Undermine

Thousands of boats surrounded the main pavilion, arranged in layers that made the disparities in status and wealth immediately apparent. It was a miserable affair for those minor scholars who had scraped together every copper to rent a boat; squeezed into the spaces between the pleasure craft in the outer rows, they had no hope of showcasing their talents, let alone catching a glimpse of the center stage. They could only wait anxiously for messengers to emerge, hoping at least to be among the first to hear the results.

The first three rows of vessels were mostly settled, leaving only a few stragglers to find their positions. Though the great aristocratic families looked down upon these lowly scholars, the poetry gala was, after all, a collective endeavor of the literati, and they felt obliged to reserve a place for those who labored over their books.

As the sun grew intense, many retreated into their cabins. Zhang Ling and his companions were no exception. Ye Yuhuan took this opportunity to speak candidly to Ren Pingsheng, hoping to forge a bond. The others were indifferent, but Zhang Ling, mindful of giving them space, tactfully stepped out of the cabin.

Leaning against the railing, Zhang Ling cast a side-long glance and spotted three men on a nearby boat, chatting idly. One of them was an old acquaintance. Zhang Ling quickly turned his head away, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

Returning to the cabin, Zhang Ling said to Wu Zhi, "Give me two skin masks."

"What are you up to now?" Wu Zhi asked, puzzled. "And why two?"

Zhang Ling did not answer directly, merely offering that malicious smile again. "Just come out and see."

Zhang Ling donned one mask and gave the other to Song Linjie. Wu Zhi followed them out. Following Zhang Ling’s gaze, he saw the three young dandies laughing and talking. As the manager of the academy's pavilion, Wu Zhi was well-informed and immediately recognized them: Meng Qixin, son of the Minister of Revenue Meng Qingshan; Yang Li, the sturdy son of a regional military commander; and the last one, whose father held the highest rank but who was himself the most useless of the three, Lu Cheng, son of the Minister of Personnel.

Recalling rumors that Zhang Ling and Song Linjie had journeyed south to hunt down Lu Xun, a guest advisor of the Lu family, it was almost certain that Zhang Ling was targeting Lu Cheng. Wu Zhi couldn't help but ask, "Do you two have a vendetta against the Lu family? Why are you hounding them like this?"

Zhang Ling offered no reply, only guiding their boat closer to the others to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Lu Cheng spoke with affected elegance, "Brother Meng, Brother Yang, look at this grand gathering today. So many people meeting for the first time, gazing upon one another with mutual interest—would you call this love at first sight?"

Before Meng Qixin could respond, a voice drifted over from the neighboring boat. Zhang Ling, putting on an act, said to Song Linjie, "Love at first sight? That’s nothing but lust at first sight."

The three men noticed the speaker had his back to them and paid little mind. Hoping to liven the mood, Meng Qixin continued, "Gentlemen, let us speak of more serious matters. Today, almost every righteous scholar in the city is gathered here to compose poetry. Who knows how many classic verses will be passed down to future generations? Perhaps the poems we prepare today will be cited by others in the future. To win a beauty's heart with a poem—that is the true spirit of the scholar."

No sooner had Meng Qixin finished than the voice returned, the same man speaking to his companion: "A fine man, yet he lacks ambition, his eyes filled only with the softness of a woman's lap. This is the conduct of a degenerate in scholar’s robes."

Lu Cheng and his companions realized they were being deliberately targeted. Yang Li, who had remained silent, said indignantly, "Gentlemen, I cannot listen to this any longer. This fellow is clearly picking a fight. I must go over there and teach them a lesson."

Meng Qixin held Yang Li back, choosing not to expose them just yet. He probed further, pretending to be amused: "Brother Lu, if a talented man uses a poem to win the hearts of many beauties, and he in turn loves them all and maintains affairs with them, would you call that romantic?"

As expected, the man on the opposite boat interjected again, his voice laced with feigned anger directed at Song Linjie: "What? You slept with five girls in one go and you call that romantic? That isn't romance—that’s just base lechery."

Seeing this, Yang Li’s fury surged. He prepared to leap over to settle the score, but Meng Qixin restrained him once more. Meng Qixin turned around and addressed Zhang Ling, who had been heckling them: "Brother, I do not know how we have offended you. If there is a misunderstanding, please bring your boat closer so we may discuss it properly."

Zhang Ling feigned ignorance, looking bewildered. "My good sir, are you speaking to me? A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? I was merely instructing my brother on how to conduct himself. I have no intention of bearing a grudge against you three."

Yang Li leaned over the edge, pointing a finger at Zhang Ling. "Stop playing the innocent! You started this, and now you won't admit it. If you don't come over and apologize, I will not let this go, no matter how distinguished your family background may be."

Zhang Ling narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Brother, I advise you to put your hand down before you speak, or you might not like the consequences."

Yang Li scoffed, "I will point all I want. What are you going to do about it?"

Zhang Ling sneered, "You’re quite arrogant, aren't you?"

He waved a hand behind him. Song Linjie grinned and leaped into the air. Before the others could react, Yang Li was kicked flat onto the deck. Song Linjie stepped on his chest, and no matter how hard Yang Li struggled, he could not turn over. He considered himself a scion of a martial family; while he might not be a match for his elders, he had always felt he was a capable fighter among his peers. He could never have imagined that this youth, who looked even younger than himself, could defeat him in a single move.

Yang Li gasped, "Who are you? The disciples of the capital certainly don't have skills like yours."

Before Lu Cheng could offer a threat, Zhang Ling vaulted over the railing, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him into the cabin, signaling for Song Linjie to release the others so they could follow.

The entire commotion was subtle, failing to disturb those resting in other cabins—save for a few hidden masters, who chose to ignore the incident.

Wu Zhi stood by, muttering to himself, "These two really know how to stir up trouble." With that, he followed them inside.

Zhang Ling shoved Lu Cheng to the floor and sat down on a stool, surveying the room. It was filled with top-tier ornaments, even more luxurious than Ye Yuhuan’s boat. Of course, if Ye Yuhuan had truly spent without restraint, he could have made things even more opulent, but his goal for this trip was to win over Ren Pingsheng, not to buy influence, which would only have made their conversation impossible.

Zhang Ling looked at the three who had just entered. He rose and walked toward Yang Li. Yang Li recoiled in alarm, but Zhang Ling merely brushed the dust off his chest before returning to his seat. He smiled, "Why are you standing? Sit down."

Except for Song Linjie, the two with Lu Cheng stood motionless, remaining on high alert. Eventually, Meng Qixin reasoned that since two of the three of them were not martial artists, they stood no chance against these two anyway. With nothing to lose, they sat down. Meng Qixin observed the situation and asked, "In truth, you only have a grudge against Brother Lu, don't you?"