Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Why are we heading to mister Wei Yuan’s place?” Feng Jin asked.
“Huaiyu, what do you know of Cang Prefecture and Meng County?” Jiang Pengji asked in response.
Compared to Liu Lanting’s studies, Feng Jin’s was more open-minded.
“Cang Prefecture and Meng County? I know a little. What has that got to do with your previous problem?”
Feng Jin was about to turn into a questioning machine.
“Have you heard of any slanderous rumors from Cang Prefecture and Meng County? For example, some noble girls were disgraced and they have not found the culprit or something?” Jiang Pengji was asking for something big and that had Feng Jin cycle through a myriad of expressions.
“Don’t jest. A gentleman should not gossip,” Feng Jin chided. “If those words of yours were to spread, you would become the topic of gossip. A noble girl’s reputation is innocent. Even if something had happened to them, they would not allow such a rumor to spread.”
Feng Jin had wanted to say that such a thing would not have happened, but he quickly changed his opinion when he thought about what the noble girls in Hejian County had gone through.
“You’re right...”
Jiang Pengji’s steps faltered for a second before she picked up her pace.
If such a thing were to happen, based on the current era’s style, they would have chosen to keep things under wraps.
“Do you know something? Has it got anything to do with that man?” Feng Jin took a few big strides and matched up to Jiang Pengji’s pace. “You’re still stalling?” he asked when he thought about how they were headed to Wei Yuan’s residence.
Feng Jin was a naturally curious fellow. Jiang Pengji’s viewers commented that he would have a bright future ahead, as he had already voiced all their questions.
Some of the viewers who had been with her for awhile knew that Jiang Pengji was good at analyzing any situation. They presumed that she had found something or she would not have attacked a stranger. The newer viewers, on the other hand, were dumbfounded.
Pangdahai: “The man who was beaten up by the host and the bamboo scroll found on his person; rumors of noble women in Cang Prefecture and Meng County that were disgraced; the host’s private tutor, Wei Yuan... When you put all these clues together, it feels like something terrifying is happening right now.”
Paidaxing: “Once you put it like that, I thought of something... Could the host’s private tutor be a wolf in sheep’s clothing?”
Nao: “Tsk! What sort of analysis is this! You’re just spewing forth crazy ideas. If those are your assumptions, then mister Wei Yuan would be a victim. Wasn’t he on a long sick leave? Maybe it’s related to this?”
The channel spiraled into a flurry of speculations based on the clues found. Jiang Pengji did not make any comment on whether any analysis was absurd or not.
Wei Yuan was an old-fashioned and strict man. He was stern with his students and was never lenient with any student based on their age. Liu Lanting did not like going to the family’s school, nor did she want to study at home. This was all due to Wei Yuan.
Based on Liu Lanting’s memories, she respected her teacher, but he was strict and hard to get close to. He was quick to anger and would punish them with caning or writing lines. The sensitive Liu Lanting became introverted and whatever opinions she had, she would rather not voice them.
Wei Yuan took three days of sick leave before the bandit incident. Then after that, he claimed that his illness had gotten worse and he took more days off.
When Taxue reminded her, Jiang Pengji sent some guards over to the Wei’s residence with some gifts, but none of the guards were able to deliver them to him directly.
“It’s rare that we get to visit my teacher and yet we have to use the ‘side door...’”
The Wei’s residence was quite a distance from Langlang Alley. Jiang Pengji and Feng Jin took a long while to get there. By the time they had reached the residence, it was in the early hours of the morning.
The sky was dark and the area was quiet, but the silence was shattered occasionally by a few dogs barking.
“If you wanted to visit, you should do it in the day...” Feng Jin watched as Jiang Pengji rolled up her sleeves to climb over the wall. His expression was complicated, but he did not dare raise his voice. He could only mutter, “If you get caught...”
Wei Yuan was famous for his strict personality. If a student were to scale a wall and land in his front yard, he might let them off. But if they landed in the backyard? They might be in trouble.
Liu Lanting was fearless while Feng Jin just wanted to keep his reputation.
A bad friend could ruin his life!
Jiang Pengji stood still by the corner of a wall for awhile before she said, “What are you afraid of? Come. I’ll boost you up.”
Feng Jin: “...”
The two teens quietly stared at each other for awhile before Feng Jin sucked in a deep breath.
“I don’t believe that you’d be this nice. What are you up to now?” Feng Jin gritted his teeth and he finally looked his age without his usual elegant poise.
“Climb over and you’ll know.” Jiang Pengji laughed.
Feng Jin sized her up while he grew wary. “Then why don’t you climb over first?”
Something was up.
“You get over first then I’ll follow you. If I climbed over first, how are you planning to get up?”
A weakling like him should not act like he knew what to do in front of her.
Feng Jin: “...”
He felt tired of having such an unreliable friend.
With Feng Jin’s upbringing, he should not be fooling around with Jiang Pengji, but his heart was still a teenager who had to act mature in front of others. He needed breathing space and he admired Jiang Pengji. He was always eager to see what she was up to and always ended up being teased by her.
Gritting his teeth, Feng Jin nodded his head.
The Wei residence was simple and the walls were not built too high.
Jiang Pengji bent her knees and laced her fingers together in a way that pushed Feng Jin over.
In contrast to Jiang Pengji’s decisive action, Feng Jin was more coy. He always forgot her real gender when she acted that cool.
Feng Jin grumbled before he carefully gripped the uneven wall and kicked off his wooden clogs. He stepped on her laced fingers and was expecting the both of them to fall, but she was steady.
He swore that he had never done anything that crazy in his entire life.
“All right, I’m up. It’s your turn.”
He laid on the top of the wall and looked down. He got dizzy from the height.
“Pu,” Jiang Pengji burst out laughing while Feng Jin’s heart skipped a beat.
“Huaiyu, look on the other side of the wall. Is there a group of guards?”
Feng Jin: “...”
An unpleasant premonition flashed across his mind while he slowly peeked over the other side of the wall.
The guards stared at him.
“Liu Xi!” Feng Jin was furious.
If he had to die with his friend, so be it.
Jiang Pengji’s channel erupted with laughter.