Fu Yun suddenly stopped, and Lian Rong followed, saying: "Mr. Fu, Assistant Minister invites you in, please co inside."
After speaking, he pushed the door half open, still smiling as he looked over.
Fu Yun’s heart was pounding like a drum, and after nodding in acknowledgent, he adjusted his attire with dignity, following behind him into the room.
The room wasn’t very bright, with both windows closed. It seed his guess was right, the people inside must have been napping just now.
After entering, Fu Yun hurriedly stood at the door, not daring to step further.
A soft chuckle ca from behind the large study desk in the room: "Why is Mr. Fu standing so far away?"
On the other side, Lian Rong had already opened the window, and as daylight stread in, everything inside the room was revealed.
A man in his early twenties sat half-reclined behind the long table, wearing a perfectly neat purple official robe, with an engraved gold waist belt around his waist. His left hand rested on the armrest, while his right hand casually toyed with a fan pendant on the desk.
Beside his hand lay a removed black gauze cap, which allowed him to have his hair down.
Unlike any occasion encountered outside, where he was always impeccably dressed, at this mont, despite wearing official attire, his hair was let down, lacking that ticulousness, but instead exuding a kind of reckless abandon, as if too lazy to hide anything.
Fu Yun obediently walked forward, giving a salute, listening closely to the sound of him flipping through a book.
"The writings of the late Grand Tutor of the previous dynasty should be a treasured heirloom of the Fu Family, why would Mr. Fu think of gifting them to ?"
Xu Yin’s voice remained languid, pleasantly amiable that dared no impudence.
Fu Yun hesitantly glanced at Lian Rong beside him, without speaking.
Xu Yin chuckled again, tilting up the fan pendant in his hand slightly, prompting Lian Rong to step out, closing the door behind him.
Fu Yun lifted his garnt, and with a thud, knelt to the ground: "This humble official has been neglectful in managing my family lately, and ca specifically to apologize!"
He knocked his head to the floor, yet no movent ca from above.
Gradually a prickling sensation arose on his back, making even breathing uncomfortable.
After a long while, sweat was felt on his back when a faint "Hmm" belatedly ca from above, accompanied by the sound of a book being set down, and Fu Yun finally heard a complete response: "Mr. Fu’s sincerity is comndable."
Fu Yun slowly lifted his head, eting Xu Yin’s deep Phoenix Eyes. The other’s lips slightly curved: "Then please rise."
After speaking, he stood up from behind the desk, holding the book, leisurely pacing in the room. "Is Mr. Fu a grandnephew of the Grand Preceptor Fu?"
"In reply to the esteed sir, this humble official is indeed the grandnephew of the family’s great-uncle. My grandfather and the Grand Preceptor Fu were brothers born of the sa mother."
"So Mr. Fu is also from a distinguished family."
Fu Yun wiped his forehead: "This humble official feels unworthy to face the great uncle."
Though sowhat experienced in officialdom, in front of this young man he was so nervous he dared not make even the slightest mistake in his steps.
Xu Yin stood by the window, chuckling while flipping book pages, suddenly asked: "Who gave you this idea?"
Fu Yun abruptly froze. There he stood by the window, calmly and freely flipping the book, his gaze never even glancing this way, as if the question was rely Fu Yun’s hallucination.
—It’s over!
The stupid girl’s bad idea has eventually been seen through!
His throat tightened, unsure of how to answer.
"Why not speak?" Xu Yin’s eyes remained on the book pages, as if the questioning was the most casual matter.
Fu Yun felt sothing clutching at his chest, he mumbled twice, lowered his head and said: "It, it was my own, my own speculation..."
Even though he was blaming himself, the young man in front of him remained impassive, revealing no depth, providing no clue!
Taking the bla wasn’t to protect Fu Zhen, he actually wished he could push that stupid girl to confess, but she was his daughter, her confessing was, for him, no different from confessing himself! Wouldn’t it all fall back on him, centing his negligence in managing his household!
Fu Yun felt extrely disheartened, angry with both Fu Zhen and his gullible faith in her.
Yet he couldn’t just wait to be punished, so he again lifted his robe and knelt to the ground: "This humble official acted rashly, seeking forgiveness from the esteed sir!"
After a while, a question ca from the window: "Forgiveness for what?"
Fu Yun paused, suddenly looked up, only to see Xu Yin raising an eyebrow: "The Grand Preceptor Fu’s illustrious reputation spreads far and wide, his talent and virtue praised even by the current Emperor. Mr. Fu’s willingness to present a prominent official’s personal works to is a great gift, what cri is there in that?"
Fu Yun was stunned!
Was he not angry at him?
Had he overthought it?
As his mind was swirling with thoughts, Xu Yin was already walking over: "Mr. Fu just needs to honestly answer , was this idea truly yours?"
His gaze fell directly: "With busy governnt affairs in the office every day, I never got the chance to speak with Mr. Fu, I suppose by now you shouldn’t be withholding anything."
Fu Yun’s heart pounded erratically within his chest!
He straightened up and said: "Yes!... It was indeed this humble official’s sincere wish to present it to the esteed sir!"
Fearing disbelief, he continued: "The esteed sir might not know, this humble official’s ho lacks elders for guidance, all matters big and small must be personally attended to and deliberated upon.
"This humble official has long admired the esteed sir’s talent, feeling unworthy to hold these collections, and wished to find an opportunity to present them, so this ti, I dared to do so."
Xu Yin smirked, walking slowly two steps. These brief steps felt so long to Fu Yun, as if they covered two miles.
"Too bad Mr. Fu has such talent, yet I failed to discover it sooner."
Upon saying this, he glanced back at him, with a faint smile on his face again: "Please rise."
Fu Yun paused for a mont, then nervously stood up.
Xu Yin’s expression turned serious: "Regarding the previous matter, considering it was your first offense, it will not be pursued. After today, I hope Mr. Fu will pay more attention to dostic affairs, avoiding any similar turbulence to prevent laughter from the wise."
Fu Yun hurriedly offered thanks: "Thank you, Assistant Minister, for your grace in not punishing !"
Xu Yin picked up his tea, took a sip, swallowed, and setting the cup down, glanced over: "Go about your business then."
Fu Yun continuously nodded in agreent, respectfully exiting the room.
In a place away from others, he let out a deep breath, raised his sleeve to wipe his forehead before quickly striding out of the governnt office!
Under the gallery, Lian Rong reentered the room, seeing Xu Yin already back in his seat, leaning against the chair back, perusing the book in his hand.
On the book cover was written "Essays on the Prosperous Age."
Lian Rong had just flipped through it in the gallery, noting it was a collection of Fu Ziyu’s several lectures conducted in the Imperial Peach Blossom Forest, gathering sayings from prominent scholars of the ti, truly a rare officialdom treasure.
The slanting sunlight streaming through the window shone upon Xu Yin’s figure, burying his entire face turned towards the door in shadow.
The strands of black hair falling on the official robe transford into a heavy ink splashed onto the purple garnt.
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