[Impressed a higher official: +100 -> +600 Renown (rank difference 6)]
[Achieved an honour in the ministry: Reward Calculating]
[Influenced a province's disaster: Reward Calculating]
'A direct reward and two calculations,' Yunyin thought as he looked at the window with refreshed information after leaving the Assistant Minister's residence.
'Compared to last time where there was a direct influence followed by a final reward calculation, this time I was only told I'd gain an honour, meaning the calculation has no results. Even the influence depends on how serious Assistant Minister Fuliang takes it – if he rejects it in the end, I might not gain anything.
Still, the reward I got is already quite good!'
He no longer lamented about this, though didn't decide to invest the renown either. His current wisdom was strong enough, there was no need for him to raise it any further.
Though thinking of it, his vision fell into his mental space, seeing his abacus firmly seated in the centre.
Hidden in a corner away from this, there were three small figures –
A Water Dragon, a lush willow tree, and a small landscape of a grassy field.
These were his paintings!
Compared to the path of officials which works a lot with mental tools, the path of scholars works with both tools and results.
Since he had a mental tool, he decided to instead pursue transforming the results of his scholarly work into mental abilities.
That's right – each of these figures had a different ability.
While his abacus was a steadfast foundation, able to do many things, the paintings had dedicated uses.
His gaze fell on the dragon, understanding dawning on him as he observed it – "Dragon Roar, a roar that shakes the heavens. It's a sound ability, how rare!
Unfortunately, I completed it before I pointed the mistake out to Miss Ying, else I could have gained an attack ability!' he thought to himself, though he wasn't truly regretful.
Any ability gained was good – in the two decades he was in his family's county, he had only gotten two. Gaining one so soon after entering the capital was quite a testament to the capital's countless opportunities.
His thoughts inevitably returned to Miss Ying, a thought appearing in his mind.
It held on for a moment before he sent it off, not bothering to think about it too deeply for now.
The line of thought followed to his discussion with the assistant minister…
"Heiluan, do you think I was too casual with the assistant minister?" he asked his attendant who had walked with him the whole time, his childhood trustee who knew best about his behaviour and plans.
Heiluan didn't reply directly, carefully choosing the words, "Master, initially the minister didn't have too good of an attitude towards you, especially when he just came to the martial arts field.
It looked as if the assistant minister had seen master's actions all along… though the way the conversation continued, especially with the change of address, it seemed everything proceeded well.
Master, that Miss Ying…"
"Don't mention it," Yunyin interrupted right away, "There is no need to think about it so deeply. It's just two scholars who both lack opportunities to exchange their ideas with others, so they talk with each other about these things."
Yunyin, in no way, thought he was in a better position just because the other party was confined in the residence while he could go out and exchange ideas with other scholars.
What does exchanging and discussing ideas mean? It means talking to a peer about various issues they encountered. A peer, the meaning being that both people are of equal standing in the topic at hand.
Finding someone his age would not result in finding people with similar minds. For example, his ideas seemed compatible with the assistant minister's, yet their difference in rank was too stark.
But this compatibility was present in Yueling's too. Maybe it was because she was raised that way, maybe she simply developed like this – whatever it was, she was definitely talented in scholarly studies and could be called a peer.
So, finding a peer he could discuss his ideas with was extremely attractive to him. There was no need to think too deeply about things that have no substance or matter.
Bump
Thud
Just as he was thinking of the scroll he got, he heard a commotion outside.
"Why are you standing in the way! Take your ugly cart and leave the street!" a loud young voice sounded outside his carriage, so Yunyin's carriage, blocked, had to stop.
Yunyin was curious about what happened, a general image forming, so he stepped out of his carriage right away!
Indeed, outside, just in front of him, there was a cart full of apples being pulled by an obviously tired donkey, while a young man, riding a horse and wearing colourful attire, complained about this apple seller.
This scene looked incredibly cliché! Yunyin didn't think they would actually happen, but seeing it with his own eyes, he had to believe it.
Though when he looked at the scene, he refuted himself. This didn't seem like a cliché scene…
"Noble, please let this poor apple cart driver go! He's just trying to make business, please have mercy!" a voice, hidden among the onlookers, sounded around the area, this time truly attracting the attention of everyone around.
Several voices followed –
"Yes, this driver is kind and always gives out apples, please let him go!"
"Young master, please don't make things difficult for him!"
One voice after another came, seemingly asking for mercy yet subtly condemning the young man's actions.
"This! You, what are you saying! He's clearly in the way of the street, so slow and blocking every carriage here, and selling apples so openly on the street where horses ride!" the man explained in defence, yet the onlookers only became more, their voices of condemnation continuing.
"Stop!" Yunyin suddenly shouted –
The attention focused on the young man suddenly shifted to him!
"Do people no longer follow the laws of the Great Ning Dynasty? The law clearly states that fruits are only sold in the fruit market – as far as I see, this is just a passage street along the outer edge of the Officials' district!
What's the point of pleading for mercy? If you break the law, at least have the guts to apologize!
And looking at the donkey and this cart, it's such an old donkey driving such a heavy cart. How much does this driver profit from selling them on this street every day to the attendants and servants of officials passing by?"
Yunyin's initial words of law indeed silenced people, yet what truly made them cast unhappy gazes at the cart driver was the last sentence of profit!
Heh, so this guy was doing it all for profit, but he couldn't even afford to get a healthier and younger donkey, and a new cart without apples falling out of it?
This guy was clearly making trouble!