Chapter 535

The Doumu Hall was very large, with the Doumu Primordial Lady enshrined in the main hall.

This was Pan Yun's third time here; the first was when she had just arrived at the Academy and, while getting familiar with the surroundings with Miao Zhen and Miao He, had wandered here by accident;

the second was because of the ninth day of the ninth month—her elder's birthday—when the entire Academy came here to chant scriptures and hold a ritual.

This was the third time.

Although students were allowed to come and go freely here, normally it was the teachers and the senior-year senior brothers and sisters who chanted scriptures and cultivated here. Out of the slacker mentality of staying far away from teachers and outstanding senior brothers and sisters, Pan Yun and the others usually kept as far away as possible.

Pan Yun was not a slacker, but she was a school bully, and she also did not like dealing with the teachers.

Pan Yun raised her head and gazed steadily at the Doumu Primordial Lady for a while.

Her gaze was compassionate, her eyes lowered, and she too gazed steadily at Pan Yun, the corners of her mouth curving up slightly, her face full of kindness, looking at Pan Yun as though looking at her own child.

Pan Yun exhaled a breath, the corners of her mouth curving up as well, lowered her eyes, and respectfully cupped her hands and bowed three times.

Once she straightened her waist and stood still, a voice came from behind the statue of the Doumu Primordial Lady: "Come in."

Pan Yun lowered her hands and walked around the statue of the Doumu Primordial Lady; behind it was another door.

She pushed it open, and inside was a cultivation hall.

The space was open and spacious, with six rows of meditation cushions on the ground. At the very front was a raised platform about half a meter high, and sunlight pouring down from the tall windows on both sides shone right onto the platform.

Beneath the sunlight, a person sat cross-legged on the platform. Because the sunlight was too dazzling, Pan Yun could not make out his face for the moment.

But she knew that was True Person Zhang.

Pan Yun walked forward, and only when she got close did she sense something was off. She turned her head sharply, and only then noticed two more people sitting on the meditation cushions below the platform.

Because her gaze had been entirely drawn to the person on the platform, she had failed to notice them for a moment.

A fine layer of sweat broke out on the back of the composed and unhurried Pan Yun's spine, and she pressed down the sudden, violent pounding of her heart.

The two people below the platform rose and stood to one side.

Zhang Liuzhen smiled at Pan Yun and gave a slight nod, by way of greeting.

Pan Yun pulled the corners of her mouth at him, her gaze sweeping quickly past Zhang Ziwang beside him, then looked back up at True Person Zhang above, stepped forward, and bowed in greeting.

True Person Zhang's face looked quite young, not at all like that of a man in his fifties—more like someone just over thirty. Naturally, he also didn't look at all like Zhang Liuzhen's father; more like his older brother.

Still, the two men's faces did look quite alike.

True Person Zhang was very handsome. Looking at him, Pan Yun felt that Zhang Liuzhen would probably look just like this when he got older.

A great handsome young man in his youth, a great handsome old man in his old age.

But...

Pan Yun looked at True Person Zhang, then glanced at Zhang Liuzhen again, and couldn't help raising a brow. She noticed that True Person Zhang's face was cool and aloof, while Zhang Liuzhen's was gentle and mild—the temperaments of father and son were utterly different.

Zhang Ziwang frowned, feeling she was very rude, and gave a heavy cough.

Pan Yun immediately withdrew her appraising gaze, lowered her eyes halfway, bowed again, and said, "True Person, may I ask what matter you have summoned this disciple for?"

True Person Zhang did not mind Pan Yun's scrutiny. His face was still cold, but his voice was very gentle: "There are three matters I must instruct you on."

Pan Yun assumed an expression of listening attentively.

True Person Zhang gave a slight nod, pointed at Zhang Ziwang, and said, "Last year, he did wrong, and I punished him—thirty Lei Bian lashes, to be carried out over three ten-day periods, and one year's salary docked. Do you have any objection?"

Pan Yun looked up in surprise: "Lei Bian lashes?"

True Person Zhang nodded.

Lei Bian lashes were far more severe than being confined up the mountain. Before entering the Academy, her eldest nephew had warned her, and the Academy handbook also stated: Lei Bian punishments would not only damage the meridians, but in severe cases could also harm the divine soul.

This punishment was indeed heavy enough.

Pan Yun's thoughts raced, but she still pleaded for Zhang Ziwang: "True Person, what happened last year is already in the past, and I no longer mind. Thirty Lei Bian lashes would leave Zhang Yuanzhu unable to even attend class—if it were to inconvenience the students, that would not be good. I beg you to remit his Lei Bian punishment."

True Person Zhang asked directly: "If you don't mind, why then did you threaten Zhang Zi Fang into arranging Tao Yanbai's residence in Fengqi Court?"

Pan Yun now understood—this True Person was not the sort of decent person who would beat about the bush; he preferred to be straightforward. Pan Yun, who had just finished a clash with the imperial court, found herself for a moment unable to adapt.

But she quickly grew excited—she liked this kind of person.

So she swiftly changed her strategy, looked up at True Person Zhang with a broad grin, and said, "I did harbor the intention of forcing the Academy to punish Zhang Yuanzhu and to set the Academy's rules straight. You may punish Zhang Yuanzhu, but thirty Lei Bian lashes really is too many."

True Person Zhang said, "If it is not severe, it will not be enough to awe the hearts of men."

Zhang Ziwang immediately dropped to his knees. "This disciple accepts the punishment."

True Person Zhang gave a slight nod, and said to Pan Yun, "He did wrong and must be punished, and so must you."

Pan Yun waited quietly. Contrary to her expectations, True Person Zhang did not punish her with Lei Bian lashes, but said, "Considering this is your first offense and there was cause, I will not punish you with Lei Bian lashes, but I will punish you with sweeping the Doumu Hall for ninety-nine days."

Pan Yun immediately agreed. As long as the punishment was fair, she would accept it—even Lei Bian lashes would do.

Of course, she was very glad not to be beaten.

True Person Zhang said to Zhang Ziwang, who was still kneeling, "Whatever your purpose, as a teacher, improper conduct and an unrighteous bearing are the greatest taboos."

Zhang Ziwang lowered his head in shame.

"If even a teacher behaves thus, what will the students learn?" True Person Zhang's face was stern: "This is the last time. If there is a next time, I will expel you from the Academy and the Celestial Master Mansion."

Zhang Ziwang kowtowed and answered, "Yes."

True Person Zhang told him to withdraw. Once the man had gone, he looked back at Pan Yun: "That was the first matter. There are still two more matters I must instruct you on."