Ch84 - Third Rank Scholar

Jing Shao had Duo Fu take him directly to the tea room in Listening Wind Pavilion, and helped his Wang Fei tidy up the things on the table before they went to Listening Wind Pavilion.

“This small official greets His Royal Highness Cheng Wang and Marquis Wen Yuan.” In the tea room, Ma Zhuo had yet to sit down. He stood upright politely, and when he saw them coming, he immediately stepped forward to greet them.

“Official Ma, please rise. Why didn’t you sit down?” Jing Shao had a good impression of this third rank scholar. After all, with his performance at the Qionglin banquet and being recruited directly for the Ministry of Rites by Jing Chen, they were all on the same side, and his attitude toward him was naturally friendly.

“Before Wang Ye and Marquis arrive, how can this humble servant sit down without permission?” Ma Zhuo had a pair of smiling eyes. Normally, even when he wasn’t smiling, he still looked like he had 30% of a smile on his face; now, when he did smile, it was especially cheerful. 

“Is something the matter that you have come to see us, Official Ma?” Mu Hanzhang urged him to sit down with a smile.

“Ah, this is what happened. Today, I met a hunter who set up a stall in the south of the city. In addition to selling some furs and livestock, he unexpectedly even put up a basket of grass for sale. I went to inquire, and learned that it was fresh tiger grass from the mountains. The hunter thought that because tigers often ate it, it was a herbal medicine he could sell, but who knew that after trying to sell it for a long time, he was only met with ridicule.” Ma Zhuo’s voice was clear and his tone undulated, just like a bard’s. It didn’t make people feel bored, and instead made them want to continue listening.

As Ma Zhuo spoke, he took out a weathered wicker basket full of lush green grass from behind the chair, clearly confirming what he said just now. Just then, Miao Xi came in with a kettle to refill the tea. Ma Zhuo seemed a little embarrassed. “It was this girl who poured tea for me earlier too; I was afraid she would laugh at me, so I hid the basket behind the chair.”

Miao Xi couldn’t help laughing. She wanted to say something in response, but then, taking into consideration the etiquette which Mu Hanzhang usually emphasized, she hurriedly refilled the tea before running out with a smile.

Jing Shao quietly observed Ma Zhuo’s every move. As his Wang Fei said, he was very eloquent and smart. He took the basket that was handed to him and looked at it. “What’s the use of tiger grass?”

“This subject grew up in the mountains when I was young. I know that other than meat, tigers eat a kind of grass. If they don’t eat it for a long time, they will get sick,” Ma Zhuo said slowly. “When I heard that there was a tiger being raised here, this subject decided it would be good to send this to Cheng Wang and the Marquis.”

Mu Hanzhang picked up a blade of grass and looked at it. He had seen it in books before. He had thought it was just folklore, and didn’t expect it to be true. It was just that Ma Zhuo already said that the hunter wasn’t able to get much money in return when he was trying to sell it as herbal medicine. He estimated that it had been bought for a few wen. This gift wasn’t very expensive, but its value lay in the thought behind it. Moreover, it was harmless to accept this kind of thing. It would be unreasonable for him not to accept it. This third rank scholar Ma was truly a man of integrity.

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The three chatted for a while before Ma Zhuo got up and said that he needed to return to the Ministry of Rites. Mu Hanzhang had urged him to stay for lunch, but he declined since he had important business to attend to at noon.

“This Ma Zhuo really has some skills.” Mu Hanzhang grabbed a handful of tiger grass.

Jing Shao was frowning, lost in thought; just then, the way Ma Zhuo acted when Miao Xi came in, why did it feel familiar? 

“What’s the matter?” Mu Hanzhang turned and asked when he saw that Jing Shao wasn’t speaking.

“I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.” Jing Shao’s face was very puzzled. He didn’t know if it was after he was reborn, because his impression of him was very vague. He just remembered that at that moment, something about him felt familiar.

Mu Hanzhang thought for a moment before he said, “He had never come to the capital before the civil examination, unless…” He lowered his voice, planning to draw closer to Jing Shao’s ear and whisper into it.

Jing Shao turned his head, about to meet his Wang Fei’s lips. They were almost touching, so he might as well scooch closer and just directly kiss him. 

“Bang!” Miao Xi, who came in to refill the tea, suddenly stopped and quickly steadied the teapot in her hand. She didn’t even dare to breathe as she turned to back out in a hurry.

“Wu…” Mu Hanzhang quickly pushed Jing Shao away. His handsome face immediately turned completely red. It was broad daylight, and a maid had seen them. How could he show his face anymore?

“What are you afraid of? I’m not a girl. You won’t corrupt my innocence.” Jing Shao naturally knew that his Wang Fei had gotten shy again. Before the latter could get angry, he pulled him into his arms and bit his red ear.

Mu Hanzhang glared at him, but then couldn’t help but smile. He then whispered his guess. Since Ma Zhuo was a member of the Zhuo family and hadn’t been to the capital all these years, Jing Shao must have only met him when he was a child. 

“When I was a child…” Jing Shao thought about it. He grew up in the palace when he was a child, and he hadn’t seen many outsiders. From the Zhuo family, there was only Jing Chen’s reading companion!

“Reading companion?” Mu Hanzhang was a little surprised. Ma Zhuo didn’t look like he was 25 or 26 years old. He seemed young, even younger than Qin Zhaoran.

The two guessed at Ma Zhuo’s identity, but they weren’t sure. They couldn’t just rashly ask, but now they wanted to know, so they decided to wait for Jing Chen to come back before they asked him.

The next day, they prepared gifts to visit the Rui Wang Fei at her palace. 

Rui Wang Fei’s complexion wasn’t very good, but she wasn’t bedridden, and met them in the main hall with a smile.

“I suffered some winter chill during my confinement, and I haven’t been sleeping very well these few days, so I have some chest discomfort and shortness of breath, but it isn’t very important.” Rui Wang Fei’s voice was a little weak. It seemed that she really was short of sleep, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

“Sister-in-law’s health is very important. If there is anything I can help you with in the household, do not hesitate to send someone to me,” Mu Hanzhang said in a warm voice. Previously, when they weren’t at home, they had asked Rui Wang Fei to take care of the affairs of the inner household.

Hearing this, Rui Wang Fei slowly sipped her tea and said, “Brother-in-law’s kindness is appreciated. Although I am rather useless in this state, I can still handle the trivial matters of the inner court.” 

Jing Shao’s face was a little ugly when he heard that. This sister-in-law hadn’t particularly liked him in his last life either. He didn’t care much, but Jun Qing had kindly offered to help, and she had refused so quickly. It really was like a slap to the face.

“I admittedly am not too knowledgeable about inner court affairs. Since Sister-in-law is capable, we won’t make trouble,” Mu Hanzhang said with a smile, pressing down Jing Shao’s clenched fist. “It’s late, we should go back.”

Just then, a baby’s cry came from not too far away. A trace of melancholy appeared on Rui Wang Fei’s face, and she got up to send them off. “I planned to have you stay for lunch, but Wang Ye is not here, and there are many young children in the house.”

“Quickly go and see what is the matter, Sister-in-law. There’s no need to send us off,” Mu Hanzhang said politely, and then pulled at Jing Shao to leave Rui Wang’s palace. 

When they left Rui Wang’s mansion, Jing Shao’s fists were still tightly clenched. “Her rude attitude is too much!”

“I hear that women who don’t have good confinements will develop bad tempers. Why bicker with a married woman?” Mu Hanzhang shook Jing Shao’s hand and mollified him, saying that in the future, when Jing Chen ascended the throne, Rui Wang Fei would be the empress. Even if her words were a little ugly, there was no need to offend her over such a small matter.

“Ordinarily, when she speaks to me, it’s always with few words and half-sentences; even though I dislike listening to her, I have never picked a fight about it. But she clearly wanted to embarrass you today…” Jing Shao said half of his sentence, when his lips were covered with a slender finger.

“Why take the words of an inner court lady seriously?” Mu Hanzhang didn’t care much. From his childhood until now, what ugly things had he not heard? Rui Wang Fei actually hadn’t said anything too excessive. 

Jing Shao held the reins in one hand and embraced the man in his arms tightly with the other. It didn’t matter what he himself suffered, but he couldn’t stand to see the man he loved suffer any injustice.

However, after seeing the Rui Wang Fei in that state, Mu Hanzhang decided that when his mother gave birth in a few months, he had to find someone who would serve and care for her meticulously, so that she would not succumb to any ailments.

The whole of the third lunar month was very busy, so they didn’t go to Rui Wang’s palace again.

In the blink of an eye, it was the middle of the fourth lunar month. Jing Chen finally came back from Jiangnan. After he left the palace, he went to the Cheng Wang’s residence. 

It had been quite a smooth trip to Jiangnan, but when he spoke of the Huainan King, Jing Chen revealed a strange and rare expression. After muttering irresolutely to himself for a long time, he just said, “That man’s schemes are very deep,” before going silent.

Jing Shao was very curious. Gu Huaiqing was a man who was very spontaneous and unrestrained. He really wanted to know what happened when he met his elder brother, who was very reserved and a man of few words. He wanted to ask, but Mu Hanzhang kicked him stealthily, so he could only turn the subject to Ma Zhuo.