Chapter 53: Peace In The Night
Mo Zheng walked in and first lit the indoor lamps.
“Young Lady, studying hard also requires lighting lamps. For reading, you still have to be willing to spend on candle money,” she said.
Actually, after she returned, she had been thinking about things and hadn’t been studying hard. Yang Luo thought to herself, and moreover, she hadn’t entered the National Academy for reading.
“Steamed meat and crispy fish from Apricot Flower Tower.” Mo Zheng placed the meal on the table. “Celebrating the smooth end of Young Lady’s first day of reading.”
Did she go out to buy it after returning home? She had been lost in thought and hadn’t noticed. This young guard was truly happy for her reading and even celebrated for her. Yang Luo sighed inwardly, but she didn’t even plan to tell him about Wei Jiao coming to the National Academy.
Not just this matter, she was hiding many things from this youth. She suddenly felt a bit guilty.
Yang Luo stood up and took out a small box from her book bag, retrieving two pieces of pastry.
“These are pastries made by the imperial kitchen that the Princess brought to the National Academy,” she said. “I secretly packed two for you to try.”
Mo Zheng looked at the pastries she had already eaten today, somewhat surprised.
She knew Miss Yang wasn’t at the National Academy for reading, and today she had faced the reappearing Miss of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, which must have been mentally exhausting.
She hadn’t expected her to still remember to bring pastries made by the imperial kitchen for her.
No matter how many things she was hiding, no matter what selfish motives she had, the moment this young lady saw the pastries and thought to let her try them, it was sincere. A hint of smile flashed in Mo Zheng’s eyes.
“Young Lady reading well is great; it lets the guard eat imperial food!” she said, raising her brow and reaching out to take them, popping them into her mouth. “When settling the remuneration later, it can offset some.”
Yang Luo was amused: “Then you must guard me well; there will be more benefits in the future.”
Mo Zheng hooked over a wooden stool with her foot and sat down: “Easy to say. Young Lady, eat quickly; you still have to continue reading tomorrow.”
The National Academy’s classes for the Princess and companions were four days on, three days off, no classes on holidays.
Today was the first day; she still had to go to class tomorrow.
Yang Luo nodded. Yes, as long as she didn’t die in a day, she had to keep going.
“You sit down and eat too,” she said with a smile. “Tomorrow you’ll still need to escort me for reading.”
Mo Zheng said okay, sat down, picked up bowl and chopsticks, and ate heartily.
Twilight fell, and the academy’s day of study ended.
The Library students had dispersed. The on-duty guard carried a food box and lantern upstairs to deliver the meal to the Libationer.
Wang Zaitian’s meal was simple: a pot of hot tea, a piece of dry rations, a piece of stewed meat.
As the on-duty guard delivered the meal and was about to leave, Wang Zaitian thought of something and asked, “Wei Jiao came today?”
The on-duty guard nodded: “Came in the morning.”
This Wei Jiao claimed to be studying with Wang Zaitian, but he actually never came near him, and the teachers coming and going didn’t even know.
“The Princess came to find him and wrote calligraphy in the book pavilion to accompany him,” the on-duty guard continued.
Wang Zaitian nodded: “No wonder I felt like someone was talking downstairs earlier.” With that, he broke off a piece of dry rations and started eating.
The on-duty guard withdrew, walking down the stairs, then looked back up at the building as something occurred to him.
“What’s wrong?” the guard at the doorway asked.
The food-delivery guard looked at him: “So, did Wei Jiao leave?”
Wei Jiao had a strange temper and didn’t greet them, and they didn’t want to look at him more.
The doorway guard said: “He went to see off the Princess when she left, so naturally he left with her.”
The food-delivery guard remembered, and thinking of how the floor where Wei Jiao usually stayed had been silent when he came down earlier, he shook his head: “He probably won’t come tomorrow either. Who knows what use coming here has.”
“The title of Disciple of the Libationer sounds good,” the doorway guard said. “Though he did maddeningly insane things, who doesn’t want a good reputation.”
The two chatted while sitting down to eat, and the Library returned to quiet.
Night enveloped the entire academy.
Wei Jiao woke up from the pile of torn books. All he saw was pitch black; in the darkness, he had a moment of bewilderment, not knowing where he was or what day it was.
His lips moved instinctively to call out “Mother,” but the moment he opened his mouth, his mind cleared, and he clamped his lips shut.
He knew what time it was now, that he was no longer a four- or five-year-old child, and that his mother was gone.
Wei Jiao slowly sat up. His gaze adapted to the darkness, and he reached out to touch his dry lips.
He hadn’t eaten or drunk all day.
The people here at the Library wouldn’t remember to send him tea or meals.
But it didn’t matter; he was used to being forgotten.
He also knew that a person wouldn’t die from a few days without food or water.
Moreover, many things in this world could be eaten.
Wei Jiao reached down and grabbed a handful of paper from the floor, stuffing it into his mouth, handful after handful, chewing and swallowing nonstop until he couldn’t stuff anymore.
He exhaled, stretching lazily.
“Slept well, ate full,” he said. “Can continue reading now.”
He didn’t light a lamp either, reaching accurately for a book scroll on the desk.
His hand brushed over it, feeling the roughness of the paper. By the dim yellow light of the palace lantern hanging on the Library’s flying eaves outside, he saw the perfunctory writing on it.
The book he was reading wasn’t a rare treasure from the Library, but one copied by students.
Copied so perfunctorily and sent over, it had to be Ling Yu.
“The Dao constantly does nothing yet nothing is left undone. If the human heart is for goodness, then the Heavenly Dao is for goodness…”
Wei Jiao read this sentence aloud, then sneered and tore it down.
In the darkness, it seemed a woman’s fair figure appeared before his eyes again…
“Pah.” He spat at the phantom before him, and the woman’s figure dissipated. “All beasts!”
The book scroll in his hand was instantly torn into paper scraps and flung up, scattering like snowflakes.
……
…….
Night deepened, accompanied by the final curfew drumbeat. Seventh Master Wei returned to the Wei Family Old Residence with his attendants.
The courtyard house, simply cleaned and lit with a few lamps, was much better than yesterday, but most rooms were still silent and eerily desolate.
Wei Xu came out with half his face swollen: “How did it go? What did he say this time? It couldn’t still be the Emperor and Empress dining together and not seeing anyone, right?”
An attendant said: “Didn’t see him. Said he went to the National Academy to study. Waited a day, didn’t return even after dark. The Embroidered Uniform said he’s burning the midnight oil studying hard.”
Wei Xu glared: “Him, an Embroidered Uniform Guard Captain, studying what books? The lies get more absurd.”
Seventh Master Wei sat down and waved: “This isn’t absurd. Back then, the Great General sent him to the capital to study with Wang Zaitian, and now Wang Zaitian is the National Academy Libationer.”
Wei Xu was stunned: “Studying? Wasn’t he sent as a hostage to appease the Emperor…”
Seventh Master Wei scolded: “Shut your mouth!”
Wei Xu shut up and said no more.
Seventh Master Wei glared at him, then swept his gaze over the others.
“Watch your words. We’re not in Longxi now, but in the Capital City,” he said, then looked outside. “Under Deng Shan’s feet.”
Although Emperor Deng Shan was of humble origin, he had gained the realm and been Emperor for over ten years, truly the Son of Heaven by Heaven’s mandate.
None of the realm’s subjects dared address him by name directly, even forgetting his original name.
At this moment, under the Son of Heaven, the Seventh Master Wei from Longxi—who held no official position—casually uttered this name.
And whether Wei Xu or the attendants, none were surprised, clearly accustomed to it.
The Wei Clan of Longxi, though rising in arms a bit later than Deng Shan, was equally matched in power.
It was just that Deng Shan ascended the throne first, making one the ruler and the other a minister.
The Wei Clan was not convinced.
