Chapter 75: Ling Yu’s Curiosity
“Teacher!”
Ling Yu was just about to pass through the covered walkway when he saw Wang Zaitian coming from the direction of the palace where the princess was reading.
Wang Zaitian approached with hands behind his back, swaying slightly, glanced at him, and saw that Ling Yu wasn’t holding any book in his hand: “Why are you running around instead of reading?”
Ling Yu also frowned and looked in the direction Wang Zaitian came from: “Teacher, why are you wandering around instead of reading?”
Wang Zaitian stroked his beard: “What wandering? I’m the Libationer, checking on students in class is my duty.”
“That’s not what you said before.” Ling Yu said, “You said we two should take this opportunity to read all the books in the Library, and absolutely not get distracted with other matters.”
Wang Zaitian glared at him, made a shushing gesture, the passing student instructors saw him and greeted him with surprise, Wang Zaitian smiled again, nodding with a smile.
Ling Yu snorted coldly beside him: “See, everyone is surprised to see you out. What exactly have you been doing? I was studying behind closed doors when I heard students outside say you went to watch the princesses reading.”
Wang Zaitian lifted his foot and walked toward the Library, saying: “You already know, why ask.”
“How could you possibly go watch the princesses reading?” Ling Yu followed and said.
“No matter what, we have to give His Majesty some face.” Wang Zaitian said with a chuckle.
Ling Yu continued to ask: “Then why not go on the first day the princesses came?”
Wang Zaitian chuckled: “If I went on the first day, wouldn’t that make me lose face?”
Ling Yu was somewhat speechless; when it came to talking, he couldn’t outtalk the teacher.
While talking, they arrived at the Library, greeted the guarding instructors, and Wang Zaitian went straight to the highest level, Ling Yu followed in.
“I still feel like you have something going on, teacher.” He said, sitting down without picking up a book to read, pondering what was unusual today.
Wang Zaitian’s every day was very simple: eat, read, sleep; every five days meet with the National Academy’s instructors to discuss miscellaneous matters, every month give one Grand Lecture.
Today was neither time to handle miscellaneous matters nor time for the Grand Lecture, so like the day before, just eat and read.
The only anomaly was…
A Sheng’s cousin!
Ling Yu suddenly lifted his head: “Teacher!”
Wang Zaitian was already holding a book reading, startled by him: “What are you shouting for? Mind the demeanor of scholars.”
The teacher shouting was even less dignified than him, Ling Yu muttered in his heart, ignored his rebuke, sat up straight, eyes gleaming as he stared at Wang Zaitian behind the desk: “What did A Sheng’s letter to you say?”
Yesterday he went to the door as usual to bring A Sheng in, but didn’t see A Sheng, then asked the instructors on the princess companion reader side, saying Miss Liu didn’t come.
When a guard seeks a living, there’s no choice; if the young lady doesn’t read, he can’t come read.
Ling Yu felt lost for a moment.
Before going out today, he first asked the instructors, who said Miss Liu had come, but when he went out, he still didn’t see A Sheng; the one who came was A Sheng’s cousin.
This cousin said: “A Sheng has matters and went out; also, she wrote a letter to Mister Wang, please Young Master Ling deliver it.”
Sure enough, she was sent away and couldn’t come; Ling Yu took the letter—A Sheng truly had the gentlemanly demeanor, polite; though after coming she didn’t see the teacher, but since not coming, she personally wrote a letter to the teacher.
He personally delivered the letter to the Library; at that time Wang Zaitian was busy gnawing dry cakes and reading, only said to put it on the table.
“Teacher, take a look, it’s handwritten by A Sheng.” He had urged.
Then he went back.
Then he heard students say the Libationer went to watch the princesses reading.
Ling Yu leaned forward and asked: “Did it say for you to keep an eye on his young lady, so you went over there to check?”
Wang Zaitian lifted his head: “One sentence from him? What makes him think he has that much face? You’re looking down on your teacher too much, aren’t you?”
Ling Yu ignored what he said, already shaking his head: “No, A Sheng isn’t the type to trouble others to watch over someone for her.”
Although during the examination, A Sheng asked for his help, but that help was actually still personally written by A Sheng herself.
After enrollment, he also asked once if he needed to look after this Miss Liu; A Sheng smiled and refused, saying his family’s young lady was very capable.
She wouldn’t even ask her fellow disciple brother, how could she trouble the teacher? That’s not A Sheng’s style.
Ling Yu’s gaze searched the desk.
“A Sheng’s letter, let me see.”
Wang Zaitian waved irritably: “Go go go, don’t look at what isn’t yours; why look at someone else’s letter? Want to know something, wait for her to come back and ask yourself.”
Ling Yu looked over the desk; on the desk brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were in a mess, no letter.
“You brat, you don’t listen to what I say, just make up your own wild thoughts.” Wang Zaitian fumed, “Wasn’t I just going to watch the princesses reading? They came to the National Academy as students; what’s wrong with me checking on students reading? You insist my behavior is suspicious; fine, then I’ll make it even more suspicious…”
He looked at Ling Yu, eyes narrowing.
“For the Grand Lecture mid-month, have the princess and companion readers all come to listen.”
……
……
Ling Yu left the Library holding two stacks of books.
The teacher was skilled at verbal sophistry; questioning wouldn’t get anything out of him.
But he firmly believed that the teacher’s sudden strange behavior must have a reason.
When he walked to the covered walkway, there was some noise ahead, but it was different from the noise of scholars after class; it was the cheerful chirping of young ladies—it was the princesses and their companion readers after class.
Ling Yu stopped and prepared to avoid them, but thinking of A Sheng, he subconsciously looked over there…
He didn’t know what that Miss Liu had A Sheng do.
When could he get A Sheng back?
If he had known he was going out, he should have given him two scrolls of books to carry and read.
But a person begging for a living probably doesn’t have time to read.
A mountain breeze blew, making the women’s laughter even lighter. Ling Yu sighed softly in his heart, withdrew his gaze, hugged his books, and walked toward his study quarters.
The tall stack of books blocked the young scholar’s face, his robes fluttering, his steps light.
“A Luo.”
A voice softly called out in a low tone.
Mo Zheng withdrew her gaze from the departing Ling Yu and smiled at Liu Chan in front of her.
Liu Chan didn’t notice the scholars around, and although class was over, she was still a bit nervous and asked in a low voice, “Are we still going to follow behind the princesses?”
Mo Zheng looked at the princesses ahead.
Princess Pingcheng had a smile on her face as she listened to a few young ladies recount their nervousness when questioned by the libationer.
Meanwhile, Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong weren’t pulling long faces and walking stiffly this time.
Princess Nangong clutched her chest and said, “I was really scared when the libationer came. Father Emperor would laugh at me for being useless, right?”
“Then when you see Father Emperor later, just don’t say anything about it.” Princess Wuyang pursed her lips and said.
Though she was still pursing her lips, she was beaming with joy and emphasized the words “later” and “saw Father Emperor” so that the young ladies around could hear clearly.
Things were different now; Father Emperor would see them too.
Princess Pingcheng ignored her boasting; no matter what, she was really happy that the libationer had come today.
Yang Hui was dejected because the libationer hadn’t driven away those three lowly maids on the spot, which made her even angrier, and she had no mood to squeeze behind the princesses; she walked listlessly at the back of the crowd.
Seeing this, Mo Zheng said in a low voice, “No need. The two princesses don’t need us to cheer them on.”
Liu Chan nodded.
Yang Luo, who was always alone, took a step back.
“No need to worry.” She said in a low voice, unable to hide the smile on her face. “The libationer didn’t drive us out, so it seems he agreed to this arrangement.”
Liu Chan said with lingering fear, “To be honest, I was really scared when the libationer came.” Then she looked at Yang Luo. “Miss Liu, you were so calm, even daring to stand up and eagerly show the libationer the homework.”
Yang Luo lowered her voice. “As Miss’s maidservant, of course I have to protect Miss.”
She looked at Mo Zheng.
Mo Zheng smiled. “The libationer is a very good teacher. No matter the reason, as long as this person comes, is willing to come, wants to come read, it’s a good thing for him.”
Yang Luo looked at her, and that strange feeling bubbled up again. “A, Miss is very familiar with the libationer…”
“I know.” Liu Chan cut in, looking at Mo Zheng with a smile. “Miss A Luo understands scholars the best.”
Indeed, A Sheng really understood scholars and was good at persuading them. Yang Luo glanced at Liu Chan and couldn’t help but smile too.
Mo Zheng was about to raise her eyebrow in a smug smile, but then she reacted, lifted her sleeve to cover her mouth and chuckled softly—she was a girl now.
……
……
“Look, look.”
A young lady whispered to Jiang Rui beside her.
“That Liu Chan is quite enthusiastic toward the two new Misses Yang from the Yang Family.”
Jiang Rui turned her head to look, then said indifferently, “Not surprising. With Yang Hui blocking the way, she can’t get close to Princess Pingcheng, so she can only try to attach herself to Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong. It’s much easier to approach these two new Misses Yang than Yang Hui.”
Her companion showed a look of realization, glanced back again, and her expression became even more disdainful.
Jiang Rui clenched her hands in front of her, a flash of guilt crossing her usually cold face. She shouldn’t speculate and discuss others like this. Even if this person didn’t get along with her, just… they didn’t get along, she didn’t like her, she could tolerate that, but this Miss Liu had humiliated Zhu Yunxiao.
That was her lover; she couldn’t tolerate that.
