Chapter 203 Suburban Outing (Part 2)

Being famous really made a difference. Everywhere there were enticing temptations like butterflies and bees. Lin Wanrong felt restless in his heart and thought to himself that as he approached, clasping his fists and smiling, "Are you calling for me, ladies? Greetings to all of you. I am Lin San. I have seen all of you, ladies."

For those who didn't know Lin San, upon seeing his unique and distinctive appearance, they also came to know that this must be the popular household servant, Lin San, who had been making waves recently. Apart from his decent looks, they couldn't see any remarkable skills.

A few young ladies who had met Lin San at the literary society before grabbed hold of him and chattered away, "Brother Lin San, we heard that you single-handedly defeated the King of Couplets from the Seven Northern Provinces. You're amazing!"

"Brother San, Brother San, that ‘Before you're old, you're dreaming of being an elder. A novice acting as a scholar.’ How did you come up with it? How did you feel at that time? Did you feel insulted? Are you standing up for our talented scholars from the Jiangnan region?"

"Brother San, where did you learn your magic tricks? Can you demonstrate them on the spot?"

Lin Wanrong smiled wryly and shook his head. These young girls were quite open-minded when they gathered together, but their looks were a bit unattractive.

As for the other talented scholars, not many of them had attended the banquet that day. They hadn't personally witnessed how Lin San defeated Shen Banshan; they had only heard the rumors. Now, as they looked at this insignificant household servant, they felt a mixture of curiosity, disdain, and jealousy.

‘Oh, the various forms of human nature, how intriguing they are!’ Lin Wanrong observed the expressions of the crowd one by one, sighing inwardly. Luo Ning smiled and said, "Brother Lin, how do you feel having so many followers?"

"Well, it seems that I should publish a collection of poems and couplets next time, titled 'Lin San and the Couplets.' It might sell quite well." Lin Wanrong joked.

Luo Ning chuckled and said, "Do you really need to think about that? Someone had already thought of it. The storytellers in teahouses and wine shops have compiled stories about your achievements at the Sunshine and Rain Restaurant in Hangzhou and my grandmother's birthday celebrations. They are currently performing it in teahouses."

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily. It sounded good to have free publicity, but deep down, he really wanted to keep a low profile.

Lin Wanrong pointed at a few talented scholars in the distance who were eyeing him hungrily and asked, "Miss Luo, where are those gentlemen from? They don't seem to be scholars from our Jinling."

Luo Ning nodded and said, "Brother Lin has sharp eyes. The Jinling Poetry Competition is about to commence, and those gentlemen have come from the north. They joined us today for an outing and exchange."

Lin Wanrong exclaimed, "Could they also be members of the Seven Northern Provinces Literary Alliance? Aren't they here to find a place for Shen Banshan?"

Luo Ning nodded, "The Seven Northern Provinces Literary Alliance is open to aspiring scholars who haven't ranked in the imperial examinations. I believe they are part of it as well. Brother Lin, let me tell you, ever since you defeated Shen Banshan, more scholars who wish to participate in the Jinling Poetry Competition have come, including many elites from the north. The rivalry between the north and the south seems inevitable."

"Competition leads to development, which is a good thing," Lin Wanrong said with a smile. Scholars should not be divided by north and south, but organizations like the Seven Northern Provinces Literary Alliance have drawn geographical boundaries and sparked the so-called north-south rivalry.

"But our Jinling Poetry Society, as the host of this poetry competition, cannot afford to lose face," Luo Ning said with a smile. "That's why I wanted to bring you in as the treasure of our society."

‘Treasure of the society? Ha, can I really earn such a title?’ Lin Wanrong laughed heartily and said, "Well, then I'll shamelessly be your treasure. I hope I won't disappoint you."

Hearing his nonsensical words, Luo Ning lightly scolded him, her cheeks blushing with shyness. She dared not speak to him any further.

The group, consisting of scholars from the Jinling Literary Society and several talented individuals from the north, marched out of the city with a sizeable entourage. Among them, Lin Wanrong stood out the most, whether it was his attire or his complexion, naturally attracting many gazes. Several young ladies walked by his side, constantly presenting their newly written poems for his guidance. Occasionally, a hint of flirtatiousness could be seen in their expressions.

Lin Wanrong had no such thoughts in mind. He casually tossed the young ladies' notes to Young Master Guo and said with a smile, "The little knowledge I possess was taught by my Young Master. You should seek his guidance instead—"

Guo Wuchang picked up the notes and pretended, "This young lady, the phrase 'the spring breeze teases my heart' is not appropriate. It would be better to change it to 'the spring breeze caresses my chest'—"

Luo Ning had already alighted from the sedan chair and walked beside Lin Wanrong, smiling as she said, "Brother Lin, in a few days, the young ladies in Jinling City will likely be infatuated with your talent."

‘Infatuated with what? I'd rather they be infatuated with my strong chest muscles,’ Lin Wanrong shook his head and said, "Miss Luo, you mentioned that a distinguished figure would be coming today. I wonder how important this person is?" He pondered for a moment. ‘Could it be Xu Wei? That's impossible. The old man is busy suppressing the White Lotus cult and cleaning up the government in Jiangsu. His whereabouts are highly confidential. How could he make a public appearance? Could it be someone else trying to be 'low-key' like me?’

Luo Ning smiled and said, "It's my Teacher from the Jinghua Academy in the capital. She is a renowned female scholar in the north and has some fame among the scholars from both the north and the south. For those of us who have studied poetry and literature, she is indeed a distinguished figure."

"A female scholar?" Lin Wanrong was taken aback for a moment. "How old is she? Could it be the female officer who brought the couplet last time?"

Luo Ning shook her head and said, "No, it's not her. The person who came is my Teacher. She is already in her fifties or sixties and specially came from the capital to participate in this Jinling Poetry Competition. She arrived yesterday, so we invited her to join us for the outing today."

Lin Wanrong nodded. ‘Another person from Jinghua Academy. This Jinghua Academy is probably equivalent to the Peking University of this era. Even an ordinary old woman who comes out of it dares to call herself a scholar, regarded as a distinguished figure in the eyes of Luo Ning and the others. Truly unfathomable. If there's an opportunity, I could send Second Miss there for further education.’

As the group chatted, they arrived outside the city. Although it was early winter, the scenery was still filled with lush green mountains and clear waters, with vast fields stretching as far as the eye could see. In the misty fog, several early-rising farmers were diligently tilling the land with their plows and hoes, exuding an air of tranquility.

Lin Wanrong took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Going out early in the morning, the air felt so refreshing.

The group stopped in front of a pavilion, and in the distance, two figures slowly approached. Leading the way was a woman in a white flower-patterned robe, around fifty or sixty years old. Her temples were gray, and her expression was stern, with a cold and disdainful gaze that seemed to find fault with everyone.

Luo Ning hurriedly lifted her long skirt and ran over, respectfully bowing. "Ning'er pays respects to Teacher."

‘This is Luo Ning's teacher? She looks like Miejue Shitai (A character from Jin Yong's novel "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber.") I guess she's not a kind person.’ Lin Wanrong thought. The scholars quickly stepped forward to pay their respects, saying, "Students pay respects to Teacher Mei, the renowned scholar."

Looking at the respectful appearance of the scholars, this renowned scholar Mei seemed to be quite a prominent figure. Lin Wanrong pulled Guo Wuchang, who was next to him, and asked, "Young Master, do you know this renowned scholar Mei?"

"Well, I don't move around in the capital, so I'm not familiar," Guo Wuchang said shamelessly.

But a young lady who was following closely behind Lin San said, "Brother San, this Teacher Mei Yanqiu is a famous scholar in the capital. Many renowned talents have come from her tutelage. Even many high-ranking officials in the capital are eager to become her disciples."

Lin Wanrong nodded. So this Mei Yanqiu even accepted disciples from high-ranking officials. Then why was she wearing such an unfriendly expression, as if he owed her money?

Mei Yanqiu helped Luo Ning up and said, "Good, good, Ning'er, you've become even more beautiful after being away for a few years." Luo Ning shyly responded, blushing on her face.

Mei Yanqiu nodded and said to Luo Ning, "Ning'er, after you left the capital, I accepted a new disciple. You should come and meet him." She nodded towards the person behind her and smiled, "Come out and meet Ning'er."

A person walked out from behind Mei Yanqiu and greeted Luo Ning, saying, "I am Zhao Kangning. Greetings, Miss Luo."

Luo Ning was taken aback, never expecting that this young prince would appear here and inexplicably become her teacher's disciple.

Mei Yanqiu said, "The young prince is kind-hearted, knowledgeable, and outstanding in his studies. I accepted him as a disciple in the capital. You should all get closer to him in the future."

The talented men and women of the Jinling Poetry Society were shocked when they saw this handsome and elegant Young Prince Ning, who was renowned throughout the world. The young ladies who were previously surrounding Lin San quickly flocked to the young prince. Compared to the household servant Lin San, the young prince's identity was clearly more like that of a golden son-in-law.

The lively scene around Lin San just a moment ago suddenly became empty. Lin Wanrong sighed, thinking to himself, ‘damn it, the prince's faction indeed has its charm. Even if it's a piece of dog shit, if it's associated with the royal family, it becomes fragrant.’

Guo Wuchang complained indignantly, "What's so great about the young prince? He's not as handsome as me, and his talents can't even compare to Lin San's. Isn't it just because he has a good father?"

Luo Ning stood in front of her teacher, not knowing what to do—neither staying nor leaving. On the other hand, Zhao Kangning conducted himself politely, charmingly engaging in conversation, which caused the surrounding talented men and women to cheer.

‘Damn it, he's just fooling around. I need some rest.’ Lin Wanrong found a spot, plopped down with Young Master Guo, and lay down to take a rest. Both of them were feeling frustrated.

Time passed, and suddenly a warm round of applause erupted. Lin Wanrong opened his eyes and saw many talented men and women surrounding Zhao Kangning and Mei Yanqiu.

Zhao Kangning smiled and said, "Since my colleagues appreciate it, I'll show my modesty." After a brief pause, he looked towards a group of people approaching in the distance, and with a slight smile, he said, "For my couplet, 'A ewe leading two lambs.'"

Lin Wanrong followed his gaze and immediately felt his anger rise.