Chapter 1569: Meeting A Teacher

Chapter 1569: Meeting A Teacher

The study hall’s name was “Instruction”. A Sage once said that an instruction was the beginning of sapience.

This was why “Instruction” was viewed as enlightenment, initiation, and education in the eyes of Confucians and scholars. The fact that this study hall was named “Instruction” meant that it was a place for instructing and educating children.

Right now, fifty or so children were sitting in the study hall. There were both boys and girls.

Chu was more open-minded compared to most other countries, but it was still generally frowned upon for a woman to study literature, practice martial arts, or even reveal her face in public. That was why most schools in the realm forbade women from seeking education.

This was the state of things until the Chief Libationist took over the Jixia Academy and promoted the belief of education for everyone. He declared that all humans under the heavens were equal, and that their genders did not matter one whit. The Jixia Academy was the first school to set up a study hall for womenfolk and encourage women to educate themselves and achieve self-fulfillment.

This was why it wasn’t uncommon to find female students in the Jixia Academy. Over time, the residents of the imperial capital grew accustomed to this new custom and sent children of suitable age to the Jixia Academy to be educated irrespective of their gender.

Sitting at the head of the study hall was an old man with white hair and beard. He was wearing a thin Confucian shirt and a square hat. His hair was tied up using peach wood. He looked no different from your ordinary teacher or educator.

The man waiting outside the study hall knew that the ordinary-looking old man was anything but ordinary, however.

He was no different. He had low eyebrows and gentle-looking eyes. He was also wearing simple clothes weaved from coarse fabric. At first glance, he looked like a servant responsible for sweeping the courtyard. In reality, he was not.

In fact, every official in the capital from the highest to the lowest must treat him with respect. In the inner court, even the empress, the concubines, the princes and the children of the princes must treat him with respect as well.

It was because his name was Zhou Dongchao.

The Seal-holding Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial of Chu, Zhou Dongchao.

The most trusted inner attendant of Emperor Jing Run, Zhou Dongchao.

Therefore, he was anything but normal. In fact, he was so important that few people in all of Chu could hope to compare to him.

So, why was an impossibly lofty and noble character like him standing here in common clothes and without being accompanied by a single attendant? Why was he standing outside the study hall and waiting obediently like a common servant?

It was because the old man inside the study hall was even more noble than him, of course.

In a sense, the old man was even more noble than the emperor himself. He was also more famous and well-respected.

He was the model example of all scholars and the most sagely of teachers. He was the Chief Libationist of the Jixia Academy.

Therefore, Zhou Dongchao might be the Seal-holding Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, but he could not quite compare to the old man.

This was also why he felt no dissatisfaction despite having stood here for a very long time. It was why he didn’t dare to mouth a single word of resentment despite being ignored and mistreated repeatedly. Yes, repeatedly. This wasn’t the first time he had come here.

Of course, it wasn’t just because the old man was the Chief Libationist. It was also because Emperor Jing Run had given him the task of inviting the Chief Libationist to the palace.

Since the Chief Libationist returned from the Overseas, Emperor Jing Run had extended multiple invitations to him. He had even paid the Jixia Academy a visit in person in hopes of meeting with the Chief Libationist. However, the Chief Libationist did not.

The Chief Libationist did not offer any excuses either. He simply said, “No.”

It was a forceful and tyrannical reply. And yet, there was nothing Emperor Jing Run could do to change this.

Zhou Dongchao knew that the Chief Libationist was expressing his dissatisfaction at Emperor Jing Run doing as he pleased and losing the Heavens’ Eye as a result. He was also ignoring the emperor because he was concerned about the local and foreign threats bearing down on Chu and worried about the suffering of the people.

As for why Emperor Jing Run kept extending an invitation to the Chief Libationist despite being rebuffed again and again, he could guess why. One, he was hoping to borrow the Chief Libationist’s good reputation with the officials and the people so that he could regain their support. Two, he wished to borrow the Chief Libationist’s strength to intimidate the internal and external threats threatening Chu. Although Chu had a lot of sages, none of them could compare to the Chief Libationist. In fact, all of them combined still might not compare to the Chief Libationist. This was why the other three empires hadn’t invaded Chu already. It was because they were afraid of his power.

In other words, the Chief Libationist was greater than not one, but multiple armies of millions.

Of course, as powerful as the Chief Libationist was, Zhou Dongchao thought that he was going a little too far. In his opinion, the realm was the emperor’s domain, and all of its denizens his subjects. Emperor Jing Run was wrong, yes, but he had also visited the Chief Libationist in person. That in itself was a show of apology and submission. On top of that, he had repeatedly extended an invitation to the Chief Libationist. One could not get more sincere than that. As angry as the Chief Libationist was, he really should calm down and respond to the emperor’s invitations already.

But of course, he was just an eunuch and a servant. He could think, but he could never voice his thoughts.

All he needed to do was to carry out his master’s instructions. He did not need to care about anything else.

Zhou Dongchao practiced introspection and patiently waited for the Chief Libationist to finish his class. He could convey Emperor Jing Run’s invitation to the scholar then.

......

“Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?”

Inside the study hall, the Chief Libationist was holding a book with his left hand and carrying a teacup with his right. He took a sip and muttered to himself—or was he?

“You are as insightful as ever, mister.”

As soon as the Chief Libationist said this, two figures appeared out of seemingly nowhere and saluted him respectfully. “We apologize for showing up unannounced and disturbing your peace, mister. We hope you can forgive us.”

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“It’s you?” Surprise flashed through the Chief Libationist’s face when he saw them. “It’s only been two years since we last met, and you’ve already broken out of your cage and achieved transcendence? The young is truly to be feared.”

“Thank you for the compliment, mister. This junior dare not accept it.”

The newcomer replied modestly, “Junior Ye Qing greets you, Chief Libationist.”

The two figures were of course, Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou.

“No need to be modest.”

The Chief Libationist remarked from the bottom of his heart, “You’re not thirty yet, but you’ve already become a Sage and committed many grand, outstanding deeds. You remind me of me when I was young.”

“You flatter me, mister. This junior cannot hope to compare to you.” Ye Qing rubbed his nose thinking that the Chief Libationist was quite shameless to compliment both him and himself.

“Excess modesty is just hypocrisy, young man.” The Chief Libationist shot him a look. “In this regard, you are far inferior to I.”

“This junior receives your teachings, Chief Libationist.” Okay, this was just plain bullying. But what could he do? The Chief Libationist’s fist was bigger than his. He could only admit his mistake honestly.

The Chief Libationist stopped paying attention to Ye Qing and looked at Feng Qingyou next. “You are pretty impressive as well, lass. You’re not inferior to that hypocritical boy in the slightest. May I know your name?”

Ye Qing rubbed his nose feeling very aggrieved.

I’m the Honest and Trustworthy Gentleman; the Manly Man Who Values Bonds and Belittles Threats! How can I be a hypocrite?

Feng Qingyou saluted the Chief Libationist. “This junior is Feng Qingyou. It is an honor to meet you, Chief Libationist.”

“Your surname is Feng? That’s pretty rare.”

The Chief Libationist thought for a moment before asking, “You’re from the Feng Clan of Yan, right?”

Feng Qingyou admitted, “Your insight is astounding, mister.”

“As if. Who else but the Feng Clan can nurture a phoenix like you?”

The Chief Libationist’s tone suddenly took a turn. “You are the one who worked together with this boy to screw over Jing Run and steal the Heavens’ Eye, aren’t you? Such audacity!”

Ye Qing’s heart skipped a beat. The old man wasn’t going to use this opportunity to settle the score, was he?