Chapter 270: with translation of chapter title

Since Kang Linfei was last rebuked by Gu Qingwan, his days have not been going well.

At first being rebuked wasn't so bad; back then Kang Linfei was still a senior academician of the Guozijian, with many disciples under him.

Although he had lost real authority after leaving the Imperial Cabinet, fortunately the students of the Guozijian didn't mind.

But later, after the three senior academicians finished lecturing together, the students of the Guozijian all ran off to Qingbei.

Kang Linfei too had become completely an ordinary person.

Only occasionally on some important festivals, and a few former students with good relations would come by to pay respects; otherwise, there was nothing.

Now Kang Linfei compiles works at the Hanlin Academy, i. e., he edits books.

An idle post among idle posts, he had thoroughly become a retired old man.

However, regarding this, Kang Linfei had no complaints.

In fact, since the lectures at the Guozijian ended, Kang Linfei really felt fortunate to have stepped down early, so he no longer loitered before the emperor.

Don't look at Yan Shijin and Xian Chonghui still being senior academicians; the Imperial Court still provided them with a small automobile and a dedicated driver.

But these two live each day in a state of heart-pounding anxiety.

With the students gone, the Imperial Cabinet no longer has any means to counter the emperor; now whatever the emperor says to have someone killed, that person gets killed.

Loitering before the emperor, if you happen to wander and wander, and the emperor suddenly recalls past events, if he's displeased, that could mean death!

Although I now have no position, merely editing books at the Hanlin Academy, at least I'm not in the emperor's presence.

Not loitering before the emperor means there's nothing to worry about.

Perhaps after a year or two, the emperor will have forgotten this matter.

Even if he doesn't forget, by then I'll be getting on in years; the emperor might see that I have few good years left and wish to leave a good reputation, thus letting me enjoy my twilight years in peace.

So, these days, although Kang Linfei lacks the former prestige and power, he is content.

Each day he just waters flowers and such at the Hanlin Academy, and his days are rather leisurely.

As long as I don't see the emperor, and as long as the emperor doesn't suddenly start thinking about me, then I'm fine.

But today, out of the blue… I ran into that living King of Hell…

Wasn't that living King of Hell supposed to have left?

Didn't he take off in a… airplane or something to wander around? When did he come back? Why haven't I heard any news?

After Kang Linfei came to his senses, seeing Lu Yuan baring his teeth and showing his big face through the car window, he couldn't help but shudder; Kang Linfei was truly afraid.

This brat is notorious for being bad!

This… this might not turn out well…

For a moment, Kang Linfei also hastily put on a smile and said:

"Lord Lu, you're back… when did you return… why didn't you send any word…"

Lu Yuan grinned and said:

"Just yesterday, I just got back, old… senior academician, where are you headed?"

I had originally wanted to call him Old Kang, but after thinking, I'm actually the president of Qingbei Daxue now.

I ought to set an example by respecting teachers and valuing the Dao.

Kang Linfei startled, then hastily waved his hand and said:

"Lord Lu, just call me Old Kang; that senior academician title… is something from eight hundred years ago."

Lu Yuan smirked, didn't bother with that, and then raised his eyebrows and said:

"Where are you headed?"

Kang Linfei pointed ahead, indicating the direction he was going, and said:

"The Hanlin Academy has nothing going on this morning; I'm preparing to go home."

Lu Yuan nodded, then immediately grinned and said:

"Senior academician, I have something I need your help with; hop in my car, and I'll give you a ride home later."

Kang Linfei's thought was to run as far away from Lu Yuan as possible, absolutely avoiding any involvement with this guy.

But hearing that Lu Yuan had something to ask of him…

If I could be of some help, and if Lu Yuan were to say a couple of nice words to the emperor… then perhaps I could live a couple more years?

After all, Kang Linfei knows the relationship between Lu Yuan and the emperor.

I heard that when that guy Lu Yuan was about to leave that day, the emperor's eyes turned red.

If it weren't for several people telling Kang Linfei, he wouldn't believe that such a cold-blooded emperor would even have red eyes.

After Kang Linfei froze for a moment, he finally grabbed his belongings, opened the car door, and got in.

Then Lu Yuan started the car and first went to his own family's estate.

He would return to the siheyuan in the evening; on this outing, his mother-in-law still lived in the siheyuan, so upon returning he certainly had to greet her.

Besides, there's Lin Fusheng, Wang Ping, Director Xu—these I also need to visit.

Make the rounds, house by house.

Kang Linfei sat in the back seat without speaking, merely curiously examining the small automobile.

Tonight is not like previous years; this is Kang Linfei's first time riding in a small automobile.

Since entering the Hanlin Academy, Kang Linfei has had little contact with the court officials—not because they don't reach out to him.

In fact, Kang Linfei doesn't want to associate with those people; even when they come to his doorstep, he shuts them out.

By this point, even Yan Shijin and Xian Chonghui no longer come to see Kang Linfei.

Everyone is smart and also understands what Kang Linfei means.

"This thing really doesn't need spirit stones; just burning whatever they call petroleum makes it run, huh?"

Kang Linfei, unable to help looking around, asked.

Lu Yuan glanced at Kang Linfei's appearance in the rearview mirror and then grinned, saying:

Yeah, Senior Grand Secretary, it's impressive, right?

This time Kang Linfei responded quickly, and sincerely nodded, saying seriously:

Really impressive.

Although Kang Linfei doesn't get along with Lu Yuan, for some things he genuinely feels that Lu Yuan is truly impressive.

Especially over the past few months, the Great Zhou Dynasty has undergone tremendous changes.

To outsiders it seems the emperor is wise and martial, but everyone in the court knows the emperor does nothing, just lies in bed sleeping; all this is Lu Yuan's doing.

Asking himself, Kang Linfei feels that even giving these people several hundred years would be enough for them to be arrogant enough to achieve the present situation.

Admiration is genuine admiration.

Before, I thought Lu Yuan was just a bit clever, lucky, having produced a steam engine, railways, and whatever spirit stone refining equipment.

But now I see, this meticulous fellow truly has ability, he's really impressive.

Especially this fellow comes with a whole set.

It's not that after researching something he just leaves it.

Take the steam engine for example: once the steam engine was made, the next set was railways, enhancing the Great Zhou Dynasty's freight capacity.

When the internal combustion engine came out, they built roads, then automobiles; when automobiles appeared, there were traffic lights and traffic rules, all emerging together with the cars.

Sometimes Kang Linfei genuinely admires Lu Yuan's mind, wondering how this person can think so thoroughly.

It's impossible not to admire him.

Lu Yuan didn't expect Kang Linfei to say something nice to him.

Glancing at Kang Linfei in the rearview mirror, Lu Yuan also felt that Kang Linfei was a bit different from before.

Before, Kang Linfei and I were at odds.

Now, however, it has changed.

But thinking about it, it's normal; since he's no longer an official in the court, his views would change.

Moreover, the things I've created are indeed impressive.

What's the point of being stubborn now?

Soon, Lu Yuan drove his little Benz to his family's large courtyard.

As Lu Yuan expected, the large residence had been fully renovated, with a style basically the new Chinese style found on Earth.

This decoration style is truly novel here.

However, the renovation isn't finished yet; some furniture and furnishings are still missing.

Lu Yuan only found out upon asking that the items for this decoration style were too novel.

They weren't for sale at all; Liu Shoucai could only have people make them first.

Kang Linfei also followed him in, looking at Lu Yuan's house with a face full of astonishment; this style of large, fully lit windows was something he'd never seen before.

It looks really beautiful.

That is, the windows are opened so large, this winter…

Oh… right, the kang heating ducts were also invented by this guy.

Lu Yuan walked around inside and found that the home's decoration really matched his taste.

Liu Shoucai's work for me is flawless; I can't find any fault.

Today Liu Shoucai isn't here; he's a busy person, and now many matters in Xin Cheng district are under his charge.

However, many of the people who renovated Lu Yuan's home are still known to him.

They are the same batch that initially installed Lu Yuan's kang heating ducts.

It seems these people have become backbone workers; otherwise Liu Shoucai couldn't assign them to work at his home.

After checking the renovation, Lu Yuan went to look at the potatoes; Third Uncle's care of them is not bad.

Although Third Uncle now lives at Second Uncle's place, he still comes over every day.

The previous batch of potatoes, Lu Yuan sent another batch to his eldest wife; the upcoming ones will be for him and his second wife to eat.

After finishing looking at the house, Lu Yuan drove straight to Qingbei Daxue.

Arriving just in time for a meal, Lu Yuan couldn't slight Kang Linfei; later he still needs to find Kang Linfei to write something for him.

The meals at Qingbei Daxue need no saying; they are absolutely top-notch.

Even the Agriculture Bureau can't compare.

There is a morning train that specially transports fresh vegetables, meat, and seafood to Qingbei Daxue; one can say the cafeteria standard of Qingbei Daxue is the highest standard of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

However, although the cafeteria standard is so high, the people coming to eat…

…are few, scattered sparsely.

It's not that the food here is bad.

The cooks here are all imperial chefs.

Recently, when Lu Yuan wasn't at Qingbei Daxue researching every day, Gu Qingwan directly transferred half of the palace's imperial chefs to this Qingbei Daxue.

The chefs can't be chosen, the ingredients can't be chosen; as for money, meals at Qingbei Daxue are completely free, just can't be taken out.

Of course, if you sneakily bring back one or two portions for your family to eat, as long as you don't go overboard, actually no one will bother you.

There's no problem with that, yet the cafeteria has hardly any people.

That can only mean the students and teachers of Qingbei Daxue have already forgotten sleep and food.

Now everyone's enthusiasm for learning and research is extremely high.

Fearing that someone else might first publish their research, they naturally neglect sleep and food.

However, in Lu Yuan's view, not being proactive about eating indicates a problem with the brain.

Here there is a teachers' cafeteria, a private little room.

However, the whole hall had hardly anyone, so there was no need to go to a private room; after Lu Yuan and Kang Linfei got their meals, they just found a nearby table and started eating.

"Hmm... the imperial chef of this palace really came here..."

Kang Linfei knows how to eat; he's had plenty of feasts in the palace before, and with just a move of his chopsticks he can taste the flavor.

Lu Yuan raised his eyebrows, looking at Kang Linfei and said with a smile:

"You're an expert, Senior Cabinet Minister."

Kang Linfei gave an embarrassed smile and said:

"Lord Lu, please don't make fun of me."

The two were eating and chatting; soon, a crowd surged into the cafeteria entrance, stood at the door looking around, and after seeing Lu Yuan,

The crowd, holding books, quickly ran over to Lu Yuan.

What are these people here for? Needless to say, they're obviously here to ask questions.

However, these people also knew Lu Yuan was eating, so they weren't in a hurry to ask, but they first wanted to grab seats.

Although they weren't asking, with so many people crowding around, it became like a monkey spectacle, and Lu Yuan couldn't eat anymore.

Simply, he ate while answering questions for the students of Qingbei Daxue.

Kang Linfei sat opposite, eating silently, watching the scene before him, and actually felt a bit envious.

Even when I was in the cabinet before, I never had students this enthusiastic, right?

This meal lasted close to two and a half hours.

The people in the cafeteria kept growing; after Qingbei Daxue heard the news that the president had returned, students and teachers alike came with their own notebooks.

At this rate, if he keeps going like this, he might not finish even by dinner time.

Lu Yuan couldn't take it anymore, so he slipped away first.

When he has time later, he'll give everyone another talk.

Kang Linfei waited nearby for over two hours, also listening to Lu Yuan's lecture to the students.

In the meantime, many former Guozijian students recognized Kang Linfei, hurriedly calling him 'teacher', but not 'master'.

However, even as a teacher, Kang Linfei dared not accept.

Before, I always thought Lu Yuan was just a craftsman; opening a university? That's like trying to get ivory from a dog's mouth.

But after listening for these two hours,

Kang Linfei really felt that the things he had said before were worlds apart from what Lu Yuan is teaching now.

He truly feels unworthy of being a teacher.

Compared to Lu Yuan's efforts to strengthen the nation through industry, his own pursuits have turned into useless book learning.

Lu Yuan led Kang Linfei not elsewhere, but to his own office.

However, upon entering the office, Lu Yuan froze, huh?

His second wife had come.

At this moment, Gu Qingwan was sitting in Lu Yuan's chair; as soon as the door opened and she saw Lu Yuan, she immediately broke into a sweet smile.

She was about to say something in a coquettish voice, but suddenly noticed that behind Lu Yuan followed Kang Linfei.

Upon seeing Kang Linfei, Gu Qingwan immediately switched to a stern, indifferent expression.

And Lu Yuan and Kang Linfei didn't expect that, upon opening the door, they would see His Majesty sitting there with his legs crossed.

After a moment of shock, Kang Linfei reacted quickly and knelt down with a thud.

Lu Yuan blinked, didn't hesitate, and also knelt down with a thud.

Before Gu Qingwan could say anything, Lu Yuan suddenly burst into tears and snot, knelt before her, wrapped his arms around her thigh, and with a face of grievance said:

"Your Majesty~~you've got to stand up for me~~the Southern Exchange Dynasty is stealing my stuff!!"

(End of chapter)