Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! A minor OC is introduced in this chapter. Enjoy :)
Beta: JeanGirlMY
- Chapter Start -
Two days ago, Elder Zhao visited Lan QiRen with a special request.
His sister's eldest daughter had married a wealthy merchant some twenty years ago and after a few years of trying for a child, finally gave birth to a son. The overjoyed parents spoiled the child rotten with the result that he had grown up with a high opinion of his average cultivation skills, and a penchant for liquor and flirting with women.
When the grandmother heard that he had been caught molesting a younger female cousin and that it wasn't the first time, she insisted that his parents send him to Gusu to be taught by the teacher famous for producing outstanding students, even out of the most hopeless cases.
QiRen understood why they couldn't wait for next year's official Gusu lectures - who knew what that sixteen year old would get up to by then?
But the timing!
With XiChen and WangJi going on their respective honeymoons in a couple of days, QiRen would be busy handling sect affairs for the next two weeks. Personally tutoring a troublemaker would eat into his limited free time which he had planned to... well, spend with Sisi.
But only because she was his guest! He had invited her to stay at Cloud Recesses so he was responsible for her well being and making sure she was happy here. That reminded him that Young Master Jung would be staying at the guestrooms too. Arrangements would have to be made.
When the young man and his two servants arrived at Cloud Recesses yesterday evening, they were escorted to the guestrooms furthest away from Sisi.
- o -
The next morning, QiRen entered the Orchid Room and was greeted by the richly dressed Jung MingYu, his servants and two junior disciples who had just joined the Lan Sect.
It was tradition for all young masters attending lectures at Cloud Recesses to present a token of appreciation to Lan QiRen. He tried to find room for them all - the Heluo Scriptures from the Jin sect three years ago was displayed on a prominent shelf in his office while the purple ceramic cauldron from the Nie sect sat on his desk and puffed serene trails of smoke.
But Young Master Jung's gift - a gaudy incense burner gilded in gold and studded with as many precious gems as the sides could hold - made his eyes water. He gave an inward shudder at the monstrosity and caught the barely hidden disgust on senior disciple Lan Wu's face as he accepted the gift on his behalf. QiRen would have ordered the gems removed and the gold melted down to finance nearby orphanages if it weren't for the possibility that news might leak out, causing a serious loss of face on both sides.
For now, he told Lan Wu to take it to his office. He planned to bury it in the deepest corner of the Lan Sect Treasure Pavilion and hoped it stayed hidden for all time. Clearing his throat, he eyed his students and announced that they would spend the first two days of lectures going through the Lan sect rules.
Jung MingYu looked horrified when he unrolled the very thick scroll on his desk and realised it contained only a quarter of said rules.
The two new disciples, brother and sister orphans who were grateful to be accepted into a prestigious sect, paid scrupulous attention the whole morning. The two Jung servants were quiet as they stared down at their scrolls although QiRen couldn't be sure if their eyes were still open. At one point, there was the sound of soft snoring.
As for Jung MingYu, his attention and upright posture lasted for only half an hour. Unacceptable! Even Wei WuXian had paid attention for the first two hours at least!
Ah. Partiality towards family members was forbidden. QiRen increased the volume of his voice and soldiered on.
By noon, he was nursing a growing headache and a deep annoyance. He had expected some resistance since Jung MingYu wasn't here of his own accord. He hadn't expected to suffer through numerous complaints delivered in an incessant, monotonous grumbling that set his teeth on edge. Even Jin ZiXuan who was quite the arrogant young man three years ago had behaved well while in class.
Before lunch, Jung MingYu went on and on about the poor quality of the writing materials provided, the inadequate size of the desk before him, the thinness of the cushion beneath him, the stuffiness of the Orchid Room and the lumpy mattress on the bed of his too small guestroom.
After lunch, two more complaints were added - the bland vegetarian cuisine and the no talking while eating rule.
Lan Ming, who had taken over Lan Wu's place and was sitting next to QiRen, looked about ready to wring Jung MingYu's neck.
Emboldened by their stony silence, QiRen's developing eye tic and the annoyed glances from the two junior disciples, Jung MingYu then turned to the female one sitting three feet away from him.
"Psst! Young maiden, what's your name?"
Silence.
"Don't ignore me. Don't you know who I am?"
QiRen stopped reciting the rules. He had had enough.
"Young Master Jung," he spoke, voice sharp. "Your being here is for your own benefit. It is most unbecoming of a young master to not pay attention during lessons."
"I have," Jung Mingyu said at once, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Very well. Recite twenty rules from what we have covered so far to show you were listening," QiRen replied.
Jung MingYu's face twisted in a scowl. He didn't say anything.
"Not even ten?" QiRen asked, voice dry.
"Coming here wasn't my-"
"Silence!" QiRen snapped. "Your parents sent you here to have your behaviour corrected. So far, all you have done is justify their action."
Jung MingYu made an obvious attempt to swallow his anger. He pasted a smile on his face.
"But Gusu has so many rules, Master Lan. Who can remember them all, let alone follow them?"
QiRen felt his blood pressure rise, the knot between his shoulders twisting tighter.
"Copying the rules should help," he retorted. "Lan Ming will bring you to the Library Pavilion where you will copy all our rules. You will spend the next few days there from eight in the morning to five in the evening until you have finished."
Jung MingYu's mouth fell open in dismay.
"That's thousands of rules! It's a waste of my time!"
QiRen was never more tempted to use the Lan silencing spell on him.
"You haven't paid attention the whole morning. That is an even greater waste of your time and mine!"
"Coming here is a waste of time!" Jung MingYu shot back.
"Do not talk back to your elders!" QiRen snapped. "Lan Ming, escort him to the Library Pavilion now."
Lan Ming was already stepping down from the dais, silent disapproval radiating from him in waves. Scowling, Jung MingYu stood up, tossed his head and stomped off, ignoring his two worried servants.
With a wave of his hand, QiRen dismissed them and the two young disciples who were wide eyed at the exchange. As soon as he was alone, he dug his fingertips into his temples. His head was throbbing.
- o -
Half an hour later, QiRen felt calmer and even a little ashamed of his earlier outburst.
He had accumulated decades of teaching experience under his belt.
He had turned around the most insipid and indolent of young cultivators.
He had even survived having Wei WuXian in his class!
Surely Jung MingYu wasn't too much for him to handle?
With a nod, QiRen got up, smoothed down his robes and left the Orchid Room, intending to treat himself to a soothing pot of tea and some meditation.
He would have preferred to see Sisi again, but their next lesson was tomorrow. Besides, she was at the Library Pavilion and calmer mind or no, QiRen had had enough of Young Master Jung for today.
As he made his way to his rooms, he spied a familiar figure in white, striding along the path leading to the male dorms.
"Lan Ming?" He called.
Jerking to a stop, Lan Ming turned to QiRen and displayed a black ink stain on his pristine white robes. He looked angry and embarrassed as he bowed.
"My apologies, Master Lan. Young Master Jung copied only a few rules before he started doodling on the paper. When I went over to admonish him, he knocked over the ink and accused me of startling him."
QiRen pressed his lips together as his head started throbbing again.
"Where is he now?"
"Still in the Library Pavilion. I will return as soon as I have changed. Lan-qianbei agreed to keep an eye on him in the meantime."
No sooner had the words left his mouth when they spotted the Head Librarian hurrying up the same path from the library and making a sharp turn in the opposite direction, heading for the female dorms. She didn't appear to have seen them. There was a similar stain on her neck and robes, and she looked furious.
"Ah," Lan Ming said, looking a little nonplussed. "I should have-"
"Who else is there besides that troublemaker?" QiRen interrupted him.
"Only Madam Sisi, the new assistant."
QiRen nodded. It seemed that Fate was giving him an excus - ah, reason to go to the Library Pavilion after all. Tea and meditation would have to wait.
"I will supervise Jung MingYu until you return," he announced.
"Thank you, Master Lan," Lan Ming replied with another bow. "My apologies for inconveniencing you. I will be there as quickly as possible."
With a nod, QiRen headed for the Library Pavilion. An immature young man such as Jung MingYu should not be left unsupervised there especially after he had been scolded and issued a punishment.
It had nothing to do with Sisi being there with him. Nothing at all.
QiRen found himself walking much faster than usual, but he wasn't running. He wasn't breaking any rules. He was... hastening. Yes, that was it.
- o -
MingYu snickered as the head librarian left in a hurry. She looked just as horrified at the small ink stain on her robes as that stuck up Lan Ming did. From the way they rushed out, one would think there was a rule about keeping their white robes nice and clean.
Maybe there was, but it wasn't his problem. His pride still smarted at the scolding he had received from that staid old man. It was obvious Lan QiRen was very proud of the three thousand plus rules carved into the wall at the entrance.
As for his punishment of copying out the rules, it was ridiculous! Nonsensical!
He was the Young Master Jung, a talented cultivator and the strongest among his cousins!
So what if most of them were girls and the only other two males were seven and nine years old?
MingYu was a very skilled archer who could hit the innermost circle of the target six times out of ten! He came from a wealthy family and had no need to memorise another sect's rules. In fact, he would write to his father right now and demand to be brought home.
The food here was appalling and there was no entertainment to be found. It was like living at a monastery! The only difference was that there were some females here... like the attractive woman kneeling on the floor nearby and wiping up the ink he had spilled.
MingYu's eyes roamed over her figure as he recalled his jiujiu's recent visit. His jiujiu had left the Lan sect a year ago to become a rogue cultivator after his wife died. He informed MingYu's parents that he was content with his new life of helping villages get rid of ghost puppets and demons. Somewhat sheepishly, he also confessed to visiting a brothel for the first time in his life. It was at Yunping City and the beautiful courtesan who was assigned to him that night was named Sisi.
It wasn't a common name yet the head librarian had also called this woman Sisi.
Were they one and the same woman?
But why was she working here and not at Yunping City?
MingYu got to his feet, smirking. Well, there was only one way to find out.
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter and take care :)
