Besides, Shen Lang had worked so hard to cultivate an image in Mother-in-Law's mind—forgive my wild and unrestrained love of freedom. If he now pleaded with her over a mere Xu Wenzhao, Shen Lang's carefully crafted persona would be ruined.
This Xu Wenzhao was even a distant relative of Mother-in-Law's. If Shen Lang pleaded for him, wouldn't that put her in a difficult position?
How could one put one's leader in a difficult position? Did he still want to get along in this world? Thus, Shen Lang sat steadily in his seat and quietly waited for Xu Wenzhao to bring Father-in-Law over.
"You're still not running?" Jin MuCong said. "When you get beaten later, no one will be able to save you."
Sure enough, hurried footsteps sounded from outside after only a moment.
"Earl, I simply cannot continue teaching this class. I have never seen someone so utterly lacking in manners."
Xu Wenzhao's voice carried clearly into everyone's ears even from far away.
The dozen or so students present all sat up straight, their eyes gleaming with excitement and their faces full of anticipation.
They were waiting to watch the show.
"Our Great Yan Dynasty values Heaven, Earth, sovereign, parents, and teachers above all else, yet Shen Lang acts without restraint and has no regard for his elders." Xu Wenzhao snapped, "At best, such conduct leads his classmates astray; at worst, it destroys the Earl's Manor's family traditions. His crime is unforgivable. I ask the Earl to punish him. Otherwise, everyone will follow his example, and the atmosphere of learning at the Earl's Manor Academy will be utterly ruined."
Shen Lang was truly speechless.
Xu Wenzhao disliked him. Couldn't he endure it for now, then find an opportunity to stab him in the dark? Let Shen Lang cause some huge disaster before having him swept out of the Earl's Manor.
Even if the Earl gave him thirty lashes today, Xu Wenzhao would at most vent a little resentment. It would accomplish absolutely nothing.
The Earl came before Shen Lang and said coldly, "What happened? It would have been one thing if you behaved wildly outside, but why are you also acting so recklessly at home?"
As he spoke, his hand involuntarily tightened around the whip.
He was conservative and rigid. Once conflict arose between a student and a teacher, the student was certainly at fault. He generally did not care about the details and would beat the student first before discussing anything else.
Jin MuCong had no idea how many times he had been beaten before. As long as a teacher complained, he was bound to get whipped.
That was why this chubby stay-at-home Young Lord was obedient and cowardly beyond measure before his teachers.
The Earl said, "Shen Lang, if you cannot give me a proper explanation today, do not blame me for being merciless."
Those thirty lashes seemed impossible to escape.
Shen Lang said, "Father-in-Law, your son-in-law did nothing wrong."
"Earl, look at him. Even now, he refuses to repent. He is truly beyond cure," Xu Wenzhao sneered.
Shen Lang said, "May I ask, Teacher Xu, did I whisper to others during your class?"
"Hmph." Xu Wenzhao said nothing more.
Shen Lang said, "Did I read any other miscellaneous books, or lie on my desk and sleep?"
"Hmph." Xu Wenzhao said nothing more.
Shen Lang said, "Since I did none of those things, how could I be said to disrespect my teacher or disregard the Way?"
Xu Wenzhao said, "While I was teaching, your soul flew beyond the heavens. That is disrespecting your teacher and disregarding the Way. Teachers pour out their heart's blood to impart knowledge to you, yet you let your mind wander. Is that not defiling the atmosphere of learning?"
"The imperial examinations do not test arithmetic, so why does our Earl's Manor place such importance on studying it?" Shen Lang said. "The six arts of a gentleman are rites, music, archery, charioteering, writing, and mathematics. By studying arithmetic, one may understand the economy and people's livelihoods below, and the transformations of Heaven, Earth, and all things above. Our emphasis on arithmetic is entirely due to the Earl's far-sighted vision and deep foresight."
This string of smooth talk immediately softened the Earl's expression considerably.
Though this son-in-law of mine is mischievous, he truly understands my heart.
Shen Lang said, "Teacher Xu imparts to us the way of arithmetic. I hold him in the highest respect, and I have absolutely no intention of disrespecting my teacher or disregarding the Way."
Xu Wenzhao said, "I was teaching while your mind wandered, yet you dare claim that you respect me? You have no shame and speak utter nonsense."
Shen Lang said, "Teacher Xu, what you taught was rather simple, so I had already learned it all. If I merely pretended to listen attentively, wouldn't that be wasting precious time? That would be the greatest disrespect to you. Therefore, based on what you taught, I extended it further in my mind and explored deeper principles of arithmetic. That is the purpose of learning, and that is true respect for one's teacher and the Way."
Damn.
The dozen or so students around him were somewhat stunned.
Shen Lang really could talk his way out of anything. But why did they clearly know he was spouting nonsense, yet still feel that it somehow made sense? "Hahahaha..." Xu Wenzhao burst out laughing. "The arithmetic I teach is simple?"
Shen Lang said sincerely, "Yes. It is far too simple."
Xu Wenzhao said, "You know all the arithmetic I teach?"
Shen Lang said even more sincerely, "More than merely knowing it—I can use it as freely as I please, applying it as naturally as my own thoughts."
Xu Wenzhao laughed again. "You wet-behind-the-ears child. You studied at Hanshui Town Academy for ten years and did not even finish the Great Learning. You have never encountered the way of arithmetic, yet you claim to know everything I teach? What shameless boasting. How utterly laughable."
On this point, Xu Wenzhao truly had absolute confidence.
Although arithmetic was known as one of the six arts of a gentleman, neither the civil nor military imperial examinations tested it, so very few people genuinely studied it.
At the academy Shen Lang attended, even the teachers did not know it.
In all of Xuanwu City, those proficient in arithmetic could be counted on both hands, and Xu Wenzhao was one of the very best among them.
Other subjects could still be self-taught, but without a teacher, one could not even begin to enter the gate of arithmetic.
Therefore, Shen Lang's boast that he knew it all was truly foolish to the extreme.
Xu Wenzhao then said, "Since you claim to know it all, I will give you ten questions. If you answer three correctly, that will prove you truly know everything I teach, and I will not punish you."
"If you cannot answer three questions correctly, you will receive thirty lashes."
"And if you cannot answer even one correctly, that will prove you know nothing of arithmetic and are merely talking nonsense. With such a crooked heart and improper intentions, you will receive one hundred lashes. How about it?"
At those words, the Earl frowned.
He felt Xu Wenzhao had gone too far and could not help saying, "Shen Lang, apologize to Teacher Xu and let this matter pass. Do not let your mind wander in class again."
All right, Father-in-Law still cared for him.
Meanwhile, Young Lord Jin MuCong was astonished. Father had never been like this before. He had been so ruthless toward Jin MuCong; whenever a teacher complained, he would whip him.
Why did Shen Lang only need to apologize? The Earl was indeed conservative and rigid, but he was not blind.
Of course he knew why Xu Wenzhao refused to let Shen Lang go. Was it not because his nephew Wang Lian had failed to become the Earl's Manor's son-in-law?
But Xu Wenzhao was an old servant of the Earl's Manor, and he had managed the manor's accounts for more than twenty years. He had toiled and achieved great merit. The Earl relied on him greatly, so he had to give him some face.
Xu Wenzhao immediately grew anxious. An apology alone would not do. Today, Shen Lang had to be properly punished, so Xu Wenzhao could vent the resentment in his heart.
When he returned home yesterday, his wife and younger sister had given him a thorough scolding, saying that he was unworthy of being the Earl's confidant when he had allowed Wang Lian to lose to a good-for-nothing.
Xu Wenzhao immediately said, "Earl, if an apology is enough to let this matter pass, then every student will follow the same example in the future. Wouldn't the atmosphere of learning at the Earl's Manor be completely destroyed?"
Shen Lang suddenly said, "As long as I answer three questions correctly, I will be free of punishment, correct?"
"Correct," Xu Wenzhao said. "You only need to answer three correctly to prove that you truly know everything I taught in class."
Shen Lang said, "Then what if I answer all ten correctly?"
"Impossible. Young man, do not daydream in broad daylight," Xu Wenzhao said. "The way of arithmetic is broad and profound. You, a mere wet-behind-the-ears child, will never glimpse its gateway even in your lifetime. Forget answering all ten correctly—even if you answer five correctly, that will prove you truly understand this field and need not be taught by me. I will publicly apologize to you."
"It is a deal." Shen Lang bowed deeply. "Father-in-Law shall bear witness, Old Master shall bear witness, and all the classmates present shall bear witness."
The Earl was just about to rebuke Shen Lang for making trouble.
But the Old Master behind him, who taught the I Ching, smiled benignly and said, "Good. This old man will bear witness."
This Old Master was over seventy. Not only was he Jin MuCong's teacher, he had also been the Earl's teacher. Since he had spoken, the Earl could not refuse.
"Hmph." The Earl glared at Shen Lang. "You are so arrogantly blind to everyone around you. When you are punished later, do not blame me for striking heavily, and do not howl to Heaven and cry to Earth."
Xu Wenzhao said, "Since I am the teacher, let me personally carry out the punishment."
He feared that the Earl would strike too lightly, so he wanted to do it himself. At the very least, he would beat Shen Lang half to death.
The Earl was about to refuse.
But Shen Lang bowed and said, "Teacher Xu, please give the questions."
"Hmph!" The Earl was displeased within his heart.
If Shen Lang did not know what was good for him and insisted on courting death, then so be it.
He knew Shen Lang possessed an exceptional memory, but without years of immersion, he could learn nothing substantial in the way of arithmetic.
Xu Wenzhao's attainments in arithmetic were so deep that Shen Lang competing against him was no different from using an egg to strike a stone.
Xu Wenzhao was delighted. He immediately returned to his desk and began racking his brains to devise the questions.
Naturally, he would give the hardest questions possible—preferably ones Shen Lang could not solve at all.
That way, he could give Shen Lang one hundred lashes and beat him half to death.
Xu Wenzhao naturally knew that the Earl intended to favor Shen Lang somewhat. If Xu Wenzhao truly gave Shen Lang one hundred lashes, the Earl would likely be unhappy.
But so what? Xu Wenzhao's prospects in this life had already reached their limit. Why should he swallow his anger and endure humiliation? Besides, all the Earl's Manor's accounts were in his grasp. The Earl could not do without Xu Wenzhao, not the other way around.
That was why he had nothing to fear.
For a full half hour, Xu Wenzhao racked his brains and exhausted all the knowledge he had acquired in his lifetime.
At last, he came up with ten difficult questions.
Each was harder than the last! Xu Wenzhao could say for certain that none of the students present could solve even the first question.
Not just the students present—there were not many people in all of Xuanwu City who could answer the first question correctly.
Yet that was merely the easiest question.
The questions that followed were difficult to the point of outrage.
A few of them came straight from ancient arithmetic texts. Ordinary people would not merely be unable to solve them—they would not even understand them upon reading them.
For a useless fellow like Shen Lang, solving even one question correctly would already be unprecedented.
Xu Wenzhao could practically imagine the scene of himself whipping Shen Lang in a moment.
He placed the ten questions directly before Shen Lang and said, "Remember this. Answer three correctly, and I will not pursue the matter. Otherwise, you will receive thirty lashes. If you cannot answer even one correctly, then you will receive one hundred lashes!"
"Today, I will certainly teach you what it means to respect one's teacher and the Way, and what the way of arithmetic truly is."
Xu Wenzhao sneered inwardly, Young man, do not think that being handsome means you can do whatever you please. You are still too green to fight me. In a moment, I will beat you half to death.
Before you continue