A faint blush appeared on Song Zhi’s moon-white face, “Besides, Miss Xu and I are just friends through poetry.”

“In any case, she’s not here, so you can say whatever you want.”

A Liang snorted coldly. He had known Xu Wei first, but Song Zhi had taken advantage of the opportunity. If he had known, he should have invited Xu Wei to go for a spring outing today, so she could see Song Zhi’s inconsistent behavior.

“A Liang! Stop saying nonsense, Song Zhi is after all betrothed, how could he compete with you for Miss Xu!” The red-robed young man stood between the two, slightly raising his voice.

Ever since they met Xu Wei, A Liang and Song Zhi seemed to have become different people, arguing every time they met, completely disregarding their years of friendship.

Especially recently, A Liang heard that the Song family intended to break off that years-old engagement and find another wife-master for Song Zhi.

The two were even more at odds.

Today was supposed to be him playing peacemaker, arranging a reconciliation drink.

Who knew even the heavens wouldn’t cooperate. Before they could drink, people started arguing again.

He quietly pulled Song Zhi’s sleeve, about to ask him to be patient again.

Then he saw Song Zhi turn his face, his peach blossom eyes shining brightly, smiling lightly, as if the world had lost its color, “Yes, I am betrothed, so how could I compete with you.”

“Rumble—”

Another flash of lightning and thunder struck.

The thick cloud layer seemed to throw off its restraints, the falling raindrops directly connecting into lines, pattering painfully on people’s faces.

Su Jin turned her body slightly, facing away from the wind and rain, protecting the bundle in her arms between herself and the wall, only then did she feel at ease.

There were a few other women taking shelter from the rain nearby. Seeing her cautious demeanor, the one closest to her rolled her eyes a few times and tried to get familiar, “You don’t look like you’re from the capital. Are you a scholar coming to study at Qingshan Academy this time?”

Seeing Su Jin nod, that woman smiled again, “I see you’re so careful with the bundle in your arms, could it be that you’re hiding some good things to give to a young man?”

Most women who enter Qingshan Academy can achieve high honors.

Therefore, the good young men in the capital, if they want to choose a wife-master, would first go to the academy to explore.

In ancient times, they caught wives under the honor roll, now they meet in the academy.

It’s truly a romantic affair.

She smiled frivolously to herself, not knowing that Su Jin hadn’t understood at all, very scholarly shaking her head, “Not at all, not at all. It’s just that my mentor excels in landscape fine brush painting, so on the way here, I specially went to find Mistress Weng.”

So it was xuan paper.

That woman retracted her smile, “Miss, listen to my advice. Since your mentor is from the capital, they must be used to good paper. Although this Mistress Weng is also a master at papermaking, compared to the artisans in the capital, she’s still a notch below. You’d better not go asking for trouble.”

“It would be better to directly give silver instead.”

Su Jin fell silent, her fingers holding the bundle turning slightly white. After a long while, she smiled and said, “My mentor once said that only sincerity is the truest in the world. Thank you for your advice, miss.”

“Sincerity? How much is that worth?”

The speaking woman looked Su Jin up and down several times, her mouth curling into a sneer, “Fine, forget I said anything.”

With that, she shook her head again, and as she turned away, one could vaguely hear her hum lowly, “Pauper!”

Su Jin kept her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart, turning a deaf ear.

The space under the eaves immediately fell silent, with only the sound of rain tapping on the road surface, rustling.

Fortunately, spring rain comes quickly and goes quickly.

Just as Su Jin was feeling slightly drowsy, the heavy dark clouds that had been weighing down seemed to have shed their burden, swaying and shaking when blown by the wind, scattering into threads, revealing the azure sky.

Past this street, on the left hand side was the Shen mansion, and the connected courtyard walls further in belonged to Qingshan Academy.

Su Jin tidied her clothes, opened her bundle to check several times, confirming that the xuan paper inside wasn’t damaged, before slowly walking towards the tightly closed vermilion gate, her fingers just about to touch the pair of copper door rings.

A series of hoofbeats, orderly and rhythmic, clip-clop one after another, came from behind, from far to near, shaking one’s ears numb.

More people appeared on the street to watch the commotion.

Su Jin sighed inwardly, most likely it was an honored guest coming to visit her mentor.

It seemed she had come at an inopportune time, stepping back a few paces into the crowd.

A line of armored cavalry had already filled the street.