Zhao Qiran added, "Lord Song was worried you might be bored, so he said the coachman will bring your cat over in a little while. There's a clean room in this house; if you need, you can ask the waiter to boil some water and wash up. The waiter will bring your meal shortly."
Qingchen nodded his thanks and went inside with his bundle.
The room was simply furnished with a bed, a simple desk against the wall, and a chair. Two thin, indigo-blue quilts were folded on the bed, and a red candle sat on the desk, burning brightly.
Sure enough, there was a small, clean room inside.
A moment later, the waiter knocked on the door and brought the meal. Qingchen accepted it, thanked him, and after thinking for a moment, said to him, "Could you please bring me some hot water? I'd like to clean myself."
The boy nodded in agreement and left.
Qingchen, holding the meal, glanced at the next room; the door remained tightly shut. She wondered if her teacher had finished his work, or if he was so busy he had forgotten to eat. She considered knocking to ask, but hesitated, afraid of disturbing him, and ultimately decided against it.
By the dim light, Qingchen ate a little something. A moment later, the waiter brought a bucket of hot water, and she took her change of clothes and candlesticks to the washroom to clean herself.
After taking a bath, she felt the autumn night growing colder, so she took an outer garment and draped it over her shoulders.
As Qingchen carried the bucket outside, she stood at the door for a while, but didn't hear a sound from her teacher's side. After hesitating for a moment, she went back inside. Her teacher was always so busy that he forgot to eat and sleep; so many court affairs depended on him, and she didn't want to disturb him.
Back in her room, Qingchen took out a book from her bundle to read. She organized what she had heard and remembered that day, digesting it slowly as she went. When she saw the tortoise formation diagram, she thought of the young man named Lan Tan, the slightly yellowed wolf tooth on his hand, and the calluses on his tiger's mouth.
That man had his responsibilities and destiny; the unruly youth would one day go to the battlefield and become a valiant general who fought bravely to defend his country. Although she could not compare to him, a great hero who saved the country and its people, as an official of the Ming Dynasty, she also had her own responsibilities and destiny.
Qingchen shook her head, ceasing her thoughts, and continued burying herself in her books. After organizing her notes on the philosophy of mind, she took out the records from the Ministry of Works to review.
Time passed slowly, and before I knew it, the candles that had been lit when I checked in were more than half burned out. Candle wax dripped down the candlestick and onto the table.
With a "snap".
Shen Qingchen raised her head, rubbed her sore eyes and hands, and couldn't help but glance at the wall in Song Yue's direction.
After so long, she still hadn't heard a sound.
Perhaps he was too tired and fell asleep?
Today was Qingchen's first time attending the gathering, and she thought he would come over and ask her how she felt. She had carefully organized her notes, intending to show them to him. But now it was so late, and it seemed he wouldn't come over to ask.
After stretching her limbs, Qingchen suddenly felt the need for some fresh air, so she went to the window and opened it halfway. The moment the wind rushed in, it was a bit chilly, but she could bear it.
The moon is nowhere to be seen in the night sky tonight, but scattered stars are embedded in the darkness, still quite bright. A faint, unidentified floral fragrance drifts on the slightly damp air, very refreshing.
Qingchen gazed at the sky alone for a while, but couldn't stand the gusts of night wind, so she closed the window and went to sleep.
Just as the window shutters were lowered, the window next to her seemed to open. She paused for a moment, her heart beating slightly faster, then quickly opened the window and tentatively asked, "Is that you, teacher?"
A moment later, a familiar voice drifted through the quiet night, "It's me."
Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that he might be sick, but she hadn't dared to think that way. Now that she knew he was alright, she felt much lighter.
Unable to see anyone, Qingchen could only ask into the night, "Has Teacher had his meal?"
"I've already used it. What about you? Have you used it?"
"I've already used it. There's a clean room in this house, and I even took a bath..." Qingchen paused suddenly, her face flushing. Why did she tell her teacher about taking a bath?
"Is that so?" Song Yue's voice was indifferent. "Then put on another layer of clothing, so you don't catch a cold."
"Hmm... Teacher has been in the room the whole time. I thought maybe Teacher was too busy to eat, or maybe she was too tired and fell asleep, or maybe she wasn't feeling well..." If she hadn't brought the book to read, and Teacher hadn't made a sound, she probably would have imagined even more.
"Are you worried about me?" A voice drifted from the window on the other end, clear and slightly magnetic.
Qingchen's heart stirred slightly. He brushed a strand of hair that had been blown away from his ear and said softly, "Hmm... National affairs cannot be separated from teachers, and students naturally do not want their teachers to be unwell."
"Um."
Just then, a bright light flashed across the sky. Qingchen rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had imagined it. A moment later, another bright light appeared.
With one hand resting on the windowsill, she blurted out, "Meteor shower!"
Song Yue's tone seemed to rise as well, "Stars are falling like rain..."
Qingchen suddenly remembered that in ancient times, people generally had a negative view of meteor showers, unlike the romantic view they have today. People would consider it an unusual celestial phenomenon, usually an ominous sign of a change of regime.
She had lived in modern times for twenty years and had never seen a meteor shower, but unexpectedly, she saw one in the Ming Dynasty. She wondered if this was truly a premonition.
"Teacher, do you believe that meteor showers can signify anything?"
A faint voice came from the other end, "I never believe in these things; I just treat it as a spectacle. If it really does foreshadow something, as people say, and causes certain people to lose power, wouldn't that be a good thing?"
"Yes. Actually, in our hometown, it's a lucky thing to be able to see this meteor shower."
As the meteors streaked slowly across the night sky, their shimmering light illuminating the otherwise silent night, Qingchen felt a surge of excitement.
"Want to go down and take a look? You can't see clearly from here."
"think!"
Let's go.
Behind the inn was a large flat area with several haystacks not far away. Normally, no one would venture out at night. Tonight, there was almost no moonlight, making the flat area rather dark; only the streaks of shooting stars could vaguely illuminate the path.
"Let's look around here," Song Yue said as the two arrived at a haystack.
Qingchen nodded, then looked up at the sky, afraid of missing a shooting star.
Song Yue unfolded a thin satin cloak in his hand and wrapped her up completely. "Don't catch a cold."
She shrank back slightly in surprise, turned her head, and said softly to him, "Thank you, teacher."
There seemed to be an unusually large number of shooting stars tonight, one after another, unhurriedly streaking across the night sky, their light particularly dazzling, as if each one wanted to display its brilliance before finally fading from the darkness. All around was quiet, save for the faint sound of dry grass rustling in the wind; the air was slightly damp, a thin mist gathering and dissipating.
Shen Qingchen had never imagined that the first meteor shower of her life would be watched with a historical savior and an idol to countless people.
The rare encounter excited her, and she couldn't help but want to share it with him, "Teacher, look, isn't this one very bright..."
He stood with his hands behind his back in the night. His profile was not very clear, only his sculpted features and bright, starry eyes were discernible, but these were enough to reveal an incomparably handsome face.
Song Yue turned his head and looked at his students, who couldn't hide their excitement. "Very bright."
He was happy for her simple joy; he had rarely seen her like this before.
Zhao Qiran came to see him earlier and told him about her performance that afternoon, which didn't surprise him. She worked so hard; her brilliance couldn't be hidden, and she would shine brightly one day.
A gust of wind blew by, and it was a bit chilly. Qingchen instinctively tightened the cloak around her. Looking back at the haystack, she said, "Teacher, let's sit down and watch."
"good."
He sat down, leaning against the haystack, bending one knee and resting an arm on it. His slender figure and relaxed posture gave him an air of nonchalant elegance. Qingchen had never seen her teacher like this before. In the darkness, she turned around and sat down, hugging her knees.
They sat close together, like in a carriage. The coachman's tune and the diffused warm sunlight were gone, but they had a tranquil peace undisturbed by anyone, and a vast, boundless, dazzling night sky.
The wind picked up, and Qingchen hugged his knees tighter, slightly hunching his neck. A moment later, he felt an arm reach out from behind and gently wrap around his shoulder. The wide sleeve covered his back, and warmth spread from the palm of his hand.
Song Yue turned around, his back to the direction the wind was blowing, and looked at her. "Do you mind?"
Qingchen looked at the teacher who was shielding him from the wind, instinctively shook his head, and said somewhat shyly, "Thank you, teacher..."
In the sky, the meteors fell faster and faster, and their trails became brighter and brighter. In a short time, several meteors streaked across the night sky at the same time.
Truly, the stars fell like rain, a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
At the same time, a carriage had just stopped in front of the residence of the Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty.
Xu Silin got out of the car with two books in his hands. After walking around the screen wall, he stopped in the courtyard and looked up to see the rare sight in the night sky.
He wore a navy blue straight-cut robe, with a piece of jade tied around his waist, and a dark blue satin cloak draped over his back. When the wind rose, he stood facing the wind, the front of his robe clinging tightly to his strong chest, and the cloak billowing behind him.
Several shooting stars streaked across the sky, instantly brightening the night, but unfortunately, the moment was short-lived, and soon the night sky returned to silence.
There were unusual celestial phenomena.
Xu Si frowned and stepped onto the corridor. A row of lanterns lit up the corridor, emitting an orange-yellow light, and the flowers and plants along the corridor were shrouded in shadow.
He had only taken a few steps when he encountered Grand Secretary Xu Yan at the corner. "Father."
"Where have you been since you came back so late?" Xu Yan's hair was half white, and he was wearing a crane cloak. He had come out because he heard from his servants that there were unusual phenomena in the sky.
"At the home of the Vice Minister of Works."
Xu Yan was somewhat surprised. "You've never really had any contact with his sons, so why did you go to his house and stay so late?" He knew his son's social circle well. Although the Vice Minister of Works was also part of Xu's faction, his son's usual drinking and entertainment acquaintances didn't include his family. Moreover, his son hadn't been going out much lately.
"I went to seek further knowledge," Xu Silin replied casually. "I went to the Ministry of Works to observe the administration, but there were some pamphlets I couldn't understand. I went to ask about them."
The Ministry of Works' administration was new knowledge to him, and he had been diligently studying it. Although he was quick-witted, everyone has their own area of expertise, and without grasping the essentials, reading countless books would be a waste of time. Therefore, he went to see the Vice Minister of Works.
The three of them went to the Ministry of Works together to observe the administration, so they all started from the same point. Shen Qingchen was very diligent, reading through many books and taking many notes every day, and even taking the books home after his shift. He saw all of this. That person had once mocked his background, but he didn't care because he couldn't change it.
However, his personal knowledge and abilities were something he could change. Lin Mo had said he was good at everything, and he had originally thought so too. With his high talent, learning anything was a piece of cake. Whether he knew more or less, it didn't seem to make much difference to him.
However, now that it's under the Ministry of Works, a little more or less seems to make a difference.
He would never let that person question his abilities again.
Upon hearing this, Xu Yan narrowed his eyes and patted his son's shoulder with satisfaction. "Your diligence is something your father is very proud of. However, son, you must know that you are different from the other concubines."
He continued, “You are my son, Xu Yan. All the power I hold now will eventually be handed over to you. Therefore, for you, the most important thing is not knowledge, but the ability to manage people.”
Xu Yan, despite being a notorious corrupt official, managed to remain in power for many years and gain the emperor's trust largely because of his skill in personnel management. He understood perfectly that only by using the right people could the country continue to function and the Xu family's wealth and prosperity endure.
“Son, you now have a group of the best scholars around you. Find the talented ones among them and bring them to your side. Let all their talents be used for your benefit.”
Upon hearing his father's words, Xu Silin immediately pictured a certain person in his mind.
Slender shoulders, a handsome face, clear and firm eyes... that person has submitted to himself.
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