Chapter 306: Not What Was Expected
Second Madam Pan’s flower viewing party always started early. This time, with Li Xiaonan as a distinguished guest, everyone arrived even earlier than usual. By the time Gu Yan picked up Li Xiaonan and they rode their horses side-by-side into the city, it was the peak hour for people going out to enjoy the spring. They entered the city against the flow of people, drawing all eyes, ostentatiously.
Not long after entering the city, the news of the Young Lord and the Young Lord’s Consort riding their horses ostentatiously through the streets was reported to Princess Consort Wei.
Princess Consort Wei listened expressionlessly as the attendant finished speaking, gave a hum, and then dismissed the gossipy attendant.
Nanny Zhao watched Princess Consort Wei.
She and Nanny Shen had served Princess Consort Wei since they were seven or eight years old. Even though Princess Consort Wei was expressionless, she could tell that Princess Consort Wei was not in a good mood.
“Perhaps there’s something urgent. In the past two years, the Young Lord has been much busier than the Prince. It must be a very important urgent matter,” Nanny Zhao cautiously ventured first.
“Hmph,” Princess Consort Wei snorted coldly.
Princess Consort Wei’s snort made Nanny Zhao a little unsure. Just as she was thinking about how to steer the conversation, Princess Consort Wei spoke first.
“This is to save face for the flower viewing event at Wang Xiang’s Mansion.”
Nanny Zhao blinked a few times and said with a smile, “To be honest, I don’t think Madam is the type to fuss over every little thing. Besides, when you came back that day, didn’t you also say that Madam was very composed?”
“This is the Young Lord saving face, how does it have anything to do with being composed?” Princess Consort Wei retorted impatiently.
“The Young Lord…” Nanny Zhao mumbled the rest of her words.
There was nothing wrong with the Young Lord!
“Speaking of the Young Lord, who hasn’t said in the past year or two that our Young Lord is completely different from before? He’s capable, amiable, and they even say that our Young Lord, at such a young age, already has the demeanor of a famous minister,” Nanny Zhao said indirectly through praise.
Princess Consort Wei glanced at her sideways for a moment, then turned her gaze away, picked up her cup, and took a sip of tea.
Not far from the Hanlin Academy, Hong Zhenye, following his father Master Hong Shi’an, came out after checking the goods at the warehouse. He saw that the doorway was crowded with people, all standing on tiptoe, craning their necks to look outside.
The steward, who was making way for Master Hong to walk out, pushed aside two shop assistants with force and asked loudly, “What’s going on here?”
The onlookers were busy watching the spectacle and no one paid him any mind.
The steward turned to Hong Zhenye and smiled, “I don’t know what the excitement is about. Does Second Young Master want to take a look?”
Hong Zhenye was in a bad mood and had no desire to watch a spectacle. He shook his head, “Thank you, I still have a lot of things to attend to at home.”
Ahead, the two shop assistants who had been pushed aside had already managed to squeeze out a gap, making way for Master Hong and Hong Zhenye.
As Hong Zhenye stepped over the threshold, Master Hong in front suddenly stopped. Hong Zhenye bumped into Master Hong and looked up, only to see Li Xiaonan on horseback. His eyes widened instantly, and he pointed at Li Xiaonan, letting out a surprised sound before his father slapped him, “Hurry up!”
“Father! Look, look! Bao’er’s mother was just talking about her yesterday,” Hong Zhenye tugged at his father.
Master Hong stopped. The father and son watched until even the guards had walked far away before walking back against the flow of people.
“You go back and tell your wife,” Master Hong instructed his son. Hong Zhenye agreed and ran home.
Li Yin Zhu was watching the old woman in the kitchen soak glutinous rice to make green dumplings when Hong Zhenye, sweating, came in. Before Li Yin Zhu could speak, he smiled, “Guess who I ran into today? You’ll never guess!”
“You ran into the Young Lord?” Li Yin Zhu said confidently.
The last time he was this excited to make her guess, it was because he had run into the Young Lord, and the Young Lord had even spoken a few words to him.
“You’ve actually guessed half of it. I ran into the Young Lord and A Nan! Together!”
“Ah!” Li Yin Zhu shrieked in surprise, “Where did you run into them? What were A Nan and the Young Lord doing? What did you say to A Nan? What did A Nan say?”
“Let me have a drink of water. I ran all the way back, I’m so thirsty,” Hong Zhenye fanned himself with his sleeve.
Li Yin Zhu rushed into the house like a gust of wind and came out like a gust of wind, handing a cup of tea to Hong Zhenye. The little maid followed closely with the teapot, ready to refill it.
Hong Zhenye drank the tea in one gulp and handed the cup back to Li Yin Zhu.
“I was going to check the goods with Father…”
“I asked you what A Nan said, not what goods you were checking!” Li Yin Zhu was impatient.
“It has to start with checking the goods. After checking the goods, the warehouse entrance was completely blocked, full of onlookers. Father and I finally squeezed out, and when we looked up!”
Hong Zhenye suddenly looked up, almost startling Li Yin Zhu.
“I saw A Nan. A Nan was on horseback, riding on the side closer to Father and me. I saw A Nan first, then when I looked up, I saw the Young Lord. The Young Lord and A Nan, each on a horse, passed by laughing and talking.”
“You didn’t get to speak to A Nan,” Li Yin Zhu said, very disappointed.
“I almost shouted out, but Father stopped me.”
“Then did you see clearly? Has A Nan lost weight? Gained weight? Is her complexion good? Does she look like she’s been wronged, or like she’s living a comfortable life?” Li Yin Zhu snapped back to reality and asked a string of questions.
“She hasn’t lost weight, nor gained weight. She looks very noble. Her complexion… She was looking at the Young Lord when she spoke, and I only saw, here, this much of her face,” Hong Zhenye contorted his face and gestured to Li Yin Zhu.
Li Yin Zhu was disappointed again.
“I think it’s quite good,” Hong Zhenye said, looking at Li Yin Zhu.
“Write a letter to Eldest Sister and tell Eldest Sister,” Li Yin Zhu pulled Hong Zhenye towards the house.
Ever since A Nan married into the Prince’s Estate, she had only seen A Nan once, the day after her wedding, during the family reunion.
……………………
Li Xiaonan and Gu Yan dismounted outside the Hanlin Academy. Gu Yan led Li Xiaonan through the lush green trees and into a very spacious courtyard.
The courtyard was surrounded by rooms on all four sides.
As they passed the doorman and stood under the corridor, the Hanlin scholars from the rooms on all sides emerged. Some came towards Gu Yan, while others stood in the corridor, cupping their hands in salute and bowing, secretly sizing up Li Xiaonan with their own thoughts.
“This is Director Liu of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. He is a Hanlin scholar and ranked first in the Investigation of Things examination in the Gengzi year,” Gu Yan introduced, pointing to an elder who came to meet them.
Hearing the words “Imperial Astronomical Bureau,” an ominous premonition flashed through Li Xiaonan’s mind. These Hanlin scholars of Investigation of Things were likely heading in the wrong direction.
“Shall Director Liu show you around?” Gu Yan said with a smile to Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan nodded.
“It is an honor to receive guidance from the Young Lord’s Consort,” Director Liu said, his tension and respect tinged with a hint of subtle rejection.
Li Xiaonan looked from Director Liu to the Hanlin scholars filling the corridor.
This courtyard was filled with rejection and hostility.
Alas, these people could be considered technical personnel. As expected, people in technical fields are often dull-witted; they can’t even hide such petty thoughts.
Li Xiaonan followed Director Liu, with Gu Yan behind her, into the first room.
“Scholar Zhao, please explain to the Young Lord’s Consort,” Director Liu called back.
A slightly plump middle-aged Hanlin scholar entered. Reluctantly, he took out a scroll, and he and Director Liu unrolled it side by side.
“This is the new star chart we have recently measured.”
“What did you use to measure it?” Li Xiaonan asked, carefully examining the intricate patterns.
Her knowledge of astronomy was limited to modern common sense.
“This subordinate believes that celestial phenomena should primarily be interpreted using the Book of Changes,” the middle-aged Hanlin scholar said, not very willingly.
“Oh, I see,” Li Xiaonan turned to leave.
Gu Yan frowned, glancing from the middle-aged Hanlin scholar to Director Liu, and followed them out.
Director Liu’s face turned pale. The middle-aged Hanlin scholar met Director Liu’s gaze and forcefully pulled the scroll from Director Liu’s hand.
This was the fruit of his labor, and it was only out of extreme necessity that he had taken it out.
Their respective life’s work was their foundation. They were most wary of each other stealing glances or inquiring about their work. The Young Lord might not know, but didn’t you, surnamed Liu, know this?
Gu Yan followed them out, bowed slightly, and whispered into her ear, “Are you angry? The work of these people is passed down from master to disciple, and they are reluctant to share it.”
“It’s not that. This isn’t Investigation of Things. Alas, their Investigation of Things is their own, not mine. I won’t look anymore. Let’s go back.” Li Xiaonan had anticipated this, but seeing it in person was still extremely disappointing.
Gu Yan breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ll discuss which Investigation of Things later. We can’t just turn around and leave after not looking. Otherwise, they’ll overthink it. Let’s take a walk around.”
Li Xiaonan hummed softly and followed Gu Yan, smiling and nodding greetings as they walked around and left the Hanlin Academy.
Gu Yan escorted Li Xiaonan to the Prince’s Estate gate and then turned to head out of the city.
