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“Tomorrow let’s sound him out. If there’s some kind of connection between the Millennium Pavilion and Gu family, we’d have less misgivings,” said Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang gave it a brief thought and felt that Yuwen Tong had got a point. ‘If people of the Millennium Pavilion themselves have already made contact with Gu family, then they’d have no reason to request me to keep these things secret from Yuwen Tong,’ he thought.

In the afternoon, Yuwen Jin and Zhao Jiusi dropped by. Ling Zhang had suddenly left school in the morning without telling them why, so they were all worried about him.

“Did anything happen, Brother Zhang?” Yuwen Jin was the first one to ask him.

His eyes appraised Ling Zhang’s face. Seeing him look well, he felt slightly relieved.

“Not really. I came back because I suddenly recalled there was something urgent I needed to consult with Yuwen Tong about. I’m sorry, but I didn’t have the time to tell you,” replied Ling Zhang in an apologetic tone of voice. His heart seemed to expand and glow as he sensed his friends’ concern for him.

Seeing Ling Zhang’s bearing, Zhao Jiusi, Ji Feng and the others felt that there was probably no problem. Although they were aware that what Ling Zhang just told them might not be the real reason, none of them asked any further questions about it, for it was enough for them to know that Ling Zhang was fine.

“Incidentally, this afternoon the professor said that in a few days he’d take us to the hunting ground in the western suburbs for a horse race, so don’t forget to make preparations,” Yuwen Jin informed him.

“A horse race?” Ling Zhang found it confusing that they were suddenly asked to participate in a horse race.

Seeing his puzzled look, Zhao Jiusi explained, “This is one of the traditions of the Imperial College. Every year, there are two horse races of this kind. This’ll be the first one this year. Apart from horse races, there are also shooting contests, music contests, calligraphy contests and so on, which are held at different times of the year. You’ll have your chance to take part in them in the future. They’re pretty interesting.”

Ling Zhang, who had got a general idea of what this was about, inclined his head.

“Some people have already gone to the hunting ground in the western suburbs to make preparations. It’s said that the prizes are pretty handsome,” said Ji Feng.

‘There are prizes?’ Ling Zhang’s interest was aroused. “What kind of prizes?”

“Well, money is not on the list; they say that it’s too vulgar. Just some calligraphy works and paintings – all by renowned masters. There were occasions when His Majesty personally presented the prizes. Rumor has it that this time His Majesty would do it again,” Ji Feng informed him.

“His Majesty will participate in the contest as well?” queried Ling Zhang.

“Of course not. His Majesty has a myriad of state affairs to attend to every day, so he’ll just present the prizes, but... it’s not that there’s no precedent for that. His Majesty took part in some of the contests held in the couple of years following his enthronement, but he hasn’t in recent years,” responded Ji Feng.

Ling Zhang was slightly relieved. ‘If His Majesty is also going to be a participant, the situation would be very different. It’s best that he won’t take part.”

“Incidentally, it’s said that the Oriental Rite Academy will be competing against us,” said Zhao Turui.

“Students of the Oriental Rite Academy compete with students of the Imperial College in a horse race? Wouldn’t there be a fight?” asked Yuwen Jin.

“There shouldn’t be,” answered Zhao Turui. “Why would they fight?”

“Aren’t there rumors that there is open hostility between students of the Oriental Rite Academy and those of the Imperial College? This is a competition we’re talking about. Wouldn’t there be a fight if the losing side refuses to accept defeat?”

Ling Zhang quietly thought for a few moments and, surprisingly, found that Yuwen Jin actually had got a point, so he looked at Ji Feng and the others.

Zhao Jiusi claimed in a very calm and positive tone, “The Imperial College will not lose.”

Ling Zhang, “...”

He’d begun to act so competitively before the contest even started, yet he believed there wouldn’t be a fight?

“Actually your words served as a reminder to me. It seems that I’ve got to make some preparations. Maybe I should carry a piece of iron or something like that in my sleeve that day,” said Ji Feng, stroking his chin.

Surprisingly, Zhao Turui, Xun Huo and Xie Qing also started considering it. They even consulted with each other about what would be their best choice – pieces of iron or something else, and where they should hide them. Seeing this, Yuwen Jin who had always had a desire to stir up trouble, immediately offered them a lot of suggestions.

“Ling Zhang’s kung fu is very good, right? And he knows some badass moves as well. We should have him teach us a couple of those. I’m sure they’d prove helpful,” remarked Xie Qing, very composed.

Ling Zhang remained silent. ‘Really?’

“That’s right, Brother Zhang. Teach us, so that we can kick those bastards’ asses during the fight!” said Yuwen Jin.

Ling Zhang pulled a wry face. “You really wish there’d be a fight?”

“They will almost certainly be unreconciled to the situation after losing to us. It’s rumored that they have kung fu lessons in the Oriental Rite Academy, that they’re supposed to be adept with both the pen and the sword. The way I see it, they’re just a bunch of boors. You expect them to listen to reason?” sniffed Ji Feng.

Ling Zhang kept silent for a brief moment and then decided to come to his friend’s defense. “Tao Yi, for one, is not an impulsive person.”

“Well, that’s true. Brother Tao does look gentle and refined.” It was after hearing this that Ji Feng recollected Tao Yi.

“There are a great number of students in the Oriental Rite Academy. Brother Tao is indeed gentle and refined, but it doesn’t mean that the others are gentle and refined as well. To be on the safe side, we should take some precautions,” commented Xie Qing.

“Who’s Tao Yi?” Yuwen Jin inquired.

On that day when they went to the manor, Yuwen Jin didn’t join them on the trip because of some family matter, so he had no knowledge of who Tao Yi was.

Ling Zhang explained to him that Tao Yi was his friend whom he had known when he had been in Tanyang.

Yuwen Jin nodded. “That’s great. I may make his acquaintance in the contest.”

Eventually, Ling Zhang was still drawn to the drill ground by them, asked to teach them some badass moves that they could use to defend themselves.

Ling Zhang felt that they were just anxious to see the world in disorder, that deep down inside they all liked to go along for the ride, and maybe on that day they would add fuel to the tension and turn a controllable situation into a fight.

But this was not really a serious matter, so after giving it some thought, Ling Zhang agreed. Of course the moves he taught them were not dangerous ones, just some practical defensive moves and some flexible unconventional ones, which were difficult to defend against and would enable them to secure victory in an ingenious and unexpected way.

The seven of them spent over two hours practicing in the drill ground, sweating buckets. Ling Zhang felt that it’d be inappropriate for him to let them go back just like this, so he had some servants prepare hot water to let them take a bath.

After the bath, it was a little late, so naturally Ling Zhang had them stay for dinner before seeing them off.

Yuwen Tong had never made an appearance so far. Ling Zhang guessed that he probably had left the residence to attend to something.

Unsurprisingly, it was after dinner that Yuwen Tong came back. His travel-soiled clothes seemed to be suggesting that he had gone through a long journey.

Ling Zhang helped Yuwen Tong take off his overgarment and handed it to a servant, telling the servant to bring the food reserved for Yuwen Tong. Then he asked, “Where have you been?”

“First the imperial palace, and then the hunting ground in the western suburbs. The emperor suddenly told me he’d pay a visit to the hunting ground a couple of days later, and he wanted me to accompany him. It’s been quite a long time since the last time I set foot in the western suburbs, so I went there in advance to scout out the lie of the land in the hunting ground lest any accident happen on that day,” replied Yuwen Tong, who then sat down and directly dug in, seeming fairly hungry.

Ling Zhang was amazed to hear this. “His Majesty is actually going to participate?”

“You know about it?” Yuwen Tong looked at him.

Ling Zhang informed Yuwen Tong of the horse race between the Imperial College and the Oriental Rite Academy, and also told him that in the afternoon he had taught Yuwen Jin and the others a couple of moves in case there was a fight on that day.

“Now we can relax safe. With His Majesty’s presence, nobody would dare to pick a fight.”

Yuwen Tong had thought that the emperor had decided to go to the hunting ground on the spur of the moment, for just now the emperor had put it in a quite casual way, as if he was merely asking a couple of officials to accompany him for a walk to relieve boredom. It surprised him that the emperor’s intention was to watch a horse race held by the Imperial College.

If that was the case, then it wouldn’t be just a small matter of the emperor going on an outing in casual clothes. Probably courtiers of all descriptions would be present as well.

As if something had just occurred to him, Yuwen Tong pondered for a few moments and then resumed eating. He asked Ling Zhang, “Do you want to win a prize?”

Ling Zhang was fully aware of his proficiency in riding. He was barely able to ride a horse in a normal way and definitely couldn’t hold a candle to those with consummate skills, but Yuwen Tong should know very well how his horsemanship was. He’d specially asked this because...

“Yeah,” Ling Zhang first answered in the affirmative, and then stared at Yuwen Tong, waiting to hear what he had to say.

‘Who would say no to a chance of victory?’ Ling Zhang believed that he was also a young man of ardour and competitiveness.

Yuwen Tong raised his head, looked at him and replied, “All right. I’ll teach you horsemanship in the next few days.”

Ling Zhang’s eyes lit up. ‘I knew it!’

“Then I’ll ask for a couple of days’ leave after we visit my grandfather tomorrow,” said Ling Zhang, safe in the knowledge that his request for leave wouldn’t be denied as Yuwen Tong would go there with him the next day.

Seeing he was in high spirits with excitement gleaming in his eyes, Yuwen Tong believed that what had happened in the morning would no longer affect Ling Zhang’s mood, so he also felt happy. Had he not been eating, he would give Ling Zhang a kiss.

Beneath his ardent gaze, Ling Zhang, recalling how intimate the two of them had been these days, fully understood what Yuwen Tong meant. He took his eyes off him, a flush spreading over his cheeks.

Yuwen Tong quickly finished his meal, wiped his mouth, rose to his feet and drew Ling Zhang towards the outside. “Let’s go for a walk to help digestion.”

Ling Zhang quietly followed him towards the outside. On the day when the two of them had taken a walk around the drill ground after he overate, Yuwen Tong seemed to grow fond of this exercise. Every day after dinner, Yuwen Tong would draw him outside to go for a walk, saying it helped digestion, which sometimes made Ling Zhang feel as if he and Yuwen Tong had been married for years. And he had an inexplicable premonition that this might be how life would be like after he and Yuwen Tong got old.

There was only one brazier beside the drill ground. Sometimes those guards would come here to practice kung fu at night, but since their two masters were now having a walk here, they naturally wouldn’t be so insensitive as to show up causing a disturbance at this time. In the dim light from the brazier, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, hand in hand, slowly strolled around the large drill ground. Night breezes, warm and sweet, were softly blowing by, and their hearts seemed to be involuntarily expanding and glowing.

“The revamp of the drugstore is finished. Let’s go there and take a look after our visit to the Imperial College tomorrow,” said Yuwen Tong.

It was Yuwen Tong who had been taking care of the revamp project of the drugstore for Ling Zhang.

Ling Zhang inclined his head. Wang Qing had reported this matter to him. Earlier this afternoon, he had wanted to go there, but Yuwen Jin and the others had shown up so he had had to give up.

“Reply from Tanyang should arrive during the next few days,” Yuwen Tong added.

Ling Zhang nodded again, oblivious of the expectant look in the eyes of Yuwen Tong who was walking beside him. As soon as the reply from Tanyang arrived, Yuwen Tong would come to know Ling Zhang’s uncle’s opinions and be able to start making preparations...

Ling Zhang was thinking about building a trade caravan. Since the revamp project had been finished, the moment herbs from Tanyang were delivered here, the drugstore would be ready to open for business.

But before that, he had to pick an auspicious date and invite a couple of friends to the grand opening to roll logs for him.

Business prospects in the trading center in the west of the city were very good. The general storekeeper of the Jiang’s Drugstore Chain had even specially paid him a visit and acted as a go-between for him, introducing him to a couple of big clients. All he needed to do was wait for herbs from Tanyang to be delivered to the capital city