Chapter 684: Wanting the Life and Death Document
Chapter 684
Mr. Songshan laughed, "If women were allowed to take the imperial exams, becoming a scholar would be no problem."
Qin Siyuan shook his head, "Not true, not true. Sir, you should say that becoming an advanced scholar would be no problem."
"Yes, yes, Si Yuan is right. Young Master Nantang is very talented. I have misspoken," Mr. Songshan quickly added.
Qin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, "Now that’s taking it too far, unless another Emperor Wu emerges. But Emperor Wu almost changed the Li family’s empire surname, and later generations took it to heart, fearing a repeat and the rise of another Empress."
Marquis Gu waved his hand, "Let’s listen to Young Master Nantang, let’s talk about what’s closer to us, not those distant, abstract topics."
This group of scholars is truly baffling, always talking about loyalty and patriotism, yet casually mentioning changing dynasties without any restraint.
Even a coarse man like him knows that disaster comes from the mouth.
Mr. Songshan immediately took the paper scroll sent by Shen Changle and weighed it in his hand, "Right, right, right, what exactly is Young Master Nantang planning? Speak up, and I can help a bit."
Qin Yuan said, "To put it simply, we just need to take advantage of the situation."
Mr. Songshan got anxious, tugging at his beard, "Hurry up, stop keeping us in suspense. There are so many people waiting downstairs. Even if it can’t be said in a few words, at least get to the point."
Qin Yuan was surprised, "If others couldn’t guess, that would be fine, but for Mr. Songshan not to guess is unreasonable. There are so many scholars in the world, and how many scholars should there be? Book Sea Pavilion makes its business from policy essays, and naturally, we want to do the same. But since we’re just starting, we can’t immediately recruit advanced scholars to write essays. We’ll have to wait for Si Yuan to excel in next year’s spring exams."
After glancing at the eager Mr. Songshan who seemed ready to refute, he continued, "Of course, we could rely on the Imperial College Doctor to write some articles, and we could solicit manuscripts from the Hanlin scholars. But compared to Book Sea Pavilion... after all, we are newcomers. As the saying goes, one step late, every step late... Naturally, we should do these things, but we can also explore other pathways."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Songshan closed his mouth, widened his eyes, and listened with patience.
Only then did Qin Yuan leisurely reveal the answer, "That would be the official gazette."
"The official gazette?" everyone exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with astonishment.
Qin Yuan continued leisurely, "...or things of that nature."
Qin Siyuan: ...
Marquis Gu frowned in confusion.
Mr. Songshan froze for a moment, then slapped the table and laughed heartily, "Hahaha, you truly are something, truly Young Master Nantang. It took your ingenuity to come up with such a method. I am impressed! Hahaha."
Outside the Ranxiang Inn, the crowd that had gathered was anxious from waiting, and hearing the laughter coming from the upstairs, Princess Ninth complained, "This princess has waited so long without seeing Young Master Nantang’s true face. He is truly neglecting us."
Prince Qi sneered and raised an eyebrow disdainfully, "It’s because they are here to pursue friendship through letters, not to curry favor by judging one’s status."
Princess Ninth angrily retorted, "What kind of talk is this, Brother Prince Qi? I am also your sister. Didn’t Sister Fu Yun come here to catch a glimpse of that Young Master Nantang? If she can see him, why can’t I? We’ve been waiting so long for him to arrive, yet he still won’t come out, just stays upstairs. We are, after all, royalty; shouldn’t they come forward to greet us? It is incredibly disrespectful."
Princess Fuyun softly spoke through her veil, "But I did not complain upon coming here. It is for answering policy essays for the scholars, and I imagine the two of them are discussing it. Today is Imperial Grandmother’s birthday, and she is celebrating with the people. Why look for trouble at Ranxiang Inn?"
"Alright, alright, I’m the only one..."
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Baoshu stepped forward and grabbed Princess Ninth’s sleeve, saying loudly, "Princess, I’ve been looking for you for quite a while. Turns out you were here. I and others have been rummaging in Ranxiang Inn’s storeroom for quite some time and found something nice. Do you want to see it?"
She winked her right eye as she spoke.
Princess Ninth, in a bad mood, said, "What good thing is worth you bringing it up here?"
Gu Baoshu tugged again, causing Princess Ninth to stagger slightly.
"Come over, let’s talk quickly, before anyone sees. I’ll only show you," Gu Baoshu responded nonchalantly.
Princess Ninth’s angry expression softened, and she said with a quick eye-roll, "Alright, alright, I’ll look, but you said you’d only show it to this princess."
"Naturally," Gu Baoshu glanced at Princess Fuyun and Prince Qi and whispered, "We’re the only ones who play together. The others I am not familiar with."
Princess Ninth said, "Then after this, take this princess to meet that Young Master Nantang, and see what’s so special about him."
"Sure, what’s so difficult about that?" Gu Baoshu said dismissively, "He’s just a person, like us, with two eyes and one nose. What’s there to look at? He’s not better-looking than the one beside you."
She motioned with her eyes in the direction of Brother Ximen.
Princess Ninth, in a good mood, half-reluctantly followed Gu Baoshu to the side, avoiding the maids and guards. Gu Baoshu turned slightly and pulled a small sachet from her sleeve, handing it to her, saying, "This is an incense bag that Ranxiang Inn has but doesn’t sell. It’s said even Prince Qi couldn’t get one. I thought it was rare, so I specially kept it to give to you as a memento."
It was just an incense bag, and Princess Ninth didn’t particularly want it.
But hearing that Prince Qi couldn’t buy it, she took it and held it to her nose, feeling refreshed by the light jasmine scent. She said, "You do know my preferences, but why did you oddly mention leaving a keepsake?"
She raised her eyes and fixed them on Gu Baoshu.
Gu Baoshu replied seriously, "My mother thinks I’m unrestrained, and no one at the mansion can control me, so she plans to send me back to her hometown for a year or two for discipline. Life will be tough then."
Princess Ninth laughed, "I can’t blame the Old Madam. Consider what you did at Duke Zhen’s Mansion; it’s only because it’s Dingbei Marquis Mansion that we let it slide. Any other family would strip you to the bones. Your third brother has some face with the Emperor, that’s why you weren’t punished. You’ve even scared this princess’s two elder brothers. Today, even the Crown Prince seems unwell and is staying aloof."
Gu Baoshu sighed, "There’s no other way; Princess knows my nature. Who could have foreseen so much?"
"What am I to say to you!" Princess Ninth said, showing a ’hate to iron cannot become steel’ attitude.
Gu Baoshu pleaded, "Please speak kindly of me to the Empress Dowager and the Empress so that my mother’s anger dissipates sooner. I’ve been confined in the courtyard for half the year and couldn’t go out to play. Today, I’m only out because I’m about to leave home."
Princess Ninth smiled, "That’s easy enough. You give this princess some benefits, and I’ll agree to help you return to the capital early."
Gu Baoshu was overjoyed and immediately curtsied.
Princess Ninth said, "Just curtsying won’t do."
"Then what does the princess want?" Gu Baoshu asked, frowning anxiously, "The princess has seen everything and tried everything. I don’t know what rare item would satisfy the princess."
"What you said is true. Therefore, this princess wants that ’Life and Death Document.’