"Your Honor, you must be joking, but I am not lacking in children!"

The magistrate saw that Liang Shuyan had raised her eldest son to be so obedient, so he wanted his son Zhao Heng to go with Liang Shuyan to see if she could discipline this unruly son. He did not expect Liang Shuyan to say such a thing.

"No, no, it's just that I see your son respects you so much, so I assume you're better at raising children than I am. Therefore, I'd like to trouble you to properly instruct Zhao Heng on my behalf, would that be alright?"

Zhao Heng stood to the side, grimacing, and said, "Dad, are you still my real father? Are you sending your son to the wolf's den? This woman will definitely hold a grudge against me for harming Jin Dashan and will try to get back at me. Dad, I'm not going!"

The magistrate said very seriously, "As you can see, I'm a bachelor. The affairs of the county office already give me a lot of trouble, and I simply don't have time to discipline this child. How about it, could you let my son Zhao Heng stay with you? Even if he comes to your home to be taught by example, it will be good. In any case, Zhao Heng won't go astray. Don't worry, I will cover all of Zhao Heng's expenses for food, clothing, and other necessities. How about it?"

Liang Shuyan hesitated for a moment and said, "Alright, since the magistrate has made such a request, it would seem ungrateful of me to refuse. However, I do have conditions. I am a farmer and have many household chores. If Zhao Heng goes, he must be hardworking and eat the same things as us. No special treatment is allowed!"

The magistrate immediately agreed: "Very well, I agree!"

Zhao Heng started to complain: "Dad, didn't you hear her say that her family lives in Qingfeng Town? It's so poor that even ghosts wouldn't stay there. I don't want to go there. Also, do they have a chef? I need to eat delicacies every meal. Do they have one? Also, I need a maid to warm my bed every night. If I go to their house, am I supposed to have this old woman warm my bed?"

"Insolence! Slap!" The magistrate slapped Zhao Heng across the face, and Zhao Heng fell to the ground, covering his face with one hand.

"Father, why? Why do you listen to this country woman's words so much? You're sending your son to the wolf's den! How cruel you are! Tell me, why did you kill my mother? If I had known you, my father, would be so heartless, I should have killed you!"

The clerk brought over a box of silver ingots and some jewelry, and respectfully handed it to Liang Shuyan with both hands.

"Take this. This is for Zhao Heng's food and lodging expenses at your house, plus compensation for Jin Dashan's losses! Now, this county official will take you and your son to Shengming Academy to verify this matter. Jin Dashan is a formal student of Shengming Academy!"

Liang Shuyan accepted some silver ingots, and when she saw the jewelry and ornaments, she handed them to the county magistrate: "I am a peasant woman, so I will keep this silver for Zhao Heng's living expenses. As for these jewelry and ornaments, I, a rural woman, have no need for them. As for Jin Dashan, that is a relationship between Zhao Heng and him, and has nothing to do with you, County Magistrate!"

The magistrate was surprised to find that the woman before him was so sensible. He was filled with comfort and handed the jewelry to his advisor, who then turned and walked into the courtyard.

"Zhao Heng, come here!"

Zhao Heng covered his face, glaring angrily at the county magistrate: "Father, have you changed your mind?"

"Nonsense! From now on, your home is no longer here. From now on, you will follow your aunt and study hard with Dashan. When school starts, I will naturally come to pick you up!"

"Father, I... I don't want to go!"

The magistrate, with a stern face, stepped forward and searched Zhao Heng, confiscating the money pouch from his waist as well: "Don't even think about using the money to buy food, and you're not allowed to talk back to your aunt!"

Zhao Heng was a hundred times unwilling, and muttered to himself, "Hmph, I knew it. You want to find me a stepmother. There are no good women in Dongyang County. Why do you have to find such a tigress to be my stepmother, and even resort to such a trick?"

Liang Shuyan glanced at the magistrate and said politely, "In that case, I will take my leave now!"

The magistrate said, "Today is the last day of school for the students. Are you still setting up your stalls there? Why don't I go with you and tell the teacher that when school starts again, Da Shan will officially become a student of Shengming School!"

Unable to refuse their hospitality, Liang Shuyan and her entourage rode in the county magistrate's carriage to the entrance of Shengming Academy.

A group of students were standing at the school gate, discussing Jin Dashan's situation.

The gentleman, dressed in a gray robe with a book tucked under his arm, said slowly and deliberately, “Jin Dashan is the talent I have been searching for. His paintings, no matter what they are, are incredibly lifelike. If he persists until next year, he will definitely achieve great results, and perhaps he will even be accepted by the imperial court. Now, this Zhao Heng has actually come up with some wicked idea and kidnapped Jin Dashan. Since that’s the case, I will not stand for it!”

This gentleman was the best teacher at the prestigious academy. The students were all crying and didn't want him to leave, which is why they gathered around him.

"Look, the magistrate's carriage is here!"

In the crowd, someone shouted, and all the students turned around. They found that quite a few people had gotten off the carriage, including the county magistrate, his son Zhao Heng, and Jin Dashan!

"Dashan, Dashan is back! Alright, sir, you don't need to leave anymore!"

Jin Dashan saw the teacher standing in the crowd, quickly walked over, and grabbed the teacher's hand: "Teacher, it's all Dashan's fault, Dashan has dragged you down, but look, Dashan is back, and there are so many students who love you, all hoping that you will stay. Teacher, please don't leave, okay?"

The magistrate, seeing this, was filled with hatred and stepped forward to stop the teacher: "Sir, it's all because my son is reckless and has caused such trouble. Now, I, the magistrate, have personally brought Jin Dashan back, hoping that Jin Dashan can become your formal student when school starts. Please, for Dashan's sake, can you stay?"

The teacher seemed to be hesitating about something when Jin Dashan suddenly knelt down on the ground, his voice filled with sorrow: "Teacher, although we have only known each other for two short months, I have felt your earnest teachings during these two months. Regardless of whether I can learn the skills, you will always be my teacher! Teacher, I beg you, please stay for the sake of so many students who are pleading with you!"

The old man, with tears streaming down his face, immediately helped Jin Dashan up: "Good child, get up quickly. You are the most affectionate student I have ever taught. Today, since you are so eager for me to be your teacher, I will stay and continue to teach you!"