Nightfall

The Headmaster who had traveled outside did not return, but Second floor of the Academy would be open soon. It was unknown where the news came from. However, according to the instructors" response, it has been basically determined to open the Second Floor the day after tomorrow.

It was known to all that to enter the Second floor of the Academy was difficult, even more difficult than going to the sky. Those students were probably clear that they would not encounter the lucky thing like being blessed by Haotian. So the people who could enter the Second floor should be from Xie Chengyun and the other five students in the course of magic skills. Therefore, after school, some people began to appeal for cheering them up.

This matter actually had nothing to do with Ning Que. As a cla.s.smate, he was forgotten by the Academy students and became a n.o.body marginalized by the others. No one could expect that his whole mind was put on the Second floor. After cla.s.s, he meant to go to the old library for the suggestions of Professor Yu or Chen Pipi, for he wanted whether he could enter the Second Floor in terms of his current level and state. But before leaving, he was forced by Situ Yilan to go out of Academy.

In Miss Situ"s words, as for this kind of collective activity, one must partic.i.p.ate in it no matter how unsocial he was, even if marginalized by his cla.s.smates. If he often appeared and no longer walked alone in the woods and meadows like a ghost, there would be a day when the resentment for him was resolved.

Ning Que never thought that he needed to work hard to squeeze into the life circle of the Academy cla.s.smates and to exchange for friendly circ.u.mstances with this profile, but because Situ Yilan was extremely kind to him in the daily life. Thus after a moment of thought, he also left the Academy to Chang"an City with the students.

The students selected a gathering place in the Southern Chang"an, which was a restaurant rebuilt from an elegant and expensive mansion beside a lake. There was a plaque hanging above the restaurant, on which was its name written by the Libationer: Victory House.

Victory House was the No.1 elegant restaurant in Chang"an City, which covered a huge area and owned extremely refined luxurious decoration and furniture. Its guests were the officials in the imperial court and the rich of four cities. If the Academy was not famous enough, it would be extremely difficult for them to book a table in the open air.

Now the spring was warm and the gra.s.s was growing up. There were tree leaves like layers of veils

in the mahogany tree outside the mansion. They danced with the spring breeze, which was extremely beautiful. Over a hundred young men and women smiled beside the bar or happily travelled around the lake or lifted the veils to go ahead, suddenly making it the best place for them to have fun.

Ning Que stood in a humble corner, holding a small teapot in his hand and calmly watching his joyful cla.s.smates in the spring breeze. He thought that he would probably not see any enthusiastic faces later on the feast. So he sat in a corner for a daze and decided to leave ahead of time. As a result, he summoned the manservant in Victory House and gave him some money to call for someone to take a message to Lin 47th Street. Therefore, Sangsang could bring the horse carriage here waiting for him outside.

After a long period of time, the prodigal students chose the most comfortable table beside the bar. The student couples in romance went somewhere tranquil behind the veil in the bamboo forest. It was until then did the large lakeside terrace become gradually quiet. Situ Yilan acted as a leader of the Chang"an lady army and stood up to generously say a few words, which were nothing but a blessing for the six people in the course of magic skills to achieve good results in the days after as well as a wish for all cla.s.smates to make academic progress and the like.

After this, all kinds of nuts and delicate food were served. The students started drinking and enjoying themselves. In the liveliest place, one could clearly hear the flattery and blessing of the students to the six people including Xie Chengyun.

"I heard that Second Floor would only recruit one person this time." Childish Linchuan w.a.n.g Ying looked at those big brothers and sisters around, and then turned to another side and asked, "Does it have the same rule before?"

Xie Chengyun smiled and looked at all the cla.s.smates around him. He calmly answered, "Every time Second floor opened, the rule was different. This time it"s possible to recruit only one person. Though it"s pretty difficult, I would try my best so as to meet the expectations of cla.s.smates and pay back teachers" cultivation."

Zhong Dajun opened a fan with a snap and said with a laugh, "Chengyun, you are now in the No Doubts State. And even Professor Cao called you the most skilled person in the course of magic skills and believed you could go to the Second floor. If you don"t have the confidence, then who else can enter the Second floor this year?"

Linchuan w.a.n.g Ying thought of it and could not help but look slightly dark. He swiftly showed an admiration for Xie Chengyun on his young face and then said, "Brother Xie, if you enter the Second floor later, please remember to tell us what exactly looks like in there. I"m really curious about it. "

Xie Chengyun gently patted the shoulders of this lad and said, "You are still young. Even if you can"t get into the Second floor this time, you"ll make it next time. You"ll see it on your own."

At this moment, a rush hoof beat came from outside the Victory House. The students drinking beside the lake did not care about it, for there were often some cavalries galloping in Chang"an City every day. Only Ning Que who quietly sat in the corner looked up to see where the hoof beat came from, for he knew these cavalries were not Yulin Royal Guards but the border army soldiers who have really experienced the b.l.o.o.d.y battlefield.

A moment later, a young dusted general in the military uniform went to the lakeside terrace led by a few subordinates. He looked at these students drinking in the spring breeze and could not help but slightly frowned, lifting up the veil to go directly somewhere much quieter inside the house.

The feeling of blood and iron carried by several Tang soldiers was extremely different from the relaxed, casual atmosphere on the lakeside terrace. When they appeared, the Academy students subconsciously lowered their voices. The officers, dressed in military vests and light armors, marched forward with long easy steps and looked very powerful. However, they crooked several tables, which provoked some unhappiness of Academy students.

The Tangs valued military credits most and border guards were their most beloved ones. If it was in weekdays, even the ministers of the imperial court would not care about the slightly reckless movements of these officers. However, here in the lakeside terrace party, those Academy students were extremely young, more or less kind of arrogant in nature. Therefore, some students did not hold the anger in the heart and sneered towards the backs of a few officers and then said, "Even if Xu s.h.i.+ personally comes here, he won"t dare to disrespect out Academy a little bit. But these military soldiers are actually acting so supercilious."

Xu s.h.i.+ was a defender-general of the State, certainly the No.1 of the imperial army. But in those proud Academy students" eyes, he seemed to not be particularly powerful. Those Tang officers who were striding forward suddenly stopped upon hearing the words. The young general turned his head and coldly looked at the Academy students.

After a moment of silence, the young general said in a faint tone of irony, "It turned out to be the Academy students. In spring, you don"t go hunting in the mountains but hang around together in the city. Our successive generation is really worse and worse."

The Academy students on the terrace could not tolerate it, so they all got up and wanted to argue with him. Unexpectedly the young general did not retreat and seriously continued, "When I read in the Academy, the proud one must have true ability. Now you guys only learned a little

a little superficial knowledge but began to show off the joking talent... "

Until listening to these words did all the students know that the young general was actually a Senior Brother from the Academy. They could not help but keep silent and did not know what to say. But the young general did not let go of them and reprimanded. "Even if Xu s.h.i.+ personally comes here, he won"t dare to disrespect Academy a little bit? You are right indeed. But you must remember that General Xu respects the dean and the instructors, not useless students like you!"

"In the future, behave yourselves outside. If let me hear the Academy students giving some arrogant comments again, don"t blame me for beating you based on the Academy rules!"

The first lesson of the Academy was about etiquette, which was also the rule. The Academy"s rule was that one who had the bigger power or higher status was in the right. It was the teaching that all students have long kept in mind. At this time, they heard that the Academy predecessor was about to take out the Academy rules, so naturally no one dared to randomly retort.

Situ Yilan opened the veil, looking at the situation here. Then she could not help but laugh suddenly and said when looking at the young general, "Hua Brother, you"re a dignified Senior Captain of Gushan Commandery. Why are you angry with those little sisters and brothers?"

Listening to these words, the students looked at the young general with even more different eyes. Gushan Commandery Senior Captain Hua Shanyue... was a famous character of this young generation in the Tang military. No wonder that he behaved so powerfully previously.

Hua Shanyue looked at Situ Yilann who had come from behind the veil and sighed to shake his head. He said, "I forgot that you this girl is still studying in the Academy. There is something urgent today. I"ll go to greet the general tomorrow evening."

Situ Yilan glanced at the most secluded backyard in Victory House and guessed out who he was to see after anxiously coming back from Gushan Commandery. After a slight smile, she said, "Later I"ll go inside to pay my respects."

"Of course you can." Hua Shanyue faintly glanced at the Academy students around and suddenly saw some familiar faces in the corner. He slightly hesitated but did not say anything and continued with a smile, "You can take Wucai. But don"t bring other unrelated people."

"Here are the best students of the Academy," Situ Yilan gave him an untraceable reminding with a smile .

Hua Shanyue gratefully smiled and understood what she wanted to say. Then he quickly left after greeting a bow with hands folded in front

When everyone was drunk, the lively place became more lively and the desolate one more desolate. Situ Yilan unexpectedly avoided the eyes of the other students and quietly went to the most humble corner behind the veil. She looked at Ning Que who stretched his half body to look for a frog and frowned to say, "Why don"t you want to talk to them?"

"An abominable look and boring speeches." Ning Que saw a water reptile on the moss of the lake sneak into the dark and regretfully sighed. He turned around and looked at her to say, "This is probably what I look in their eyes, so why should I have to get close to affect their appet.i.tes?"

Situ Yilan seriously looked at him and said, " You"ve been wandering like a ghost for these months. I really don"t understand it. Don"t you want to justify yourself by telling them that you didn"t avoid the semester exam gamble?"

"The semester exam gamble is really a boring thing. Of course, I"m not used to being wronged. But since being wronged, I"ll look weak, diffident and disgusting to join them again."

Ning Que answered with a smile, "Of course I"ll justify myself."

Situ Yilan asked, "When?"

Ning Que thought for a moment and then uncertainly replied, "Maybe... the day after tomorrow?"