Chapter 217 Filling in the Land
Dean Xue pondered his words repeatedly, finding no problem with them, and then looked at the old man with some confusion: "Old man, what... do you mean by that?"
"What do you mean, 'old man'? I've put up with you for too long! We're about the same age, what are you calling 'old man'? Looking at your pathetic appearance, you're probably older than me." The little old man suddenly put his hands on his hips and roared.
Dean Xue was taken aback by the shout, and after a long while, he said with a flushed face, "I was just showing respect. This... brother, I really don't understand."
"I'm asking you to repeat what you just said." The old man's expression grew increasingly unfriendly.
Dean Xue was stunned for a moment, and after a while, he hesitated before saying, "I want to take this child as my apprentice. I want to repay Doctor Jiang's kindness."
This family seems quite capable, but their dilapidated courtyard and belongings don't lie. Furthermore, for a skilled doctor like Dr. Jiang to treat livestock suggests, in Dean Xue's opinion, that they must be living in poverty.
He figured that the man surnamed Yue was also dirt poor, so if he became the apprentice of Doctor Jiang's child, he could at least help him out. It would be a way of repaying a debt of gratitude.
The old man jumped up in anger: "Hey, you stubborn brat! You want to steal my apprentice? Are you trying to provoke me?"
Dean Xue waved his hand subconsciously: "No, no, no, I absolutely didn't mean that. I didn't know this child was the old man's... no, your apprentice, brother. I was just trying my best to help him out."
"Who do you think you are? Why would I need your help? I'll teach my own disciples! I absolutely forbid my disciples from studying under other masters! If they do, I'll kill them!"
As he spoke, the old man made a cut across his neck with his hand, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Dean Xue's face turned pale instantly. He immediately walked behind Jiang Nuanzhi, swallowed hard, and said, "Well, it doesn't have to be this child. Since he is this brother's disciple, I can be her master."
After saying that, he pointed to the little pearl who was sitting there blankly.
Little Baozhu was munching on some wild berries that Jiang Nuanzhi had picked. Her little face was covered in berry crumbs. When she heard what was being said, she looked up at Jiang Nuanzhi in a daze, blinked, and asked, "Mother, what is a master?"
Jiang Nuanzhi: "...A master is someone who teaches you skills."
Little Baozhu wiped her mouth and asked, "Can you teach me how to earn money? How can I earn more money than my mother?"
Jiang Nuanzhi didn't know how to answer for a moment, and just looked at Dean Xue.
Dean Xue choked for a moment: "This...making money...maybe...but let's not talk about that. As your teacher, I can naturally impart knowledge and resolve your doubts."
Little Baozhu's eyes lit up: "Then will I be able to go to Kyoto to take the exam like my brother in the future?"
Dean Xue: "This."
He could do it if he were a normal student, but this was a little girl, so he naturally didn't dare to agree and was stuck in place for a moment.
Dean Yue, who was standing next to him, burst out laughing: "He's no good. If he were to teach you, you might end up like the Zheng brothers. Dr. Jiang, you should think twice."
Little Baozhu didn't quite understand, but she pouted and said, "Mother, I don't want to. He doesn't know anything. He knows more than you, Mother."
Dean Xue was so angry that his eyes widened, and he pointed at Dean Yue without saying a word for a long time.
But looking at Xiao Baozhu, he still explained, "I'm very capable. Although I can't let you go on the imperial examinations, I should still be able to teach you how to make money."
Little Baozhu tilted her head and frowned as she thought about something.
"No way." The old man's eyes suddenly widened: "This little girl, she...she..."
The old man, looking troubled, tugged at his hair: "She can only learn from me, so why are you her master?"
He didn't really want to teach Xiao Baozhu, after all, the child was really too stupid. But if he asked someone else to teach her, he felt that the girl didn't even have the ability to defend herself, so that definitely wouldn't work.
The thought of this soft, clumsy girl calling someone else "master" made the old man very unhappy.
When Dean Xue encountered the old man, he was intimidated by his tyrannical power. Even though he was furious inside, he was genuinely afraid and could only glare at him, saying, "Dr. Jiang, what do you think?"
Jiang Nuanzhi glanced at her daughter, then at the old man, and finally her gaze fell on Dean Xue: "I thank Dean Xue for his kindness on behalf of Baozhu. However, Baozhu is only three years old. Isn't it a bit too early for us to talk about this?"
After these words were spoken, an eerie silence fell over the surroundings.
Dean Xue touched his nose and remained silent for a long time.
The old man snorted coldly and remained silent.
Jiang Nuanzhi then smiled and said, "When Baozhu reaches the age for early education, we'll ask for the child's opinion again. Does the headmaster think this is feasible?"
When Dean Xue heard that Jiang Nuanzhi did not refuse, he took the opportunity to back down: "Dr. Jiang is right. I was too hasty."
"Hey, are you going to go home or not to save your two idiots?" Dean Yue said impatiently. "Think it over. If you don't go back now, you might really be dead."
Dean Yue pondered to himself. Could this person be trying to poison those two bastards?
Dean Xue seemed to suddenly realize something, and slapped his thigh: "Dr. Jiang, I really must take my leave now."
After saying that, he kicked the servant lying on the ground next to him.
The servant scrambled to his feet, leaving Dean Xue stunned. He then hurriedly led his men away.
Dean Yue's lips twitched: "I don't know what Mingyue saw in him."
"Speak," he said, turning to Ping'er, "Ping'er, come on, let's go up the mountain to catch fish with your master."
Ping'er calmly put away the book: "Yes."
The old man then led Xiao Er Baozhu to sort the medicinal herbs that Jiang Nuanzhi had taken into the mountains that morning.
Anuan went into the house to check on Xiao Xuanting, who was sitting on the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove) reading a book.
Upon seeing Jiang Nuanzhi, her eyes lit up as she looked over: "Aunt Nuan, you're back?"
Jiang Nuanzhi smiled and nodded: "How was today?"
"It's fine, Aunt Nuan, look, I can move my hand again."
As he spoke, he even raised his arm as if to show off.
"Okay, don't move around too much, be careful not to pull on the wound. Even though you can move now, you still can't exert any force. You have to wait until the skin and flesh inside have healed completely, understand?"
"Yes, Aunt Nuan, don't worry, I remember everything."
As he was saying this, he suddenly noticed something, became nervous, and immediately looked down at his book.
Jiang Nuanzhi was surprised and subconsciously turned to look in the direction Xuan Ting had just been looking, only to see Li Rong pushing a wheelchair in. Jiang Nuanzhi raised an eyebrow and subconsciously looked at Xuan Ting, only to see that although Xuan Ting was looking down at a book, he was still glancing at Li Rong out of the corner of his eye.
Li Rong didn't look at Xuan Ting, but looked at Jiang Nuanzhi and said, "Nuanzhi, didn't you say you didn't want a house that was sinking? This morning I called a few people to go to the new house area and fill in the ground. They're working on it now."
(End of this chapter)
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