398 Shang’er Secret Network Hall

At Ding Nuo Academy, in the library…

Old Ding was copying out books when the teacher brought the group to him.

He put down the pen in his hand and looked at the teacher and the people who had arrived.

“Teacher Lan, who are these people? Why did you bring them to the library?”

Teacher Lan looked at An Jiuyue and said to Old Ding, “Old Ding, this lady is looking for you.”

All these years, she was the only one who came to look for Old Ding. He had to treat her respectfully and bring her here. Where else was he supposed to take her?

“Looking for me?”

Old Ding raised his hand and stroked his long silver beard. There was no surprise in his eyes.

“She’s from the border,” Teacher Lan added.

Old Ding was now shocked.

She came from the border and was here to look for him directly. That meant…

“Miss, may I ask—”

An Jiuyue raised her hand to stop Old Ding.

She glanced at the two people beside her and instructed, “Yan Nuo, Yan Qin, you may leave first. I want to talk to this old gentleman alone.”

“Yes, Miss An.”

With outsiders present, Yan Nuo would not address An Jiuyue as “Mistress”. After receiving his orders, he grabbed Yan Qin and left.

“I’ll make tea.” Teacher Lan nodded at An Jiuyue and left.

When only An Jiuyue and Old Ding were left in the study room, he stood up and asked hesitantly, “You are…”

“Hello, Elder Ding. I’m An Jiuyue,” An Jiuyue introduced herself.

“You’re Young Master?”

Old Ding was shocked. He had received a letter from Elder Huang saying that the Young Master had left the mountain.

He thought his young master was at the border and would not be coming to the capital for a while. He did not expect her to come knocking on his door not long after he received the news.

“Greetings, Young Master. I am Ding Nuo, the head steward of Shang’er Secret Network Hall.”

He hurried to An Jiuyue, knelt before her, and saluted.

“Elder Ding, there’s no need to be so polite. Get up quickly.” An Jiuyue bent down and helped Elder Ding Nuo up.

She had only heard about how dilapidated Ding Nuo Academy was from Yan Qin and the others yesterday. When she visited today, one look at the school was enough to make anybody feel repulsive.

“Thank you, Young Master.” Ding Nuo stood up and invited An Jiuyue to sit.

“Elder Ding, how are you sustaining the academy?”

An Jiuyue sized up the library. It was actually a rather large bamboo house, but the bookshelves inside were very worn out. If the books were left unattended on the shelves, they would probably molder.

Although the Shang Secret Network had to hide its strength, wasn’t this too much?

“Young Master, the students in the academy are all disciples of our Shang’er Hall. We’ve been training them since they were young. We have no outsiders. The academy is self-sufficient,” Ding Nuo replied.

Hence, Ding Nuo Academy was just a name. Its people were all from Shang’er Secret Network Hall.

Of course, they did teach. After all, even the people from Shang’er Secret Network Hall had to learn a lot. They could not be illiterate, right?

“Are there no ordinary families sending their children to study here?” An Jiuyue asked.

“No.” Ding Nuo shook his head.

“Young Master, the capital is different from the border. Even ordinary families want to live the most luxurious life possible here. They will only attend academies of higher learning.

“Ding Nuo Academy is not their first choice in terms of appearance or education.”

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