The following day, Lu Chi and Fu Congxi them off.
Jin Shanyao sat on the oxcart and said to Lu Chi, "Go and investigate Fifth Master Dong."
"Boss, is there something wrong with him?"
"His soul was forced out; the current one should be Xuanjizi... He cast Shared Life Incantation' on Fifth Master Dong, meaning that Fifth Master Dong will die if he leaves Fifth Master Dong's body. I cannot kill."
Jin Shanyao paused slightly as she spoke, "Start your investigation with Fifth Master Dong, keep a close eye on the people he's been in contact with, the places he's visited, and the items he's handled."
A street scoundrel who is good at extorting money, yet he carries the belongings of a dead man; his flaws are everywhere, making him easy to manipulate.
"By trapping Fifth Master Dong's physical body, Xuanjizi is effectively restrained. A single body trapping two evil spirits—it's a slip-up in his otherwise meticulous plan."
After saying that, he patted the cow's rump and left with a flourish.
Lu Chi stood there deep in thought, while Fu Congxi reluctant to part.
The journey back was smooth. Upon entering Qingzhou Prefecture, Jin Shanyao first escorted the Su Household brothers back to the prefectural government office before returning to the Anzhi Hall.
Jin Shanyao saw that it was Qing He who opened the door and smiled, "When did you get back?"
"I've been back for four or five days. I heard you went to Lu Chi's wedding banquet. It's a pity we weren't home, otherwise we could have sent a gift," Qing He said casually as she closed the courtyard gate. "Is his wife pretty?"
Jin Shanyao thought for a moment about Fu Congxi's appearance and nodded, "Beautiful... a great beauty. It's a pity she married Lu Chi."
Qing He chuckled, called over two maids to help unload the cart, and then had Zhou Xiaosi lead the horse to the stable to feed it some hay. "Young mistress, why are you buying so many books again? The study is almost overflowing."
Meng Anzhi carried the books to the study. "The books in the capital are different from those in Qingzhou Prefecture. I bought them because they looked useful," she said, pulling out two books from a pile and handing them to her.
"Holding... the recipe..."
"Thank you, Miss..." Qing He accepted the book with delight and eagerly began to read it. She had been learning two characters every day since following her master, and now she could actually read a book.
This was something she never dared to dream of before. She put the book inside and ran out; the oxcart was almost completely unloaded. "Miss, what would you like to eat tonight? I'll make it for you."
Meng Anci, carrying two bags of pastries, asked, " Qing He... my sister can order food with just one book, so can I use these pastries to change the menu?"
Qing He laughed heartily, "Young mistress... even if you don't bring me gifts, you can still order whatever you like."
Meng Anci handed her the pastries, saying, "Don't use 'servant' or 'maid' terms anymore. You're not allowed to say that again, understand?"
"Yes, yes, yes... I'll do as you say, young master."
Qing He took the pastries to the kitchen and called two maids to prepare the food. Jin Shanyao up and then went to the shop.
Inside the shop, Qing Yang and Zhou Xiaosi were busy weighing medicine for customers when they looked up and saw Jin Shanyao enter. They were both surprised and delighted.
"Master, you're back?"
Jin Shanyao forward, took off her Qing Yang apron, and smiled at Zhou Xiaosi, "Go close the shop. I brought back some food from the capital. Let's have a good meal tonight."
"Alright... I'll close the shop now."
As Zhou Xiaosi spoke, he went out to board up the windows. Qing Yang, while tidying up the counter, asked, "Master, how is Lu Chi? Was his wedding lively?"
Jin Shanyao recalled the scene, "It was lively, completely different from Shopkeeper Wang's house. The ground was covered with red cloth, and the bride's feet didn't even touch the ground."
Qing Yang exclaimed, "My God... how much cloth would that take?"
Jin Shanyao into laughter, saying, "When you get married, I'll also lay out a red cloth for you."
Qing Yang frowned, "I won't get married, I want to stay with my master for life."
Jin Shanyao smiled but didn't say anything. Zhou Xiaosi closed the shop and returned to the inner courtyard. A group of people were gathered in the kitchen making food, Nanny Chen joked with a smile.
"It's so different when the master is at home, there's such warmth..."
"Of course! With Master not home, I always feel the wind in the courtyard is cold," Nanny Zhao's words drew laughter from everyone.
The food was prepared and divided into two tables. A group of people sat in the main room, chatting and laughing.
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci eagerly recounted the amusing incidents they had witnessed in the capital. "You have no idea how wicked the people in the capital are! That porcelain vase wasn't even as nice as our bowls, yet they demanded three hundred taels of silver."
"What... three hundred taels? He's gone mad!" Qing He couldn't help but exclaim.
Zhou Xiaosi asked worriedly, "You didn't suffer any losses, did you?"
Meng Anci his chin, "My aunt... solved it with one hand, and she even compensated us with thirty coins."
"Great..." Qing He put down her chopsticks and couldn't help but clap her hands in approval.
Jin Shanyao sat to the side watching them chat, her thoughts drifting away... Since they hadn't killed them, let them be trapped to death; after all, there wasn't a second jade thumb ring.
On the fourth day of the third lunar month, classes began at the Green Mountain Academy.
Meng Anci stood at the crossroads, with the Licentiate Candidate Institute to the east and the Licentiate Institute to the west. These two places, east and west, were only a hundred steps apart, yet they were the threshold he had barely crossed after countless days and nights of hard work.
Upon entering the Licentiate Institute, Meng Anci immediately noticed a boy of about twelve or thirteen sitting by the window.
The boy's hand was stretched out of the window, a string of sandalwood beads hanging from his wrist, and a corner of his blue robe was draped over the windowsill, giving him an air of refined elegance and leisure.
Noticing someone watching him, the boy suddenly turned his head.
Their eyes met, and the young man smiled, "My surname is Zhao, and my given name is Boyong. You must be Meng Anci, the youngest student at the Licentiate Candidate Institute."
Meng Anci was slightly taken aback; he was actually the top scholar. How did he know him?
Zhao Boyong smiled and waved to him, "What are you standing there for? Come in quickly."
Uh... Meng Anci retracted her first impression. This person didn't look refined or noble at all.
I walked into the room, glanced around but didn't see any familiar faces, so I chose a seat near the front.
Zhao Boyong immediately leaned over and reached out to touch Meng Anci's head, but Meng Anci turned her head away to avoid it.
A hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Boyong's eyes. He reached out again to touch it, but missed once more.
A hint of displeasure flickered in Meng Anci's eyes. "Are you from out of town?"
Zhao Boyong seemed oblivious, a smile playing on his lips. "My household registration is in Qingzhou Prefecture, but I grew up in the capital. I've returned this time for two reasons: to take the imperial examinations and to recuperate."
Meng Anci looked him over, but couldn't see any sign of illness. As the two were talking, more and more people arrived.
Zhao Zhiyuan, Zhao Yushan, Shiyan walked in. Shiyan's face lit up with joy when he saw Meng Anci.
Zhao Boyong's gaze swept over the three of them, then he smiled and said, "You're Zhao Zhiyuan?"
Zhao Zhiyuan nodded and greeted him, "Greetings, Senior Brother."
Zhao Boyong scrutinized him carefully, thinking to himself that the young man had a clean-cut demeanor and handsome features, truly worthy of being a member of the Zhao Household.
She has a completely different personality from Meng Anci. How did they become friends?
Shiyan, "And who are you??"
Just as Zhao Boyong was about to answer, Master Li walked in carrying his books. He nodded to the group and returned to his seat. Shiyan lowered his voice and asked, "You know him?"
Zhao Zhiyuan shook his head...
Everyone fell silent, Master Li began his lesson.