Chapter 91
As the sunlight suddenly flooded in from outside, carrying the vibrant scent of the grass and trees in the courtyard, Mu Yulu looked up and saw a tree in the courtyard bursting with the intense fragrance of peach blossoms. Then she saw a tall figure standing quietly beneath the pink clouds of blossoms.
Sanzhou Jinse was still wearing a pinkish-brown long robe, with peach blossoms blooming brightly above his head. He stood straight, like a sword that had gathered the spring scenery around him.
In the instant Xin Yun suddenly stepped aside, his eyes met Mu Yulu's across the spring sunshine in the courtyard, without warning.
The moment their eyes met, time seemed to stand still.
There was a hint of hesitation in Mu Yulu's eyes, as well as a sense of relief that she had finally put her mind at ease, and a hint of annoyance.
She stood there, looking at him with a complicated expression, her thoughts unreadable.
The wind swept through the courtyard, swirling up fallen petals that drifted silently between the two. The next second, Mu Yulu rushed into the spring sunshine and threw herself into Sanzhou Jinse's arms.
Sanzhou Jinse subconsciously wanted to embrace her, and her hand, which had been hanging by her side, was raised, but then it hovered stiffly in mid-air, her fingertips slightly curled, as if she didn't know where to put it.
She hugged him even tighter, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and her cheeks buried deep in his chest. After a moment, she sobbed and wiped her tears and snot on his clothes.
Sanzhou Jinse was amused by her actions. His hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, finally slowly fell down and gently placed on her shoulder and back with a cautious and tentative touch.
Xin Yunmohe quietly slipped away at some point, leaving only the two figures huddled together in the courtyard on a spring afternoon.
After an unknown amount of time, Mu Yulu finished crying and raised her head to let go of him, but he pulled her into his arms even tighter.
His previous action was merely a tentative touch; the sudden tightening of his arms now was a true embrace.
He held her tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to crush her and embed her into his very bones, as if only in this way could he be sure that this embrace was real and not a dream.
Mu Yulu was stunned for a moment, but did not struggle.
She leaned her head back against his chest and said somewhat sullenly, "The first time we met, you threw me into the lake and said I wasn't your type."
Sanzhou Jinse couldn't help but smile again.
It seems this matter is truly beyond repair.
His chuckled voice rang out above her head: "Because back then I thought you were so beautiful, so beautiful I didn't know what to do."
Mu Yulu raised her head in protest: "Is this your reason for throwing me into the lake?"
Sanshu Sumire replied to her in a serious tone: "It's the same as seeing a cute kitten or puppy and being unable to resist wanting to eat it. In order to control your impulse, you have to subconsciously let go."
"How come I never knew you were so good at arguing? You always spout nonsense." Mu Yulu shifted her body, clenching her fist and pounding it against his chest in frustration. "So now you're finally not wearing a mask when you see me? Is it so I can see your expression today too?"
Sanzhou Jinse's grip on her loosened slightly, but he still held her tightly in his arms. He lowered his head and gazed at her, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "No."
The next second, he lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead with his cool lips. His movements were extremely light and slow, with an almost reverent solemnity.
Mu Yulu trembled slightly, then closed her eyes.
Sunlight filtered through the fluttering petals, casting dappled patterns of light on their close-knit figures, while the wind swirled the petals around the hem of their clothes.
They fell silent, simply embracing each other in quiet tenderness, savoring each other's presence and this rare moment of peace.
Sanzhou Jinse did not stay at the academy for long. He came here only to let Mu Yulu know that he was safe. After the two talked, he left in a hurry, leaving only one sentence: he would come to find her after he finished what he was doing.
Fortunately, his safety has now been confirmed, and Mu Yulu no longer needs to wait anxiously for news of him every day. Instead, she can relax and follow Xu Zaiye, listen to his teachings, and do her own thing diligently.
Time flies, and summer is here again. Before they knew it, Mu Yulu had been by Xu Zaiye's side for almost half a year.
In the past six months, she has traveled all over the country, following Xu Zaiye to visit famous mountains and rivers in Xuanwu Kingdom, sometimes practicing medicine and helping people, sometimes lecturing on scriptures and discussing Taoism, and her days have been very fulfilling.
As the weather gradually turned from hot to cool, Xu Zaiye and Mu Yulu embarked on their journey home.
On the way back, they walked slowly, because every time they reached a manor, village, or town, whether bustling or not, Xu Zaiye would stop and take Mu Yulu to visit the senior sisters who had studied at Zaiye Academy.
Without exception, all of those senior female students had married and had children, some even having seven or eight children in a row. They looked old and tired, completely unlike the spirited students they once were in the academy.
The ones who lived the best lives were like Madam Qi, who married into merchant families or powerful families. With the skills she learned at the academy, she lived the life of a mistress in the mansion. Compared to her senior sisters who married into ordinary families and had to keep having children, their lives were quite good.
These are the very people who anger Xu Zaiye the most.
She told Mu Yulu about something she had never mentioned before: "For a time, I hated my senior sister. I thought she was taught by the same master as me and shouldn't have made that choice."
Mu Yulu listened attentively and pondered. The senior sister Xu Zaiye mentioned must be Madam Qi. What kind of choice was she referring to? Was it the same choice made by those students who made her so angry—marrying into a wealthy family and becoming the matriarch?
She was puzzled: "But they do live a better life than before, and their children have resources they didn't have before. From another perspective, they have changed their own destiny because of this."
"If this is considered a better life, then why did you go through all the trouble to escape from the Prince's mansion in the first place?" Xu Zaiye's words were sharp and merciless: "Isn't the position of Princess Consort more prestigious than these mistresses? You could have lost face and submitted to Mu Qinhan, borne him children, and shared a husband with his concubines and other women who might be brought into the Prince's mansion in the future. Wouldn't that be considered changing your fate?"
Xu Zaiye shattered the illusion with just a few words. She continued, "Qiye Academy has six major disciplines. Studying law is to master the methods of judging cases and to understand the principles of law; studying mathematics is to master skills such as astronomy, calendar, arithmetic, and divination, which are enough to make a living in the world; calligraphy and painting are not only for cultivating one's character, but also for entering the Tao through calligraphy and painting and understanding the principles of governing the world; as for martial arts and medicine, they are not only skills that help people survive, but also for upholding justice and healing the sick."
“None of the subjects taught in the academy are meant to be used as stepping stones to marry into wealthy families, bear children for those men, or share a husband with other women. If it's just to stay in the backyard, trapped by the mundane chores of daily life, then what's the point of mastering so many skills?”
Mu Yulu was stunned and fell into deep thought.
Xu Zaiye sighed deeply as he said this: "But I also know that they can't really be blamed for this situation."
"Even though the Xuanwu Kingdom is now ruled by a female ruler, she still cannot overcome public opinion to allow women in the country to participate in the imperial examinations and serve in the same court as men. The greatest effort she can make is to ensure that the wild academies continue to exist and encourage more academies to recruit female students."
Finally, she sighed, "If the situation is like this even in the Xuanwu Kingdom, what about the state of the world?"
Xu Zaiye's words were a revelation to Mu Yulu, far more useful than any profound truths found in books.
She returned to the academy lost in thought, then locked herself in her room and continued to ponder at her desk until late at night, unaware of when Sanzhou Jinse arrived.
The night was now as dark as ink. He landed silently in front of her open window and easily leaped inside.
The candlelight in the room flickered slightly in response. Mu Yulu turned to look at him and softly said, "You've come."
She casually pointed to the chair in front of the desk, "Sit wherever you like."
Sanzhou Jinse did not sit down, but walked up to her, his eyes filled with inquiry: "At this hour, I thought you were already asleep, but I didn't expect the lights in the room to still be on."
Mu Yulu sighed: "I'm thinking about some things."
Sanzhou Jinse asked her, "What kind of question keeps you thinking until late at night? Have you come up with any ideas?"
Mu Yulu shook her head.
After spending some time quietly with her, Sanshu Jinse reached out her hand.
Mu Yulu lowered her head, her gaze lingering on his hand for a moment, before she placed her hand in his palm without hesitation.
She was experienced enough to know that his gesture was an invitation for her to go out for some fresh air.
The next instant, her waist tightened, and a steady force came from her. She was pulled into his arms, and together they gracefully flew out of the window.
The night breeze brushed her face, carrying the chill of a late spring night. Sanzhou Jinse pulled her closer to his arms, lightly tapping the roof tiles a few times for leverage, and soon they swept across the sleeping streets and alleys, landing on the eaves of the tallest building in the city.
The view was expansive, with the city sleeping in the darkness below. Sanzhou Jinse gently put Mu Yulu down and took off his outer robe to drape over her shoulders.
"Since we can't come up with a solution, let's take a break and think about it again." He sat down next to Mu Yulu.
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