Zhao Liulang sat cross-legged on the chair, too lazy to put his shoes back on, "Ma Run and the others are not at the pavilion. They don’t like playing with us, so we didn’t invite them. We’re eating by ourselves."
Those people are close aides of the Crown Prince. They say they accompany him to study at the Chongwen Pavilion, but actually, they’re here to help the Crown Prince. They only co when the Crown Prince is truly studying, otherwise, they’re busy in the Office of Palace Affairs in front.
So they say they are classmates, but in truth, they are senior students. Yin Huo is not familiar with them and simply nodded before looking at the inner servant.
The servant went out and opened the door, allowing the junior servants and palace maids waiting outside to bring in the pot and place it at the center of the table.
Under the center of the table is a stove with charcoal burning.
The palace maids took out the prepared ingredients from the food box one by one and placed them, quickly filling the table. The extras could only be placed on the wooden rack beside them.
Manbao was visibly excited and said to Yin Huo, "You’re really generous."
Yin Huo couldn’t help but laugh, "If you like it, eat more."
Bai Shan looked and felt it was enough, then turned to the inner servant and said, "Later, when you go out, leave the courtyard door ajar, everyone make less noise so as not to attract the teachers and officials from the Office of Palace Affairs in front."
Everyone expressed understanding and happily took their seats. Zhao Liulang regretted, "There’s no wine."
Lu Yue imdiately said, "I have so, wait a mont."
He turned and ran back to his room, shortly returning with a small jar, opening it to let them sll.
Those who understood wine like Zhao Liulang gasped in amazent, while those who didn’t like Bai Shan quietly watched their amazent.
"Amazing, how did you smuggle this into the palace?"
"Smuggle it into the palace? This is from the palace," he said. "Getting things from outside the palace into the palace is hard, but getting things within the palace? As long as you have money, you can buy anything."
He said, "I only have this jar. I was going to sneak so for myself, but since it’s Yin Huo’s happy occasion, let’s bring it out to celebrate."
The equally clueless Yin Huo said, "Thanks?"
Anyway, everyone happily opened the wine.
Yin Huo couldn’t drink, and neither did Manbao and the others enjoy it much, so they filled their bowls with soup, using it to toast.
Liuhuan was both envious and puzzled, "The Western Regions are so far, I’ve heard it’s desolate and you can walk three to five days without seeing a soul. You’re actually going?"
Yin Huo, having achieved his wish, was delighted and talked more, "It’s rare to walk this world, to go out and see the landscapes. Don’t ntion not seeing a soul for three to five days, even if it’s three to five months without seeing a soul, it doesn’t matter."
Manbao nearly spat out her soup, she said, "That’s not acceptable. If we don’t see a soul for three to five months, we’d have reached a place where people can’t live."
Liuhuan was curious, "What place can’t people live?"
"Places where people can’t reach," Bai Shan said. "So places have no people because no one has been there, but so places have no people because they can’t reach them. They are dangerous, could have beasts we’ve never encountered, harsh weather, even breathing becos difficult. That’s a place people can’t reach."
Liuhuan couldn’t understand, "Are there places you can’t breathe in this world?"
Bai Shan thought about what was written in books and said, "The cold is unbearable in high places."
Even Zhao Liulang couldn’t help but be curious, "Are you going to such places on this trip?"
Bai Shan shook his head, "Crossing the grasslands and desert is dangerous, but Honglu Temple has guides, so it shouldn’t be a big problem."
Zhao Liulang then poured another cup of wine, raised his glass and laughed, "Let’s toast to your triumphant return."
Bai Shan also picked up his bowl, smiled slightly, and clinked it with Zhao Liulang’s.
Everyone joyfully ate and drank.
Even soone as stingy as Lu Yue couldn’t help but tell his classmates, "It’s no wonder Zhou Man’s official rank rises so fast, it’s her risking life that we cannot compare."
"Are you praising her or satirizing her?"
"I’m just stating the facts, don’t think of as being so an. Besides, only people from Zhou Man and Bai Shan’s households need to strive like this, families like ours have many opportunities for accomplishnts, we don’t need to spend so much effort."
Zhao Liulang heard this and couldn’t help but roll his eyes, then quietly distanced himself from Lu Yue.
When next taking leisure outside the palace, he hung around Bai Erlang and brought up the matter, saying, "Though families like ours have an easier ti standing out than your cousins, why should we not make efforts? Look at Tang Zhihe and Yang Changbo. They’re not only in the capital but the top among noble families. They still go to great lengths for accomplishnts, not to ntion us?"
Bai Erlang also disliked Lu Yue, "Who cares about him, anyway, I’m not familiar with him."
Having said that, he glanced at Zhao Liulang, with a look conveying more than words.
Lu Yue was Zhao Liulang’s lackey, running after him since he entered Chongwen Pavilion.
Zhao Liulang was a bit depressed, how was he supposed to know he was like that? He didn’t seem that petty before.
Speaking of pettiness reminded him, "You’re not in the capital, so should I continue owing you money?"
Bai Erlang: "Even if I asked you to repay now, you’re not able to, right?"
Bai Erlang couldn’t help but mock, "How co your expenses are so high, in a month without contributing, if nobody celebrates a birthday, it’s at most two taels of silver. A month’s salary is ten taels, right?"
Zhao Liulang had his own grievances, "Two taels of silver, my sisters at ho spend more on makeup than that. I’m a grown man, I have to socialize every month, a al at Primus Pavilion isn’t under two taels."
Zhao Liulang sighed, "People outside always see us as glamorous, how would they know our difficulties?"
Not to ntion Bai Erlang, even Bai Shan and Manbao sorting books on the side pursed their lips, "People outside are still worrying about their daily als, they certainly cannot understand your struggle of two taels of silver for a pot of wine and ten taels for a pot of wine."
"They can’t understand, but you can," Zhao Liulang quickly abandoned Bai Erlang, facing the duo, he said, "We’ve been classmates for many years, everyone knows each other’s situation. You see us as noble sons, wealthy and abundant, but sincerely tell , do I have more pocket money than you?"
The three were stumped by his question.
Zhao Liulang further elaborated, "Let’s not talk about Zhou Man; you already have an official position, salary, and lands. Just compare , Bai Shan, and Bai Er; as Chongwen Pavilion scholars, as the Crown Prince’s companions, what’s the difference in the money we can spend?"
Zhao Liulang made a large circle with his hands, "This much difference."
Bai Shan pondered and ca to a realization, no wonder whenever they had leisure outside the palace, Zhao Liulang went nowhere else but followed them, riding his horse to visit their ho.
Bai Shan lifted his chin slightly, indicating Zhao Liulang to continue.
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