Ning Que woke up and sighed before he even opened his eyes due to a splitting headache. The pain confused him, and he could not remember the last thing that happened at the Building of Pines and Cranes. He wasn't sure if his headache was due to a hangover or something else.
He thought for a long time before he remembered the tall old man in fox-fur robes. He thought about the thick, short rod in the man's hand and understood the reason for his headache. He could not help feeling angry, or perhaps, a little ashamed. He was angry that the man had actually dared to hit him, and was ashamed that he, a core disciple of the Headmaster of the Academy, had been beaten by a frail rich man of Chang'an.