The older student said to Xu Jiang, "This book is really good. It has many annotations and is easy to understand. With it, learning these poems will be much easier."
Another thin student continued, "I was too slow to buy it earlier. It's not good to borrow others all the time, and it's too difficult to copy. Fortunately, I asked Song Xuelu and was pointed here. Otherwise, I don't know what I would do."
Xu Jiang smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone. When the second edition is printed, we will also provide some to the Imperial College. Then everyone will be able to buy it."
The older student said, "That's good. Many students don't have it yet."
The thin one said, "It's better to buy it soon, otherwise you will fall behind in your studies."
"That's right, that's right." The other three people also agreed, and then took out money to buy it.
"Madam, how much is a set?"
"How much does the Imperial College cost?"
"One volume is six hundred and fifty wen, and one set is one thousand three hundred wen."
It cost a hundred wen more than the set he sold to the Imperial College, so it wasn't expensive.
"Give it to me at the price the Imperial College sells it for."
"Really?" Several students looked surprised.
"Yeah." Xu Jiang nodded with a smile.
"I thought it would be more expensive than the Imperial College. I didn't expect it to be the same price."
"In the past, books published by the Imperial College would cost four or five hundred wen if bought outside, and some would even cost double that. I didn't expect that the books here are the same as those in the Imperial College."
"That's perfect. We can use the money we save to buy Hu tea."
After a brief discussion, they readily paid and left with their books. They wanted to buy Hu tea before the market closed.
Before leaving, the older man asked, "Has Lord Lou left?"
It turns out that he knew Lou Yunchun. No wonder everyone was so reserved just now. They must have been scared by Lou Yunchun.
Xu Jiang glanced toward the backyard and said to the students, "Let's go."
The students all breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed to her and said goodbye. Xu Jiang returned the greeting, and they walked out of the door and ran towards the street like a gust of wind.
Really high-spirited.
Xu Jiang weighed the heavy copper coins in his hand and thought: Since these students have found this place, it seems that the second edition should be put on the agenda.
She put the money away and went to the backyard to find Lou Yunchun.
Lou Yunchun was adding water and feeding the donkey. Strangely, the donkey did not make a fuss. Instead, it sat side by side with Lou Yunchun's horse and ate happily.
Xu Jiang came closer and saw that the fodder was fresh and of the best quality. She immediately smiled and asked, "Where did you buy it?"
Lou Yunchun turned around and said, "East Market."
"so far away?"
"I went to the Imperial City today on some business, and stopped by on my way out. It's not far." He added, "This place often supplies my family with fodder. Last time, I heard from the servant that it loved it, so I bought a few bags."
Xu Jiang stared at the donkey, which was chowing down on its food and wagging its tail, with a worried look on her face. "This donkey has become a picky eater since it came to the capital. I'm afraid it's going to bankrupt this bookshop in the future."
Hearing this, Lou Yunchun said, "No, I'm still here. I'll buy it more after it finishes eating." After thinking for a moment, he added, "Just consider it as the horse's lodging fee."
Xu Jiang laughed and joked, "Mr. Lou is truly a wealthy and powerful man."
Seeing that she didn't refuse, Lou Yunchun smiled and asked, "Did those students buy books just now?"
"I bought it." Xu Jiang nodded. "Before leaving, they asked about you. I told them they left only after you left."
Then he asked, "Why are they so afraid of you?"
“I go back occasionally to give them lessons.”
"Teaching? So you're a teacher? No wonder they're afraid of you." Xu Jiang asked curiously, "What class?"
"Driving and archery." Lou Yunchun added, "I'm not really a teacher, I just fill in for classes occasionally."
Xu Jiang got to know this man a little better and found him somewhat interesting, so she kept staring at him. Lou Yunchun felt quite uncomfortable being stared at and turned around to continue feeding the donkey.
After a while, he asked again, "How is Mrs. Lin?"
"Not very well." Xu Jiang's smile faded. "I heard Doctor Chen say that this disease would come on quickly, but I didn't expect it to be so ruthless. I see she's much more haggard today. Hong Chu said she has a poor appetite and always vomits after eating. Fortunately, the chicken soup I sent her today was helpful. Tomorrow I'll change the menu and try to get her to eat some grains. Grains are a good source of energy, and without them, how can she endure the pain?"
Doctor Chen said that Mrs. Lin could survive until the beginning of spring, but by the end of the year, she was gone like water, gone in the blink of an eye.
Spring comes after the New Year. In the past, I always hoped that spring would come earlier, but now I hope it will come later and later.
After feeding the donkey, Lou Yunchun dusted off the grass on his hands, turned around, and asked, "When are you leaving tomorrow? I'll go with you."
"You have to go to the government office tomorrow, and it's so far away that you can't bear the trip back and forth. I'm close to the academy, so you can go by yourself." Xu Jiang refused, then said, "If you really want to go, wait until you have a day off or when the court is over early, and then go with me, okay?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you." It seemed deliberate for him to come to the house so rashly. It was a lack of consideration on his part.
He saw the pale blue circles under Xu Jiang's eyes and knew she hadn't rested well these past few days, so he comforted her, "Life and death are inevitable. You don't have to worry too much and be careful not to hurt yourself. I see that Madam Lin and Master Lin have reached the point of understanding their fate and are taking it as it comes, no longer afraid. If we do this, won't we only cause them grief and unrest?"
Xu Jiang rubbed his eyes and smiled bitterly, "I know this, too. But when I look at Madam Lin, I always think of Master. When I look at Little Hoe, I always think of myself back then, helpless and useless. I can't sleep well."
Seeing her like this, Lou Yunchun felt a pang of pain in his heart. But time, between life and death, between the past and the present, is a chasm that is difficult for humans to cross. He couldn't suffer for Xu Jiang in the past, nor could he change Madam Lin's fate. He, too, was manipulated by time, a pawn on its chessboard.
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