Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 474: To ask for forgiveness by carrying a thorn stick on one's back?
Seeing Fang Qing's depressed face, he refused to speak. Thinking of how he had shed tears for no reason when he was eating candy, Song Juren thought it was homesickness at that time, but now he doesn't think so. He just thinks that this bad mouth must have offended someone very important. Although he and Fang Qing have always been at odds, he still has a sense of friendship with his fellow townsman at the critical moment.
"You are a real man. You have already offended someone. Why are you afraid to say anything? Don't underestimate these big shots in the capital. Some of them are narrow-minded, but some are actually tolerant and generous. I will go with you to apologize and make amends. Maybe others will just laugh it off. If it really doesn't work, I happen to know a famous person. I will ask him to help you speak for you and act as a go-between!"
Although Fang Qing and Mr. Song were not mortal enemies in the past, they never liked each other. However, when he was at his lowest point, Mr. Song not only let him taste the local flavor soup, but also promised to help him. It was impossible for him not to be touched. But he was always proud and awkward, so he shook his head stubbornly.
"Everyone has their own faults. This is all my own fault. I should bear the consequences myself so as not to implicate you!"
"How did you get implicated? Fang Qing, what did you do?" Song Juren couldn't help but get a little crazy. "Even if he killed someone or set a fire, you shouldn't implicate your fellow villagers. You used to offend people in Guangzhou by talking nonsense, and it must be because of your nonsense this time! If you don't tell me, I will go and find out. You are already like this, it must be a big deal, and you will be even more embarrassed then!"
Although Fang Qing didn't want to mention it, he couldn't resist Song Juren's insistence and finally told the truth. When he said that he followed his teacher Yue Shanzhang to the recruitment site of Jiuzhang Hall of the Imperial College, and impulsively said that the heroic performance of the third prince seemed to be in collusion with Zhang Shou, he saw Song Juren's face completely changed.
"I'm sorry, you've caused such a big disaster. Goodbye!"
Seeing that Mr. Song was about to leave after pushing the cart, Fang Qing, although he had no hope, could not help but get angry. He subconsciously stepped forward and grabbed the handlebars, shouting angrily: "Hey, what do you mean? I don't want to say it, but you force me to say it. Now I've told you everything, but you just let it go and leave?"
"What else can I do? You are the one who talked nonsense without knowing the whole situation!" Mr. Song was no pushover. He pushed Fang Qing's hand away and pointed at his nose and said, "Let me tell you, I am now living in the home of Dr. Zhang from the Imperial College. Not only do I not have to pay a penny in rent, he also helps me to fend off those annoying guys from the Song family. As for the third prince..."
He paused, thinking of the shy child he saw in Zhang Garden last time, and his face darkened even more: "The Third Prince is a very cute child. On the day he came, I made a little more sweet soup, so of course I prepared a portion for him. Not only did he thank me, but after tasting it, he was not only surprised and happy, but also praised my cooking skills as better than the imperial chef in the palace!"
"Let me tell you, the Third and Fourth Princes were originally in Banshan Hall, and they were Dr. Zhang's students. If Dr. Zhang really wanted to be their teacher, he wouldn't have messed around with those things in Banshan Hall in the first place, and would have just gotten the title of a prince's teacher. Besides, as long as the emperor said a word, would Dr. Zhang not accept them into Jiuzhang Hall?"
"I think the reason why we asked them to take the exam is to encourage people with ambition and talent to take the exam for Jiuzhang Hall! Fang Qing, you always liked to judge others by yourself, and this time is no different! You are judging others by your own standards... No, I've seen it a long time ago. You are actually a hater of the rich and powerful. You have always looked down on people from rich and powerful families!"
If it was in the past, Fang Qing would have exploded if someone pointed at his nose and scolded him like this . But at this moment, after being scolded by Fang Qing, he suddenly woke up as if he had been enlightened.
That’s right. If he hadn’t subconsciously believed that a royal descendant of the Third Prince’s age could not possibly have any real knowledge and talent, he would have been sarcastic and sneered today and made such outrageous remarks!
County examinations, prefectural examinations, academy examinations, annual imperial examinations, and provincial examinations, Mr. Song had always clashed with Fang Qing in every examination, and they had never quarreled with each other. At this moment, he was just annoyed and retorted, but he did not expect to make Fang Qing so frustrated and speechless, and he could not help feeling proud of being a winner.
But after venting the anger that had been pent up for years, he pushed the cart forward a few steps. Suddenly, he couldn't help but look back, and saw Fang Qing still standing there in a daze. He couldn't help but frown, and then he actually left his cart behind and turned back.
"Hey, you were wrong to say something in the Imperial College just because you were suspicious, but the Third Prince is still young, and he is actually a very generous person. He won't do anything to you even if he hears about this. As for Dr. Zhang, let alone, he has been talked about hundreds of times behind his back. If you think you have offended them and you are worried about them, then you are underestimating others!"
Fang Qing looked up at Mr. Song, who looked disappointed. After a long while, he smiled bitterly and said, "Even if he is generous, so what? I violated the teacher's taboo, and he doesn't want me as a student anymore."
"Um?"
Mr. Song was stunned for a moment, and then his eyes widened in disbelief: "You are not kidding, are you? Just because you said something wrong, your always respected Yue Shanzhang actually expelled you from Zhaoming Academy?"
Seeing Fang Qing didn't say anything but his expression became more bitter, Mr. Song couldn't help but rub his brows in annoyance, then he went forward with a cold face and roughly grabbed Fang Qing: "I think, no wonder you look so dead as if the sky has fallen, it turns out it's that hypocrite's fault! The old men in my family said before that the previous principals of Zhaoming Academy were not good people!"
After following him for a few steps in a daze, Fang Qing suddenly reacted and struggled to break free. He shouted in shock and anger: "How dare you slander the teacher!"
"What's wrong with me slandering him!" Mr. Song sneered, "I only know that as a teacher, as long as the student has not committed any serious mistakes such as betraying the teacher and destroying the ancestors, he should be given a chance, or taught or guided, or other ways should be considered. In short, it is absolutely not possible to just kick him out and let him fend for himself!"
"Do you know who many of Dr. Zhang's students were originally? They were all well-known playboys in the capital. What about now? Many of them have turned over a new leaf and have done remarkable things. And look at the third and fourth princes. They learned the basics of mathematics from Dr. Zhang... Anyway, they are much younger than your teacher, but they are more responsible than your teacher!"
Fang Qing was so angry at Song Juren's words that he was shaking, but he had no way to refute it. He wanted to say that his teacher was right to expel him from the school, because he had just arrived in the capital and his foundation was not stable, and he was eager to serve the king and realize his ambitions, but since it involved himself, he could not just say it lightly like he would treat others.
As a result, his lips trembled for a long time and he could not utter a word. Then he was involuntarily dragged by Mr. Song to the cart.
"Since I treated you to two bowls of sweet soup, it's not too much to help me push the cart, right?"
What do you mean you treated me to a meal? I clearly paid you fifty cents!
Although Fang Qing wanted to curse, he could only help Song Juren by his side as he saw him pushing the cart. When they gradually walked out of the alley, he saw Song Juren turning into another obviously quiet street, and he couldn't help but ask the doubts in his mind.
"Even if you want to take the exam to become an imperial chef and you seem to like making sweet soup, there's no need to be so sneaky, right? Didn't you say that Princess Yongping and the Third Prince like your cooking skills? Do you really need to push a cart out to sell it like this?"
"Because... I'm bored!" Mr. Song blurted out an answer that almost made Fang Qing roll his eyes, but it seemed justified.
"Originally, Dr. Zhang and his fiancée, Miss Zhu, said that they could help me open a shop, but my participation in the imperial chef competition caused too much trouble, and the situation has been very tense recently, so I can't be so ostentatious. Although everyone in Zhang Garden says that my sweet soup is delicious, I also want to try out my cooking skills to see if others will also say it is good. Didn't you just taste it? Is it authentic?"
Although he wanted to pour cold water on Mr. Song, Fang Qing still said angrily, "Probably... it's OK."
Mr. Song then revealed a smug smile. If the self-righteous boy next to him could say that his skills were good enough to open a shop, it seemed that his skills were really good enough to open a shop. Unfortunately, Zhang Shou restricted him to not setting up a stall in one place, but had to change the place every day and sell in those remote places in the inner city. As long as he could make a business in a day, he would be considered successful.
In this way, as long as he can do this for thirty days a month without missing a day, then no matter what the Song family's attitude is, the young couple Renhe and Zhu Ying will open a store with him!
When he finished walking along the alley, he saw a young boy at the intersection, reading a book with a sad face and bored, so he walked up to him and said, "Little Peanut, are you still reciting poems?"
"Mr. Song, have you completed your mission today?"
Peanut closed the book and saw that there was a younger scholar pushing a cart beside Mr. Song. He took a look and thought that this eccentric man could actually meet a kind person. Then he said listlessly, "Young Master is really too cruel. After "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" comes "The Peacock Flies Southeast", and after "The Peacock Flies Southeast" comes "Pipa Song".
As he spoke, he couldn't help but want to bang his head against the wall: "After "Pipa Song" came "Mulan Ballad", and after "Mulan Ballad" came "Lianchang Palace Ballad"... This is simply driving me crazy!"
Seeing Fang Qing beside him was obviously confused, Mr. Song coughed and said, "This kid usually has a bad memory, but as long as the poems are turned into lyrics, he can remember them. So, Dr. Zhang asked him to match the tunes to the poems himself and recite them while singing. Look, he has memorized these extremely long poems, and the tunes he matched are actually quite nice!"
No wonder you live with Zhang Shou, it turns out this doctor of the Imperial College likes to take in all kinds of weirdos!
Fang Qing was a little surprised when Peanut turned around and led the way after complaining, and then sang the song "Lianchang Palace Ci" in a low voice . He didn't like going to brothels, and he wasn't interested in playing musical instruments, but he couldn't avoid social engagements, so he had heard the songs of those singing girls.
But those songs, which were either gentle, clear, graceful, or plaintive, were completely different from the song of the young man in front of him. The young man's singing was very pure, especially the poem in front that described the extravagant and prosperous splendor of Tianbao. When sung by people, it naturally carried some of the innocence of a child recounting the prosperity of the prosperous times.
He wanted to ask if this piece of music was really composed casually, but seeing that Mr. Song was just smiling and pushing the cart from behind, he couldn't help but nudge the guy with his elbow and whispered, "Who is this little peanut?"
"That's a long story !" Mr. Song was immediately delighted, "Let me tell you..."
When Mr. Song told Fang Qing about the moving story from Cangzhou, which he had added a lot of artistic processing to, they had already reached the gate of Zhang Garden. Fang Qing didn't realize that something was wrong until he entered the west corner gate. But before he could let go and try to run away, Mr. Song coughed.
"Brother An, is Dr. Zhang back? I brought him a guy who is here to apologize!"
What do you mean by asking for forgiveness? You are the one asking for forgiveness! Fang Qing's face immediately turned red. He was so angry that he just turned around and wanted to leave, but he was scared to death by a person who suddenly appeared behind him. Because the person had no expression on his face and didn't even blink when he saw him. If it was late at night, he would definitely think that he was possessed by a ghost!
"Is he the man that Young Master Song mentioned who was asking for forgiveness?"
Mr. Song, who was asking Lame Anlu, turned around immediately and saw Fang Qing was frightened by the sudden appearance of Ah Liu and was about to fall to the ground. He couldn't help but twitch his mouth, thinking of the time when he encountered such a young man by the stove.
So, he quickly rushed over and held Fang Qing's back, and then he couldn't help complaining: "Brother, he's so scary. Although this guy looks arrogant, he's actually very timid and can't stand being scared!"
Fang Qing was almost furious with Mr. Song: "Song Shude, who are you calling timid... Hey, what are you doing!"
Following this exclamation that almost frightened him to death, Mr. Song saw Fang Qing being thrown up by Ah Liu - to be exact, he flew high into the air. He swallowed hard, and saw Ah Liu take a few big steps forward after throwing him, grabbing Fang Qing before he hit the ground and throwing him again. He immediately realized that Ah Liu might know that Fang Qing was talking nonsense.
Well, if you say something wrong you have to be taught a lesson. This little pain... should be borne by that weird boy!
