Chapter 369 Husband and Wife (First Update)
Gu Jiao and Gu Chengfeng parted ways on Zhuque Street. Gu Chengfeng went to Qinghe Academy via Chang'an Street, while Gu Jiao went to Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy has been very busy lately, and Xiao Liulang always finishes his shifts very late, so Gu Jiao went to bring him some food.
Gu Jiao brought several boxes of pastries made by the imperial kitchen from Renshou Palace. She left a few boxes for Yao Shi and Xiao Jingkong, and another box for Xiao Liulang.
She brought some snacks and went to the vicinity of the Hanlin Academy, just as Xiao Liulang came out of the Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy was where the junior scholars studied. Although it belonged to the Hanlin Academy, it was not located inside the Hanlin Academy, but on the same street.
Gu Jiao saw the young and handsome man from afar. Calling him a young man was not quite right, because apart from his youthful face, he exuded an exceptionally calm and composed aura.
However, in the Zhao Kingdom, men were to be called "young men" before the age of twenty.
The twilight fell on his delicate face, making it seem even more tender.
Gu Jiao crossed her arms and leaned against the wall at the alley entrance, staring intently at him, a beautiful smile unconsciously curving her lips.
"Xiao Xiuzhuan!"
A junior scholar chased after him from the Hanlin Academy, holding a booklet in his hand that looked as if it had been read countless times.
Xiao Liulang stopped and turned to look at him: "Is there something you need, Young Master Zhou?"
The junior scholar, addressed as Young Master Zhou, scratched his head sheepishly: "Commissioner Xiao remembers me."
Xiao Liulang said, "During the palace examination, you sat in front of me, and I heard Du Ruohan call your name."
This time, Young Master Zhou truly believed that Xiao Liulang remembered him. He was utterly flattered and stared wide-eyed for a long time before he finally reacted: "Then...then...um, ah...I..."
He was so excited that he stammered.
Perhaps in many people's eyes, Xiao Liulang is a top scholar who rose to the top through unscrupulous means. However, after listening to Xiao Liulang's lectures so many times, he deeply felt that Xiao Liulang was very knowledgeable. This new top scholar, Xiao Liulang, is truly deserving of the title.
"I...I'm friends with Brother Du...no, I..." He was worried that Xiao Liulang would think he was using Du Ruohan's relationship to get close to Xiao Liulang, and he became more and more nervous as he spoke.
Xiao Liulang glanced at the book in his hand and asked, "Is there a question you didn't understand?"
During Yang Shidu's recovery period, Xiao Liulang and Prince An each taught a few lessons for the Hanlin Academy's probationary scholars in his place. After Yang Shidu returned, they stopped going to the Hanlin Academy.
Today, Deng Shijiang had something come up unexpectedly, so I asked him to give me a lesson on the laws of this dynasty.
The document in Zhou Gongzi's hand was the "Laws and Decrees of Zhao State" that he had learned in class.
Young Master Zhou smiled somewhat embarrassedly: "I understand everything that Xiao Xiuzhuan explained. Really, you explained it exceptionally well! It wasn't boring at all! I don't like the law. I used to always lose focus in law class, which led to... falling behind in a lot."
He wasn't flattering Xiao Liulang; he genuinely understood Xiao Liulang's lesson. He had never known that law lessons could be taught this way.
Instead of immediately reciting the major laws and regulations to them, Xiao Liulang first told them about a case of internal organ murder from the previous dynasty, which immediately attracted the attention of all the students, including himself.
The brilliance of this class lies in the fact that all the students forget they are in class. They feel as if they are actually solving a sensational mystery, and they almost get into a fight while guessing the murderer!
Xiao Liulang said, "If this were in the current dynasty, the murderer in this case would not be punished. They are confused. How could such a brutal murderer who killed five people go unpunished? How could this be!"
They didn't believe it and refuted Xiao Liulang's words, thinking that he was just talking nonsense.
Xiao Liulang wasn't annoyed. He simply glanced at everyone calmly and said, "What evidence do you have to prove that I'm talking nonsense?"
"A life for a life!" a student said.
Xiao Liulang calmly said, "The principle of 'a life for a life' is a saying, not a law of Zhao Kingdom. Executioners kill, bandits kill, kill in self-defense, kill by mistake, kill intentionally... each situation is different and cannot be generalized."
That concludes the lesson.
Everyone felt unsatisfied, not because they particularly liked Xiao Liulang, but because they felt they hadn't won the argument and believed they could do even better if they had another chance.
Alas, I suffered because I didn't understand the law!
“In the past, everyone would leave after class, but today…” Young Master Zhou smiled and said, “Everyone stayed in the classroom to discuss, saying that what Xiao Xiuzhuan said was wrong, and then they all went to look up evidence in their books.”
The junior scholars were really going all out to overthrow Xiao Liulang.
"I've never seen everyone so serious before," Zhou Gongzi said with a smile.
Xiao Liulang's expression was calm and unperturbed. He looked at Young Master Zhou and said, "You came here just to tell me this?"
"Ah...no! No! I am..." Young Master Zhou scratched his head, his face turning red, but he couldn't come up with a coherent explanation for a long time.
"Alright, Xu'er, let me explain!"
A burly man with strong features strode in from the other end of the street.
"Uncle." Young Master Zhou turned around and gave him a junior's greeting.
Xiao Liulang looked at the other person with slight surprise: "Acting Minister?"
The man was none other than Xing Yun, the Minister of Justice.
The Minister of Rites smiled and said, "Commissioner Xiao, how have you been?"
Xiao Liulang bowed respectfully.
Xiao Liulang once helped the Ministry of Justice solve a murder case. The Minister of Justice greatly appreciated Xiao Liulang and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to be Xu'er's teacher. I think you are even younger than Xu'er. You are truly a promising young man!"
"You flatter me, Minister Xing," Xiao Liulang said politely.
"Go and wait for me in the carriage," the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat said to Zhou Xu.
Zhou Xu was shy, and upon receiving these words, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He bowed to Xiao Liulang and then quickly ran to the carriage.
Minister Xing smiled and said, "I sent Xu'er to find you for two reasons. First, I wonder if you would be interested in coming to the Ministry of Justice? You have the talent to solve cases, as well as lofty ambitions. You are upright and have high moral character. The Ministry of Justice is in dire need of outstanding talents like you. Besides, the Ministry of Justice is not the territory of the Zhuang family. Grand Tutor Zhuang's influence cannot reach here."
The fact that the Minister of Personnel could reveal such a thing shows that he had done his homework, at least he had found out clearly what Xiao Liulang had experienced in the Hanlin Academy.
Minister Xing smiled and said, "You don't need to rush to answer me. Take your time to think it over. If you have any thoughts, you can come to the Ministry of Justice to find me at any time, or have Xu'er tell me, and I can come to see you."
Gu Jiao was quite happy until she heard this. She thought to herself, her husband is very capable.
Xiao Liulang remained noncommittal and asked, "Then the second matter..."
"The second thing..." Minister Xing touched the bridge of his nose and smiled, "I have a daughter who is about your age and is not yet married."
Gu Jiao's face darkened instantly.
Xiao Liulang understood what Minister Xing meant, cupped his hands in greeting, and said politely but distantly, "I am honored by Minister Xing's kindness, but I already have a wife."
He already has a wife.
How come these words sound so good coming from his mouth?
Gu Jiao shook her little head.
The Minister of Rites looked astonished and said awkwardly, "Ah... I was being presumptuous. Please don't take my words to heart, Xiao Xiuzhuan."
The two talked for a while longer before the Minister of Rites left in his carriage.
"He didn't agree, did he?"
On the carriage, Zhou Xu asked his uncle.
The Minister of Rites shook his head: "The refusal was remarkably decisive."
Zhou Xu said without any surprise, "I knew it! Lord Xiao is a true gentleman. He didn't even go out for drinks on the day he passed the imperial examination. I heard he went back to be with his wife at home. His wife comes from the countryside and is plain-looking, but he never looks down on her. He never abandons his wife who has shared his hardships. Uncle, you can't bring a man like that home to be your son-in-law!"
The Minister of Personnel rubbed his hands together and sighed regretfully.
As soon as Minister Xing left, Xiao Liulang saw Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao looked at him in a good mood, her clear eyes curving into two small crescent moons.
Xiao Liulang was stunned. He hadn't expected her to come over, nor had he expected to see her smile.
She smiles all the time: a sweet smile in front of him, a hearty laugh when someone makes her laugh, a gentle smile when playing with Xiao Jingkong... but none of them are as sweet and tender as the one before her eyes.
She herself seemed unaware of it.
Her eyes were bright as fire, and there was a light in them when she looked at him.
It was as if a light had suddenly been lit in the dark corners of Xiao Liulang's heart.
"Hmm?" Gu Jiao tilted her head, as if asking him why he wasn't leaving.
Xiao Liulang felt that he was probably sick. Her dazed little appearance was so silly that it was almost bubbly, but he actually found it quite cute.
I want to catch them.
I want to hug you.
I want to rub it.
(End of this chapter)
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