Chapter 63: What delicious delicacies does the Kang Fu actually eat?

I knew it was you, and I also understood what the Kang Clan meant.

When Ningguang said these things, it felt like the scene of her taking on three disciples, as if it were yesterday.

Now everything has changed; her youthful vigor back then also left with Ying Ying.

"Then..." Jiang Yunchu's words trailed off.

Ningguang just laughed, "Do you want to ask, then I'm still making things difficult for you?"

Jiang Yunchu lightly nodded; she had only figured it out later, never expecting that Master Ningguang had known all along—those five days of hers were truly worse than death.

"Yun chu, you need to give me time to untie my heart's knot."

"Three days—when I untie my heart's knot, I want to know how far you can go."

"If you're hungry, I'm hungry; if you're thirsty, I'm thirsty."

"I don't want to lose it—I once swore I would never set foot on Ningguang Peak again, for on that peak lies your mother's memorial tomb."

When Master Ningguang said this, her voice was very soft, very soft, as if she feared speaking it aloud, lest birds, wind, or plants hear it.

She was afraid.

Kang Mengxian let out a long sigh, "Yun chu, later on, your maternal grandfather will tell you your mother's story properly."

"For now, let the maternal grandfather wait a little longer, wait a little longer."

The pain of losing his daughter is his greatest pain.

He had two sons and two daughters in his lifetime; though all flesh is equal, hearts are biased, and his favorite child was Kang Ying.

When a baby girl was just born, he would hold her and recite the Three-Character Classic for her.

When his daughter turned three, he would have her recite the Four Books and Five Classics.

She grew up slowly, her talent overflowing; whether in appearance or learning, her fame was too great.

At that point, he became afraid.

He had no choice but to send her to Ningguang Peak, yet in the end he could not escape fate.

"What do you think of my idea?" Jiang Yunchu directly changed the subject.

What ought to be known will be known sooner or later; what ought not to be known, her mindset has already let go.

Before, she wanted to know a truth, to know the attitudes of the Jiang and Kang clans, but now her mind is already filled with many speculations.

From now on, let time gradually prove it.

"No." Kang Mengxian shook his head; these ideas were somewhat shocking, yet upon closer examination one could see their reason.

Some things he didn't understand, but since Ningguang gave them to him, it shows that in her place they have already been approved.

"What about teaching arrangements?" Jiang Yunchu called out to Zi Su.

She now takes it easy whenever she can; note‑taking is still handed over to her secretary—ah, no, her maid!

After Zi Su arrived, she specially had someone bring a table, lay out paper, Zi Su held a brush dripping with ink, nodded to the Princess Consort, and she was ready……

"Speak."

"I prefer quiet, and I don't have that much time—I'll take eight lessons a month." Master Ningguang, seeing Zi Su writing furiously, now finally understood what she was meant to do.

Kang Mengxian nodded, "My schedule is also eight lessons a month."

The two scholars' arduous journey thus began.

Usually they would have other teachers instructing them, but under the astonishment of Master Ningguang and Master Kang Meng, she actually assigned the courses directly.

This……

"Do we also have to learn cooking from the kitchen maid?" Kang Mengxian was a bit confused—there was no such clause in those papers just now.

"Yes!" Jiang Yunchu nodded firmly, then gave her maternal grandfather a strange look.

"What happened?"

Master Kang Meng, ah, the pinnacle of scholars—who could be foolish?

Seeing Jiang Yunchu's gaze, he instantly realized something was off, yet he didn't know where the problem lay.

"On the second night after your precious grandson arrived at the manor, you said the food in my Wang Fu was no better than pig slop."

"I really want to know—what delicious delicacies does the Kang Fu actually eat?"

She indeed harbored curiosity, but also wanted to warn her maternal grandfather—if these words got out, it would hardly be a small matter.

The child mentioned just a meal, but to outsiders it's not merely a meal—it could be bribery, embezzlement, extravagant waste, possibly……

If one wanted to pin a crime on them, there would be plenty of excuses—there are always plenty of people lurking in the shadows.

"I understand."

Kang Mengxian let out a sigh; he's grown old, less hot‑headed than in his youth, always thinking that the younger generation have their own parents, and this grandfather of his should interfere less.

But he never expected it!

Kang Lian, ah! Clueless, ah!

"Not only cooking—later they'll wash their own clothes, and while in the academy they'll wear a uniform; personal clothes are not allowed to be brought inside."

"Meals make no distinction between rich and poor; when the time comes, food will be served uniformly—take as much as you can eat, but don't waste."

"Also, there are some lifestyle habits and etiquette matters."

After Jiang Yunchu finished saying these, she lifted her head and saw the two men's astonished looks.

"Actually, in my view, what I said earlier is far more important than their superficial learning."

One must first walk the right path, then learning knowledge is never too late.

But…… if one walks the wrong path yet possesses great knowledge, to others that is certainly not a good thing.

Master Ningguang and Kang Mengxian fell into silence; what they saw and heard today clashed with their former notions, and also with their long‑held educational philosophy, producing a contradiction.

They are the top scholars of Da Ning, their students spread throughout Da Ning; each has a different temperament, but they each have their own teaching philosophy.

But……

They had to admit that they paid more attention to ability in learning, but often they never cared about character.

Those who stay by their side, they will scrutinize character, but those who leave, do they not need to scrutinize character?

"Good, for one year, all of us will follow your arrangements."

Kang Mengxian and Ningguang exchanged a glance, finally making this decision; they have little time left, yet it is also long.

These kids are still young, we can also wait.

In one year's time, test a theory, and let the final result convince each other.

"A word is settled."

Jiang Yunchu immediately agreed, her face beaming with a victor's smile.

Her theory, however, has been forged and refined over five thousand years of Chinese civilization; what she fears is not practice, but outright denial.

"Don't think you've won!" Kang Mengxian said, though he spoke those words, the smile on his face could not be suppressed.

Ningguang laughed and shook her head, "Indeed, the blue surpasses the indigo, not without reason."

For a moment, the three reached a certain understanding; although the academy was resting, their daily tasks were not few, and on the Ningguang Yuan side, the teaching materials for each lesson were also being compiled.

Besides the basic enlightenment Three Character Classic, there are agricultural studies, technique studies, Lu Ban studies, music studies, painting studies, military studies and chess studies, and calligraphy studies.

All courses must be compiled according to level, carrying out a level-based compilation.

Everyone at Ningguang Yuan sprang into action; all day, aside from meal times when people could be seen, most of them went out, while a minority stayed holed up in the Study each day, searching through various materials.