Chapter 185 The Elegant Gentleman

Yang Ning was stunned, Xiaoyao’s question got him. But he reacted quickly and smiled, “I’m very interested in flowers recently, but I don’t know much about them. I know you are quite knowledgeable about flowers, so I’d like to ask you for advice if you have time.”

Xiaoyao smiled shyly and said, “I actually don’t know much about them either.”

“By the way, Miss Xiaoyao, have you been to that flower market afterwards?” Yang Ning asked, “I’ve been keeping that pot of golden marquee and silver table over there, so that the flower store owner can give it to you when he sees you, you…”

Xiaoyao shook her head and said, “It’s been some time since I’ve been there.” She made a sweet smile and said, “Many thanks to you for remembering.” Pointing to the front, she said, “Mr. Zhuo is over there, if you want to see him, hurry up and go. I heard that today a Mr. Jiang from the East Sea will come to the academy to lecture. When Mr. Jiang arrives, I’m afraid Mr. Zhuo can no longer make time for you.”

“All right then.” Yang Ning laughed, “I’ll go over there now. Let’s have a chat in the future when you have time.” Turning around, he went in the direction Xiaoyao pointed, and after a few steps, he turned back to see Xiaoyao looking at himself with a scroll in her hand and then smiling gracefully at him.

Yang Ning found Xiaoyao’s smile very sunny, soothing people’s mood. His previously ruined mood by Su Zixuan got better at this time.

It didn’t take long for him to see a bamboo house not far away along the road, which was completely made of bamboo, looking very elegant.

When he arrived at the bamboo house, Yang Ning straightened his clothes before he respectfully said, “Is Mr. Zhuo here?”

A voice soon sounded inside, “Who is it?”

“Mr. Zhuo, Qi Ning here pays my respects!” Yang Ning said.

Soon after, a loud creak was heard, the bamboo door opened, and an elder wearing a gray robe appeared in front of him. He looked old, but with a hale spirit and seemed in good health condition. He didn’t even have a gray hair, looking like a man out of the world. Yang Ning knew that this was Zhuo Qingyang. He immediately saluted, “Mr. Zhuo!”

Zhuo Qingyang looked at Yang Ning for a while before turning around and entering the house, and said in a calm tone, “You can come in first.”

Yang Ning entered the bamboo house and found that it was very simple inside, with a bamboo bed against the wall, a table in the middle, and brush, ink, paper and ink stone on the table. The whole house looked very clean and tidy.

“Sit down.” Zhuo Qingyang pointed to a chair on the side, without smiling, cut to the chase and said, “Did that Third Lady in your mansion asked you to come here?”

Yang Ning was now the imperially-appointed Marquis of Honor, but Zhuo Qingyang’s tone was exactly the same as that of an elder to a junior.

Yang Ning took out a very fine tea pot from the package he brought and presented it with both hands, saying, “Mr. Zhuo, this is a small token of appreciation from me.”

Zhuo Qingyang had taught Qi Jing back then, who was Qi Jing’s real master. Since his identity now was Qi Jing’s son, he was definitely a real junior.

And Zhuo Qingyang established the Qionglin Academy despite the public opinion, which raised Yang Ning’s heartfelt admiration. Although Zhuo Qingyang wasn’t so enthusiastic now, this also showed that Zhuo Qingyang simply didn’t care about power and nobility, living a very free and spontaneous life.

“Oh?” Zhuo Qingyang sat down on the bamboo chair, took the tea pot, took it in his hand and rolled it around. The first thing he did was not look at the tea, but took the exquisite tea pot and carefully appreciated it, his face even showing a rare smile, and said, “You also know about tea?”

Yang Ning thought to himself that it’s better to be honest in front of this old gentleman and said, “I don’t know much about tea. I just heard that you like to taste tea, so I sent it here. Hope you like it.”

This was the previous gift from Yuan Rong, made by Jiang Cheng from the Jiang tea shop. There was a total of two jars. Yang Ning didn’t mean to bring tea for today’s visit. But thinking the relationship of this old gentleman and the Marquis of Honor and he didn’t know how to drink tea anyway, he might as well bring one jar over as a favor.

Zhuo Qingyang opened the lid, twisted out the tea leaves and looked at it, said, “It’s good tea.” Looking at Yang Ning, he asked, “Is this from your mansion?”

Of course, Yang Ning could not say that it was a gift from someone else. He could only nod his head stiffly.

Zhuo Qingyang put down the tea pot and said indifferently, “The tea may be from your mansion, but where did this tea pot come from?”

“The tea pot?”

Zhuo Qingyang pointed to the depiction on the tea pot and asked, “Do you know who made the depiction on this tea pot?”

Yang Ning got immediately confused, thinking that what’s the point of studying the depiction on a tea pot. But seeing Zhuo Qingyang was still staring at the depiction on the tea pot, his heart trembled and realized something. He put on a vain look, arching his hands and said, “I have shallow knowledge. I beg your guidance.”

“If I’m not wrong, this is the real painting of Feng Zihe.” Zhuo Qingyang stroked his beard and said, “Do you know that this little tea pot is extremely precious?”

Yang Ning’s heart beat faster, thinking that this was really the case. Jiang Cheng gave two jars of tea. At the first sight, although Yang Ning knew that this must be the best tea, he thought that even the best tea couldn’t be worth much silver. He had thought that Jiang Cheng was stingy, but at this time he understood the value of Jiang Cheng’s gift lied not in the tea, but in the tea pot.

He regretted now, didn’t expect there was a depiction of Feng Zihe on the tea pot. He didn’t know who Feng Zihe was, but from the tone of Zhuo Qingyang, he was sure he must be something. He just brought the treasure in a confused manner, which couldn’t be taken back. What was in his mind now was that it’s really terrible to be without knowledge. He didn’t know how to appreciate art, and just gave away the treasure wrongly.

Thinking there was one more in the mansion, he felt a little more comfortable.

Although he regretted, his face remained calm and self-contained, smiled, “Precious sword goes with heroes. I didn’t know the tea, neither did I know if the tea pot was valuable. But since you like it, please take it.”

Zhuo Qingyang finally laughed aloud and asked, “What do you think of this Qionglin Academy?”

Yang Ning thought for a moment before saying, “Exquisite and elegant, with a swirling literary style, just like a clear spring.”

“Nine out of ten people would say that,” Zhuo Qingyang said, “I’m asking you, don’t you think it’s strange for me to open such an academy?”

“Not at all.” Yang Ning shook his head and said, “Sir, you were trying to say that many people think women shouldn’t study and learn to write, so opening such a women’s academy would be gossiped about?”

“Naturally no one dares to say anything in front of me.” Zhuo Qingyang stroked his beard and said, “But behind the scenes, there are bound to be people gossiping.”

“Go your own way, let others say whatever they want to say,” Yang Ning said, “Women are also human beings, and there are even many women who are far more intelligent than men, so why can’t they study and learn to write? You dare to do what others can’t, I don’t know other people’s opinion, but I admire you.”

Zhuo Qingyang stared at Yang Ning, observing that Yang Ning didn’t seem to be flattering, and laughed, “You have some insight.”

Yang Ning took and presented 500 taels of silver and said, “Sir, this is this year’s silver donation.”

Zhuo Qingyang nodded slightly, took the silver ticket and sighed, “In the world, there is only this one Qionglin Academy where women can study. Although I want to see more such academies, one such place is already shocking. It’s hard to scale it up. If it weren’t for my fame, Qionglin Academy would have been closed.”

Yang Ning nodded, clear in mind that in this era, men were superior to women. A small Qionglin Academy was impossible to change the customs and culture of the times. In today’s world, perhaps only Zhuo Qingyang could open such an academy. The academy would have been buried by the stubborn old-fashioned people with spit if someone else did it.

Zhuo Qingyang was alive today, Qionglin Academy could still be maintained, but if he was gone one day, Qionglin Academy was likely to come to an abrupt end.

At this moment, a clear voice from outside suddenly passed in, “Master, your student Jiang Suiyun has come to pay his respects!”

Yang Ning immediately frowned and glanced at Zhuo Qingyang, only to see Zhuo Qingyang get up, with a slight hint of joy between his eyebrows, and said aloud, “Is it Suiyun? Come in now.”

A man lightly entered, in a white brocade clothes, with light fur on, looking all handsome and dashing. His two eyebrows slanted, all too pretty. He wore a warm jade pendant around the waist, looking all fresh and clean. It was Jiang Suiyun from the East Sea.

Jiang Suiyun went into the bamboo house and tried to kneel down on the ground seeing Zhuo Qingyang’s welcome, but Zhuo Qingyang had pulled his arm, laughing, “Suiyun, you don’t have to do this. You know I don’t like this red tape. Those mundane things are not necessary.” Compared to the previous meeting with Yang Ning, Zhuo Qingyang’s attitude was obviously quite warmer.

However, Jiang Suiyun still arched his hands and said, “Master, I haven’t seen you for many years, I miss you day and night. How have you been?” He looked courteous, very elegant.

“Everything is fine,” Zhuo Qingyang said, “How is your father doing?”

“He is all fine too. My father has talked about visiting you in the capital many times, but his health condition is not as good as it used to be. He often has back and leg pains, so he can’t go far.” Jiang Suiyun warmly greeted, “Father asked me to greet you on his behalf. He also said that if you’re free, he would like to invite you to go to the East Sea for a short period of time, so that he can treat you right as a host.”

Zhuo Qingyang smiled. Jiang Suiyun slightly turned his head and saw Yang Ning anyway. Seeing Yang Ning also looking at himself, the two eyes facing each other, Jiang Suiyun stunned for a moment, but soon revealed a smile, just slightly nodded at Yang Ning.

Yang Ning was puzzled, thinking that Jiang Suiyun looked only 25 or 26 years old, how come he was also a disciple of Zhuo Qingyang? Seeing him nod at himself, Yang Ning just smiled lightly and didn’t even nod his head.

“The children in the academy know you’re coming over to lecture and have been waiting,” Zhuo Qingyang said, “Don’t make them wait too long. Let’s go to Qionglin Residence now. Tell them about the outside world and inform them more of the world.”

“I’ll take the order.” Jiang Suiyun behaved, and said, “Master, I’ve been here for three days. I wanted to come to see you immediately after entering the capital, but… Alas, trivial matters have been bothering me. I’ve been unable to get away, so I would like to ask for your punishment.”

“You were cited virtuous. Naturally you had many things to deal with after entering the capital. I can’t blame you.” Zhuo Qingyang turned around and said, “This is my disciple, who has traveled overseas, and is quite knowledgeable. You can also go to today’s lecture.”

Yang Ning thought to himself, “If I go to your lecture as an audience, don’t you also become my master?” But then he wanted to see what this Mr. Jiang from the East Sea could preach, also arched his hands and said, “I dare not decline the order!”