Though midsummer had yet to arrive, the world already felt like a steamer. National Teacher Chen, stealing a moment from his busy day, lay in a wicker chair and gently fanned himself with a Jade Bamboo Folding Fan.
Senior Brother Mao had brought Chen Chunhua to Great Li, but he had sent a letter ahead telling Chen Ping'an not to trouble himself welcoming them or seeing them off. They would look around on their own first. By now, Senior Brother Mao and Chen Chunhua had probably met Ma Zhan, the new lecturer at Chunshan Academy and a member of the Literary Sage lineage.
Ma Zhan's role had changed time and again over the past century. He had first helped Qi Jingchun establish Cliff Academy and taught there. Then he followed Qi Jingchun to the town in Pearl Cave Heaven. After becoming a Ghostly Creature, he was assigned by National Teacher Cui Hun to secretly assist Supervising Official Cao Gengxin. Later, he served as a ritual official for the emperors in Great Li Capital City. After meeting Chen Ping'an, he had now become a lecturer at Chunshan Academy.
Like Mao Xiaodong, Ma Zhan was an unregistered disciple of the Sage of Literature. After all his twists and turns, he had returned to an academy to teach and nurture students.
Chen Ping'an was curious what the two senior brothers would talk about when they met. Perhaps Senior Brother Mao would scold Senior Brother Ma until he looked like a bedraggled quail?
But the truth was precisely the opposite. As soon as Mao Xiaodong saw Ma Zhan, Ma Zhan seized the initiative by cursing himself first. He said he had indeed strayed down the wrong path, failed their teacher's instruction, and betrayed Senior Brother Qi's trust. Then he rounded on Mao Xiaodong: "Even