Master and disciple estranged.
The people gathered below the city had no way of knowing that the old man frozen on the street was the esteemed Grand Tutor. Passersby walked past him without a second thought, the ebb and flow of the crowd completely obscuring the figure in his eyes.
He did not act, not because he lacked the ability.
The dignified Grand Tutor stood at the apex of the entire Tatu Kingdom. With a mere flick of his finger, he could reduce the young scholar to dust.
From a strategic perspective, he should have eliminated the young scholar.
Although the scholar was not well-known within the Tatu Kingdom, any scholar within the academy commanded greater renown among their peers than he did.
Yet, the Grand Tutor knew precisely the talent that the young scholar possessed.
He had once intended for this scholar to assist the Seventh Prince. No matter how incompetent the Seventh Prince was, with the scholar by his side, the Tatu Kingdom's fate would remain stable.
However, the scholar had chosen to align himself with Chen Yu.
If Chen Yu were to receive the assistance of this young scholar, he would truly be a tiger with wings. If he harbored ambitions of conquest, the Tatu Kingdom's decline would be irreversible.
Even as the young scholar's figure disappeared from sight, the Grand Tutor watched with profound emotion.
"Grand Tutor."
After an indeterminate period, a soft call by his ear drew the Grand Tutor out of the slideshow playing in his mind. He turned slightly, seeing the Seventh Prince's attendant standing before him.
"What is it?"
The sentimentality that had moments before flickered in his eyes instantly transformed into sharp intensity. Beneath his aged gaze, a ferocious tiger seemed to lie in wait, captivating the soul.
The Seventh Prince's attendant flinched backward several paces, startled.
"His Highness has been waiting for you for some time. He attempted to contact you multiple times without a response, so he sent me to find you." The attendant kept his head bowed very low, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on his back involuntarily.
The Grand Tutor before him was notoriously ruthless.
The Grand Tutor remained silent, his gaze fixed on the receding figure of the young scholar. This silence intensified the attendant's growing unease.
"In the end, it comes to this."
The Grand Tutor muttered to himself, a tremor running through him. The attendant, his heart pounding, did not hear clearly. Steelings himself, he was about to speak when he saw the Grand Tutor suddenly turn back.
"Do you know what the person who was with me earlier looked like?"
"You mean the young scholar?" the attendant's voice trembled slightly. "Yes… yes, I saw him a few times when you visited the Seventh Prince's manor."
"In half an hour, send someone out of the city to apprehend him."
The Grand Tutor exhaled softly and whispered, "If you catch him, kill him outright."
The attendant was bewildered.
Huh?!
Wasn't that young scholar the Grand Tutor's disciple? Why would the Grand Tutor suddenly want to take his life? Had some conflict arisen between them?
As rumored, the Grand Tutor was indeed heartless and cruel.
Only, the attendant found it perplexing.
If that were the case, why wait another half hour?
Despite his confusion, he dared not ask further. Observing the Grand Tutor's displeased expression, he feared that his head might not remain on his neck if he probed too deeply.
"Please, rest assured."
The attendant bowed his head with feigned confidence, and the Grand Tutor finally retracted his gaze.
"Remember, half an hour."
When the Grand Tutor arrived at the meeting place with the Seventh Prince, the prince was already seated on the main throne. A projection was being displayed from his wrist device, his fingers frequently tapping on it.
The soft sound of footsteps reached his ears, and the Seventh Prince, seated on the throne, immediately shut down the projection.
"Who?!"
"Your Highness, it is your humble servant." The aged voice drifted from the hall entrance. Seeing that the newcomer was the Grand Tutor, the Seventh Prince's expression shifted slightly. He discreetly tucked his wrist device away and rose from his seat with a face full of smiles. "Grand Tutor, you have finally arrived. I have already drunk a whole pot of fruit wine waiting for you."
The Seventh Prince greeted him with a welcoming smile. Noticing the absence of the scholar beside the Grand Tutor, he raised an eyebrow.
"That scholar is not here."
"He, ah, he went out of the city," the Grand Tutor murmured softly, not dwelling on the topic. "May I inquire why Your Highness was so eager to summon this old servant?"
"Please, sit."
The Seventh Prince gently offered a hand to the Grand Tutor, guiding him to a seat.
"There is no great matter in summoning the Grand Tutor. I merely wish to ask how I should proceed with my plans going forward. As you can see, that old dog, the Chief Financial Officer, is dead set on opposing me and supporting the eldest prince. My financial requests have been rejected multiple times. Without funds, I cannot maintain my soldiers. Furthermore, I wish to apologize to you."
"Why would Your Highness need to apologize to this old servant?" the Grand Tutor asked with suspicion.
"Ah, it's about the matter in Hurricane City," the Seventh Prince rubbed his hands together, feigning a casual smile. "I had previously enfeoffed a countess. You know she is loyal to me. She is a good person in every way, but she has a temper. Although she is a woman, she is also quite ambitious. A few days ago, she had a dispute with Hai Luosi, who is under your command, and led her troops to destroy Hai Luosi's city."
At this point, the Seventh Prince paused briefly, subtly observing the Grand Tutor's reaction.
"Ahem..."
"I only learned of this matter recently, and I immediately reprimanded her. Hai Luosi has seemingly already been slain by her, but the city remains. I was thinking, perhaps the Grand Tutor could send someone else there, and I will have her return these cities to you."
Seated on the throne, the Grand Tutor's expression remained unchanged. He picked up the fruit wine prepared for him and took a sip.
"Is it only for this matter?"
"A few cities are nothing of great consequence. Moreover, what difference is there between the cities under my command and your cities? They were always prepared for you."
"This..." the Seventh Prince feigned difficulty. "We cannot say it like that, can we?"
"Let us discuss the important matters."
The Grand Tutor suddenly placed the fruit wine on the table, his entire demeanor shifting. Noticing this, the Seventh Prince also composed himself, his expression becoming solemn.
"The Chief Financial Officer supporting the eldest is merely prolonging the inevitable."
"What he holds is capital."
"Once you ascend to the throne, his advantage will vanish. This old servant believes Your Highness need not worry about this. Your focus should remain on seizing the throne. As long as you become the next monarch, the entire kingdom will serve you. Why then should you concern yourself with such a minor figure as the Chief Financial Officer?"
The Seventh Prince sighed deeply and shook his head.
"The problem is, if he does not provide funds, how am I supposed to expand my forces to swallow the territory of Hurricane City? You yourself said that the powers in Hurricane City are complexly entrenched, and not without the shadows of my uncles."
As he finished speaking, the Seventh Prince leaned back in his chair, fatigue etched on his face.
He raised his fruit wine and downed it in several gulps.
"Therefore, this old servant suggests you temporarily abandon the competition for Hurricane City."
The Grand Tutor's words were spoken softly. The Seventh Prince, leaning against his chair, was jolted awake as if struck by lightning and immediately stood up, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"What did you say? Abandon the competition for Fengqi City?"
"This is absolutely impossible!"