By the late afternoon, Gu Chengyu and his colleagues were dismissed from duty. The officials were to arrive at their posts by 5:30 AM, and the end of duty was at 3:00 PM, which was the hour after the spring equinox.
Before the spring equinox, the ti to report to duty remained unchanged, but the ti to be dismissed was adjusted to late afternoon, which was half an hour earlier.
When Gu Chengyu arrived at the palace gate, Ming Yan was already there with the carriage. Ye Zhiqiu hadn’t arrived yet, and Gu Chengyu planned to wait for him to leave together.
Ye Zhiqiu’s office was a bit far from Gu Chengyu’s, so the two had agreed to et outside.
"Sir, there are snacks in the carriage," Ming Yan said once Gu Chengyu got into the carriage. He rembered that the story goes that his master was always hungry after being dismissed, so there were always snacks prepared in the carriage.
Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but laugh. The lunch Ming Yan brought was quite plentiful, filling everyone, with plates piled high. Gu Chengyu didn’t eat much; most of it went into his colleagues’ stomachs.
"Tell Nanny Liang not to prepare so much next ti; it’s bad to get used to it," he said.
As the saying goes, too much of a good thing breeds resentnt. It’s rare to treat others, and they’d naturally be grateful, but if it becos a habit, then expectations change.
If the dishes aren’t as good one day, or there’s not enough, there might be complaints.
Ming Yan quickly agreed. His master had been at the Hanlin Academy for four days, and even if nothing else, he surely figured out others’ personalities in the room. As long as his master understood, that was enough.
"By the way, sir. Over the past couple of days, I’ve heard from the doorkeeper that soone often loiters near our gate. If the doorkeeper tries to approach, the person hurriedly leaves, offering no explanation for who they’re looking for. It’s truly strange!"
Gu Chengyu found this strange, too. If they were looking for soone, they should ask the doorkeeper directly. Why loiter without approaching? If it were a thief scouting during the day, they wouldn’t be so blatant, right?
"Tell the doorkeeper to keep an eye out. If they encounter the person again, hold them and ask. Did they describe the person? Tell in detail."
"They said it was a man in his fifties, judging by his attire, he seed to be a poor commoner. The day before yesterday, he ca with a woman, but she hasn’t appeared these past two days. Only the man cos to loiter around."
Ming Yan hadn’t seen the person either; it was all according to the doorkeeper.
Gu Chengyu knew not much could be learned this way; they needed to see the person. So, he instructed Ming Yan that, when they visit next, have the doorkeeper ask clearly and then paid it no further mind.
"Jinyu! I’m late," Ye Zhiqiu hurried over, feeling a bit embarrassed seeing Ming Yan already waiting.
His mother had recently taken up so work at Gu Family’s second great aunt’s place. It wasn’t strenuous on the eyes and paid well. She ntioned buying him a carriage in a few days. Though he borrowed Gu Family’s carriage often, Jinyu wouldn’t mind.
"Not late; I just arrived as well," Gu Chengyu replied with a smile as Ye Zhiqiu got into the carriage.
Ye Zhiqiu sighed inwardly at the thought of his family’s future carriage, which would surely be simple.
In the Dayan Dynasty, a horse alone cost about twenty taels of silver, and that’s not for a good one. High-quality horses varied in price, with the best selling for a hundred taels of silver.
So, Ye Zhiqiu was troubled! And adding a carriage, it would be at least twenty-three taels for the cheapest option. His mother had already inquired. Moreover, if they bought a carriage, who would drive it? They couldn’t hire a coachman just for this, could they?
If he drove it himself, where would the carriage be kept daily after duty? These were all issues.
Gu Chengyu was puzzled by Ye Zhiqiu’s distracted deanor; was there trouble at the Hanlin Academy? It had only been a few days, he doubted it. Even he was assigned insignificant tasks, spending days almost dozing off.
"Brother Ye, is there sothing troubling you?" Gu Chengyu tentatively asked, aware that so tasks at the Hanlin Academy were confidential and couldn’t be disclosed.
"No, just pondering how no one’s there to drive the carriage if we buy one," Ye Zhiqiu replied without hiding, given their long friendship.
Gu Chengyu had thought it was sothing else, but it was just this. He knew Ye Zhiqiu felt awkward borrowing his carriage daily. Ye Zhiqiu’s family circumstances were known; even if they spent all their savings on a carriage, there was no one to drive it!
Hiring a coachman was out of the question; it required money, and where would he stay? Ye Family was renting a small courtyard now, with only three rooms, leaving no space. And there’d be a monthly salary to consider, making it hardly worthwhile.
Moreover, Ye’s mother was a widow; hiring a coachman couldn’t an he’d live on the street, right? Ye Zhiqiu worked during the day, and the coachman couldn’t reside under the sa roof as Ye’s mother. Just the two of them; wouldn’t that invite gossip?
That was indeed the case. Gu Chengyu wanted to advise him but had to choose his words carefully. In this ancient setting, he knew well the pride of scholars; he didn’t want to embarrass Ye Zhiqiu.
"If you ask , it’s best to wait a bit. I return ho every day anyway; it’s just on the way. You can buy later when things might resolve themselves, sparing you these worries."
Ye Zhiqiu bitterly smiled, "I suppose that’s the only choice. I’ll have to trouble you for a while longer."
Gu Chengyu quickly reassured him it was no trouble, sighing inwardly again. He had long known Ye Zhiqiu was sensitive, hesitant to form deeper bonds because of his nature.
Yet, fate surprised him. They beca classmates and friends, now sharing the sa year. Relationships between people were indeed peculiar.
Actually, picking up Ye Zhiqiu daily delayed them by about half an hour each way. Gu Mansion had more than one carriage, but dedicating one to Ye Zhiqiu alone was sothing he wouldn’t accept.
Gu Chengyu’s carriage passed through a bustling market. Despite being dinner ti, the workshop was still bustling.
"Get out of here! Want to stay at an inn without money? You think this is your backyard? You’re still two days behind on rent, yet you want to stay? What a nuisance, look at you, such paupers, dreaming of becoming an official!"
Gu Chengyu and his group suddenly heard a loud scolding. Gu Chengyu lifted the curtain and looked left.
He saw an innkeeper driving a scholar-like man and a woman out of the inn, even throwing several bundles outside, likely the scholar’s belongings.
One bundle fell open, revealing a few worn books, with ink-stained paper scattered about, picking up dust.
The scholar couldn’t argue in ti, hurriedly picking up the books from the ground. Seeing they weren’t damaged, he sighed in relief.
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