"There is a saying: 'Two lines, three years to get, one cry, double tears flow.' I've pondered a poem for two to three days, big brother. You're just too demanding," Zhan Feiyu said with a thick skin, rolling her eyes to the heavens.
As a science student in her previous life, mathematics was her forte!
In the shadows, Chong Guang nodded vigorously in agreement. After many years, he had finally found a kindred spirit!
Back then, following Seventh Master to study in the palace, he had used up a bottle of swelling-reducing ointment in three days. Thinking about it brought tears to his eyes. Why should he, a Forbidden Dragon Guard who fought with his fists, study and compose poetry? It wasn't that he was stupid; it was that Seventh Master's demands were too high!
"Your shameless demeanor truly doesn't suit poetry and songs," Yin Wuyan said coldly, adding another blow, "Your physique doesn't fit either."
The so-called talented women, even if they lacked the serene grace of a delicate flower by the water, or the graceful charm of a weak willow in the wind, at least weren't stout and short.
This was outright personal attack! Zhan Feiyu shot up, glaring angrily at Yin Wuyan, who was mocking her. Unfortunately, her short stature diminished her imposing presence.
With a few quick steps, she stood on the rock behind him and retorted furiously, "A scholar can be killed, but not insulted! I'm fat, but I haven't eaten your rice or drunk your water! Besides, I'm still growing. Give me ten more years, and I'll surely be able to make cities fall with one smile, and nations fall with another!"
With her chubby face and her fierce posture, hands on her hips as she cursed, Yin Wuyan dismissively withdrew his gaze. Not ten years, even twenty wouldn't turn her into a peerless beauty.
"Big brother! You ignore me now, but in the future, you won't be able to reach me!" Zhan Feiyu declared with her chin held high, her small chest puffed out. Her verbal retorts were weak, but she had the future...
A burst of laughter escaped Chong Guang, who emerged from the shadows. Looking at Zhan Feiyu, who was glaring at him, he mockingly said, "Fat girl, even if you test your way to the top scholar, you still won't be able to reach him!"
Zhan Feiyu deflated instantly, blinking as she sized up the stern and extraordinary Yin Wuyan. Well, some people were born in Rome!
"Big brother, I was just joking earlier," Zhan Feiyu said, her tone shifting, her smile incredibly fawning.
If Yin Wuyan hadn't exuded an aura of cold detachment that kept people at bay, she would have reached out to straighten his robes and foster a closer relationship.
"Where is your scholar's integrity?" Chong Guang asked, astonished at Zhan Feiyu's sudden change of face. "Who was it that said a scholar can be killed, but not insulted!"
With a raise of her eyebrows and a glare, Zhan Feiyu looked disdainfully at Chong Guang, patting her small chest with a thumping sound, "A scholar dies for his confidant! Big brother has shown me great favor, and I am merely a wise bird choosing the best tree to nest in!"
What was integrity? Could it be eaten?
Could she be this shameless? Chong Guang nodded in acknowledgment, concluding that this fat girl would definitely become a sycophantic official in the future! No wonder he could only remain in the Forbidden Dragon Guard; these scholars were all full of schemes, cunning from a young age.
Besides a thick skin, she was also adaptable! Yin Wuyan looked at the smug Zhan Feiyu. If anyone else had acted this way in front of him, Yin Wuyan wouldn't have even glanced at them.
But perhaps it was Zhan Feiyu's young age, or perhaps it was because she displayed her little schemes so openly, that he felt no aversion.
"What is this?" Zhan Feiyu took the letter Yin Wuyan handed her and giggled upon opening it. "The Zeng family can barely protect themselves, yet someone is still writing them anonymous letters."
Likely afraid of being recognized, the letter was written with the left hand, the handwriting extremely poor, and the wording blunt and crude.
The letter stated that although Elder Zhan had been expelled from the clan, he still lived in the village, and that the elder patriarch and village chief were merely deceiving the Zeng family. It also mentioned that the villagers, because of the little prodigy Zhan Feiyu, all said that a merchant like Shopkeeper Zeng wasn't even fit to carry her shoes!
To incite the Zeng family's wrath, it also fabricated many insulting remarks about the Zeng family, with Zhan Feiyu being the one who arrogantly disregarded them.
"You're not old, but you have quite a few enemies," Chong Guang teased with a smile.
"If one is not envied, one is a mediocre talent!" Zhan Feiyu said with pride and boldness, shaking the letter in her hand. "Thank you, big brother. I'll take this letter to the tutor to see."
Such ugly handwriting, such a malicious denunciation, it was obvious even to a blind man that Zhan Dalang was the culprit. No wonder he had taken leave today.
Watching Zhan Feiyu leave, Chong Guang shook his head. "Seventh Master, the fat girl is quite clever. She guessed it was Zhan Dalang as soon as she saw the letter."
Yin Wuyan then turned to look at Chong Guang, making him feel an inexplicable unease. He finally said coldly, "If you had a grudge against her, the grass on your grave would already be waist-high."
"Seventh Master, you can't be so biased!" Chong Guang protested repeatedly, imitating Zhan Feiyu and patting his chest. "I admit the fat girl is quite capable, but she's still a long way from being able to kill me."
"Could you infiltrate the Zeng family's Hundred Herbs Garden without making a sound?" a mocking voice inquired.
Chong Guang's expression stiffened. Yin Wuyan's second question followed, "Or do you know the art of Zhu You?"
Seeing Chong Guang speechless, he delivered the final blow, "Or could you steal the poisoned tea?"
"I..." Chong Guang looked defeated. Alright, to be able to kill the Jade-Faced Gentleman, the fat girl was indeed a ruthless person!
"But..."
As Chong Guang uttered the first word, Yin Wuyan's warning gaze fell upon him, his voice icy, "Don't meddle in what you shouldn't, and don't ask what you shouldn't!"
Wasn't this still bias? Chong Guang grumbled inwardly. Fortunately, the fat girl was only seven years old. If she were a little older, he would suspect his Seventh Master had taken a liking to her.
Stroking his chin, Chong Guang suddenly shook his head. The fat girl was too young; Seventh Master wasn't that monstrous!
...
The night was dark and windy, suitable for murder and looting.
The old Zhan family had already extinguished their lights. In the bedroom behind the main house, Old Madam Zhan tossed and turned, unable to sleep, causing the bed boards to creak.
"What are you doing, old woman? There's no warmth left in the quilt!" Old Man Zhan grumbled irritably.
It was cold, and the old cotton quilt wasn't warm to begin with. With all this tossing and turning, the cold wind had seeped in.
"I'm just worrying about the family's livelihood!" Old Madam Zhan replied.
The old Zhan family had lost its reputation, Elder son was expelled from the clan, the second son was injured, and the two daughters-in-law argued whenever they met. The moment Old Madam Zhan thought that all this started after Zhan Feiyu entered the private school, she wished she could strangle her to death.
The room was dark, so Old Man Zhan couldn't see Old Madam Zhan's increasingly contorted expression. He asked, puzzled, "Didn't we just get back one hundred and fifty taels of silver? And the second son said he's going to the county to start a small business."
One hundred and fifty taels was a large sum of money, more than many people could save in a lifetime.
"But you must hide the money well," Old Man Zhan added with a worried reminder. He wasn't worried about his two sons, but about his two daughters-in-law.
Old Man Zhan was most satisfied with Madam Li. Although she hadn't given birth to a son for the elder son, Madam Li had a gentle disposition, managed all the household and farm work, and wasn't greedy or competitive. As for the other two, they were capable of stealing money.
"I'm keeping it," Old Madam Zhan said, touching the key.
She had hidden the silver in a hidden compartment of her dowry chest, locked the chest with a large padlock, and then threaded the key onto a rope to hang around her neck.
"Old man, what Elder son said is right. If that brat becomes successful in the future, our old Zhan family won't be able to stand in the village," Old Madam Zhan whispered, her voice low, sinister, and hoarse, sending chills down one's spine. "I told the third one to buy some almonds. Tomorrow, let Little Niuniu give that brat almond candy."
"Give what candy..." Old Man Zhan's sleepiness vanished instantly. In his shock, he sat up from the bed, staring blankly at Old Madam Zhan, who was lying down. "Almond candy? Are you crazy?"
Old Madam Zhan also slowly sat up. Hidden by the darkness, her cloudy old eyes were sinister and venomous, devoid of any emotion.
"We can't keep that brat! The second son told me he didn't accept Young Master Zhu's money. Do you think the second son, with his intelligence, would offend the Zeng family for money?"
Old Man Zhan didn't quite believe Zhan Lao Er.
Old Madam Zhan lowered her voice and continued, "The second son was afraid that brat would block Elder son's path, so he bribed the blind woman to disfigure that brat's face, so she couldn't participate in the imperial examinations."
"The second son also bought some sleeping powder and put it in the wontons. But in the end, it was the second son who was drugged, and it was also the second son who was almost killed by the blind woman," Old Madam Zhan confessed the hidden matters.
"What?" Old Man Zhan almost thought he had misheard. The second son had drugged his own niece!
He suddenly felt colder. Old Man Zhan pulled the quilt up, but the chill seemed to have penetrated into his bones.
"Old man, since that brat switched the wontons, she must have realized that the second son was going to attack her. But she didn't say anything, and instead took the opportunity to harm the second son! She hasn't mentioned this matter until now. That brat's heart is black, and her blood is cold. She's not saying anything because she's waiting for revenge later."
Old Madam Zhan grabbed Old Man Zhan's trembling cold hand, gripping it tightly, and said word by word, fiercely and madly, "Old man, look at Elder son in the private school. He's either beaten by the tutor or beaten by Zhu Peng. If that brat doesn't kill our old Zhan family, she won't stop!"
His lips trembling, Old Man Zhan had thought that the Zeng family matter was over. Although the outcome was not satisfactory, the old Zhan family had still gained one hundred and fifty taels of silver. From now on, they would mind their own business with Zhan Feiyu. Who would have thought there was more to it?
This was a mortal feud, a matter of life and death!
"But it shouldn't be..." Old Man Zhan dared not continue. In the Zeng family incident, the eldest branch ultimately benefited.
The eldest son was expelled from the clan, but he still lived in the village.
As for Madam Li, she lived alone in a three-room brick house. Elder son would either build walls, carry water, or chop firewood. Without her in-laws and sisters-in-law, even if Old Man Zhan was indifferent, he knew that Madam Li lived a peaceful and comfortable life.
And Zhan Feiyu had been adopted out and was supported by the clan for her studies.
Old Man Zhan thought about it carefully. He knew that Zhan Feiyu must have had a hand in this. She already had this ability now. Once she achieved success in the imperial examinations in the future, killing the people of the old Zhan family would be as easy as crushing ants.
"Go to sleep. I just wanted to inform you," Old Madam Zhan said, then lay down on her own, closing her eyes, concealing the murderous intent within.
In the darkness, Zhan Feiyu listened, utterly confused. She had originally planned to secretly beat up Zhan Dalang for being so bold as to send an anonymous letter to the Zeng family.
But then she thought, Zhan Feiyu decided to steal ten taels of silver from Old Madam Zhan and put it in Zhan Dalang's study. If the money was lost, someone would definitely be found. At that time, the entire old Zhan family would beat up Zhan Dalang!
Unexpectedly, she heard all this. Was there something wrong with almond candy?
In the years she had spent in the Zhan family, Zhan Feiyu had never eaten almond candy. Almonds were expensive, and no family in the village would buy them to eat or make candy. Weren't crushed peanuts delicious?
After Old Man Zhan and Old Madam Zhan fell asleep, Zhan Feiyu quietly opened the door and left.
...
The next morning.
The sound of clear reading echoed from the private school. When the bell rang for a break, young children like Shan Wazi immediately put down their books and ran into the courtyard to play.
Zhan Feiyu had thought about it last night and the only possibility she could think of was an allergy.
Since Big Brother could detect that the tea had been drugged, and with such a so-called secret medicine, the doctor's medical skills must be superb. If she went there, even if she ate some almonds, she wouldn't die.
Zhan Dalang, ostracized by his classmates, didn't go out to play. He glanced at Zhan Feiyu in front of him. Thinking that the Zeng family would cause trouble for her, Zhan Dalang's eyes filled with the satisfaction of revenge.
The table in front of him was suddenly pushed forward, and Zhan Feiyu's back was violently bumped.
"What are you doing?" Turning around, Zhan Feiyu looked at Zhan Dalang, who had deliberately caused trouble.
"It was just an accident." He smiled provocatively, holding his head high and looking down at Zhan Feiyu. "Don't get too smug! Your good days are numbered!"
Actually, Zhan Dalang really couldn't understand what the Zeng family was so afraid of. This dead girl had a talent for reading, but she was just a commoner now.
With the Zeng family's wealth and power, as long as they broke her hand or disfigured her face, Zhan Feiyu wouldn't be able to participate in the imperial examinations. Zhan Dalang thought that if he were Shopkeeper Zeng, he would have crippled Zhan Feiyu long ago, not allowing her to be so arrogant.
Looking at Zhan Dalang, who dared to show off after doing something bad, Zhan Feiyu smiled and stood up. "Are you referring to the anonymous letter you sent to the Zeng family?"
Her smile froze on her face. Zhan Dalang was stunned, then angrily questioned, "How did you know?"
"What do you think?" Zhan Feiyu retorted, shaking her head helplessly. "Anyone with a brain wouldn't do something so stupid. Do you think Shopkeeper Zeng is stupid? Or do you think you're smarter than Shopkeeper Zeng?"
Who would dare say that Zeng Yuquan, who managed the Baofeng Cloth Shop, was stupid? Those who underestimated or offended him never ended well. Otherwise, people in Shangsi County wouldn't call the Zeng family overbearing and ruthless.
Zhan Feiyu looked at the displeased Zhan Dalang and continued with a smile, "Since Shopkeeper Zeng didn't retaliate, it must be because he was wary of something and didn't dare to retaliate. You wrote an anonymous letter, and Shopkeeper Zeng would fall for it? You think he's as stupid as you are!"
Zhan Dalang's face, which had been smug moments ago, turned red. He opened his mouth, but he also knew he had done something foolish. Perhaps the Zeng family had given the anonymous letter to Zhan Feiyu to curry favor with her!
Zhan Feiyu grinned and earnestly advised, "It's okay to be foolish, just read more. Reading makes people progress!"
Instead of getting revenge, he was ridiculed. Zhan Dalang looked at the smiling Zhan Feiyu, his eyes turning crimson, and suddenly raised a stool, roaring, "I'll smash you to death!"
Damn it! This time it was Zhan Feiyu's turn to be stunned. He resorted to violence at the slightest disagreement!
"Zhan Dalang, what are you doing!" Suddenly, a reprimanding voice rang out.
Just as Zhan Dalang raised his stool, Zhu Peng rushed in from the doorway, grabbed the leg of the stool, and pushed it back forcefully.
"Ah!" Zhan Dalang let out a pained cry. The stool hit his nose, and blood gushed out.
Wiping his nose and looking at the crimson blood on his fingertips, the already enraged Zhan Dalang completely lost his mind. He swung his fists at Zhu Peng, roaring, "I'll beat you to death, beat you to death..."
Zhu Peng was a dandy, and even in the private school, he had four or five cronies. Seeing Zhan Dalang and Zhu Peng fighting, these cronies didn't go to call the tutor but rolled up their sleeves and rushed forward to beat up Zhan Dalang together.
Tables were overturned, chairs fell, ink, paper, and books were scattered everywhere, and then trampled upon. By the time Tutor Lin rushed over, the lecture hall was in a mess.
The tutor was angry!
Zhan Feiyu, standing in the corner, guiltily touched her nose, absolutely refusing to admit that she wanted to see Zhan Dalang beaten, which was why she hadn't notified the tutor immediately.
"Little Yu, Da Lang won't die, will he?" Shan Wazi and other young children were frightened, standing by the wall blankly.
They usually fought in the village too, but at most, it was pushing each other or kicking each other. They had never fought so fiercely, especially with Zhan Dalang lying on the ground covered in blood.
"It's nothing, it's just a nosebleed." As soon as Zhan Feiyu spoke, she received Tutor Lin's stern gaze, and Zhan Feiyu immediately straightened up and dared not speak.
Tutor Lin helped Zhan Dalang up. "Zhan Xiujun, you..."
"They ganged up to beat me..." Zhan Dalang suddenly burst into tears, hugging Tutor Lin. Snot, tears, and blood smeared his face.
If it were a young child of seven or eight, it would be understandable. But Zhan Dalang was already twelve years old, a half-grown boy. Crying like this only invited contempt.
"Coward!" Zhu Peng sneered, pulling at the wound on his face, and hissed in pain.
Zhan Dalang had been like a madman just now, and Zhu Peng had also taken a few punches to the face.
After Zhan Dalang tidied himself up, his nosebleed had stopped, but his face was swollen, and his eyes were bruised. Fortunately, they were all superficial injuries. Although Zhu Peng and his cronies were many, they hadn't delivered a fatal blow. The boys, only a little over ten years old, were just impulsive and didn't have malicious intentions.
"All of you write ten large characters and hand them in before school ends!" Tutor Lin said with a stern face. None of the children sitting below dared to argue. They resignedly took out their pens and paper and began practicing calligraphy.
"You few, come to the study!" Tutor Lin's gaze fell on Zhan Feiyu, Zhu Peng, and the others.
Seeing them escape disaster, Tutor Lin said with a furious laugh, "You few, twenty characters! You can go home when you're done writing them!"
No way! Zhu Peng and his four cronies, their faces flushed, dejectedly followed Tutor Lin towards the study. Twenty large characters, and they still had to be checked by the tutor. They probably wouldn't be able to eat dinner today.
In the study, Zhan Dalang glared hatefully at Zhu Peng and the others, his voice sharp, "Tutor, you can't be biased! You must severely punish them!"
"Alright, Zhan Dalang. Why don't you mention why we were fighting?" Zhu Peng disdainfully looked at the complaining Zhan Dalang and said to Tutor Lin, "Tutor, I just saw Zhan Dalang raising a stool to smash Zhan Feiyu. I intervened, and that's how the fight started."
"Yes, Tutor, you should commend us!" The remaining four quickly agreed.
"Little Yu is our classmate. If that stool had hit her, Little Yu would have lost her life!"
"Zhan Dalang was like he had lost his mind just now. If we hadn't beaten him down, he would have kept attacking. He even picked up an inkstone to smash me."
The boy speaking pointed to the large ink stains on his clothes. Fortunately, they were many, otherwise, if he had been hit by the inkstone, he would have been more seriously injured than Zhan Dalang.
"You're talking nonsense! You're all in cahoots!" Zhan Dalang retorted loudly, but his eyes dodged guiltily.
"We have had a conflict with you, but Tutor can ask Zhan Feiyu." Zhu Peng said righteously. Although he had taken the opportunity to beat up Zhan Dalang, he was the one who made the first move.
Zhan Dalang clenched his fists, not daring to look at Tutor Lin, but he still stubbornly muttered, "Zhan Feiyu and I have a grudge. She'll definitely side with you!"
Tutor Lin guessed the truth from Zhan Dalang's guilty and fearful appearance.
Although Zhu Peng was a dandy and his studies were sporadic, he was honest. Whenever he made a mistake, he would honestly accept the punishment stick and rarely lied.
Of course, Tutor Lin trusted Zhan Feiyu the most. If she wanted to deal with Zhan Dalang, she wouldn't use such a low-class method. With Little Yu's disposition and cunning, Zhan Dalang would suffer retaliation without even knowing who did it.
The private school was not far from Jinlin Village and Yu Family Village. After waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Master Zhu arrived, followed by Zhan Lao Er and Madam Xiao Yao a moment later.
"Da Lang?" Seeing the bruised and swollen Zhan Dalang, and then the bloodstains dripping from his clothes, Madam Xiao Yao anxiously asked, "Da Lang, tell your mother, who beat you! Which heartless little beast is this, trying to beat my Da Lang to death!"
Madam Xiao Yao looked angrily at the people in the study. When she saw Zhan Feiyu, her old and new grudges surged forth. "You little slut! How dare you harm my Da Lang!"
Screaming, the ferocious Madam Xiao Yao lunged forward, her claws and teeth bared as if to tear Zhan Feiyu apart.
Zhu Peng knew that the women in the village were vulgar and shrewish, but they were respectful to Zhu Peng, always showing some flattery. Seeing the疯子-like Madam Xiao Yao, Zhu Peng was startled. "Zhan Dalang was also acting crazy like this just now."
Zhan Feiyu dodged behind a chair with a flash and pushed the chair forward.
The rampaging Madam Xiao Yao bumped her knee against the chair, crying out in pain.
"Enough!" Tutor Lin roared, looking coldly at Madam Xiao Yao, who still wanted to make a move, and said word by word, "This is a private school! No one is allowed to be presumptuous!"
Tutor Lin was a scholar, and even a scholar with a title. He was usually respected by the villagers. When he got angry with a stern face, his authority was enough to make Madam Xiao Yao fearful.
"Don't make trouble. Listen to what the tutor says." Zhan Lao Er pulled the unwilling Madam Xiao Yao over and sincerely apologized to Tutor Lin. "Please forgive me, Tutor. The child's mother is just too worried about Da Lang, which is why she lost control."
Zhan Feiyu stood beside Tutor Lin. This was the usual tactic of her former second uncle. He didn't stop her former second aunt when she was acting out, and now his apology was just for show.
"My poor Da Lang, to be beaten like this while studying at the private school..." Unable to act rampantly, Madam Xiao Yao hugged Zhan Dalang and wailed theatrically.
Master Zhu stroked his beard. He ignored the second couple and cupped his hands towards Tutor Lin. "Tutor, my son is unruly and has caused you trouble again. But I don't know what happened? Although Peng'er is impulsive, he's not the type to bully others with his status."
Tutor Lin waited for Madam Xiao Yao's crying to subside slightly, then explained the situation.
"Impossible! My Da Lang is a scholar who will take the imperial examinations. How could he pick up a stool to smash people!" Madam Xiao Yao retorted loudly, looking angrily at Zhan Feiyu, Zhu Peng, and the others, almost pointing at their noses and accusing them of colluding to bully Zhan Dalang.
"Zhan Dalang was holding a stool to smash Zhan Feiyu. I saw it with my own eyes!" Zhu Peng sneered, looking disdainfully at Zhan Dalang, who dared not admit his actions. He was truly a coward!
The other four also spoke up. Two of them had indeed seen it.
Madam Xiao Yao saw that the situation was not good. Suppressing her anger, she looked at Zhan Feiyu and forced a smile. "Little Yu, although you've been adopted, Da Lang is still your cousin."
"Da Lang also taught you to recite books, otherwise, how could you enter the private school? Little Yu, one cannot be ungrateful. How could Da Lang possibly pick up a stool to smash you? Perhaps you two were playing, and they misunderstood!"
Zhan Dalang glared fiercely at Zhan Feiyu, as if warning her not to speak nonsense.
Zhan Feiyu was speechless. Did he think she would be afraid? "Replying to Tutor, Zhan Xiujun and I did have a verbal argument. In his anger, he picked up a stool to smash me, but Zhu Peng stopped him..."
"You unfilial son! Although Little Yu has been adopted, she is still your clan sister!" As soon as Zhan Feiyu finished speaking, Zhan Lao Er roared and slapped Zhan Dalang across the face.
With a crisp slap, Zhan Lao Er reprimanded, "Apologize to Little Yu and your classmates! No matter what happens between adults, you and Little Yu are siblings. How can you be so reckless!"
The slapped Zhan Dalang stared blankly at Zhan Lao Er. His face was numb with pain, and his mind was in a daze.
"My Da Lang!" Madam Xiao Yao did not expect Zhan Lao Er to resort to violence. Seeing that Zhan Dalang's mouth was bleeding, she cried out in distress, "Don't you see Da Lang has been bullied? Why are you still hitting him! If you have the ability, go beat them!"
Madam Xiao Yao was not acting. She was heartbroken for Zhan Dalang and wished she could be the one beaten.
"Regardless of what happened, my son should not have resorted to violence today." After Master Zhu ordered Zhu Peng to apologize to Zhan Dalang, he also took out one tael of silver as medical expenses, as Zhan Dalang, with his bruised and swollen face and bleeding mouth, had been beaten quite badly.
After Master Zhu and Zhu Peng left, only Zhan Lao Er's family of three remained in the study. Tutor Lin took out ten taels of silver and handed it over.
"How can we let Tutor compensate? However, my Da Lang has indeed suffered. I don't know how serious his injuries are. He should be well-nourished." Madam Xiao Yao's crying eyes, red and swollen, sparkled with greed. Before Zhan Lao Er could speak, she snatched the silver and pocketed it, earning eleven taels of silver at once.
However, Master Zhu was really stingy, only compensating one tael of silver. Madam Xiao Yao pouted. Tutor Lin had taken out ten taels of silver ingots at once. How could Master Zhu, being so rich, not compensate ten taels? If he hadn't run away so quickly, she would have scolded him.
"Tutor, what is this?" Zhan Lao Er felt uneasy.
"Zhan Xiujun has been at the private school for four years..." Tutor Lin took all the blame upon himself, saying that he, as the tutor, was incompetent in teaching Zhan Xiujun. After four years of study, he hadn't achieved anything significant. Continuing to study would only be a waste of money.
Moreover, Zhan Dalang had picked up a stool to smash Zhan Feiyu today. Fortunately, Zhu Peng had blocked it, but what about next time? For the safety of the other students in the private school, Tutor Lin had no choice but to expel Zhan Dalang.
"What? You're not accepting my Da Lang?" Madam Xiao Yao's excitement from receiving the silver vanished. She angrily questioned Tutor Lin, "You're driving my Da Lang away for that dead girl Zhan Feiyu?"
Zhan Lao Er's face darkened. He hadn't expected Tutor Lin to be so heartless, but since the tuition had been refunded, Tutor Lin would not change his mind.
Pulling back the rampaging Madam Xiao Yao, Zhan Lao Er nodded, but his face remained grim. "Tutor, there's no need for this. My Da Lang is foolish and not as intelligent as Little Yu. It's normal for Tutor to look down on him. I'll take Da Lang home now."
"If you don't want to study, then don't. Bah! We have money, why should we be afraid of not having a place to study?" Madam Xiao Yao was furious. She pulled Zhan Dalang and walked outside, raising her voice deliberately to show off, "Da Lang, Mom will send you to the private school in Shangsi County tomorrow. If the tuition here wasn't cheap, who would come to this broken place!"
The Hongyuan Private School run by Scholar Zhang charged twice as much as Tutor Lin's, twenty taels of tuition per year, not including the cost of ink and paper. Eating lunch at the private school also required additional payment.
Tutor Lin stood by the window, watching Zhan Dalang and the other two leave and go far away.
Even if the conflict today hadn't happened, Tutor Lin would have advised him to withdraw after Zhan Dalang failed the county examination the year after next. By then, he would already be fourteen years old. He was playful and lazy, treating studying as a child's game. Continuing to study would only be a waste of money and time.