Mr. Sun was Gu Zhixing's third tutor.

Gu Zhixing was originally a tutor to the Crown Prince, studying at the Chongwen Academy alongside him. Later, for reasons unknown, he had a conflict with the Crown Prince and was transferred to the Imperial Academy.

Not long after, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy sent Gu Zhixing back to the Imperial Palace on the grounds that he was "unruly and incompetent".

Left with no other choice, they sent him to Baichuan Academy, where he became Mr. Sun's disciple.

Mr. Sun's aggressive approach is likely due to Gu Zhixing's studies.

Shen Jintang secretly guessed what was going on, a slight smile appearing on her lips, but her eyes remained calm as still water.

Seeing her like this, Shuangjiang couldn't help but feel a little scared, as if she was being suffocated by Shen Jintang's aura.

Shen Jintang stopped, turned slightly to the side, looked at Shuangjiang with gentle eyes, and said softly, "Thank you for telling me, Aunt. Jintang will remember it."

Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, gentle yet firm, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

I've noted it down; this is how I repay her kindness.

Shuangjiang paused for a moment, then nodded, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

She lifted her foot and continued walking forward, secretly thinking to herself: Today, Shen Jintang was able to escape from Young Master Chiyang's hands and occupy a place in the Prince's courtyard, which already made her look at her with new respect.

Originally, she just thought Shen Jintang was lucky, but now it seems that this girl's demeanor and mind are far beyond what ordinary people can compare to.

Shuangjiang had some plans in mind and decided to spend more time with Shen Jintang in the future, hoping to gain more favor from ***.

Shen Jintang followed closely behind Shuangjiang, silently making her way to the outside of ***'s house.

Shuangjiang stopped at the door, turned slightly to the side, and said in a low voice, "Miss Chen, please go in. His Highness is waiting for you inside."

Shen Jintang nodded, bowed slightly in greeting, then pushed open the door and walked into the room with her head down.

The room was dimly lit. Shen Jintang raised her head slightly and glanced around the room. In the center sat a middle-aged man, dressed in a plain robe. His clothes were simple and elegant. He had a thin face and a scholarly air about him. This must be the Mr. Sun that Shuangjiang had mentioned.

At this moment, Mr. Sun had already spoken with *** and was sitting to the side drinking tea, but his face still showed some annoyance, and his brows were slightly furrowed, as if his anger had not yet subsided.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Shen Jintang withdrew her gaze, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a clear and gentle voice.

"Get up." *** sat in the main seat, her gaze lingering briefly on Shen Jintang.

Seeing that she hadn't acted impolitely despite Gu Zhixing's previous instructions, a satisfied expression appeared on ***'s face. Shen Jintang was someone who knew when to advance and retreat, which made *** feel a bit more favorably toward her.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Shen Jintang said softly, then stood up on her own and stood silently to the side, her eyes downcast and her mind at peace.

The hall was silent except for the sound of steam rising from the teapot.

Mr. Sun couldn't hold back any longer. He put down his teacup, stood up, cupped his hands slightly, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Your Highness, I am truly powerless to help the Crown Prince."

He was incredibly learned, yet he couldn't teach someone who wasn't willing to learn. He had long been aware of Gu Zhixing's unruly nature and had initially held a sliver of hope for him, but his recent observations had completely disillusioned him.

Ten days of study, one day of rest, yet Gu Zhixing could play for ten days straight. Occasionally, he would go to the academy, but he was always escorted there by people sent by the ***. Once there, he could sleep through the entire day in class, as if he didn't take studying seriously at all.

Seeing this, *** sighed slightly, got up and walked to Mr. Sun's side, and gently tried to persuade him to stay, saying, "Mr. Sun, Zhixing is still young, and it's inevitable that he'll be a bit unruly. Give him some more time, and maybe he'll change."

However, Mr. Sun shook his head, his tone resolute: "Your Highness, I have done my best. The young master is so unruly that I am simply unable to discipline him. If Your Highness were to seek someone else, perhaps there would be some chance of a turnaround." With that, he gave a slight bow and turned to leave.

***Watching Mr. Sun's retreating figure, a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes.

Shen Jintang stood to the side, her eyes slightly lowered, but she was thinking to herself: Gu Zhixing's unruliness may not be incurable, but it is necessary to find a suitable way to guide him.

"Mr. Sun, would you please hear me out?" Shen Jintang's voice suddenly rang out, clear and steady, with an undeniable firmness.

She raised her head slightly, her gaze calm and composed as she looked at Mr. Sun, her eyes revealing a sense of ease.

Mr. Sun's gaze swept over Shen Jintang, noticing that she was dressed in a plain-colored dress, simple yet neat, and her demeanor exuded a sense of neither servility nor arrogance.

He frowned slightly, already somewhat displeased by the sudden interruption. He had been well-versed in literature since childhood and was extremely particular about the distinction between superiors and inferiors. How could he allow a maid to speak so casually?

He was about to get angry, but then he noticed ***'s expression.

*** merely glanced at Shen Jintang, but did not reprimand her. Instead, he nodded slightly, signaling her to continue.

Mr. Sun was taken aback, paused slightly, and did not immediately lash out.

Seeing this, Shen Jintang smiled slightly, her voice still steady: "His Highness is a rough gem, but he has not yet been polished. Playfulness is normal for young people, which is why he has displeased the teacher. If I have a way to get His Highness to focus on his studies, would you be willing to be his mentor?"

Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but each word was clear and resolute.

Mr. Sun was slightly taken aback, and couldn't help but ponder to himself. He knew that everyone in Kyoto knew that Gu Zhixing was a hopeless case. He could always be seen eating, drinking and having fun, but when it came to studying, Gu Zhixing was never on the list.

If someone could truly help Gu Zhixing achieve academic success, that would be a tremendous achievement! Anyone who saw it would probably praise him as a "master"!

only--

"May I ask who you are, young lady?" Mr. Sun turned slightly to the side, his gaze returning to Shen Jintang, his tone carrying a hint of doubt and scrutiny.

He couldn't fathom what abilities this maidservant possessed that could inspire Gu Zhixing to dedicate himself to his studies.

"My name is Shen Jintang." Shen Jintang bowed slightly, her voice soft yet clear.

"Heavy?" Mr. Sun frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

There aren’t many families with the surname Shen in Kyoto. He wondered to himself, could it be a female member of the Shen family?

Grand Tutor Shen was known in the court for his integrity and incorruptibility, and his family members were mostly of excellent character and academic standing. How could he be associated with a playboy like Gu Zhixing?

He shook his head, rejecting the idea.

Shen Jintang smiled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of certainty: "It doesn't matter if you don't know. In the future, you will definitely remember."

Mr. Sun was infected by the confidence in Shen Jintang's eyes, and for some reason, he had the idea of ​​taking a gamble.

But he still retained a sliver of reason. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "But there should be a standard for judging this dedication to learning."

He paused, then continued, "You can't just say whatever you want."