Chapter 611: 293 Prime Minister’s Favor (First Update)_2 Chapter 611: 293 Prime Minister’s Favor (First Update)_2 Cen Bianxiu didn’t dare to complain about Lord An, so he vented his anger on Xiao Liulang, who always seemed to be the target of others’ schemes.
Xiao Liulang, unbothered, picked up a broom and went to clean the West Study Room.
The West Study Room was larger and more disordered than the East Study Room, so he started by straightening the bookshelves and cabinets.
His body was much stronger now than a year ago. If he was still as weak as when he fainted from hunger by the roadside, he probably wouldn’t have been able to move these shelves.
The young man gave off an irresistible masculine vitality. His sleeves casually rolled up revealed solid muscles on his forearms with clear lines. Sweat trickled down his chiseled jaw.
Lord An, taking a break outside, absent-mindedly glanced towards the window of the West Study Room.
Even for a man like him, the sight was near blinding.
After cleaning the West Study Room, Xiao Liulang discovered unexpectedly that the room had an attic. The ladder was hiding behind the last row of bookshelves.
He looked at the ladder carefully. There were books in the attic. But perhaps because it was so secluded, no one had touched it. Aside from the dust, it wasn’t particularly messy.
Xiao Liulang decided to move the books in first and could clean up the attic later.
“Bring the books in, it’s going to rain,” he told the others.
Lord An looked up at the gloomy sky and furrowed his eyebrows, how did he not notice that before? The books were spread everywhere, making the task of cleanup a hassle.
“Let’s clean up quickly then,” he said.
But while Xiao Liulang had finished cleaning the West Study Room, Cen Bianxiu was only half done with the East one.
“What are you doing? That small room isn’t even clean yet!” Yang Xiuzhuan berated Cen Bianxiu, once he had finished scolding, he turned to Xiao Liulang and ordered, “You go help him.”
They were initially supposed to have two drivers helping, but the roof leaked, and the drivers were occupied mending it, leaving them unavailable to lend a hand here.
Xiao Liulang went to the East Study Room.
Cen Bianxiu glared at him angrily: “Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to make me look bad in front of Mister Yang?”
What did this have to do with Xiao Liulang?
Xiao Liulang worked fast because, unlike most scholars who only studied, he did all sorts of chores at home. Gu Jiao wouldn’t let him do the heavy labours but he was no stranger to all other kinds of work.
Xiao Liulang replied nonchalantly, “If you put the energy you waste on being angry into cleaning, the East Room would have been cleaned already.”
“You…” Cen Bianxiu was left utterly speechless.
Once the East Room was clean, the books were moved in. By the time they had relocated the last box, a light drizzle had begun to fall outside.
Just in time, the rooftop was also fixed.
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief, next was the task to organize and categorize the books.
At this stage, Yang Xiuzhuan didn’t take advantage of anyone anymore. He, along with Lord An and another scholar were in charge of sorting the books in the East Study Room. Xiao Liulang, Cen Bianxiu, and another scholar were tasked with the books in the West Study Room.
As the rain grew heavier, the summer heat dispersed, causing the temperature to drop and the West Study Room not as hot as before.
Everyone was engrossed in their work, taking it very earnestly.
As a newcomer, Xiao Liulang had lighter tasks. After sorting two rows of bookshelves, he remembered the attic.
He fetched a cloth and oil lamp and climbed up the ladder to the attic.
The books in the attic seemed to be arranged neatly, but upon a closer look, the categorization was completely haywire.
After he hung the oil lamp securely, he first cleaned up the dust, and then began categorising the books one by one.
There were no paper or tools in the attic. If he came across any broken ones, he would place them to one side to be repaired after sorting the other books.
Engrossed in his work, he did not notice the daylight fading.
It was only when a sharp pain in his back alarmed him and he decided to take a break did he realize that the room was already pitch-dark.
Outside was a soft patter of rainfall.
He walked through the silent house with his oil lamp.
“Is anyone there?” he called.
The only response was the persistent patter of the rain.
Xiao Liulang also did a round in the courtyard with his oil lamp, finally confirming that everyone else had already left and the front door was locked.
He then checked the back door. Predictably, that was also locked.
Though there was no gold or silver to be stolen, they were still worried about thief breaking in and damaging the ancient books in the study rooms, so whenever they left, they would lock the doors from outside.
On the way here, Xiao Liulang had observed the surroundings. The mansion was located at the foot of Yueluo Mountain. The nearest inhabited place was Tea Shed located about a mile away.
But Tea Shed only did business during the day, and at night, they would return to their village.
“It seems I won’t be able to go back tonight.”
Gazing at the drizzle, something flashed through Xiao Liulang’s mind. He furrowed his brows, sighed, and turned around to walk down the hallway.
The deserted mansion naturally had no food to spare. Fortunately, Ning Zhiyuan had given him a bowl of Yangchun noodles at noon, so he wasn’t hungry yet.