Outside the book pavilion.

After lamenting Xu Yun's "illiteracy is useless," Xiaoli no longer spoke much.

After all, in this era, the concept of class distinctions was still very clear.

Some time passed.

Steward Li returned to the scene with another book, the title being "Huangzhou Nine Cities and Eight Counties Annals."

Xu Yun checked the contents once more, and after confirming there were no issues, began placing the books back in the box with Yongzhu and others.

A quarter of an hour later.

Fifty sets of books, totaling one hundred and twenty-seven individual volumes, were all verified and sealed.

Xu Yun then went to Xiaoli's side and handed Old Su's borrowing document to her:

"Miss, this is Master Su's borrowing document. Please have a look."

Xiaoli took the document, scrutinized it carefully, and nodded slightly:

"The document is correct, you may leave now."

After speaking, her gaze lingered on the pole behind Xu Yun and others for a moment, as if she thought of something:

"You don't have a carriage accompanying you this time?"

Yongzhu, standing nearby, shook his head, knowing this young lady probably hadn't dealt with such handovers much, and explained:

"Miss, the master has now retired, soon to return to Jingkou, so there have never been many carriages in the mansion.

Moreover, servants fetching items have never used carriages, servants are for handling such tasks..."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoli was silent for a moment, then turned to Li Gu:

"Steward Li, please arrange a carriage to send these boxes of books to Duke Zhao's Mansion, as these books are rare copies, it is best to be cautious."

Steward Li immediately bowed and accepted the order:

"Understood, I will handle it right away."

Yongzhu and others exchanged glances, feeling delighted in their hearts, they quickly thanked:

"Thank you, Miss!"

Xiaoli maintained a businesslike expression, saying:

"You may go carry the book boxes, Wang Lin, come with me."

Xu Yun heard this and a cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He didn't self-indulge in thinking Xiaoli was love-struck at first sight, so presumably, what's coming is another round of lecturing.

Women are really troublesome.jpg.

Yet, due to reasons of status, he obediently followed Xiaoli to the side.

Then Xiaoli glanced at him and said:

"Wang Lin, you and I are passing acquaintances, I don't know your family's status or where you're situated, nor do I know how learned you truly are.

But there is one thing I know:

In those books, there are quite a few characters even I don't fully understand, yet you identified and read them out one by one.

With such learning and yet claiming you cannot compose poetry or write, isn't that taking others for fools?"

Xu Yun: "..."

He really wanted to tell this little bean sprout that his language and literacy were enhancements crafted by his 'halo,' he even bantered in 17th-century English with Little Niu back then.

Xiaoli paused, then continued:

"Wang Lin, I only hope you do not waste your learning, should the day come when you can step into the literary world, either as an official or a recluse entering academia, this is the way of the world, do you understand?"

Xu Yun remained silent.

He wouldn't self-indulge in thinking Xiaoli fell for him after verifying the books' names, nor would he fantasize about Xiaoli hoping he'd gain a good status and come to ask her hand.

Xiaoli's ability to say such things largely stemmed from her earnest nature and her boldness in speaking plainly.

Back when Zhao Mingcheng abandoned the city and fled, in her indignation, Xiaoli wrote a poem expressing her emotions, let alone the current Xu Yun.

For just as she said.

Even though she wasn't sure about Xu Yun's literary capabilities, merely from his ability to discern names, he would easily qualify as a Junior Official in the government office.

Especially considering that one important criterion for Junior Officials in these times was 'know three hundred characters.'

Xu Yun was silent for a few more seconds.

Yet possibly attributed to Xiaoli's historical standing, this time he unusually replied with a few words, somewhat imbued with personal emotion:

"To receive Miss's favor, Wang Lin is deeply grateful, but I truly have no inclination towards literary pursuits, please Miss, don't waste your words on me.

As for what Miss refers to as literature being the sole path of this era, I must respectfully disagree."

Upon hearing Xu Yun's words, Xiaoli raised her brows:

"Our dynasty emphasizes literature over martial arts, as Emperor Zhenzong said, 'In books, there are houses full of gold, in books, there is Yan Ruyu, apart from the literary way, what other path is there?"

Xu Yun sighed, pondered for a moment, and said:

"Miss, may I borrow the master's document?"

Having held onto the borrowing document since earlier, Xiaoli immediately extended her hand:

"Go ahead."

Xu Yun thanked her, took the document, and unfolded it.

He then pinched one corner of the document, allowing the remaining part to hang down naturally.

Then he said to Xiaoli:

"Miss, if I were to blow towards this paper with my thumb pointing as such, what do you think would happen?"

Xiaoli glanced at the document in Xu Yun's hand, unhesitatingly saying:

"Isn't it obvious? Naturally, it would droop even more and eventually stick to your hand."

Xu Yun smiled, said nothing, and gently blew air onto the paper.

At first, Xiaoli thought Xu Yun was putting on a show, but a few seconds later, her eyes widened suddenly:

As Xu Yun expelled his breath, the paper surprisingly began to float up! (Note: This actually has nothing to do with the Bernoulli principle)

Xiaoli's eyes widened further, ultimately taking the document from Xu Yun's hand.

She first turned the document over, then puffed her cheeks like a hamster, blowing air.

A moment later.

The document floated up again!

Little bean sprout laid down the document in a daze, looking at Xu Yun in shock:

"Wang Lin, why is this?"

Xu Yun shrugged at her:

"I don't know either, but the master once said, all things in the world have intrinsic laws, therefore I firmly believe there must be some astonishing reason behind this situation."

"Your master? Duke Zhao?"

Xu Yun nodded confidently, because Old Su indeed spoke about some things related to physics:

"Indeed."

Xiaoli already had a playful nature, now she became even more curious:

"Wang Lin, are there more such strange things?"

Xu Yun thought for a bit and asked:

"Miss, have you ever accidentally knocked over a teacup while drinking tea, spilling tea on the table?"

Xiaoli was silent for a moment, then shook her head:

"No, but it can happen."

"..."

Xu Yun was speechless for a few seconds, then said:

"Miss, why not try it, you will find that even though it's the same tea, the edge of the spill will form a dark ring much deeper in color than the center..."

Just as he finished speaking.

Xiaoli turned and walked into the side room where she had rested before.

A short while later.

The young lady came out carrying a teapot.

After returning to Xu Yun's side, she tilted the teapot, spilling some tea.

The high temperature of summer meant it didn't take long for the tea spill to begin showing signs of drying up.

Xiaoli leaned over to look, indeed, as Xu Yun described, the edges of the spill were significantly darker than the middle!

Xiaoli's little head grew even more confused:

She had deliberately filtered all the tea leaves from the pot before pouring out the tea; why did this still happen?

Seeing Xiaoli looking at him again, Xu Yun shrugged again:

"Don't ask me, I truly don't know, but each time I delve into these mysteries, the joy I receive is no less than composing poetry.

Or rather..."

"Or rather what?"

"Or rather, this too is like composing a couplet about the mysteries of the world; what we witness is the upper verse, the internal truth is the lower verse, the enjoyment therein is indescribable to others."

Looking at the tea spill on the ground, Xiaoli unusually didn't press her viewpoint further.

A while later.

Li Gu came over again, first glancing at the tea spill on the ground, then said:

"Miss, the carriage is ready."

Upon seeing this, Xu Yun quickly bowed:

"In that case, I shall take my leave first."

With that, he turned to leave with Li Gu.

But after a few steps, Xiaoli suddenly called out from behind:

"Wang Lin, what is that road called?"

Xu Yun stopped without hesitation and replied:

"Science."

After Xu Yun left.

Xiaoli looked at the tea spill on the ground, then at the document in her hand, falling into contemplation...

"Science..."

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