Chapter 71: Going to the Academy to See Leng Xiao (Part 1)

After staying indoors to make over three hundred minced meat and tofu buns, more than two hundred braised meat buns, one hundred each of spicy, crispy, sesame, and osmanthus sugar-filled crispy pancakes, peeling several iron pots’ worth of walnuts and pine nuts, and simmering two small vats of chicken broth and two small vats of mung bean soup, Wen Nuan Nuan firmly insisted on going along to deliver the food to Leng Xiao!

It had been a long time since she had breathed the air outside the courtyard or seen fresh faces. She needed to go out!

She wanted to stroll around, eat and drink, play and have fun—even if there was no eating, drinking, or playing, just going out for some fresh air would be good enough.

According to the progress set by the three little ones, if it weren’t for the shortage of raw materials, they could have exceeded the task in just a month.

Those three had the potential to become workaholics.

Wen Nuan Nuan couldn’t do that. Even if she were a worker in another place, she would still be one who knew how to slack off—she couldn’t exhaust herself before even getting started!

“Sister-in-law, it’s so cold outside. Are you really going along?” Leng Tian asked worriedly.

They had been holed up in the kitchen making food these past few days, relaxed and warm. Yet, instead of enjoying the comfortable life, Sister-in-law was braving the severe cold to deliver food to Eldest Brother.

Sister-in-law truly cared deeply for Eldest Brother.

“Yes, I’m definitely and absolutely going!” Wen Nuan Nuan replied with unwavering determination.

“Sister-in-law.” The two little ones timidly stepped forward, their small faces showing even more reluctance than when they had bid farewell to Leng Xiao last time.

Wen Nuan Nuan slapped her forehead. How could she be so selfish, only thinking about going out for fresh air herself? She should have considered the two little ones as well.

If she and Eldest Brother both went out, wouldn’t the two of them be bored staying home alone?

“Do you two want to go out? Sister-in-law will take you shopping in the city.” Gauze, pastries, fire starters—there were quite a few things to buy. It would be the perfect opportunity to take them around the city, and if they came across candied hawthorns, she could buy them a stick.

Thinking of candied hawthorns reminded Wen Nuan Nuan of the hawthorns they had picked. With the staple food preparations almost done, she could make a batch of small snacks after returning.

Hearing Wen Nuan Nuan mention shopping, the two little ones visibly brightened. “But Sister-in-law is going to see Eldest Brother. If you take us shopping, won’t you have less time with him?”

“It’s fine. We can’t stay at the Academy for long anyway. Once we deliver the food, we’ll leave, right?” Besides, her main purpose was to go out and stroll around. What was there to see or do at the Academy?

Having spent over a decade in school and taken countless exams, Wen Nuan Nuan was long past that phase. Her principle was to avoid going if possible and go as little as possible.

Hearing that it wouldn’t be a problem, the two little ones nodded happily. Being with Sister-in-law was the best—there was delicious food, fun sights in the city, and they could even see Eldest Brother!

“We have a carriage this time, so we won’t have to walk. Make sure to dress warmly. Sitting still in the carriage will make you feel even colder,” Wen Nuan Nuan reminded them.

Before, she thought the Jiangnan region was damp and cold—no matter how many layers she wore, the chill and cold air would seep in.

Now, in the north, she realized the dry cold wasn’t much better. It still pierced through to the bones. Fortunately, as long as she wore enough layers, it was manageable.

She wore three layers and draped a heavy cloak over them, finally feeling a bit better.

The three little ones only wore inner garments and cotton clothes, making her shiver just looking at them.

“We’re not cold! This year’s weather is so strange. It’s almost mid-October, and there’s only been one light snowfall, which cleared up early,” Leng Yun said dismissively.

It was only October, not even winter yet. The twelfth lunar month was the coldest, and Sister-in-law was already so afraid of the cold.

Yet even though she was so afraid of the cold, Sister-in-law still insisted on sending food and clothing to Eldest Brother. Sister-in-law is truly wonderful.

Wen Nuannuan was still worried: “How about adding a cotton-lined jacket or a wolf-fur lined jacket?”

There’s a kind of cold called “Sister-in-law thinks you’re cold.”

Leng Chen and Leng Yun fell silent for a moment, then without a word went back to their rooms to put on an extra cotton-lined jacket, and brought out a wolf-fur lined jacket for Leng Tian.

Leng Tian was driving the carriage, and the wind was strong. The wolf-fur lined jacket was windproof, with deep fur that provided excellent warmth.

Leng Tian, who had been about to refuse, saw the concerned look in his sister-in-law’s eyes and silently swallowed the words “I’m not cold,” obediently putting on the wolf-fur lined jacket.

After packing the food prepared for Leng Xiao, locking the main hall door and the courtyard gate, the group set off.

After more than a month, Wen Nuannuan finally went out again. Wuwu, just thinking about it made her heart ache with how difficult it had been.

But compared to the last time she went out, this trip was a qualitative leap forward.

The two-horse carriage was so spacious that three people could sit in a row.

Not only was Wen Nuannuan amazed, but Leng Yun and Leng Chen were even more astonished than her.

Inside the carriage, they touched this and looked at that, even cautiously sticking their heads out the window to watch.

Their sense of novelty ended after waves of nausea and vomiting by the roadside.

They had gloriously gotten carsick!

“Getting carsick in a carriage makes sense too. It has almost no shock absorption, bumping along like that—of course it would make you carsick,” Wen Nuannuan muttered quietly.

Leng Yun: What a pity about the thin-skinned, generously filled meat buns we ate this morning.

Leng Chen: We need to find a way to make the carriage less bumpy. Next year’s journey will be even longer; the whole family needs to travel comfortably.

After rinsing their mouths with water from the water pouches, the four set off again.

This time, the three of them were more subdued, sitting quietly in the carriage, neither looking out the window nor touching everything around them.

~

The Ling Kingdom valued imperial examinations and promoted education. Officials were selected through imperial exams, allowing scholars from humble backgrounds to rise in social status, while the descendants of officials and important figures maintained their family’s prosperity through the exams.

Thus, scholars in the Ling Kingdom were passionate about orthodox studies. Academies were established in many places to teach disciples and give lectures, making academies quite prosperous.

Tongcheng was small and remote, with no official schools. Although there were private schools in various places, they were not influential. Not to mention producing a Jinshi, it hadn’t produced a single Juren in over ten years.

A few years earlier, Qin Old Master retired and returned to his hometown, teaching at Tianhong Academy. He accepted Leng Xiao as a student. In the prefectural examination earlier this year, Leng Xiao took first place, becoming the Jieyuan. This greatly brought honor to Tianhong Academy and gave the Tongcheng County Magistrate a glimmer of hope!

Wen Nuannuan knew about the Jieyuan—there was a very famous Tang Jieyuan in her history.

As for Leng Xiao being the Jieyuan, she wasn’t surprised at all. She used to think it was standard for a male protagonist, but after getting to know Leng Xiao, she believed he was fully deserving of achieving the Triple First and being a top scholar!

With such an almost unnaturally intelligent young man, what couldn’t he succeed at? He would shine brightly in any field!

“Sister-in-law, I’ll go inform the gatekeeper first. You all wait here by the carriage,” Leng Tian said, feeling a bit sorry for the three who had vomited several times, their eyes moist.

His two younger brothers were fine—boys should endure more hardships anyway.

But Sister-in-law was different. Coming to see Eldest Brother this time had been quite an ordeal. Later, he must talk to Eldest Brother more about it, so as not to let Sister-in-law’s heart grow cold.

Leng Tian had only waited outside the academy gate for a short while when Leng Xiao’s tall, lean figure appeared at the entrance.

Unlike the usual silence, this time it was quite lively.

Curious, Leng Tian craned his neck to look. Behind his eldest brother, there were actually more than ten people following in a bustling crowd.

It seemed they were Eldest Brother’s classmates. Leng Tian respectfully bowed and greeted, “Greetings, elder brothers.”

Only a few among the dozen or so people returned the greeting. The rest wore smiles on their faces, but those smiles did not reach their eyes.

Leng Tian lowered his eyelids, understanding perfectly well in his heart.