Chapter 48

Chapter 48: When the Boat Reaches the Bridge, It Will Straighten

Su Xuan Ming stared at Su Yun Yan. “Little Sister… you were looking out for us this early?”

Su Yun Yan stared anywhere but at him. “It was just on the way.”

Shu Yao rolled her eyes and exposed her without mercy. “These past few days she went around asking the old housing brokers again. When she couldn’t find anything suitable, she came to me.”

Su Xuan Ming was moved, his throat tight. “Little Sister, why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

Shu Yao sighed and shook her head. “My sisters do more than they say. She was afraid you’d already made up your minds and she’d only trouble you.”

Su Xuan Ming smiled, unable to hide his warmth. “If Little Sister is willing to help, how could it be trouble? I’d be thrilled.”

Su Yun Yan’s face turned red as fire. She stayed close behind Gu Nan Xi, as if she wanted to hide entirely.

Seeing her shy to the point of bursting, Shu Yao changed the subject. “Marchioness, let me show you the shop. Two floors. West is Ming Fu Temple, east is the Armory.”

Gu Nan Xi looked around. The place was clean enough; with a bit of fixing up, it could open for business. It faced the street and the river, and the feng shui wasn’t bad.

“Since the restaurant is Yun Yan’s,” Gu Nan Xi said, “as long as she likes it, that’s what matters.”

“Then let’s see the courtyard,” Shu Yao said. “It’s not far.”

Shu Yao climbed into her carriage and led the way. Before long, they arrived.

It was a standalone courtyard: one north room, two rooms on the east and west, a well in the center, and a pine tree beside the well.

Everything was spotless. The gate and pillars had been coated in clear lacquer. In the north room sat a square wooden table with four stools, waiting like an invitation.

“A licentiate used to rent it to run a primer school,” Shu Yao explained. “Later, life in Capital was hard, so the licentiate returned home.”

In Shu Yao’s eyes, even if the Hundred Rivers Academy managed to open, it wouldn’t be able to truly take root in Capital. Better to start small. A courtyard like this was enough.

Su Xuan Ming nodded, thinking the same. “Mother, shall we take this place?”

“You decide,” Gu Nan Xi said, leaving it to him.

Su Xuan Ming tried to bargain anyway. “Sister Shu Yao, can the rent be a little cheaper?”

Shu Yao shook her head. “The housing guild has rules. I’m already charging the lowest price. But for Yun Yan’s sake, I won’t take the furniture.”

“Fine. Then we’ll sign now.”

Shu Yao’s doubts only deepened.

A private school was a business too. Su Xuan Ming spent money freely and didn’t even know how to haggle properly. How could he shoulder an academy?

“The contract is in the carriage,” Shu Yao said. “I’ll have a servant fetch it.”

She sighed inwardly. The Su family children were truly lucky—spoiled, rich, and protected by a mother who had money and was willing to let them try.

Even if the academy failed, the Marchioness would never scold them.

Just as Shu Yao and Su Xuan Ming lifted their brushes to sign, a servant from the Sun family ran over, panting. “Miss! You can’t sign!”

Shu Yao’s hand jerked to a stop, leaving a round black ink blot on the paper.

“Why are you panicking?” she snapped. “If it’s urgent, wait until I finish signing.”

The servant bowed repeatedly, struggling for breath. “Miss! Master said this courtyard cannot be rented to Marquis Yong Chang Manor!”

The air froze.

Shu Yao went pale with embarrassment.

She dragged the servant under the pine tree and hissed, “What did my father say? We agreed this was my responsibility. Why is he going back on it?”

The servant bowed again and again. “Miss, Master had no choice. Early this morning the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works came to inspect the Tun Tian Bureau—said he was checking the accounts!”

Shu Yao’s expression hardened. In Capital, from top to bottom, no official was a lotus untouched by mud. If someone wanted to be strict, no one could stay clean.

Her father paid tribute every year and greased palms up and down. There was no reason the Vice Minister would suddenly come looking for trouble…

Unless someone had ordered it.

Shu Yao fought with herself, then approached Gu Nan Xi with reddened eyes. “Marchioness, I… I…”

Gu Nan Xi exchanged a glance with Su Xuan Ming, then spoke gently, as if to spare her. “Shu Yao, I’m sorry. We’ll look at other courtyards.”

Shu Yao lowered her head. Big tears splashed onto her padded coat.

Su Yun Yan grabbed Shu Yao’s hand, her face full of worry and guilt. “Shu Yao, it’s my fault. I didn’t know it would become this serious.”

They only wanted to build an academy. How had it turned into something they were being hunted down for?

Su Yun Ting lightly tapped Shu Yao’s forehead with his fan, teasing, though his eyes softened. “Oh? Even Spicy Sister is shedding cat tears? Don’t take it to heart. Our Hundred Rivers Academy should be in a spacious place. Your little courtyard is too small.”

Shu Yao wiped her tears and glared at him. “A dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory. Anyone who takes comfort from you will die of anger.”

Then she turned to Gu Nan Xi and poured out everything she knew. “Marchioness, what will you do? If they keep blocking you like this, you probably won’t find a decent place inside Capital.”

Gu Nan Xi lifted a hand and patted Shu Yao’s hair, calm as still water. “If we can’t find one in Capital, we’ll go to the Capital Outskirts. If they won’t rent to us, then we’ll buy. When the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten. Don’t burden your heart.”

After saying goodbye, Gu Nan Xi and the others prepared to return home.

In the carriage, Su Yun Ting slumped against the wall, drained. “It must be Li Shao Yan and Headmaster Wu. Why are they biting us like mad dogs and refusing to let go?”

Su Xuan Ming lifted the curtain and stared out at the street.

Painted pavilions and brothel halls. Embroidered windows and jeweled curtains. Fine horses and carved carriages. Fragrance on the road.

Such a vast Capital—yet they couldn’t find a single place to use.

The crowd pressed shoulder to shoulder, weaving through markets and entertainment quarters. Laughter and curses poured into the air without end.

“Have you placed your bets on the Hundred Rivers Academy?”

“Don’t mention it! The bookmaker already closed the bets. Everyone’s betting it won’t get built—why would the bookmaker take a losing deal?”

“Huh? Didn’t you all say the Marchioness of Yong Chang has connections everywhere? Why are you so pessimistic this time?”

“Heh. Even heaven has levels. The heaven behind Headmaster Wu is higher than the heaven behind the Marchioness of Yong Chang!”

Su Xuan Ming let the curtain fall, shutting out the noise. His eyes darkened, emotions surging like a tide.

“Mother,” he said lowly, “I will build this academy no matter what.”

Gu Nan Xi was half-asleep. “Mm.”

Su Xuan Ming sounded like he was asking her—and answering himself. “But where do we build it?”

Gu Nan Xi’s head bobbed. Her voice came soft as drifting snow. “When the boat reaches the bridge… it will straighten.”