"Dad, Mom, I’m back." Mu Shuangshuang called out into the house.
Liu Zian saw a woman of about thirty years old co out. She was very thin, but compared to Shuangshuang, she looked a bit better. Her face carried a hint of blush, and Liu Zian knew that she must be Shuangshuang’s mother.
Yu Si Niang noticed the stranger and turned a questioning gaze towards Mu Shuangshuang. "Shuangshuang, this is..."
"Mom, this is Liu Zian, the teacher for Xiao Han and Yuanbao. He’ll be staying at Fengzi’s house today and tomorrow to give lessons to the kids."
As soon as she heard he was a scholar, Yu Si Niang got excited and hurriedly brought out a chair and made tea, leaving Liu Zian a bit flustered.
Liu Zian was popular wherever he went, especially since he was invited by Mu Shuangshuang to give lessons.
Xiao Han also ca out from the house, holding the "Ritual" book in his hands. When he first saw Liu Zian, his gaze was unfamiliar, carrying a hint of skepticism.
Gradually, as Liu Zian spoke to him, Xiao Han loosened up.
Perhaps because Xiao Han liked books and knew Liu Zian could teach, he felt a bit of a student-teacher bond with Liu Zian, naturally admiring him.
"Shuangshuang, where did you find such a teacher? He seems quite good."
Yu Si Niang pulled Mu Shuangshuang into a room and asked curiously.
"Mom, do you rember when I argued with my uncle, saying that the number one scholar in the county would teach Xiao Han?"
"You an, he is..." Yu Si Niang was so excited she almost fainted. She couldn’t believe her daughter spoke the truth and indeed knew such a legendary person.
"Mom, don’t get too excited, he’s just an ordinary person. No need to fawn over him intentionally. I just think scholars are like that; whether they succeed or not depends on their strategies later on."
Getting into officialdom is easy; staying in the Capital or getting a decent job is hard.
The road Liu Zian has to travel is the toughest of all.
"You little girl, of course I know these things, don’t worry, everything in good spirits." Yu Si Niang laughed.
Yet she couldn’t help but feel a bit excited deep down. Fearing Liu Zian might go hungry, she hurried to the kitchen to see what to prepare for dinner. Mu Shuangshuang finished tidying up and made plans with Lu Yuanfeng to pick so vegetables in the garden. The piece of dry land from before, which Mu Shuangshuang and Lu Yuanfeng had cultivated, now yielded edible cabbage.
With the heavy rain a few days ago, Mu Shuangshuang felt there were plenty of good things in the mountains.
The two set out together, and Liu Zian watched from the yard, his gaze following Mu Shuangshuang’s back for a long ti.
Xiao Han calling him finally brought him back to reality.
"Teacher, what’s wrong? We called you and you didn’t respond?"
"It’s nothing, let’s continue."
Initially, Liu Zian didn’t teach Xiao Han overly difficult things; they were mostly historical in nature—how the Grand Ancestor Emperor founded the Da Ning Dynasty, followed by how the Grand Ancestor slowly developed Da Ning into a strong country amidst attacks from several other nations.
As he spoke, Yuanbao was caught by Mu Shuangshuang to listen to the lesson.
Hearing sothing of interest, Yuanbao didn’t even wash the mud off his hands, but sat down and listened attentively like a good student.
The Mu family’s yard wasn’t a private place — a stranger had arrived and surrounded by three little kids — it didn’t take long before people ca to inquire about the situation.
Yu Si Niang didn’t think much and explained to everyone that Liu Zian was a scholar. Unexpectedly, this made everyone want to cram into Mu Shuangshuang’s yard as if looking at a rare object.
Several people living near the Old Mu Family who also had children boldly approached Yu Si Niang to discuss sothing.
"Si Niang, you’re being quite unfair, inviting a teacher! Why not let my son listen in too?"
"Ah?" Yu Si Niang was taken aback.
"What’s the ’ah’ for? We’re all neighbors, better close neighbors than distant relatives. Since Shuangshuang invited him, shouldn’t every child in Er Gui Village be allowed to listen?" Soone else chid in.
"But, it’s not for to decide; the teacher said he would only teach Xiao Han and Yuanbao." Yu Si Niang replied, looking troubled.
"Si Niang, co on! It’s just listening to a lecture, not eating from your third branch, don’t be stingy." The first woman spoke domineeringly, leaving no room for Yu Si Niang to refute, and quickly addressed the villagers: "Quickly, bring your kids here, Si Niang allowed us to listen in too!"
"No, Sister-in-law Chen, you..." Yu Si Niang stamped her foot in frustration.
It was the first ti she had seen soone so domineering, despite her saying nothing.
Ignoring Yu Si Niang, Mrs. Chen busily directed the villagers, moving chairs and tables from Shuangshuang’s house, even setting aside the boards drying gold and silver flowers to pull out the benches inside.
Suddenly, Liu Zian felt the yard was full of people, all looking at him like he was so rarity.
"Zian, the village kids want to listen to you. Can you teach them? If not, then I’ll..."
Yu Si Niang reluctantly bore the pressure as things had reached this level.
She was typically accommodating, and villagers would often ask for her help.
This ti, although she was unwilling, she didn’t want to offend these villagers.
The third branch had just separated, and in the village they held no real status—if they angered the villagers, no one would want to associate with them.
"It’s fine, Aunt, you handle your own affairs, I can manage here."
But Liu Zian soon realized he was wrong.
Initially, he told Xiao Han, Yuanbao, and Little Zhi so stories about court’s big n.
The three listened intently, yet the newcors were unruly, reacting contrarily to everything he said.
At the mont, he was talking about Xing Ningtian, the deceased War God of Da Ning Dynasty, a prince with a different surna, and the children were joking about it.
"I don’t believe one person could lift a large tripod." A boy of about twelve or thirteen comnted.
"Yet that’s the truth." Liu Zian explained patiently.
These ca from historical records, they couldn’t be wrong.
"Then why did he die? I think it’s all fake." The boy stubbornly insisted.
No matter how Liu Zian explained, he wouldn’t listen.
Liu Zian felt helpless, and Yuanbao, unable to tolerate it, intervened.
"Why do you talk so much nonsense? If you want to listen, listen; if not, get lost! Can’t even hear a story in peace."
Yuanbao was king among the kids, and his words finally made Liu Zian’s teaching process more comfortable.
However, soon after, hearing that Shuangshuang had invited a teacher, the Old Mu Family mbers couldn’t wait to rush over.
"Third sister-in-law, I heard Shuang invited so teacher, let have a look!" Mu Xiangxiang took the lead, but in truth, she was searching for Lu Yuanfeng’s figure in the crowd.
Strange, I saw Lu Yuanfeng with that little girl earlier, why can’t I see him now?
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