APSIL -Chapter 150 Teaching with Patient Guidance

As for the two little princes who had sneaked into the classroom, Zhang Shou pretended not to notice them.

Even when, instead of taking seats at the empty desks in the back, they stationed themselves on either side of Lu Sanlang’s seat, completely ignoring his helpless expression while constantly sneaking glances at the textbook, Zhang Shou acted as though nothing had happened.

He knew that perhaps the Third Prince and Fourth Prince could persevere through the first day.

Perhaps even the second.

But they wouldn’t last.

The students gathered in the Hall of Nine Chapters were adults who had survived three rounds of screening that tested both their mathematical foundations and logical reasoning.

This was an adult world.

After the introductory mathematics textbook came an abundance of material that was anything but child-friendly.

So when Zhang Shou noticed that, besides the Third and Fourth Princes, Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu, and three other young nobles who had once studied at Cuiyun Retreat had also quietly slipped into the back of the classroom to audit the lesson, he couldn’t help smiling.

Especially after Ge Yong, Qi Jingshan, Chu Ying, and the group of academy officials quietly left after listening for a while, while those youngsters remained where they were.

His smile grew even broader.

Even if their motives for learning weren’t entirely pure, it was still an interesting development.

Thus, for the first lesson, Zhang Shou casually reused the very first problem from the Hall of Nine Chapters entrance examination.

Using it as an example, he introduced several fundamental laws of simplified arithmetic.

He also brought up the consecutive-number addition problem that Lu Sanlang had once used to test Yan Fang.

By the time he finished, many of the students below felt as though the clouds had parted to reveal the moon.

Even the Third and Fourth Princes couldn’t help whispering excitedly to each other.

When the lesson on simplified addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division finally ended, Zhang Shou announced a short break.

Immediately, the Fourth Prince darted up to the front.

“Teacher! Can Third Brother and I come audit the afternoon lessons every day from now on?”

Seeing that the Third Prince clearly wanted to ask the same thing but lacked the courage, while Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu, and the others obviously shared the same wish, Zhang Shou answered quite generously.

“If you’re interested, you’re all welcome to sit in on the Hall of Nine Chapters’ afternoon classes, just as Lu Sanlang once attended lessons at Banshan Hall.”

“Of course…”

“That’s assuming your elective instructors give you permission.”

In Zhang Shou’s previous life, few teachers would object if students skipped physical education or music in order to study mathematics.

He saw no reason to object either.

The Third and Fourth Princes exchanged a glance.

The Fourth Prince immediately beamed with delight as both brothers hurried forward to ask Zhang Shou for textbooks.

To such a simple request, however, Zhang Shou merely shook his head.

“You arrived late, so you probably didn’t hear what I said earlier.”

“Even Lu Sanlang and the others are only borrowing their textbooks from the bookstore.”

“If you’re interested, you may purchase them yourselves.”

“I don’t have any extra copies.”

Having said that, Zhang Shou once again launched into another abbreviated version of Huang Sheng Borrows Books for the benefit of the two little boys.

Sure enough, with their classical Chinese studies still in the early stages, the Third and Fourth Princes listened with sparkling eyes.

They understood only one thing.

If they wanted books…

Either they bought them themselves…

Or, like everyone else, they borrowed them.

The cost of a few books meant nothing to princes.

Even Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu, whose status within their own families wasn’t particularly high, could easily afford them.

Yet without hesitation, the Fourth Prince secretly decided that he would borrow the books instead.

He hadn’t understood most of Zhang Shou’s long speech.

But one sentence had lodged firmly in his mind.

“Books are only truly read when they are borrowed.”

Meanwhile, after learning from Lu Sanlang that the two little boys who had wandered in to attend class were actually imperial princes, Yan Fang and the other students were nearly struck dumb with shock.

A few older students with stronger ambitions almost couldn’t resist going over to ingratiate themselves.

Before they had the chance, however, Zhang Shou simply took one prince by each hand.

“The Third Prince and Fourth Prince should be returning to the palace now.”

The Fourth Prince immediately protested.

“But Teacher, you just said we could come audit the lessons!”

“I was talking about them.”

“Not the two of you.”

Gently patting the Fourth Prince’s head, Zhang Shou calmly explained, “The Hall of Nine Chapters progresses at the rate of one book per day.”

“Those students already possess the necessary mathematical foundation.”

“You don’t.”

“If you truly wish to learn, you may buy those books yourselves.”

“Then quietly study on your own.”

“Just like I once did.”

The Fourth Prince blinked.

“Huh?”

“But Teacher… aren’t you Grand Tutor Ge’s student?”

“Let me tell you two a secret.”

Squatting down until he was eye level with the two tiny princes, Zhang Shou lowered his voice.

“When I first came to the village, I was still a sickly little boy…”

With an entirely serious expression, he fabricated a touching story.

A frail child who had narrowly missed meeting Grand Tutor Ge.

Who, by sheer coincidence, discovered books Ge Yong had left behind in the bamboo cottage at Cuiyun Retreat.

Who painstakingly taught himself.

And who was eventually accepted back into Ge Yong’s tutelage after proving his talent.

By the time he finished, both princes’ little faces were filled with excitement.

Then Zhang Shou whispered, “This is my secret.”

“I’ve never told anyone else.”

“I’m only telling the two of you.”

“So you must keep it secret.”

“Yes!”

“We’ll definitely keep it secret!”

The Fourth Prince nodded so vigorously his head nearly bounced.

Only then did the Third Prince realize he should answer as well, hurriedly nodding over and over.

With just a few words, Zhang Shou successfully fooled both young princes.

After encouraging them to return to the palace and diligently teach themselves, he finally escorted them back to their waiting guards.

When he returned to the Hall of Nine Chapters, however, he discovered an unexpected visitor.

Besides Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu, and the other three young nobles, another person had quietly appeared in the back row.

It was Zhu Er.

Sitting alone in a corner, separate from Zhang Wu and the others, he wore an unusually serious expression.

Zhang Shou ultimately pretended not to notice him and resumed the lesson.

This time, he formally began teaching decimal and fraction conversion, arithmetic involving fractions and decimals, and various unit conversions.

Naturally, in this era—long before the metric system—units such as jin, liang, zhang, chi, cun, sheng, and dou completely replaced the familiar measurements of Zhang Shou’s previous life.

Although these were all elementary concepts, and decimal notation had become widespread ever since the Founding Emperor introduced Arabic numerals, converting between fractions and decimals still left several of the young nobles looking utterly bewildered.

When the lesson finally ended, Lu Sanlang found himself strangely unsatisfied.

Today’s material had been a little too easy.

Seeing several students crowding around Zhang Shou with endless questions—and even Zhang Wu and Zhang Lu joining them—he decided to step outside.

As he reached the doorway, he spotted one of his personal servants mixed into the crowd of curious students watching from outside.

He immediately beckoned the servant over.

After hearing the errand the servant had come specifically to deliver, Lu Sanlang’s brows immediately knotted together.

Zhang Shou had been far too busy these past two days to meet the craftsmen Lu Sanlang had previously arranged.

Yet the Marquis of Weinan apparently hadn’t been joking.

He truly intended to invite Zhang Shou to Tingyu Pavilion.

Was Zhang Kang out of his mind?

Wasn’t he afraid Zhu Ying would hear about it, rush over, and demolish that supposedly elegant pleasure garden?

Still…

Lu Sanlang had accepted far too many favors from Zhang Kang.

After dismissing his servant, he patiently waited until the students gradually dispersed before quietly approaching Zhang Shou.

“Little Master…”

“The Marquis of Weinan invites you to a small gathering tonight at Tingyu Pavilion.”

“He says there’s something he’d like to ask your help with.”

Without pausing, he quickly added, “He also said… if Miss Zhu wishes to accompany you, she’s welcome as well.”

So Zhang Kang really wants to meet me at Tingyu Pavilion?

Zhang Shou had long been curious about the frontier-born noble.

As he pondered the invitation, his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of Zhu Er.

The young man was still sitting quietly in the corner.

An idea immediately occurred to him.

Raising his voice, Zhang Shou called, “Zhu Er.”

“I’m heading somewhere tonight.”

“Come with me.”

Zhu Er hadn’t been allowed out at night for several days.

Faced with Zhang Shou’s invitation, he was first stunned, then overjoyed.

He almost forgot why he’d come to audit the class in the first place.

After hurriedly clearing his throat, he said, “No one knows the capital better than I do.”

“Wherever you’re going, I’ll gladly accompany you.”

“But…”

“What if my grandmother and the others ask where I’ve gone?”

“No problem.”

“I’ll have A-Liu deliver a message to the Duke Zhao Estate.”

Hearing Zhang Shou take full responsibility, Zhu Er immediately agreed.

Lu Sanlang, meanwhile, let out a long sigh of relief.

As long as Zhu Ying wasn’t coming…

He could finally stop worrying.

As for whether Zhu Er would end up beaten black and blue for escorting Zhang Shou—his future brother-in-law—to a place like Tingyu Pavilion…

That was none of his business.