Chapter 183: Go See Wei Jiao
Night deepened, and the lamp in the Libationer’s room at the highest level of the Library went out.
Except for the one lamp lit at the on-duty Instructor’s place, the entire Library fell quiet.
Mo Zheng climbed silently onto the attic in the night, pressed against a windowside, and gently knocked: “Senior Brother, Senior Brother, Senior Brother.”
The originally tightly closed window suddenly opened, and Mo Zheng instantly slid to the side to avoid being knocked down.
Wei Jiao emerged from the night, the bell inlaid with a Luminous Pearl hanging on the attic’s flying eaves swaying with the night wind, casting spots of starlight on his face.
Mo Zheng smiled at this face: “Senior Brother, I came to see if you’ve gone to sleep.”
With that, she flipped sharply into the Indoor, while pulling the window shut.
Miss Yang moved out of the Temporary Palace to live in the National Academy, and Wei Jiao followed: “My injury was caused by her dragging me down; she has to take responsibility for looking after me.”
The Emperor did not stop Wei Jiao’s nonsense; firstly, he had asked the Imperial Physician, and Wei Jiao’s injury was already stable—as long as he continued recuperating until full recovery, it didn’t matter where he stayed; secondly, the Emperor had told Wei Jiao Miss Yang’s real identity, of course, the fake Miss Yang.
The Maidservant being the real Miss Yang was something the Emperor did not tell Wei Jiao.
So Wei Jiao came to the National Academy, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard would also be here, which provided protection for Miss Yang and suited the Emperor’s intentions perfectly.
The Libationer naturally would not object, after all, Wei Jiao was also his Disciple.
The Indoor was pitch black; Mo Zheng felt the scattered book scrolls underfoot, searching for a place to stand, and heard Wei Jiao’s voice from behind.
“First there were birds chirping wildly in the middle of the night, and now you break in at night—are you concerned whether I’ve slept, or deliberately not letting me sleep?”
Mo Zheng ignored his words and swept away a few book scrolls to find a footing.
“Senior Brother, I suspect…” she said in a lowered voice.
“No need to suspect; everyone wants to harm you,” Wei Jiao said lazily.
It was this same phrase all day long; he was tired of hearing it.
Mo Zheng laughed in the night.
“His Majesty is hosting a birthday banquet for Marquis Yichun, and Marquis Yichun asked my Uncle to bring me along too—definitely up to no good,” she continued.
Wei Jiao said: “Definitely; why would he have good intentions toward you? Your Father Emperor knows too; just go tell your Father Emperor, and don’t disturb my sleep.”
Mo Zheng stepped forward: “Because I don’t trust my Father Emperor, just like I don’t trust my Uncle.”
Only trust him? Wei Jiao pursed his lips: “Then don’t go.”
“That won’t do; if I don’t go, how can the world see his ill intentions,” Mo Zheng said.
Wei Jiao couldn’t help but chuckle.
This dog thing.
“Miss Yang has courage, strategy, and manpower, so go ahead and see his ill intentions to your heart’s content,” he said, sitting down. “Don’t disturb my recuperation.”
“No, although I have courage, strategy, and manpower, Marquis Yichun is too formidable; I must have someone formidable to help too,” Mo Zheng said, sitting beside Wei Jiao. “So Senior Brother, you must go too; I’m at ease only if you’re with me.”
Wei Jiao yawned: “Tired of hearing such sweet talk.”
As his words fell, he felt the person beside him lean closer and stuff something into his hand…
It was a book scroll.
Beside his ear was a girl’s soft voice.
“This is a book scroll I copied by hand; Senior Brother, take it to tear and play with.”
Wei Jiao raised his brow, sneering inwardly, but his voice remained lazy: “A book? This is the Library; books are the last thing in short supply. Gifting a book shows no Sincerity.”
Though he said that, he did not throw away the book scroll she had placed on him.
Mo Zheng leaned closer, lowering her voice: “I can also serve you; you know I have courage, strategy, and manpower. Captain, what case are you investigating lately? I can help.”
She paused here.
“I heard you mention the Jiang Wangchun case at the Temporary Palace—is that the Jiang Wangchun from Zhao County whose entire family was killed?”
In the dark night, Wei Jiao’s Gaze turned to her, narrowing slightly; the next moment, soft hands tugged at his Sleeve.
“Senior Brother, that’s where we first met; we heard a lot of News at the Inn back then—maybe something can help you.”
First meeting…
Wei Jiao involuntarily pictured that Young Guard’s figure before his eyes.
He straightened up, leaning close to her: “Princess, first you interfered and made us Embroidered Uniform Guards stop investigating Chai Du, and now you want to interfere in our other cases—I can’t help but suspect your ulterior motives.”
The girl sighed lightly in the night: “Senior Brother, I want to help you.” Then she paused. “Yes, I do have selfish motives too—because of my Mother, I won’t acknowledge kin or become Princess, so…”
In the dark night, Wei Jiao saw the girl’s eyes sparkling; she had almost leaned right up to him, baring her fine white teeth.
“I’ll join the Embroidered Uniform Guards too, and do great things with you.”
What crazy great things! This dog thing was even madder than him; Wei Jiao Raised hand and pushed her away.
“Fine, Princess; when I die, the position will be passed to you,” he said irritably.
Mo Zheng hurriedly said: “Senior Brother, you mustn’t die—you must live to a ripe old age!”
“Before living to a ripe old age, can the Princess let me recuperate in peace first?” Wei Jiao sneered.
As his words fell, the person beside him immediately stood and headed to the Windowside: “Senior Brother, recuperate well; I’ll take my leave first.”
The person pushed open the window, gripped the windowsill, and flipped out; the next moment, she leaned back in.
The Luminous Pearl on the eaves bell cast scattered spots of light on her face, rippling like Lake water.
“Senior Brother, remember to come to Marquis Yichun’s birthday banquet.”
With that, without waiting for Wei Jiao’s response, the person disappeared again, not returning this time.
Wei Jiao sat on the ground looking at the half-open window, clearly hearing the girl quickly descending and landing on the ground.
He seemed to see her figure like a swallow in the night, flitting across the covered walkway toward the Courtyard where she lived.
Wei Jiao did not go to close the window either, lying back amid the pile of scattered Paper, letting out a light laugh.
A bunch of nonsense, but one sentence was true.
She just wanted him to go to the birthday banquet with her.
She was very capable, but she also needed his help.
Wei Jiao raised his uninjured hand before his eyes; the book scroll that dog thing had stuffed him was still gripped in his hand.
A book scroll she copied by hand.
This kind of gift was… not too strange.
Most of the ones stuffed in his Indoor were copied by Disciples of the National Academy, including that Ling Yu.
But hers was different.
Those people did it to stop him from tearing other books, to block him.
She did not.
She knew he liked it, so she specially gave it to him to tear.
This was a book specially gifted to him to make him happy.
In the Library at half-height in the night, a lamp suddenly lit up; in the lamplight, sheets of Paper were torn open, fluttered up, then fell.
…
…
Duke Ding’an stood outside the National Academy gate, taking a deep breath.
“Father, don’t be afraid; if she still won’t see us, we can say we’re looking for A Hui,” his son Yang Shanshu said from behind. “Then they have no reason to make us stand outside the gate.”
Duke Ding’an thought, not necessarily.
His son had never entered the National Academy and did not know about the Libationer there or Ling Yu’s eccentric habits.
Moreover, after the Temporary Palace incident, and recalling the palace visit—twice being left waiting and punished to stand—he had realized something.
The Emperor and A Luo probably had already… recognized each other.
Duke Ding’an couldn’t help breathing rapidly.
In that instant, he thought of many things.
He shouldn’t have come; he should leave.
But he should come too.
Not coming had its own rationale; coming had its reasons too.
Duke Ding’an just felt restless, closing his eyes briefly.
“Uncle, are you here for me?”
A girl’s voice came from ahead.
Duke Ding’an hurriedly opened his eyes and saw Miss Yang walking slowly over, followed by the Maidservant.
“A Luo,” Duke Ding’an hurriedly greeted happily, asking repeatedly, “How are you? Feeling better? Earlier at the Temporary Palace, they said you were recuperating and couldn’t see anyone; your Aunt and I were worried sick.”
Yang Shanshu frowned beside him: “Cousin, regardless of your Injury Condition, you should have told the family; how could you let your elders worry? The Sage once said…”
His words were cut off by Mo Zheng.
“This is Cousin, right?” she said with a joyful expression. “Cousin is back—great! Yang Hui isn’t good at studies; I couldn’t discuss things with her. In the future, Cousin can help me solve difficult problems.”
With that, she signaled to A Luo.
A Luo stepped forward and stuffed several sheets of Paper to Yang Shanshu.
“Trouble Cousin to look over these questions and answer them.”
Yang Shanshu looked at the Paper stuffed into his hand; just one glance at the questions made his eyes spin—this, what is this…
Seeing his son instantly dumbfounded and silent, Duke Ding’an knew this was his Niece doing it on purpose.
Fine, he wouldn’t reproach or ask about it; tormenting his son was better than tormenting him, the father.
He had come today for something important.
“A Luo,” he said warmly to Miss Yang, “There’s something I need to tell you: tomorrow the Imperial Palace is hosting a Banquet, and an Invitation was sent to our Yang Family. Since you’re also a Young Lady of the Yang Family, I think you should…”
Before his words finished, Miss Yang nodded happily.
“I want to go,” she said.
So agreeable? Duke Ding’an was stunned, then saw Miss Yang looking toward the Imperial City, chin slightly Lifted, expression arrogant.
“I must, absolutely have to go.”
Have to go out tomorrow, won’t be able to write updates; see you all the day after~
