Chapter 152: Adding Fragrance

One person goes up the mountain, two people come down, plus a rat demon.

Yingning's previous men's attire was truly substandard. However, under Chen Jianchen's careful guidance and with a touch of her own supernatural means, she finally transformed her appearance thoroughly into that of a handsome young page. Her white robe had been replaced with a blue one, and her hair was bound with a blue soft kerchief. Yet, her features were naturally too exquisite and delicate—something difficult to alter unless she donned a proper painted skin.

Judging from her appearance, Yingning now closely resembled a traditional study page.

In the Tiantong Dynasty, scholars of means were always accompanied by a study page who acted much like a personal secretary. It would not seem strange for Chen Jianchen to suddenly employ one, provided a plausible background was fabricated for her.

To prevent Jiang Yu from lying in wait outside, Chen Jianchen and Yingning left the mountain separately.

Events proved this precaution unnecessary. Jiang Yu had long since ridden away on horseback, destination unknown, and who could tell if he had returned to Jiangzhou to fetch reinforcements.

Nevertheless, Chen Jianchen had no time to dwell on that. After reuniting with Yingning outside, she used her magic to carry them quietly back to the gates of Jiangzhou City as if riding the clouds and mist, after which they leisurely strolled into the city.

The entire journey took less time than it takes to brew half a cup of tea. Chen Jianchen sighed from the bottom of his heart: having a broad-minded and all-powerful companion and study page by one's side was truly wonderful!

Upon entering the city, they went straight home, where Chen Jianchen introduced Yingning to his mother and A-Bao. Naturally, the backstory had long been woven without a single flaw, and Madam Mo and the others harbored not the slightest suspicion.

Yingning loved to smile. She looked to be around fourteen or fifteen, roughly A-Bao's age, and her manners and speech were well-read and courteous, making her immensely likable.

Madam Mo even pulled Chen Jianchen aside to instruct him: "Liuxian, she is here to serve as your study page. You must treat her well and never scold or strike her casually."

Chen Jianchen smacked his lips and nodded in agreement.

After staying home for half the day and having dinner, Chen Jianchen took Yingning back to the academy. He had an independent study there, which could be partitioned with a screen to create a separate small room with a bed for Yingning to sleep on.

In fact, many scholars at the academy brought study pages along with them. These pages served crucial roles: they helped tidy rooms, make beds, pour tea and water, and organize books and writing brushes. Generally, however, scholars did not share quarters with their pages, instead renting separate lodgings for them outside the academy's inner grounds.

Among the friends Chen Jianchen knew, only Wang Fu's family was slightly well-off, but for various reasons, he had never hired a dedicated study page, relying instead on hiring errands boys from Jiangzhou shops whenever needed. The news that Chen Jianchen had brought a study page back to the academy quickly reached Wang Fu and Xiao Hanfeng, who eagerly rushed over to take a look. The third to arrive was Xi Fangping.

Ever since he rescued his father's life, Xi Fangping had received substantial compensation from Wang Chenghuang, giving him the financial means to study at Minghua Academy.

After enrolling, thanks to Chen Jianchen, he quickly integrated into the circle with Wang Fu and Xiao Hanfeng.

"Liuxian, is this your study page?"

Upon catching sight of Yingning, Wang Fu's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He grabbed Chen Jianchen by the arm and asked, "Liuxian, where on earth did you find such a handsome and adorable study page? Hurry up and introduce him to your elder brother so I can go find one too."

Chen Jianchen replied airily, "I picked him up along the road."

Naturally, Wang Fu did not believe this nonsense, but he did not press the matter further. After a few jests, they each returned to their respective quarters.

After they left, Yingning stuck out her tongue and asked, "Young master, are they all your good friends?"

Chen Jianchen smiled and replied, "Yes. It is not easy to study together, nor is it easy to find kindred spirits."

Yingning murmured an acknowledgement and began tidying up the study. Before long, she had made up a bed on the eastern side, separated from the rest of the room by a thin wooden partition.

At that moment, Xiao Yi poked its head out, leaped onto the desk, crossed its paws behind its back, and inspected the wooden partition before pontificating, "Sister Yingning, I truly feel this wooden board has no reason to exist."

Yingning reached out and flicked it on the forehead. "Xiao Yi, do you remember what Sister said to you before we set out?"

Xiao Yi immediately flattered, "Sister Yingning, this wooden board partitions the space simply wonderfully!"

Chen Jianchen asked curiously, "Yingning, what did you say to Xiao Yi?"

Yingning shot a look at Xiao Yi, who immediately puffed out its chest and declared, "Even if beaten to death, I will not say!" Its little eyes rolled round and round, terrified that the young master might give it another knuckle-rap.

Chen Jianchen laughed heartily and let it be.

Xiao Yi's eyes rolled, and it suddenly piped up, "Young master, I don't necessarily have to sleep inside the study tonight, right?"

Chen Jianchen replied casually, "As you like."

Xiao Yi said, "Wonderful! Actually, my favorite place to sleep is inside a tree hollow... Well, I heard the academy keeps three cats, and I'd like to go pay them a visit. Would that be alright, young master?"

This fellow—who knows when it had developed an obsession with "bullying" cats. It never paused to consider what fun a rat that had attained demonic arts could possibly find in tormenting cats all day long.

"Do as you please, just don't cause any trouble."

"Will do!"

Xiao Yi cried out in excitement, darting away like a flash of lightning and disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Once outside, it scuttled off to a secluded corner and muttered to itself, "Young master, Sister Yingning, I've played my part, haven't I? I will definitely not be a third wheel, humph! Well then, this old ancestor is off to find a female cat to play with. Female cats, female cats... Old ancestor is coming!"

The night grew heavier and the moon rose into the sky. Tonight happened to be a clear night with a bright moon and sparse stars. Outside the window, crickets and various nameless insects began their "chorus" right on schedule, creating a lively din.

Meow!

From somewhere in the distance, some cat was going into heat, its cries sounding plaintive and lingering.

"Young master, are you reading or practicing calligraphy tonight?" Yingning quickly settled into her role as a study page.

Normally, Chen Jianchen would spend an hour reading in the evening before practicing his brushwork, so he said, "Let's read for a while first."

"Oh, very well. Which book would the young master like to read? Yingning will get it for you."

Chen Jianchen was taken aback and smiled. "There's no need to go to such trouble, I can just grab it myself."

"How can that do?" Yingning insisted firmly. "If Yingning cannot even do these things, how can I serve as the young master's study page?"

Chen Jianchen was left speechless with amusement.

Yingning's limpid eyes were half-drooping, yet she looked completely earnest.

"Well, alright then, I want to read the *Notes from All Directions* tonight."

Thus, Yingning quickly retrieved the *Notes from All Directions* from the bookshelf, placed it neatly on the desk, brewed a cup of tea for Chen Jianchen, and then browsed the shelves herself. Finally, she happily pulled down a book to read—it was none other than the *Travelogues of Yuewei Hall* written by Zhuge Wolong. She opened it and began reading with great relish.

With Yingning in the room, Chen Jianchen's focus on his reading was inexplicably disrupted. It was a rare occasion where he found it difficult to concentrate; every time he turned a page, his eyes would steal over toward Yingning.

"Burning gaze, your old thieving habits haven't changed..." Yingning giggled playfully, teasing him.

Chen Jianchen's old face flushed red, and he said, "Yingning, perhaps I should practice calligraphy instead."

"Alright."

Yingning agreed obediently, put down her book, and prepared the Four Treasures of the Study. First, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing jade-white wrists and slender fingers, and began to grind the ink with great concentration.

The ink was pitch-black, her wrists crystal-clear, forming a striking contrast that looked just like a living painting.

Chen Jianchen was no block of wood; his heart suddenly skipped a beat, surging with an unprecedented confusion. His mind wandered, and he felt utterly ill at ease.

The ink was ground. Yingning spread out a sheet of white paper and asked, "Which brush does the young master wish to use?"

How could a scholar possibly own only a single brush? He had at least three, different in style and type.

Chen Jianchen picked one up at random, checked the ink, took a deep breath, and was just about to set the brush to paper.

Yingning suddenly asked, "There is righteousness in the young master's brush; should Yingning step aside to avoid it?"

Chen Jianchen replied, "No need, my righteousness can be restrained or released freely; it won't affect you."

Hearing this, Yingning stood to one side, her dark, glossy eyes watching intently to see what the young master would write.

*Quiet, quiet, quiet, calm...*

Chen Jianchen's brush flew across the paper, repeatedly writing the exact same character: "Quiet" (静).

Yingning was stunned for a moment, then seemingly realizing something, she bit her lip and asked, "Young master, what are you..."

Having written over a dozen "quiet" characters in one breath, Chen Jianchen's emotions finally settled completely. He smiled and said, "This is a word game."

"A word game?"

"Indeed. Well, sometimes when I feel vexed and restless, I have to play a game with myself to calm my mind. For example, when monks want to calm their minds, they strike the wooden fish and count prayer beads; when Taoists want to calm their minds, they close their eyes in meditation. These are all rituals. As for me, I need to write."

This was also because Chen Jianchen had not yet fully mastered the *True Chapters of the Three Accomplishments*. Once he reached the realm of establishing virtue, where would he need to write? He could simply sit down and his mind would instantly become "as calm as still water."

Yingning asked again, "Is the reason the young master is restless today because of Yingning?"

Fearing she might overthink things, Chen Jianchen chuckled and said, "How could that be? Actually, I have a few days every month when I feel irritable and restless."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them, realizing it sounded rather like a certain famous commercial slogan. Fortunately, Yingning didn't understand the reference; otherwise, he would have had nowhere to hide his embarrassment.

Yingning nodded thoughtfully, a flash of mischievous cunning crossing her face as she pursued, "Really not?"

Chen Jianchen answered with absolute certainty, "Not at all."

His words rang with absolute conviction.

"Hehe, well then, this won't hurt either."

*This?*

Before Chen Jianchen could ask what she meant, a fragrant breeze brushed past. Yingning suddenly floated over to his side, pressed her lips against his left cheek in a fleeting dragonfly-kiss, and then giggled, flashing backward just as quickly to resume her original seat and pick up the *Travelogues of Yuewei Hall* to read once more.

"So fragrant!"

With fragrance lingering on his cheek, Scholar Chen suddenly felt that something was profoundly wrong, nearly making a fool of himself on the spot. He let out a strange yelp, flurriedly spreading out yet another sheet of paper, and began furiously scribbling with his brush.

Only this time, he filled at least three sheets of paper, writing a full thirty-eight "quiet" characters, yet his heart still refused to settle.

A vixen, she truly is a vixen!!