APSIL -Chapter 170 The Hollow Rice Ball

In principle, men and women should keep their distance, and Qi Liang was an outsider to the Lu family. No matter how one looked at it, he should not have been allowed into the inner chambers. However, Madam Lu was now showing affection for Zhang Shou and extending that affection to those around him. Her most beloved youngest son had been greatly cared for by Zhang Shou, and his reputation had improved tremendously. Therefore, although Qi Liang was merely Zhang Shou’s student, she treated him differently.

After lowering a layer of gauze curtain beside the bed, she had Nanny Jin directly invite him inside.

The reason Qi Liang had gone to report to Zhang Shou before coming was that he had only arrived slightly later than Lu Sanlang—because A-Liu had driven the carriage and taken shortcuts. As for the gifts, they were several types of nourishing medicinal herbs that the Duke of Zhao’s residence had just sent to Zhang Shou. Zhang Shou had not even had a chance to look at them yet, but A-Liu had taken it upon himself to have Qi Liang bring them over.

At this moment, the young man who had nearly been shaken apart inside the carriage arrived in the inner room with unsteady steps. When he saw Lu Sanlang smiling pleasantly at him, he immediately understood that Madam Lu was probably not seriously ill. He let out a huge sigh of relief.

After performing the proper greetings and exchanging a few polite words, Qi Liang conveyed Zhang Shou’s regards, then deliberately added: “Teacher said that filial piety is of utmost importance. Since Madam Lu is unwell, Junior Brother Lu should stay home and accompany her for a few days. There is no need to rush back to the Imperial Academy.”

Lu Sanlang was actually worried about his mother as well. However, his father’s words when he had just returned had angered him greatly. After hesitating briefly, he neither agreed nor refused. Instead, he asked directly: “Senior Brother Qi, now that you’ve left, who is managing Jiuzhang Hall?”

The moment these words came out, Qi Liang froze.

Jiuzhang Hall had originally been managed by him and Lu Sanlang together. Now that Lu Sanlang had taken leave to return home and visit his mother, while Qi Liang himself had been sent out by Zhang Shou to check on Madam Lu, Jiuzhang Hall truly had no one in charge!

The students had gradually become accustomed to the environment. Ordinary lessons were fine, but the current problem required someone to organize and lead them. Would this precious time be wasted?

A faint layer of sweat appeared on Qi Liang’s forehead, but he still forced out a smile.

“I’ll return after seeing Madam Lu. A little time won’t matter.”

“How can it not matter?” Lu Sanlang suddenly raised his voice.

“Those people are waiting to see Teacher make a fool of himself. They’re waiting to see Jiuzhang Hall fail. At a moment like this, we should face the challenge head-on and not give them any opportunity!”

Behind the gauze curtain, Madam Lu carefully examined the completely different Lu Sanlang before her. She felt both comforted and proud.

She immediately spoke: “Xiao Qi, Sanlang is right. Since Zhang Doctor is currently in need of manpower, Sanlang should naturally do his part. My illness is nothing serious. I only need to rest for a few days. Take Sanlang back with you.”

Before Qi Liang could persuade her otherwise, she continued firmly: “As long as Sanlang can help Zhang Doctor solve this problem, that is far better than merely showing filial piety with words or staying by my bedside. You should know, I have dreamed of seeing him accomplish something for years!”

Everything that could be said had already been said by Madam Lu. Furthermore, hearing that this Minister’s wife’s voice was still strong and that she truly seemed fine, Qi Liang naturally turned to look at Lu Sanlang.

Sure enough, he immediately saw Lu Sanlang smiling at him.

“Listen, even my mother said so. What else is there to say?”

As he spoke, Lu Sanlang turned toward the bed and gave his mother a deep bow.

“Mother, rest assured! A mere difficult problem is nothing in my eyes! Please take care of yourself. I shall go to Jiuzhang Hall now. I will not return until this problem is solved!”

Watching Lu Sanlang stride confidently toward the door, Qi Liang froze for a moment before quickly bowing deeply and chasing after him.

Madam Lu could not help but lift the curtain and watch the backs of the two young men leaving one after another. A bright smile spread across her face, and her heart felt extremely satisfied.

However, once they disappeared outside, she immediately turned toward Nanny Jin.

“Go. Find out which of the people who usually follow Master when he goes out are currently at home. Bring them all to my door. I will question them personally one by one.”

“I refuse to believe that if Master won’t tell me, these people won’t know where he has been!”

“Capital is only so large. Even if I have to guess, I can figure out what he’s planning. He has the ability to arrange a betrothal gift without even coming home?”

While Madam Lu, with the determination of a mother protecting her child, prepared to uncover who Lu Wan had chosen as Lu Sanlang’s marriage partner, Lu Sanlang and Qi Liang were already rushing back to the Imperial Academy in A-Liu’s carriage—which was moving far too violently.

Compared to Qi Liang, who had already experienced it once, Lu Sanlang was terrified out of his mind. When he stepped down from the carriage, he felt as though he had narrowly escaped death.

Standing firmly on the ground again, he and Qi Liang supported each other while casting a resentful glance at A-Liu, who stood beside them as calmly as ever.

Sure enough, the young man’s face remained expressionless. Instead, he seriously explained: “When you got on the carriage just now, you said to go faster.”

Was this what “faster” meant?

This was practically “fast enough to kill someone”!

Lu Sanlang screamed inwardly.

But when the words reached his mouth, they became a weak reminder: “Running carriages recklessly through the capital is forbidden…”

“We are a carriage,” A-Liu answered seriously.

He even added: “And we used deserted roads.”

Deserted roads?

This was the capital, not some wilderness!

Lu Sanlang no longer wanted to argue with A-Liu about logic. He dragged Qi Liang and hurried inside.

Only after confirming A-Liu had not followed them did he finally speak with lingering fear.

“Next time, no matter what happens, I’m never riding A-Liu’s carriage again. I was scared half to death!”

“He seems to know how to do everything. He’s usually not like this. This time he probably really was in a hurry.”

Qi Liang said this, but after riding in that carriage twice himself, his own legs were still weak. The two of them had to support each other as they staggered forward, making his words completely unconvincing.

Especially when Lu Sanlang complained that Qi Liang should not have immediately gone to inform Zhang Shou, Qi Liang could only smile bitterly.

“At that time, the people from your household looked as if they were about to cry. Naturally, I thought something serious had happened. How could I delay?”

“If Teacher hadn’t been teaching at the time, I think he would have personally gone there as well.”

Hearing this, Lu Sanlang felt somewhat moved.

Although he had never agreed with those outsiders who looked at Zhang Shou’s gentle appearance and assumed he was a refined gentleman, he had to admit that Zhang Shou treated his own people extremely well.

Otherwise, he would never have stormed into the Lu residence for his sake, nor would he have shared the credit he had obtained with everyone—especially Zhang Chen, who benefited the most.

Of course, Lu Sanlang would never admit that he himself was probably the one who benefited the most.

He quietly exhaled.

“A scholar should die for one who recognizes his worth. From now on, we’ll work hard. We can’t let outsiders laugh at us…”

The two continued walking and talking, and before long they arrived near Jiuzhang Hall.

However, before Lu Sanlang could imagine whether the place had fallen into chaos without him and Qi Liang managing it, he suddenly heard Zhang Chen’s voice from inside.

“None of them fit? How is that possible? Didn’t we already calculate the first half?”

Lu Sanlang was instantly shocked.

Why was Zhang Chen here?

That fellow was the Head of Banshan Hall, not Jiuzhang Hall!

A strong sense of crisis suddenly surged within him. Somehow, his exhausted legs regained strength.

He immediately released Qi Liang’s arm and rushed forward.

Qi Liang, caught off guard, was left behind.

“Hey!”

He only shouted once before realizing there was no way to call Lu Sanlang back.

With both annoyance and amusement, he hurried after him.

When he entered Jiuzhang Hall, he saw Lu Sanlang and Zhang Chen staring at each other.

Although they had not started arguing, the atmosphere was clearly about to explode.

Qi Liang hurried forward, about to ask what had happened, when Zhang Chen snorted and waved his sleeve.

“Who wants to fight you for authority?”

“If Senior Brother Qi wasn’t absent, and Teacher hadn’t asked me to temporarily oversee things, I wouldn’t have come to Jiuzhang Hall!”

“You’re back now, so deal with it yourself.”

“Of the fourteen characters, the first seven have mostly been determined. But the last seven cannot be calculated no matter what we do. Figure it out yourself!”

After saying this, Zhang Chen immediately put on an elegant, righteous expression and walked away.

However, the moment he left Jiuzhang Hall, that confident expression vanished completely.

If Lu Sanlang had not returned, his temporary position as hall leader truly would have collapsed.

Those commands he had been giving were merely him forcing himself to act confident.

The actual meaning behind them was simple:

Everyone work harder! Fight desperately! Everyone will receive credit and rewards afterward!

He had no idea how to crack the code.

Especially when facing a dead end, he had no solution whatsoever.

All he could do was draw a hollow rice ball—completely empty inside.

When Zhang Chen hurried back to Banshan Hall, the lesson was already nearing its end.

While Zhang Shou was instructing everyone to pack up, he heard Zhang Chen report that Lu Sanlang and Qi Liang had already returned.

He was slightly surprised.

But after thinking about it, perhaps Madam Lu was not seriously ill and the Lu family had merely suffered a false alarm.

Therefore, he did not think much about it.

Even after hearing that their progress had been unsuccessful, he was not anxious.

“Mm. You worked hard earlier. You did well.”

“If we truly succeed this time, you will also have a share of the credit.”

Zhang Shou’s voice was not loud.

However, the sharp-eared Fourth Prince heard the final sentence and immediately asked loudly: “Teacher, what great achievement did Hall Leader Zhang accomplish?”

In an instant, countless pairs of eager eyes focused on Zhang Chen.

Especially Zhang Lu, who had always followed behind him like a little attendant. His gaze even carried a hint of resentment—as if saying:

Brother Chen, why didn’t you bring me along when there was a good opportunity?

Cold sweat immediately appeared on Zhang Chen’s forehead.

But he had no idea how to explain.

At this moment, Zhang Shou recovered and smiled.

“Didn’t Zhang Chen just go to Jiuzhang Hall to coordinate things temporarily?”

“He did a good job as acting hall leader, so I praised him a few words.”

“As for saying he made a contribution, that was merely my encouragement toward him.”

“The problem has not even been solved yet. Even if I think it has been completed, whether it will actually work in the end is still uncertain. So those words were simply encouragement for Zhang Chen.”

Then Zhang Shou calmly looked around at everyone and smiled.

“This is also something your elders, and even your future superiors, often use to encourage people. It works every time.”

“But in the future, if I use this method to motivate everyone to work harder, don’t assume I’m merely making empty promises and continue doing things your own way.”

“After all, Zhang Chen is currently the acting holder of the imperial ruler.”

Using a hollow rice ball to motivate people was something that could actually be openly explained?

The group of students was speechless.

However, seeing that Zhang Chen showed no disappointment or shock whatsoever, their excitement quickly faded.

Only the Fourth Prince tugged at the Third Prince and silently decided that when they returned to the palace, they would tell the Emperor.

In the future, if their father tried to promise them hollow rice balls to coax them again…

They absolutely would not fall for it!