Chapter 8: The Scapegoat Walnut – Did He Say Something Wrong?

As soon as he spoke, Su Jin’s face reddened even more, and the fingers resting properly on her knees became hot, with visible blue veins protruding at a glance.

With elders present, Su Jin was not as restrained as when alone with Shen Yuan. Although her face was tinged with a peach blossom rouge color, she still spoke fluently, “Respected teacher is teasing her student again. Young Master Song just came to deliver an umbrella out of kindness, nothing more.”

The small hammer in Shen Yuan’s hand paused, then resumed striking even faster.

Soon, piles of walnut kernels were arranged in the celadon bowl before him.

Speaking of which, Shen Yuan had never liked eating walnuts since childhood. In previous years, it was only when Wen Rong personally shelled the kernels, dipped them in honey, and coaxed him well that he reluctantly ate a bite.

This time, after returning from the outer courtyard, he had Huai An fetch walnuts stored from last autumn and winter from the storehouse. Taking a small hammer, he found a seat on the soft couch in the hall and began cracking them on the low table with resounding thuds.

It was indeed a rare sight in previous years.

When Shen Meng went to change into casual clothes, Wen Rong had quietly asked Huai An if he had quarreled with Su Jin, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

At least he wasn’t venting his anger on the walnuts.

Shen Meng favored Su Jin. If the two had just had an argument, and she said a few words about Yuan’er’s faults, Shen Yuan would likely be strictly disciplined for a whole month, confined to copying books at home to pass the days.

Now, Shen Meng asked about Su Jin’s recent studies as usual. Shen Yuan’s hammer strokes became much gentler than before. Though his eyes weren’t looking this way, his body had long lost its proper posture, slightly inclined, eavesdropping quite openly.

“You!” Wen Rong, leaning on the soft couch, tapped his forehead, “You’ve cracked so many walnut kernels with all that tapping. When your mother asks later, you’d better think carefully about what to say.”

In her early years, Shen Meng had served as the magistrate of Beiliang County, a place far from the capital, in the northwestern-most part of Great Jin. There, yellow sand obscured the sun year-round, with black winds rolling constantly.

Rain was rarely seen throughout the year, the land lacked water, and the people were even more in want of water and grain.

Even though Her Majesty had ordered grain transport and well-digging, the area was surrounded by endless barren mountains, piles of rocks and soil that would occasionally fall from high places.

Traveling in and out carried great risks.

Even digging wells was fraught with difficulties.

During those three years in office,

Shen Meng had directed people to dig in over a hundred different locations, each more than ten meters deep, but altogether they had obtained only a little muddy water. Even after settling in vats for three days and nights, it showed no signs of clarity.

Some are born into wealthy families, while others are born not knowing the sweetness of water.

Since then, not a grain of rice or millet was allowed to be wasted in the Shen household.

No sooner had Wen Rong finished speaking than Shen Meng looked over with a smile, “What are you two father and son whispering about?”

She and Wen Rong were childhood sweethearts with deep affection. In recent years, as Wen Rong had aged and managed the affairs of the household, he rarely showed the vivacity of the past, always maintaining a steady and graceful demeanor.

Just now, while talking to Shen Yuan, he inadvertently revealed a few traces of his unmarried liveliness.

Shen Meng had been seriously instructing Su Jin about her studies, but at this moment she couldn’t help but be distracted, her heart rippling with emotion.

Shen Yuan was long accustomed to such scenes, but Su Jin found it quite novel. She didn’t dare raise her head, her eyes fixed on her own shoes, sitting upright and proper in her chair.

Shen Meng’s gaze was gentle, and she didn’t avoid the two juniors. Wen Rong, annoyed with her, coughed lightly and reproached her unnaturally, “Wife-master!”

When the gentleman became annoyed, even though he looked handsome, Shen Meng didn’t dare to look anymore, lest he become even more displeased.

Her eyes fell on the small mountain peak of walnut kernels piled in the celadon bowl, and Shen Meng frowned slightly, “Yuan’er, why have you shelled so many walnut kernels?”

“Mother, I heard that these walnut kernels are excellent for scholars, so I personally shelled them to send to the kitchen to make porridge.”

Shen Yuan vaguely remembered hearing something like this from people around him earlier at the opera house.

It was said that these walnut kernels were especially suitable for female scholars.

Today he had lost face in the outer courtyard, and Su Jin was his mother’s prized student. Unable to do anything about it, he could only vent his anger on the walnuts.

Who told Su Jin to have a brain just like a walnut, hard and dull.

He casually handed the celadon bowl to Huai Nan at his side, and when he turned his eyes, he saw his father’s face turning red again and again, and even his mother unusually said nothing more.

Even Su Jin…

Shen Yuan secretly humphed, Su Jin didn’t count, every time he saw her, she was always blushing.

The hall fell quiet for a moment.

He looked at Huai An in confusion, seeing that he was also at a loss, and became even more puzzled.

Did he say something wrong?