Chapter 103: The Bai Family Schoolhouse, A Stunning Debut!

A cool breeze brushed past.

Amidst the flower beds, a rich fragrance drifted over, and a sense of danger permeated the air.

Luo Zijun was just about to speak up.

Steward Zhang, standing before him, hurriedly lowered his head and bowed, his attitude exceptionally respectful: "This servant greets Miss Fenfen. Does the young lady know Young Master Luo?"

Miss Fenfen?

Hearing this name, a look of surprise appeared on Luo Zijun's face.

Is it not Luo Diudiu?

Could it be a childhood nickname used within the mansion?

The girl in the pink dress named Fenfen stared at him for a few more moments, then asked in confusion: "Luo Zijun, what are you doing here?"

Luo Zijun said: "To teach."

"Teach?"

Fenfen was taken aback, blinking her large eyes as she asked: "Teach what?"

Steward Zhang hurriedly explained: "I heard that the schoolhouse in the Eldest Master's mansion is still short one teacher, and this Young Master Luo would like to try."

Upon hearing this, Fenfen became even more puzzled: "A teacher? Doesn't he live in the Outer City? How did he know about this?"

Steward Zhang lowered his head respectfully and said: "Today, Young Master Luo's family just moved into Su Guo Fu to live. His brother-in-law was recruited by the mansion as a guard. This servant heard that Young Master Luo is a scholar and is studying at West Lake Academy, so I just..."

Seeing the look on the young lady's face, he felt a sudden sense of trepidation, secretly wondering if the two had some previous conflict.

Fenfen was astonished: "He is living in your Su Guo Fu now?"

Steward Zhang lowered his head and said: "Yes."

Fenfen looked at the youth before her, blinked her large eyes again, and after a moment of silence, said: "Oh, then you may go. I hear the schoolhouse is not easy to get into; he might not necessarily be able to enter."

After saying this, she continued to squat down and pick flowers.

Regarding the incident at the Academy's Hidden Book Pavilion, she seemed not to have taken it to heart.

Moreover, it looked as if she had already forgotten.

Seeing that her attitude and personality seemed different from before, Luo Zijun secretly wondered if it was because of the incident involving Bai Daxiaojie.

"Zijun, let's go."

Steward Zhang called out in a low voice and hurriedly left with his head bowed.

Luo Zijun followed behind with his head lowered.

After the two walked past the round gate ahead, Fenfen stood up from the flower beds, glanced at the place where they had disappeared, and muttered to herself: "Is it such a coincidence?"

Then, she suddenly clenched her two small fists, a glimmer of excitement appearing in her eyes.

"Great, finally I can rightfully take revenge on that bad guy in the future! I'm going to kick, kick, kick, kick, kick him!"

"Right, I must go tell the Young Lady!"

Walking slowly along the way, many maidservants and servants walked through the mansion with their heads bowed.

When Steward Zhang saw that no one was around, he couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Zijun, do you know that Miss Fenfen from just now?"

Luo Zijun said: "I met her at the Academy before."

Steward Zhang was stunned for a moment, and just as he was about to continue questioning, he suddenly remembered something. His expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly whispered: "Zijun, you must never discuss this matter again. Regarding that Miss Fenfen and that Young Lady, you must never speak of them to anyone in the future."

Luo Zijun said: "This junior will keep it in mind."

It seems that Bai Daxiaojie really did have an accident.

The people in the mansion were all tight-lipped about it.

Steward Zhang said no more, lowered his head, and continued walking forward.

People they met on the road who knew him would hurriedly offer smiles and greet him.

The two passed through a winding long corridor before arriving at a garden in the far east of the mansion.

The garden was filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, as well as various beautiful rockeries and strange stones.

In an open space on the right sat a row of houses enclosed by a fence, with green tiles and blue bricks. Those houses looked quite old and seemed somewhat out of place with the other buildings in the mansion.

That was the schoolhouse of Anguo Mansion.

Steward Zhang explained in a low voice: "The Eldest Master deliberately had this simple schoolhouse built. Inside, they even raise some chickens and ducks and grow some vegetable plots. Every month, the Eldest Master and Second Master come over to personally supervise the young nobles in doing some farm work, so that everyone will not forget the hardships of the farmers..."

Luo Zijun listened silently without speaking.

At this moment, the guards stationed in front of the small courtyard saw them.

Steward Zhang hurriedly went over and said with a smile: "This Young Master Luo is a scholar and the brother-in-law of our Su Guo Fu's Guard Li. I heard the schoolhouse is still missing a teacher, so he would like to try."

The captain of the guards, Yang Nian, walked out of the courtyard and looked at the youth outside the gate, somewhat surprised: "So young? Have you taught before?"

Luo Zijun bowed and said: "This one is currently studying at West Lake Academy in the Outer City and has never taught before."

Yang Nian frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Do you have a Scholar Nameplate?"

Luo Zijun hurriedly took it out from his sleeve and handed it over.

Yang Nian took it, looked at it carefully, returned it with both hands, and said politely: "Young Master Luo may go in and try, but two scholars have already arrived today and are still inside attending class. Our Elder Dong is currently testing them; only those who pass can stay. There are also some nobles inside watching, so if Young Master Luo goes in, you may need to wait outside for a while."

Luo Zijun hurriedly bowed to thank him.

Steward Zhang also smiled and thanked him, then led him into the courtyard.

The two came to the corridor and stood outside the window, waiting quietly.

In the schoolhouse, sitting in the front and middle rows were a dozen or so young children, some five or six years old, others eleven or twelve.

In the back rows sat seven or eight young men and women.

A group of maidservants and servants were gathered in front of other windows along the corridor. One of the maids saw Luo Zijun and hurriedly whispered to the other maids.

The gazes of those maidservants and servants immediately looked over, and then they blushed and began to whisper among themselves.

"What a handsome young man, why does he look so unfamiliar?"

"That is Steward Zhang from the Second Master's residence; he is likely someone from the Second Master's household. Look at his Confucian robe—could he also be here to be a teacher?"

"He is so young, can he teach?"

At this moment, inside the classroom, a middle-aged scholar in his forties, wearing a Confucian robe, was writing on the blackboard.

In the corner nearby stood a young man in a Confucian robe and an elderly man with graying hair, both listening quietly.

"Everyone, follow me and recite... The meaning of this idiom is..."

The middle-aged scholar on the podium was lecturing with exceptional seriousness and care.

However, the little nobles below had a lukewarm reaction; only a few children were shaking their heads and reciting along.

Some children were whispering to each other.

The few young men and women sitting in the very back also looked sleepy and showed no interest.

The middle-aged scholar continued to lecture to himself with great passion.

When he reached a part he considered brilliant, he shook his head, his face full of smiles, and even closed his eyes, enjoying it immensely.

The old man standing in the corner shook his head slightly.

Another moment passed.

The middle-aged scholar's lesson finally concluded.

The young men and women in the back row then applauded sparsely.

The old man in the Confucian robe walked onto the podium, glanced at those below, and asked, "Do you all think Mr. Wang lectured better, or Mr. Sun?"

"Mr. Wang!"

"Mr. Sun!"

"I think neither is good; I didn't understand either of them."

The little nobles all bravely expressed their own opinions.

The old man's gaze turned toward the back.

A young girl in a purple dress in the back shook her head slightly.

The old man couldn't help but sigh, turned around, and looked at the two scholars in the corner who had just finished their lectures, but just as he was about to speak, his gaze suddenly shifted to the window.

Seeing this, Steward Zhang hurriedly pulled on Luo Zijun's sleeve, walked to the door, bowed, and said with a smile, "Elder Dong, this is the brother-in-law of our Su Guo Fu guard, Li. He is also a scholar. Hearing that the Academy is recruiting teachers, he has come to try out."

Luo Zijun cupped his hands in a salute: "Junior Luo Zijun pays his respects to Elder Dong."

Dong Wenpei sized him up a few times and asked, "Young Master, in which year did you pass the scholar examination? Where did you study?"

Luo Zijun said respectfully: "Junior passed the scholar examination just this year and is currently studying at West Lake Academy in the Outer City."

"Passed just this year?"

Upon hearing this, Dong Wenpei frowned slightly and said, "West Lake Academy is indeed a good place, but since you only passed the scholar examination this year, the time is truly a bit short. Although this place is not an academy, the teachers we need must have genuine skills and some teaching experience. You have neither experience nor a reputation for talent..."

As he spoke, he shook his head, preparing to refuse.

Luo Zijun cupped his hands and said, "Could the elder allow me to try first?"

Dong Wenpei was stunned for a moment, and before he could speak, a young girl in the back row spoke up: "Elder Dong, let him try."

Luo Zijun looked up and saw a group of young men and women sitting in the back row; the girl in the purple dress was the one who had spoken.

However, he did not dare to look too much; after one glance, he lowered his head.

Only then did Dong Wenpei nod and say, "Very well, come in and try. There is an idiom book here; you need to explain an idiom to everyone so that they can all remember it. There is also a poetry collection; choose one yourself to explain to everyone. If you can compose one yourself based on the theme of this poem, that would naturally be best, but it is not required. Finally, you need to say a few words or write an essay to encourage and admonish everyone to study hard, and you must not say what predecessors or books have already said."

Luo Zijun cupped his hands and said, "Junior understands."

Dong Wenpei looked at him again and stepped aside from the podium.

Luo Zijun walked onto the podium, first raised his head to scan those below, and then looked down at the idiom book on the table.

At this moment, a little girl in the front row said in a low voice, full of excitement: "This teacher is so young and so handsome; let's have him, shall we?"

A little boy next to her said angrily: "Yu Ning, we can't have a young teacher; it's better to have an older one. Only the older ones have real talent and learning."

The little girl pouted and said, "I don't care, I want a young one!"

Another little girl said, "It's not up to you to decide who we get; it only counts if Sister Qingtong says so."

At this time, Luo Zijun had already chosen the idiom.

He picked up a brush and wrote the idiom he was to teach today on the blackboard: Water drips through stone.

"Does everyone recognize this idiom?"

After finishing writing, Luo Zijun turned around and asked.

Among the little nobles below, some recognized it and some did not, but no one spoke.

Naturally, none of the young men in the back row spoke either.

The maids and servants outside the window were also quiet.

In the corner, the middle-aged scholar and the young scholar both wore sneers on their faces, preparing to watch him make a fool of himself.

Luo Zijun continued: "This idiom is relatively difficult; I only recognized it after I was twelve. I suppose none of you recognize it either, so today, I intend to teach you this idiom."

As soon as these words were spoken, a little girl in the front immediately raised her hand and said: "I recognize it! I recognized it when I was six! Isn't that 'water drips through stone'?"

Then, another little girl stood up and said: "I recognize it too; I recognized it when I was four!"

Then, another little boy said loudly: "I recognized it when I was three; 'water drips through stone', who doesn't recognize that? Hmph!"

He then mocked: "Teacher, you are so stupid, you only recognized it at twelve." The other students also burst into laughter.

Luo Zijun looked at the others again and said: "It seems that only the few clever ones who just spoke recognize it. Since the others don't recognize it, then listen to me explain it properly."

As soon as this was said, the little ones who hadn't spoken just now immediately stood up one after another and said: "I recognize it, I recognize it too!"

"I was just too lazy to speak; 'water drips through stone', of course I recognize it!"

"Teacher, this is too simple; how could I possibly not recognize it!"

The other little nobles who didn't recognize it, seeing that everyone else did, also hurriedly stood up to indicate that they recognized it too.

"Hmph, 'water drips through stone,' we already know that!"

Just like that, the classroom, which had been deathly still just a moment ago, immediately became lively.

More than a dozen little nobles all scrambled to stand up and speak.

The group of young men and women in the back row exchanged glances, a hint of a smile appearing on all their faces.

This brat is actually using a goading tactic.

!

Luo Zijun continued, "Oh my, does everyone know it? You all look so young, yet you actually know this idiom? It seems I underestimated you all. Since everyone knows it, does anyone know the meaning of this idiom?"

Someone stood up immediately to answer.

"Of course I know, this idiom means that as long as one has strong perseverance and is persistent, even the most difficult things can be accomplished."

Luo Zijun looked at the little girl who had stood up and asked with a smile, "Could you use a story to illustrate it?"

The little girl was stunned upon hearing this and said, "The teacher only taught us the meaning and told us to memorize it; he didn't tell us a story."

Luo Zijun nodded and said, "Then today, let us tell the story behind it."

He looked again at the delicately carved little girl and asked, "What is your name?"

The little girl was somewhat shy; she looked at his handsome face and his dark, bright eyes, and said, "My name is Bai Yuning."

Luo Zijun smiled, "Bai Yuning, then for now, Teacher will borrow your name. I am called Luo Zijun, and you are called Bai Yuning."

"Borrow my name?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the other little nobles were all filled with confusion, their interest piqued.

The young men and women in the back row, as well as the maids and servants outside the window, were also filled with curiosity.

Luo Zijun began to tell the story directly.

"A long, long time ago, there was a beautiful female magistrate who hated evil with a passion; her name was Bai Yuning..."

"Pfft..."

Bai Yuning suddenly started to giggle; she hurriedly covered her little mouth, her face turning red as she muttered, "How can a girl be a magistrate?"

The others also laughed, finding it very amusing.

Luo Zijun continued, "One day, she caught a man who was stealing copper coins from the warehouse. That man was a warehouse manager, tall, big, and handsome, and he was called Luo Zijun..."

"Pfft—"

"Hahahaha..."

"Teacher is so thick-skinned! Hahahaha..."

The little nobles below all couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The maids and servants outside the window also couldn't help but laugh along.

Even Dong Wenpei, who was standing in the corner, had a smile on his face.

At this moment, at another window, a dainty young girl wearing a pink dress and holding a bouquet of fresh flowers also opened her big eyes, secretly looking into the classroom, while simultaneously pricking up her two little ears.

Luo Zijun continued, "The little magistrate Bai Yuning was very angry and had him brought to the public hall for interrogation. Luo Zijun, however, was unconcerned and said, 【Isn't it just one copper coin? Is it worth your anger?】. Magistrate Yu Ning was very angry and wrote down a line of commentary: 【One coin a day, a thousand coins in a thousand days; a rope saws through wood, water drips through stone】. Although that Luo Zijun was tall, big, and handsome, he had actually never studied and did not know what this sentence meant, so little Magistrate Yu Ning explained it personally."

"If you steal one copper coin a day, in a thousand days it will be a thousand coins. If you use a rope to saw wood every day, even if the rope is soft and the wood is hard, as long as enough time passes, the wood will break. If water droplets drip onto a stone every day, after a long time, the stone will also be dripped through."

Having said this, he paused for a moment and continued, "Actually, there are three idioms here. 'One coin a day, a thousand coins in a thousand days' can be considered one idiom. 'A rope saws through wood, water drips through stone' can also be considered one idiom. Their meanings are mostly the same, but there are also differences. We can use the former idiom to constantly warn ourselves: do not commit a small evil just because it is small, and do not refrain from a small good just because it is small."

As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of those young men and women in the back row lit up.

The girl in the purple dress had a brilliant glow in her eyes and murmured in a low voice, "Do not commit a small evil just because it is small, do not refrain from a small good just because it is small..."

Dong Wenpei, standing in the corner, nodded with a solemn expression.

Luo Zijun added, "The latter two idioms tell us that in doing anything, one must be persistent and constant to succeed. For example, student Bai Yuning, she is so beautiful and so smart; if she studies well every day and studies persistently, then when she grows up, she will be a beautiful and smart girl whom everyone envies. But if she does not persist in her studies and only knows how to play every day, then when she grows up, she will become a beautiful but stupid girl whom everyone dislikes. You are all the same; only by studying persistently can you become useful people whom others envy in the future."

"Can everyone tell me, who wants to become a stupid, disliked big kid when they grow up?"

The little nobles in the audience all laughed.

Bai Yuning's face was flushed red, and she was laughing very happily.

Luo Zijun asked again, "Then now, tell me, how many idioms did you just memorize?"

Bai Yuning stood up immediately and was the first to answer, "Three. The first is 'one coin a day, a thousand coins in a thousand days.' The second is 'a rope saws through wood,' and the third is 'water drips through stone.'"

Luo Zijun applauded and said, "Look, didn't I say Bai Yuning was both beautiful and smart?"

As soon as this was said, a little girl next to Bai Yuning also hurriedly stood up and said, "Teacher, I also memorized them; there are three idioms!"

Seeing this, the others also stood up one after another, scrambling to answer, fearing that the teacher would say they were not smart enough.

"Teacher! I memorized them too!"

"Teacher! This is too simple, I memorized them too!"

Seeing this scene, those young men and women in the back row all exchanged glances with smiles on their faces.

Dong Wenpei in the corner also nodded with a smile.

Luo Zijun smiled and applauded, "Good, it seems everyone is very smart. Teacher didn't manage to memorize them until he was twelve; it turns out Teacher is a big dummy compared to you all."

As soon as this was said, the little nobles all laughed.

The atmosphere in the classroom became even more lively.

Luo Zijun picked up the second book and looked at the poetry on it.

"Then, next, let us explain a poem. This poem... is called 'Childhood Fun'."

He held the book, walked down from the podium, placed the book in front of a chubby little boy who looked somewhat insecure, and asked, "Can you read this poem?"

The little boy looked at it carefully and nodded hurriedly.

"What is your name?"

Luo Zijun asked gently.

The little boy lowered his head and said timidly, "Zhang Qisheng."

Luo Zijun said, "Good, Zhang Qisheng, come and read this poem out loud so that everyone can hear it."

The little boy was a bit nervous and stammered.

Luo Zijun encouraged him, "It's okay, read it out loud. Later, the teacher will tell you a story, a story about you and the teacher."

Zhang Qisheng immediately raised his head and looked at him.

Luo Zijun clapped his hands and said, "Everyone, let's applaud for Zhang Qisheng together."

Bai Yuning was the first to applaud immediately.

Seeing this, the others also followed suit and applauded immediately.

The young men and women in the back row also applauded with smiles on their faces.

Outside the window, among a group of servants, a middle-aged servant saw this scene and also hurriedly and excitedly joined in the applause.

Zhang Qisheng suddenly gathered his courage, picked up the book, and read it out loud, albeit a bit nervously.

"Catching fireflies in the mountains,

Chasing butterflies on the grass.

Laughter drifts away with the wind,

A child's heart, untainted by evil."

Although it was intermittent, he finally managed to read it through.

"Very well read, everyone applaud! Whoever claps the loudest is the smartest and most capable person. Those who clap softly are definitely weaklings with no strength."

After Luo Zijun finished speaking, he was the first to applaud.

In the classroom, enthusiastic applause and laughter rang out once again.

Everyone clapped very hard.

Zhang Qisheng's face flushed red; he lowered his head, but a smile appeared on his face.

Luo Zijun took the book and read it aloud once more.

Then he began to explain the meaning of this little poem. The meaning was very simple; he first explained it casually and then began to tell the story.

"One night, the moon was very round and there were many stars. Zhang Qisheng and many little friends were playing on the grass in the mountains. At this moment, a firefly that was tall, big, and handsome... flew out from the grass. Everyone, guess what the name of this tall, big, and handsome firefly is?"

Everyone burst into laughter with a "puchi" sound, swaying back and forth.

"It's called Teacher!"

"It's called Luo Zijun! Hahahaha..."

"Teacher is so thick-skinned, hahahaha..."

The young men and women in the back row also couldn't help but cover their mouths while laughing.

Luo Zijun continued, "Right, it's called Luo Zijun. At this moment, another little butterfly that was beautiful and smart flew out from the grass. You guess, what is its name?"

Bai Yuning's little face turned red instantly; she giggled and said in a shy, small voice, "Bai Yuning..."

The others also laughed and guessed, "Bai Yuning."

However, a few little girls were suddenly a bit dissatisfied and pouted their little lips.

Luo Zijun said, "It is indeed called Bai Yuning, but behind it, there were even more beautiful and smart little butterflies following. They are called Bai Rongrong, Lan Qian, Yang Danxin... At this moment, many more tall, big, and handsome fireflies flew out. They are called Bai Song, Wang Yiping, Zhang Chuan..."

He read while looking at the list on the table.

"They were lively, flying back and forth on the grass together. Zhang Qisheng and the little friends were chasing them happily, and their joyful laughter drifted under the starry sky..."

"This is the joy of their childhood, and also the most beautiful time of their childhood."

"The teacher also has two little poems to give to everyone here."

"Listening to the frogs drum under the willows, playing with a small boat by the stream. Paper kites carry distant dreams, traveling together to the edge of the sky."

"The mountains are high and the road is long, but with steady steps, dreams will come true. Wind and rain cannot hinder one's ambition; keep the original intention toward the light."

"The teacher hopes that after you grow up, you can still maintain your childlike heart, be innocent, help and love one another, and be happy, without being polluted by the dust of the Human Realm. Step by step, run toward your own dreams. Even if the wind and rain are strong, it will be hard to stop your winged ambitions."

After he finished speaking, the classroom was quiet for a few moments.

Then, the young girl in the purple dress in the back row took the lead in applauding.

Then, the applause was like thunder.

Both inside and outside the window, there was loud applause.

When the applause died down, Luo Zijun picked up his pen and wrote the answer to the final exam question on the blackboard.

Can Xue.

"Studying by the lamp at the third watch and by the rooster at the fifth; this is the time for a man to study. If one does not know to study hard while young, one will only regret it when one's hair turns white."

(End of this chapter)