Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 511 The Great Devil Arrives
The new students had only been admitted a few days ago, but Zhang Shou had to use the tactic of giving them a large number of questions for two consecutive days. Even though Zhang Shou was not a diligent person by nature, he couldn't help feeling guilty about it.
So when he learned that Brother Zhu had returned, he still insisted on rushing back to the Imperial College. As for when Ah Liu, who had followed him out of the palace early in the morning but disappeared after entering the palace, sneaked up on him, he didn't notice it.
By the time he noticed the familiar figure behind him, he had already arrived at the Xiao family. He looked at the east and west wings and the main house, where beds were placed one after another, just like student dormitories, and there were three rooms with densely packed desks, just like study rooms in classrooms, and he couldn't help but laugh.
After seeing Xiao Cheng writing seriously in the empty study room and Xiao Huasheng reciting with a painful look on his face, he thought for a while, called the two little guys over and whispered a few words to them. Xiao Huasheng was immediately relieved and cheered. However, Xiao Cheng was very reluctant until Zhang Shou touched his head and explained it to him in detail. Only then did he reluctantly nod and agree.
When they left the Xiao family and rushed to the Jiuzhang Hall of the Imperial College, they just caught the last bit of time before noon. Zhang Shou asked the substitute teacher Lu Sanlang about his progress, and then took the exercise booklet that the podium had casually thrown to Lu Sanlang.
He had just explained two exercises in detail when the lunch bell rang. He had no choice but to look down at the exercise booklet and wonder whether he should continue explaining the exercises or continue attending classes in the afternoon.
Of course, he didn't intend to delay the class. He had even used the abominable method of doing a sea of questions, but he was not happy about delaying the class, which was something he hated the most in his previous life. Because it not only took up the students' time, but also his own time.
But just as he was concentrating on his exercise book and was about to announce the end of get out of class, he suddenly heard Lu Sanlang, who was standing nearby and had just been a substitute teacher for the whole morning, exclaim in surprise.
When he looked up, all the students who were sitting in the hall suddenly turned their heads and looked towards the door. Not only Ji Jiu, but even the Third Prince, who was very young but very disciplined, did the same.
He immediately looked towards the door, wondering who the important person was. But when he recognized the person, he was speechless. He saw Zhu Tingfang standing at the front with his hands behind his back, and a few younger brothers following behind him.
In addition to Zhu Er, the real little brother, there is also Zhang Chen, who has turned into a quail and is as honest as a quail, and Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu, who are more like Zhu Tingfang's followers than Zhang Chen and Zhu Er. No one knows why the latter two would go back to Beijing with Zhu Tingfang.
Although he wanted to leave the get out of class, seeing those people standing outside, Zhang Shou thought of what he had arranged before and just spoke with a smile.
"I went to the Xiao family before. I heard that apart from Ji Jiulang, Zheng Rong and a dozen other people from the capital, the other twenty or so people moved there? Xu Jiancheng of the Shengqian Hall has complained to me about the few dormitories in the Imperial College. Now that you have found a place to live, he doesn't have to find a way to move, and I don't have to see his sullen face. But I heard that some people complained about charging for food and lodging?"
As soon as these words came out, there was a buzz of chaotic discussions below, and then an impatient student slammed the table and said, "The prices in the capital are high. If we live outside, we can't afford the food and lodging expenses. Now we live in the Xiao family. Even if we can't pay, we can work to make up for it. You still complain about this? Do you have a conscience?"
Amidst the indignant voices, Zhang Shou smiled and stretched out his hand to signal for silence, then said, "As your senior, Lu Sanlang has found a place to provide you with food and lodging, and those who are short of money can work to make up for it. This is a good intention. However, the Xiao family has limited housing and no money. Xiao Cheng himself used to work as a handyman in the Imperial College to support himself."
"So, since most people are short of money, of course they can only live in a room with four people, and their diet can only be simple. You should know that in the past, even when there was an annual gift, the students of the Imperial College only had four people in a room, and they only had three dou of rice per month. Vegetables and meat were rationed, especially in winter, and they only had fresh vegetables every five days and meat every ten days. It was not better than what you have in the Xiao family."
The Third Prince's face changed slightly. Even though the palace was rectifying the imperial kitchen, it was just that the people in the Guanglu Temple had falsified the accounts, the imperial chefs' skills were poor, and the prices of ingredients were inflated. It didn't mean that everyone from the emperor to the princes were really starving.
Now, when he heard that the standards for food and lodging for the students of the Imperial College were so low, how could he not be surprised?
Seeing that everyone was silent, Zhang Shou said in a deep voice: "Some people complain about the food and lodging, not because they have no conscience, but because they want to live a better life. I can understand that. But you should know that even such food and lodging are paid for by Lu Sanlang, your senior. I hope you can turn your complaints into motivation to study hard and hone your abilities."
"In the future, there will be many places in the world that need talents who are proficient in mathematics. Some of you may be able to command the support of the whole people, but you must remember one thing, that is, the capable will prevail! Instead of complaining, it is better to study hard!"
As soon as these words came out, Ji Jiulang quickly took the lead and stood up, answering sternly, and the others also hurriedly stood up and echoed. Facing this scene, Zhang Shou smiled and said, "Well, I have taught you so much. I have slowed down the teaching progress in the past two days because of my visit to the palace. Of course, I have done something wrong, and I should make it up to you students."
"It's already noon, so I'll use the Xiao family's place to treat you to a good meal. Firstly, it can be regarded as an improvement in your food, and secondly, it can be regarded as compensation. Lu Sanlang, the ingredients should have been sold by now. Can you find a chef right away to go to the Xiao family to show off his cooking skills?"
Although Lu Sanlang was very surprised, this was his specialty these days. He knew the most famous chefs in the capital, what they were good at, and where they lived. He immediately patted his chest and promised to complete the task. The third prince hesitated for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Teacher, can I go with you?"
Most of the others felt uneasy when they heard Zhang Shou mention compensation. But when they were about to refuse, they heard the third prince start asking a question. All of a sudden, they all fell silent and pricked up their ears, waiting for Zhang Shou's answer.
Zhang Shou smiled and said, "Zheng Rong, you are also a student of Jiuzhangtang, so why can't you go? The country is peaceful, the capital is prosperous and peaceful, and you have Ah Liu with you, and your guards are all there too. Why, do you think I am afraid that someone will plot against you?"
The Third Prince didn't understand Zhang Shou's teasing at all, and hurriedly shook his head like a rattle: "No, no, no, I'm just afraid... I'm afraid of causing trouble for the teacher and everyone else!"
Even though some people were initially wary of the Third Prince and even kept their distance from him, after spending a few days with the young prince, many older students found that he was shy and a bit serious, and temporarily treated him as their own younger brother.
At this time, hearing the Third Prince's terrified explanation, someone inevitably stepped forward and said, "Teacher, Third... Zheng Rong is also thinking about everyone. He really doesn't want to cause trouble for everyone!"
"Teacher, Zheng Rong wanted to go with us to visit the Xiao family before. When he went with us that day, he saw some thugs bullying a girl on the road. He stopped them on the spot, but later he didn't go because he was afraid of causing trouble... Uh!" The second person who started to explain seemed to find that he was making things worse and adding more charges to the Third Prince. His face suddenly turned the color of liver and he was so embarrassed that he couldn't add any more.
Upon learning that the Third Prince had secretly run out of the Imperial College with his classmates and wanted to go to the Xiao family, which ended up causing a scene of injustice, Zhang Shou couldn't help but look at the little guy twice.
Seeing that the Third Prince had no intention of blaming the person who said the wrong thing, and just hung his head to await punishment, he couldn't help but laugh, and even forgot that Zhu Tingfang and others were standing outside the hall.
He tapped the desk lightly with the wake-up wood, and waited for everyone's attention to return before speaking: "Okay, Zheng Rong, listen, it's wrong to sneak out with someone. Your guards must follow you at all times, because if something happens to you, not only will your classmates be implicated, but these people will also take the blame for you. Do you understand? Let's go to the Xiao family together today, and you must bring your guards with you."
Seeing the Third Prince nodding vigorously, Zhang Shou clapped his hands to signal the end of get out of class. At this time, Lu Sanlang had no choice but to rush out the door without even bothering to greet Zhu Tingfang and others, but Ji Jiu was greeting the Third Prince and other classmates enthusiastically.
Zhang Shou walked out calmly. When he got outside the hall, he saw that Lu Sanlang had disappeared. Only Zhu Tingfang and others were still there. He smiled and said, "Brother Zhu, you are really surrounded by people. Did you even bring Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu back with you on your trip to Beijing?"
"The wind direction is just right these days. We can go to Cangzhou to learn from the scriptures and take a favorable boat to follow Master Zhu back to the capital!"
Zhang Lu saw the opportunity quickly and intuitively determined that Zhang Shou and Zhu Tingfang seemed to be in a tit-for-tat relationship, so he immediately hurried to explain. He was about to grab Zhang Wu and slip away to avoid the confrontation between the future husband and uncle, but he didn't expect Zhang Wu to hold him tightly.
Zhang Wu pulled Zhang Lu and explained with a big smile on his face, "Teacher, we were on the same boat with the eldest master, and he took good care of us. I didn't expect that there would be bandits on the canal, and they almost robbed the new cotton seeds we found this time... The eldest master is very good on land, and I didn't expect him to be very good in the water. He led his men into the water and captured seven bandits alive!"
This explained why they not only followed Zhu Tingfang back to Beijing, but were also dragged to the Imperial College. Although it was easy to avoid the current tit-for-tat situation, in his opinion, it was better to explain it clearly.
Sure enough, the next moment, he saw Zhang Chen coughing and saying, "Young Master, Boss Zhu suddenly sent someone , so of course I went, and I found out that Xiao Wu and Xiao Lu had come back and had a conversation. Later, when the eldest lady came back, Boss Zhu heard from her that you, young master, had returned to the Imperial College, so he asked us to come together, so of course we had no choice but to listen to him."
In short, Zhang Chen and the Zhang brothers meant only one thing: it’s not that we want to come, but we are powerless and cannot resist the big devil!
Zhang Shou was laughing and crying at the explanation of Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu, but Zhu Er glanced at the two with disdain, and then said arrogantly: "Brother-in-law, don't listen to the nonsense of these three guys. My eldest brother's purpose is simple. He has obviously returned to Beijing, but you would rather send Yingying home alone, and you yourself act like Dayu who passed by his home three times to control the flood... Ouch!"
Before he could finish his words, he was hit on the head and immediately gasped and squatted on the ground. Zhu Tingfang, who had beaten his brother, was about to speak, but saw Ji Jiuzheng coming out with a large group of people, so he stopped talking.
Seeing a large number of students coming out one after another, most of them saluted respectfully when passing by Zhang Shou, and Zhang Shou smiled and nodded one by one to see them off. After all the young and middle-aged students had passed, Zhu Tingfang, who seemed to be thinking about something, exclaimed: "How long have you accepted these students? They are already so respectful to their teachers. Even the senior doctors in the Imperial College are not as good as you."
"Of course. What my brother-in-law said to the students just now was so good. There are not many teachers who are so considerate of others in the Imperial College - after all, how many people can solve the students' food and accommodation problems as generously as he does? Don't tell me about Lu Sanlang, the little fat guy who only does things for the benefit of others. If it weren't for my brother-in-law, it would be strange if he would do good things!"
Zhu Er just stood up with his head covered, but he found that the surroundings seemed too quiet. When he looked up, he saw his elder brother who was like a devil looking at him with a smile.
He quickly took two steps back and hid behind Zhang Shou. Then he said confidently, "Brother, why are you looking at me? I didn't give my brother-in-law the title of a good teacher. Everyone recognizes it! Can you still deny it?"
Zhu Tingfang looked expressionlessly at Zhu Er, who was obviously trying to cling to Zhang Shou. In the end, he simply didn't bother to pay attention to this stupid brother and said bluntly, "It just so happens that I haven't seen Xiao Chengcheng for a long time. How about I go along and join in the fun today?"
"Of course I welcome it!"
Zhang Shou's reply was simple and direct. When he saw Zhu Tingfang turn around and walk out, he winked at Zhang Chen. The next moment, Zhang Chen rushed over to him. Not only that, after standing beside him, Zhang Chen used his eyes to signal Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu to push Zhu Er aside.
As for the fact that Zhu Er is Zhang Shou’s future second brother-in-law...Master Zhang simply ignores it!
"Awu and Alu said that they happened to find brown cotton while they were harvesting it. They claimed that it was naturally grown. They collected the seeds and prepared to go to Beijing. Later, it happened that Zhu Lao Da's successor came. Although one of them was the future prince consort and the other was the future concubine, they thought it would be safer to follow Zhu Lao Da, so they went together on the pretext of visiting Cangzhou. Fortunately, they were alert!"
Zhang Wu also managed to get away as Zhang Lu was pestering Zhu Er. When he heard Zhang Chen's words of relief, he smiled bitterly with lingering fear and said, "It's really thanks to following Boss Zhu. I never thought that he was a devil in land battles and he's still a big devil in the water! The seven bandits we captured alive on the water were half dead when they were dragged up. There was blood all over the water. We were in a hurry to leave and didn't know how many of them died!"
"At that time, I really felt like I was sitting on a boat on the River Styx, and if I wasn't careful I would sink!"
