Chapter 220: Chapter 192: Post-rain Reflections

Not long after.

Chen Yi arrived at Guiyun Academy and headed straight for the residential courtyard in the back.

It wasn’t his scheduled day to teach, so Mr. Yue Ming and the others were a little surprised to see him.

But their initial surprise quickly gave way to them rising to greet him.

Mr. Yue Ming smiled and welcomed him. "Qingzhou, you’re here. Have a seat."

Chen Yi glanced around. Seeing that besides Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying, Ma Guan was also present, he relaxed and took a seat.

He had been an Instructor at Guiyun Academy for some time now and was familiar enough with Mr. Yue Ming and the others to be casual.

"Dean, so you ended up expelling Heming from the study hall after all?"

Mr. Yue Ming’s smile froze. He glanced at Ma Guan, who was standing respectfully to the side, and gave an awkward laugh.

"We have indeed wronged Heming."

"So, after discussing it with him, I’ve decided to have him assist you with your lessons."

’Isn’t that just a teaching assistant?’ Chen Yi raised an eyebrow.

He looked at Ma Guan, then at Mr. Yue Ming who was frantically giving him meaningful looks, and couldn’t help but say with a slight pout, "You certainly know how to put people to work, Dean."

"Let’s get this straight first. It’s fine for Heming to stay at the study hall in this capacity, but you can’t have him work for free. You have to at least pay him some silver coins."

Mr. Yue Ming nodded. "Of course. We’ll give Heming one mace of silver per month, a little less than you."

Upon hearing this, Ma Guan looked at Chen Yi, stood up, and bowed. "Heming thanks you for taking me in, sir."

Chen Yi waved his hand. "’Taking you in’ isn’t the right way to put it. It sounds improper."

"Your Calligraphy Dao is accomplished now. Even if you don’t stay at the study hall, you could earn a good amount of silver just by writing for people every day."

Ma Guan was taken aback. "I... I hadn’t considered that."

Chen Yi said noncommittally, "Well, you can start thinking about it now."

"Now that you’ve learned a skill, put it to practical use. Don’t suffer needlessly."

"If not for yourself, think of your family. You can’t just have coarse grain buns and plain water for all three meals a day."

Ma Guan nodded thoughtfully. "I will remember your teachings, sir."

Seeing this, Chen Yi shook his head inwardly. He knew the young man was fixated on etiquette and rules, so he didn’t say any more.

He then explained the purpose of his visit to Mr. Yue Ming.

"When the study hall originally set its rules, I guessed many people would come to visit the Xiao Family or the academy, but I didn’t expect there would be this many."

"So I thought of a Method to stop those interested in the Calligraphy Dao from bothering us, or at the very least, reduce their numbers."

Hearing this, Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying gave wry smiles. "The academy gets even more visitors than the Xiao Family."

"It’s not just people from Shu State. Academy Masters from several nearby State Capitals have also brought their students. We really do need to figure something out."

"Qingzhou, what do you have in mind? Please, tell us."

Chen Yi then explained his idea, which had two main parts.

The first was to add more rules to the study hall, mainly introducing rules for elimination and withdrawal.

For example, students like Ma Guan whose Calligraphy Dao was accomplished would be considered to have graduated.

For instance, students with poor attitudes or conduct, or those whose progress in the Calligraphy Dao was too slow, would be expelled from the study hall.

Most importantly, a dedicated space should be found within the study hall and built to serve as a place for viewing calligraphy copies.

"Although displaying my own Calligraphy Dao might make me seem arrogant and shameless, it’s the most effective way to solve our current problem."

Chen Yi paused, looked at the thoughtful expressions on Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying’s faces, and said with a smile:

"So, you two, I hope you’ll take out the calligraphy copies I left behind from my previous lessons and place them in that ’exhibition hall’."

Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.

"That won’t do, that won’t do."

"Since it’s specifically for people from the Outer States who have come to admire your calligraphy, it naturally has to be done in a grander and more orderly fashion."

Mr. Zhuo Ying chimed in, "The Dean is right."

"Among the visitors are many Confucian scholars who intend to enroll in the academy to study. It would be inappropriate to display certain calligraphy copies related to the curriculum ahead of time."

The two of them were in perfect sync, only discussing the layout of the "exhibition hall" and asking Chen Yi to write new calligraphy copies. They completely avoided mentioning the rules for admission and withdrawal from the study hall.

Clearly, in their view, those two rules would indeed reduce some of their troubles.

Chen Yi naturally understood their intentions. After a moment’s thought, he didn’t refuse.

"However, besides me writing some pieces to put in there, you two gentlemen, and Heming, will have to write a few as well."

At his suggestion, not only the two Academy Masters, Yue Ming and Zhuo Ying, but even the ever-honest Ma Guan’s breath hitched.

"S-Sir... I... I can too?"

"Of course you can."

"This is called showcasing the results of the academy’s teaching. The three of you are all renowned masters with accomplished Calligraphy Dao."

Hearing this, Mr. Yue Ming said humbly, "I couldn’t, I couldn’t. Our Calligraphy Dao is far too inferior to Qingzhou’s."

Mr. Zhuo Ying, being a bit more thick-skinned, agreed to it directly.

"If they aren’t willing, then forget it," Chen Yi said. "My calligraphy alone should be sufficient."

Yue Ming was taken aback, then glared at Zhuo Ying and said, "Hold on, hold on! What are you planning, you scoundrel? Who said I wasn’t willing?"

"I just haven’t decided what to write to put inside."

Ma Guan didn’t dare refuse either, afraid of missing such an opportunity to make a name for himself.

Seeing that the three had agreed, Chen Yi added, "Let me be clear. I’m only responsible for writing the pieces and making the suggestion. I’ll have to trouble you all to handle the setup and everything else."

Yue Ming had no objections and agreed.

"Later, Zhuo Ying and I will draft a set of regulations to prevent the visitors from other regions from disturbing the Xiao Family and the academy."

After a bit more small talk,

Chen Yi didn’t stay long.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Mr. Yue Ming thought for a moment and said, "For the Mid-Autumn Festival, the academy will be holding a poetry gathering."

"At that time, I was wondering if it would be convenient for you to attend, Qingzhou?"

Chen Yi shook his head. "It’s not convenient."

Without waiting for any further persuasion, Chen Yi signaled for Ma Guan to see him out.

’A poetry gathering is even more trouble than a Xiao Family banquet. There’s no way I’m going to get involved in that kind of bustling event, which is both tedious and full of competitiveness.’

Seeing this, Mr. Yue Ming gave a wry smile. "That’s Qingzhou’s personality, all right."

Mr. Zhuo Ying watched Chen Yi and Ma Guan walk away and said, "Qingzhou isn’t like an ordinary scholar. He has little desire for fame or fortune."

Mr. Yue Ming nodded. "Indeed."

"In all my years at the academy, I’ve seen many scholars who thought themselves extraordinary. There are gentlemen like Heming, who revere the Confucian Dao and study the ways of the ancient sages, and there are also those like Huai’gu, who became famous at a young age."

"More or less, they all chase fame and fortune, hoping to use what they’ve learned in an official career."

"But with Qingzhou, I see none of that."

"He is clearly a man of immense talent, with both solid knowledge and practical methods. If he were to become an official at court, he would surely bring great fortune to a region."

Mr. Zhuo Ying retracted his gaze and said, "Perhaps it’s related to his status."

"A live-in son-in-law, and one of the Xiao Family at that. If he were to become a court official, he would inevitably arouse the Xiao Family’s suspicion."

"You and I both know that the Xiao Family is already struggling to manage its own affairs. They probably don’t want any more trouble brewing in the rear household."

Mr. Yue Ming sighed at this and murmured that it was a pity.

"I previously heard from Ju Yi that Qingzhou had great ambitions in his youth, and he looked up to his father, Chen Xuanji, as a role model."

"To have ended up in this situation is truly a shame."

Mr. Zhuo Ying said thoughtfully, "Actually, I’ve always had my doubts about Qingzhou marrying into the Xiao Family."

"He’s from the Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family and has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. Why would he be sent all the way to Shu State?"

"Even if the Chen Family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Xiao Family, they could have chosen a less outstanding junior."

Mr. Yue Ming was slightly taken aback. After a moment’s thought, he said, "Jiangnan Prefecture is thousands of miles from Shu State. I’m afraid it would be very difficult for us to uncover the reasons behind it."

"However, I can write a letter to Ju Yi later and ask."

"That seems appropriate..."

Chen Yi didn’t hear their conversation. If he had, he would have definitely called the two old men busybodies.

’Even if they figured out the reason for my marriage, so what?’

’Could I run to Jiangnan Prefecture to question the Chen Family? Or convince the Xiao Family to let me become a court official?’

’Obviously not.’

Chen Yi and Ma Guan walked out of the academy together.

Before parting, Chen Yi said with a smile:

"Since you’ve already agreed to help the Dean with my lessons, I can’t very well let you be idle."

"Please give me your instructions, sir. I will certainly do my utmost."

"From now on, you will grade the students’ Calligraphy practice books first, and then bring them to me."

Ma Guan hesitated. "Grading the practice books is no problem, but I’m worried the other students will be dissatisfied."

Chen Yi glanced at him sideways and smiled. "Great art finds few admirers. It’s been that way since ancient times."

"Since you study the ways of the ancient sages and gentlemen, you should understand this principle, no?"

Hearing this, Ma Guan paused for a moment, then took a deep breath and said, "I have been taught a lesson."

Chen Yi grunted in acknowledgment. "Don’t worry so much. If anything happens, the Dean and I will take care of it."

"That’s all I have to say. Go on and attend to your own business. I hope to see your name on the list for the next provincial examination."

Ma Guan bowed with a grateful expression. "I... thank you, sir."

Chen Yi patted his shoulder and left the academy with a smile.

Ma Guan watched him leave, standing there for a long time. He bowed once more before returning to the academy.

’If I, Ma Heming, can’t make the list for the provincial examination, I will have failed my teacher’s guidance.’

’It’s time to work hard.’

...

After leaving the academy, Chen Yi didn’t wander around outside and went straight back to Spring Lotus Garden.

He spent the entire day in his study without going out.

He didn’t even bother to check on the piece of Yellow-level Lower Grade intelligence that had appeared last night regarding an incident in South City Yanhua Lane.

Taking advantage of the rare free time,

Chen Yi used his Great Success Calligraphy Dao to transcribe various essays by ancient sages in preparation for the academy’s exhibition hall, while simultaneously deducing the follow-up to the "burning of the Three Towns’ summer grain" incident.

’From the looks of things...’

’At the Bright Moon Building, Black Tooth still trusts Lou Yuxue enough to put her in charge of the whole business.’

’I estimate that Lou Yuxue, Ge the Third, and the others will make their move on the Three Towns’ summer grain within five days.’

’News should arrive from that side tomorrow, or the day after at the latest.’

’Then there’s Xiao Jinghong.’

’She should have received the news already.’

’And judging by the silence within the Xiao Family, it’s easy to deduce that Xiao Jinghong must have gone directly to the Three Towns.’

’Either to investigate the whereabouts of the Hidden Guard Iron Banner Officer or to make some arrangements in advance.’

’In any case, she couldn’t possibly remain indifferent.’

’Then there are my own plans, concerning both Xiao Dongchen and Liu Wen.’

He had assessed all these scattered pieces of information in his mind.

The only uncertain point was whether he should go along on the day of the Bright Moon Building’s operation.

As Chen Yi pondered these things, his eyes fell upon the dozen or so calligraphy pieces he had written on his desk, and his movements paused slightly.

The next moment, he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write on a newly spread sheet of Yunsong Paper, his strokes like a Painting.

"Post-rain Reflections."

"Leaving Baidi at dawn under rainbow-colored clouds, a thousand miles to Jiangling, I return in a single day. The cries of apes on both banks have yet to fade away, my light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains..."