Chapter 28: Zhao Kuangwei

In the open garden of Qingfeng Park, many scholars sat cross-legged on prepared mats, chatting over wine and occasionally moving about. The Crown Prince, the First Prince, Wang Yu, Zhao Kuangwei, and other figures of distinguished status were seated in the primary guest area, making for a lively scene.

Just moments ago, after Ling Donglai unleashed an aura of the Heavenly Human level, no one dared to demand he perform any courtesies, let alone a kneeling kowtow. The atmosphere had been incredibly awkward, but after a brief silence, the First Prince stepped in to suggest the poetry recital begin, managing to turn the page with some difficulty. Even if the princes were locked in bitter struggle behind the scenes, they had to maintain a facade of brotherly harmony in public. Thus, the First Prince helped the Crown Prince and the rest of the company out of the tense situation.

To Wang Yu, the Great Cang Poetry Gala, despite its ulterior motives, offered a genuine chance for a contest of talent, providing an opportunity for ambitious individuals to gain fame. The only disappointment was that his dream of a beautiful encounter with an ancient literary maiden seemed to have fallen through. Upon entering the park, he realized it was filled with nothing but men; aside from the serving maids, there wasn't a single beautiful woman in sight. After sounding out a few so-called scholars, he learned that the genders were segregated; while both were within the park, they were separated into the front and rear courtyards. They even used different entrances, which explained why Wang Yu hadn't seen a single pretty face at the gate.

Since arriving in the capital, Wang Yu had stopped rushing to use the system's detection function to analyze everyone's attributes. He had three years; there was no need to be impatient. He hadn't even checked the attributes of the Crown Prince or the First Prince yet. With both men surrounded by a crowd of advisors, checking just the two of them wouldn't be nearly enough. Of course, exceptions were made for figures like Lu Shenmo, whose strength had clearly reached its peak and who held significant importance. This poetry gala alone had gathered a courtyard full of people. In a few days, he would be heading to the Great Cang Academy, where there were nearly ten thousand students. If he were to scan every one of them, even if the system didn't tire, he certainly would.

At this age, most of them were roughly Wang Yu’s age, around fifteen or sixteen, while the slightly older ones were just in their early twenties. They had not yet reached their peak, so system detection held little value. With so many people, he could afford to take his time over the next three years.

According to tradition, the host—in this case, the First Prince—would open the event with some flowery rhetoric before the formal proceedings began. Although the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, was present and by rights should have held the seat of honor, the event was organized by the First Prince, so the two brothers shared the primary position. The gala consisted of composing and critiquing poetry; scholars would volunteer their work for others to judge. If someone felt they could do better, they would step up for the next round of composition and critique.

Wang Yu lightly twirled his celadon wine cup, the liquid within remaining perfectly still. He sniffed it, sighed in admiration, and took a sip, his throat moving as he swallowed. To him, the wine was far more appealing than the people below. It wasn't that there were no good poems being produced; this was, after all, a gathering of the greatest talents in the Great Cang Dynasty, so finding a few pieces of genuine merit wasn't difficult.

"Why so quiet, Brother Wang? Not going to show everyone what you’re made of?" Zhao Kuangwei appeared out of nowhere, familiarly draping an arm around Wang Yu’s shoulder and clinking his own cup against Wang Yu’s, completely ignoring the look of distaste on his companion’s face.

"Young Master Zhao, your literary talent is renowned; surely it is you who should be taking the spotlight," Wang Yu rolled his eyes, brushing the hand off his shoulder with a hint of exasperation.

This fellow hadn't changed a bit over the years. Zhao Kuangwei was the son of General Zhao Changfeng of the West. His background was no less impressive than Wang Yu's, and he was one year his senior. Wang Yu hadn't expected to run into him upon entering the capital, though given their ages, it was only natural that they would both be arriving at the Great Cang Academy soon. He remembered their first meeting, where Zhao had tried to force Wang Yu to call him "big brother," only to be pinned to the ground and soundly beaten by Wang Yu. Since then, he hadn't dared mention it again.

However, though he couldn't best Wang Yu in a fight, he had later played a trick on him that caused Wang Yu no small amount of embarrassment. By the time Wang Yu had prepared his revenge, the fellow had already swaggered away.

"Hahaha, Brother Wang! I heard the moment I arrived in the capital that you’ve gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble!" Zhao Kuangwei chuckled after draining his cup. His hand found its way back onto Wang Yu’s shoulder, making it seem to any onlooker as though they were the best of friends. In reality, they had only met once in their childhood and were hardly close. It was simply the man's irrepressible nature.

Wang Yu brushed the hand away again and turned, saying coldly, "Are you here to gloat, Young Master Zhao?"

"Oh, a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding! Our four families are connected, and no matter what, I should be helping you, Wang Yu!" Zhao Kuangwei raised his hands, blinking his innocent-looking eyes.

"Connected?" Wang Yu sneered. The four great military families were indeed linked, and they acted in concert when their fundamental interests were threatened. But under normal circumstances, their relationships were lukewarm at best, with everyone keeping to themselves. If they were truly as close as he claimed, the Imperial Court and the royal family would be losing sleep. While Wang Yu knew Zhao Kuangwei wouldn't necessarily stand against him, the idea of him offering genuine help was a fantasy. Knowing the man, he would likely be watching from the sidelines, gleefully enjoying the show. Wang Yu didn't believe a word of it.