My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 122 Part 2

Huo Anding complained: "How old am I? Why be in such a hurry to get married?"

"If you don't want to get married, then why do you always go around provoking people?"

Huo Anding wanted to say, "Who told you two to make me like this," but he figured saying that would probably earn him a beating, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Right now, A-Pan is the prefect of Baojing Prefecture. He wrote saying that Changshan Academy is enrolling students this year. He originally asked if you had any interest in going there to study."

"The letter arrived at the perfect time. Your little father and I have discussed it. Since you have no intention of starting a family, you should go to Changshan Academy and devote yourself to studying for a few years. This is the same period when I'm assigned to manage the salt administration in the southwest. If you can achieve some success in the examinations eventually, that would be ideal. If not, it's still better than leaving you to your own devices in Tongzhou."

Huo Anding raised his eyebrows at this. While Tongzhou offered plenty of amusement, going elsewhere to gain experience wasn't bad either. Without further discussion, he readily agreed: "Very well. I'll abide by your and little father's arrangements and go study at the academy."

He received the letter: "As long as you and little father can be at ease, I'll go wherever."

Huo Shu said calmly: "Your little father and I only have you, our son. How could we not worry?"

"I will definitely study hard once I go there, and not let you and little father worry."

Huo Shu's eyes softened, and he patted his son's shoulder.

After the New Year, when spring began, the weather gradually warmed up, and the Huo household was busy.

Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu were preparing their belongings to take up their post in the southwest, and Huo Anding was also getting ready to go to Baojing Prefecture to study.

The family felt that since he was going to study, he shouldn't put on airs—it would be better to go plainly and keep a low profile.

But before they could even mention it, Huo Anding had already decided to travel light and simple, not even planning to bring a page boy.

By the end of the first lunar month, Huo Anding prepared to leave home for Baojing Prefecture before his two fathers.

Seeing his son dressed in coarse yellow cloth with a small bundle slung over his shoulder and leading a mule, Ji Taoyu was almost struck speechless.

Being simple and plain was good, but this was perhaps a bit too shabby.

This getup was exactly like when he first saw his father back in the day, but back then, Huo Shu at least rode a fine horse.

"I plan to travel to the academy on the way, experiencing the local customs and practices along the journey. I'm leaving early for this reason, to avoid delaying the academy's opening."

"The things you've prepared are too meager. Wait another two days, Little Father will prepare them for you again. We shouldn't have listened to you about arranging it yourself earlier."

While the Huo family wasn't among the elite aristocratic clans, they had always lived comfortably, never lacked for food or clothing.

Moreover, after Huo Anding was born, his father had secured an official post, and his second uncle's business ventures continued to expand. As the only child in the family, he had quite naturally been accustomed to fine living since his earliest years.

Now, asking him to be low-key for his studies just meant not flaunting the fact that his father and brother were officials, they never intended to shortchange him on food and supplies.

It would be fine if people outside thought he was from a reasonably well-off merchant family, there was no need for him to hardship himself like this.

"Little Father, don't worry. This way is convenient and simple for me. Second Uncle gave me a lot of money, how could I short myself on food and drink?"

"Being outside like this prevents people from targeting me."

Though it would be best if they did target him, they'd get more than they bargained for.

But he wouldn't mention those things involving swords and spears in front of his little father. He comforted Ji Taoyu for a while. His father, however, said nothing and let him do as he pleased.

So, on the last day of the first lunar month, Huo Anding left home to pursue his studies.

Although he had traveled to and from the Territories with his second uncle's merchant caravan when he was twelve, it wasn't his first time leaving home.

But Ji Taoyu, looking at his son leading a mule, about to leave his hometown alone, still felt a bit sad in his heart.

He held the young man and gave him many instructions, deciding to leave his child with the image of a dignified, understanding, loving, gentle, generous, and proper little father at their parting, so that in the days of separation, whenever he remembered, his heart would feel warm.

But as he spoke, he choked up, stopped talking, told him to leave early, turned his head, and still buried himself in Huo Shu's embrace, unable to hold back his sad tears.

Huo Shu's brow furrowed tightly. He reached out and encircled the person in his arms, then flicked his hand towards Huo Anding, saying in a low voice, "Go on. Write to your little father when you arrive."

Huo Anding, seeing this, could only assent. He swung onto the mule's back and waved to the group seeing him off.

"It's not like he's not coming back. Why are you crying?"

"We don't know when we'll see him again after he leaves this time."

Ji Taoyu sobbed: "Such a long road, what if he encounters danger on the way?"

"Never mind that he's full of mischief; even if someone has evil intentions, how many people could actually defeat him?"

Huo Shu consoled him: "He's such a big boy now, nothing will happen."

"You still have some clothes not packed yet. I'll help you pack them, so you can take them to the southwest later."

Ji Taoyu, with a pout, followed Huo Shu into the residence: "Will he really be okay?"

"En....."

After leaving the city, the early spring wind, still mixed with the cold chill of winter, blew across his face, dispersing much of the sorrow of parting.

Huo Anding tugged the reins, saw the new grass emerging by the roadside and the buds just sprouting on the vines, and curved his lips into a smile.

By the time he reached Baojing, it would be just the right season.