Chapter 299 Retribution (Second Update)
The next day, when Xiao Liulang came to the Hanlin Academy, he found that everyone was looking at him strangely. Although they were not close to him on a regular basis, they would not look at him with such contempt and complicated eyes.
It seemed that they both disdained his actions and found them unbelievable, and even Xiao Liulang himself didn't quite understand it.
Ning Zhiyuan was summoned by Yang Shidu to work as an assistant teacher at the Hanlin Academy today, so no one was there to gossip about the way Xiao Liulang was looking at these people.
However, Xiao Liulang soon found out on his own, because he was summoned by Han Xueshi, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy.
Han Xueshi was the highest-ranking official in the Hanlin Academy, in charge of the entire academy. People of his rank would not usually summon a compiler of the sixth rank for a private audience.
Scholar Han looked at Xiao Liulang, and although he was very restrained, his eyes still swept over the cane in Xiao Liulang's hand.
Then, his gaze fell on Xiao Liulang's face.
It must be said that this face does indeed resemble the late Marquis Zhaodu.
He snapped out of his reverie, sighed heavily, and frowned, saying, "Do you know why I summoned you here?"
Xiao Liulang replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "This humble official does not know."
His demeanor and temperament were quite good, without a trace of rusticity.
Scholar Han thought for a moment, then looked at Xiao Liulang and said, "Do you know that officials of the Zhao Kingdom are not allowed to frequent brothels at will?"
Xiao Liulang replied, "This humble official understands."
Scholar Han looked at him intently: "Knowing that, why did you still go?"
Xiao Liulang said solemnly, "This humble official has never been to a brothel."
Scholar Han then asked, "If you didn't go, how would you know a courtesan?"
Xiao Liulang said strangely, "This humble official does not recognize him."
Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, Scholar Han frowned and said, "Go down and do your job well. Keep yourself clean and don't degenerate or associate with others and do anything that would damage the reputation of the Hanlin Academy."
In Zhao Kingdom, brothels are legal, but it is still somewhat inappropriate for officials to visit them. Marquis Xuanping, who is thick-skinned and doesn't care about his reputation, is naturally unconcerned no matter how much His Majesty scolds him.
The Hanlin Academy, however, had a sense of honor.
He figured that someone like Xiao Liulang shouldn't have the money to frequent brothels, so after giving him a few words of advice, he dismissed Xiao Liulang. At the same time, he summoned an old lecturer and asked him to tell the Hanlin officials not to spread rumors.
Xiao Liulang ran into Ning Zhiyuan, who was returning from the Hanlin Academy, as soon as he went out.
Ning Zhiyuan pulled him into the corridor and asked in a low voice, "What happened? The whole Hanlin Academy is saying you went to a brothel! I'd believe you went to kill someone, but I don't believe you went to a brothel!"
He would have gone earlier if he wanted to, but he risked offending his colleagues by getting himself so drunk in order to avoid going to brothels.
Xiao Liulang calmly replied, "I've never been there."
"Of course I know you haven't been there! But have you offended someone recently? I mean... someone other than Prince An." Ning Zhiyuan felt that Prince An wouldn't use such a treacherous method to frame Xiao Liulang.
It would be too easy for him to suppress Xiao Liulang; there's no need for him to resort to such underhanded tactics.
Xiao Liulang shook his head.
Many people in the Hanlin Academy disliked him, but he couldn't recall anyone who had offended them on his own initiative.
Ning Zhiyuan said anxiously, "Think about it again! If this scourge isn't exposed, he'll continue to plot against you behind your back! Scholar Han might trust you once, but he might not trust you ten times. Public opinion can be devastating!"
Xiao Liulang thought about it carefully.
Just then, Editor Cen came out of Editor Yang's office and walked towards the corridor.
Fearing he would be discovered, Ning Zhiyuan made a hand gesture to Xiao Liulang and then vanished in a flash!
Xiao Liulang, used to this, walked calmly down the corridor and inevitably ran into Cen Bianxiu.
When Editor Cen saw him, his eyes flashed!
In the past, Xiao Liulang would never have paid attention to the gaze of an insignificant person, but today he inexplicably noticed it.
"Editor Cen?" He stopped in his tracks.
Cen, the compiler, held a lower official rank than him by half a grade, but he had joined the Hanlin Academy earlier. He was a probationary official in the special imperial examination of the year Yichou, and three years ago, after completing his probationary period, he entered the Hanlin Academy and became a compiler of the sixth rank.
The promotion speed of a junior compiler is slower than that of a top-ranking scholar. Two years have passed, and he is still a sixth-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy.
It's not that the editor's official position was low.
Only those who have passed the imperial examinations can enter the Hanlin Academy, and only those who have passed the Hanlin Academy can enter the Grand Secretariat. Every official who has had experience in the Hanlin Academy, even if he does not enter the Grand Secretariat, will be highly valued in other government offices.
It's just that comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable.
Cen, a compiler who had toiled for five years without a promotion, hated nothing more than this kind of "parachuted" top scholar who was appointed as a sixth-rank compiler right away! He was completely overshadowed by him!
Editor Cen suppressed his jealousy and looked coldly at Xiao Liulang: "What is it, Editor Xiao?"
Look, look, look! This is his attitude towards the newly crowned champion!
So what if someone is of a higher rank than him? He's still just a pushover that everyone can bully!
Xiao Liulang didn't notice the fleeting pleasure in his eyes, but he did recall something: "Editor Cen seemed to have some complaints about me when he was working in the library."
Editor Cen snorted, "Isn't it because you dragged me into this? If I hadn't been assigned to the same group as you, would I have been able to do so much more work?"
Xiao Liulang nodded: "So you deliberately didn't wake me up and made me stay locked up in the library all night?"
His nonchalant remark made Editor Cen's heart skip a beat!
"You you you you you... what nonsense are you talking about?" Editor Cen's eyes widened, bluffing.
Xiao Liulang had heard Ning Zhiyuan say that Yang Xiuzhuan was furious about him being late the next morning, which shows that Yang Xiuzhuan was unaware that he had been locked in the library.
When Yang Xiuzhuan left, he wouldn't leave without calling him, but he also wouldn't personally call him.
Then only Wang Xiuzhuan and Cen Bianxiu, who shared a room with him, remained.
Wang Xiuzhuan's interactions with him these past few days have been normal, but Cen Bianxiu has always been sneaky and evasive.
"Don't make false accusations!" Editor Cen roared in anger!
Xiao Liulang said calmly, "Did you also spread the rumors about the brothels?"
Editor Cen's face turned pale: "You, you, you... Stop spouting nonsense! Stop framing me! What brothel rumors? I've never heard of them!"
Xiao Liulang said without changing his expression, "Lord Han already said it was you."
“I…” Editor Cen froze.
He dared not confront Lord Han.
Xiao Liulang knew the answer from his eyes. He glanced at Cen Bianxiu and said indifferently, "Cen Bianxiu, do more and spread less rumors."
After saying that, he ignored him and walked past him.
Editor Cen was indignant at being scolded by a country bumpkin. He turned around and stopped him, saying, "I'm spreading rumors? What rumors did I spread? Didn't you have a secret rendezvous with the girls from Xianleju yesterday? You dared to exchange gifts in public like that, you're utterly shameless!"
"The girls from Xianleju?" Xiao Liulang stopped and looked at Cen Bianxiu strangely. "What Xianleju?"
Xianleju is a brothel that has only emerged in the last three years, but it has already become the leading brothel, even surpassing Ruanyuge.
Editor Cen panicked and cursed himself for letting something slip.
But then I realized that wasn't right.
Why did he talk to those two girls but not know they were from Xianleju?
He clearly looks like he's trying to live a shameful life!
Little did Cen Bianxiu know that the man was merely asking Xiao Liulang for directions and hadn't revealed his origins at all.
Xiao Liulang had no recollection of the incident and didn't suspect the two passersby.
Xiao Liulang gave Cen Bianxiu a strange look, then turned and went back to his office without saying another word to him.
Editor Cen carefully took out a wooden plaque painted red.
The wooden sign was stamped with three characters in vermilion: "Xianleju".
These were things that the two girls had accidentally dropped. Editor Cen went over and picked them up; otherwise, he wouldn't have known that they were actually from Xianleju.
How could a poor boy like Xiao Liulang be associated with the famous Xianleju?
This made Editor Cen extremely jealous.
He originally intended to hand over the token as evidence that Xiao Liulang frequented brothels, but he couldn't bear to part with it.
After distributing the tokens, Editor Cen took them to Xianle Residence.
Xianleju is located southeast of Qingfenglou, less than a hundred steps away on foot.
It is known as a fairy palace, not only because it is decorated like a fairy palace, but also because every girl in it is as beautiful as an angel.
Its most beautiful courtesan is even known as Chang'e of the Moon Palace.
Editor Cen changed out of his official robes in the carriage and put on a dark blue brocade robe.
He was about the same age as Ning Zhiyuan, in his early thirties, the prime of a man's life. He was much more handsome than Ning Zhiyuan, a handsome young man of above-average appearance.
Ordinary people can't get into places like Xianleju. Silver isn't very effective. It's not that they don't accept silver, but they don't have enough silver.
Editor Cen handed the token to the female guard at the gate, just to give it a try.
To my surprise, he actually went inside!
The girl who led the way was stunningly beautiful.
The young woman smiled sweetly and said, "So you are Sister Qianxue's distinguished guest. Please come to the room!"
Editor Cen was flattered.
Looking at the girl in front of him, he couldn't help but chuckle and say, "The rumors are true, you are indeed as beautiful as a fairy!"
The girl chuckled upon hearing this: "I'm not a girl from the brothel, I'm just a maid."
“Ah…” Editor Cen was shocked.
If even a maid is this beautiful, how many girls in the brothel must be—
Just as he finished thinking about it, he heard the maid who was leading the way greet him with a smile: "Miss Lanxin."
Upon hearing this, Editor Cen looked up and saw a beautiful woman dressed in purple slowly descending the steps. Her skirt trailed gracefully over the wooden steps, her figure like a wisp of purple light, her beauty exquisite and her smile radiant.
Editor Cen felt like his soul was about to leave his body!
He grabbed the stair railing and almost collapsed to his knees!
"How wicked!" Lanxin sneered as she went downstairs.
Her cold smile revealed endless allure, yet it was alluring without being vulgar, captivating and enchanting.
Young maid: "Young master, please!"
The maid led Editor Cen to the main room: "Miss Qianxue, your guest has arrived."
"Please come in."
A voice, as beautiful as heavenly music, emanated from within, indescribably serene and ethereal.
Upon hearing the voice, Editor Cen felt his whole body go limp.
He didn't know how he got into the room; by the time he realized what had happened, the door was already closed.
This is the woman I saw yesterday. She is holding the token she had lost and found again, and she has taken off her veil.
Editor Cen caught his breath after just one glance.
What does "as beautiful as an angel" mean?
This is the real Nine Palaces Moon Fairy!
Despite his vast knowledge and status as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, he couldn't find a single suitable word to describe the beauty of the woman before him.
"Who are you?" The woman's eyes turned cold after she saw Cen's face clearly, and she put the veil back on her face.
Editor Cen snapped out of his daze, thinking the other party was asking about his background, and quickly bowed, saying, "I am Cen Guangjie, greetings to Miss Qianxue!"
The woman asked with a smile, "How did the token end up in your hands?"
Editor Cen was stunned by her smile, his heart pounding, and he said with a flushed face, "Miss lost her token. I found it by chance and recognized it as belonging to Xianleju, so I brought it to you."
"Oh, you found it yourself?" The woman smiled slightly. "Did anyone else see it?"
Editor Cen shook his head and said, "No."
The woman lowered her head and smiled gently: "Why did you have to bring it all yourself? I'm so sorry."
Editor Cen said shyly, "It's nothing, not worth mentioning."
The woman smiled and said, "But you've seen my face, and that's enough to make you talk about it."
"Huh?" Editor Cen was taken aback.
Before he could react, the woman's face turned cold: "Drag him out and kill him!"
Editor Cen shuddered!
"Gu——"
Auntie isn't coming out anymore.
He was gagged by a man in black and dragged away like a sack.
"It's filthy!" The woman threw the token in her hand to the ground in disgust.
The personal maidservant hurriedly brought over a copper basin of water: "Miss."
The woman plunged her hand, which had touched the token, into the water angrily, saying, "I'm so angry! I'm so angry! What a lousy, stinky man! Why didn't he pick it up? Why did he let someone else pick it up!"
The maid sighed, "Yes, it's a pity that the young lady's good intentions were wasted. She deliberately dropped a token for him, but he walked away as if he didn't see it, letting someone else take advantage of him."
Do you know Liulang?
--yes.
Liu Lang's Peach Blossom?
--no.
(End of this chapter)
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