Cao Lian, oblivious to his actions, continued his rambling: “I can tell from the few pages of paper on the square table next to me that you taught him to write; they’re quite promising. My fifth uncle is currently teaching at our clan school; you should have met him. He was the second-highest scorer during the Tianli era. I have several cousins in the clan, all around his age, so you can rest assured and let him go off to play—”
He was speaking when he suddenly heard a crisp sound. Looking up, he saw Ye Jinghua placing the jade rabbit he had broken on the table. Cao Lian paused, looked Ye Jinghua up and down, and a smile appeared on his face: “What, you’re reluctant to part with him?”
Ye Jinghua raised his head, his glassy eyes showing a calm expression: “No need for you to worry, I will teach myself.”
Upon hearing this, Cao Lian was about to retort, “How could you possibly have time to personally teach a child to read every day?” But then he suddenly remembered that this man was neither an official nor married, so he must be living a carefree life, with plenty of time to spend with beauties. Thinking of this, and then of his own troubles, Cao Lian suddenly felt a pang of resentment.
Looking up again, he saw Ye Jinghua put the broken jade piece aside, open a drawer on the bookshelf, and select from the lustrous and delicate jade pieces inside, his posture elegant and graceful, like a fairy.
Cao Lian’s face gradually darkened. Why does he feel a pang of heartache seeing Ye Jinghua so carefree?
His thick eyebrows twitched, unable to resist the urge to provoke Ye Jinghua: “The person is probably tired of seeing a blockhead like you every day. What’s wrong with learning from my family? My cousins are much more interesting than you; I can take them horseback riding, pitch-pot, and catching small fish in the lake—”
“Yueqin.”
Ye Jinghua held a piece of jade in his hand and uttered without looking up: “see a visitor out.”
“Hey, hey, hey—” Cao Lian hurriedly begged for mercy: “Don’t send me off, please don’t send me off, I won’t mention it again!”
Seeing this, Yueqin stood awkwardly in the center. Ye Jinghua turned his head, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Cao Lian broke out in a cold sweat, knowing he was about to anger this devil. He carefully smiled and went to greet him, saying: “I’ll ask you one more thing, and then I’ll leave immediately!”
Ye Jinghua ran his fingers over the jade in his hand, remaining silent. Cao Lian knew this meant he was agreeing, so he walked around to face him, his eyes fixed intently on Ye Jinghua: “Let me ask you, did you send Yuqi away for the sake of Baozhu?”
After saying that, he stared intently at Ye Jinghua, not missing a single expression on his face.
Ye Jinghua frowned slightly and asked, “What does this have to do with him?”
Upon hearing this, Cao Lian paused slightly. Seeing that Ye Jinghua’s reaction didn’t seem fake, he narrowed his eyes and asked, “Are you telling the truth?”
Ye Jinghua’s eyes darkened: “Why aren’t you getting out of here?”
Cao Lian shuddered, no longer daring to linger, and said repeatedly, “I’m leaving, I’m leaving!” With that, he turned and quickly ran out, not forgetting to call out as he left, “Don’t forget to return what I gave to Baozhu!”
Fearing Ye Jinghua would hold him accountable, Cao Lian staggered a few steps and hurried out, his back looking quite disheveled. Only after leaving the Ye family’s gate did he finally let out a long sigh of relief. He knew that given Ye Jinghua’s character, he would never do something like throw jade at someone from behind, but Ye Jinghua’s eyes were so cold, as if they wanted to rip his heart and lungs out of him.
“Can’t afford to offend.”
Cao Lian shook his head as he climbed onto his carriage, sat down, sighed deeply, and looked up at the sky, saying, “It’s such a pity that Baozhu follows him!”
What’s the use of being handsome if you’re still just a block of wood?
***
On the other side, Deng Yun was trembling with fear.
He huddled against the wall, glancing sideways at Ye Jinghua’s expression. That Lord Cao really had no sense of propriety; he was so good when he started talking about serious matters, how did he end up bringing up this again—
It was all Zhao Baozhu’s fault for causing all this trouble! Deng Yun gritted his teeth, thinking that next time he went out, he would definitely get a hat like the ones young ladies wear to cover his troublesome face!
He cautiously raised his eyes and saw Ye Jinghua standing under the eaves, facing the direction of the gate. The shadow of the eaves cast down, obscuring his features. Deng Yun could only see his thin lips. Though he couldn’t see his expression, he could inexplicably feel a chill rise from the soles of his feet.
The servants in the courtyard didn’t dare to say a word. Deng Yun stood close to the corner of the wall, pretending to be dead.
After a long while, Ye Jinghua suddenly spoke: “Deng Yun.”
Deng Yun shuddered, stepped out of the shadows, and hunched his shoulders as he approached: “Young Master.”
Ye Jinghua looked at him, his crystal-clear eyes shining in the sunlight: “Where is Baozhu?”
***
Zhao Baozhu was lying on the bed, fast asleep. He had left early that morning, had two bouts of anger, and after eating, he returned to his room and was overcome with sleepiness. He fell asleep on the bed before even drying his hair.
He didn’t know how long he had slept, but he vaguely sensed someone beside him and suddenly woke up with a start: “Who?!”
Zhao Baozhu jumped out of bed in fright. A hand reached out from the darkness and pressed down on his hand: “Don’t be afraid, it’s me.”
Zhao Baozhu was covered in cold sweat. He vaguely recognized Ye Jinghua’s outline and then let out a soft breath. His journey to the capital had been arduous, and he had almost been robbed several times while sleeping in dilapidated temples, so he was always extra cautious when sleeping.
“Young Master, you scared me to death!” Zhao Baozhu said with a slight reproach, “What are you doing here so late?”
Hearing this from outside, Deng Yun’s heart skipped a beat. He thought Ye Jinghua was probably still angry; this brat didn’t know how to say anything nice, just throwing a tantrum. Be careful you’d get a good beating later!
A moment later, he heard Ye Jinghua’s gentle voice from inside the house: “I’ve come to see you.”
In the darkness, Zhao Baozhu felt the warmth of the hand pressing against him release. The next moment, the oil lamp in the room was slowly lit. Zhao Baozhu squinted uncomfortably, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Ye Jinghua standing by the lamp, dressed in a snow-white robe, his face as beautiful as jade, quietly watching him.
A beauty looks even more beautiful under the lamplight. This saying also applies to handsome men.
Zhao Baozhu couldn’t help but blush, and then he heard Ye Jinghua say, “Why did you go to sleep without even drying your hair?”
Zhao Baozhu was startled. Looking down, he saw that the towel he used to wring out his hair was crumpled up and lying on the side of his pillow. He had fallen asleep halfway through drying his hair.
Ye Jinghua tilted his head and said, “Someone come wipe his hair.”
As soon as his words fell, two maids in white skirts and red jackets walked in from outside the door, one on each side wringing out his hair for him. Zhao Baozhu’s face truly turned red this time, both cheeks like apples, and he stammered, “N-no need… I can wipe it myself–”
Naturally, the two maids didn’t listen to him. Smiling, they wrung Zhao Baozhu’s hair dry, then drifted out again with smiles.
After they left, a moment later, Ye Jinghua stepped forward, reached out and touched a strand of hair on Zhao Baozhu’s shoulder. Feeling it was almost dry, his brows finally relaxed a little.
In the dim yellow lamplight, Zhao Baozhu raised his eyes to look at him and frowned, saying, “Young master, I can wipe my own hair.” He was already so grown, yet still being taken care of by maids like a child, Zhao Baozhu felt a bit embarrassed.
But Ye Jinghua didn’t take in his muttering at all.
The warm light shone on Zhao Baozhu’s face. These past few days he had been well-fed and had gained a bit more flesh; the lines along his cheeks had visibly softened. A pair of cat-like eyes tilted upward, thick eyelashes fluttering, casting small shadows on his eyelids.
There were many kinds of handsome men, some were strikingly beautiful yet cold and untouchable. Zhao Baozhu was not that kind. He was delicate-looking, with lively expressions in the corners of his eyes and brows, yet his demeanor was exceedingly innocent. One couldn’t help but want to pinch his cheeks, tease him a little, best if teasing him until his eyes reddened or he became annoyed, those cat-like eyes shining like stars.
Ye Jinghua’s expression was hidden in the darkness. Suddenly, as if scalded by something, he abruptly withdrew his hand.
The hair by Zhao Baozhu’s ear fell down like clouds. Still tilting his head back, he said to Ye Jinghua, “Young master, it’s so late. You should go back and rest.”
Only after quite a while did Ye Jinghua come back to himself, his gaze slowly lowering.
Zhao Baozhu looked at him in confusion. “Young master, why aren’t you speaking?”
Ye Jinghua paused, then turned his head, picked up a long rectangular box from the table, walked over, and sat beside Zhao Baozhu. Only then did Zhao Baozhu notice such a large box. He leaned over and sat shoulder to shoulder with Ye Jinghua, asking curiously: “What’s inside?”
Ye Jinghua smiled faintly at him, opened the box, and took something out.
Zhao Baozhu suddenly felt a pearly white light shine from the corner of his eye. He saw that Ye Jinghua held a cylindrical object, entirely silver-white. It resembled the picture tube Zhao Baozhu had seen that morning at the Western peddler’s stall, but was clearly far more exquisite.
Zhao Baozhu was dumbfounded. “Th-this… is this a picture tube?”
Ye Jinghua smiled and handed it to him. “Try it.”
The picture tube felt cool and smooth in his hand, like fine jade. Its surface was carved with auspicious patterns such as clouds and water ripples. It looked extremely intricate, yet when held it was delicate and light. Zhao Baozhu tried bringing it to his eye, instantly, a flourishing scene exploded before him.
It was as though a whole world was hidden inside. Layer upon layer of intricate patterns unfolded before his eyes, gold, green, red, wave after wave, dazzling beyond measure.
“Ah!”
Dizzy from looking, Zhao Baozhu instinctively leaned back, only to be steadied by Ye Jinghua’s hand. Zhao Baozhu gasped for breath twice, put the tube down, and patted his chest. “Incredible, if I look any longer, I’ll get sucked inside!”
A soft laugh sounded. Zhao Baozhu turned his head and saw Ye Jinghua with the corners of his lips slightly raised, a gentle smile on his face. Seeing him look over, he said warmly, “Take it and play with it, but don’t play too late.”
Zhao Baozhu looked at him, then at the object in his hand, and only then realized Ye Jinghua was giving it to him. His expression changed drastically. “Th-this won’t do! I can’t accept it!”
The picture tube at the Western peddler’s stall had already cost fifty coins, this one, made of silver and jade, must be extremely valuable. No matter what, Zhao Baozhu refused to accept it. Seeing he couldn’t persuade him, Ye Jinghua’s brows knitted tightly, his lips pressed into a line, a trace of coldness appearing on his jade-like face.
Matters in the Ye residence wouldn’t spread outside, but if Cao Lian knew of this, he would surely mock Ye Jinghua thoroughly, laughing at him for not understanding a beauty’s heart, being all looks and no substance, a useless block of wood.
And now, Zhao Baozhu couldn’t bear to see displeasure on that handsome face. So he coaxed softly, “Young master, how about this. You’re teaching me studies right now, how about when I pass and become top scholar, then you give it to me?”
Hearing this, Ye Jinghua was stunned, then let out a low laugh, lowering his head and shaking it.
Seeing him laugh, Zhao Baozhu instead became unhappy. “Young master, why are you laughing? You don’t believe I can become top scholar?”
Ye Jinghua lifted his head, still smiling faintly, and reached out to brush a strand of hair from his face. “Of course I believe you.”
Zhao Baozhu snorted coldly. “You’re lying!”
Teasing him eased some of Ye Jinghua’s gloom. Smiling, he said, “How about this, I won’t require you to become a top scholar. As long as you pass the imperial exam as a jinshi, I’ll give it to you. How about that?”
Ye Jinghua was speaking in jest, but when these words fell into Zhao Baozhu’s ears, his heart jolted, and he suddenly raised his eyes.
At that moment, Deng Yun’s voice came from outside the room: “Young master, it’s already the third watch.”
Ye Jinghua turned his head. “Coming.” After speaking, he placed the gold-and-jade picture tube back into the box and said to Zhao Baozhu, “Then I’ll leave this here with you for now.”
How was that any different from giving it to him? Zhao Baozhu firmly refused, and after much persuasion finally sent Ye Jinghua out.
By now the night was deep. Though the Ye residence was in the center of the capital, it was especially quiet. There wasn’t a single human sound, only the wind softly brushing through the leaves.
Zhao Baozhu looked at the high-hanging moon in the night and let out a quiet sigh.
Ye Jinghua didn’t know his identity, yet had casually said such words earlier. Zhao Baozhu’s thoughts were complicated, and in the dark he even felt a sense of fate.
At this time, there was exactly one month left until the spring examinations.
***
After bathing, Zhao Baozhu slept for a while, but once he lay in bed, he tossed and turned for a long time without falling asleep. Later, in a hazy state, he finally drifted off, and truly dreamed of becoming top scholar.
In the dream, in a muddled way, he was named top scholar. Coming down from the palace exam, someone immediately asked him to climb onto a tall, fine horse. The top scholar’s horse looked very much like the snow-white horse in the backyard stable. Zhao Baozhu was so frightened he trembled all over and couldn’t climb up after several tries. Finally, after much effort, he got on, but as soon as the horse moved, he was so scared he fell right off its back.
Just as he was about to hit the ground, Zhao Baozhu suddenly woke with a start. “Ah!”
He opened his eyes to see Deng Yun’s face in front of him.
“Why are you shouting nonsense so early in the morning?” Deng Yun frowned. “What nightmare did you have? You were mumbling even in your sleep.”
Zhao Baozhu blinked, sat up in bed, and wiped his head, his hand coming away damp with cold sweat. “Deng Yun, why are you here? I had such a strange dream, I fell off a horse in it!”
Deng Yun had someone bring water and quickly wiped Zhao Baozhu’s face clean, saying casually, “Fell off? That means you’re going to grow taller.”
As he spoke, he briskly pulled Zhao Baozhu up from the bed, urging hurriedly, “Hurry up! I brought clothes, change quickly!”
Still half-asleep, Zhao Baozhu glanced at the sky outside the window and yawned. “What’s the rush? It’s still early.”
Deng Yun immediately cried out, “Oh my ancestor, hurry up!” Looking closely, there was a trace of tension on his face. “People from the palace came early this morning, they’re summoning the young master to the palace for an audience!”
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