Chapter 3: Fang Chang

Chapter 3: Fang Chang

"I've heard whispers about him before, and I did bump into him once this morning at the dormitory entrance. I made a guess about his identity." Yu Jianli responded vaguely, without any sign of awkwardness.

Given that he was returning to the Imperial Academy, it was normal for him to inquire about matters related to the institution.

Ji Yanbai's arrival at the Imperial Academy had been quite the talk recently, so it wasn't surprising that Yu Jianli would be aware of it.

Ming Zhiyan didn't overthink it and reassured him, "Don't be afraid. Though he may be rash, he wouldn't initiate trouble. I've heard stories about him too; those who were disciplined by him got what they deserved."

Ming Zhiyan and Ji Yanbai were strangers, later becoming adversaries.

By defending Ji Yanbai now, it confirmed that Ji Yanbai wasn't as deplorable as Ming Zhiyan had perceived him to be.

Yu Jianli nodded, raising his hand to gently pat Ming Zhiyan's arm, saying, "Rest assured, I'm fine. You should return to the Imperial Academy."

Ming Zhiyan still seemed uneasy, but he always listened to Yu Jianli. Thus, he said, "Alright, call me if you need anything. I'll wait for you by the Dining Hall at noon."

"Okay."

After seeing Ming Zhiyan off, Yu Jianli entered the annex hall alone.

Most of the new supervisors here were unfamiliar with each other, and they were currently exchanging greetings to become acquainted.

There were also some who were already acquainted due to being fellow townspeople or having familial connections before arriving, making them somewhat closer.

However, upon seeing Yu Jianli's arrival, none of these people had any intention of approaching him. They didn't initiate a greeting but instead all turned their gazes towards him. Their eyes held not only admiration but also caution and aversion.

He paid no heed to this; he had a notorious reputation, and he was also a few years older than most of them. It was normal that they wouldn't want to associate with him.

He took a seat in front of a low table.

At this moment, someone turned around, looking him up and down with disdain before asking loudly, "Since you're revisiting these subjects, you must be learning faster than others?"

This was also a jab at his three entries into the Imperial Academy, where many subjects were being retaken.

"You jest," Yu Jianli replied calmly, his tone neither servile nor arrogant. "The subjects tested in the imperial examinations over the years have been the same, yet there are still those who fail. If I were mediocre, repeated readings wouldn't lead to understanding. For those of you who are wise, even as beginners, you could surpass me."

It was only Ji Yanbai, that madman with the genuine ability to kill in one blow, whom he truly feared. He wasn't cowardly towards anyone else.

The man, not getting the upper hand, awkwardly refrained from further response.

He had previously seen Yu Jianli hiding by Ming Zhiyan's side, appearing meek and submissive, leading him to believe that Yu Jianli was an easy target. But now, it seemed that he wasn't one to be trifled with either.

Primarily, Yu Jianli spoke in a calm and unhurried manner, his demeanor not as sharp as Ming Zhiyan's. There was nothing to criticize about him, especially when he smiled at others, it was as gentle as a spring breeze.

This kind of soft-spoken person only infuriated people more. Continuing to provoke him would merely make oneself appear spiteful and petty, while Yu Jianli would seem even more pitiable.

However, Yu Jianli's attention was elsewhere. He was pondering whether he could go back and ask Ming Zhiyan for some insights and annotations on their studies.

If he showed unfamiliarity with the subject, would Ming Zhiyan notice?

Accompanying the protagonist is like walking with a tiger...

If it doesn't work, I'll just pretend to faint. After all, who made him the delicate and helpless beacon of hope.

*

At night, Yu Jianli returned to his dormitory with two buckets of hot water.

He had been at the Imperial Academy for three days, and still, apart from Ming Zhiyan, no one had interacted with him.

Fortunately, he hadn't made any new friends, nor did others come to provoke him, and he was happy with the peace.

Having fewer friends meant fewer hearts broken at his passing.

Of course, while avoiding provocation, he couldn't escape the fate of being a spectacle.

Especially during the morning group lessons, when the headmaster lectured on stage, the other supervisors always seemed to glance his way, intentionally or not.

Some were merely curious, others simply enjoyed looking, for the desire for beauty is universal among people.

There were still those who buzzed with gossip, but he chose to turn a blind eye.

Having Ming Zhiyan's company during meals was pleasant, yet bathing had become a vexing issue for him, fortunately, he found a solution today.

He entered the cell and first placed the hot water bucket in position, then meticulously checked if the windows and doors were securely closed before undressing. Next, he tied up his long hair, proceeding to wash and clean himself.

Midway through, he heard noises from the neighboring cell, instinctively slowing down his movements, fearful that even the sound of water might irritate his neighbor.

While he was being cautious, the commotion from the other side persisted.

"Master, even if you have a heart for this lowly one, please return to the manor with me tomorrow. Otherwise, I cannot bear the punishment from Madam."

"Go back? When those two prattle on together, it's like being swarmed by thousands of flies. It's maddening."

Listening to the conversation, Yu Jianli wiped his neck.

If he was surrounded by so many flies, what did that make Ji Yanbai?

He scrunched up his nose. This person really didn't think things through when he spoke, cursing himself in his haste.

"You were merely criticized a few words, but Little Marquis Qin lost a leg!"

"Just a leg?" Ji Yanbai seemed rather disdainful. "The brat's got a tough life ahead of him."

Yu Jianli listened to this conversation in silence, finding it oddly reasonable yet unsettling...

"Ouch, if he had lost his life, we wouldn't be sitting here so peacefully. Even so, you could have crippled an ordinary scion with just a kick. And you insisted on using a long spear! If not for ten guards holding you back, there might have really been a fatality."

"He deserved it!"

"Yes, yes, he deserved it, but we did meddle in other people's affairs..."

As Yu Jianli wiped his arm, he pondered if this man was one to intervene when he saw injustice, only that he didn't quite control his strength and ended up breaking someone's leg.

It seemed that the young marquis mentioned by Ming Zhiyan was the one who got what he deserved.

"Damn you!" Ji Yanbai roared in agitation, and whatever action he took caused the partition in the middle of the house to tremble.

To make washing up more convenient, Yu Jianli placed one of the buckets of water on the table by the partition.

This table was something Yu Jianli had cobbled together himself using wooden boards, meant as a temporary solution.

It could bear the weight without issue, but due to the lack of proper materials and tools, the table wasn't very stable. With such violent shaking, the bucket toppled over, spilling water all over the floor.

Startled, Yu Jianli fumbled to catch the bucket, but his body simply wasn't agile enough. He couldn't steady it in time, and could only watch helplessly as the water from the bucket spread across the ground.

In that instant, his only thought was: I can't let the water flow into the next room.

The makeshift cell in this section of the building, partitioned into two, featured wooden boards as separators within its structure.

This resulted in less than optimal soundproofing for the cell.

Indeed, it was more spacious than the communal cells and came without any roommates to share it with.

However, the divider in the middle was rudimentary, with noticeable gaps beneath the wall panels.

As Yu Jianli watched the water seep through the cracks, he felt a momentary wave of despair wash over him.

Farewell to this beautiful world within the pages.

May Ji Yanbai grant him a swift end; his frail body, burdened by old ailments, deserves a quick death.

Just as he was succumbing to despair, he heard a sound, followed closely by the sight of a small window being pushed open in the partition before him, and then a pair of eyes looking his way.

A window between the partitions in the cell...?!

After a moment of shock, Yu Jianli began frantically reaching for his clothes, hastily draping them over his body.

Ji Yanbai leaned against the windowsill, watching him with a hint of confusion, his tone languid and deep. "We're both men, what are you panicking for?"

"I... I..." After hastily donning his clothes, Yu Jianli found himself at a loss for words to explain.

His current body, due to its excessively handsome appearance, had attracted no small amount of trouble.

The incident that led to his expulsion from the Imperial Academy was also a result of this.

It was because of these incidents that he was assigned to a solitary cell, even having to fetch water alone for bathing.

A communal bath was essentially a grand spectacle for onlookers.

Yu Jianli couldn't provide a reasonable explanation, but Ji Yanbai wasn't upset; instead, he chuckled softly, "I thought you were timid, turning pale at the sight of me, never expecting it to be because your whole body is fair."

Tan Hui in Ji Yanbai's room seemed curious to see what was happening over here, but Ji Yanbai pushed him away with a large hand, "He's shy, so scram and give him some space."

Yet, he didn't move from his spot.

Embarrassed to the point of flushing red, Yu Jianli could only compose himself to apologize, answering as calmly as possible, "I'm sorry, I was just drying myself here, the water was placed on the table, I didn't expect to knock it over."

"Oh... I accidentally kicked it with my foot; it's my fault, not yours. Why are you apologizing?" Ji Yanbai glanced into his room again and said, "I'll have Tan Hui tidy up over at your place."

He hastily declined: "No need, I can manage by myself."

"The Young Master isn't being polite with you." Ji Yanbai was about to retreat, but after a moment of thought, he added, "By the way, my name is Ji Yanbai."

Yu Jianli didn't expect things to unfold this way. After a moment's hesitation, he could only introduce himself in turn: "My name is Yu Jianli."

"Hiss—That doesn't seem right. You don't go by that name, do you?"

"Do you refer to my courtesy name? I seldom tell people about it; my courtesy name is Fang Chang."

Ji Yanbai began to doubt if he had remembered incorrectly, but he didn't suspect that he had misread the character. He casually asked, "Why do you seldom mention it?"

"Because... there's a proverb 'the future is long,' which doesn't sound very auspicious."

Ji Yanbai lived up to being Ji Yanbai, indeed he didn't understand.

However, when these scholars said something was inauspicious, they naturally had their reasons, so he didn't press for further explanation.

A bookworm's words are indeed hard to comprehend.

Ji Yanbai didn't continue his idle chat with Yu Jianli, shutting the window and returning to his own room.

Yu Jianli also began to quickly dress himself and tidy up his side.

Before long, Tan Hui still came to knock on the door. Unable to successfully refuse him, Tan Hui enthusiastically entered and started to help Yu Jianli clean up.

While tidying up, Tan Hui familiarly introduced to Yu Jianli, "You might not know this? This place was originally a distribution house for goods. My young master's side is the warehouse.

"Previously, one person would stand guard there, and when someone knocked on the window over here, the person inside would open the window to pass out items. That's why there's still a window in between, which remains to this day."

Yu Jianli really didn't know this, and at this moment, he could only awkwardly smile, pretending to know what he didn't.

"Oh..." He answered vaguely.

Ji Yanbai had returned from military service, and he was far from being delicate. He wasn't picky about his living quarters, and even though the Guozixue's Yinyin dormitory rooms were said to be much better than where they stayed, many still found it uncomfortable to live there.

Living in a dormitory room converted from a warehouse, Ji Yanbai never complained about anything.

Tan Hui continued his chatter, clearly a man of many words: "My young master is a light sleeper. He's also a martial artist with exceptional hearing, so much so that he'd go as far as to beat up someone for snoring. That's why he sought out this secluded place to live alone. Fortunately, you sleep quietly; I haven't heard any complaints from the young master these past few days."

"Is that so..." It seemed he would have to be even more cautious in the future.

"You don't need to worry too much. My young master is only picky about his sleep. You can do as you please during the day; he won't mind."

"After all, back in the military, amidst the training, drinking, quarreling, and fighting, he never complained. He only sleeps for two hours a day, from the hour of Chou to the hour of Yin, so just keep it quiet then."

"Understood." Quite the night owl, he wondered what one could do in this world without the luxury of smartphones at night.

Tan Hui gave Yu Jianli several more appraising looks, his smile nearly splitting his face. "You're truly handsome. I've never seen anyone more attractive than you in my entire life."

"You flatter me."

"Not at all, it's the truth! Even Lu Huaijing, who I thought was handsome, pales in comparison now. Actually, my young master is handsome too, but he's a bit rough around the edges."

"Hmm." Yu Jianli acknowledged with a nod.

In Yu Jianli's mind, Ji Yanbai was an unpredictable individual, someone he dared not provoke or even look directly at, still unsure of what Ji Yanbai truly looked like.

In his memory, Ji Yanbai was toweringly tall, with skin the color of lightly roasted wheat, likely a result of his time in the borderlands.

After tidying up, Yu Jianli saw Tan Hui off and then sat alone on the wooden bed.

It seemed that Ji Yanbai wasn't an unreasonable man after all, considering he hadn't grown so annoyed by the noisy attendant Tan Hui that he'd resort to violence.

The book didn't delve deeply into Ji Yanbai's character. What had caused him to gradually lose his mind and humanity later on?