Chapter 265

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Warm reminder: Food friends, although I've tried my best not to describe details, this chapter is still 【not】 recommended for viewing during meal times.

The scream had just burst from his throat when Lin Yiwen sensed a tremendous force from behind his back, and someone shoved him forward with ruthless strength.

He stumbled, both hands flailing wildly in midair——it actually worked——managing to hang suspended for a moment before lunging forward

With a "thud", he fell face-first into……

Yet it wasn't the ground!

He plunged headfirst into a latrine pit!

Because his hands were busy flailing, his face hit first instead.

The fabric covering his face was coarse, but it still bought him a moment of breath; then, as expected, the filth seeped through the barrier, flowed onto his face, and from there all the way down, reaching……

Lin Yiwen wanted to spit it out, but the moment he opened his mouth, even more seeped in.

He thrashed desperately, screaming for help.

Speaking naturally requires opening one's mouth, and the moment his mouth opened……

No matter how much of an academy it is, scholars may read ever so many sage texts, but they still must eat and relieve themselves.

Nanlu Academy has been established for many years, growing from small to large; its buildings were added bit by bit. The canteen has a latrine beside it. The front few private stalls only got roofed after the masters repeatedly protested it was an insult to refinement. This last one, however, is the large communal pit kept from the very beginning——almost as soon as you enter, there's a huge pit, with many long wooden planks standing upright in the middle, a slight gap between each pair of planks. People plant their feet on them to relieve themselves, called "squatting over the pit" in all ages.

This time the pit had already accumulated several days' worth. Originally this afternoon a night-soil collector should have come to remove the waste, but before he could collect it, Lin Yiwen had already thrashed about in there to his heart's content.

When a person panics, their mind goes blank.

The pit wasn't actually deep; if he stood straight, it wouldn't even reach his chest. But out of terror, he struggled wildly for a long while, only to sink deeper, nearly choking to death. Just as he felt "my life is over", he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if something had jabbed him.

Like grasping a life-saving straw, Lin Yiwen immediately clutched that thing and pulled himself back, crawling to the pit's edge. He struggled to tear off the covering on his face, and only after a long while did he recover. He looked up and saw he had been clutching a bamboo pole——the other end of the pole was tied to the door, and the latrine door stood wide open.

By the time he hurriedly climbed out of the pit and stumbled outside, it was broad daylight, birds singing and cicadas chirping, only a creaking sound all around, as if laughing at him, yet not a single human figure in sight.

Turning back again, only a single hemp sack remained by the latrine pit.

Who put the hood over his head, and who shoved him into the latrine?

Freed from the trap, Lin Yiwen felt angry, resentful, ashamed, and vexed all at once. Afraid of being seen, he wanted to sneak back and wash up clean, so he took a small path.

However, no matter how secluded the path, people still passed by. Reeking of filth, everyone who saw him covered their mouths and noses——he could only cover his face and hurry back to the dormitory.

In such a state, he naturally couldn't get clean in a short while.

Having long dwelt in a fish market, he'd grown used to the stench after being smoked by it for so long. After tidying himself up, he sought out the teachers and the academic advisor to weep and lodge a complaint.

Students actually humiliated someone so, pushing a classmate into a latrine pit. The stench made the teachers and advisors cover their noses, yet not covering them wasn't an option either. The matter reached Shan Chang Xu's ears, and he was furious, personally investigating.

Yet investigate as he might, not a shred of clue turned up.

Throughout Nanlu, every student claimed ignorance, and they even had witnesses vouching for each other that they never left.

By the end of the investigation, if not for that hemp sack as evidence, Shan Chang Xu might even have suspected whether Lin Yiwen accidentally fell into the latrine himself, and made up an excuse to shift blame out of embarrassment.

The matter ended inconclusively.

And Lin Yiwen, still reeking of filth, returned to Xue Zhai for classes, avoided like the plague by classmates, who pointed and whispered among themselves.

Within two days, his roommate moved out.

Already no one paid him any mind; now living alone, he could be beaten to death in his room at night and no one would know.

Lin Yiwen grabbed that roommate, appealing to emotion and reasoning with logic.

The other was an out-of-towner newly arrived in the Capital, a freshman who had only been at Nanlu for a short time. Hearing this eloquent speech, he paid it no heed. Several times he tried to leave, but was forcibly held back.

Unable to shake him off, truly annoyed, he tore off all pretense and said: "Your family conducts itself so, utterly lacking righteousness. I'm here to study too. If I walk too close to you, others will think I approve of your conduct, that we're cut from the same cloth——what then?"

Lin Yiwen froze, saying: "Food can be eaten carelessly, but words cannot be spoken carelessly——where has my family failed in righteousness? Who is spitting blood behind my back!"

"The matter of that Song Xiaoniangzi in Food Alley——has your family done nothing wrong at all?"

Lin Yiwen cried injustice, shouting: "Marriage is a major affair, commanded by parents, arranged by matchmakers. Fundamentally it's not up to me——what does it have to do with me? I've already been racking my brains, striving to preserve this marriage, and toward that Song Xiaoniangzi I've been utterly caring and attentive……"

That roommate truly couldn't bear to listen, retorting: "You think because I'm new you can fool me with words——someone already told me early on. I've shared a room and study with you for so long, you haven't even crawled through the dog hole once from morning to night. What caring and attentive? Just empty words across the distance? Or just thinking in your heart that you're caring and attentive?"

Finished speaking, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention anymore, picked up his bundle and headed for the door.

Lin Yiwen reached out and seized his bundle, saying: "Stop. You speak clearly——who told you?"

Already across the threshold, the roommate turned back, furious: "Who told me is none of your damn business! I not only know you treated Song Xiaoniangzi without loyalty, I also know there's a Song Huai Zhou in the academy, how he looked after you, how his family treated yours——everyone saw it. When the Song family was in such straits, how pitiable was Song Xiaoniangzi? When her father passed, did you go offer condolences? Did you send even a single greeting?"

Lin Yiwen was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, he said: "Those few days happened to coincide with examinations……"

The roommate sneered: "Others already told me——quite a few people in Xue Zhai scaled the wall together to go present funeral silver. Do others not take exams, only you? Even if you had exams, did you entrust someone to deliver it? Did you give any?"

He further scolded: "However much benefit your family gained, must you rush this moment? Even if the marriage is unsuitable, delay three or five months, wait until this period passes before breaking it off——would you die?"

Seeing Lin Yiwen still trying to explain, this person truly didn't want to listen further, only saying: "There's still your father——he went to Shan Chang to lodge a complaint. Now the dog holes are all blocked. If you don't like going out, fine, but everyone else can't get out either. Not getting beaten is already counting as good fortune!"

"Take care of yourself! Be careful when you go out from now on——I've said my piece, consider it repaying you!"

Watching the roommate turn and leave, Lin Yiwen only felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet, so cold his whole body shivered, his teeth even chattering slightly.

——Though he wasn't beaten, being shoved into a latrine pit, losing all face, and suffering such a fright, he fell ill the moment he returned. Compared to a beating, how was it any better?

But this matter, he clearly did nothing, did nothing wrong. It's clearly all his father's problem——why must it be counted on his head??

Truly, how unjust!

Lin Yiwen stood rooted, too cold to remain standing. He turned, went to the desk to pour himself a cup of tea, but a slip of the hand sent the teacup crashing to the floor with a "crack", shattering in two.

Yet he simply had no heart to care.

The roommate had only been at Nanlu Academy for a month or so, yet had already heard so many things ruining his reputation. In everyone else's eyes, what sort of person was he then?

Classmates are just students. As long as he achieves merit and fame, everything can be resolved immediately.

But if it reaches the teachers' ears...

Nan Lu has a quota every year to recommend students to the Taixue; with his own talent and learning, he originally had high hopes — would he not be affected by this?

The more he thought, the more wrong it felt; he turned and sought out the teacher who had always valued him, asking about that quota in a roundabout way.

The other party showed an embarrassed expression; after a long while, he said: "Xiao Lin, I've already submitted your name, but the Taixue selection isn't up to us to decide, nor does a recommendation guarantee acceptance — they replied, saying they want to examine 'virtue, ability, and talent' three aspects, and also said they want those who conduct themselves steadily; otherwise, if students are frivolous in character, they'll ruin the school's reputation..."

— Frivolous in character, ruining the reputation...

Although these words weren't said about himself, they clearly pointed at the mulberry while cursing the locust — cursing precisely him!

Unlike officials who have already obtained positions, unestablished scholars value reputation most; once reputation is ruined, the path to officialdom is half destroyed.

Hearing such an evaluation from the master's mouth, Lin Yiwen stood rooted to the spot, as if struck on the head by a blunt club; his vision went black, and he nearly couldn't catch his breath.

— Why didn't I drown in the latrine back then, so as to have to endure such successive humiliations!

Baokang Gate, Xu Family Wuguan.

Cheng Shifu entered the door cheerfully carrying Song Ji's breakfast order slip.

Right now it's the lunch break; his back leg hadn't even followed him inside yet when a crowd of people noticed and greeted him one after another.

After the greetings, they first asked about the new batch of Meat gan and dried cuttlefish.

Cheng Shifu said: "Song Xiaoniangzi said she's making them; this time it'll take two more days before they can be delivered!"

Then they asked about breakfast.

Cheng Shifu spread out the price slip and called out: "Those who can read, come out and read it!"

The martial hall is mostly retired military camp veterans; few are literate, but that doesn't stop them from volunteering — almost before Cheng Shifu's words had fallen, one person had already stepped forward.

"Let me see!"

This person came forward to read the slip; he read one item, and those at the side each reported numbers, saying how much they wanted, and he scribbled the numbers down.

At first it was fine; nothing seemed off. But as he read on, he apparently encountered unfamiliar characters; he puzzled over them for a long time, then read out "niao shi Steamed Bun" — instantly the whole room burst into laughter.

"Brother, don't strain yourself; where would 'bird-ten steamed buns' come from! I've even got 'bird-shit steamed buns'!"

"Call a truly literate one! Otherwise when the bill goes up, the storekeeper might laugh at us!"

Soon, someone went to fetch the accountant.

The Xu Family Wuguan's accountant is the hall master's youngest sister, a Qing Zhou young lady, extremely capable; one summons and she came.

She took the slip, cleared her throat, read it the same way, and tallied each person's food quantities; as she calculated, she suddenly exclaimed "Eh?" and asked: "Whose steamed buns are these?"

"A food shop near Zhuque Gate; Old Cheng bought some to treat guests a few days ago — you didn't get any?"

Xu Niangzi asked the date; sure enough, she had gone out to settle accounts that day.

She couldn't help shaking her head and said: "A bunch of spendthrift men — don't you even look at prices when buying? The rest is fine, the glutinous rice price is quite good, but how did the meat buns get so expensive? High enough to reach eight wen each, and what's this 'grilled meat chashao bun' priced at ten wen each? Even if it's pure meat, how big is a bun, where's the value?"

This question left the others in the room equally baffled.

"Which one is the grilled meat chashao bun?"

"Don't know; last time it seems we didn't get any — was it just that we didn't get a share? Old Cheng!"

Cheng Shifu shook his head blankly: "I haven't eaten it either; is it a new item?"

Seeing him like this, Xu Niangzi really couldn't bear it, and said: "You didn't bargain, did you?"

Cheng Shifu hurriedly said: "The food Song Xiaoniangzi's shop sells — all of it is non-negotiable!"

Xu Niangzi said irritably: "Buying this much, how can there be no bargaining — it's you who don't know how!"

She tallied the cumulative numbers on the slip, then with full confidence said: "Ordinary bun shops sell plain buns for two wen, meat buns for four wen; buying this many at once, you could at least knock thirty percent off — this shop sells meat buns at six wen, mutton buns at eight wen, and ten wen for some grilled meat chashao bun; it's really too expensive — it's clearly leaving room for you to haggle! Who knew they'd run into someone who doesn't bargain!"

Cheng Shifu hurriedly explained: "It really isn't that; that young lady said her goods don't allow bargaining — one penny's worth of goods, the taste is genuinely different."

At once the rest of the room said: "It is a bit expensive, but it's not the same as other buns at all! Expensive has its reasons!"

Then they brought out the Meat gan for Xu Niangzi to eat.

Xu Niangzi bit into the Meat gan, asked the price, and sure enough it was also expensive; she sighed: "You bunch — you really don't know the price of firewood and rice until you run a household; let me handle it!"

She calculated the numbers, recorded each item, asked clearly about Song Ji's location, asked who to look for, then took a bag with the deposit money and said: "I'll make a trip for you this afternoon! Wait till I negotiate the prices clearly and give you an eye-opener!"

Cheng Shifu had just boasted before Song Miao that his crowd knows quality goods and wouldn't force a bargain; he felt a bit unable to save face, but seeing Xu Niangzi's confident look, he said: "Sister, if you can talk it down, great; if not, don't force it — we still want to eat her glutinous rice and buns!"

"Rest assured! I'm no good at other things, but bargaining is top-tier; last time building that new drill ground, wasn't it my tongue that did it? Originally they wouldn't budge no matter what; later I calculated the costs crystal clear, and in the end saved two hundred strings — wait for my good news!"

Xu Niangzi swore solemnly.

She bustled all afternoon; seeing the hour was about right, she indeed took that order slip and left the martial hall, heading west.

When she reached Zhuque Gate it was still fine, bustling and lively; but after winding through two streets and turning into Suanzao Alley, she started feeling uneasy.

— What a remote location; a single alley with many storefronts on both sides, all with signboards, but out of ten shops four or five are shuttered.

How does a food shop do business in such a place?

No wonder seeing customers, they grab each one they can, sneakily marking up prices!

Just as she was thinking, she saw a carriage drive out from inside the alley mouth.

Although the other party had already avoided her in advance, Xu Niangzi still hurriedly moved to the side.

As they passed each other, a wave of extremely fragrant aroma wafted out.

That fragrance was wondrous, a bit unfamiliar — an unmistakable roasted aroma; you'd say it's roasted meat, yet it's not just meat fragrance, there's also scorched sweetness, rich fragrance, sauce fragrance, salty freshness...

Xu Niangzi sniffed and sniffed, involuntarily turning her head following the carriage, even her feet couldn't help turning and following it for several steps.

But she quickly reacted, hurriedly stopped and turned back, walking toward the innermost end again, and rehearsed in her mind the bargaining rhetoric she'd prepared, organizing it into a clear one-two-three-four, so that upon meeting she could lay it out logically and make the other party voluntarily lower the price.

She hadn't walked long before reaching the alley end.

Sure enough, just as Cheng Shifu said, Song Ji was easy to find — walk to the end, the sealed house opposite the food shop is it.

Song Ji hung a signboard, but the paint was peeling, looking like it had been there for years, pitifully shabby; the door was old too, but the doors and windows were wiped very clean, and the doorway was swept very clean.

There's just one very strange thing — two carriages parked outside the door.

Not to mention the rear one; the front one is completely different from the one just seen — very large, very spacious; although not like those wealthy families with gold-woven pearl-strung carriages, for some reason — perhaps the wood used for the carriage body is good, or perhaps those two horses are tall and imposing, spirited and vigorous, or perhaps it's maintained so clean and tidy — one look and you know it's a carriage used by a formidable person.

Xu Niangzi glanced once more before turning back, and seeing the food shop's door wide open, she simply stood at the doorway and called out, "Is this Song Ji?"

From inside came an immediate reply: "Ah, a guest has arrived, Bei Zhi, you go greet them."

Before long, one person responded and came out, performing a proper, respectful bow, and said, "It is Song Ji, this Young Lady, are you here to buy something? Please come inside and sit at once!"

He was an attendant-like young person, but very handsome in appearance, spoke very politely, and knew etiquette well.

Xu Niangzi inexplicably felt a trace of bashfulness arise, and her voice also became three parts softer.

She gave a curtsy and said, "Yes, I am here to find you to purchase many steamed buns and glutinous rice~"

That one "de" particle was practically pronounced as "di", and even curved a gentle bend in mid-air.