Chapter 465: The Wisdom in Books, Listening to Stories in the Courtyard!

Where Hua An's gaze fell, chess pieces lay scattered across the floor, tea water spilled freely, soaking into his robes, yet he remained utterly unaware.

"Young Master Guan, have you gotten yourself into trouble this time?"

Wu Tong had just taken Young Master's warning and stepped back, but now she glared at the mess on the floor: "Losing a game and still acting so arrogant!"

Hearing Hua An's words, she worriedly asked: "Young Master, won't this cause trouble?"

You smiled and said: "Don't worry—Sixth Brother isn't a narrow-minded man."

Only then did Wu Tong relax.

At that moment, Xie Hou'er, who had just served Xie Yuan, entered the room.

He wore a golden circlet and dressed like Sun Wukong from myth, deeply favored by Xie Yuan.

He was also skilled at xiangqi, having learned mostly by self-study, but also to please Xie Yuan's tastes—otherwise Xie Yuan wouldn't have entrusted him with setting up the board.

He naturally knew this masked young master's chess strength far surpassed his own, and that he grasped one point and understood ten others; clearly, after three games, Xie Guan's skill had advanced again—truly astonishing.

Perhaps the earlier remark about "playing against oneself" wasn't just idle talk—maybe it was true.

Xie Hou'er said: "Young Master Guan, your play was brilliant—I truly admire it."

His voice wasn't like a man's—it was soft as a woman's, gentle in tone; just from his voice alone, no one would take him for a man.

"The Cloud-Lying Young Master naturally accepts defeat and keeps his word—he'll send for the storyteller tomorrow."

"My apologies for the earlier rudeness—I, Xie Hou'er, beg forgiveness on behalf of my young master."

You smiled: "Sixth Brother is too kind—it was just luck, nothing worth mentioning."

Xie Hou'er then led several servants to pick up the scattered chess pieces, neatly arrange them, and departed with the group.

Hua An also took his leave.

Suddenly you remembered something and told Wu Tong to collect the tea cake left on the small table by Xie Yuan—whether Xie Hou'er had been careless or intentional, half a piece remained, which you placed inside Hua An's medical chest.

After some polite refusal, Hua An ultimately couldn't resist the allure of the Great Phoenix Imperial Tea and accepted it gladly. He had always loved tea, knew well the vast difference between imperial tribute tea and common varieties; even this small piece was a rare treasure.

Pushing open the door, a cold wind struck him—he involuntarily shivered and pulled his neck in.

Though the snowstorm had ceased, the lingering chill was fierce; he trudged through the snow, step by step, leaving the small courtyard, yet couldn't help glancing back.

Outside the gate, Wu Tong supported the masked youth, watching his departing figure.

This scene stirred warmth in Hua An's heart. In over forty years at the Xie Fu, he'd met countless young masters and young ladies—but none had ever regarded him as a physician; they treated him as a servant to be summoned and dismissed at will.

Recalling the youth's performance during the chess games—three wins, each move calm and composed.

Hua An glanced again at the dilapidated courtyard tucked away in a remote corner of the Xie Fu, once utterly ignored, as if severed from the world.

Could this young man change that?

Could this blind youth ever see the light, escape his cage?

Wu Tong helped you back into the courtyard, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she whispered:

"Young Master, is it truly useful to deliberately befriend this Doctor Hua?"

She was two years older than you, raised since childhood among the maids in the main compound, sensitive and perceptive—she understood your praise and gift of tea were deliberate, meant to cultivate goodwill.

You slowly sat back on the heated brick bed; outside, dusk deepened, and candlelight flickered within.

You gently removed the black cloth from your eyes.

The strip slipped from your face!

"In ancient times, when Qi was weak, it befriended the barbarian states to its east—eventually rising to greatness. All these small states sincerely submitted."

Wu Tong asked: "Then why, when playing against Young Master Yuan, did you win all three games?"

She knew you weren't competitive; victory meant little to you—so why seek goodwill with Doctor Hua but not with the Cloud-Lying Young Master?

"When cultivating goodwill with others, never yield in every matter."

Though Wu Tong didn't fully understand, she felt the young master had changed recently—giving off an air of steadiness.

She was glad he'd changed.

"Young Master, did you learn this principle from a book?"

You nodded and smiled: "Books contain golden houses—and wisdom for navigating the world."

You opened your eyes with a smile—two bright, sharp eyes in the candlelight.

Wu Tong froze—your face bore a striking resemblance to your mother's: soft, handsome, with a straight, elegant nose; yet unlike her, your brows carried determination and spiritual brilliance.

She stared, spellbound, then blushed faintly when she came to her senses.

Fortunately, the candlelight was dim—you hadn't noticed.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, at noon, Xie Hou'er led two middle-aged Confucian scholars into the courtyard.

He introduced them: "Young Master Guan, these two are literary guests from the Cloud-Lying Young Master's household."

Xie Yuan naturally had official tutors—great Confucian scholars—but literary guests assisted them: organizing books, scheduling lessons, checking essays for errors.

Both were in their thirties, both held the licentiate degree; the heavier one, wearing a fur cap, round-faced with a small nose, amiable, was Zhang Yuan.

The slender one, hair tied and capped, with fine features and refined attire, sharp-eyed, was He Xiao.

It was said Xie Yuan's household had over thirty such literary guests, including several Metropolitan Graduates.

Wu Tong was slightly surprised—these two were licentiates! Storytelling wasn't teaching; they were more than qualified to be elementary tutors.

Xie Hou'er instructed them: "You must arrive daily at noon. Only when Young Master Guan permits may you leave in the evening."

When Xie Hou'er spoke, Zhang and He bowed deeply, murmuring assent.

Wu Tong was astonished—this Xie Hou'er was utterly different from yesterday; today he radiated authority, rivaling even the household steward.

But remembering Xie Hou'er was Xie Yuan's most favored servant, wielding his master's "tiger's might."

After Xie Hou'er departed, only the two scholars remained.

"Young Master Guan, what books would you like read? Folk histories? Or popular tales?"

Today you wore white gauze over your eyes: "Thank you, gentlemen. For the next few days, read the Forty-Six Scrolls of the Zuo Commentary on the Four States—all on the desk."

Then the two took turns reading.

Zhang Yuan's voice was loud but slow, often peppered with classical particles, sighing at intervals. He handled books gently—his family was poor; he'd grown up borrowing books to read.

He Xiao's voice was softer, faster, hoarse, frequently interrupted by coughs and sips of water. He didn't care about noise when turning pages—often a sharp tearing sound.

Every twenty pages, they switched.

Wu Tong prepared tea, snacks, and melon seeds for them.

After four or five hours, both grew weary—they knew this Confucian classic by heart.

While Zhang Yuan read, He Xiao sat on the heated bed, watching the masked youth seated motionless.

He wondered if the young master had fallen asleep, ears open but mind elsewhere.

He Xiao rose and paced; just as Zhang Yuan neared the end of his twenty pages, he excused himself to use the latrine.

When he returned slowly, Zhang Yuan had already read twenty-five pages.

He Xiao took the book and saw they'd reached the "Astronomy Chapter" of the Tang History.

He continued: "In the first year of Xiaoming's Yongping reign, during the fourth month, on Dingyou, a meteor as large as a bushel emerged from the Star Tower, traveled southwest, illuminating the earth. Meteors signify foreign troops; southwestward movement indicates the southwestern barbarians…"

He Xiao had a plan—he knew astronomy sections were complex, full of fragmented, illogical records, mostly astronomical annals.

He understood the method of reading history: first examine dynasties, figures, and offices; then geography; finally astronomy.

He noticed Zhang Yuan was snacking, distracted—even if he'd read it, he'd miss most of the omissions. So He Xiao skipped passages, bypassing difficult or obscure lines.

That way, he'd finish the twenty pages faster!

"... n the first month, a long star appeared at 37 degrees of Liu and Zhang, intruding on Xuanyuan, piercing Tianchuan, encroaching on Taibei, its aura rising to the upper steps—it was visible for fifty-six days before vanishing. Liu corresponds to Zhou territory. That year, rains were abundant."

He Xiao was about to continue.

You picked up your teacup and interrupted: "Master He, didn't you skip a passage?"

He Xiao startled, but kept his composure: "Haha, you're right!"

"Young Master Guan—have you read this before?" he probed.

You shook your head: "Never read it. But earlier, when discussing Lord Lingxiang, it mentioned that in the twelfth month, a comet emerged north of Tianchuan, leading to slander against the court, imprisonment, death, and exile of his wife and kin to Jiuzhen—this passage is missing, and we jump straight to the next year."

Zhang Yuan looked over curiously.

He Xiao was embarrassed, but shrewd—he laughed quickly: "Haha, I was merely testing whether Young Master Guan was paying attention. Since you're so studious, I won't dare read carelessly again."

Apologies, apologies—I was delayed on the road and arrived late; I'll make it up tomorrow.

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(End of Chapter)