After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 99
“Send the oranges and the paintings to Young Master Xun…”
“Are you really thinking of keeping them?” Lu Bin impatiently tapped Xiao Wu’s head. “Early tomorrow morning, send the items to Young Master Xun’s house, understand?”
Xiao Wu said, “I don’t know where Young Master Xun lives.”
“Well,” Lu Bin hesitated for a moment but quickly added, “Dr. He checks Young Master Xun’s pulse every week, so he definitely knows where Young Master Xun lives. Just ask him.”
Xiao Wu nodded. Lu Bin, realizing that the Imperial Medical Office was a bit far from their house, thought of giving Xiao Wu some money for a cab, but before he could, Xiao Wu, holding the items, dashed off.
Lu Bin stood stunned for a moment. Then he thought about the people at the Imperial Medical Office and couldn’t help but smile.
When Xiao Wu arrived at the Imperial Medical Office, he ran into Dr. He’s newlywed wife, who was visiting. Mrs. He, dressed in a pink gown, was both beautiful and gentle. She had come to deliver food to Dr. He and was tenderly wiping his sweat, addressing him affectionately as “He Lang,” while several single doctors around them looked on enviously.
Seeing this touching scene of marital affection, Xiao Wu stood by awkwardly, not daring to approach. He stood there for a while until he heard a clear voice behind him, “Xiao Wu?”
Turning around, Xiao Wu saw another young woman, slender and smiling prettily, “What are you doing here at the Imperial Medical Office?”
“I came…” Xiao Wu lifted the items he was holding, “to deliver things to Young Master Xun. I don’t know where Young Master Xun lives now, so…”
“Oh, so you came to ask us?” Zhang Ling Su said.
Xiao Wu quickly nodded. Zhang Ling Su gave him an address and, seeing his dazed expression, chuckled, “I forgot, you’re not fluent in Mandarin. Let me take you there.”
“Really?”
“What are you waiting for? Let’s go!”
Xiao Wu followed her. In the autumn city of Beijing, with its streets covered in fiery red maple leaves, he walked out of the Imperial Medical Office, leaving the doctors and the He couple behind.
Zhang Ling Su had returned three days ago. By the time she came back, the epidemic in the Western Region was nearly over, and she didn’t need to stay to handle the final matters. The Emperor had given her a large reward and even erected a statue of her in the Western Region.
She had met Xiao Wu a few days ago when he had helped her retrieve her stolen wallet. Xiao Wu had been out buying things for Lu Bin and had seen her being robbed, bravely intervening, which was how they became acquainted.
The walk from the Imperial Medical Office to Xun’s new residence wasn’t far, so they went on foot. After a while, Xiao Wu could no longer suppress his curiosity and asked, “Why does Dr. He’s wife call him He Lang when his name isn’t Lang?”
Zhang Ling Su couldn’t help but laugh at his innocent question. She explained, “’Lang’ is a term of endearment used by people in the Central Plains for their loved ones.”
“Oh…” Xiao Wu pondered for a moment and then shyly asked, “So, if someone is close to me, would they call me…”
He hesitated and then blushed, “Xiao Wulang?”
Zhang Ling Su’s laughter was like silver bells: “What’s the matter, do you have a girl you like?”
Xiao Wu’s face turned red and he said nothing.
When they arrived at Xun’s current residence, Xun, who had been reading inside, quickly put down his book and came out when he heard someone was visiting.
He instinctively thought that the visitor must be the Emperor since the following day was the Emperor’s regular rest day.
However, the person who appeared was not the Emperor. Xun couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. But the combination of Zhang Ling Su and Xiao Wu was quite unexpected.
Seeing Xun, Xiao Wu immediately handed him the items and stammered, “These are from the Young Master. He asked me to deliver them…”
Xun’s expression softened, “Thank you.”
He had the items taken inside, and Xiao Wu continued, “For Young Master Xun.”
“Young Master Xun?”
Xiao Wu nodded. Seeing Zhang Ling Su talking to Lian Rong, he explained to Xun, “Miss Zhang told me that in the Central Plains, people call their close ones ‘Lang’. Just like Mrs. He calls Dr. He ‘He Lang’…”
Xun nodded.
Xiao Wu asked, “So, does Young Master Xun call the Emperor ‘Huang Lang’?”
Xun: ???
He chuckled, “The Emperor?”
Xiao Wu, with a pure expression, nodded, “The Young Master said that the person who came to our house with Young Master Xun that day was the Emperor!”
Xun, holding his tea cup, paused and said, “So…”
He was still trying to understand why Xiao Wu thought that. Xiao Wu declared, “The Young Master also said that it was the Emperor’s test! The Emperor’s mission!”
Xun: ??
When did the Emperor give the Lu family a test?
Before he could wonder further, a voice from the door called, “Greetings… uh, Mr. Cha!”
Xun: …
He tightened his grip on his forehead and couldn’t help but glance at the door.
A flash of dark-colored robes appeared, and the Emperor entered with great presence.
Xun: …
Fortunately, perhaps because he had just come back from overtime and hadn’t had time to change into casual clothes, the Emperor was dressed relatively normally today.
When the Emperor arrived, Xiao Wu completed his task and obediently left. Before leaving, he couldn’t help but cast an admiring and awe-filled glance at the Emperor, drawing the Emperor’s attention.
The Emperor, puzzled about why another person had arrived at Xun’s house—first a scholar named Yan, now a stranger—was somewhat apprehensive. But unexpectedly…
The young boy only glanced at him with awe and, before leaving, suddenly said, “Your Majesty, we…”
Emperor: ??? My identity is exposed???
The boy continued, “Will definitely live up to Your Majesty’s expectations!”
Emperor: ???
After saying this, Xiao Wu left. Zhang Ling Su also came over to bid farewell to the two.
After they left, the Emperor’s expression was still somewhat dazed: “What’s going on? Why are these young people suddenly so aware and determined? Expectation? What expectation?”
He looked at Xun, “Do you know?”
Xun: … I was about to ask you the same thing.
### Emperor: “What did he say when he came to see you?”
On the other side, Xiao Wu exited Xun’s residence. Zhang Ling Su was by his side and said, “I’ll head back to the Imperial Medical Office. Take care.”
Xiao Wu waved and shouted, “Thank you!”
Zhang Ling Su smiled and waved back.
Blushing, Xiao Wu still mustered the courage to shout, “Thank you! Zhang Lang!!”
“Zhang Lang!”
After saying this, Xiao Wu dashed off.
Zhang Ling Su: ???
Her smile froze in mid-air.
What made things worse was the shrieking coming from behind her, from Lian Rong and Ning Meng.
“Cockroaches?!”
“Is there a pest? Isn’t this a new house?!”
“Where are the pests?! Ahhhh!!”
“Xiao Duo, get the shoes!!”
Zhang Ling Su: …………
“Cockroaches? Are there cockroaches here too?” Hearing the rising commotion outside, the Emperor peeked out, “Damn it, are the cleaners here worse than those from Ziru? I specifically told them to clean the place before moving people in…”
Xun: …
He couldn’t help but twitch his lips. After the Emperor’s complaint, he turned back and asked, “What did he bring you?”
“He brought some oranges,” Xun pointed to the bag of oranges.
The Emperor: “……
This.”
Xun: ?
The Emperor raised an eyebrow, “What are you thinking?”
The Emperor: “Nothing, just a mighty figure. Hehe.”
Xun: …
The Emperor: “If it were before, I’d say you’ve experienced this matter.”
…It seems this is another must-read for modern “Analects,” Xun opened another cloth bag and said, “There are also… some paintings?”
The cloth bag was stained with paint. The Emperor took one look and was puzzled, “Why did he bring a bag of scrolls? Is this some sort of maintenance reward or lucky bag?”
Xun also found it strange. The Emperor rubbed his hands together and said, “No, considering his strange behavior earlier, this must have a deep meaning… Let me take a look!”
Xun: …Men’s joys are truly strange.
But he decided to leave the opportunity to unravel the mystery of the scrolls to the Emperor. He was also curious about the meaning behind these paintings.
He handed the bag of paintings to the Emperor. The Emperor pulled out a scroll and unrolled it…
The Emperor: …
Xun: “Did you see anything?”
The Emperor stroked his chin, looking at the landscape painting, which had been blurred by water damage: “…?”
Xun: …
The Emperor unrolled the second painting. If the first painting was merely blurred, the second one had large chunks of color destroyed. Xun peered at it, and they both exchanged puzzled looks.
Then came the third and fourth paintings… When they reached the fifth painting, the Emperor exclaimed, “Hmm?”
“This painting is hidden at the bottom, it doesn’t seem to have been damaged by water. Let me see…”
He pulled out this painting, unrolled it, and when the whole painting appeared before his eyes, Xun’s eyes brightened, and he held his breath when he saw the signature.
Xun: “This is a landscape by Lin Mingxi!”
The Emperor: “This painting is really clean!!”
Both expressed their admiration, though their words were different. They looked at each other in silence, and the Emperor awkwardly rubbed his nose.
“I remember my mother saying that my grandfather had collected many paintings by Lin Mingxi.”
Xun simply introduced this fact, and he seemed to be deeply fond of the painting, holding it with great affection, as if it reminded him of past events. Seeing how much Xun liked this painting, the Emperor thought for a moment and then looked at the other paintings, suddenly understanding.
As Xun was examining the paintings, he seemed to remember how his mother had often talked about the Lin family.
Had his grandfather, back then, examined his own collection in the same way? Had this painting once been in his grandfather’s hands, scattered after the downfall of the Lin family, and eventually… found its way back into his possession?
As he was lost in thought, he heard the Emperor’s voice beside him: “I understand his hint now!”
Xun: ??
He pulled himself out of his reverie and asked, “What hint?”
“The Lu family has traveled far and wide since childhood, so they must know many things both domestic and abroad—not just in Jing Dynasty, but also in the Western and other foreign countries.” The Emperor pointed to the paintings, “The one you have is a traditional Chinese painting.”
Xun: ??
“And this one.” The Emperor pointed to the painting with blotches of color, “is Impressionism.”
Xun: ???
“And this one,” the Emperor pointed to the painting with many color blocks, “is Picasso!”
Xun: ???
“These were originally all Chinese paintings, but under the influence of water, they turned into various artistic styles from different countries and periods. As the saying goes, ‘water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.’ He is hinting to me that I shouldn’t be too radical, forcefully applying foreign experiences and creating something unrecognizable, thus neglecting the national conditions of the Great Jing itself! Instead, this Chinese painting is the most beautiful because it adheres to the unique features of the Great Jing!” The Emperor exclaimed, “This Lu Bin is truly remarkable!”
Xun: ???
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