TTTQF Chapter 64

Who Is Bullying Whom

The Imperial Academy occupies a vast area. Since Jiang Miao arrived in this ancient time, the largest garden he has been to is the Plum Garden, but the Imperial Academy is much larger than the Plum Garden. From the foot of the mountain to halfway up the slope, all of it is the territory of the Imperial Academy.

At the foot of the mountain, there is a long flight of steps, which are spotless and look very clean. Trees are planted on both sides, currently in the season of fresh buds, making them quite charming. Behind the trees on each side are several rows of low buildings. From the clothes hanging outside, it seems they are uniformly styled, mostly in gray and blue. Jiang Miao guesses that these buildings are for the workers of the Imperial Academy.

Jiang Miao leads Pei Mu up the steps, counting roughly in his mind, and finds that reaching halfway up the mountain requires climbing over two hundred steps. At the end of the steps are two large red doors, with a gilded plaque in the middle that reads "Imperial Academy" in large characters.

The main gate rarely opens except on rest days. Both passing laborers and students on leave enter and exit through a side door.

Jiang Miao stands at the main gate with Pei Mu for a while, regretting that he doesn’t have a phone; otherwise, he could take some photos for memories. This should be considered the highest institution of learning in ancient times, right? When he previously visited the capital city, he even made a special trip to tour the two prestigious universities, Tsinghua and Peking University.

Pei Mu doesn’t have this concept and looks blankly at the main gate, expecting his brother to come out. After waiting for a long time and seeing no sign of the gate opening, he can't help but feel a little disappointed.

Perhaps they have been standing too long, as suddenly a person emerges from the side door and asks, "May I ask what you two are here for?"

Jiang Miao is startled, turns around, and immediately smiles, "Brother, we are relatives of a student here and wish to visit him. I wonder if it's okay?"

Jiang Miao has specially changed into the clothes Pei Che bought for him to avoid looking too shabby and attracting gossip. Pei Mu is also dressed in delicate clothes, and the two of them standing together look somewhat like brothers.

"Visiting a student? That’s possible, but the Academy's head has instructed that visitors must leave their names and the names of the students they are visiting." The young man inspects them and informs them of the requirement.

The process is quite thorough, befitting the Imperial Academy. Jiang Miao follows the young man into the room, uses a brush to write his and Pei Mu's names in a register, and then writes Pei Che's name in another section.

The young man, who can read, immediately looks at Jiang Miao with a scrutinizing and somewhat excited expression upon seeing the three names. Jiang Miao looks at him in confusion and asks, "Brother, do you know me?" Could it be that he bought buns from him before?

"Are you the relatives of Young Master Pei?"

"Uh, yes? Do you know Pei Che?" It turns out this person is excited about Pei Che. Could his looks have attracted male fans too?

"How could I know Young Master Pei personally, but I have seen him a few times when he went in and out in the past." The young man smiles, "Young Master Pei is handsome and extraordinary; he really left a deep impression on people. May I ask where you two would like to wait for Young Master Pei? If you want to wait at his residence, go this way. If you want to go to the teaching building, go the other way."

The young man leads them inside and then points out two paths.

Jiang Miao thinks for a moment and says, "I'll wait at the teaching building. Thank you, brother. May I ask for your name?"

"Brother, my surname is Fang; there's no need to be so courteous." Fang thinks to himself that the future lady (Furen) of Young Master Pei doesn’t seem as rough and rude as the rumors suggest.

Jiang Miao feels that the Imperial Academy truly lives up to its reputation as a place for scholars, even the staff speak so politely. He thanks Fang and takes Pei Mu towards the path leading to the teaching building.

"Oops, I forgot to ask him which room your brother is in."

The houses, one by one, look exquisite and beautiful, but there is no identification written on them. It's unclear how he’ll find the right one. Does he need to search each room individually?

Jiang Miao looks around and notices a stone table and a few stone benches under a nearby tree. He takes Pei Mu over to sit there and places the two jars he is carrying on the stone table. They don’t look very big, but carrying them for a while is quite tiring. He plans to sit here and wait. With Pei Che’s striking appearance and the recent rumors, he figures he can easily ask a student around and find out more.

After sitting for a while, Pei Mu stretches and slides off the stone bench, walking up to Jiang Miao. He places his hands on his knees and looks up at him, the three words ‘Where is my brother’ clearly written in his eyes.

Jiang Miao understands his question: "Your brother hasn't finished school yet. Once he’s done, we’ll be able to see him."

Pei Mu nods but doesn’t leave Jiang Miao. Instead, he leans on his knee, playing with his jade fish sculpture. Jiang Miao has been curious about it before and learned from Pei Che that it was a gift from their parents before they passed away. It is said that he held onto it throughout the incident.

Noticing Jiang Miao’s gaze fixed on the jade fish, Pei Mu looks up, hesitates for a moment, and touches Jiang Miao’s palm with the fish.

"Do you want me to touch it?"

Pei Mu nods. He is very skilled in this action now.

Jiang Miao carefully strokes the small fish. He doesn't know if this piece of jade is warm jade, but it feels pleasantly warm in his hand. The fish is very smooth and exquisitely crafted; even though Pei Mu holds it all day, it shows no signs of wear.

After touching it for a while, Jiang Miao returns the jade fish to Pei Mu, who immediately begins to play with it again. Jiang Miao feels that the child has too few toys, so he looks around, stands up, and plucks a few slender, tender grass blades from beneath a nearby tree. He bends his head and starts to weave them together.

Sunlight filters through the tender leaves, casting a gentle glow on them. As Jiang Miao weaves and twists, a vivid green grasshopper appears in his hands. The grasshopper is suspended by a strand of green grass. When his hand moves, the grasshopper moves with it.

At some point, Pei Mu’s eyes follow the little bug in Jiang Miao’s hands. When Jiang Miao places the grasshopper in his hand, Pei Mu’s lips curve up into a faint smile.

After sitting for an unknown period of time, the bell finally rings. Jiang Miao keeps his eyes on the classrooms, unsure of where Pei Che will come out from. Students in various scholar robes exit the teaching building in groups, chatting among themselves.

The scene of these youthful students leaving school makes Jiang Miao feel quite nostalgic. Being young is great! He forgets that he is also only eighteen himself, still a greenhorn.

"Excuse me, sir, may I ask if you know Pei Che?" Jiang Miao stops the most gentle-looking student he can find.

The student's temperament is indeed as gentle as his appearance. He says, "Of course I know him. May I ask why you are looking for him?"

"We are his relatives and have come to visit him. We don’t know which room he studies in, so we were hoping to ask you." Jiang Miao uses the information he has just learned from Brother Fang.

Before the student can respond, someone else comes up and asks, "Did you say you are Pei Che’s relatives?"

Jiang Miao keenly notices a fleeting look of displeasure on the person’s face when Pei Che’s name is mentioned.

"And what if we are?" Jiang Miao counters.

"I know everyone from the Pei family, but I’ve never seen you before. You claim to be his relative. Could it be that you are the male wife granted to him by the emperor?" The man looks at Jiang Miao disdainfully. Although the question is posed, the tone is quite certain.

"Yes, so what?" Jiang Miao asks again.

"A mere male wife dares to step into such a solemn place. I advise you to leave as soon as possible," the person says with arrogance, as if Jiang Miao is about to pollute this place.

"This Imperial Academy... is it opened by your family?" Jiang Miao is speechless. What kind of arrogance is this, to chase people away with just a few words?

"Of course not," the person says, taken aback, not expecting Jiang Miao to ask that.

"Even if it’s not yours, you act so high and mighty? I’m not standing on your land, so why should I listen to you?" If this were a regular business situation, he might have simply endured it by reminding himself of "harmony brings wealth," but now he is not only representing himself but also Pei Che’s dignity, so he cannot retreat.

"Unreasonable! Even if this is not my jurisdiction, you still have no right to be so presumptuous here! This is a place for saints and sages; how can someone from the back courtyard like you set foot here? You should go back and take care of your family and children," the person says angrily, his face reddening as he scolds.

Jiang Miao is not good at speaking in fancy words, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand them. Hearing him denounce everyone indiscriminately, Jiang Miao scoffs, "Does your mother know how you speak? She worked so hard to raise you, just for you to look down on the women who take care of their families in the back courtyard? Without those women, where would you come from? Among the saints and sages you speak of, which one was not born of someone from the back courtyard?"

A series of questions leaves the person speechless, unable to reply for a long time. The onlookers around also fall silent.

"Blabbering nonsense, they are who they are, and you are who you are. How can they be compared?"

"Why can’t they be? It’s you who said they are from the back courtyard, and now you want to divide them into different ranks?"

"Naturally, you are a man and cannot bear children. How can you claim the credit for giving birth?"

"Now you know I’m a man? Since we’re both men, why can only you come here and not me? Do you have something more than I do?" Jiang Miao rolls his eyes, glancing dismissively over his lower body, and looks at him with disdain.

"You, you... It turns out that there is no smoke without fire. I don’t know which eye Pei Che is blind in to fall for someone as rude and uncouth as you!" The person shakes with anger, accusing Jiang Miao of dishonoring the place.

"Thank you, Brother Yang, for your concern. My eyes are just fine. I just wonder what I’ve done to offend you, that you would want to drive my people out of the Imperial Academy?" Pei Che’s voice comes from behind, calm and cold. The person stiffens and looks back to see Pei Che standing there, staring at him with a smirk that does not reach his eyes, which are as cold as ice.

Yang awkwardly pulls at his mouth. "A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I was just offering advice. Since Brother Pei has arrived, I won’t disturb your reunion." With that, he quickly leaves. The crowd of onlookers disperses, hurrying away.

"I have to say, you are so unpopular that I am embarrassed as soon as I arrive. It seems like others are also not too eager to be around you," Jiang Miao remarks, clearly skilled at rubbing salt into other people's wounds.

Pei Che smiles: "Why don’t you just say that it’s you that’s unpopular and that’s why you are embarrassed as soon as you arrive?"

"What a joke. I’m so gentle and amiable, a social adept of Yifeng Street. Who would dare say that I am unpopular?" Jiang Miao, seeing that Pei Che is trying to shift the blame, shamelessly praises himself.

"Okay, okay, it’s my unpopularity that made you embarrassed. I’ll treat you to a meal and make amends. How about that?" Pei Che’s mood lifts, and he looks much brighter than in recent days.

...

When the bell rings earlier, Pei Che is writing an essay. Inspired and not wanting to interrupt his flow, he decides to let Han Qin and the others leave first. However, Han Qin and the others, being very loyal, choose to stay and keep him company until he finishes writing before going to eat.

Unexpectedly, a man suddenly bursts in from outside, panting and saying, "Pei Che, you should go outside and see. Your relative and Yang Tai are arguing out there!"

Pei Che stops writing: "My relative?"

"Yes, it seems to be the male wife you were granted marriage to." After hearing who it is, the person hurries over to find Pei Che.

As soon as he finishes speaking, Pei Che, who was originally sitting at the table, runs out of the door, and the other people follow him out.

Pei Che initially fears that Jiang Miao might be bullied, but upon arriving at the scene, he realizes he has been overly concerned. Generally, as long as people don’t physically confront Jiang Miao, it is quite difficult to bully him.

Han Qin says to Su Jin and He Chen proudly, "I'm right, he is indeed eloquent. The reason I stopped to watch back then is definitely not because I was bored!"

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