Apparently, Zhu Yu isn’t the only one who wants to hear gossip.

A friend at the same table quickly chimed in, asking, "Why does this rhyme about burning through nine eaves sound so bad? Isn’t it just a children’s song? Probably kids just making stuff up!"

"What do you know!" The scholar speaking curled his lip, "The so-called ’stove,’ isn’t it similar to ’Zhao’?

And what is the ’nine eaves’? Do average homes deserve to be called nine eaves? Even the grand estates where nobles live don’t quite fit, do they? So what could it be? Isn’t it obvious?"

"So it’s referring to...inside the palace walls?" His companion realized, "Then with someone from the Zhao Family setting fire that burns through nine eaves... it does sound off!"

"What’s the big deal!" The scholar grinned and raised his eyebrows, asking the others, "You’ve all heard the rhyme before, haven’t you? What’s the next line?"

"The startled deer at the deep abyss, hooves trapped in the sky..." another person whispered, and following the scholar’s lead, changed his expression slightly, "This deer... isn’t that alluding to the current Holy Emperor’s surname?"

"More than that!" The scholar used the tip of his chopsticks to dab some wine from the cup, wrote the characters on the table, "This ’startled deer at the deep abyss, hooves in the sky,’ doesn’t that mean the ’deer’ is scared, its body falls into the abyss, and its hooves point upwards!

We might not have seen a deer, but surely we’ve seen horses, right? When its hooves are pointed upwards stuck in an abyss and can’t move, what good ending is there? It’s clearly a desperate situation!"

"Oh...this...this..." The others at the table were astonished by his analysis, starting to discuss and marvel at what he’d said.

Their conversation drew the attention of drinkers at the neighboring table, a Big Beard turned his body, leaned over, and said to the scholars, "I’ve heard that rhyme on the street too, didn’t think much of it, but hearing you all break it down... it really is like that...

What does ’cracked iron pot, boiling oil fried’ mean?

And ’bronze juice flooding the golden pillar’ what does it mean?

That’s why you guys read the Holy Books! Unlike us rough folks, after all this time, we still couldn’t tell the rhyme had issues!"

The speaker had a rough, pockmarked face, coupled with his big beard, which made him look rather intimidating. The scholars were slightly startled when he first spoke.

But after hearing Big Beard’s words, the scholar eased up, pleasantly buzzed with wine, and passionately engaged in the conversation. Plus, topics in Yunyin Pavilion usually stayed within Yunyin Pavilion; in the past, drinkers talked freely without fear of informants causing trouble, so he relaxed quickly.

"Isn’t it simple! ’Iron pot’ corresponds directly to ’stove fire’ earlier! It’s still talking about the Zhao Family! A pot is a cauldron; a cauldron is a pot, meaning Zhao Family’s trouble leads to chaos throughout the land, in other words, widespread instability and suffering people!

The ’boiling oil fried’ is even easier to explain, it implies dire straits!

The final line ’bronze juice flooding the golden pillar,’ isn’t it more or less the same? It means the empire’s downfall, the palace’s collapse!"

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Big Beard, slap his forehead in surprise, "I said this wine wasn’t wasted today!

If it weren’t for what you gentlemen mentioned, I’d still be completely oblivious!

Tomorrow morning, I must tell my wife to keep an eye on our little brats, make sure their mouths behave, such treasonous rhymes must not be sung!"

After expressing his thoughts, Big Beard bowed to them, turned back, and didn’t speak further.

Though Big Beard had no more doubts, the others with the scholar seemed less at ease.

"This year can we still pass the examinations?" one of them asked, looking troubled at his companions, "Even if everything goes well, and we make it to the list... it’s rumored that every provincial exam, those who make a name for themselves... it’s settled by that noble with the Zhao surname...

They say, no matter your skills or talents, unless you actively attach yourself to that noble’s door, there’s no chance of success.

Haven’t you heard? The Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is his student... this... in the past it was fine, if we wanted a chance to make our mark, surely we’d ally ourselves with someone.

But... there are so many rumors, even the rhyme has already exposed it like this...

At this juncture, to seek affiliation with that noble, if he succeeds, we might have a way to survive, if he fails... aren’t we done for?"

"Hehehehe..." The scholar who initially spoke about this matter chuckled, shook his head, nodded towards his companion, "You, who usually seem so worried, I didn’t expect you to be this optimistic."

"What do you mean!" the person asked, bewildered.

"I mean, with developments like these, whether we even have exams this year is unknown!" The scholar sighed deeply, "If the situation truly unravels, never mind exams, whether we can keep our heads is uncertain.

The Capital isn’t like other places, when turmoil erupts, even remote areas offer greater chances of survival.

The Capital, now bustling with nightlife and prosperity, when chaos ensues, it’s the deepest abyss.

You gentlemen have spent years studying the Holy Books, surely you know in past upheavals, whether it’s rebel sieges or counterattacks, as key figures in the Capital are constantly replaced, civilians become needless casualties.

Thus, I’ve been pondering, and fueled by the drink today, I’ve finally made up my mind.

Consider today’s drinking session a farewell from you gentlemen, as I’m leaving the scholar’s inn tomorrow, embarking back home."

He paused here, seemingly filled with melancholy, summoning the resolve to announce in their surprised eyes, he sighed before continuing, "I’ve thought it over, with my current age, there’s no urgency to earn merits...

If the land is peaceful, in a year or two, I can come back for the exams.

If chaos inevitably arises... even if survival is impossible, at least... I’d prefer to perish alongside my parents and siblings, better than becoming a wandering soul in a foreign land..."