Chapter 92: The Gatekeeper, The Conversation, The One on the Bed...
Chen Changsheng thanked Jin Yulu. Without him, Tang Thirty-Six and Xuanyuan Po, no matter how brave, would not have been able to hold the National Teaching Academy until Prince Chenliu and Priest Xin arrived. Jin Yulu looked at him with a smile and said, "You are Her Highness's teacher, so you are one of us."
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng felt a bit embarrassed. The man before him was a true legend. The reason Chief Steward Jin had appeared at the National Teaching Academy to stand up for the three youths was naturally because of Luoluo's wishes. Luoluo's person had left the academy, but her heart remained here, and this made him very happy.
"Will you stay at the National Teaching Academy?"
Xuanyuan Po looked at Jin Yulu with a look of admiration. Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six thought that although Jin Yulu had said as much to Tianhai Shengxue earlier, he still had to look after Luoluo. How could he truly stay here forever? They gestured for Xuanyuan Po not to press the matter.
"Staying isn't impossible." Jin Yulu saw the exchange of glances among the three youths and chuckled. "I haven't made many mistakes in my life because there aren't many things I truly like. But I really do like money."
Chen Changsheng looked at the patterns of copper coins on his silk robe and smiled, understanding that the man intended to stay. He bowed again in thanks.
Tang Thirty-Six sidled up to Jin Yulu, grasped his somewhat rough hand, and shook it vigorously, saying, "You must know my family. We have nothing else, just money. We lack everything, but never money."
The Tang Clan of Wenshui was a renowned wealthy house, with a thousand years of accumulated wealth beyond measure. During the rebellion over a decade ago, the old imperial clan had immediately sought out the Tang Clan, hoping for their support. Though they ultimately failed, it showed just how immense the Tang Clan's riches were.
"Not counting Her Highness, there are now three students in the National Teaching Academy. We're just missing a teacher."
Chen Changsheng looked at Jin Yulu and bowed in request. "Please, sir, stay and teach us."
Jin Yulu's cultivation realm was solidly above that of the Lishan Elder Xiao Songgong, and likely comparable to the Heavenly Dao Academy's Dean Mao Qiuyu. With his seniority and experience in cultivation, he was more than qualified to be a teacher at the National Teaching Academy.
But he did not agree to Chen Changsheng's request. He shook his head with a smile and said, "Since when does a student invite a teacher?"
Chen Changsheng felt a bit helpless and said, "The National Teaching Academy currently has only students, no dean."
Jin Yulu looked at him meaningfully and said, "Since the Archbishop handed over the roster and keys to you, he naturally has his own thoughts."
Chen Changsheng didn't know what the Archbishop was thinking. He only wondered what role Jin Yulu should take in staying at the National Teaching Academy, frowning in thought.
"In my opinion, the academy gate won't be repaired for a long time. It will stay like this for quite a while."
Jin Yulu looked at the dilapidated gate and said, "Since this is an academy, the most important thing is study. Even if there are only three students, normal teaching cannot be disturbed. With the gate as good as useless, you might need a gatekeeper?"
Chen Changsheng understood his meaning and was startled. How could he possibly agree?
"I spent centuries farming on the eastern slope outside White Emperor City. What's there to fear about being a gatekeeper?"
Jin Yulu said with a smile, not giving the three youths a chance to refuse. He said he needed to prepare some materials to build a small house by the side of the gate, then left on his own.
Xuanyuan Po was very happy. Chen Changsheng and Tang Thirty-Six exchanged speechless glances, thinking: were they really going to let a legendary figure like Jin Yulu be a gatekeeper? Wasn't the National Teaching Academy's prestige a bit too high? From now on, who would dare to cause trouble here?
The autumn rain had stopped, and the morning mist was settling. Xuanyuan Po went to the western wall to dig a pit and bury the horse, not asking Chen Changsheng for help. Chen Changsheng thought for a moment, felt he really hadn't slept enough, and decided to go back to the small building for a nap, but Tang Thirty-Six pulled him to the front of the library.
"When Tianhai Shengxue and his attendants charged just now, I was actually very scared." Tang Thirty-Six looked at him.
Chen Changsheng said, "Everyone fears death. That's perfectly normal. Don't feel inferior because of it."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him with a grave expression and said, "Yes, everyone fears death, so facing that situation, anyone would be terrified... but I caught a glimpse of you in my peripheral vision, and I didn't see any fear on your face. That shocked me."
Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "You know I'm a bit slow. Maybe the fear just hadn't shown itself yet."
"No." Tang Thirty-Six shook his head, insisting, "I could tell. You really weren't afraid at that moment."
Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment, then asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "Showing no fear in that situation means only two possibilities. Either you guessed that Luoluo would send Jin Yulu to the National Teaching Academy, so naturally you had nothing to fear. But clearly, you didn't know Jin Yulu would intervene."
Chen Changsheng asked, "And the other possibility?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "You simply aren't afraid of death... so of course you wouldn't feel fear."
Chen Changsheng scratched his head and said, "As I just said, everyone fears death."
Tang Thirty-Six was very worried and said, "I always thought so too, which is why I think you must have some secret, or something has happened recently."
Chen Changsheng sighed and said, "Do I look like someone with a death wish?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "Not really. And being able to marry Xu Yourong as a wife, you wouldn't seem to want to die."
Chen Changsheng said, "So what are you worried about?"
Tang Thirty-Six stared into his eyes and asked, "Are you sick?"
Chen Changsheng hadn't expected this guy to be so sharp, able to guess so much from such few details. Of course, it was also because this guy cared about him. His heart warmed slightly, but his face turned cold as he snapped, "You're the one who's sick."
Seeing his expression darken, Tang Thirty-Six realized his question was indeed inappropriate. His thoughts were too absurd. Then he remembered another matter and looked at him seriously, asking, "At the beginning, you really didn't know that Tianhai Shengxue was Her Holiness the Saintess's grand-nephew?"
Chen Changsheng was silent for a moment before saying, "I knew."
Tang Thirty-Six thought, that's right. Even if you grew up in a remote backwater and spent all your days in the National Teaching Academy reading and cultivating after arriving in the capital, since you could guess he was from the Tianhai family, his age and bearing would have revealed Tianhai Shengxue's identity.
"Why?"
This was asking why Chen Changsheng had deliberately pretended not to know, and at the gate of the National Teaching Academy, in front of so many people, had insulted Tianhai Shengxue's grand-aunt.
"Because I wanted to know Her Holiness the Saintess's true attitude toward the National Teaching Academy."
Chen Changsheng said, "If Her Holiness truly didn't want the National Teaching Academy to be an eyesore in the capital, a single word from her would erase it. Why go through all this trouble?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "They're trying to guess Her Holiness's intentions."
"They can guess. I don't want to." Chen Changsheng said, "I came to the capital to study and cultivate. I'm going to take the Grand Examination. Time is precious. The National Teaching Academy facing wave after wave of trouble is too troublesome."
Tang Thirty-Six raised an eyebrow and asked, "So?"
"I directly insulted her. That remark will definitely reach the palace. No one dares to intercept it."
Chen Changsheng paused for a moment before continuing, "So we should soon know Her Holiness's true attitude toward the National Teaching Academy."
Tang Thirty-Six felt a chill and said, "You want to see if the blade falls? That's practically begging for death."
Chen Changsheng looked at him and said, "It's better than having that blade hanging over our heads all the time."
"It seems I was right from the start. You really aren't afraid of death."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at him in shock and said, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I'm not sick."
Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "I can cure illnesses."
There was a sentence he still kept in his heart: an incurable illness isn't an illness; it's fate.
"Hypocritical, too hypocritical."
Tang Thirty-Six clicked his tongue in admiration and said, "Almost surpassing that Prince Chenliu."
Chen Changsheng hadn't expected him to suddenly mention Prince Chenliu. He was momentarily stunned and asked, "What did Prince Chenliu do to offend you?"
Tang Thirty-Six said, "Did you notice? When he got out of the carriage earlier, one of his buttons was fastened wrong."
"And?"
"How else could he show his urgency and concern for the National Teaching Academy?"
"...You're overthinking things."
Chen Changsheng admired this guy's keen observation but disagreed with his view.
"In any case, I don't like Prince Chenliu. Too fake."
"Or maybe it's because he doesn't like you either?"
"I'm so genuine. If he doesn't like me, that makes him fake."
"You could replace 'genuine' with 'reckless.'"
"Whatever. He's still fake."
"If it weren't for someone like you who sees people through a needle's eye, who would notice the detail of Prince Chenliu's button being wrong?"
"My family's ancestral teachings have a similar saying: 'Seeing people through the eye of a coin gives the clearest view.'"
Chen Changsheng shook his head and said no more. He thought that even if Prince Chenliu had deliberately fastened his button wrong, as the only imperial clan member left in the capital, isolated and without support, wanting to gain the backing of the Church elders through the National Teaching Academy was understandable.
Xuanyuan Po, after burying the horse under the western wall, returned and heard the latter part of their conversation. He shook his head repeatedly, a simple look on his face, and said, "You're so young and already thinking about things so complicated. Humans are indeed too cunning. I can't get along with you."
...
...
Back in the bedroom of the small building, Chen Changsheng felt his eyelids heavy and very sleepy.
His heart was also heavy, because he knew that his peaceful life of reading and cultivating was gone forever. He wondered what attitude Her Holiness the Saintess would show after his remark about her grand-aunt reached the palace this morning. But it certainly wouldn't be anything good.
In the abandoned garden of the palace, Mo Yu had said he was using the situation, scheming and being treacherous. But it was all taught by Luoluo... After all, she was the only daughter of the White Emperor. Though she had no siblings and had never experienced palace intrigue, as a member of the imperial clan, Luoluo was naturally adept at such things.
As for himself? He was good at calculations, but not at scheming.
Just as he had said to Jin Yulu, he really didn't like this. It exhausted him.
He walked to the bedside, intending to rest a bit more, then suddenly stopped.
He walked back to the cabinet by the window, reached out, and took down the short sword. Then he walked back to the bedside.
No pause. Very natural.
So natural that the other person had no reaction.
Chen Changsheng looked at the bed, the knuckles of his hand gripping the sword hilt turning slightly white.
There was someone hiding under the blanket.
...
...
(Tomorrow I need to send my niece back to Hubei. Since the two flights don't connect, I have to fly to Beijing first, then take a train to Yichang. I'll be leaving at six in the morning and probably won't be home until around nine at night. Since I just got published, I naturally don't want to miss an update. So there's only one chapter today. I'll go write some of tomorrow's content now. As for tomorrow's update, it will definitely be in the evening. Please bear with me.)