Chapter 84: Mr. or student?
Early the next morning.
Zhu San and Zhu Si arrived at the dormitory early, and the first thing they did was to ask Zhu Hao about yesterday's "secret".
"I heard that Lu Dianzhang not only did not receive any punishment, but also received a reward. Tell me, is this related to you?"
Zhu San was the first to raise questions. "You talked to him mysteriously yesterday, and I guessed that you said something to him that made him change his mind... Can you tell us quickly?"
Lu Bing asked with a puzzled look on his face: "What are you talking about? About my father?"
Zhu San said with a straight face: "You are just a kid, don't ask around... Go over and sit with Xiao Jingzi!"
Lu Bing walked away with his head hung, leaving Zhu San and Zhu Si to continue questioning Zhu Hao about what had changed Lu Song's attitude yesterday.
Zhu Hao said: "I will answer you the same way as you said to Lu Bing."
"Hey, Zhu Hao, are you so disrespectful to me? I am the crown prince and the future King of Xing!" Zhu San straightened his back, stared with his big, round eyes, and threatened directly.
Zhu Hao said with disdain: "Just because you are the prince, you can be unreasonable? Yesterday I went to ask Lu Dianzhang for help, so that you could go to many places outside the city to have a look. That was to help you... It would be fine if you don't show gratitude, but you still force me to question? Alas, people's hearts are really not as they used to be!"
Zhu San was so angry that he almost jumped up, and he was furious: "Just wait, I will never talk to you again!"
After saying that, he sat back in his seat angrily.
Zhu Size was like nothing had happened. Seeing his sister furious, he was actually in a good mood. He leaned over and whispered, "Zhu Hao, just think she's crazy. Let's play Cuju together later. The way we played yesterday was really fun."
…
…
When Gongsun Yi came to class in the morning , he instantly became the focus of the whole class. Even Zhu San forgot to interrogate Zhu Hao and instead made things difficult for this young and easy-going teacher.
"Mr. Gongsun, Master's Wife came back with us yesterday. Where did she go in the end? Didn't she say she went out of town to paint? Why didn't Master's Wife show off her skills in the end?"
When it comes to making things difficult for people, Zhu San is very good at it and he throws several questions in a row.
Gongsun Yi seemed very calm and replied, "Your master's wife... I accompanied her home after we returned to the palace yesterday... We played Cuju in the morning and went sightseeing in the afternoon. Her time was full. How could your master's wife have time to paint? Let's wait until next time."
Zhu San asked: "May I ask when is the next time?"
Gongsun Yi smiled and didn't answer.
Zhu Hao said: "Mr. Gongsun, your mistress is gentle and virtuous, and seems to be from a wealthy family. You two... are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman."
The relationship between teachers and students in this era was rather strained. If a student talked to the teacher about his teacher's wife, the teacher would definitely avoid the topic.
But the students in front of him were all children, and among them was the prince, who had a much higher status than the teacher. Gongsun Yi himself did not have much experience in getting along with students, and he fell into the trap unknowingly.
"Your master's wife... is indeed a lady from a noble family. It's not easy to marry her." As Gongsun Yi spoke, the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously, and he was obviously very proud.
With his family background , he was able to marry a lady from a prominent family who was both beautiful and talented as an older man... He was truly finding a treasure.
Zhu Hao said: "That should be the master's wife's family. They value the master's future, right?"
"Yes, Mr. Gongsun is already a scholar at such a young age. It is not a problem for him to pass the imperial examination or even become a Jinshi in the future."
Zhu San had forgotten the quarrel with Zhu Hao just now and threatened to ignore him, as if he was going to sever their friendship. In the blink of an eye, he teamed up with Zhu Hao to perform a double act to embarrass Gongsun Yi.
Gongsun Yi was embarrassed and didn't know how to answer.
Jing Hong said: "Sir, let's go to class."
Gongsun Yi then realized that Zhu San and Zhu Hao had diverted the topic, and hurriedly said, "It's time to start class. Let's continue with Mencius. We can talk later if there's anything else."
…
…
After the class, Zhu San ran to the toilet.
Gongsun Yi was sitting there, and wanted to pick up a book to read and pretend to be deep, but suddenly he thought of something and called Zhu Hao over.
"What's up sir?"
Zhu Hao stood upright in front of Gongsun Yi and asked.
Gongsun Yi pointed at the book and said, "You tell me about the following part. I want to hear how the teacher behind you teaches."
Zhu Si asked curiously, "Who is the gentleman behind Zhu Hao?"
Gongsun Yi did not answer.
Jing Hong said: "The person you are talking about is the famous Tang Bohu."
"Who is Tang Bohu?"
Zhu Sike is not as knowledgeable as Jinghong. Although Tang Yin is very famous, he has nothing to do with Zhu Si's daily life.
Jing Hong's face was full of longing: "Zhu Hao's enlightenment teacher is the world-famous Tang Bohu. He is the most famous poet in the Ming Dynasty. His poems, calligraphy and paintings are very rare. I heard that you have to have a lot of face to ask him to write a eulogy..."
Zhu Si asked in surprise: "Is Zhu Hao's former teacher so powerful? Did he become a high-ranking official?"
Jing Hong shook his head. It was not so easy for him to find out about Tang Yin's experience.
Gongsun Yi introduced: "Tang Yin participated in the imperial examination in the year of Jiwei in the Hongzhi reign, but was punished for selling questions and failed to pass the examination. The court ordered him not to participate in the imperial examination again, so he is only a juren until now, and there is no way to talk about his career in officialdom. It is precisely because he eliminated all distractions that his attainments in poetry and painting are unparalleled in the world."
After Gongsun Yi's explanation, Zhu Si was fascinated. He found it very interesting that such a legendary story happened around him.
"Zhu Hao, since your husband is so amazing, if there is a chance in the future, can you let me meet him?"
Zhu Si was yearning for it. After hearing Gongsun Yi's praise, he thought Tang Yin was a unique figure, which made Zhu Si very curious about this person.
Zhu Hao shook his head: "The master has gone to Jiangxi. I am afraid he will not be able to come back in a short time. He is not from Huguang. Whether we can meet in the future depends entirely on fate."
As he was talking, Zhu San returned to the school and asked curiously, "What are you talking about?"
Zhu Si said with a longing expression: "Third brother, Mr. Gongsun just said that Zhu Hao's husband is the unparalleled Tang Bohu. This man is amazing!"
Zhu San frowned: "Zhu Hao, isn't your original husband's surname Lu?"
It was like a myth being forcibly debunked, and everyone in the room looked at Zhu Hao with puzzled eyes.
Zhu Hao said: "Mr. Lu never revealed his true identity to me, how could I know? It was Mr. Gongsun who told me that he was Tang Bohu. Even Mr. Yuan and Mr. Sui before him never told me that."
"oh."
Everyone present was relieved.
Gongsun Yi smiled and said, "No matter who told you that, since you were once a student of Tang Bohu, you should go to the podium and perform well. I just want to hear how Tang Bohu taught you... the chapters and sentences of Mencius!"
…
…
It's time for Zhu Hao to give his lecture again.
Some time ago, there was a ready-made teacher named Gongsun Yi, and Zhu Hao thought that he would quit the podium and just play the role of a good student from now on.
Unexpectedly, Yuan Zonggao mentioned Zhu Hao's teaching in front of Gongsun Yi. Gongsun Yi was very interested in this and wanted to find the shadow of Tang Yin in Zhu Hao.
Anyway.
Gongsun Yi was indeed greatly inspired by what Zhu Hao said.
Especially since Zhu Hao started from the simple and gradually progressed to the complex, and expressed the words of the sages in vernacular Chinese, not to mention the students, even Gongsun Yi felt that if Zhu Hao explained it in the way he did, it would indeed be easier to accept than what he taught himself.
Zhu Hao just spoke for a few paragraphs before leaving.
"Zhu Hao, you spoke well, keep going." Gongsun Yi said.
Zhu Hao said: "That's all I can say. Mr. Gongsun, please don't embarrass me. You are the master."
Zhu San smiled and said, "Yes, a teacher is a teacher and a student is a student. If a student becomes a teacher, then what is a teacher?"
Gongsun Yi was suddenly confused by Zhu San, but since the "Prince" had said not to let Zhu Hao continue speaking, he couldn't force it.
Zhu Hao then came down and sat back down in his seat.
Gongsun Yi was sullen and a little embarrassed to continue Zhu Hao's teaching. He had been teaching for a long time, but his level was not even as good as Tang Yin's disciples. He didn't know where to put his face. When he was hesitating about how to improve his teaching next, Lu Song's voice came from outside: "Mr. Gongsun, can you interrupt for a moment?"
"Lu Dianzhang?"
Gongsun Yi went out to greet him as if relieved from a heavy burden.
But Lu Song came in with two guards, carrying two bags of rice.
"This is……"
Although Gongsun Yi had guessed that the rice was for him, he still asked as usual.
Lu Song said, "It is part of the gift from the palace to Mr. Gongsun. How about I deliver this rice to your house?"
Gongsun Yi almost thought he had heard wrong. Two bags of rice would have at least six or seven dou of rice. If he took them home, his poor life would be significantly improved.
"How can this be so embarrassing?"
Gongsun Yi was too weak to lift it, so he could ask someone to do it... Who should he ask? It would be best to ask the guards to deliver it directly to his home.
Lu Song nodded in understanding: "In that case, I will send it to your house, sir, and I won't bother you any more."
After saying that, he took his people away.
When Gongsun Yi turned around, the smile on his face suddenly disappeared and he looked a little worried.
Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Sir, I guess the palace knows that you usually have lunch in the palace in the afternoon before leaving, and they know that your family is in financial difficulty, so..."
Gongsun Yi certainly thought of this.
In order to save food for his family, he would take food and drinks with him when he left the palace every afternoon. The palace knew that his family was in a precarious situation, so they gave him two bags of rice. Was this considered sympathy for him? Or was it a warning to him not to eat and drink for free in the palace in the future?
Zhu San asked in confusion: "What are you talking about?"
Since Zhu San and Zhu Si never went to the West Courtyard cafeteria to eat, they certainly didn't know that Gongsun Yi had done this.
Zhu Hao said: "But I think this is the palace's recognition of Mr. Gongsun's teaching level... Maybe Mr. Gongsun can stay in the palace for a long time."
Gongsun Yi felt even more uncomfortable after hearing this.
Scholars all like to save face. Since the palace gave him a salary, he felt embarrassed to stay in the palace for dinner.
With a sense of uneasiness, it was almost noon.
Just when the children were about to go back for lunch, Lu Song came again.
"Mr. Gongsun, there is something I forgot to inform you about earlier. Yuan Changshi has set up a banquet in his mansion and would like to invite you to join the banquet. Please come down with me."
When he heard that there was going to be a banquet, Gongsun Yi's face showed joy at first, but then he frowned.
Zhu Hao knew at a glance that Gongsun Yi was afraid that the palace was going to kick him out.
When Gongsun Yi first entered the palace, he knew that he was just a temporary tutor, a young student with little teaching experience. How could he take over as the tutor of the crown prince from Sui Gongyan, who was a juren and had a great reputation as a Confucian scholar in Anlu?
The key point is... his teaching level is not even as good as that of a seven-year-old child. Even if the palace doesn't kick him out, how can he have the nerve to stay in the palace and do this job?
Isn’t that embarrassing enough?
