Chapter 283.2: The Safest Place
The court academician seemingly was unwilling to give up, continuing, and Li Hong Yuan also didn’t hold back either, completely not understanding what was called respecting the old, having the old court academician killed without a shred of armor remaining.
The result of the final struggle seemingly was just the situation becoming even more tragic.
The old court academician stared at the board for a moment before finally opening his mouth slowly, “Young people nowadays really are incredible. As such, I will be taking my leave first.”
Unknown as to whether he was angry, or had taken too hard of a blow, he didn’t wait for Luo Pei Song and the others to respond, just getting up and leaving.
Jing Wan quietly pinched Li Hong Yuan. Be modest, be modest, do you know what being modest means?
Li Hong Yuan remained unmoved, like as if simply not sensing the pain, just when others weren’t paying attention, he gave Jing Wan a rather innocent look.
Jing Wan strangely understood his meaning, angrily gnashing her teeth, wanting to ruthlessly bite him.
Luo Pei Song finally retracted his attention from the board, sternly sizing up Li Hong Yuan, “Have to say, this commoner sees wangye in a whole new light. Just, as people, for all things, it’s still better to leave one line, not just leaving one line for others, but also leaving one line for oneself. After all, this one line, is other’s way out, but also possibly one’s way out.”
“Just now, that was derive from old teacher’s instructions. You had the words put out first, this prince doesn’t dare to not win, that’s why, went all out.” Li Hong Yuan ‘modestly’ explained.
The corner of Luo Pei Song’s mouth twitched. So, just now, he simply was being deliberate? Just because he(LPS) had complaints towards him? Such narrow-mindedness, really worthy of the living Enma’s style. Moreover, even need to thank him for using such gentle means, and not like in the capital, simple and crude?
“Girl ah, this man is too handsome, no matter how one looks, all very unreliable, and moreover, this one is ruthless and vicious, his thoughts sly, not leaving any leeway in doing things, so don’t foolishly believe him on all things, else will just get played around with in circles by him and still unaware.” Luo Pei Song ‘meaningfully and sincerely’ said to Jing Wan.
Li Hong Yuan’s face instantly darkened. Seeing on Wan Wan’s behalf, the people of her maiden family, as long as they are genuinely good to her, he was all able to put up with. But, ones that try to stir up their relationship will immediately be sorted into the same category as his ‘love rivals’, eliminating as quick as possible, exterminating into dust in seconds.
Jing Wan, seeing him like this, just knew, he seemingly got his tail stepped on again, hurriedly pulling him, blocking in front. Great uncle in the end was still an elderly man, so how can he withstand the living Enma’s fury. “Great uncle, these words of yours are quite incorrect. For others, whether or not Ah Yuan is reliable, I don’t know, but for me, he’s definitely reliable, able to hold up the heaven and earth, a man of character. Even if he messes with me, there isn’t malicious intent, and being ruthless and vicious, that definitely won’t be directed towards me either. This further has nothing to do with whether or not he’s handsome, and moreover, no matter how handsome, I’m still the one benefiting, no? That’s why, you can say anything about him, but not allowed to incite disharmony in the relationship between us.”
Luo Pei Song’s gaze landed on Jing Wan, and then turned to Li Hong Yuan, whose face was clearly like the snow and ice melting, overflowing with spring. After repeatedly looking back and forth a few times, well then, even if he’s someone that has never experienced romantic love before, he could still tell, these two were good as if they were one. This one, who is said to be a fickle and lustful man, simply just had this girl placed at the tip of his heart, cupping in the hand yet fearing she would fall, holding in the mouth yet fearing she would melt. Everything else, that was all doing as he pleased, yet only towards this girl, one word out of line, and he will definitely not have a good face.
And seeing this girl’s stance, if he’s upset, then that was just ready to make a move at any time?
Well, he had worried for nothing. No wonder in his older brother’s reply, everything else was unclear, yet only this bit made him feel at ease.
“Fine, fine, pulling and tugging in broad daylight, how is this proper. This is deliberately wanting to stab me, this lonesome old man?”
Jing Wan dryly coughed, and finally noticed. Rather than saying that she was blocking a certain someone, it was better to say that a certain someone had taken the opportunity to have her pulled into his embrace. Taking a step forward, she separated from him, “Look at what great uncle is saying, it’s you yourself that’s unwilling to take a wife. If you’re willing, even now, those teenage young girls would all be happily willing to throw themselves into your arms. If I have to say, as long as you nod your head, perhaps tomorrow, I will be able to have a great aunt-in-law that’s even younger than me, don’t you think so?”
“This girl, having married yet still increasingly don’t know how to write the word ‘reserved’ anymore? Even daring to make fun of your own great uncle? Think I’m old but don’t know shame, harming teenage young girls? If I wanted to take a wife, I would’ve married decades ago. In those days, your great uncle, I, that was also a jade tree facing the wind, talented and elegant. The girls that admired me can line up from the city’s northern gate all the way to the southern gate. I was the one that was completely uninterested. In the past wasn’t interested, and now further not interested. This mouth of yours, never mind in front of your own family, but outside, it’s better to hold back a little.”
“Yes, yes, yes, great uncle is the most handsome, handsome in your youth, and still handsome at old age.”
“This girl, is this the important point?” He then glanced at the darkened face Li Hong Yuan again, his mood suddenly improving. This man was just like a small child, unable to tolerate his wife saying anything ‘good’ about any other man aside from him, even if just jokingly praising. To what degree must the care be for one to have such possessive desire? This kind of man, in the entire world, was all very rare. “Setting these things aside for now, I haven’t seen your grandfather and grandmother in a very long time, are they well?”
“Great uncle, no need to worry, grandfather and grandmother are both well. Don’t know if grandfather has told you, eldest brother and eldest sister-in-law have an eldest son, third brother and third sister-in-law have an eldest daughter, and second brother’s marriage arrangements have also been settled. The older sisters that have married all have good news again and again. Aside from a few things that aren’t as one wishes, there isn’t anything else that’s unwell.”
“That’s good, that’s good. By the way, I have a gongbi painting instructional booklet in hand………….”
Facing outsiders, Jing Wan was actually still able to be bold and confident, but when facing family that was worthy of trust, Jing Wan was always somewhat lacking in confidence.
“……….Your grandfather told me everything, you have ‘strategized’ quite a bit for your third brother. For the Luo family to have a daughter like you, it is the Luo family’s fortune.”
Those who didn’t know would only think that Jing Wan had put in considerable effort for Luo Jing Bo’s booklets, after all, this idea was never really concealed from the outside. And those who were in the know naturally understood far more than this. “I am a daughter of the Luo family. The Luo family has treated me well, so not just for one’s older brother, but for the Luo family as well, doing a bit of something was all what one should do.”
“You are a good child, your grandmother has always said this. In reality, this is indeed the case. That year, if your grandmother had allowed me to take you to travel the world, at my side, how would there still be other people.” Luo Pei Song said with a regretful sigh.
Jing Wan was surprised, “There was even this matter?” She had never heard grandmother mention before.
“How was there not, your grandmother even directly started beating me, very ruthless in beating, practically able to match with that year when she forcibly had me snapped straight. Your grandmother said, never mind that I don’t have a proper look, if I lead astray her precious baby, she will break my two legs, and have me thrown out of the Luo family, never to set foot through the gates ever again.”
Perhaps recalling that wishing to die feeling, Luo Pei Song’s body even uncontrollably shivered.
Jing Wan was very amused, laughing till she nearly choked. Li Hong Yuan helplessly patted her back for her.
“Great uncle, you taking me with you, that is certainly impossible, but if you had picked one from my brothers, grandfather and grandmother certainly would be very willing.”
“What do I want them for? Each and every one all blockheads, not the least bit clever. Taking this kind of person out, practically embarrassing oneself. Besides, how can a stinky brat be as considerate as a little daughter.” Afterwards, Luo Pei Song just started listing all the shortcomings of the disciples that he’s taught before. All in all, in his eyes, there was just nothing good about them.
And as for Jiang Wan Li, who has been respectfully keeping watch to the side this whole time, Jing Wan kept feeling that his face, starting from earlier, just carried a kind of ‘stupefied’ expression. He probably never thought that his teacher was actually this kind of teacher, somewhat disillusioned, and also somewhat crumbling. And when mentioning the various dissatisfactions, guilt also spontaneously rose. It was all his fault for not doing well enough, thus would make teacher feel displeased.
And in Jing Wan’s eyes, this purely was this great uncle showing off. Her older brothers were all able to be called blockheads by him, but his disciples weren’t in the minority. If this is not showing off, then what is?
After talking about these, Li Hong Yuan’s assignment in Jiangnan this time was brought up. Luo Pei Song was the same as the majority, temporarily only knowing about the matter of the courtyard exam, yet this matter was like stepping on his reverse scale, especially detesting, his entire face ashen, “………….If you have anything you need me to help with, just say it. Among the scholarly class, I still have a bit of connections.”
“This prince will thank old teacher in advance, but for this trip, it’s still better for unrelated people to not get involved. On the surface, it’s just the courtyard exam fraud, yet in the dark, it even involved the salt administration, the amount of money too big, the waters too deep, with many dangers existing. That’s why, it’s best if old teacher doesn’t get involved. Moreover, towards this matter, this prince already have a stance.”
Luo Pei Song was endlessly shocked. Looking towards Li Hong Yuan, his gaze was increasingly peculiar, “Wangye rather trusts this commoner.”
“You are this prince’s wangfei’s great uncle. The people she’s close to, this prince is able to give out enough trust.”
“Wangye is confident to the point of conceitedness.” He somewhat meaningfully glanced at his disciple. Of course, it’s not that he didn’t trust his disciple, but rather felt that Li Hong Yuan shouldn’t easily trust people. “Since you know that there will be dangers, why still bring along this girl?”
“The safest place for Wan Wan is forever by my side.”
T/N: Out of all of Jing Wan’s male elders, Li Hong Yuan is probably the most respectful towards this great uncle, even grandpa Luo didn’t get this kind of treatment.
Also I just remembered I never really explained the whole imperial exam hierarchy in detail. So far in the novel, only the metropolitan exam and court exam have been mentioned before. These two take place once every three years in the capital simultaneously one after another, and are the last two of the whole imperial exam. The examination system in the novel is based off of the imperial exam system during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Breaking it down roughly:
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