Make Way, The Handsome Man Is About to Slap Some Faces

Besides, Young Master Shen had finally managed to cultivate an image in his Mother-in-Law's eyes of someone who was "forgive my unrestrained love for freedom," and if he were to beg for mercy now just because of Xu Wenzhao, his persona would be ruined.

This Xu Wenzhao was a distant relative of his Mother-in-Law, so if Young Master Shen begged her for mercy, wouldn't that just make things difficult for her?

How could one make things difficult for one's superior? Did he even want to keep his job? Thus, Young Master Shen sat calmly in his seat once more, quietly waiting for Xu Wenzhao to bring the Earl to him.

"Aren't you going to run?" Jin MuCong asked. "If you get beaten later, no one will be able to save you."

Sure enough, only a moment later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside.

"Lord Earl, I cannot teach this class anymore. I have never seen someone so devoid of upbringing."

Xu Wenzhao's voice carried from far away, reaching the ears of everyone present.

The dozen or so students in the room all sat up straight, their eyes bright with excitement and anticipation.

They were waiting for a show.

"The Great Yan Dynasty values Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Kin, and Teacher above all else, yet this Young Master Shen is unscrupulous and shows no respect for his elders," Xu Wenzhao declared sternly. "His conduct, to put it mildly, corrupts his peers; to put it gravely, it ruins the reputation of the Earl's Manor. His crimes are unforgivable. I ask the Earl to punish him, otherwise, if everyone follows his example, the academic atmosphere of the Earl's Manor Academy will be utterly destroyed."

Young Master Shen was truly speechless.

If you, Xu Wenzhao, find me an eyesore, can't you just bottle it up and wait for a chance to stab me in the back? Let me commit a real disaster so I can be kicked out of the Earl's Manor.

Even if I get thirty lashes from the Earl today, you'll just be venting your anger—it won't solve anything at all.

The Earl walked up to Young Master Shen and said coldly, "What is the meaning of this? It is one thing for you to be reckless outside, but why must you act so wantonly within the home?"

As he spoke, his hand tightened around the whip.

He was a conservative and rigid man; whenever a conflict arose between a student and a teacher, it was undoubtedly the student's fault. He generally didn't ask questions before he started laying into them.

Jin MuCong had been beaten countless times before; as soon as a teacher complained, he was guaranteed to get a thrashing.

That was why this chubby, shut-in Young Lord was always timid and obedient in front of his teachers.

The Earl said, "Young Master Shen, if you cannot give me a good reason today, don't blame me for being ruthless."

It seemed it would be difficult to escape these thirty lashes.

Young Master Shen said, "Father-in-Law, your son-in-law has done nothing wrong."

"Lord Earl, look at him—he still refuses to repent. He is truly beyond saving," Xu Wenzhao sneered.

Young Master Shen asked, "May I ask, Teacher Xu, did I whisper to others during your lecture?"

"Hmph," Xu Wenzhao grunted.

Young Master Shen asked, "Then did I read other miscellaneous books, or perhaps sleep with my head on the desk?"

"Hmph," Xu Wenzhao grunted again.

Young Master Shen asked, "Since I did none of these things, how can you claim I do not respect my teacher or the way of learning?"

Xu Wenzhao said, "When I was lecturing, your mind was wandering. That is a lack of respect for the teacher. Teachers pour their hearts and blood into imparting knowledge to you, yet you daydream—is this not a stain upon our academic spirit?"

"Mathematics is not included in the imperial examinations, yet our Earl's Manor emphasizes its study," Young Master Shen said. "Among the Six Arts of a gentleman—Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, and Mathematics—mastering the latter allows one to understand the economy and the livelihood of the people below, and the changes of all things in Heaven and Earth above. That we value mathematics is entirely due to the Earl's foresight and deep deliberation."

This smooth bit of flattery immediately caused the Earl's expression to soften significantly.

My son-in-law may be mischievous, but he truly understands my heart.

Young Master Shen continued, "I hold the way of mathematics that Teacher Xu imparts to us in high regard; I have absolutely no intention of showing disrespect to my teacher."

Xu Wenzhao retorted, "I am teaching, and you are spacing out, yet you claim to respect me? How shameless, what a load of nonsense."

Young Master Shen said, "Teacher Xu, it is because what you are teaching is rather simple that I have already mastered it. If I were to pretend to listen attentively, wouldn't I be wasting time? That would be the greatest disrespect to you. Therefore, based on the content of your lecture, I was extending my thoughts in my mind to explore the deeper mysteries of mathematics. That is the true purpose of learning, and that is true respect for one's teacher."

Damn.

The dozen or so students around them were stunned.

Young Master Shen, you really know how to talk your way out of anything. But why, even though I know you're spouting nonsense, does it sound so reasonable? "Hahahaha..." Xu Wenzhao laughed aloud. "The mathematics I teach is simple?"

Young Master Shen said sincerely, "Yes, far too simple."

Xu Wenzhao asked, "You have mastered all the mathematics I teach?"

Young Master Shen replied even more sincerely, "Mastered it? It has become second nature to me; I can wield it at will."

Xu Wenzhao laughed again and said, "You wet-behind-the-ears brat. You studied at the Hanshui Town Academy for ten years and didn't even finish the 'Great Learning,' let alone touch the path of mathematics. To say you have mastered what I teach is a brazen, ridiculous lie."

On this point, Xu Wenzhao was absolutely certain.

Although mathematics was one of the Six Arts, it wasn't tested in the civil or military examinations, so very few people actually studied it.

And the academy where Young Master Shen had studied didn't even have teachers who understood it.

In all of Xuanwu City, those proficient in mathematics could be counted on two hands, and he, Xu Wenzhao, was the very best among them.

Other subjects could be self-taught, but mathematics was impossible to even enter without a teacher.

So, for Young Master Shen to boast that he had mastered it all was truly the height of stupidity.

Xu Wenzhao then declared, "Since you claim to have mastered it, I will give you ten problems. If you answer three correctly, it will prove you have indeed mastered my teachings, and I will not punish you."

"If you cannot answer three correctly, you will receive thirty lashes."

"And if you cannot answer even one, it proves you know nothing of mathematics and are merely spouting off. For such a crooked heart, it will be one hundred lashes. How about it?"

Upon hearing this, the Earl frowned.

He felt Xu Wenzhao was pushing things a bit too far, so he couldn't help but say, "Young Master Shen, just offer Teacher Xu an apology and let this matter rest. Don't let your mind wander in class again in the future."

Well, Father-in-Law still cares about me, after all.

Beside them, the Young Lord Jin MuCong was astonished. Father, you aren't usually like this. You're always so ruthless with me; the moment a teacher complains, you whip me.

How does it come to Young Master Shen, and all he needs is an apology? The Earl was conservative and rigid, but he wasn't blind.

He naturally knew why Xu Wenzhao was refusing to let Young Master Shen off the hook—was it not because his nephew, Wang Lian, had failed to be chosen as the Earl's Manor Son-in-Law?

However, Xu Wenzhao was, after all, a veteran of the Earl's Manor, and having managed the accounts for over twenty years, his contributions were significant. The Earl relied on him heavily, so he had to show him some face.

Xu Wenzhao grew anxious. A mere apology wouldn't suffice; he had to punish Young Master Shen thoroughly today to vent the bitter resentment in his heart.

When he returned home yesterday, his wife and sister had scolded him mercilessly, accusing him of being an unworthy confidant to the Earl for allowing Wang Lian to lose to a good-for-nothing.

Immediately, Xu Wenzhao said, "Earl, if a simple apology is enough to settle the matter, then every student will follow suit in the future. Wouldn't the academic atmosphere of our Earl's Manor be utterly ruined?"

Young Master Shen suddenly spoke up, "If I answer three questions correctly, then I'm off the hook, right?"

"Correct," Xu Wenzhao said. "You only need to answer three correctly to prove that you have indeed mastered what I've taught in class."

Young Master Shen asked, "And what if I get all ten questions right?"

"Impossible. Don't go daydreaming, young man," Xu Wenzhao replied. "The path of arithmetic is profound and vast. A wet-behind-the-ears child like you will never catch a glimpse of its threshold in a lifetime. Never mind ten—if you even answer five correctly, proving you are truly proficient and don't need my instruction, I will publicly apologize to you."

"It's a deal," Young Master Shen bowed. "Father-in-Law, be my witness; Old Master, be my witness; and all students present, be my witnesses."

The Earl was about to rebuke Young Master Shen for being foolish.

But the Old Master who taught the "I Ching" behind him smiled and said, "Very well, I shall be the witness."

This Old Master was over seventy years old. He was not only Jin MuCong's teacher but also the Earl's own teacher. Since he had spoken, the Earl could not refuse.

"Hmph." The Earl glared at Young Master Shen and said, "Since you are so arrogant, don't blame me for being heavy-handed when you're punished later, and don't come crying or howling."

Xu Wenzhao said, "Since I am the teacher, let me be the one to administer the punishment."

He was worried the Earl would be too lenient, so he wanted to do it himself to at least beat Young Master Shen within an inch of his life.

The Earl was about to refuse.

But Young Master Shen bowed and said, "Teacher Xu, please present the questions."

"Hmph!" The Earl was displeased.

You, Young Master Shen, don't know what's good for you. If you want to court death, then so be it.

I know you have a superb memory, but without years of immersion, you cannot learn anything in the way of arithmetic.

Xu Wenzhao's attainments in arithmetic are so deep; competing against him is like throwing an egg against a rock.

Xu Wenzhao felt smug. He immediately returned to his desk and began to rack his brains to craft the questions.

Naturally, he would devise the most difficult ones possible, hoping to ensure Young Master Shen couldn't solve a single one.

That way, he could have Young Master Shen whipped one hundred times and beat him half to death.

Xu Wenzhao knew full well that the Earl was biased toward Young Master Shen, and if he really whipped him one hundred times, the Earl would likely be unhappy.

But so what? His own career had reached its limit; why should he swallow his pride? Besides, the entire financial ledger of the Earl's Manor was in his hands. It was the Earl who couldn't do without him, not the other way around.

That was why he was so confident and unafraid.

For a full hour, Xu Wenzhao racked his brains, exhausting everything he had learned in his life.

Finally, he produced ten difficult problems.

Each one is harder than the last! Xu Wenzhao concluded that none of the students present could even solve the first one.

It wasn't just the students present; there were few people in the entire Xuanwu City who could solve the first question.

Yet, that was merely the easiest one.

The subsequent questions were so difficult they were appalling.

Several of them were taken entirely from Ancient Arithmetic Classics; ordinary people couldn't even understand them, let alone solve them.

For a good-for-nothing like Young Master Shen, solving even one would be a miracle.

Xu Wenzhao could almost imagine the scene when he whipped Young Master Shen later.

He placed the ten questions directly in front of Young Master Shen and said, "Remember, answer three correctly and I won't pursue this further; otherwise, thirty lashes. If you can't answer a single one, then one hundred lashes!"

"Today, I will teach you the meaning of respecting one's teacher and the true way of arithmetic."

Xu Wenzhao muttered to himself, "Young man, don't think that just because you're handsome, you can do whatever you want. You're still too green to fight me. I'll have you half-dead in a moment."