When Lu Zhaolin heard "singing with his neck bent towards the sky," his eyes widened like walnuts, filled with tiny stars.

He always considered himself a child prodigy, looking down on not only his peers but also ordinary adults.

Upon learning that Li Jue was also a child prodigy, she felt an even stronger urge to compare herself to him.

However, Li Jue's two nonsensical lines of poetry shattered his pride.

"Goose, goose, goose... with its neck bent towards the sky, singing..."

"Singing to the Sky..."

"Song……"

"Your Highness's work is so excellent that I dare not add anything inferior. I humbly request Your Highness's guidance!"

When Li Jue saw Lu Zhaolin lower his head in shame, he realized that the question he had set was a bit beyond the scope of the curriculum.

Could it be that this poem wasn't written by Lu Zhaolin?

Who else could it be but Lu Zhaolin?

"The last two sentences are also very simple. You can imagine the daily habits of geese."

"Habits..."

"Geese like to swim..."

"A white goose swimming in the water?"

Li Jue smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"That's about right, it's starting to get interesting. Keep thinking, and try to come up with a more elegant way of describing it."

"Your Highness, I really can't think of anything. Please tell me the rest of the poem."

"White feathers float on green water, red webbed feet stir clear waves!"

"White feathers float on green water, red webbed feet stir clear waves?"

"Wonderful!"

"Your Highness's talent is comparable to that of Cao Zhi!"

"I admire you!"

"If Your Highness does not despise me, I am willing to serve you faithfully!"

Seeing how much Lu Zhaolin admired him, Li Jue was secretly delighted.

So this is how you subdue one of the Four Great Talents of the Early Tang Dynasty?

Hahaha!

"Granted!"

"However, my standards are very high. If you cannot satisfy me, I will replace you at any time!"

No matter how great Lu Zhaolin's future achievements may be, at this moment he is just a little kid.

A little kid meets an even more powerful kid – that's like the little brother meeting the boss!

"Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will certainly do my best!"

Sun Simiao, who was preparing medicine, couldn't help but smile when he heard the conversation between the two children.

There was a time when he also had such carefree days.

But time flies, and years pass quickly. His companions who once accompanied him have long since vanished into the dust and buried deep in the yellow earth.

After preparing the medicine, Sun Simiao left quietly. He wanted to give the two children more time to get to know each other and support each other for the rest of their lives.

Because Li Jue was injured, Li Shimin indefinitely postponed the time for paying respects to Empress Zhangsun.

However, he was not idle; he was busy handling political affairs all day long.

However, Li Shimin's reluctance to set off made Li Zhi, who was staying in Xianyang Palace, quite worried.

"Cousin, why has Father been staying in Sanglin Village?"

"Do you think I should go and pay my respects?"

"Your Highness, since His Majesty has not issued a decree summoning us, we would be best to remain in Xianyang Palace."

"But...but I still feel uneasy..."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Dan inwardly scoffed, thinking to himself, "What's so unsettling about this?"

"Your Highness, I have made the arrangements. The assassin is expected to carry out the assassination at Jiuzong Mountain!"

"ah?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi turned pale with fright and frantically waved his hands.

"Cousin, don't tell me about this kind of thing, I don't want to know anything!"

"you……"

Changsun Dan was furious when he heard this. He thought to himself, "Wasn't I doing this beheading thing for this guy?"

However, before the assassination attempt could even succeed, this guy was eager to distance himself from me.

If this matter is leaked in the future, Li Zhi will probably be the first to stand up and denounce him!

After saying this, Li Zhi suddenly realized his mistake and awkwardly offered an explanation.

"As my cousin knows, I've always been timid and have a habit of talking in my sleep. I'm afraid that if I find out, I might accidentally say it in my dream, which would harm you and my uncle."

Li Zhi's words carried a subtle threat, implicitly telling Changsun Dan that if this matter were exposed, not only would Changsun Dan die, but his father would also not live!

Changsun Dan naturally understood this implication, and his contempt for Li Zhi grew even stronger.

"Your Majesty understands!"

"If the matter is truly exposed, I will take poison on the spot and commit suicide, leaving behind a letter written in my own hand, and I will absolutely not implicate Your Highness or my father!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi offered a few insincere words of comfort, then happily returned to his study to copy his father's calligraphy, leaving Changsun Dan alone in the hall, lost in thought.

Chang'an City.

Upon receiving Li Jue's letter, Gao Yang immediately used his connections to investigate the relationship between Kong Zhixuan and Feng Yandao.

Upon learning that his eldest nephew had been punished by his father, Emperor Gao Yang specially brought some tonics to Sanglin Village to personally comfort him.

Gao Yang came in person for two reasons: firstly, to maintain secrecy, and secondly, to take the opportunity to get closer to Li Jue.

"Nephew, have you found out what your aunt was looking into?"

"oh?"

“Feng Yandao was a man of Chu Suiliang. In his early years, he was recommended by Chu Suiliang and served as a local governor. Later, he was transferred back to the capital and served as a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue.”

"Kong Zhixuan doesn't know, he hasn't found out whose people he is, but based on my analysis, this person may simply be afraid."

"fear?"

What is he afraid of?

"Nephew, you may have forgotten how badly your father was bullied by Kong Yingda."

"To put it simply, the reason your father was so rebellious after he came of age, and even had thoughts of rebellion, is not unrelated to Kong Yingda's discipline!"

"Therefore, Auntie guesses that Kong Zhixuan might just be worried that you will take a high position in the future and retaliate against their family!"

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