Chapter 784: Chapter 474 Preaching, Teaching and Returning to Great Li_2
Qian’er is mine, my childhood sweetheart, my bed-warmer, my second wife, everything about her… is mine…
Zhao Rong’s breathing became slightly ragged as he thought dominantly, and at the same time, his large hands couldn’t help but wrap tightly around the adorably squirmy Qian’er in his embrace.
How could Qian’er know that Zhao Rong was undergoing the “Seeing Heart and Understanding Nature” test of character? This test had just begun today, and in the eyes of a certain Sword Spirit, it could even determine the heights he will reach in the Great Dao…
The girl pressed against his chest didn’t notice the concealed bloody streaks in his eyes but only felt that Brother Rong’er’s breathing suddenly became heavier, and then he hugged her very tightly, hugging her so desperately as if he wanted to meld her into his body.
“Mmm, what are you doing? Bullying people again!” I can’t even fight back, how can you do this? How are we supposed to live in the future?
Little Qian’er’s peach blossom eyes brimmed with aggrieved tears.
The lady usually can’t bear to scold you, even when you were at your most heartless, she couldn’t bear to curse a single word at you, but I don’t care, I want to curse you to death!
She struggled slightly and then, while hammering on the mischievous childhood sweetheart, she angrily cursed: “Stinky Rong’er Brother, bad Zhao Rong, big bastard, big pig’s trotter, heartless man, stinky man, mmm… pervert! A perverted son-in-law who bullies maids! Not even sparing a little maid…”
At that moment, in the room, the young Confucian Scholar suddenly laughed, the blood streaks in his eyes rapidly circulating.
He suddenly felt… being scolded by the little girl was quite exhilarating, yes, scold well.
Zhao Rong nodded, sincerely saying, “Is there more? Curse some more.”
Little Qian’er paused abruptly, looked up at his expression, and couldn’t help but stop her curses, biting her lip and saying, “Stinky Rong’er Brother, are you okay? You seem off, then then I won’t scold you anymore… I’ll scold you later.”
Zhao Rong ‘calmly’ shook his head, “No, curse more, otherwise later… you will cry, and even if you do not want to, I will make you scold.”
Little Qian’er: “???”
Her peach blossom eyes widened as she looked at him, who seemed to be begging for curses, and couldn’t help but spit: “Pervert… perverted Rong’er Brother.”
Zhao Rong smiled embarrassingly and nodded.
Indeed.
At least for now.
Then without delay, he lifted the whimpering, struggling girl and walked straight toward the desk, sat down on the master chair in front of the desk, placed her on the desk, and he, at an angle she couldn’t see, lifted the tablecloth and stuck his feet under the desk, settling in comfortably.
That night, Zhao Rong finally knew how to properly and sensibly conduct a lesson.
Tell me, if a Teacher’s lesson includes only one desk but happens to have two eager students who mustn’t discover one another, how should the seating be arranged?
This was a true test of a Teacher’s ability to impart knowledge, solve doubts, and guide students, but fortunately, he had enough experience in posture to dare to explore and attempt.
Zhao Rong flipped open a Mo Family book next to Little Qian’er to a certain page and started teaching from the chapter following “Non-Aggression and Universal Love.”
“What are you doing?” the maid asked weakly.
“Having a class,” the Teacher nodded.
“A class? I didn’t bring my textbook.”
“No, you did, it’s on the table. Use your textbook,” Teacher Zhao shook his head. But your seatmate didn’t bring hers, so she has to use his textbook.
This is called making do with what’s available and teaching according to the student’s abilities.
Teacher Zhao nodded and, while opening the Mo Scripture, also opened the textbooks of the two students above and below, and began to earnestly teach through both words and actions.
A short while later.
“Rong’er Brother…”
“What are you calling me?”
In the classroom, the Teacher’s big hand smacked her textbook with a snap, a standard not only for teaching but also for domestic discipline.
“Wuu, Teacher.”
“What is it?”
“Why does this table feel weird? Mmm, and isn’t this a dining table? Why is it here? Also, why is it covered with a tablecloth?”
The little maid didn’t know the original desk had been broken; at that moment, her small body shook the desk, her tone puzzled. Her classmate who was earnestly studying raised her head in dissatisfaction, but dared not speak her anger… You sit at the front and get the Teacher’s favor, aren’t you special?
Dining table? Desk? It’s all the same. Sometimes the desk is the dining table. Sometimes class and dining can be alike, soaring through the oceans of knowledge, indulging in the nourishment of learning. The young Confucian Scholar thought about it and fell into contemplation.
A moment later, fully enlightened, as long as there are books in your heart, anywhere can be a classroom, anywhere can hold classes. He nodded seriously and said solemnly:
“It is to teach, to impart knowledge, to solve doubts.”
Little Qian’er: “……”
Her classmate: “……”
……
The next day, Zhao Rong got up early and went to find Brother Yiwu.
As a qualified teacher, the exhausting lectures he delivered to his two students the day before did not affect his spirits the next day.
However, after waking up, Zhao Rong was incessantly pondering over the matter of “Seeing Heart and Understanding Nature”.
He walked along the corridor within the estate, nodding earnestly.
“Hmm, that was a rare occasion to let loose, just a one-time thing, doesn’t count, yes, nothing happened, from now on I need to be careful, Seeing Heart and Understanding Nature… Seeing Heart and Understanding Nature… Right, and there’s also that matter the fellow reminded me about… Zhengguan Spring Water.”
Mumbling to himself, Zhao Rong recalled Gui’s words from the night before and called out to the Sword Spirit in his Heart Lake a few times.
The Heart Lake was as empty and quiet as the surrounding morning gallery at this moment.
“Cough, cough,” Zhao Rong felt a bit embarrassed.
If it wasn’t resting, then it seemed to be angry and intentionally ignoring him.
Well, probably miffed about him donning the forehead patch last night, even guarding against a ‘righteous gentleman’…
“So petty and vengeful, somewhat resembles Qian’er the little girl, and you call yourself a righteous gentleman?” Zhao Rong muttered to himself.
“Scram!”
Inside the Heart Lake, the Sword Spirit could not help but curse.
“Stop with your Seeing Heart and Understanding Nature, you lecher, just wait to die!”
“……”
Great, now in addition to being a scoundrel, he has another ‘honorable’ title in its eyes.
Zhao Rong chuckled and shook his head, then went to find Gu Yiwu and the students from the Justice Hall.
The group was discussing matters in the pavilion in the early morning.
Zhao Rong brought up that he would return to Linlu Academy to meet Meng Zhengjun to remind her that the Great Li Seal and Offer Ceremony was approaching and, as previously agreed, to come as soon as possible.
In reality, Zhao Rong and Gu Yiwu hoped for Meng Zhengjun’s prompt arrival not because they missed her, but to have a prominent Academy figure present to lend them prestige at the grand event.
Looking at the current situation, the waters of Great Li appeared to be far more complicated than what Zhao Rong, Gu Yiwu, and others anticipated before descending the mountain.
Moreover, at the moment when the results of the Seal and Offer Ceremony would be revealed, whether it ends in great success or dismal failure, it might well provoke desperation from some faction, hence the need for an imposing Academy elder to ensure they are safely escorted away…
At this moment, faced with Zhao Rong’s offer to take on the task, Gu Yiwu and the other pupils were quite surprised, but they did not doubt his motives and readily agreed, cautioning him to be careful on the road and to take the Cloud Sea Ferry for a quick there-and-back trip.
The group had no idea that, besides this official matter, Zhao Rong had a private affair he intended to handle.
However, no one chose to accompany Zhao Rong back, after all, it involved meeting a certain stern and severe woman…
Cough cough, Ziyu brother is selflessly venturing alone to engage with that severe woman — surely enough to handle her…
After the meeting in the pavilion ended, Gu Yiwu and the other students left, nodding in appreciation.
Zhao Rong chuckled and shook his head, returned to his residence to pack up his things, and then left with little Qian’er.
For certain reasons, he chose not to bring Su Qingdai along with him this time.
She stood at the entrance of the courtyard, her gaze a bit forlorn as she watched Zhao Rong’s figure disappearing into the distance.
In the next few days, Gu Yiwu and the others would stay in Great Li, planning and preparing for the Seal and Offer Ceremony, and once Zhao Rong and the others returned, they would be ready to start their journey to Sacrificial Moon Mountain and complete the ceremony together.
Zhao Rong sent word to the various powers in Great Li in advance and then, accompanied by little Qian’er, boarded a ship at a mountain-top port not far from Hanjing City.
The two took the Cloud Sea Ferry and returned to Du You overnight.
Little did anyone expect, hardly had this person returned when he was greeted with an almost outright catastrophic showdown…
…
…
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Time flies swiftly.
Two days later, at noon.
The autumn sun shone high in the sky.
A Cloud Sea Ferry returning from Du You City slowly descended to a mountain-top port outside Hanjing City.
On the deck at the ferry’s exit,
a young Confucian Scholar stood with his sleeves rolled up, followed closely by a lively and handsome young maidservant.
The two took the overnight ship back to Great Li, dusty and travel-worn, ready to disembark.
…