Blocking the Path, Unnamed Building (2)

Qing Ju slapped her own mouth, “This servant spoke wrongly. Big sister Qing Zhu is right, our miss is the greatest in the world.”

Jing Wan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She also didn't know when these people by her side started having these kinds of thoughts. “Don't talk nonsense, what greatest in the world, your miss, I, can't bear such a t.i.tle.”

“This servant isn't talking nonsense. If you don't believe, miss, just ask mama, whether or not she also thinks this?” Qing Ju rather a.s.sertively said.

“En.” Gong mama very solemnly nodded her head. She wasn't exaggerating, she really felt this way.

This time, Jing Wan really was speechless, “Fine, fine, it's whatever you say it is then. I can't win you all. This matter, just forget about it.”

“Don't worry miss.” How could they not even know of the severity of this matter.

Have to say, a few days ago, when she got stopped by Li Hong Yuan, it was Qing Lan and Qing Mei following by her side. If these two incidents were to come together, don't know what kind of thoughts it would produce.

Speaking of Sun Yi Lin, he actually didn't return to the manor directly, but rather let the carriage driver aimlessly drive around in the streets, while he just silently sit in the horse carriage. His servant boy sitting outside and the attendant that specifically drove the horse carriage for him looked to one another, both seeing worry in the other's eye. Their young master's current state was really off.

———Even when the Ding Duke, for the eldest young master's sake, made young master back down, suppressing young master, not letting him stand out, letting him just purely be a literary scholar, not allowing the ambitions in young master's heart be put to use, at most young master only just met this with silence, and not like this now——–dead stillness.

Although they were randomly traveling along, they were still for the most part places that Sun Yi Lin normally frequented. The flower market was burned down. Even the stores that didn't suffer the calamity also temporarily closed up. Moreover, going to look at flowers at this time, perhaps might even make young master even more hurt. After all, Miss Luo was also someone who loved flowers. Who knows if seeing the object will make one think of the person.

To be born in such a place like the Ding Duke Manor, where not one of his father's generation or brothers weren't a ‘common' person[1], only Sun Yi Lin alone, having kept his hands clean, appeared unusual. It can be said that he was all sorts of incompatible with them, and the abnormal one. Once, even the Ding d.u.c.h.ess suspected that perhaps this son of hers had an unspeakable illness, that's why even the tongfangs arranged for him, he all didn't want. In reality, Sun Yi Lin very openly accepted the imperial physician's diagnosis, not the least bit self-conscious, and the results were that he was very normal.

All his likes and hobbies, not one wasn't elegant. It wasn't deliberately fostered, but rather as if he was just naturally born like such. Aside from those plants and flowers, Sun Yi Lin's other interests were the same as a great majority of scholars, nothing more than just calligraphy books, sole copy books, and famous paintings, and when there was nothing to do, gather with friends to endlessly chat. Compared to others, who were concerned with the court, concerned with the world, the common people, he actually was more immersed in the nature and beautiful sceneries of traveling folk stories. After all, those things that others spoke of, he'd all came in contact with before, and only once you've truly come in contact with it will you actually know the hards.h.i.+ps and difficulties within. In no way was it something just a few words of big talk, and a few words of ‘if it were me, this is what I would do and so on' can resolve………..

That's why, the places Sun Yi Lin frequented were actually also places where numerous scholars and students loved to go. Especially with the spring civil service examination approaching at hand, the candidates from all over the country have gathered together in groups of three or four, either to talk loudly and arrogantly, expressing one's ambitions, or to mutter softly, discussing scholarly teachings.

In the past, perhaps he would still have the heart to quietly listen to their various ‘beautiful outlooks', but now these things entering the ear only felt exceptionally irritating. Just when he wanted to return to the manor, he suddenly heard his servant boy's voice, “Young master, it's that Chen family's young master, Chen Zheng Min.”

Sun Yi Lin practically lifted open the horse carriage's curtains on instinct. He also very much wanted to see just exactly what kind of person was able to run ahead of him and s.n.a.t.c.h away the girl he liked, and also whether or not this person had the ability to match with Miss Luo.

Perhaps in other places there were very few people that recognized Sun Yi Lin, but in this area there were definitely quite a lot. As a matter of fact, as soon as he showed himself, someone with good eyes immediately saw him and quickly went up to greet him, “Gentleman Lin, haven't seen you in a long time, do you have time today to come inside for a seat and have drink?”

Sun Yi Lin finally noticed that this place just happened to be the Unnamed Building. ‘Unnamed' naturally meant it had no name. The horizontal inscription board across the entrance didn't have any words on it, just in the lower left corner, there was a seal. This was a place that only received scholars, and moreover, this ‘scholar' wasn't just as simple as just knowing a few words. You first needed to prove that you have the qualifications to enter through that doorstep.

There was heavenly music rising in spirals, and as long as chanced upon it, one is definitely able to greatly satisfy one's ears with this blessing. There was fine wine and good tea, comparable to the imperial family's tributes. If you have the abilities, you can freely enjoy. There were famous and valuable paintings, similarly obtainable if you are capable. Even if you can't walk away with it, you can still feast your eyes upon it. In the back courtyard, there was also an enormous library of books, all-inclusive and free to make copies off. And all of these things were completely free of charge. For scholars, Unnamed Building was absolutely the most yearned for place, especially for those of poor and humble families, who hated that they couldn't drown themselves inside 24 hours a day. Of course, in response to this kind of situation, there were also rules in place. Else, this place would be filled by students of poor and humble families.

Aside from this, Unnamed Building's most defining feature was its restriction on the amount of people entering. When the building is at full capacity, only when someone inside leaves can the people behind then go in. Even if it's people that are as honorable as a qinw.a.n.g, they still would have to abide by this one rule. Just who, had this great of arrogance, and this great of skills, to dare put out this kind of rule. The words ‘like in the presence of this emperor' on the horizontal inscription board's seal was more than enough to explain everything. Who would dare to cause trouble here.

There were people that said in private that perhaps only Jin Qinw.a.n.g would dare break the rules here, but the great living Enma wasn't interested in this place. This place has existed for several years, yet no one has ever seen a certain someone set foot here once.

Probably no one knew that this Unnamed Building was neither the product of Le Cheng Emperor's sudden whim, nor the result of some wise and brilliant decision. It was purely for the sake of letting that unlearned and incompetent b.a.s.t.a.r.d son of his be able to gain a bit of scholarly learning. Le Cheng Emperor's thoughts were very simple, that is to let his son come in contact with scholars more, and perhaps will be able to come to like studying. However, reality proved that Le Cheng Emperor's way of thinking was too naive. After once again getting angered to the point of speechlessness, he ended up just throwing it to Li Hong Yuan for him to deal with however he liked. In the beginning, it didn't have a name, and afterwards, it just continued not having a name. Le Cheng Emperor mocked him for also having a time where he was self-aware, knowing that he himself didn't have any learning, thus not daring to mention the horizontal inscription board[2], this kind of embarra.s.sing thing.

But Li Hong Yuan's answer once again made him faint in anger———–This son is one without learning, but perhaps in the future will marry a wife with high scholarly learning, so in the future just let your daughter-in-law name it.

Le Cheng Emperor had him violently chewed out. Year after year, he rather wanted to let his daughter-in-law come write the words, but this daughter-in-law was just nonexistent.

The Unnamed Building was managed by Li Hong Yuan, but in Le Cheng Emperor's eyes, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d has never bother with it. The various good things inside were given by him, and the staff running it were also allocated by him. But Le Cheng Emperor will never know that the staff arranged by him were actually all Li Hong Yuan's people. Li Hong Yuan was the Unnamed Building's owner on the surface in name, but in reality was also its actual owner in every sense of the word.

Because quite a few aspects of Unnamed Building were all very attractive, never mind the youth, even those renowned great scholars were all very moved, and in return, left behind quite a few ‘treasures of ink'[3]. And also those that learned this place was closely related to his Majesty, perhaps they can draw his Majesty's attention through this place, and thereby soar into the high heavens. Because of this, with each displaying their learning, not sparing any effort, one can very easily discover capable people and distinguished scholars among them. Through careful selection, Li Hong Yuan made a portion of the people as his own. Afterwards, he then presented them into Le Cheng Emperor's hands. And while Le Cheng Emperor was being immeasurably pleased with himself for discovering yet again another talented person that can provide contributions to this country, he will forever not know that these people were all loyal to that ‘b.a.s.t.a.r.d son' he spoke of.

In any case, since Sun Yi Lin had already showed his face, in addition to indeed wanting to test Chen Zheng Min, who'd already entered the Unnamed Building, he thus got down from the horse carriage, “Are there still seats in the building?”

“Look at what gentleman is saying, with you here, how can there not be seats?”

Sun Yi Lin understood, this was the so called, ‘the higher ups have their policies, while the people below have their own way of getting around them'. Encountering someone of a n.o.ble status appearing, even if there were no vacancies, there would always be someone that would voluntarily leave, either to want to borrow this opportunity to seek a higher connections and become friends, or purely out of respect and reverence. For him to have not noticed this in the past, due to not paying attention to the affairs of the world, how foolis.h.!.+

Just as expected, someone exited the building and cupped his hands towards Sun Yi Lin, “This one has some business and needs to leave, Gentleman Lin, please go ahead.” At the same time, no one else scrambled ahead of him inside either.

Sun Yi Lin nodded, “This brother[4] might as well leave behind one's name card. If the occasion arises, we can have a chat some other day.”

Sure enough, the other party was overjoyed at the unexpected good news.

[1] Common in relativity to their societal standards, for example, it was common for n.o.ble sons to have multiple concubines and play around, so in retrospect, Sun Yi Lin is considered abnormal for staying clean.

[2] The name inscribed on the horizontal inscription board in ancient times isn't just as simple as giving the building a random name. The name itself not only had to be a name that conveyed the namer's feelings, but it also had to incorporate the function and characteristic of the building as well. In addition, the calligraphy skills of the person naming was also judged, so it really does require rather high learning for someone to write an inscription board.

[3] Treasures of Ink – Referring to valuable or famous paintings, calligraphy or other writings.

[4] This is a casual and polite address for someone that's close in age.