Chapter 131 City Streets 31

Chapter 131: City Life in the Prefectural Capital (31)

“Boss Liu! Your skills are truly impressive!”

“Indeed! This crispy milk curd roll—I’ve never even heard of it before!”

In the kitchen, two assistant women praised Liu Guyu with broad smiles.

Someone even teased, “You’re making it right in front of us—aren’t you afraid we old-timers might steal your recipe?”

Liu Guyu had just finished a batch of pastries and was washing his hands for a short break when he heard this. He laughed and said, “Feel free to learn! Once you’ve mastered it, you can make it for your grandchildren at home. These soft, sticky, sweet treats are loved by all children.”

Liu Guyu truly wasn’t afraid of others stealing his techniques.

Firstly, this skill wasn’t something that could be mastered in a day or two—proportions and heat control came only with practice. If someone could outperform him just by watching once, then it meant his own skills were lacking.

Secondly, all the best ideas were in his head. Liu Guyu believed he still had many modern delicacies yet to unveil. Even if someone learned this one, there would always be others—he wasn’t worried about imitation.

The two assistant women soon burst into hearty laughter at Liu Guyu’s words, exclaiming, “You’re such a witty one!”

Amid the laughter, two serving boys entered the kitchen carrying teapots—they had been serving tea at the poetry contest earlier.

As soon as they stepped inside, they said:

“You didn’t see it earlier! The Education Commissioner was furious!”

“Absolutely! It scared us to death! We didn’t dare stay any longer and came straight back!”

A perfectly fine poetry contest—why would he be angry?

Liu Guyu grew curious—and concerned about Qin Rongshi at the gathering—so he immediately asked, “What happened? Why was he angry? What went wrong at the poetry contest?”

One of the serving boys shook his head and replied, “Not entirely sure. It seemed like a student recited some poem… Hmm, I thought it was quite good, but maybe the Commissioner didn’t like it! Anyway, he got really angry!”

The other serving boy nudged him and retorted, “Nonsense! I think that student plagiarized a poem to fool the Commissioner—and got caught!”

“I’ve long heard that at these Mid-Autumn poetry gatherings, plum-blossom appreciation events… students always prepare in advance—even buying poems and essays! It’s just that no teacher had caught them before.”

“Tsk tsk… Everyone in the city boasts about these scholars, saying they’re clever and have bright futures—but honestly, there’s plenty of rot beneath the surface!”

So that’s what happened.

Liu Guyu paused for a moment, then immediately picked up a pastry box and headed out, saying to the two assistant women, “Let’s go. It’s about time to deliver the pastries.”

Seeing Liu Guyu about to leave, the serving boys were shocked and quickly said, “The Commissioner is still furious! You’re going now?!”

Liu Guyu smiled and said, “If the Commissioner finishes his anger and wants a pastry to calm down—only to find the plates empty—won’t he be even angrier?”

The serving boys hesitated. “Well… that does make sense… but…”

Liu Guyu laughed. “It’s fine. The Commissioner is a reasonable man—he won’t take it out on others.”

With that, he left the kitchen with the two assistant women, taking a side path.

From afar, they could already hear the Commissioner’s furious scolding.

“Say it again—did you really write this poem yourself?”

The Commissioner asked once more.

Zhou Pozhi, seated to the side, had sensed something amiss long before. He immediately picked up the paper the Commissioner had thrown to the ground and glanced over it.

Huh… a fine poem.

But…

Zhou Pozhi glanced up at Ceng Wei, kneeling in the center, trembling. Though he’d never taught Ceng Wei, he knew the young man’s academic level well enough. How could such a brilliant poem possibly be his work?

Zhou Pozhi, too, grew angry and sharply demanded, “Still making excuses! Spit it out—where did this poem come from?”

Ceng Wei trembled uncontrollably; cold sweat drenched his back and soaked through his clothes.

He finally realized the Commissioner had likely uncovered his cheating—but how could he admit to such a thing?

Plagiarizing a poem was a grave offense, and being caught red-handed by the Commissioner would not only destroy his reputation but almost certainly result in the revocation of his scholar status!

Ceng Wei dared not confess. He clung to a sliver of hope—that the Commissioner only suspected, without proof. If he kept denying it, perhaps the matter would pass unnoticed.

Thinking this, Ceng Wei lowered his head further and said in a voice feigning grievance, “This student wrote the poem himself. I guessed the poetry contest would include a chrysanthemum theme, so I prepared in advance. After polishing it for days, it naturally turned out better than my usual attempts.”

The Commissioner’s initially furious expression suddenly softened. He shook his head in disappointment and helplessness, saying nothing more.

But Zhou Pozhi fumed, “Every word in this poem is perfectly chosen, the phrasing refined—it shows the skill of a master and reflects deep practice. You? Even if you ground an iron rod into a needle, you couldn’t produce something like this!”

Whoa—so he’d copied the perfect model answer outright?

Liu Guyu, standing beneath a small willow tree, quietly watched the scene without moving forward.

Ceng Wei, kneeling in the center, felt a chill run down his spine—as if the blood in his veins had frozen into icy sludge.

“I… this student… the poem is…”

The Commissioner sighed and shook his head, asking, “Suppose I believe you wrote it. Then explain this line: ‘Observing the river’s wrinkled surface’—what does it mean?”

Observing the river’s wrinkled surface… observing the river’s wrinkled surface… observing the river’s wrinkled surface…

Ceng Wei stammered, “S-s-student was moved by the Dan River, and then…”

The Commissioner shook his head again and cut him off directly.

“‘Observing the river’s wrinkled surface’ refers to the eternal flow of rivers, lamenting the wrinkles of aging. As Buddha said, ‘That which changes perishes; that which is unchanging is originally without birth or death.’ This phrase mourns the unchanging nature of Buddha while reflecting on the transience of human life.”

“At that time, I was studying in the capital when I suddenly received news of my father’s death. The journey was too long to return in time for the funeral, so I first lit an eternal lamp for him at Fayun Temple. It was already past the Double Ninth Festival, and I saw the chrysanthemums in the temple withering. Moved by the flowers, I wrote this poem of mourning.”

Ceng Wei was stunned, unable to utter a word. Only large drops of cold sweat fell to the ground as his slightly curved spine bent even deeper—until he lay prostrate on the floor.

Even Zhou Pozhi was stunned. He had recognized the poem as a masterpiece—but never imagined it was the Commissioner’s own work.

Now, even Zhou Pozhi was at a loss.

Well done—copying straight onto the Commissioner’s own work.

Sure enough, the Commissioner continued moments later, “I asked you three times—and three times you lied to me.”

“After all your hard study of the classics—is this what you’ve become? This likely isn’t the first time you’ve done this, is it? This time you stole from me and were caught red-handed—who knows how often it’s happened before?”

He sighed twice more; his tone finally grew harsh, his expression stern and severe.

“With such despicable conduct, how could one ever become an official? Guards, remove his scholar's cap and expel him from Cuiwei Mountain! Strip him of his academic honors and ban him for life from ever participating in the imperial examinations again.”

Ceng Wei's face changed color. First, he kowtowed and begged for mercy, then he frantically looked around, his gaze about to land on Qin Rongshi.

He cried out in despair, “Sir! Sir, I am wrongly accused! This poem wasn't written by me—it was him! He wrote it for me!”

He pointed directly at Qin Rongshi.

Liu Guyu's eyes widened.

He hadn’t expected that while watching the commotion, the trouble would once again circle back to involve him.

Yang Su, who had been hiding behind the plantain tree, also grew anxious. He exclaimed "Aiya! Aiya!" a couple times, then stamped his foot, gritted his teeth, and stood up.

Yang Su hurried out and knelt beside Ceng Wei, not daring to look up at the Education Commissioner, keeping his head down and staring at his own clothes.

“Sir! This matter has n-nothing to do with Qin Rongshi. He was only trying to help me.”

“Ceng Wei repeatedly... repeatedly humiliated and beat me. A few days ago, he even stopped me and d-demanded I write a poem praising chrysanthemums for him! Otherwise, he threatened to beat me again!”

Qin Rongshi also stood up, knelt before the crowd, though his back remained ramrod straight.

“Reporting to you, Sir. That day, I came across this injustice and could not bear to see a fellow student bullied, nor was I willing to help someone cheat. It so happened that I had recently read this poem in the *Top Three Scholars' Poetry Selection*, so I wrote it out for him, thinking it could serve as evidence to expose this act of fraud.”

“I had no intention of offending you, Sir, or disrespecting your honorable father. I ask that you handle this matter impartially.”

Liu Guyu, who had been watching the spectacle, no longer felt like observing, but given the situation, he couldn’t barge in either. He could only stand quietly to the side and wait for the outcome.

The Education Commissioner frowned, but he remembered Qin Rongshi’s poem from earlier and had a favorable impression of him. He softened his voice slightly, though his question was still meaningful. "You intentionally gave him my poem? So you planned to involve me in this scheme as well?"

Qin Rongshi replied calmly, “Sir, you are the newly appointed Education Commissioner. I had no way of knowing your name.”

Zhou Pozhi, seated below, was already frowning deeply. He glared daggers at Ceng Wei, who was kneeling on the ground trembling, thinking that this wretched scoundrel had caused all this trouble and even dragged Qin Rongshi into it.

He immediately said, “Sir, I also never revealed your name to him.”

Yang Su directly kowtowed three times and said loudly, “Sir, this matter has n-nothing to do with Qin Rongshi! It’s all my fault! He was implicated because of me! Please don’t blame him!”

The Education Commissioner shifted his gaze to Yang Su, remaining silent for a long time, as if deep in thought.

A moment later, he frowned again and said, "I said remove his scholar's cap and expel him. Why has no one moved?"

“How can someone who bullies and humiliates his peers be allowed to stay? The academy should have disciplined him long ago!”

Ceng Wei collapsed onto the ground, still trying to speak, but he was grabbed and dragged away.

He cried out, “Sir... Sir! I admit my mistake! I’ll never dare again! Forgive me this once! Sir! My sister—”

He had only uttered two words when he suddenly remembered that today’s situation was unlike any before. The people he had offended were not those powerless students or teachers from the past, and name-dropping his brother-in-law wouldn’t smooth things over this time.

He fell silent, his face turned ashen as he was dragged away.

But the Education Commissioner had heard him. He turned to Zhou Pozhi and asked, “His sister is...?”

Zhou Pozhi sighed, putting on a pained expression that said, "It’s not that the academy didn’t want to discipline him—it’s that we truly had no choice."

“His sister is someone from the Assistant Prefect’s household. The Assistant Prefect is busy with official duties and has no time to bother with these trivial matters, which is why this monkey acts like the king here. But the academy still has to save some face—it’s been quite a dilemma for us.”

His words were skillfully chosen, leaving no room for criticism, but everyone listening was shrewd enough to understand the underlying meaning.

The Education Commissioner nodded and said, “Tomorrow, I’m having drinks with the Prefect. I imagine the Assistant Prefect will be there too. I’ll be sure to ask him about it properly.”

Then, he turned his gaze to Qin Rongshi and Yang Su, who were still kneeling. His eyes shifted between the two before he slowly smiled and said, “Both of you, rise. This matter was an unexpected disaster for you as well. Return to your seats.”

“The poetry gathering will continue. You may discuss literature and poetry as you wish. All scholars, speak your minds freely and engage in open conversation.”

Once the plagiarism incident was settled, Liu Guyu and several maidservants brought out pastries. They first served a few plates to the Education Commissioner, then placed some on the tables of the academy heads and teachers before turning to distribute among the students.

Each plate of pastries was different, randomly placed on the students' tables.

Liu Guyu carried the food box to Qin Rongshi’s side, his face expressionless as if meeting a stranger, but he placed Osmanthus Lotus Root and red bean paste egg yolk pastries—Qin Rongshi’s favorites—in front of him.

The poetry gathering resumed. Liu Guyu withdrew to the kitchen after delivering the food and sat on a stool, lost in thought.

Two maidservants were still chatting about what had just happened. They had been trembling with fear earlier, too scared to step forward—even serving pastries to the Education Commissioner had been left to Liu Guyu alone.

But now back in the kitchen, they too began to chat freely.

“Aiyo! Officials are really different! That presence of his—so intimidating!”

“Exactly! Scared me so much I broke out in a cold sweat!”

“Hey, if you ask me, he got what he deserved! Daring to cheat right in front of the Commissioner! Serves him right!”

“Absolutely! The audacity!”

...

Time passed, and the sunlight was no longer as bright as at noon. The two maidservants helping in the kitchen had already left. Liu Guyu waited until he grew drowsy.

He dozed off leaning against the doorframe but was suddenly startled awake by the pattering of rain.

Without warning, heavy rain had begun to fall. Dark clouds pressed down from above, casting the already dim sky into deeper gloom.

Under the dense rain, curtains of water poured down from the eaves, weaving a dense, needle-like pattern. The autumn chill intensified layer by layer.

“Why did it suddenly start raining!”

Liu Guyu hurriedly stood up, wanting to step forward, but the rain was too heavy. Just standing by the door, his face was splashed by the icy droplets.

At that moment, a figure hurried through the rain—it was none other than Qin Rongshi.

“Erlang!”

Liu Guyu rushed out to meet him, pulling him inside.

Qin Rongshi had somehow gotten hold of an umbrella, but the wind and rain were too fierce, and his clothes were still soaked.

“The sun was just out! Heaven's so unreasonable—the rain came out of nowhere!”

Liu Guyu had barely finished speaking when he sneezed. Qin Rongshi immediately looked at him, noticing him rubbing the tip of his nose and then rubbing his hands, clearly feeling cold.

Qin Rongshi frowned, wanting to take off his outer robe for him, but his own clothes were wet from the rain.

He could only pull Liu Guyu closer to the hearth and said, “Let’s light a fire to warm up.”

Liu Guyu nodded and said, “Good idea. Let’s dry your wet clothes too.”

So, the two warmed themselves by the fire for about fifteen minutes until their clothes were mostly dry, and Liu Guyu stopped sneezing.

But he began to yawn, clearly tired.

Sleepily, he closed his eyes and mumbled, “What exactly happened at the poetry gathering earlier?”

Qin Rongshi explained briefly.

Liu Guyu asked again, “Did you really not know the Education Commissioner's name? Was it really such a coincidence?”

Qin Rongshi didn’t answer but said instead, “I’ve been corresponding with my teacher.”

Lv Shiwen had once served as an official in the capital. Although he had retired and returned to his hometown, his connections remained, and his sources of information were faster than Zhou Pozhi’s. He had already known about the incoming Education Commissioner even before Zhou Pozhi told Qin Rongshi.

However, the poem being an elegy was something Qin Rongshi hadn’t anticipated.

Liu Guyu said, “Clever... I doubt the Education Commissioner was entirely convinced. Though it wasn’t your fault, the situation still ended up involving him. If he’s a petty man, he’s probably already made a note of you.”

Qin Rongshi replied, “I’ve read his poems. Seeing his work is like seeing the man himself. I was confident he wouldn’t hold a grudge against me, which is why I set up this plan.”

Liu Guyu shrugged and craned his neck to look outside. The rain had let up a bit but hadn’t stopped.

Qin Rongshi frowned, stood up, and put his dried outer robe over Liu Guyu’s shoulders. “Let’s go,” he said. “This rain won’t let up anytime soon. If we wait until dark, it'll be harder to travel.”

Liu Guyu tightened the robe and nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

But they ran into trouble at the door.

Although the rain had eased, the road was flooded. Liu Guyu, trying to stay cool, had worn only light cloth shoes. If he stepped out now, his shoes and socks would be soaked in no time.

Having already gotten chilled and sneezed earlier, walking through water would surely make him ill.

Qin Rongshi frowned for a moment, then suddenly said, “I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”

Qin Rongshi was wearing cloth boots. Liu Guyu glanced at them but didn’t respond.

Qin Rongshi turned to look at him and saw Liu Guyu furrowing his fine brows, staring back with a serious expression, looking concerned.

He was about to persuade Liu Guyu, saying it was necessary and that his health mattered more than formalities, but before he could speak, Liu Guyu spoke first.

Frowning, Liu Guyu said, “Then squat down a bit. You’ve grown taller than me—I can’t just jump onto your back.”

Qin Rongshi: "..."

Qin Rongshi suddenly chuckled, handed the tung oil umbrella to Liu Guyu, and bent down in front of him.

Of course, he was never one to worry about formalities. Why would he be embarrassed by such little things?

Liu Guyu added, “You must be cold without your outer robe, but carrying me might warm you up.”

Liu Guyu held the umbrella and got on Qin Rongshi’s back, one hand holding the umbrella and the other wrapping around his neck.

He even grumbled under his breath, sounding somewhat displeased.

“Why did you have to grow so tall? What have you been eating?”

Qin Rongshi chuckled softly and stepped into the rain as he answered, “I’ve been eating the food you cook, haven’t I?”

Liu Guyu: “Honestly, I’m usually busy managing the food shop and don’t have much time to cook. We’ve been eating Mother’s meals.”

Qin Rongshi: “Then it’s Mother’s cooking.”

Liu Guyu: “Then why is it that we both eat Mother’s cooking, but you’re so much taller?”

Qin Rongshi: "...Probably because my father was tall.”

Liu Guyu: “Are you insulting my dad?”

Qin Rongshi: “Uh... I don’t think so?”

By the time they descended the mountain, the rain had lightened further, turning into a fine drizzle.

But keeping two people dry under one umbrella was still challenging. The wind blew the rain sideways, splashing onto Qin Rongshi’s face. Raindrops ran down his cheeks, wetting his collar.

Liu Guyu used his sleeve to wipe Qin Rongshi’s face twice, his fingers brushing past his ear, which felt hot to the touch.

Only then did he notice that Qin Rongshi’s earlobes were bright red, like drops of blood hanging from his ears—they looked fun to pinch.

...They probably felt nice to touch.

But Liu Guyu didn’t dare to try. Surprised, he opened his eyes wide and tilted his head for a closer look. However, Qin Rongshi turned his head slightly, and a few strands of hair fell, covering the redness.

“Qin Rongshi.”

He rarely called Qin Rongshi by his full name. Qin Rongshi, familiar with Liu Guyu’s habits, sensed something was up. He instinctively stopped and turned his head, trying to look at Liu Guyu on his back.

“Hmm?”

Liu Guyu, resting on his back, thought for a moment before saying, “I have a question for you.”

Qin Rongshi had a pretty good idea of what was coming. He knew Liu Guyu was clever—though a bit slow when it comes to romance, he couldn’t hide it forever.

He remained silent for a long time, neither answering nor moving forward. He didn't know what to think, his eyes dark and cloudy, heavier than the sky above, as if filled with built-up rain, ready to pour out any moment.

Suddenly, he let out a long sigh, as if accepting his fate. His usually clear voice turned rough, as though something were caught in his throat.

“Ask away.”

“Whatever you ask, I’ll answer.”

Only then did he resume walking.

Though Qin Rongshi agreed, Liu Guyu hesitated and didn’t speak immediately.

Qin Rongshi thought he wouldn’t ask after all, but after a long pause, Liu Guyu suddenly asked, “Was the sweet osmanthus lotus root tasty today?”

Qin Rongshi suddenly laughed. “That’s your question?”

Liu Guyu nodded on his back. “Yeah.”

Qin Rongshi nodded too.

“It was delicious.”

“I liked it.”

Liu Guyu: “Mm.”

The two continued walking home. Once they passed through the city gates, they made quicker progress, and the rain had stopped entirely.

But Qin Rongshi didn’t ask Liu Guyu to get down and walk on his own. At some point, Liu Guyu had dozed off on Qin Rongshi’s back, clutching the umbrella handle against his chest and leaning sideways against Qin Rongshi.

*

Qin Rongshi stepped into his own courtyard as the last light of dusk faded, right as he saw Cui Lanfang—who was so worried she was about to go out searching for them.

Cui Lanfang was startled and rushed up to ask, “What happened? Why are you bringing him back like this?”

Qin Rongshi hurried inside with Liu Guyu in his arms, explaining as he walked, “He has a fever. Probably been working too hard at the food stall lately, and the sudden weather change—warm then cold—triggered this illness.”

“Where’s Banban? Is Banban back yet?”

No sooner had he asked than she came running out from the kitchen, calling as she ran, “Brother, I kept dinner warm for you… Oh! Brother Liu! What’s wrong?”

Qin Rongshi gently shifted Liu Guyu's weight in his arms and said, “Is your teacher home? Go ask her to come take a look.”

Banban nodded quickly and dashed back out.

Cui Lanfang added, “Quick, quick, bring him inside.”

Once inside, Cui Lanfang rushed ahead to pull back the covers on the bed. “Hurry, lay him down—let me feel his forehead! Oh, he's really feverish!”

“Gu Yu, Gu Yu, we’re home! Open your eyes!”

It took several calls before Liu Guyu drowsily opened his eyes. His head was pounding terribly.

He tilted his head to look at them, confused. “Mom… did you have something to drink? Why is everything swaying?”

As he spoke, he widened his eyes, trying to focus on the swaying figures.

“This child—the fever has him talking nonsense,” Cui Lanfang sighed, helping him lie back down. “Doctor Fang will be here soon. Tell her exactly where you're feeling unwell.”

Liu Guyu nodded, then suddenly noticed he seemed to be clutching something in his hand.

He looked down—it was a lock of hair.

Qin Rongshi’s hair. Qin Rongshi had just set him down and was about to stand up when he felt a sharp pull on his scalp. Looking down, he saw a strand of his hair tightly gripped in Liu Guyu’s hand.

With no other choice, he had to stay seated by the bed and let Liu Guyu hold his hair.

Now that Liu Guyu was awake, he let go of Qin Rongshi’s hair without hesitation and even sat up to accuse him, “Stop swaying on my bed—is this a swing? You’re making me dizzy.”

Qin Rongshi sighed and helped him lie back down.

“Alright, I won’t sway. You lie back down.”

Soon, Qin Banban returned with Fang Liuyin, who took his pulse, examined him, and asked a few questions.

Finally, she said, “He’s been overworking himself lately. With today’s rain and the sudden cold, these abrupt temperature shifts are most likely to make people sick. He must be more careful in the future. But Liu Geer is still young and has a strong constitution. A few days of rest, and he’ll recover.”

“From now on, he should take better care—don’t overwork. Health comes first.”

After speaking, she wrote a prescription and asked Banban to get the medicine.

Banban had been studying medicine under Fang Liuyin for nearly a month. With some prior foundation, a natural talent for medicine, and high comprehension, she learned quickly and could already handle simple medicine preparation and dispensing.

Banban nodded in acknowledgment, then went out to get the medicine, returned home, and started preparing it.

The herbs still needed to soak for a while, and after that, they had to be simmered on low heat, which would take some time. The Cui Lanfang went back to the kitchen and brought out the food that had been kept warm in the pot, urging the two to eat a hot meal.

Liu Guyu was listless from illness, but his appetite was still quite good. After finishing all the food, he slumped back into the bed as if eating had drained all his energy.

"You really can’t overwork yourself from now on. If it’s too much, you should take on a couple of apprentices. There’s no need to do everything by yourself at the counter. With so many customers every day, how can you manage it all by yourself?"

Cui Lanfang began to sigh and chatter, moving from one topic to another.

"Erlang, you should go change your clothes quickly. Look, your clothes are still wet—don’t go getting sick too. You might be strong enough to carry Gu Yu, but if you collapse, there’s nobody here who could lift you!"

Huh?

Carry?

Carry who?

Suddenly, the sick patient found some strength and sat up again, staring at Qin Rongshi, who guiltily averted his gaze.

But the next moment, Cui Lanfang pressed him back down.

"Oh, you! Lie down properly. I told you to rest well—why can’t you stay still?"

-----------------------

Author's note: "①②" are quoted from the "Śūraṅgama Sūtra."

Bonus chapter for reaching 3,000 nutrient solutions (…feeling like I just posted a bonus chapter not long ago, how did it happen so fast?)