Miao Chu

Chapter 24 Learn from Me
Cheng Zijian was extremely nervous and almost instinctively hid the food box behind his back.

If it were anything else, he might have been too embarrassed to admit it and let the other party take advantage of the situation.

But this is food made by Lady Song!

This morning, He Qi from the Imperial Academy offered several times the price to buy it, but he couldn't bear to part with it. He originally intended to give it as a gift to Han Li—and he would need to trouble the other party to take another look at the revised article later.

How could we possibly let Cai Xiu eat this!
He hid the food box, realizing his actions were somewhat awkward. Though embarrassed, he had no choice but to explain, "This...this is breakfast prepared for Brother Han—he saw my pitiful state yesterday and gave me a lot of advice. I don't have anything good to offer, so I'm simply presenting some food as a token of my gratitude."

Cai Xiu was taken aback and asked, "Brother Han? Which Brother Han?"

Upon learning that the "Brother Han" Cheng Zijian spoke of was actually Han Li, he chuckled and said, "Zhengyan gave you some pointers yesterday? You must have mistaken me for someone else."

He added, "He's never the type to offer help to others. Are you sure you're not confusing him with someone else?"

Seeing that Cheng Zijian was very certain, he said, "However, he has a strange habit. He always eats only thick porridge in the morning, which he says is convenient. If you really want to send him these breakfasts, it's like throwing pearls before swine. He won't even glance at them."

"You're so thoughtful. Leave it here for now, and if he wants it, I'll deliver it to him for you."

Cai Xiu was elegant and approachable, and what she said was actually quite accurate.

But Cheng Zijian had seen Han Li eat mutton buns, and when he took his leave, Han Li didn't say he wanted to return the food box—since he accepted it the first time, why couldn't he accept it a second time?
"I'll wait a bit, so I won't trouble Brother Cai. I also have an article I'd like Brother Han to take a look at."

Cai Xiu was humiliated, but she just chuckled and didn't seem offended. However, when she heard that Cheng Zijian had brought Wen Zhang over, she said again, "He has a strange temper and hates trouble. He's also sharp-tongued. If you hear his sarcastic remarks later, don't take it to heart. Zheng Yan is straightforward and doesn't understand human relationships very well, but he has a good heart."

Cheng Zijian strongly disagreed and wanted to refute it, but he didn't know where to start, and his face turned a little red with anxiety.

Just then, someone pushed open the door and entered.

The man looked up and nodded to Cai Xiu as a greeting. When he saw Cheng Zijian inside, he frowned and said, "It's just revising an article. Does it really take a whole day? Why are you only arriving now?"

Cheng Zijian's heart, which had been in turmoil because of Cai Xiu, immediately calmed down.

Fearing he might leave a lazy and shirking impression on Brother Han, he quickly said, "I went to the library yesterday to copy the Jianlong Criminal Code, which delayed me for a while, hence my lateness."

As he spoke, he hurriedly handed over the food box, saying, "Brother Han, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"

Han Li didn't take it, but instead gestured with his chin toward the table beside him and said, "Leave it there—where's your article? Read it first."

Cheng Zijian quickly handed over his article with both hands.

Han Li took it casually, looked down and began to read it. After scanning it once, he returned to his desk and, without any modesty, used a small brush to apply vermilion ink and began to correct the original text.

After tidying up the table, Cai Xiu suddenly asked, "Zhengyan, are you still going to eat that cold porridge?"

"I won't eat this morning. If you want some, you can take it. You don't need to return it."

Cai Xiu choked for a moment, then laughed and said, "That's not necessary. Unlike you, I'm used to eating hot food in the morning."

"I understand. You're going to the kitchen, right? If you come back late, I'll explain to the master for you. Don't worry."

Han Li didn't even look up, only making corrections to Cheng Zijian's article. Cai Xiu never imagined that her classmate, who used to eat cold porridge every day, would one day be treated with such kindness, that he had actually fallen so low and started protecting his food.

He wanted to bring up the food box again, hoping to get a share, but he was too proud to admit it and felt it was pointless, so he simply left.

Cheng Zijian stood nervously, his mind preoccupied with how well he had written his article. He stared intently at Han Li and paid no attention to anyone else.

Han Li looked up at Cai Xiu's departing figure before continuing.

After finishing the revisions, he handed the article back to Cheng Zijian and said, "The rest are minor matters. There is only one thing that needs our utmost attention. It's fine for everyday writing, but policy questions are about policy. Since you have already provided a solution, why are you still so hesitant? You keep using 'maybe,' 'maybe,' 'maybe,' and 'maybe'—how am I supposed to choose a solution when you, as the one who provides the solution, keep using 'maybe'? Even if I wanted to use you, seeing your lack of confidence, I wouldn't dare to use you."

Cheng Zijian quickly noted this down and looked back at his article. Sure enough, it matched what Han Li had said. He was a little discouraged and said, "Writing is the voice of the heart. I really don't have much confidence. I don't dare to be sure when I write."

"With your personality, you won't gain confidence just by studying."

"Your writing is hesitant because you know too little and have not experienced enough. Even if you have some writing talent, how much insight can you gain if you just sit in your study all day, studying other people's articles?"

"What is gained on paper, once written down, is ultimately just official writing—you and I both come from farming backgrounds, and we understand the bitterness of life better than those aristocratic children. What good is it to spend all day carving and polishing a few words? Can you turn the grains of the outhouse into gold?"

Cheng Zijian was stunned.

His heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat, and he couldn't help but bow and ask, "Then... if you were to write it, how would you proclaim and educate the people?"

Han Li did not answer, but instead asked, "Why do ordinary people need to be educated?"

Cheng Zijian was stunned for a moment.

“A good, healthy ox can cost over 100 or 200 coins per pound of raw meat—you’re just an ordinary person, can you afford that?”

Cheng Zijian's monthly allowance was only a few hundred coins, and he had to be careful with his meals. When he heard that a pound of good meat cost one or two hundred coins, his poor heart, which could not withstand the shock, trembled slightly, and he hurriedly shook his head.

"Then who can afford it?"

Who can afford it?
Naturally, it was the wealthy and powerful who indulged in extravagance, along with a group of followers.

Han Li sneered, "A live ox costs no more than ten strings of cash. After slaughtering, one ox yields two to three hundred catties of meat, which can be sold for a hundred cash per catty. The price of a healthy ox slaughtered privately can be even higher. Anyone can calculate the profit margin. How can anyone tolerate such a huge profit?"

"Even if Confucius were alive today, he might not be able to defeat this money-grubbing guy. What's the point of teaching him? I'll just find out who regularly eats illegally slaughtered beef and then I'll scold them."

"If I can't control the sellers, can't I at least scold the buyers?"

Cheng Zijian was stunned for a moment.

Seeing his expression, Han Li said seriously, "You've heard it, but don't follow my example."

Thank you to book friend 20170222134110318 for sending me a sachet and a good luck charm =3=
Thank you so much to the Scorpio in the Yellow Palace for hanging this amulet for me, mwah! :)

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(End of this chapter)