend the grand banquet as well. They'll be needed to hold down the fort and showcase the grand style of Great Yan, making sure the dynasty doesn't lose face.'
'Being invited to such an event... it's hard not to be suspicious of Emperor Yong'an's motives.'
'After all, I'm just a scapegoat. Has he really not given up on me yet?'
Just as Lu Mingyuan was contemplating this, the runes on the Six-Yao Turtle Shell in his mind suddenly flickered. Four balls of light flew out from it, and text materialized before his eyes:
[Imperial Capital Poetry Convention. The nations have come to pay tribute. A choice between the civil and the martial is hidden within. Avoid attracting attention.]
Then, four balls of light flew from the Six-Yao Turtle Shell.
[Upper Trigram of Good Fortune: Firmly decline the grand banquet and the poetry convention, using your crude nature as an excuse. You may obtain the Mortal White Fate Grid (Martial Artist). Outcome: Emperor Yong'an will be disappointed in you. Greatly Auspicious!]
[Middle Trigram of Good Fortune: Firmly decline the grand banquet, but secretly attend the poetry convention. Anonymously astound everyone with a single masterpiece. You may obtain the Azure Fate Grid (Scholar). Greater risk brings greater opportunity. Good outcome: Earn Emperor Yong'an's favor and be safe for a time. Bad outcome: Arouse the suspicion of the Eldest and Second Prince. Moderately Auspicious!]
[Middle Trigram of Evil: Firmly decline the grand banquet, but secretly attend the poetry convention. Keep a low profile and do not reveal your abilities. Outcome: Arouse Emperor Yong'an's suspicion. Moderately Inauspicious!]
[Lower Trigram of Evil: Attend the grand banquet openly. Befriend others through literature and astound Great Yan with a single masterpiece. By making a grand display of your talents, you will draw suspicion from all sides. Greatly Inauspicious!]
...