Mr. Zhuang sent off the Ministry of Personnel official who ca to deliver the appointnt paper, then turned to his three disciples, "Co, tell what this is about."
Mr. Zhuang is not really part of the officialdom, and the news from the court previously ca via Bai Shan and Zhou Man through various channels.
Although Bai Shan and the others were in the palace, despite many people impeaching Chen Fulin in these few days and even the Crown Prince taking a stand, no one actually asked Mr. Zhuang, who is the person involved.
So Mr. Zhuang knows nothing.
This morning, the three disciples had just returned from a break at the palace; they had just entered the door when personnel from the Ministry of Personnel arrived, not looking for the three of them, but for him.
They handed Mr. Zhuang an appointnt letter.
Bai Shan and the three exchanged a look, and finally Zhou Man stepped forward and narrated the whole matter from start to finish, then said, "Sir, Chen Fulin should be packing to leave the capital by now."
Manbao was hinting that perhaps you should give him a good kick while he’s down?
Mr. Zhuang looked up at Manbao, not speaking.
He lowered his head to open the appointnt paper and see the official rank on it, feeling a bit dazed; although it was just a ninth-grade Assistant Lecturer, it was sothing he had sought but not obtained in his youth.
Did it co just like that, out of nowhere?
Mr. Zhuang remained silent for a while, then closed the appointnt paper and said, "Alright, I understand."
Bai Shan seed a bit worried, "Sir, will you accept the position?"
Mr. Zhuang said, "Since it’s been given, why shouldn’t I accept? After all, it’s an inco, isn’t it?"
The three nodded repeatedly, indeed, that’s true.
Mr. Zhuang spoke boldly, yet inside he felt quite anxious about going to Chongwen Pavilion as an Assistant Lecturer; he really didn’t quite know how to teach a class there.
He had been a teacher for so many years, and Bai Shan and the three were the ones he had taught the longest and deepest; other children had mostly gone to County School, Prefecture School, or other academies before reaching this level of teaching.
Thus, facing students much older than Bai Shan and the others, he felt a bit dazed for a mont, unsure of how to teach them.
What content should he teach?
Bai Shan and Zhou Man were very intelligent; he taught them concisely, and they could infer much from little, hence he didn’t have to worry much.
As for Bai Er...
Mr. Zhuang’s gaze fell on Bai Er, gradually calming his heart, thinking of teaching them in the sa way he taught Bai Er.
Bai Erlang touched his face, anxiously asking, "Sir, what’s wrong with ?"
Mr. Zhuang smiled, reached out, and patted his head, "Nothing is wrong, co, tell about the classes you usually attend in Chongwen Pavilion and how the teachers conduct the lessons?"
Most Assistant Lecturers in Chongwen Pavilion are part-ti ministers, except for Libationer Kong, who is the Crown Prince’s ntor; the others, like Wei Zhi, Minister Li, Ji Xiang, are part-ti, ranging from sixth to ninth grade, since it’s part-ti, the emperor assigns them casually, and they also accept casually.
Besides them, other Assistant Lecturers are transferred from the Hanlin Academy, bypassing the Imperial Examination, undergoing the Ministry of Personnel assessnt, highly educated scholars, each possessing knowledge no less than Mr. Zhuang’s.
Anyway, Mr. Zhuang, after hearing Bai Shan and Bai Erlang’s detailed explanation of several teachers’ teaching content, realized that apart from making classes more interesting, he probably surpassed them in no other aspect.
Just unsure what class Chongwen Pavilion will assign him to teach.
Indeed, each teacher’s teaching content has a scope, one person responsible for one book, or two people for one book, but the two teachers’ understanding must differ greatly, so students can learn more.
Therefore, teachers in Chongwen Pavilion are always arguing.
Manbao curiously asked, "Sir, which book do you want to teach?"
Without thinking, Mr. Zhuang said, "I want to teach The Analects."
This is the book he is most familiar with, and this book can never be studied enough, even if morized fluently at a young age, upon reaching mature years, it still offers insights.
Mr. Zhuang smiled, "Or perhaps Dao De Jing?"
This is another book he knows well, also cannot be studied enough, and he believes the Crown Prince is more suited to Dao De Jing.
Although he hasn’t t the Crown Prince much, he is not unfamiliar with him because Manbao sees the Crown Prince frequently and does not shy away from talking about him at ho.
The four master and disciples speculated and anticipated, and when Mr. Zhuang arrived at Chongwen Pavilion on the third day, Manbao specially sneaked out from the library to eavesdrop at the rear window of the Assistant Lecturers.
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang had already secured advantageous positions, signaled to Manbao, and the three gathered at the window, peeking inside.
Not far away, Liu Huan and Yin Huo were keeping watch, quite puzzled, "It’s just arranging classes, isn’t the schedule out in the afternoon?"
Yin Huo thought for a mont and said, "They’re probably afraid Mr. Zhuang will be bullied, right?"
Liu Huan said, "Even if he’s bullied, you can’t tell from conversation alone, aren’t they all scholars?"
Yin Huo said, "You can tell by looking at the class schedule arranged for him."
Indeed, by looking at the class schedule arranged for Mr. Zhuang, you can tell.
The affairs of Chongwen Pavilion are managed by Libationer Kong, so he personally t with Mr. Zhuang, he had so impression of Zhuang Xun and of the events from twenty years ago.
Back in the day, he t Zhuang Xun and Chen Fulin when he was still an Academic Editor; he knew Zhuang Xun was going to take exams at the Imperial Academy and had even recomnded him to the academy’s teacher.
So when the issue of Zhuang Xun plagiarizing Chen Fulin’s poetry arose, he regretted it for a while.
Now seeing Zhuang Xun again, Libationer Kong slightly nodded at him and asked, "Which book are you most proficient in?"
Zhuang Xun replied honestly, "I’m sowhat familiar with The Analects and Dao De Jing, but still far less proficient than you, sir."
The Analects belongs to the Kong Family, and Libationer Kong has studied it for decades, naturally being the most familiar with it. After smiling, he said, "Everyone has discussed and decided to let you lead the teaching of Classic of Filial Piety, and since you’re knowledgeable about Dao De Jing, you can also assist in teaching Taoist texts."
Zhuang Xun was slightly taken aback, asking, "Has the Crown Prince not studied Classic of Filial Piety?"
Libationer Kong sighed, "Of course, he has, but this is the consensus among court ministers; everyone believes the Crown Prince should relearn Classic of Filial Piety."
Zhuang Xun then asked, "Do you know who taught the Crown Prince Classic of Filial Piety before?"
Libationer Kong: "...I did."
Zhuang Xun: ...
Zhuang Xun quickly recovered and consulted Libationer Kong for so tips.
Libationer Kong sighed endlessly; back then, teaching the Crown Prince Classic of Filial Piety was relatively easy, mainly because although the Crown Prince was mischievous, the relationship between father and son was still good, so the prince would generally listen.
But later, as the relationship between the Crown Prince and the emperor deteriorated, when he continued teaching Classic of Filial Piety, the Crown Prince beca resistant, primarily because this book had been discussed ad nauseam, invariably circling back to requiring the Crown Prince to show filial piety to his father, to obey sovereign and ancestor.
Zhuang Xun accepted the task, and Manbao couldn’t help but frustratedly tap on the window, causing a noise.
Libationer Kong turned his head to look, just seeing the window slightly shaking; he didn’t pay much attention, turning back to continue conversing with Mr. Zhuang.
Mr. Zhuang also withdrew his gaze, bowing his head to listen seriously.
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