Chapter 301: Chapter 137 Yin Kun
"Young Master! We have arrived at the Yin Mansion!" Ming Mo and Ming Yan jumped off the carriage and spoke to Gu Chengyu inside.
Gu Chengyu lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside. The Yin Mansion was a two-courtyard residence located in the northern part of the Capital. Although it was just two courtyards, it wasnât small in scale. The northern streets housed many high officials and noble families. Senior brother Yin Kun held a Standard Third Rank; his official position was neither high nor low. The Yin Family valued farming and education passed down through generations, and their ancestors werenât wealthy aside from a hundred acres of land without additional income.
However, Yin Kun, despite living off his salary, married the second legitimate daughter of the Anhe Marquis Mansion, from the Liang Family. His teacher, Liang Zhirui, was a branch of the Anhe Marquis Mansion; the two families were within five degrees of kinship, making the Liang lady his niece.
Do not assume that just because Yin Kun married into the Liang Family, he wouldnât worry about Silver Coin. Actually, the grand Anhe Marquis Mansion leads quite a strained life.
The Anhe Marquis Mansion is one of the most notable declined households in the Capital. Initially, their title was hereditary, and the younger generation, relying on ancestral protection, became ignorant and useless. Nowadays, the Marquis Mansion holds merely an empty title without influence in the court, itâs just a nominal status!
This was what Ming Mo found out; everyone in the Capital knew about it, and it wasnât a secret. Gu Chengyu had asked Ming Mo to gather information on the senior and third senior brothers. The situation in the senior brotherâs family was roughly like this.
The third senior brother, He Jisheng used to be a poor student. Who knows how he caught the teacherâs eye and climbed to his current position step by step. Of course, the teacher played a role in this, but undeniably, He himself was also capable.
After the teacher became retired, He still managed to get promoted one more rank, which made him not to be underestimated. Ming Mo found that He Jisheng was a very smooth person, maintaining good relations with colleagues and superiors in the court. On the other hand, the senior brother gave people the impression of being upright and cheerful. However, there were quite a few colleagues he had grudges with, probably due to his official position.
Gu Chengyu hesitated, logically, the senior brother with a higher official ranking should be his first choice. However, he felt that the third senior brotherâs smoothness and wide connections would benefit the tavern.
But he currently had no foundation and couldnât expect others to help him just because they were fellow students. Rumors shouldnât be fully trusted; he thought it would be best to visit them in person first.
Since he planned to visit both houses, the second senior brotherâs family couldnât be left out. Although he wasnât in the Capital, the womenfolk were; his wife stayed in the Capital to look after the elderly lady of the mansion.
Gu Chengyu got off the carriage, signaling Ming Mo to go knock on the door.
"Please inform them that student Gu Chengyu has come to pay a visit!"
The porter had just gotten up when the master returned from court, and it was a free time, making him drowsy. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door and saw a young scholar with a servant coming to knock. The porter frowned; he had seen many such students. Some didnât even know the master and still tried to form fake connections.
Without even looking at the card in Ming Moâs hand, he intended to push them away. However, when he suddenly heard the name Gu Chengyu, he was abruptly awakened.
A few days ago, someone sent a calling card, and the steward had said that if a student named Gu Chengyu came, they should report to the outer courtyard study.
He quickly took the card from Ming Moâs hand. Seeing it was indeed Gu Chengyu, he was startled, and a smile immediately spread across his face, "Mr. Gu, please wait, I will go report!"
Saying that, he invited Gu Chengyu to rest at the side door. The main gates of official residences were usually only opened for distinguished guests or significant occasions; on ordinary days, people used the side door.
"Thank you, young brother!" Ming Mo took out a piece of Silver Coin from his sleeve and handed it to the porter.
The porter was accustomed to receiving such rewards, so he accepted it without hesitation, skillfully tucking it away, having surely done this many times before. With the tip, his attitude improved significantly.
Seeing this, Gu Chengyu suddenly thought of the phrase, "Itâs easy to meet King Yan, but the little devils are hard to deal with!"
It wasnât long before the porter came to invite Gu Chengyu in.
"Are you Mr. Gu? I am Steward Qin, the outer courtyard steward of the Yin Mansion. Please follow me to the outer study; the master is already waiting in the study." Steward Qin was a middle-aged man in his forties, his face slightly downcast, not directly looking at Gu Chengyu.
"Thank you, Steward Qin!" Gu Chengyu nodded and followed Steward Qin to the outer study. As for Ming Mo and Ming Yan, there was a place for them to rest.
"Student Gu Chengyu greets Lord Yin!" This was Gu Chengyuâs first time meeting Yin Kun, and proper etiquette was necessary.
Yin Kun had a square face with a vertical wrinkle on his brow, probably caused by frequent frowning. He wore a gray Daoist robe and, upon seeing Gu Chengyu enter, a smile immediately appeared on his face.
"Why so formal? We are fellow students; you should call me senior brother! I heard you came to the Capital a while ago, but since you were preparing for the Provincial Examination, I didnât want to disturb you. Now that the exam is over, this is our first meeting, you must stay for lunch at the mansion." Hearing Gu Chengyuâs address, Yin Kunâs face visibly showed displeasure and he began to extend a lunch invitation.
"Senior brother!" Seeing Yin Kunâs genuine demeanor, Gu Chengyu naturally addressed him as senior brother.
"Have a seat! You havenât visited your second and third senior brotherâs places yet, have you? Although your second senior brother isnât home, you shouldnât neglect it; his wife and the elderly lady are still in the mansion, you should visit them!"
Yin Kun, seeing Gu Chengyu still young, feared he might lack in social etiquette and therefore gave him a few pointers.
"I have already sent the calling cards and will visit tomorrow or the day after tomorrow!" Not restrained, Gu Chengyu sat opposite Yin Kun.
From the moment Gu Chengyu entered, Yin Kun had been observing him. He was curious when he heard the teacher had accepted a closed-door disciple because he had previously mentioned not wanting to take any more students.
Over recent years, the teacher became more carefree, indicating Gu Chengyu had caught his eye. He was quite intrigued by this young junior who already had some fame, and today he finally met him in person.
"Do you feel prepared for the upcoming Autumn Examination?" The teacher mentioned in a letter that he valued Gu Chengyu, believing him to be a promising talent. When Gu Chengyu went to the Capital, the teacher wrote to both him and the second senior brother requesting they look after him.
"Nothing is absolute, I can only say Iâve done my best!" Of course, Gu Chengyu wouldnât claim to be prepared; that would inevitably leave an impression of arrogance.
After having lunch at the Yin Mansion, Gu Chengyu returned. After all, Yin Kun was busy with official duties, and Gu Chengyu didnât want to overstay his welcome. Regarding the tavern matters, given this was his first visit, he couldnât bring it up directly.
After conversing briefly with Yin Kun, he felt that he should be a straightforward person, showing some brotherly affection toward his junior.
As for other matters, they could wait until he visited the Wu Mansion and He Mansion in the next few days.