Chapter 196 The attempt to form a sect was rejected; the student expressed gratitude to his teacher…

After the three senior female students were successively sent to other places, the teacher moved to this small courtyard, saying that the original courtyard was too empty and he was not used to living there.

If you can't get used to living here, why stay alone in the capital?

Zhang Ting knew, because she had also been waiting for this day.

She stepped through the gate, and the maid guarding the gate did not dare to stop her; she went straight into the inner courtyard.

Walking through the long corridor and along the pebbled path, Zhang Ting noticed that the forsythia in the flowerbeds on both sides of the path were in full bloom, their beauty delightful. Only then did she realize that spring had arrived.

She is about to enter her fifth year as an official.

In the garden pavilion, the winter curtains still hung up, swaying gently in the breeze, vaguely revealing the figures inside.

She was wrapped in a dark robe with a cloak over it. Her temples were almost completely gray, and the skin on her face had completely sagged, with wrinkles that looked more numerous than tree bark.

Zhang Ting paused, her eyes welling up with tears.

I called softly, "Teacher." I'm back.

The person in the pavilion, holding two-colored chess pieces, was engrossed in playing against himself, seemingly oblivious to what was happening.

She stepped forward and said, "Your unfilial disciple Zhang Ting has come to apologize."

Zhang Shu's ears twitched, and she frowned. Did she hear someone speaking? She turned her head suspiciously, then smiled, "Oh, it's Xiao Ting."

He immediately summoned his beloved disciple and stared at her crimson official robe with admiration in his eyes.

"Back when I passed the imperial examination, the highest position I ever reached was a compiler of the sixth rank. Now, Xiao Ting has surpassed me, and I am even gratified."

He couldn't help but complain, "Although you are well-read and talented, your rapid promotion is truly astonishing. Not only does it attract a lot of attention, but it also makes you particularly prone to the jealousy of petty and narrow-minded people. Therefore, you should be more cautious in your official duties and think twice before acting..."

Zhang Ting was both amused and exasperated, and stood there listening to the lecture. The teacher was still nagging like this.

After a while, Zhang Shu's throat was dry from talking. She was about to go find a teacup when a pair of hands steadily handed it to her.

She paused for a moment, then teased, "This old lady will also try it today. Is the tea served by a high-ranking official good or bad?" After tasting it carefully, she smacked her lips, "It's fragrant and smooth, with an unforgettable aftertaste." I must say, it felt really good to be lectured by a high-ranking official.

Zhang Ting chuckled and plopped down opposite her teacher to examine her chess game. "How about I continue playing with you?" she said, reaching out to take the white piece from her hand.

Zhang Shu slapped her hand away, glared at her, and muttered, "I'm not fighting with you. Go away!" He refused to admit that it was because he couldn't beat his little apprentice.

Zhang Ting hesitantly withdrew her hand, pursed her lips, and said, "If I don't want to, I don't want to. Who cares?"

The old woman spoke to her gently and tenderly in her letters, showing her all kinds of care, but when they met in person, she was extremely disdainful. Ha, what a mother hen mentality.

Zhang Ting, being magnanimous, didn't hold a grudge against the elderly and smiled, saying, "Teacher, you can do it yourself; your disciple can just watch."

Zhang Ting had come in with tears in her eyes, but now she felt no sadness whatsoever. Why? Her teacher seemed to be getting younger with age; what did she have to worry about? Worried about looking older than her?

Zhang Shu sneezed, rubbed her nose, and cursed inwardly which bastard was talking about her.

After a brief reminiscing, having thus paid homage to his revered teacher, Zhang Ting shared some key observations from his time in Zhangzhou and Yinzhou prefectures. Although some things had been mentioned in letters, a face-to-face conversation was always more profound.

Finally, she said, “There are thousands of jobs in the world, and I once thought that being an official was one of them. I thought that as long as I did what I was supposed to do and said what I was supposed to say, that would be enough.” She paused and placed her hand on the crimson fabric. “But the reality is a thousand times heavier than I imagined. This official robe represents not only myself, but also millions of people. Their fate is all tied to me.”

This official robe symbolizes power, but also carries a much deeper, more profound, and ineffable weight.

"Hmm. It's good that you can understand it." Zhang Shu held the white piece and rubbed it, pretending to continue playing chess, seemingly not caring at all, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

Throughout history, countless people have been blinded by the allure of officialdom, ambitiously climbing the ladder by stepping on others, or gradually losing sight of their original intentions amidst the flowers and applause. But her beloved disciple, at the height of his fame, remained true to his principles and realized the true meaning of being an official.

Different starting points can lead to vastly different outcomes.

As night fell, servants lit lamps around the room, and the warm yellow light fell on the two of them, making the atmosphere even more cozy and harmonious.

After removing the chessboard, the master and apprentice simply ate their meal in the courtyard.

Zhang Ting was very happy today. Several of her favorite dishes were on the table, clearly prepared in advance knowing that she was coming.

Zhang Shu had a weak stomach and put down her chopsticks after only a few bites, but she was quite satisfied watching Zhang Ting eat. He was a grown man with a family and career, yet he ate so quickly, as if he had survived a famine.

Xiao Ting was so focused on eating that she didn't even notice a grain of rice stuck to her face. Zhang Shu found it amusing and reached out to wipe it off for her.

Zhang Ting was stunned, holding the bowl and standing there dumbfounded.

“You’re more energetic and thinner than you were four years ago.” Zhang Shu put some food in her bowl. “Eat more to nourish yourself. You’ve been left to clean up such a huge mess in Zhangzhou and Yinzhou, with such a heavy burden and such a tight schedule. Luckily, you’re young and your body can handle it.”

Zhang Ting lowered his eyes and ate his rice. "My disciple keeps to a regular schedule and eats on time every day. He has never stopped practicing martial arts and swordsmanship. His body can handle it."

Zhang Shu gently shook his head. "What I'm saying is that you've been too tense and for too long, Xiao Ting. We are all just mortals. If we keep suppressing our emotions, something bad will happen sooner or later."

"If the food is too hot, we can eat it one bite at a time; if the road is too long, we can walk it one step at a time. Remember, being impatient will hurt your health. If you get tired, turn back, and your teacher will always be behind you."

"Yes, disciple understands." Zhang Ting replied in a muffled voice, her eyes inevitably welling up with tears. She lowered her head somewhat uncomfortably, trying to hide her expression.

After the meal, the two took a walk in the courtyard to digest their food, with a huge full moon overhead.

Zhang Shu sighed, "You have all achieved great success. Even if I were to die now, I would have no regrets."

“What nonsense are you spouting, teacher? You’ll live to be a hundred years old.” Zhang Ting retorted, then added, “When Tun Tun is a little older and starts learning, I’ll ask you to teach her literature and painting.”

Zhang Shu was quite pleased with the first half of what he heard, but when he heard the second half, he froze for a moment, his beaming face instantly fell, and the corners of his mouth turned down in disbelief: "You... this old woman is already old, and you actually want to 'exploit' an old woman?"

What a misfortune for our sect!

Zhang Ting coughed lightly, forcibly suppressing the upturned corners of his mouth, "Your talent is unparalleled, and your disciple is unwilling to let your talent go to waste."

These words were utterly shameless. Zhang Shu's eyes widened in anger, his hair standing on end. "This old woman has raised you with great difficulty to become a pillar of the nation. Now that I'm nearing the end of my life, you, this dutiful son, are sending a little rascal to torment me?"

That's really shameless of you. Zhang Ting felt a brief moment of shame, but then said even more shamelessly, "I saw that you were bored, so I thought I would find something for you to do to pass the time. It was all out of good intentions."

“Traitorous disciple…” Zhang Shu exaggeratedly clutched his chest as if spitting blood, staggered back two steps, and pointed at her tremblingly, “It’s a misfortune for our sect, and I’m so angry!” After saying that, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She blinked and then covered up her embarrassment with a fake cough.

Zhang Ting's mouth was slightly open: "..." What if she wasn't a teacher?

Feeling guilty, Zhang Shu turned his back and muttered under his breath, "Pah, he must have been a creditor in his past life to be able to look down on me."

She pouted. Hey, she had to find the creditor herself to acknowledge him!

Zhang Ting sighed, deciding not to continue fulfilling his filial duties, and got down to business, saying, "Your disciple intends to establish a kinship with the Zhang family and support you in your old age."

In the past, the Xu and Gao families held power and wielded considerable influence. Because her teacher was disliked by them, Zhang Sheng faced setbacks at every turn and was forced to sell off his properties in the capital and flee in disgrace, leading his clan to live in cramped quarters back in Taizhou Prefecture. Now, she has become a high-ranking official in the court. Although she is not yet all-powerful, her words carry considerable weight. Her teacher and the Zhang family behind her no longer need to be subservient to her, and her teacher no longer needs to bear the infamy of being a burden to the Zhang family.

Zhang Shu felt a surge of comfort, his gentle gaze falling upon his beloved disciple. "The Zhang family doesn't need to form alliances. I took you as my disciple not to avenge our humiliation, nor to make the Zhang family stronger and sweep away powerful clans, but to have you do more good deeds and beneficial things for the people."

Xiao Ting has no powerful family behind her. She doesn't want the sudden power to make the Zhang family greedy, nor does she want the Zhang family to become the third Xu or Gao family, and she certainly doesn't want Xiao Ting to be burdened by her relatives one day.

If these things could be avoided, what does it matter if she suffers a little more infamy?

Zhang Ting tried to persuade her again: "Teacher..."

Zhang Shu continued, "I don't want to go to Yingzhou Prefecture with you either. Xiao Ting, you have your own path to walk, and I also have my own way to follow. You and your fellow disciples are all very promising. My mission has been completed, and it is only right that I retire gracefully."

"Besides, I am nearing the end of my life, and I will soon return to Taizhou Prefecture to continue my life as a wealthy and leisurely person."

Looking back on several years ago, she has many feelings. If she hadn't taken a liking to Zhang Ting back then, she would probably still be stuck in Taizhou, wallowing in disappointment. Now she has no regrets.

Hearing the teacher's resolute decision, Zhang Ting fell silent.

Seeing her like this, Zhang Shu knew she was being stubborn. This disciple of his was both literate and martial, strict with herself, and exceptionally intelligent. Her only flaw was that she was stubborn about small things, which worried Zhang Shu, who feared she might act impulsively in the future.

He earnestly advised: "Power and influence are dazzling and intoxicating, but little do you know that the next step is an abyss. Rather than you standing at the top of the world, I would rather you be safe and healthy."

"Mm," Zhang Ting replied, her head lowered and her expression unreadable.

Immediately afterwards, she knelt down and kowtowed deeply, "Tomorrow your disciple will set off, and who knows how many years will pass since we parted. In the cold of winter and the warmth of summer, please take good care of yourself. If you have time, please send a few letters to your disciple."

Zhang Shu sighed, his eyes welling up with tears. "Good boy, the ground is cold. Get up quickly."

With tears in her eyes, Zhang Ting turned her head away but then forced it back, bowed again in thanks, and resolutely left.

She wouldn't allow her teacher to suffer criticism and be disliked by the family in his later years; she was determined to unite with this clan.

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Author's Note: From now on, updates will be at 9 AM~ [shrug] My darlings [kiss][kiss]