[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-15":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2288850,4475,"Chapter 15: The Heartbroken Murong Yunhai","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-15",15,"\u003Cp>A few days later, the Crown Prince invited Lord Lu to visit the Donggong the next day after court, under the pretext of seeking clarification on the mysteries of the Yi Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Lu had no suspicion and agreed; the next day, he arrived at the Donggong as promised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, shortly after beginning the Yi Jing lecture, the Crown Prince shifted the topic to the imperial seal and offered an exact price, down to the last copper coin, leaving Lord Lu stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having spent years in officialdom, Lord Lu suffered from the common official’s paranoia of being watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared the Crown Prince had already infiltrated the Ministry of Works with spies, so he dared not deny it—he immediately knelt, bowed his head in apology, and admitted the amount the Crown Prince had uncovered was entirely accurate, not a single coin off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lord Lu kneel and confess so readily, the Crown Prince was utterly dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never imagined the amount Jiang Mingyu had uncovered in less than half a month was completely true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighteen thousand taels, minus seven thousand two hundred and thirty-six taels, leaves ten thousand seven hundred and sixty-four taels…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crown Prince’s face darkened as he asked sternly: “Where did this money go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, this minister…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Lu, still kneeling without raising his head, stammered: “The eighteen officials in the Ministry of Works, including myself, each received five hundred and ninety-eight taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the Crown Prince suddenly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said bluntly: “A common household earns no more than thirty-three taels a year; yet you, with a mere wave of the hand, pocket nearly six hundred taels—this business is quite profitable, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After mocking him with cold sarcasm, the Crown Prince decided not to pursue the matter further, for he understood the principle that clear water breeds no fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, ice three feet thick does not form in a single day; cracking down on these corrupt officials would implicate too many, insult His Majesty, and benefit no one—worse still, it might cost him his position as Crown Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, the Crown Prince left the incident hanging over Lord Lu like the Sword of Damocles, ensuring his absolute loyalty and turning him into the most faithful and reliable member of the Crown Prince’s faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Lu’s transformation was also evident in class—he now treated the Crown Prince’s lessons with unprecedented warmth, humility, and deference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stood in stark contrast to the strict demeanor of He Xiang and Mei Xiang; even Jiang Mingyu, who rarely sensed the atmosphere, noticed the difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As summer arrived and the weather grew hotter, even before the Dragon Boat Festival, officials had already switched to their summer robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Murong steward had ordered Jiang Mingyu two new summer court robes—still the standard eighth-rank green, but noticeably lighter and more breathable than the winter version; however, he had to wear a plain inner shirt, or outsiders would see right through the fabric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu arrived at court and saw most ministers already dressed in summer robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Red robes paired with red undergarments, blue robes with blue undergarments—though not officially mandated, this had become an unwritten court custom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, a new face appeared at court—an official Jiang Mingyu had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared to be around Jiang Mingyu’s age, perhaps slightly older; his fair skin and deep gray-blue eyes were unmistakably characteristic of a Westerner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His high nose bridge and thin red lips further revealed strong Hu ethnic ancestry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, his thick black hair and small beard beneath his chin were unmistakable signs distinguishing him from Central Plains men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In ancient eyes, a handsome man typically had thick black hair, a fair complexion, and a high nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He possessed all three: hair like ink, skin like snow, nose straight as a pine branch; paired with bright eyes and lips like vermilion, he met every classical standard of beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His accent carried a clear Hu inflection—he was almost certainly from beyond the pass. He wore a blue court robe with herons and clouds embroidered on the vest, and white fur trim on the cuffs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The robe was finely made, of superior fabric, and his rank was higher than Jiang Mingyu’s—likely fifth or sixth grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After court, the Crown Prince sent word for Jiang Mingyu to come to the Donggong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, Jiang Mingyu arrived alone at the Donggong; as usual, unless something unexpected happened, he would dine there and return home only after nightfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu followed Feng Er’s footsteps to the rear garden of the Donggong, where the Crown Prince sat in a pavilion beside the pond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also seated in the pavilion was the unfamiliar official Jiang Mingyu had met that morning—like Jiang Mingyu, he had come directly to the Donggong after court to meet the Crown Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The awkwardness lay in the fact that the man wore only his blue summer robe, without an undergarment; the thin, almost translucent fabric revealed the contours of his body—his chest, nipples, and muscle lines faintly visible, barely concealed. Though all present were men, Jiang Mingyu still felt a flush of embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xingqiu, you’re here! Let me introduce you two…” the Crown Prince said cheerfully: “Xingqiu, this is Murong Yunhai, courtesy name Duanmu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yunhai, this is Jiang Mingyu, also known as Jiang Xingqiu—the current Crown Prince’s Reader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing “Murong Yunhai,” Jiang Mingyu immediately recalled—he was the former Crown Prince’s Reader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the Crown Prince finished, Jiang Mingyu and Murong Yunhai both bowed in unison, formally acknowledging each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crown Prince: “Yunhai was originally the County Magistrate of Xueying in Sifeng Dao—he had been in office less than a year when his father passed away. Today he has returned to report for duty and is here to hand over his responsibilities. Next… Yunhai must return to his hometown to observe three years of mourning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, Lord Murong, where is your hometown?” Jiang Mingyu asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai: “I am not of the Central Plains—I am from Yasi Mo Regional Military Commissioner, Yin Si tribe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yunhai is from the north, and in this peak of summer… the heat is unbearable…” the Crown Prince explained: “I asked Yunhai to remove his undergarment so he might feel cooler.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the Crown Prince gestured to Jiang Mingyu, suggesting he too remove his undergarment for comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Mingyu refused, saying he was from the south and not particularly sensitive to heat—he found the current weather tolerable, and politely declined to remove his undergarment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crown Prince did not press him, instead inviting both men to drink wine and compose poetry. Jiang Mingyu and Murong Yunhai spent the evening with the Crown Prince by the pond pavilion, until nightfall; eventually, they held a banquet right there in the pavilion and dined together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai occasionally interacted with Jiang Mingyu, but never warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the meal, the Crown Prince repeatedly tried to bridge the gap between Murong Yunhai and Jiang Mingyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The simple, honest Jiang Mingyu followed the Crown Prince’s lead and attempted to converse with Murong Yunhai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Murong Yunhai consistently kept his distance from Jiang Mingyu—even after drinking multiple jugs of white wine and turning red-faced, their conversation never warmed, never flowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu thought: Perhaps Lord Murong is still grieving his father’s death, emotionally low; the Crown Prince’s banquet was meant to comfort him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Murong Yunhai was not a capital official and had no residence in the capital, he was entitled to lodge at the Hanlin Academy by custom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu had intended to visit Murong Yunhai to learn more about the duties of Crown Prince’s Reader, but the Murong steward reported back that Murong Yunhai had not lodged at the Hanlin Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu then inquired around himself, and finally learned from Feng Er that for several days, Murong Yunhai had been staying at the Donggong, nowhere else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Murong Yunhai suddenly visited Jiang Mingyu’s residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu wanted to keep him and host a banquet, but Murong Yunhai did not wish to stay long—he cited his mourning period and needed to return quickly to the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Jiang Mingyu was poor at reading the air, anyone could see Murong Yunhai’s deep sadness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His haggard face and subdued tone silently spoke of inner sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murong Yunhai took Jiang Mingyu’s hand, then gently let it go—a gesture filled with unspoken melancholy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly had something to say, yet the words stuck in his throat, never emerging. His strange behavior left Jiang Mingyu utterly confused, unable to grasp Murong Yunhai’s intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang the steward quickly sensed the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He comforted Murong Yunhai: “Lord Murong, you may return home in peace to observe your mourning. The Crown Prince’s affairs are unchanged—everything proceeds smoothly, calmly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Murong Yunhai finally released his burden, turned, and left Jiang’s residence without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, Zhang the steward told Jiang Mingyu that Murong Yunhai had once been close to the Crown Prince; upon learning a new Reader had been appointed, he had felt heartbroken—and with his father’s death, his pain had only deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang spoke gently, but Jiang Mingyu heard without understanding; he even naively believed Murong Yunhai’s sorrow stemmed solely from his father’s death, and had nothing to do with Jiang Mingyu’s appointment as new Reader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his past life, Jiang Mingyu had been just an ordinary university student who had never entered society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood human relations poorly, knew nothing of implied meanings—this innocence may be his greatest trouble, yet also his most endearing quality.\u003C\u002Fp>",1593,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b7425fc6a133e6ac112de95843b202cf2530804e3a29b9dd341ac267081a4e0b","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-16","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-14",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]