Chapter 24

No Need for More Words.

The Headmaster withdrew his hand, which was pointing at Lao Buyu without speaking. With a cold tone, he said, “Take care of yourself. If there’s any mishap again, there will be no more camaraderie between us.”

Of course, the Headmaster was referring to the possibility of Lao Buyu truly corrupting or influencing Mu Er Pang in a way that would affect Mu Yunchuan. If that happened, they would truly have to break ties, settling both old and new grievances.

However, when Lao Buyu heard this, he felt belittled by the Headmaster. Immediately, he retorted, “Senior brother, don’t underestimate me. A true man keeps his word. Since you’ve publicly threatened me, you better live up to it.”

The Headmaster chuckled, “A promise is a promise.”

This wasn’t the Lao Buyu he knew.

Lao Buyu didn’t care about losing face in front of others, but he couldn’t afford to lose face in front of the Headmaster. With great determination, he declared, “I’ll make it clear. If I can’t produce a top-tier scholar within ten years, I’ll walk naked around this county town.”

Before anyone could react to his words, Shen Cui hastily gestured for him to stop, signaling him not to say more.

Misunderstanding her intentions again, Lao Buyu lowered his voice and said, “Madam, don’t worry. Producing a top-tier scholar is just a small goal for us. We should set our sights higher. Er Pang will surely achieve more, even securing a spot in the top ranks.”

Shen Cui shook her head, denying his words.

She simply wanted to instill a sense of urgency in Lao Buyu, to turn him from reluctantly teaching into willingly becoming the mentor of her son. She truly hadn’t thought of making him walk naked around the county town.

She had a conscience, and it did ache.

She knew her son’s abilities better than anyone.

Top of Form

The achievement of becoming a Jinshi (top-tier scholar) was still referred to as a “small goal” by her. Her small goal was simply that in a few years, Mu Yunchuan would become the Zhuangyuan (the top-ranked candidate in the imperial examination), and her own son would first obtain the title of Juren (successful candidate in the imperial examination).

Seeing that the conversation was going off track, the headmaster couldn’t be bothered to argue further with Lao Buyu. They stopped discussing this matter and, along with Mu Yunchuan, shared a cup of wine before heading back to the academy.

On the way, the Headmaster comforted Mu Yunchuan, saying, “The situation isn’t as bad as it seems. My junior brother didn’t initially know that was your younger brother, so it’s likely he didn’t mean any harm. But it’s always wise to be cautious. We must guard against him influencing your younger brother negatively.”

Mu Yunchuan nodded slightly. “Elder, please don’t worry. I’ll find a way to keep an eye on things.”

As they were talking, they bumped into Zhou Shi, who was on her way to a restaurant to have a drink.

Being the elder sister-in-law, Shen Cui naturally invited her.

Upon seeing Mu Yunchuan, Zhou Shi immediately smiled. Her appearance was rather delicate, and though she dressed neatly, her attire was simple and didn’t stand out much in the crowd.

It was only after Mu Yunchuan noticed her that the Headmaster realized she was his newlywed wife.

Normally, if it were someone more eloquent, they would have taken the initiative to greet the Headmaster.

However, this was Zhou Shi’s first time meeting the Headmaster, and she was already feeling nervous. Moreover, the Headmaster was used to scrutinizing students and had a sharp gaze.  

As he glanced at her, Zhou Shi became even more flustered, fidgeting with her hands, smoothing out the wrinkles in her clothes and then clasping them tightly together.  

Mu Yunchuan apologized on behalf of Zhou Shi, saying, “My wife is not good with words. Please forgive her.”

The Headmaster didn’t bother Zhou Shi further. being a straightforwar, He nodded slightly at her, said goodbye to Mu Yunchuan, and then left early.

Once the mountain elder left, Zhou Shi let out a long sigh. Then, with a tone of apology, she said to Mu Yunchuan, “I’m sorry, dear. I embarrassed you. Next time, I’ll make sure to greet the headmaster properly.” 

Mu Yunchuan nodded slightly to indicate it was alright. He reassured her that the Headmaster wasn’t someone who held grudges. Then, he changed the subject, asking, “Are you here for the banquet?”

Zhou Shi nodded and then remembered that Mu Yunchuan had asked her to take care of his mother-in-law and younger brother recently. She had agreed, but without informing him beforehand about significant events like his younger brother seeking a mentor.

She hurriedly explained, “Following your instructions, I’ve shifted my chores to your mother-in-law’s place. But a few days ago, I didn’t hear your mother-in-law mentioning anything about finding a mentor for your younger brother. Yesterday, they went out early in the morning and didn’t return until dusk. Then, this morning, your mother-in-law informed me about today’s banquet. I didn’t mean to keep you in the dark intentionally.”

Zhou Shi was overly cautious about everything, and Mu Yunchuan trusted her since he had asked her for help.

“I’m not blaming you. I was just asking,” Mu Yunchuan reached out to hold Zhou Shi’s hand, but considering they were in public, he withdrew his hand and said softly, “I know you always have my best interests at heart.”

Mu Yunchuan’s reassurance didn’t ease Zhou Shi’s self-blame. She lamented, “There won’t be a next time. I’ll find a way to spend more time with your mother-in-law.”

Mu Yunchuan nodded slightly, and they exchanged a few more words before parting ways.

Shortly after Zhou Shi arrived at the small restaurant, the banquet arranged by the Shen family began.

During the banquet, the happiest person was undoubtedly Mrs. Zheng.

Just the other day, Mrs. Chen had looked down on her because of Mu Er Pang’s search for a mentor. Yet today, Mrs. Chen attended her grandson’s apprenticeship ceremony.

Mrs. Chen was visibly jealous and remained silent throughout the banquet, only eating her food without uttering a word.

After all, she had been feeling proud because her grandson had become a Juren, thinking Shen Cui’s idea of finding a free mentor was foolish. Little did she know, they found a mentor who was not only accomplished but also the younger brother of the academy’s headmaster.

Moreover, the mountain elder attended the banquet. She had even tried to push her grandson forward to greet him, but he didn’t even spare her a glance.

Not to mention the Headmaster, even Lao Buyu, who was sitting at the table, only had eyes for Mu Er Pang.

So, the food tasted bland in her mouth. Even if she were served dragon meat, it wouldn’t have been enjoyable.

As the lively banquet reached noon, it was time to discuss important matters.

Lao Buyu had agreed to provide tutoring at the Mu residence, and the lease for his house in the city had expired.

However, with no men in the Mu household at the moment, Lao Buyu, as a man, coming and going daily might invite gossip from nosy neighbors.

So, it would be best for Lao Buyu to find another teaching location, preferably in a place where Mu Er Pang could easily access.

There were several empty houses in Shuiyun Village that fit this description, and the location was convenient for access to the city.

After the banquet dispersed, the Shen family accompanied Lao Buyu to the village to look at houses.

The village houses naturally couldn’t compare to those in the city, and they were often vacant when family members went to work elsewhere.

Over time, the conditions deteriorated, and the houses became increasingly simple.

Lao Buyu wasn’t seeking luxury, but he had a few requirements. Firstly, the area around the house should be quiet. If there were many noisy children next door, it wouldn’t be suitable. Secondly, it would be best if the nearby households didn’t keep too many cats, dogs, poultry, or livestock. After all, Mu Er Pang was still young and easily distracted or tempted to play. Lastly, the house should be relatively close to the Mu residence.

Considering Mu Er Pang’s poor physical condition, making several trips back and forth each day would tire him out.

These three requirements were reasonable and were all for Mu Er Pang’s sake. The Shen family, including Shen Cui, naturally had no objections.

However, there weren’t many houses that met all three requirements. After much deliberation, they realized that the only house that fit the criteria was the old, rundown house owned by the Mu family.

But although it was still a Mu family asset, it had already been allocated to Mu Yunchuan and Zhou Shi. It was considered their property, so Shen Cui couldn’t easily suggest it.

Just as they were about to look for other houses, Zhou Shi, who had been accompanying them all along, pulled Shen Cui aside and said, “What Master Lao said makes sense. This house is indeed quiet and serene. My husband used to say it was an excellent place for studying. Besides, my husband will be away from home for quite some time in the future, and I feel a bit scared staying alone. If Master Lao doesn’t mind, we can settle him here.”

She then looked at Shen Cui and asked, “Can I go back to my original house to sleep?”

Shen Cui naturally had no objections. She was just surprised and asked, “Can you make such a decision?”

After all, in this era, men were usually the decision-makers, and Zhou Shi was someone who prioritized her husband’s opinions. In theory, she shouldn’t make such significant decisions without consulting Mu Yunchuan.

But Zhou Shi nodded confidently and said, “My husband isn’t unreasonable. He also cares deeply for Er Pang.”

Understanding, Shen Cui didn’t dwell on the matter anymore. They agreed to let Lao Buyu use and live in the old house.

Soon, Zhou Shi packed her few belongings, and the Shen family all pitched in to tidy up the old house, which Zhou Shi had already cleaned thoroughly.

Mu Er Pang’s study desk was also moved from their home to the old house.

Shen Da and Shen Er were also genuinely concerned. They worked tirelessly all afternoon and even planned to gather some materials to repair and refurbish the house after work.

Lao Buyu appreciated this gesture in his heart, and naturally, his fondness for his student increased a little more.

As evening approached, the Shen family hurried back to the city.

Shen Cui and Mu Er Pang escorted them to the gate, but Lao Buyu stopped them before they left.

Shen Cui suddenly remembered and said, “It’s getting late. Would Master Lao like to join us for dinner?”

Lao Buyu, who had been calm until then, shook his head vigorously as if playing a tambourine. “No need, no need. There’s plenty of food left over from the banquet today. Your brother-in-law specially wrapped some in oil paper for me to take, and there’s also jerky and dried fruits. It’s enough for me to eat.”

Shen Cui looked at Lao Buyu with increasing satisfaction. Although he seemed a bit unconventional, he was earnest and not picky about food or accommodations.

Of course, the most important thing was that it didn’t cost anything.

“Don’t worry, Master. My daughter-in-law has been cooking for us lately, and her cooking skills are quite good,” Shen Cui assured him.

The panic on Lao Buyu’s face faded away, and he said, “I didn’t stop you for that reason. There’s something else I wanted to talk about.”

“But it’s still about half an hour before it gets dark. Stay with me for a while, read some books, and then leave,” Lao Buyu said.

Rarely did he snatch such a precious student from his senior brother. Lao Buyu couldn’t contain his excitement and impatience. How could he wait until tomorrow to review the fruits of his victory? So, after informing Shen Cui, he waved to summon Mu Er Pang into the house.

“Come, let me see what you’ve learned.” As a novice teacher, Lao Buyu was full of ambition. Rubbing his hands together, he was both excited and eager. “At your age, you must have finished reading the Four Books. I wonder if you’ve delved into the Five Classics. Without further ado, let’s start with the Book of Changes, which you should excel in.”

Then he saw Mu Er Pang pull out a set of three hundred enlightenment books and three copybooks containing thirty commonly used characters from the drawer of the desk.

Lao Buyu froze.