The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife

Chapter 19

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S T E L L A R C L O U D

[Celeste S.] [Azurixa] [Robert K.]

O R A N G E S T A R

[Talia R.] [K.Rom]

Y E L L O W S T A R

[Camille] [Linds] [Esther D.]

After they had their lunch, Xiao Liulang and Gu Xiaoshun returned to the academy, only to be told that their dormitory room had collapsed.

”When did it collapse?” Xiao Liulang asked.

The student replied, ”It collapsed shortly after you left. Many people saw you on your way to your room and were worried that you had been buried inside.”

We were on our way, but ...

Xiao Liulang’s expression had a slight pause.

Gu Xiaoshun ran to look at the collapsed room, only to see the ground filled with rubble all over, and the floor cracked by the fallen roof beam. Thinking about what would happen if this thing hit a personʼs head, he was so scared that he patted his chest, ”Fortunately, my big sis came to have lunch with us! Otherwise, we both have to be buried alive!”

Including that time at the medical hall, this was the second time. Every time, Xiao Liulang avoided an unexpected disaster because of her.

Xiao Liulang looked at the direction where Gu Jiao left, revealing a thoughtful look.

Tianxiang Academyʼs dormitories had always been rather packed. This time, there were as many as 100 students that had been admitted, and this was the first time they had this large number of enrollees. Therefore, there was really no spare dormitory in the academy, and they could only let the two people continue attending the academy while living outside.

As the accommodation fee was included in the tuition payments, generally, it wouldn’t be refunded if the student chose not to live in the academy. However, considering that this wasn’t the studentʼs choice, the academy took the initiative to bear the daily fare for Xiao Liulang and Gu Xiaoshun.

Gu Xiaoshun simply didn’t care. He didn’t like the Gu Family, but he didn’t necessarily like the academy either. To him, it was the same everywhere.

”Brother-in-law, are you very happy?” On the way back to their classroom, Gu Xiaoshun whispered to Xiao Liulang.

”Why would I be happy?” Xiao Liulang asked.

”You can go back and continue to sleep with my big sis!” Gu Xiaoshun was someone who talked without thinking. He was thirteen years old. To say he wasn’t aware of these things wasn’t true, but it was also false to say he understood it very well. In his view, a man would always want to sleep with his wife in his arms, but he didn’t know what else they would do after embracing each other.

Therefore, he was not ashamed when he said this.

Xiao Liulang choked up and said, ”Donʼt talk nonsense.”

”Oh.” He didnʼt talk nonsense. Brother-in-law could really go back and sleep with his sister later!

Two people entered their classroom together.

The afternoon subject was mathematics. In fact, the imperial civil examination didn’t include the math subject, and its focus was mainly on the eight-part essay. The imperial court simply didn’t attach importance to mathematics, and it was solely the Deanʼs idea to teach this subject to the students, hoping to cultivate talents for the State of Zhao.

Xiao Liulang had just sat down when Teacher Zhang called him out, ”The Dean wants to see you.”

With that, Xiao Liulang went to the Deanʼs Zhongzheng[1] Hall.

As soon as he arrived at the door, he ran into Gu Dashun who came out of the Zhongzheng Hall.

A pride that had yet to subside was still on Gu Dashunʼs face. As soon as he saw Xiao Liulang, his brows creased up, ”What are you doing here?”

Xiao Liulang ignored him and walked past him with his crutch.

Gu Dashun frowned deeply.

Xiao Liulang also came to see the Dean?

On the first day of Gu Dashunʼs admission, Teacher Chen told him that the Dean appreciated him very much, and then quietly hinted that the Dean had the plan to select a direct disciple from this group of students and asked him to work hard.

Of course he had to work hard.

His talent was high. If there was another literary master like the Dean who could guide him carefully, did he still have to worry about passing the imperial exam and gaining a scholarly honor?

Last night, he even stayed up almost all night writing an article, which he showed to Teacher Chen this morning. At noon, Teacher Chen showed it to the Dean, then the Dean called him in and asked him some questions about the article, all of which he answered very well.

He could see that the Dean was satisfied.

He thought he could already be assured about the discipleʼs matter, but why was Xiao Liulang here?

Was it about the dormitory room?

He heard that the room he and Gu Xiaoshun shared had collapsed at noon. For him to come across such an unfortunate thing, it just proved that he didnʼt have good luck.

Thinking about this, Gu Dashun sneered and proudly returned to his classroom.

In Zhongzheng Hall, the Dean pointed to the eight-part essay on the desk and asked Xiao Liulang, ”Did you write this article yourself?”

”Yes.” Xiao Liulang answered.

The Deanʼs sharp eyes fell on Xiao Liulang. This young man was only seventeen years old, and his face still had a trace of immaturity. Nevertheless, he revealed the calmness and indifference that did not belong to this age.

Despite his crippled leg, he seemed to possess a more noble aura than any healthy student.

”Why didnʼt you answer the first two subjects?” Asked the Dean.

Outsiders only know that this student was in the bottom of the list, but they didn’t know that out of the three exams, he handed in two blank papers.

In truth, he shouldnʼt have passed the exam, but the article he wrote was just amazing.

Originally, the article written by the student named Gu Dashun was also good. For a new student, it was indeed good. But compared with Xiao Liulangʼs article, it was immediately overshadowed.

Xiao Liulang didnʼt answer the Deanʼs question this time.

What a stubborn child. The Dean thought and sighed in his heart. Waving his hand, he said, ”All right, you go back to your class.”

Xiao Liulang performed a student salute, turned around and went out.

Behind the screen, an old man in plain cotton garment came out.

”Teacher.” The Dean immediately stood up and gave a respectful salute.

The old man picked up Xiao Liulangʼs article and shook his head after reading it, ”This student of yours is rather filled with hostility ah.”

…….

Meanwhile, after Gu Jiao parted with Xiao Liulang and Gu Xiaoshun, she went to the nearby market.

The market in the east of the town was similar to the market in the west, it was just more upscale and the corresponding price was much higher. However, this market was closed at the moment, so Gu Jiao could only go to shops or maybe other markets to buy what she needed.

Gu Jiao went to different shops and bought five catties of wheat flour, two catties of first-class three-layer meat, as well as two catties of salt. She spent a total of more than one hundred copper coins.

When she passed by a cloth shop, she remembered that when Xiao Liulang got his uniform a few days ago, his middle and inner garments were torn in some parts.

She went in and bought a new set of clothes. She also asked the shopkeeper for some fabric waste, so that she could mend those that could still be mended.

Although she had never mended clothes before, not even her own, she had also stitched up a chest. If she regarded the cloth as a piece of human skin, needlework should be a piece of cake.

Gu Jiao put all the things she bought in her back basket and prepared to head back to the village. When she walked out of the shop, she found that there were suddenly many officers and soldiers in the street.

Gu Jiao heard the people around her talking in whispers.

”What happened?”

”I heard that a patient on the Leprosy Mountain has run away, so the authorities are searching all over the streets!”

”Aiyo! A leper ah! Isn’t this bad?”

”isnʼt it? Donʼt go out much these days, lest you accidentally run into that person! Once you catch this disease, there won’t be any cure for you! ”

In this ancient time, leprosy was an incurable disease. After you were infected by it, you had to be sent to the Leprosy Mountain to wait for your death.

Gu Jiao suddenly remembered something. Xiao Liulangʼs brother seemed to have died of leprosy.

After searching this street, the officers and soldiers went to the next street.

Gu Jiao went back to the village.

Gu Jiao didnʼt care about what was going on in town. Upon returning home, she walked to the kitchen to make some plain noodle soup.

When she was kneading the dough, she heard a loud noise outside, as if something knocked against the door of her house.

Gu Jiao wiped her hands with a dry cloth, and when she walked over to have a look, she saw an elderly woman lying in front of her house.

1. ↑ — 中正|zhōngzhèng: fair and honest. It’s the name of the Dean’s hall or office.
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Also, please also have a look at our other translations!

Everyone But Me Is Reborn

Her father is a coward and senselessly filial. Her mother is weak and gullible. Her elder brother is a wastrel.

When she married into the Wangfu, she suffered and was coldly treated. And by the time she was in labour, she was fated to die with the unborn child in her belly.

This was supposed to be Ning Nuanʼs life.

However this time, everyone but her is reborn.

Ning Nuan is at a loss. She felt that her dad has suddenly become the pillar of the family, her mother’s temper became fierce, and even her elder brother, who would only walk the dogs and play with birds all day, has begun picking up books and reading them carefully.

There is also that juvenile that shows up at the wall of her courtyard everyday, calling her “Ah Nuan, Ah Nuan” with an honest face.