Madness!
Xu Ming must be crazy! Everyone present knew that Wu Kingdom had only one princess.
The current Emperor of Wu was in his prime, and barring any unexpected circumstances, he could easily reign for another three or four decades. During that time, the emperor could raise his grandchildren as heirs, with even his great-grandchildren coming of age by then.
In other words, Xu Ming's child would undoubtedly become the future ruler of Wu Kingdom. This meant Xu Ming's future status would be that of the "Empress Dowager."
No one could comprehend why Xu Ming would reject such an opportunity.
"Could it be that the appearance of the Wu Kingdom princess is...?" A princess from another kingdom raised the question hesitantly. Although she left her sentence unfinished, everyone knew what she was implying.
"That's unlikely," said a prince from Liang Kingdom, shaking his head.
"The princess's mother ranked 30th on the Beauty List, and she was just a mortal. After her, no other mortal has achieved such a high ranking.
"As for the Emperor of Wu," he continued, "my mother once mentioned seeing him in his youth. He was known as a strikingly handsome man. With parents like these, how unattractive could their child possibly be?"
"Then why did Xu Ming...?"
The crowd stared once again at the opening lines of Xu Ming's letter of rejection, utterly baffled. They all wanted to say Xu Ming was a fool. If it were them, they would have accepted the proposal immediately!
Although Wu Kingdom's literary achievements were not particularly impressive, its military strength was among the top three in the human realms.
As they lamented Xu Ming's seemingly foolish decision to reject the emperor's marriage proposal, they continued reading.
For the Emperor of Wu to bestow his only daughter in marriage, rejecting the proposal required a valid reason—one strong enough to preserve the imperial family's dignity. Otherwise, where would the emperor's honor go?
Zhu Cici, who was also present, grew increasingly anxious as she read.
Could it be? Did Xu Ming mention me in this letter?
She thought back to their childhood, when she and Xu Ming had made a private vow of lifelong commitment. She had never forgotten it. Could it be that Xu Ming hadn't forgotten either?
Xu Ming... You'd better not mention me in your letter of rejection!
If Xu Ming named her in the letter, it would spell disaster. Rejecting the only princess of Wu Kingdom for a girl from Qi Kingdom would be a direct slap in the emperor's face.
Not only would it leave the emperor without an honorable way out, but it would also be akin to tearing down the very path of reconciliation. No matter how talented Xu Ming was, even as a top scholar, his fate would be grim.
Zhu Cici would rather Xu Ming accept the marriage proposal than see him face such peril.
One incense stick's time later, everyone finished reading Xu Ming's letter of rejection.
Initially, they were shocked at Xu Ming's audacity to reject the princess's hand in marriage, but as they read further, they began to understand.
Xu Ming's refusal was not born of arrogance or contempt. It was rooted in his desire to serve his country with no distractions, his fear of dying on the battlefield and leaving the princess a widow, and his resolve to avoid any personal entanglements that might weigh on his conscience.
The letter, written with heartfelt sincerity and eloquence, even contained a few lines of poetry destined to become timeless classics.
This letter of rejection gave the Emperor of Wu ample dignity.
By granting Xu Ming's request, the emperor not only won Xu Ming's loyalty but also created a tale of mutual respect between sovereign and subject that would be celebrated for generations.
Whenever this letter of rejection was discussed in the future, people would not only praise its author but also commend the wisdom of the Emperor of Wu.
Meanwhile, the emperor himself was probably delighted.
Xu Ming's rejection indicated he lacked a hunger for power, focusing instead on noble aspirations. Such a virtuous and talented individual was a rare treasure.
Having finished the letter, Zhu Cici let out a sigh of relief.
Although the Emperor of Wu would not execute the youngest top scholar in Wu Kingdom's history over this matter and risk ridicule from the world, he would certainly impose some form of punishment.
If Xu Ming had mentioned their childhood engagement, it would have been disastrous.
Fortunately, this letter of rejection made no mention of her, and its sincerity was moving—even Zhu Cici herself was deeply touched upon reading it.
In fact, given the heartfelt and respectful tone of the letter, it was unlikely the Emperor would punish Xu Ming. Instead, he might even reward him.
Zhu Cici believed that, even though Xu Ming didn't mention her, she still held a place in his heart. It was clear he had chosen another reason to reject the marriage proposal.
However, their identities made their relationship awkward. If she wanted to be with Xu Ming, there were many obstacles to overcome, and she needed to start preparing in advance.
Speaking of which, Xu Ming's letter of rejection was truly remarkable. No wonder even Elder Wang praised it so highly.
"Everyone's finished reading, I assume?"
Elder Wang looked at the students, who had all raised their heads, and stroked his beard with a smile.
"Since you've all finished, let us begin the lesson. This letter of rejection may not be the most ornate in language, but it is clear, logical, and deeply sincere. Let us examine the first two sentences."
Elder Wang began his lecture. Out of respect for him, not a single student dared to be inattentive.
Half an hour later, Elder Wang stood up. "That will be all for today. For this letter of rejection, I want you to write your reflections and bring them to me in two days."
"Yes, sir," the students replied in unison, bowing before leaving.
As the class ended and people dispersed, several princes invited Zhu Cici to view the blossoming peach trees in the grove behind the mountain. The peach blossoms were in full bloom and quite beautiful.
Zhu Cici, however, declined.
"Junior Sister Zhu, a guest has arrived and wishes to see you," Elder Wang said after class.
Elder Wang, being the eldest disciple of the White Deer Academy's headmaster, naturally addressed Zhu Cici, the headmaster's last disciple, as "Junior Sister."
"A guest?" Zhu Cici asked curiously.
Elder Wang smiled. "At the Moon Terrace by the Ink Pool to the east. You may go and see for yourself."
"Understood," Zhu Cici replied, bowing before heading toward the eastern side of the Ink Pool.
About an incense stick's time later, Zhu Cici reached the Ink Pool corridor.
At the center of the pool was a crescent-shaped Moon Terrace, connected to the shore by a long bridge.
On the terrace stood a woman.
Seeing her, Zhu Cici froze for a moment before her face broke into a warm smile.
The young woman walked toward the Moon Terrace, her long legs moving gracefully beneath her ink-black dress.
"Big Sister Nan," Zhu Cici greeted, bowing respectfully as she approached the woman, whose name was Nan Wenmo.
Nan Wenmo turned around, her lips curling into a smile as she looked at the young woman who had grown into a graceful beauty, slender and elegant like a willow.
"Cici, it's been a long time."
Zhu Cici nodded. "Four years."
Nan Wenmo nodded in return. "Four years ago, I brought you to White Deer Academy. Four years later, can you guess why I'm here now?"
Zhu Cici's eyes curved into a smile. "Could it be that Big Sister Nan is here to take me down the mountain?"
Nan Wenmo shook her head. "I've come on behalf of someone to propose marriage."