Joy of Life: Starting from Teacher Fan Xian

Chapter 64: Envoy from Northern Qi
In front of the Emperor's study, Xin Qiwu, the Junior Official of the Honglu Temple, knelt down and bowed, his head hitting the ground, beads of sweat streaming down his face. For some reason, he always felt terrified every time he saw His Majesty.

Thinking of the social death scene a few days ago, Xin Qiwu was even more upset.

"Get up." Emperor Qing's voice came from the study behind the curtain.

Xin Qiwu let out a long sigh, stood up with his arms hanging at his sides, his whole torso seemed to be frozen, waiting for His Majesty's questions.

The situation of "you don't ask me, I don't answer" remained deadlocked for a while, and an impatient voice came from behind the curtain: "If you have something to say, please speak up. If not, get out."

Your Majesty, you didn't even ask what they said, and you just don't play by the rules... Xin Qiwu forced himself to remain calm, and said, "Your Majesty, the envoy from Northern Qi is begging us to withdraw the army from the Qi territory."

"I'm still scared." Emperor Qing's joyful voice sounded.

"Yes, Your Majesty is mighty and domineering!" Xin Qiwu suddenly responded loudly, and the sound of flattery echoed inside and outside the study.

"Can you be a little more normal?" Emperor Qing yelled in the room.

He was speechless. Who was he trying to scare to death with such a loud voice?

Xin Qiwu fell to the ground, "Then I'd better kneel down."

The Qing army stationed on the border of Northern Qi was like a tiger at the side, making the royal family of Qi unable to sleep or eat.

Emperor Qing smiled slightly and said coldly: "If you want to withdraw your troops, you must have a reason to do so."

Xin Qiwu said: "Your Majesty, Northern Qi is willing to surrender and send an envoy to confess its crime."

Emperor Qing refused: "Empty reputation, I want something real."

Xin Qiwu said, "Northern Qi is willing to pay ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand pieces of silk."

Emperor Qing's eyes flashed with a hint of viciousness, and were dull and tasteless: "Too little, Northern Qi boasts of being a great country, and often mocks my Qing country for being small and insignificant. Now that the situation has reversed, it should pay double back."

Xin Qiwu nodded repeatedly: "Then your majesty, please tell me the number, and I will definitely convey it to you, and live up to the reputation of Qing Kingdom."

"Twenty thousand taels of gold, five thousand pieces of silk, and a ten-li retreat from the border." Emperor Qing answered slowly, "Please trouble the Xin family."

The words were gentle, but the pressure was overwhelming. Xin Qiwu gritted his teeth and said, "I will not fail in my mission."

After saying this, he was about to leave when Emperor Qing stopped him.

Your Majesty must have seen that I have worked so hard and is preparing to reward me... Xin Qiwu thought beautifully, turned around, and bowed affectionately: "Your Majesty, is there anything else?"

"If it doesn't work out, you'll be the one to blame." Emperor Qing said calmly.

In an instant, Xin Qiwu felt as if struck by lightning.

After everyone left, Emperor Qing called Eunuch Hou outside the room and said thoughtfully, "That boy will go to Qian'er's reading today. Let's see what's going on."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Eunuch Hou took the order and left.

……

In the study of Hanguang Hall, nearly an hour had passed since the class started.

Lin Ruo was yawning and resting his head on the table.

Just a few words were said casually, but Li Chengqian couldn't stand it anymore. He burst into tears and threatened to go to the empress dowager to complain.

Lin Ruo felt speechless and sighed, saying that this was the worst class he had ever taught.

"Again."

With sweet joy coming, four-year-old Xiao Wan'er, pinching candy in her tender hands and walking slowly with her legs slung, walked into the study room cautiously, tilting her head to look at the person, trying to see if it was the big brother outside the hall.

Sensing the noise, Lin Ruo looked back.

Xiao Wan'er was frightened. She clenched her hands tightly and held the candy in her mouth, not knowing what to do.

"It's you." Lin Ruo smiled gently.

Xiao Wan'er blushed and said aggrievedly: "Ah, the candy was bitten."

Lin Ruo tossed the candy in his arms for a while, then spread his hands and said regretfully, "There's no more candy."

Xiao Wan'er seemed to have something to tell him. She quietly approached him and put her white and tender little hand to her mouth: "Pretty brother, I'll tell you a secret."

"Okay." Lin Ruo was happy. "But brother, you have to bring more candy for Wan'er next time."

"No problem." Lin Ruo made an OK gesture.

Seeing this, Xiao Wan'er looked around and saw that there was no one around, so she said in a very soft and sweet voice: "Actually, Brother Chengqian didn't go to complain. He didn't dare to go because he would get spanked if he did."

Lin Ruo's face darkened: "Then he is going to..."

Little Wan'er opened her mouth and said, "Brother Chengqian went out to play with the maids. He just told Wan'er outside that he would be back for class in a quarter of an hour."

"When grandma asked him, he said it was the afternoon break you allowed." Xiao Wan'er couldn't help but chuckle after she finished speaking, "Brother Chengqian is so smart."

Lin Ruo felt a surge of anger surging in his heart that was difficult to erase. Not only did he not study hard, but he also used all his cleverness to trick the teacher.

"Brother, you are not allowed to say that it was Wan'er who complained." Little Wan'er said worriedly.

Lin Ruo habitually reached out his hand to touch his head, but when he thought it wasn't Ruoruo, he forced himself to take it back and smiled back, "Okay."

……

I walked out of Hanguang Palace, feeling light and cheerful.

Lin Ruo stretched lazily, and the crying of a child echoed in the hall.

"Obviously she didn't do anything. The old queen just said a few words and she started crying. This child is so naive and loves to play."

"Mr. Lin, what's going on?" Not far away, Eunuch Hou came slowly, twisting his steps.

"Ah, it's okay. It's just a scratch. It will be fine tomorrow." Lin Ruo asked without blushing or beating his heart, "What can Eunuch Hou do for you? You are not here to see me, right?"

"We are here on the orders of His Majesty to inspect the teaching situation of Mr. Lin," Eunuch Hou said bluntly.

Lin Ruo expressed his regret and said, "Your Excellency is late. I have already finished teaching."

"What should I do?" Eunuch Hou was a little panicked because he was afraid that his Majesty would scold him if he couldn't bring back the news.

"Just say it this way." Lin Ruo leaned over and whispered.

When Eunuch Hou heard this, he was very satisfied: "Thank you, Master Lin."

"By the way, Eunuch Hou, could you please give me some pointers on the way to the Hanlin Academy?" Lin Ruo asked.

Eunuch Hou's eyes widened: "It's been so many days, and Master Lin hasn't been to the Hanlin Academy yet?"

"That's exactly where we are going." Lin Ruo said with a smile.

Eunuch Hou pointed to the road ahead and said, "Go straight west from Taiji Hall, go around two palaces, and you will reach the Hanlin Academy."

"Okay, Lord Hou, I'm leaving now."

"Master Lin, take your leave."

……

Royal study room.

Emperor Qing was flipping through memorials when he saw the visitor. He was slightly puzzled and asked, "You're back so soon."

Eunuch Hou replied in a low voice: "Yes, Your Majesty, just in time to finish the teaching."

Emperor Qing nodded: "How is the situation?"

Eunuch Hou quickly responded, "Your Majesty, Scholar Lin said that it is not appropriate to teach on the first day, and that the teacher-student relationship should be established first. So Scholar Lin told the Third Prince a story to motivate him to make progress."

"Oh, what story?" Emperor Qing raised his eyes curiously.

Eunuch Hou counted on his fingers and said, "Mr. Lin summarized this story in seven words, which seems to be "stealing a chicken but losing the rice."

“How does the story go?”

Eunuch Hou shook his head and said, "Mr. Lin did not reveal anything. He only suggested that Your Majesty should consider the Third Prince. He said that the Third Prince had gained great enlightenment after hearing the story and would surely make greater progress in the future."

Emperor Qing immediately lost interest and snorted in disdain: "You teach your child a lot of things. I've never seen him be so flexible in the court. What kind of bullshit and self-righteous policy questions are you writing?"

(End of this chapter)