Chapter 41 – Mr. Yuanjing
Jiang Pengji was momentarily stunned and said mysteriously, “Stubbornness of mind is a kind of mental disorder, difficult to cure, incredibly hard to eradicate.”
Feng Jin was initially confused, but then recalling Jiang Pengji’s earlier words, he suddenly understood that the girl was mocking someone again.
Although the authority of kings had diminished in this era due to the interference of great families, it ultimately remained the highest power.
Feng Jin wasn’t very old, yet he admonished sternly, “Liu Lanting is still young and doesn’t understand much. Treat her words as the innocent talk of a child; it doesn’t hurt to listen. But in the future, if you enter the officialdom and speak like this, there will be plenty of people ready to trip you up.”
Liu Heng, naturally, wholeheartedly agreed; he was quite worried about his cousin’s reckless behavior.
Initially, he planned to wait until they returned home to give her a good talking-to, but since Feng Jin brought it up, it spared him the trouble of bickering with Jiang Pengji.
Jiang Pengji merely smiled and said nothing; she didn’t care about entering officialdom at all.
Later, Feng Jin intentionally asked some questions about her studies, which weren’t too difficult. Jiang Pengji could answer about seventy percent thanks to her memory of Liu Lanting’s lessons.
Then, shifting the conversation, Feng Jin suddenly told Liu Heng, “To be frank, while the clan academy isn’t bad, if Liu Lanting continues to study here, she might miss some crucial opportunities.”
The clan academy was essentially a short-term investment with no immediate returns—a bottomless pit. It mostly catered to impoverished clan members, where the hired teachers only provided basic enlightenment. For further studies, one had to seek education elsewhere.
Jiang Pengji remarked, “I haven’t studied at the clan academy for long anyway. Most of my learning has been from private tutors at home. But I’m not brilliant; I feel I’ve let the teacher down by not mastering his teachings and have only embarrassed myself in front of Huaiyu.”
Liu Heng listened attentively, fully agreeing with Feng Jin. He always believed that his cousin was smart and sensible, though a tad introverted and reluctant to socialize.
Now with her mediocre academic performance, it must surely stem from her prior academy experiences and the inadequate instruction from the private tutor.
Feng Jin continued, “May I ask who the tutor you hired is?”
Jiang Pengji was puzzled, but before she could respond, Liu Heng answered, “It’s Wei Yuan, Wei Gongcao.”
Jiang Pengji’s current tutor had the surname Wei, with the given name Yuan.
From Liu Lanting’s memories, this tutor was quite strict; even a slight error could lead to reprimands, and that young girl was rather afraid of him.
“No wonder, it turns out to be Mr. Wei Yuan…” Feng Jin appeared enlightened.
Although he was not old, he was well-versed in the names of notable scholars in the present day, let alone Wei Yuan, a talented scholar whose career had ended due to his personality—a fierce literary figure in Feng Jin’s eyes, known for firing his superiors without hesitation.
He bluntly shook his head, saying, “While Mr. Wei Yuan is undoubtedly talented, he isn’t a good fit for Liu Lanting. If possible, it’s better to find a suitable teacher.”
Just from their night together, Feng Jin could tell that Jiang Pengji was definitely not someone who would settle for the status quo. With a rigid and harsh tutor like Wei Yuan, their teacher-student relationship would inevitably run into conflicts over differing opinions or other matters, unless one side was willing to compromise.
But was that even possible?
Wei Gongcao was inherently stubborn and strong-willed; he could dismiss his superiors with ease, let alone Liu Lanting, who was just his student.
“Find a new suitable teacher?”
Liu Heng seemed taken aback by Feng Jin’s statement and instantly looked troubled.
In this era, the saying “once a teacher, always a father” isn’t just lip service—though Jiang Pengji showed little emotion regarding it.
Feng Jin smiled, saying, “Mr. Yuanjing established an academy in Langya County. If Liu Lanting is interested, she can give it a try.”
“Mr. Yuanjing?” Liu Heng’s expression shifted from surprise to overwhelming joy, “Is what Huaiyu said true?”
Jiang Pengji listened quietly, her mind retrieving information related to Mr. Yuanjing.
This guy was quite the Tom Su character, the dream lover of girls from Dongqing and other four nations.
Mr. Yuanjing, the great Confucian of Dongqing.
He was accompanied by auspicious omens at birth, and his early experiences were extraordinary; at seven, he met an immortal, who granted him enlightenment and refined his essence.
By the time he reached his twenties, he was already proficient in celestial phenomena and earthly geography, mastering the five elements, eight trigrams, and all sorts of military strategies. He could effortlessly compose poetry, paint, and play instruments while being knowledgeable about agriculture and commerce—basically a walking anomaly.
This great scholar first gained notoriety eight years ago, engaging in a verbal battle with envoys from the northern frontier. He argued his case fiercely, not only reclaiming three cities but also causing one delegate to cough up blood from anxiety, subsequently dying shortly after returning home… truly a case of verbal firepower!
Since then, he became a name known far and wide!
While Jiang Pengji was quietly watching the show, Liu Heng was increasingly flustered.
“It’s not that I don’t believe in Liu Lanting’s capabilities, but she’s still young. She previously wasted four years at the clan academy, and though she later engaged Wei Yuan as a tutor at home, she still lagged behind in her studies. How can she be worthy of Mr. Yuanjing’s mentorship?”
Mr. Yuanjing was exactly that kind of person, yet students wishing to learn from him could line up from Dongqing to Xichang—a case of too many disciples and too few opportunities.
The strength of Mr. Yuanjing’s fan club was terrifying; how could little Liu Lanting possibly find her way past the barriers to eventually join him?
Although Liu Heng favored his cousin, he also knew how unrealistic it was for her to seize a spot among so many eager applicants.
However, if she truly managed to get into Mr. Yuanjing’s tutelage, the benefits would be exceptional, enough for Liu Heng to reap lifelong rewards.
Feng Jin looked meaningfully at Jiang Pengji and said, “As for what others say, I’m not too confident. But if Liu Lanting goes, as long as she reports her family name, Mr. Yuanjing will surely give her some consideration. Even if he doesn’t take her in, she can focus on her studies at the academy peacefully.”
“Do my parents have a past connection with Mr. Yuanjing?” Liu Lanting’s memory didn’t recall this detail.
Feng Jin had also heard this from his father, “There’s a connection with your mother.”
It was said that Mr. Yuanjing once faced severe poverty and was a commoner almost unable to continue his studies. Then, during a deeply snowing winter, he crossed paths with Liu Zhi’s wife, who generously offered him financial support.
Mr. Yuanjing refused help from others but accepted money from Liu Lanting’s mother, which raised some eyebrows.
Of course, no one entertained inappropriate thoughts; Mr. Yuanjing was quite young, while Liu Lanting’s mother was just a little girl of about six or seven.
“… However, your mother’s insight is remarkable. She said that today’s funds are merely a promise for the future—should Mr. Yuanjing ever become renowned, she hopes that he will guide her children one or two things… it’s quite amusing to recall…”
A six-year-old little girl saying such things to a young man at the threshold of adulthood—just picture that adorable scene!
