"Ah, old monk, you're looking for me to study Buddhist teachings? Good, I'll go right away..." Xiaoyao suddenly said, then disappeared in a flash.
"?? Where's any old monk? Damn, that kid used it as an excuse to escape," The Young Miss discovered there was no trace of any old monk, and also no trace of Xiaoyao.
Xiaoyao didn't want to get entangled in this issue, and since there was nothing more for him to do, he went to find the old monk to discuss Buddhist teachings. For him, studying Buddhism was much more meaningful than staying with the Young Miss and the others talking nonsense.
"I really never imagined that Xiaoyao actually knows Buddhist teachings, and even the head abbot of Lanruo Temple needs to seek him out for discussions. Listening to them discuss Buddhist principles, I'm starting to wonder if Xiaoyao grew up in a monastery from childhood! It's so profound..." Third Miss sighed with emotion. She had some knowledge of Buddhism herself, but after hearing the conversation between Xiaoyao and the old monk, she felt so insignificant.
At this moment, Third Miss finally understood what the Young Miss had said before - that Xiaoyao might go chant sutras and strike wooden fish drums. What seemed impossible at the time now seemed very likely.
"Don't doubt it. This little servant is simply a monster - he knows everything and can master it all! Except for giving birth to children, I suspect there's nothing he can't do!" Nangong Suxin chimed in.
"How can he not give birth? He can just find a woman to bear children for him.”
"..."
Just like that, another day passed. Xiaoyao again stayed up late into the night discussing with the old monk by candlelight, then meditated and rested there.
...
...
Meanwhile, the four girls huddled together sleeping in one room, their jade bodies sprawled across the bed in a most alluring scene - though of course, no one was there to witness this view.
...
Today, Xiaoyao encountered an absolutely beautiful young lady. The young lady even took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him. He thought he was having a stroke of romantic luck, but never expected it would turn into a romantic disaster—
"From today on, you are not allowed to have the surname Le!"
"..."
...
"..." Xiaoyao stared ahead in a daze...
Xiaoyao had been quite free today. The Young Miss and Nangong Suxin had gone to compete, just going through the motions formally. Guxing and Third Miss had also accompanied them. He felt he could continue going to Hanlin Academy to read books.
But when he arrived at Hanlin Academy, there was an absolutely beautiful young lady sitting at the entrance. The young lady was seated in a chair with a small tea table beside her, eating while waiting.
All of this was right in the middle of Hanlin Academy's main entrance. Simply put, this absolutely beautiful young lady was blocking the gate. Xiaoyao suddenly felt that today was probably not going to be peaceful!
So Xiaoyao did one thing—
He turned around and left!!
Xiaoyao didn't want to encounter trouble. Even if the possibility of this trouble was very, very small, he wouldn't go - unless it was something he absolutely had to do. But Hanlin Academy could wait a little longer. Since Guxing and the others were all at First Academy Under Heaven, he would be making his living here for quite some time.
Therefore, there would be plenty of time later!
That absolutely beautiful young lady saw Xiaoyao's action and was first stunned. She seemed not to have expected that someone would turn and leave after seeing her. Even if the other party knew she was looking for trouble with him, it was impossible to just walk away directly without even asking!
This poor scholar was a bit problematic. Even if he wasn't the person she was looking for, there might be something else going on!
"Stop!!"
"..."
Xiaoyao heard a beautiful voice calling from behind, but he didn't turn back. He continued walking - she hadn't called his name, so who knew who she was telling to stop.
"Poor scholar, I'm telling you to stop!!"
Hmm, now that was more like it. She might be calling me, but I'm still going to keep walking!
It's only "might" be calling me - there are plenty of poor scholars on the street, not necessarily me!!
"I'm talking to you!" That absolutely beautiful young lady stood in front of Xiaoyao, making it impossible for him to avoid her any longer. He could only face her calmly.
"May I ask, miss, why are you blocking my way?" Xiaoyao affected the manner of a scholar - isn't this how all scholars talk?
The absolutely beautiful young lady naturally paid no attention to this. She had seen many scholars and was already accustomed to their bookish mannerisms. She simply asked, "Are you called Xiaoyao?"
"Indeed, that is this humble scholar!" Xiaoyao replied with a smile.
"Very good. I've been waiting for you for several days, and you've finally appeared!"
"Waiting for me for several days?" Xiaoyao was a bit confused. Did he really have such charm that such a young lady would wait here for him for several days?
Wait, even if he did have charm, at the very least they would have had to meet before she would know. But he had never seen this young lady before him. With his memory, it would be impossible to forget.
"Don't be so narcissistic!" The absolutely beautiful young lady saw Xiaoyao's expression and seemed to guess what he was thinking. She said coldly, "I just want you to do one thing. From today on, you are not allowed to have the surname Le!"
"..."
Xiaoyao looked at the young lady before him for a while, somewhat dazed. What was this? He hadn't done anything, yet just because of a surname he could offend someone?
Damn, this was too ridiculous - truly a case of catching a stray bullet while lying down!!
"What do you mean?" Xiaoyao didn't quite understand. This matter was really quite inexplicable - anyone would be confused by such a thing.
"Can't you understand? You are not allowed to say you have the surname Le anymore!" the absolutely beautiful young lady said.
"Then do you think I should take your surname?" Xiaoyao asked. Generally in such situations, the other party would likely say he should take their surname.
"Hmph! If you took my surname, why would I go to such trouble? You don't know who I am yet, do you? My surname is Le - Le Youran!!" The absolutely beautiful young lady revealed her name, she also had the surname Le.
"Oh my, our names are very similar! Leisurely and content, free and easy - Le Youran, Le Xiaoyao - what a perfect match!" Xiaoyao said with a laugh. This absolutely beautiful young lady Le Youran's name indeed had a complementary feeling with his Le Xiaoyao.
"Bah! Who's a perfect match with you? Now that you put it that way, I think you need to change this name too!" Le Youran frowned with some disgust, as if being associated with Xiaoyao made her feel very embarrassed.
"May I ask, what are you to me? My mother?" Xiaoyao asked.
"Bah, bah! Do I look that old?" Le Youran first thought about him calling her old, this was a woman's instinctive reaction, but quickly understood what Xiaoyao meant.
"What do you mean by that?!" Le Youran asked coldly.
"Nothing much. Since you're not my mother, what right do you have to decide what my surname is or what I'm called?" Xiaoyao said calmly. "Alright, if this is all you wanted to say, then please step aside. I'm very busy!"
"How dare you tell me to step aside!!" Le Youran said coldly.
"Oh, never mind, you don't need to step aside!" Xiaoyao suddenly changed his tune. Was he afraid?
"Hmph! Those who understand the times are wise, kid. Be obedient and there won't be any trouble," Le Youran seemed to think she had won, the other party was now showing weakness. But she soon realized she was wrong. This kid saying she didn't need to step aside wasn't because he was afraid of her, but because he simply didn't need her to step aside.
"Sorry, you can continue standing there. I suddenly remembered I'm not going that way!" Xiaoyao said apologetically, then turned to walk in the opposite direction.
Changing direction and taking another route - you want to give yourself a way out, huh? Hmph, in the end you're still just a small character. You still want to oppose me? You dare to have the surname Le? You dare to be called Le Xiaoyao!!
Le Xiaoyao, Le Youran...
Speaking of which, the names really are quite similar, but such situations are common - it's just one of those coincidences.
But it was precisely because of this coincidence that Le Youran couldn't stand it. She felt that Xiaoyao's existence was an insult to her, to the Le family. She wanted to make Xiaoyao change his name and surname. Previously she only wanted him to change his surname, but now she wanted to add changing his name too.
Because before, she only felt that Xiaoyao having the surname Le made her feel that her Le family was being dishonored. But now Xiaoyao's name made her feel that she was losing face.
By the way, this Le Youran was the young miss of the Le family - the one the Nangong clan had been probing about.
At that time, when Nangong Yan skillfully asked what relationship the Le family had with Xiaoyao, Le Youran had no idea there was such a person as Le Xiaoyao. The Nangong clan understood that Xiaoyao didn't actually belong to the Le family. Later, some of Third Miss's words also proved that Xiaoyao couldn't possibly be anyone from the Le family, because Xiaoyao had grown up in the Mo family of Qingyun Province since childhood, always being a little servant of the Mo family.
Although Le Youran wasn't stupid, she learned about Xiaoyao's existence from some of Nangong Yan's questions, but she misunderstood what Nangong Yan was trying to express. She thought Nangong Yan was trying to tactfully tell her that there was someone claiming to have the surname Le, wanting to borrow the Le family's influence to swindle and cheat.
At the same time, Le Youran also learned that Xiaoyao appeared at Hanlin Academy, so she investigated at the academy. As a result, she saw the name Le Xiaoyao. Combined with the academy's attitude toward Xiaoyao - treating Xiaoyao as a member of the Le family - she became even more certain of her suspicions.
Although she couldn't be sure whether Xiaoyao's surname Le was original or adopted, she could be certain of one thing: Xiaoyao was definitely borrowing the Le family's prestige to gain advantages.
If Xiaoyao knew about this, he would have no way to deny it, because he had indeed gained advantages in this place. Although it wasn't him actively seeking advantages - others had offered them - he had still benefited.
However, this matter didn't seem like it could serve as a reason. Even if he had gained advantages, this matter didn't really affect anything.
Le Youran didn't care whether it affected anything or not. She only knew that Xiaoyao had taken advantage of the Le family. Therefore, she wanted to make Xiaoyao understand the price of doing so. At the same time, regardless of the circumstances, she would not allow Xiaoyao to use the surname Le, because she felt this was an insult to the Le surname.
Or rather, it could be said this was an insult to their Le family.
The Nangong clan had no idea that their cautious probing had actually gotten Xiaoyao into big trouble.
Le Youran looked at Xiaoyao. Seeing him walking toward the Hanlin Academy behind her, she immediately understood what Xiaoyao had meant earlier, he really didn't need to pass by her anymore, because he was going to Hanlin Academy.
Since he had already gotten into trouble, Xiaoyao didn't mind anymore. Naturally, he still had to go do what he was supposed to do before.
(End of Chapter)