APSIL -Chapter 29 Arriving in Droves

A cool breeze drifted through the bamboo grove.

Leaves rustled softly.

Voices rang out as students recited aloud.

Brushes scratched steadily across paper.

It was the sort of scene that any teacher would find deeply satisfying.

However…

Zhang Shou was definitely not one of those teachers.

When he had expanded this cluster of bamboo cottages, his original intention had been very simple.

Someday he would erect a couple of stone steles, providing scholars who admired the refined lifestyle of famous recluses with an elegant place to stay.

They could reminisce about history, lament the present, sigh over the changing seasons…

And, incidentally, bring some income to the village.

Later, Zhu Ying’s arrival had given him a sudden inspiration.

He decided on a more imaginative way to fleece those wealthy young dandies.

Lu Sanlang’s participation had made him the perfect shill.

But when Zhang Chen and his companions chose to stay, the uneasy premonition Zhang Shou had felt became reality.

Just look at the large bamboo hall now.

Four rows across.

Four rows down.

Exactly sixteen students.

Of them, twelve had arrived one after another because Lu Sanlang and Zhu Ying had quietly spread the word, while Zhang Chen’s trio had adopted the attitude of “If we’re suffering, everyone else has to suffer too.”

Driven by their desire to impress Zhu Ying and by simple competitiveness, they had all flocked into the bamboo grove.

Faced with the two hundred difficult problems Zhang Shou had casually written after a spur-of-the-moment idea…

They had all surrendered without exception.

Although he had repeatedly insisted at first that he wasn’t accepting disciples…

Lu Sanlang praised him.

Zhu Ying persuaded him.

The trio of spoiled young nobles chimed in.

In the end, Zhang Shou had no choice but to grit his teeth and accept them all.

He—a fake old master—had somehow become an unfathomably learned hermit of legendary wisdom.

What kind of ridiculous joke was this?

Sitting in the place of honor, Zhang Shou quietly sighed.

Almost immediately, a teacup appeared before him at exactly the right moment.

Looking up, he met Zhu Ying’s smiling face.

“Sir, are you thirsty?”

“Please have some tea.”

“I just sent someone back to the capital.”

“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager even sent me the palace’s remaining supply of this year’s pre-Qingming tea.”

Helplessly, Zhang Shou accepted the exquisite Jun porcelain teacup.

At the same time, he shot Zhu Ying a reproachful glance.

Your acting is far too exaggerated.

Though separated by the veil covering his face, Zhu Ying immediately understood the look.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the noble youths below—the very ones she and Lu Sanlang, together with Zhang Chen’s group, had lured here.

Quite a few of them were secretly stealing glances at her.

She gave a light snort before looking at Zhang Shou with a hint of grievance.

“But Sir…”

“I only did this because you love drinking tea.”

Every spoiled young noble from the capital had seen Zhu Ying galloping through the streets on horseback, whip in hand.

But this…

This faint pout…

This half-angry, almost coquettish expression…

Almost everyone below was seeing it for the very first time.

Even Qi Liang—who had been provoked into becoming the assistant instructor by only a few words from Zhu Ying—momentarily lost himself in her dazzling charm.

Fortunately, after spending many days with her recently, he had developed some resistance.

He shook his head hard and quickly regained his senses.

Then the usually stern senior disciple—who had even set aside the upcoming prefectural examination in order to maintain order here—suddenly roared, “Focus!”

“Concentrate!”

“Are you here to study…”

“…or to admire a beautiful woman?”

“Miss Zhu is only a young lady, yet she’s already solved these three problems!”

“Now look at your own papers!”

“How many of you still have completely blank pages?”

Just then, Lu Sanlang leisurely rose to his feet.

“Sir.”

“Senior Brother.”

“I’ve finished.”

The classroom immediately erupted into chaos.

Someone like Zhang Chen slammed his palm onto the desk as he jumped to his feet.

He was only one step away from accusing Lu Sanlang of cheating.

Seeing this, Zhang Shou felt as though his head had doubled in size.

He made an immediate decision.

Standing up, he flicked his sleeve coolly.

“Lu Sanlang.”

“You’ll explain today’s lesson to everyone.”

“If you can solve a problem but cannot explain it clearly…”

“Then it doesn’t count as solving it.”

“Before today is over, if you cannot explain these three problems until every single student understands the method…”

“…then you will copy each problem three more times as punishment.”

With that, he completely ignored the dumbfounded Lu Sanlang.

He turned and walked out of the hall.

Standing once again in the bamboo grove, Zhang Shou took a deep breath of the fresh air, which already carried the faint scent of autumn.

Soon afterward, he heard footsteps following behind him.

Without looking back, he already knew who it was.

Zhu Ying.

Now that there were so many people around, Zhang Shou had specifically instructed her not to call him by name anymore.

If someone overheard…

Their entire performance would fall apart.

“Is Sir angry?”

Zhang Shou didn’t answer.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Zhu Ying kicking two small stones with her embroidered shoes.

Then she quietly said, “In this world…”

“Having talent alone isn’t enough.”

“I know you don’t seek fame or high office.”

“But could you really bear bowing your head to petty men someday?”

“I don’t possess that much talent.”

Zhang Shou turned around, smiling helplessly as he looked directly at the beautiful young lady standing before him.

“What began as a simple scheme to make some money…”

“Has now become something enormous.”

“If someone eventually exposes me…”

“Wouldn’t I become nothing more than a fraud who stole a reputation I never deserved?”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“The problems you taught me were genuinely interesting.”

Zhu Ying answered with complete confidence.

Then she remembered how she had racked her brains for ages before finally solving those three problems—with Zhang Shou practically guiding her hand the entire time.

Immediately, her confidence weakened just a little.

“If they properly learn something from you…”

“It’ll benefit them in the future.”

“They definitely won’t lose out.”

Shaking his head, Zhang Shou slowly walked toward the edge of the bamboo grove.

When he realized Zhu Ying had followed him again, he stopped and turned around seriously.

“The idea of choosing guests according to whether they could solve the problems…”

“…was originally nothing more than a spur-of-the-moment plan.”

“I simply wanted to earn some quick money.”

“I never expected it to last forever.”

“I certainly never expected no one would eventually expose it.”

“In the end…”

“I was only borrowing your influence.”

“But now things have grown so large.”

“So many people have come.”

“The reputation of this mysterious hermit living in the bamboo grove…”

“By now, it may already have spread throughout the capital.”

“When you sent people back to create even more publicity…”

“You had to rely on your family’s attendants.”

“They all know my true identity.”

“Do you really think they wholeheartedly support exaggerating my reputation like this?”

“And besides…”

“Because the village houses are still being repaired, outsiders may not casually wander in through all the dust.”

“But many villagers know perfectly well that I was the one who hired them to build these bamboo cottages.”

“If even one person lets something slip…”

“And word spreads from one person to ten, then to a hundred…”

“The consequences would be unimaginable.”

“Now look.”

“So many people have come here eager to study.”

“Do you really think this won’t eventually attract those with ill intentions?”

“I…”

Zhu Ying’s expression gradually changed.

Without realizing it, she bit her lower lip.

But what truly made her face turn pale…

Were Zhang Shou’s next words.

“Yingying.”

“Have you ever considered this?”

“If your father and eldest brother truly remain safe and well…”

“People may do nothing more than laugh at this little farce.”

“Or perhaps criticize it a little.”

“But…”

“What if something unexpected happens?”

“Or what if someone is deliberately looking for an excuse to attack the Duke of Zhao’s household?”

Although Zhang Shou had, for once, called her Yingying while they were alone…

She found no joy in hearing it.

Remembering how she had eagerly sent people back to the capital to spread rumors and fan the flames while Lu Sanlang was doing the same…

For the first time in her life—having always acted exactly as she pleased without caring what others thought—

She felt genuinely unsettled.

“I…”

Seeing the usually confident young lady visibly shaken, Zhang Shou noticed several bamboo leaves drifting down through the air.

One landed gently among her glossy black hair.

Stepping forward, he carefully removed the fresh green leaf and held it out before her.

“Even though you’re doing all this for my sake…”

“And only trying to help me…”

“I hope that from now on…”

“You’ll discuss these things with me first.”

“For now…”

“I need to leave for a while.”

“You stay here and help keep things under control.”

“As long as you’re present…”

“I doubt any of them will dare cause trouble.”

Zhu Ying blankly accepted the bamboo leaf.

After hesitating for a moment, she slowly nodded.

But when she saw Zhang Shou turning to leave, she hurried after him.

“If something really happens…”

“Don’t worry.”

“I’ll—”

Without turning around, Zhang Shou merely waved a hand.

“The original idea was mine.”

“I was the one who chose to keep Lu Sanlang.”

“If trouble truly comes…”

“And I simply push all the blame onto you…”

“What kind of man would that make me?”

“Don’t worry.”

“I’ll think of a solution.”