Chapter 183 Young Girls like Clouds

The next morning, Yang Ning made the accountant take five hundred taels of silver bank notes and went straight to Qionglin Academy personally escorted by Duan Canghai and other two people.

Although it hadn’t yet snowed, the ground was already covered with a layer of frost. Yang Ning wore a brocade cotton robe, draped a black overcoat that was fairly warm.

It had to be admitted, even if the Mansion of the Marquis was sometimes economically stretched, it was still much better compared to the ordinary family, at least without worrying about food or clothing.

Yang Ning couldn’t help but think, if the coincidental mistake didn’t take place, it’d be unsure what kind of life he would have lived now. Although he couldn’t possibly freeze and starve with his ability, it would be definitely no better than as a Marquis.

The four people all rode horses instead of carriages and headed towards east of the city. Yang Ning didn’t know where the Qionglin Academy was, yet Duan Canghai was quite familiar with it. After riding for half an hour, they turned to a long street, and after a short time, they saw a tall gate in front of them, with green bricks and red pillars, and two big vermilion words written on the top of the gate.

Qionglin Academy!

There was a white wooden board with a couplet written from top to bottom at both left and right side of the gate.

The left side was written “Virtue stands beside the ancient literature”, the right side was written “Small Peach Garden in the downtown”.

Seeing the words on the plaque and the couplet, Yang Ning could feel the words seemed to be lightly written, but each stroke contained an endless momentum, though he was not proficient in calligraphy. He couldn’t exactly define the momentum, but it always seemed extraordinary. He knew the words of Qionglin Academy on the plaque as well as the couplet should be written by the president of Qionglin Academy, Zhuo Qingyang.

He learned from Tang Nuo that today there were top experts of four kinds of arts in the world, and Zhuo Qingyang is one of them, who was a top expert in calligraphy.

At the edge of the academy, there was a somewhat chic hut with an old man in his fifties inside. Seeing someone coming, he immediately poked his head out and called out, “Who is it?”

Duan Canghai had already arched his hands and smiled, “Is it Uncle Ren? We are from the Mansion of the Marquis of Honor. The Marquis of Honor has personally come to pay a visit to Mr. Zhuo.” Approaching Yang Ning, he whispered, “Marquis, this is the old man who guards the gate for nearly ten years. I used to accompany the Third Lady here a lot, and I know him well. People call him Uncle Ren.” Seemingly worried that Yang Ning didn’t know about the rules of the academy, he added, “After entering Qionglin Academy, all are treated equally, there is no noble or low ranking.”

Yang Ning smiled and said, “I know.” He thought to himself that this Zhuo Qingyang had been Qi Jing’s teacher and was one of the top experts. Few people would dare to pull rank on him.”

The old man recognized Duan Canghai and laughed, “So you are from the Mansion of the Marquis of Honor, you know the rules.”

Duan Canghai smiled, arched his hands, and took a liquor bag from his waist and threw it over. The old man seemed to be used to it and took it with his hands, very skillfully.

Yang Ning thought to himself that the old man knew some martial art.

“Marquis, we’re not allowed to go in.” Duan Canghai said, “But there won’t be any danger in the academy, please go in first, we’ll wait here.”

Yang Ning nodded, rolled off his horse, took a small parcel from the back of the horse, carried it, and went into the academy.

The Qionglin Academy looked simple and elegant in front, not so conspicuous. But stepping inside, Yang Ning noticed that there was some extraordinary scenery in there. Rockery, small pond, pavilion, small bridge, pine, and cold plum, the layout was delicate as a garden. Although it was already winter, every place formed a beautiful scenery.

He went inside, following a rather wide green stone road. There were more students coming and going. Since Qionglin Academy was a girl’s academy with no male students, so as far as he could see, there were all young girls.

Some of these female students were holding scrolls and gently chanting, some were sitting by the pool and thinking, some sat together, talking and laughing.

Yang Ning had known the Qionglin Academy had a strict recruit. New students must be personally tested by Zhuo Qingyang before they could enroll at the academy

In this patriarchal era, women were considered virtuous without learning. If Zhuo Qingyang hadn’t opened this Qionglin Academy, no woman would have been able to study fairly in academy even in a few hundred years. Besides, Zhuo Qingyang chose students only on talent, not on origin, which could be seen from the dress of these female students in the academy, most of whom were from ordinary families.

Before Yang Ning came to the academy, he didn’t dig deeper in it. But now he’d seen it with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but respect Zhuo Qingyang.

The sudden appearance of a man in the academy naturally attracted the attention of the female students. Girls overflowing with youth all looked at Yang Ning with strange eyes, some girls were whispering to each other, looking over Yang Ning from time to time. There were also some bold girls directly saluting with eyes to Yang Ning.

Although failing to compare with some unique beauty, Yang Ning looked pretty handsome. He had tanned skin, but it got paler these days. With the brocade clothes as well as a rather elegant overcoat, he looked not only well-educated but noble. No wonder he would attract the attention of so many girls.

Yang Ning rather enjoyed the feeling of being noticed by so many young girls. He was a bold man who had lived two lives as thick-skinned human. Seeing a good-looking girl, he’d nod and smile all leisurely from time to time, with a good gentleman’s posture.

Suddenly he saw three to four girls gathered in front of him pointing at him, and then a girl seeming 15 or 16 years old ran out from inside, quite a beauty with red cheeks. Seeing her running towards himself, Yang Ning was a little surprised, thinking that girls in Qionglin Academy were so open. Could she mean to confess her love?

The girl arrived in front of Yang Ning, cut to the chase and asked, “You… Are you Mr. Jiang who came to give us a lecture today?”

“Mr. Jiang?” Yang Ning was stunned, thinking this girl must be mistaken, shook his head and said, “No, my surname is not Jiang!”

The young girl wondered, “Could I have remembered wrongly?” Seemingly a bit reluctant, she asked again, “Then did you come from the East Sea?”

“The East Sea?” Yang Ning asked curiously, “What, you are waiting for Mr. Jiang from the East Sea?” Something suddenly occurred to him. His eyebrows tightened and actually thought of a person.

East Sea? Mr. Jiang?

Jiang Suiyun?

Yang Ning had realized, Jiang Suiyun, who was with Dou Lianzhong two nights ago, was from the East Sea. The Jiang family was a high roller in the East Sea, possessing its own fleet of ships, as wealthy as many nations with its sea trade. And apparently Jiang Suiyun was now still in the capital.

Was it really that coincidental that Jiang Suiyun would also come to Qionglin Academy today?

“Yes, Mr. Jiang is a great talent of the East Sea, learned and versatile. Mr. Zhuo said he would come to the academy today to teach.” The young girl had an expectant look on her face, “Mr. Zhuo also mentioned Mr. Jiang has traveled to various countries and has been to faraway places by sea. He must know a lot. We are all looking forward to him.” Looking at Yang Ning, she asked suspiciously, “Are you really not Mr. Jiang we are waiting for?”

Yang Ning was about to answer, before he heard a cold voice behind him, “He is not Mr. Jiang, how could Mr. Jiang look like this? Do you want to know who he is?”

Yang Ning listened to the voice, feeling it somewhat familiar, and could not help but turn around, only to see a group of girls walking over. A woman was slowly walking over surrounded by five to six young girls.

The woman wore a white brocade jacket, a cloud-patterned velvet skirt, hitched a snow feather cappa made of snow beaver fleece, stitched with gold edge silver lines, looking all noble. The woman’s hair was twisted lightly with a silver jade purple moon hairpin, applied with pink rouge, so that her delicate face looked translucent and blushed in the meantime, like a hibiscus. It’s just a contemptuous smile hung on her pretty face, making people uncomfortable.

Yang Ning only took a look, then frowned. Disgust was shown in his eyes.

No wonder that voice was familiar, it turned out he had met her before. This woman was actually Su Zixuan, the daughter of the Marquis of Martial Arts, Su Zhen.

Yang Ning didn’t expect to run into her here.

He was in a good mood, but at this moment, he was depressed as if having swallowed a fly during a feat.

Three or four steps away from Yang Ning, Su Zixuan stopped and looked at Yang Ning with contempt, those girls around her were all finely dressed. Obviously, they all came from rich families. Someone already asked, “Zixuan, do you know him? Isn’t he Mr. Jiang?”

“Of course not.” Su Zixuan coldly looked at Yang Ning, with a sneer on her lips, and said without scruples, “Have you heard of the Marquis of Honor?”

The girls all said, “Sure. Isn’t the Marquis of Honor one of the four hereditary marquises, equal to your family, Marquis of Martial Arts?”

“Then do you know about the heir of the Marquis of Honor, who is stupid and crude?” Su Zixuan slightly lifted her chin and arrogantly said, “Many people call him the fool heir of the Marquis of Honor.”

“Oh, Zixuan, is it Qi Ning who was betrothed to you?” A girl beside said, “You talked to us about him, that foolish mangy toad wants to have swan meat. You couldn’t possibly say yes.”

Su Zixuan said smugly, “That’s right, it’s that fool. He did set up a child marriage with me, but the seniors made it haphazardly. As I told you, I’ve asked my father to break off the marriage.”

“Zixuan, you are so beautiful, and your father is the Marquis of Martial Arts. How many princes and the noble are eager to marry you. They can actually line up from the capital to the QinHuai River.” A girl beside giggled, “That fool, of course you’re out of his league.”

“Yes, Zixuan, luckily you broke off the marriage, otherwise you’d be screwed married to that fool.”

The several girls chattered, nothing but praising Su Zixuan look like a heavenly fairy, who must not be married to the fool.

With a straight face, Yang Ning applauded loudly enough. Those few girls didn’t know what happened and had gone quiet. Many girls nearby had also looked over.

A light and calm smile showed up on Yang Ning’s face. He leisurely uttered with a gentle voice, “That’s right. The fool Miss Su mentioned is right in front of you. I am the fool she was talking about.” Spreading his hands, he shrugged his shoulders extremely elegantly, “Quite a few people speak ill of me behind my back. But this is the first time I heard it on the spot!”