The Scum Gong’s Redemption Manual (Quick Transmigration) 61

Chapter 61

On the fourth day of the wedding, the new jinshi had to enter the Hanlin Academy.

Lu Ze got up early in the morning. He had been careful, but he didn’t expect to wake Wei Yan. He heard the noise and looked back, and saw Wei Yan with sleepy eyes, and the arms that were exposed were covered with marks, which showed the battle situation last night.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at the man in the outer robe under the candlelight in front of the bed, his voice a little hoarse. “So early?”

Lu Ze took a step forward and tucked his arm in, and tucked in the corner of the blanket for him, and said in a low voice, “It’s your first time entering the Hanlin Academy. You can’t be late for the roll call.”

Wei Yan half-opened his eyes, and in the candlelight, a tear overflowed from the corner of his eye. He said drowsily, “The Hanlin Academy is leisurely, unlike other government offices. There aren’t so many rules. You don’t have to go so early.”

Lu Ze brushed away the hair on his forehead and said, “After all, it’s the first day. I’ll go and get familiar with the situation first. If nothing else, I have to at least put on a show.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on his forehead, and said in a gentle voice, “You can sleep a little longer. When I come back later, I’ll have a meal with you.”

Wei Yan hummed in a muffled voice, but he sat up straight, and the brocade quilt slowly slid down from his body, revealing his thin undershirt.

He held out his hand to him. Lu Ze came forward in confusion, but he saw Wei Yan change his posture and kneel on the bed. He picked up his belt with one hand and lowered his eyes to tie it for him.

Lu Ze paused, then said in a daze, “I can do it myself. You can go back to sleep for a while.”

Wei Yan looked up at him and muttered in a low voice, “You can even change my clothes. What’s wrong with me tying a belt for you?”

As he spoke, the belt was already tied. He moved back a little, tilted his head and looked at it twice, and nodded. “Others look bloated and ugly in this official robe, but only you, when you wear it, you look even more graceful and upright.”

“After all, you are the Tanhualang personally chosen by His Majesty. Otherwise, how can you be worthy of the Marquis?” Hearing this, Lu Ze smiled and added, “It’s fine to say this at home, but you can’t let outsiders hear it.”

Wei Yan pouted. “Why do we need to let outsiders hear it? They should also have some self-awareness.”

Lu Ze’s eyes were gentle. “Then thank you for your praise, Fulang.”

As he spoke, he pressed him onto the bed again and covered him with the blanket. His eyes were soaked in the candlelight, as warm and moist as a piece of warm jade, and he said softly, “I’ll be leaving in a while. It’s still a little cold outside. You don’t have to see me off. Just sleep a little longer.”

Hearing this, Wei Yan did not insist and just nodded, and then instructed, “Remember to wear more clothes. Ask the butler if the carriage is ready. And the food, have someone prepare more, so you can eat some on the way.”

“Don’t worry.” Lu Ze moved closer to his pillow and lowered his voice. “Everything is ready. You can rest assured.”

Wei Yan hummed in a muffled voice, but he was still worried and instructed, “The Hanlin Academy is noble, and it’s mostly a gathering of scholars. Although it’s very different from the circle of military generals, if someone really dares to bully you, or says something openly or secretly, we are not afraid.”

Lu Ze was at a loss for words. “My fulang is so amazing. Who is speaking ill of me? Just rest assured.” As he spoke, he kissed his cheek again and patted him reassuringly. “I’ll go now. You can sleep a little longer.”

At this moment, Wei Yan was actually not sleepy anymore, but hearing this, he still shrank his chin into the blanket and nodded obediently.

Only then did Lu Ze feel at ease. He stood up and turned to leave.

Wei Yan watched his figure disappear in front of the door, and only then did he withdraw his gaze. He looked at the cold and empty air for a moment, pulled the brocade quilt up, and covered his head.

The side of the bed instantly became empty.

..

After Lu Ze had washed up, he was led by the butler to the carriage. The outside of the carriage was not conspicuous, but the inside was secretly luxurious. It was even more comfortable to sit in, and he was not afraid of bumps.

There was also a small table inside, on which were a few dishes of breakfast that were easy to eat and a cup of tea. There was even a blanket on the side for a short nap.

The butler said, “These are all new dishes from the kitchen. If you are hungry on the road, master, you can eat some first. Although the marquis’s mansion is not far from the imperial palace, there is still some distance on the road. If the marquis wants to take a short nap, it is also convenient.”

Lu Ze nodded and said, “You have always been proper in your work. I am naturally at ease.” Before he put down the curtain of the carriage, he added, “Take good care of the Marquis when I am not in the mansion.”

The butler quickly agreed. “Don’t worry, master.”

The curtain of the carriage fell, and the coachman gently flicked his whip. With a low “jia,” the horse moved in response, and the speed was neither fast nor slow as it passed through the bluestone street.

..

When Lu Ze arrived, it was already the beginning of the hour of the rabbit. Although the sky was generally dark, it was already a little bright. After he got out of the carriage, he saw two people standing in front of the gate of the Hanlin Academy’s official office. Hearing the noise, they looked back, and he could vaguely hear a laugh.

He got out of the carriage and saw the two people in front of him bow with their hands clasped, and called out from a distance, “Is it Brother Xunzhi?”

Lu Ze returned the greeting. “It is.”

The original host’s name was Ze, and his courtesy name was Xunzhi.

The two looked at each other and smiled. “I am Yan Weijing.”

“I am Jiang Pingqing.”

Lu Ze understood in his heart. These two were the Zhuangyuan and Bangyan of this year’s examination, so he said, “So it’s the two of you, brothers.”

He smiled. “I thought I had come early enough, but I didn’t expect the two of you to be even more diligent.”

Yan Weijing smiled. “It’s our first time entering the Hanlin Academy, so we’re naturally nervous. To be honest, I didn’t get a good night’s sleep last night, for fear of being late and leaving a bad impression on the masters.”

Yan Weijing was obviously more enthusiastic and active, while Jiang Pingqing on the side was more taciturn. Hearing this, he also said, “Although my family told me that there aren’t so many rules in the Hanlin Academy, I couldn’t help but be nervous, so I came early.”

Lu Ze took a step forward and said, “Since the two of you have come, why don’t you go in?” He joked, “Could it be that you’re waiting for me?”

Yan Weijing and Jiang Pingqing looked at each other and both smiled bitterly. “This is one of the reasons.”

He explained, “Brother Jiang and I arrived one after another. Our original intention was to wait a little longer. When Brother Xunzhi arrived, we would go in together, and it would be easier for the masters to arrange. But we didn’t expect to be so early.”

Lu Ze paused. Yan Weijing gestured to him. “Look, the Hanlin Academy hasn’t even lit its lamps yet.”

Lu Ze looked in the direction and was at a loss for words.

The three of them looked at each other. Jiang Pingqing’s face was a little ugly. “They are all government offices. Why is the Hanlin Academy so late in starting its work?”

Yan Weijing tugged at his arm. Jiang Pingqing’s face paused. Lu Ze smiled and said, “The Hanlin Academy is mostly responsible for compiling books and history. If we come too early, and the sky is not yet bright, we can’t do much work.” He said, “I see that it’s still early. If the two of you don’t mind, why don’t you come and sit in my carriage? It’s also a good way to avoid the cold wind of early spring.”

Yan Weijing and the other two looked at each other and didn’t refuse, and immediately went with him.

The carriage was parked in a corner, and the coachman was watching outside. If there was any movement, he would remind them.

The kitchen had prepared a lot of food and tea. Lu Ze had not used much, so it was just right to entertain guests at this moment. He smiled and said, “I hope the two of you don’t mind.”

Yan Weijing shook his head. “I came here with an empty stomach and sat in a carriage for more than an hour. I was already starving. To have something to eat at this moment is already a lifesaver. What’s there to mind?”

Jiang Pingqing did not put on an act and just silently gnawed on a piece of pastry. After a long while, he said, “It’s really better to be married.”

Hearing this, Lu Ze paused. Yan Weijing was also stunned for a moment, then smiled. “Is Brother Jiang thinking of getting married?”

Jiang Pingqing ate quickly, but he did not appear rude. The etiquette of a great family was always in his bones.

After all, he was the young master of the Duke’s mansion, and he had the foundation of his family.

He swallowed the last mouthful of pastry and said, “Every time my brother goes to the roll call and to court, my sister-in-law has already told him what to eat the day before. He has never gone out with an empty stomach. Brother Xunzhi also has someone who cares for him and takes good care of him. Look at the two of us, single and alone, we can’t even get a hot meal.”

Yan Weijing smiled. “The Duke’s mansion is a big family. Is there no one to prepare a morning meal for Brother Jiang?”

Jiang Pingqing said calmly, “My mother wanted to find a girl for me a few days ago. I didn’t want to get married so early, so I refused. My mother was angry for a moment and stopped caring about me. I got up early this morning, and no one had prepared a morning meal. She said that I should suffer the hardship of not being married.”

Yan Weijing couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “In that case, I’m sure the Duchess can also get her wish.”

Jiang Pingqing didn’t say anything more and just silently ate his pastry without a sound, but his still somewhat childish face was a little red.

Lu Ze watched from the side, and his expression gradually relaxed as he listened to their words. “Brother Jiang is still young. There’s indeed no hurry for this matter. If you look slowly, you can always find someone you like.”

Although Jiang Pingqing was this year’s Zhuangyuan, he had not yet reached the age of majority. He was only nineteen this year. If you said he was in a hurry, it was not really. If you said he was not in a hurry, in this era, it was indeed time to prepare.

Jiang Pingqing glanced at him. “Brother Xunzhi is now speaking without a backache.”

Lu Ze also couldn’t help but laugh.

After this, the three of them gradually became familiar with each other. It wasn’t until the sky was bright, and it was almost the hour of the rabbit, that the coachman saw people entering the Hanlin Academy one after another. Only then did the few of them compose themselves, tidy their clothes, and get out of the car one by one.

As soon as they reached the gate of the Hanlin Academy, someone came out to greet them. After asking for their names, he led the three of them into the courtyard.

The Hanlin Academy was mainly divided into three parts: one was the National History Institute, the second was the Living Record Institute, and the third was the Shuchang Institute. The three of them were all assigned to the National History Institute, so they didn’t have to be separated, which was more convenient.

The one who greeted them was a reader surnamed Liu. He briefly introduced the work requirements to them and then hurried away.

Lu Ze could clearly feel that the reader Liu was looking at him with a strange meaning. He roughly knew in his heart and didn’t care. After the person left, he talked to Yan and Jiang for a few more words, and then began to do his own thing.

When a Zhuangyuan entered the Hanlin Academy, he would be a compiler, a sixth-rank official. He and Yan Weijing were slightly lower, both compilers, a seventh-rank official. But when they first entered the Hanlin Academy, their duties were roughly the same, in charge of compiling the national history and official records, and drafting documents, which were more or less the same.

The appearance of the newcomers did not cause any commotion in the National History Institute. Everyone seemed to be used to it, and they all did their own things. In the large space, there was only the sound of pages turning, and the work was indeed quite leisurely.

On his first day in office, Lu Ze did not rush to get started. Instead, he read through the national history of the previous dynasty that had already been compiled and the emperor’s previous living records, and he had a good idea in his heart.

After sitting in his seat for a whole morning, when it was time for lunch, Lu Ze only felt his whole body was stiff, and with a slight movement, his bones would crackle. He thought to himself that this body was still not good enough. In the future, he was afraid that he would have to get up early and exercise with Wei Yan.

Thinking of Wei Yan, he couldn’t help but think of what he was doing now. Lu Ze shook his head, feeling helpless in his heart.

The Hanlin Academy had its own public kitchen. After lunch, he rested for a while. Lu Ze got up and walked around, met with Yan and Jiang, and after some exchange, he also had some new ideas.

From time to time, others would pass by. After knowing Lu Ze’s identity, their gazes on him would inevitably be a little strange. Lu Ze just pretended not to hear and not to ask, his smile warm, which made others not dare to say anything.

After all, Wei Yan’s identity was there. No matter how much others looked down on him, they didn’t dare to say anything to his face.

A day passed quickly. When it was time to get off work, it was only the hour of the shen, and the sun had not yet set in the west.

Lu Ze and Yan and Jiang left the Hanlin Academy together and saw that the carriage was already waiting at the familiar place in the morning.

He said goodbye to the two of them, strode over, and lifted the curtain to look, and was instantly stunned.

Wei Yan was sitting inside. Seeing his appearance, he raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been at work for a day. Are you stupid?”

The smile on Lu Ze’s face couldn’t be contained. “Why are you here?”

Wei Yan pulled him onto the carriage and said, “I just came from the imperial palace, so I was waiting for you here.”

He looked at him. “What, you’re not happy?”

Lu Ze lowered his head and touched his forehead, and shook his head. “I’m not happy.”

“It’s a surprise.”