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墨書 Inktalez
"Over there, it's the Marquis! It's the Marquis's sword..."
The chaotic footsteps in the distance grew closer, accompanied by exclamations of surprise.
Qin Yaru let out a long breath, her tension easing. When she was on edge, it was manageable, but once she relaxed, her mind became hazy. In the end, she could only see Lai San hopping around in frustration, his face full of worry.
"Consort Qin, please don't scare me like that. If anything happens to you, my elder brother will surely skin me alive. Please, have mercy."
Qin Yaru couldn't help but smile; in fact, a hint of a smile did appear at the corners of her mouth.
Du Jiu didn't have time for anything else and rushed over to check Pang Yuanying's pulse. Seeing that he was safe and sound with no external injuries, he finally sighed in relief and had people carry their master onto the carriage without even glancing at Qin Yaru.
This was quite normal; as a figure of status, Consort Qin inherently held no value in the eyes of those in power.
It was unclear what the kidnappers had done to Pang Yuanying; he was completely drained of energy and slept for a full three days and nights. By the time he regained consciousness, he was already on his way back to the Pang Family.
Upon opening his eyes, he found himself in his specially designed luxurious carriage, covered with a thin soft blanket. Beside him was his favorite Lady-in-Waiting, Snow Willow, who was carefully wiping his cracked lips with a damp handkerchief.
Outside the window were green mountains and clear waters; the carriage was traveling along a smooth official road. Pang Yuanying could clearly recognize that he had already left Jiunzhou.
Staring blankly at the ancient trees and lush grass flying past outside the window, Pang Yuanying's anger erupted as he slammed his fist down on the carriage base.
With a loud bang, Snow Willow jumped in fright, almost dropping her handkerchief.
Du Jiu, riding nearby, turned his head at the sound and couldn't help but sigh softly. He comforted him in a low voice: "Marquis, I've already sent someone to investigate these audacious scoundrels. Rest assured, we will give you an explanation."
“Where is Consort Qin?”
Pang Yuanying whispered.
Perhaps it was the sound of the wind, or perhaps something else, but Du Jiu seemed completely unaware of the Marquis's question and continued, “Something happened in the capital. The old Marquis is ill, and Da Lang is very worried about you. Now that you are awake, we should hurry back to the capital and not trouble Da Lang any further.”
Pang Yuanying tightly shut his mouth, recalling the words of that scoundrel who had already descended to the underworld—something might have truly happened to the Pang Family.
Although he wasn't particularly worried about his elder brother, at times like this, he felt that he, being the only weakness of the Pang Family, should at least avoid causing concern for his father and brothers.
Pang Yuanying was indeed a reckless and unruly person who never cared much for rules, but he was also a good son and a good brother, willing to go to great lengths for his family.
The bond among the Pang brothers was strong, and that was likely one of the crucial reasons for their unity.
The carriage moved quickly, getting farther away from Jiunzhou.
Pang Yuanying's gaze sharpened as he looked through the window toward Wudang County City: “Let’s hold off for now; there’s no rush.”
In his heart, he never doubted that he would win Qin Yaru's affection. Even though he had to leave now, he still thought that once things settled down at home, he would bring Consort Qin to the capital. He even considered that since Consort Qin didn’t seem like someone who enjoyed being constrained, he could indulge her a little by buying her a private residence outside the Pang Family, allowing her to enjoy some freedom.
He even began to ponder where would be the best place to buy a house.
The cost of living in the capital was extraordinarily high, especially housing prices, which were outrageous. Perhaps only Lord Pang, who never treated gold and silver as anything significant, could so easily think of acquiring a house to please Beauty.
In February, in Kaifeng City, spring blossoms.
It was once again the time leading up to the imperial examination. During this period, there were particularly many scholars on the streets, and all the pastries became Top Scholar pastries, while all the fine wines turned into Top Scholar Red.
In the eastern part of Tokyo City, the newly opened Nangyun Study was bustling with business, as it offered many books that were essential for the current Keju candidates. There were numerous renowned commentaries on past Keju exam questions available for rent, although they could not be purchased, which was already sufficient.
For young individuals aspiring to take the Jinshi Examination and hoping to one day achieve high office, these resources were invaluable treasures.
Moreover, this place also offered the finest wines and mouthwatering delicacies. What was even more remarkable was that the prices were reasonable; there were high-end dishes prepared by renowned chefs that could be quite costly, but there were also affordable specialties like Hu Bing that could be bought for just a few coins—great value for money.
Nangyun Study had only been open for less than a month, yet its reputation had already become excellent.
The shopkeeper of Nangyun Study was an old scholar in his fifties. Although he had never passed the imperial examination himself, he was well-read and had plenty of topics to discuss with the scholars in the shop.
Despite not having achieved Jinshi status, this old man had participated in provincial examinations multiple times and was well-versed in the intricacies of Keju. Talking with him felt like hearing a few words from a wise person, which was worth more than ten years of study. While it might not lead to significant academic progress, knowing a bit more about the ways of Keju was certainly beneficial.
The Imperial Examination was not solely reliant on knowledge; even those who topped the scholar rankings acknowledged that when it came to literary skills, they might not necessarily be superior to their peers who only managed to pass with second-class honors. Achieving Top Scholar status required not only knowledge but also luck and reputation.
Every evening, this old shopkeeper would sit leisurely in Nangyun Study with his grandson. If any scholar happened to be free for a meal, he would take his grandson over to exchange a few words. Sometimes these scholars would take an interest and quiz the old scholar's grandson on various subjects or help him solve some difficult questions regarding classical texts.
A group of people gathered together to study was indeed much more enjoyable than one person working alone behind closed doors.
As the reputation of Nangyun Study grew, students from various schools in Tokyo often gathered in groups to study here, including many from official academies.
Whenever a group of people congregates, gossip is inevitable, and even Scholars are no exception. In fact, these Scholars might enjoy gossip even more than ordinary folks.
The elusive Lady Zhai Master of Nangyun Study has become the object of curiosity for all the students. She rarely visits, and when she does, she only sits in a private room by the window on the second floor. She seems to be a widow, accompanied by a child around three or four years old, who is quiet and perhaps knows a bit of medicine.
One day before the New Year, a scholar fell ill after being exposed to the cold winter air and suffered from nausea and vomiting. The Lady Zhai Master sent her Lady-in-Waiting down with a Pill for him to take, and within moments, his condition improved significantly.
Of course, the Scholars' curiosity isn't solely because the Master is a woman or because she possesses medical knowledge; primarily, it is because she is exceptionally beautiful.
For the Scholars of Tokyo City, who are accustomed to seeing beautiful women, to describe someone as beautiful truly means she must be an unparalleled beauty. Many of these scholars frequently visit brothels.
Tokyo is not like other places; the courtesans in brothels, especially the top ones like Yan Xixi, Liu Shishi, and Gao Chengcheng, can entice wealthy young men to spend lavishly just for a smile from them. Each year they perform on stage in flower carts, allowing everyone in the city to admire their beauty. Moreover, those who frequent these establishments are quite discerning and critical; it is not easy for them to praise someone's beauty.
However, with a woman's beauty comes exposure to various rumors and controversies. Even in the capital city, known as The Land of Abundant Virtue, there are still plenty of lecherous rogues roaming the streets.
The second reason for the Scholars' gossip is that this beautiful Wife runs a business on Tokyo's busiest Yujie without encountering any trouble at all.
Although Nangyun Study is considered an elegant establishment with cultured patrons, it seems quite unscientific that such a beautiful Wife has faced no harassment whatsoever.
Only those who have been regular customers since the opening of Nangyun Study know that there were indeed some troublemakers at first—several bold rascals attempted to flirt with her.
Of course, they did not dare to do anything serious in the capital; they merely sought verbal advantages.
The beauty remained calm and indifferent, but as soon as the guest left Nangyun Study, they were beaten to a pulp by thugs that seemed to appear out of nowhere, leaving them injured and bloodied. Strangely enough, there were several individuals of not insignificant status present, yet they still dared not retaliate afterward and were scolded by their families, forced to reflect quietly at home.
Thus, everyone knew that Nangyun Study had backing and that one should not cause trouble lightly.
A beautiful woman with connections and support; it was no wonder that the bored scholars would gossip curiously during their studies.
However, on this day, the enigmatic Lady Zhai Master of Nangyun Study seemed to be facing trouble.
The second son of the Pang Family, Anle Hou Pang Yuanying, who had not been seen flaunting himself in Kaifeng City for quite some time, unexpectedly appeared on Tokyo Streets.
Although Pang Yuanying had a bad temper, poor character, and a negative reputation, as soon as he stepped onto the street, numerous young ladies and wives rushed out to catch a glimpse of him simply because of his striking appearance.
Even officials joked that if Pang Yuanying were to dress as a woman, most of the beauties in the harem would pale in comparison. Even Consort Guifei, his beloved sister and the official's favorite, would likely fall short beside him.
Lord Pang was as popular with women as he was hated by the men of the capital.
As soon as he entered Nangyun Study, several scholars frowned and muttered, "How is it that such a scoundrel who commits murder and robbery is not locked up in prison but continues to roam the streets causing harm?"
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