Chapter 76: A peerless young lord (2/2)

He had warmth, but it wasn’t soft nor feminine. He carried a nameless scent about him like perfume, but it was nothing like a woman’s. Those who smelled it would find it difficult to forget and very much at ease. Han Yunxi once joked that Gu Beiyue gave people the impression of a Buddha, but he just shook his head and smiled, saying he wasn’t so chubby.

The devastating beauty and peerless man sat together in the teahouse, instantly attracting the gazes of multiple onlookers. Of course, nobody knew their identities. The pair came to a tacit understanding to keep calm and at ease, especially Gu Beiyue. Han Yunxi deliberated for a while before hiding the secret of her birth. She simply asked Gu Beiyue a few things about Cloud Realm Medical Academy before going into specifics with Han Congan’s journey to be a director.

From Gu Beiyue, Han Yunxi learned that that director candidates were chosen based on immediate qualifications, while the directors themselves were selected from amongst these candidates. Three years after Lady Tianxin passed away, Han Congan had his family’s prestige to help him and his medical skills into the position of director candidate. After six years, he’d officially become a director. Lady Tianxin had told him within ten years, and he’d really became a director during that time.

“When he became a director, my grandfather and I had already left the medical academy. We didn’t know the details, but he was the youngest candidate, then the youngest director, in the history of the medical academy.”

Gu Beiyue paused before adding, “The competition for directorship is extremely intense. Even those who become director candidates could spend 10 or 20 years, even their entire lives, without ever becoming directors. Such was the case everywhere.”

Though he didn’t lay it bare, Han Yunxi understood. Han Congan might have terrific medical skills, but he didn’t stand out much compared to the high-leveled experts. Most of the medical academy were filled with elders over 100 years old. Quite a few director candidates were hoary-headed men. Wasn’t Han Congan’s trip a bit too smooth and easy?

“Who was the person that promoted him back then?” Han Yunxi asked.

Gu Beiyue could only shake his head. “This is a secret. I’m afraid that even Han Congan himself wouldn’t know.”

So that was it. Looking at it from this angle, she had no way of getting any information from Han Congan.

Gu Beiyue didn’t realize that he was smiling when he saw her knit her brows. He said mildly, “I’ll try to ask some people to look into it. But there’s no chance that we’ll find anything.”

Aye, this person has his ways after all.

Han Yunxi revealed a smile as she cast her teacup on the table, refreshed and frank. “Then I’ll thank you ahead of time. When there’s time, I’ll definitely take you out for drinks.”

Gu Beiyue wasn’t used to Han Yunxi’s current style of speaking. He only felt that it didn’t sound like a wangfei, lacking all the elegance and honor a lady should have. But it was exactly this unaffected attitude that fascinated him. He thought, if Han Yunxi wasn’t born in the Han Family and became Qin Wangfei, then she might’ve flown high. But all this he hid in his heart, smiling without saying a word.

It was rare for her to have a chance outdoors, so the two of them sat until nightfall. Han Yunxi discovered that Gu Beiyue looked like a taciturn man, but could talk without awkward silences. They spoke of medical arts, pharmacology, and various cases of illness. Han Yunxi would something think deeply, sometimes laugh loudly, while Gu Beiyue kept his mild smile and scholarly, refined manner.

Han Yunxi finally discovered that time had gone by quickly when Chen Xiang ran over to remind her that it was getting dark.

“Let’s meet again another day, I’d like to consult with you on that illness we mentioned,” Han Yunxi had exquisite poison skills but was lacking in the medical department. She was fond of learning, so after catching Gu Beiyue, she didn’t want to let him go. She’d even take him home as a private tutor if she could.

“Esteemed wangfei, this is actually going beyond customs,” Gu Beiye couldn’t help but remind her in a low voice.

After leaving the Duke of Qin’s household, all this talk of social etiquette was nonsense to her ears. A big hearted, magnanimous person never feared the dubious. Though who protested loudest had the most monsters hidden in their heart. Her eyes flitted with craftiness before she said, “The fifteenth of every month, we can meet here. You won’t be Imperial Physician Gu and I won’t be Qin Wangfei. We can just talk about our fields and exchange views on the medical arts, how’s that?”

To learn from each other by exchanging views . It seemed like this woman wanted to learn medicine from him without disclosing the secret of her poison skills. Gu Beiyue saw right through her at a glance, but didn’t expose her.

The fifteenth of every month, forget their identities and talk about medicine.

What a beautiful thing. Sadly, the warmhearted Gu Beiyue was forever rational. He only smiled softly. “Esteemed wangfei really knows how to joke. It’s getting late, you should return home.”

“Gu Beiyue,” Han Yunxi creased her eyebrows. She thought that he’d agree, but didn’t expect this fellow had actually refused her.

“Esteemed wangfei, this humble official can’t casually leave the palace. You should go back,” Gu Beiyue was still smiling.

That smile seemed warm, but carried with it resolution. Everyone who saw was helpless before it, including the reluctant Han Yunxi. She could only give up and carelessly wave her hand to bid goodbye.

-o-

[1] gongzi (公子) – literally ‘prince,’ but also used to refer to the son of a feudal prince or high official, a person of high birth and breeding.

[2] Tea Leaf Celestial (茗仙楼) – mingxianlou, Ming is ‘tea, tender tea leaves,’ Xian is ‘immortal/celestial/divine.’ Lou is a common term in shop names, and can mean ‘a storied building,’ ‘tower’ or ‘floor.’

[3] The youth on the road had a countenance like jade, which young lord is this to be so unparalleled (陌上少年颜如玉, 谁家公子是无双) moshang shaonian yanruyu, sheijia gongzi shi wushuang.