Chapter 4: A Bit of That Flavor

Since Han Ranzhi had just taken them to Jingyi Pavilion via a shorter timesaving route, although it reduced some time, they also missed many of the academy’s beautiful scenery.

After leaving Jingyi Pavilion, Han Ranzhi planned to take Lu Yuner to the Doctoral Hall[1] a little later, and first take her around to casually explain the general situation of the Imperial Academy.

This Imperial Academy was spacious, with ancient trees towering in the campus, providing ample shade. It was elegant and quiet, with occasional sounds of reading from nearby pavilions.

As the two chatted comfortably while walking, they occasionally encountered male and female students returning to their dormitories[2]. They all wore white student robes and bowed to Han Ranzhi, secretly glancing at Lu Yuner with slight curiosity.

Lu Yuner and Han Ranzhi had only walked a few steps when they were interrupted by a young girl’s voice from behind, “Director!”

The two turned to look and saw three girls about fifteen or sixteen years old, in the prime of youth, full of vigor.

While greeting, the students cast an inquiring look at Lu Yuner, “Director, is this a new female student?”

Han Ranzhi and Lu Yuner exchanged smiles, and Han Ranzhi explained, “This is a new Doctor. You may respectfully address her as Doctor Lu.”

Upon hearing this, the students all showed surprised expressions and bowed, saying, “Doctor Lu.”

Lu Yuner nodded with a smile in response.

“Doctor Lu, let’s continue,” Han Ranzhi gestured for her to move forward.

As Lu Yuner had just lifted her foot to leave, one of the female students called out to her, “Doctor Lu, we are all students from Chengxin Hall! Welcome to come and lecture!”

The Imperial Academy was divided into three levels and six halls. The academy assigned students to different levels and halls based on their depth of knowledge. To advance to a higher hall, students of lower halls had to upgrade through a credit system, that is, determining whether students could upgrade or graduate by accumulating credits through examinations.

The junior class had three halls: Zhengyi Hall, Chongzhi Hall, and Guangye Hall; the intermediate class had two halls: Xiudao Hall and Chengxin Hall; the senior class only had Xuxing Hall.

Han Ranzhi watched the departing figures of the students with satisfaction and said, “Unexpectedly, our Doctor Lu is quite popular among the students. There have been far more students coming up to greet us along this path than I usually encounter.”

“Is that so? But I feel these students are so respectful of teachers and well-mannered, this must be due to the good education and influence of the Imperial Academy!” Lu Yuner’s gentle gaze rippled with faint amusement in her eyes.

Han Ranzhi said with a smile, “I hear it, you’re praising my effective guidance!”

On the other side, two male students were secretly observing the two chatting and laughing from a distance.

“No wonder many male students said they saw a particularly beautiful woman outside Jixian Gate today, it turns out to be true. That Doctor Lu beside the Director looks extremely beautiful, with such an otherworldly and exceptional aura. If only she could come teach at the men’s college?”

“Really? I also think that Doctor Lu looks so beautiful when she smiles, especially those enchanting peach blossom eyes, I’m almost falling into them. I really want to know if that Doctor Lu has already taken a husband and had children? If…”

Before he could finish speaking.

“Truly shameless!” A cold voice suddenly sounded behind the two male students.

The two male students turned around in displeasure, but upon seeing who was behind them, their faces immediately showed panic, and they both said, “Young Prince.”

They had also heard that this Young Prince would come to study at the Imperial Academy, but they found it hard to believe.

Logically, these royal relatives would usually have great scholars from the Hanlin Academy arranged to teach them privately, and there was no need to come to this Imperial Academy. Now seeing the person before them, they had no choice but to believe it.

Su Qingwan originally didn’t want to stay at the Yun Qinwang Mansion, so he went to lie down in the dormitory with Xiao Yuan. Who knew that not only was the dormitory simple and plain, but four people even had to live together.

Although there were also individual dormitories available next to the East Garden, plus not being allowed to bring attendants, having to do everything from eating, drinking, living, and traveling by oneself, Su Qingwan weighed the pros and cons and decided to return to the Yun Qinwang Mansion after all. He didn’t want to suffer like this.

Just as he was coming out of the dormitory, he heard someone discussing. He originally paid no attention, but unexpectedly heard someone mention the word “Lu”, and his steps that had started moving suddenly stopped.

Su Qingwan pretended to casually look in the direction the two were discussing, and that gradually receding figure was chatting and laughing with someone. Just from that graceful figure like a startled swan, one could vaguely glimpse some divine charm.

That woman called “Lu Yuner”.

As his gaze flickered, that pair of clear peach blossom eyes inexplicably appeared in his mind again. Thinking about how she was praised for looking good when smiling, he felt inexplicably irritated for some reason.

Su Qingwan coldly swept his gaze over them, his eyes filled with disdain, “It’s a shame that you two are students of the Imperial Academy. I’m afraid you’ve completely forgotten about propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. If you two have nothing better to do, why don’t you go back and carefully review the male virtues again, how about that?”

“Yes, yes, the Young Prince is right.” The two male students hurriedly responded and left in a rush.

Xiao Yuan, standing to the side, noticed that the Young Prince was somewhat unusual today. After leaving Jingyi Pavilion, he had always seemed absent-minded, only coming back to his senses when there was some occasional sound.

Xiao Yuan asked with concern, “Young Prince, what’s wrong with you today? Are you not adapting well to this Imperial Academy?”

Su Qingwan lowered his eyes, showing no expression, and asked softly, “Xiao Yuan, I’m fine. Any news about the matter I asked you to handle?”

Xiao Yuan answered seriously, “In reply to the Prince, there has been no news these past few days. Based on the clothes worn by the person who saved you, the fabric is extremely simple and plain, and the price is cheap, all commonly worn by ordinary female civilians. However, according to the white magnolia embroidered on that clothing, I took the embroidery sample to all the tailor shops and embroidery shops in the capital city, and they all said it wasn’t made by them.”

As Xiao Yuan thought about that white magnolia, he became more excited as he spoke, “On the contrary, they praised this white magnolia as being embroidered so vividly, just like a real one. They guessed that this woman must have married a small husband who is excellent at needlework. They all asked me for this embroidery sample. To be honest, I, Xiao Yuan, in my whole life…”

Before Xiao Yuan could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a deep voice.

“You mean, this woman is already married?” Su Qingwan’s eyes suddenly lost their light, his gaze melancholic, his tone disappointed.

Xiao Yuan looked up and saw the Young Prince’s despondent appearance, and also realized the Young Prince’s thoughts. He had taken an interest in that woman.

He hurriedly comforted, “Xiao Yuan doesn’t know. These are all guesses from those embroiderers, not necessarily accurate.”

Su Qingwan was silent for a moment, a hint of hidden determination flashing in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and said to himself, “I don’t care about anything else, I just have to find her!”

Even if she was already married, so what? He only wished to see her once, to know that she was safe and healthy.

In the Doctoral Hall.

The three Doctors said in unison, “Director!”

Han Ranzhi introduced, “This is Lu Yuner, the new Doctor Lu.”

Lu Yuner cast her gentle gaze among the three, smiling and greeting first, “Hello everyone! Nice to meet you, please take care of me!”

The three Doctors also nodded in response, though with varying expressions, quite in line with each person’s personality.

On the way here, Han Ranzhi had already explained all the situations to her in detail. There were four Doctors in this Doctoral Hall, one of whom was a male Doctor.

The slightly thin woman standing on the left, though plain in appearance, had a cold expression from beginning to end. Just as her name suggested, this should be Liu Bing.

The one on the right looked dignified and poised, seemingly of a gentle temperament, should be Wen Qing.

Only the one in the middle with a slightly plump figure, looking more lively, should be Zhu Miaomiao.

Han Ranzhi noticed one person was missing and asked curiously, “Where’s Doctor Sheng?”

Wen Qing explained, “Doctor Sheng had something to attend to and returned to the East Garden. She’ll be here later.”

“Alright then, you all get acquainted first.” Han Ranzhi glanced at Lu Yuner and indicated, “Doctor Lu, I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll go first.”

After all, everything had been explained clearly.

“Mm!” Lu Yuner responded.

As soon as Han Ranzhi left, Liu Bing turned around expressionlessly and left first, returning to her own desk to start reviewing academic work.

Only Lu Yuner, Wen Qing, and Zhu Miaomiao were left looking at each other, with a slightly awkward atmosphere in the quiet.

Instead, Zhu Miaomiao enthusiastically came forward, took Lu Yuner’s arm, and called out excitedly, “Doctor Lu, come, come! Let me help you get familiar with the environment.”

Zhu Miaomiao pulled Lu Yuner to her position, “This is where you’ll handle affairs from now on.”

She pointed to the side, “Mine is right next to yours. Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Zhu Miaomiao, and this person beside me is Wen Qing.” Then she slightly lifted her chin, “That person with a cold exterior but warm heart is called Liu Bing.”

Lu Yuner smiled and nodded to Wen Qing, intending to greet Liu Bing as well, but unfortunately, the other person didn’t engage at all, quite a character.

Lu Yuner didn’t mind at all and instead asked, “By the way, isn’t there also a male Doctor?”

Wen Qing spoke up, “Yes! The only male Doctor in our Imperial Academy, Sheng Qingzi.”

Lu Yuner knew that this Imperial Academy had a women’s college and a men’s college, with separate classes.

Usually, the Imperial Academy taught the Six Arts: Etiquette, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, and Mathematics. For the parts involving martial arts, men could choose to study needlework and male virtues instead as electives.

Zhu Miaomiao unconsciously looked around, then turned back and said in a low voice, “Let me tell you in advance, although this Sheng Qingzi isn’t very good-looking, he’s a fiery old… Ouch! My ear!” Zhu Miaomiao cried out in pain, “Sheng Qingzi, let go quickly! It hurts so much!”

Unexpectedly, Sheng Qingzi had silently appeared behind Zhu Miaomiao and reached out to pinch her ear, saying angrily, “This is for talking bad about me behind my back! Apologize quickly.”

Lu Yuner observed this Sheng Qingzi, with his picturesque eyebrows and eyes, graceful demeanor, as beautiful as peach and plum blossoms, indeed extraordinary.

Seeing the current situation, she looked helplessly towards Wen Qing, but Wen Qing just smiled and indicated for her not to interfere, apparently this playful bickering was already a common occurrence.

Zhu Miaomiao, whose face was twisted in pain, had actually looked around carefully before speaking earlier, how could this happen!

She immediately begged for mercy, “My dear grandfather, I was wrong, okay? At least let me save some face in front of Doctor Lu!”

“Doctor Lu?” Sheng Qingzi was stunned, turned to look, and only then noticed a woman of extraordinary beauty standing beside Wen Qing, looking at him with bright eyes containing a faint hint of amusement.

Sheng Qingzi became slightly uneasy, his face flushed red, his eyes flickering, revealing a hint of undisguisable shyness.

He immediately let go, his hands fidgeting together uncertainly, while Zhu Miaomiao ran to the side as if escaping for her life, pitifully rubbing her ear.

Lu Yuner smiled, perhaps this was the legendary scene of being “shot dead”, and said, “I am Lu Yuner.”

Although Sheng Qingzi was a bit uncomfortable, he immediately responded, “Sheng Qingzi.”