Chapter 1586 Extra: You're Shameless (Part 2)
If you try to hold back for a while, you'll only get angrier the more you think about it.
A good beating will prolong your life.
Mei Meng abandoned her years of self-restraint and drew her sword, cursing loudly.
Liao Jia's actions were so shameful that anyone with a shred of decency would find it disgraceful. Mei Meng suspected there was something wrong with her ancestors' feng shui; otherwise, how could she have been tricked by the same person time and time again? What kind of twisted mentality did Liao Shaomei have that he actually had the nerve to come to her door asking for help?
Liao Jia leaped to a high place, grinning as he watched Mei Meng curse, feeling no offense whatsoever. It was just a few swear words; if that could make Mei Meng feel comfortable and willing to wholeheartedly help him reach the pinnacle, Liao Jia would even be willing to curse him on her behalf.
Anyway, it won't cost us a single piece of meat.
It was precisely his reaction that nearly caused Mei Meng's blood pressure to explode.
Lu Jue cautiously approached Mei Meng, who was on the verge of exploding, and whispered, "Calm down, calm down, Jing He. It's not worth getting angry over such a shameless person. Let's look on the bright side. At least... at least we still have a chance for a happy ending."
His voice grew softer and softer.
I felt increasingly guilty as I listened.
Lü Jue also felt that his words were adding fuel to the fire.
If it weren't for that damned Liao Jia, who forcibly intervened and stole Mei Meng's hard-earned success, she would have achieved her goal twenty years ago. This perfect success rightfully belonged to her! Now, Liao Jia, the culprit, comes along and makes her do all the work for free. If she does a good job, he'll return the perfect success that rightfully belongs to her, and she's expected to be grateful?
It's definitely at a level that could give you a heart attack just thinking about it.
Lu Jue looked at Liao Jia with a resentful gaze tinged with reproach.
If Liao Jia hadn't shamelessly come to Mei Meng, Mei Meng could have simply considered her past losses as the price she paid for her defeat—a gamble that had to be accepted. But since he came and demanded Mei Meng's cooperation with such self-righteousness, the situation completely changed.
Liao Jia received the look and returned the smile.
He's fine when he's not laughing, but when he does, even Lü Jue wants to hit him.
That smile looks more like a provocation than anything else!
The next day, the students got up before dawn to eat breakfast and study. When they passed by the academy square, they noticed that there was a wooden sign next to the school motto stone tablet in the center of the square. The words on it were sharp and incisive: "[Liao Jia and Gou Yu Luo Sha, are not allowed to enter]!"
Students eating breakfast on their way to school: "..."
They immediately recognized that this was the dean's handwriting; the lettering was exactly the same as the faded wooden sign at the academy's main entrance, except that this new sign had an extra name: "Who is Luo Sha?"
An unfamiliar name; I've never heard of it before.
Some students, who were more interested in the martial arts world and the imperial court, recognized it.
At first, they just thought Liao Jia was a martial arts figure with the same name as the one in the imperial court, but judging from the fact that the dean's list of people to avoid included Luo Sha, who shared the same name as the 20th-rank Marquis Luo Sha...
The dean is probably avoiding those two figures in the imperial court.
They couldn't help but be curious.
What did these two important figures do to make the dean so disgusted with them?
Luo Sha scratched his nose sheepishly, desperately wanting to protest his innocence. If he had known earlier that Liao Gong was up to this, he would have considered the job more carefully. Now, he'd offended Dean Mei Meng and ended up on her blacklist.
"well--"
Lü Jue jumped onto the roof: "Hey, what's wrong?"
Luo Sha looked worried: "Alas, you don't know, Dean Mei's private academy has been doing well these past few years, and its reputation has spread beyond Ganzhou. It is said to be better than many public academies, with excellent teachers and education, and it has become the ideal place for many parents in our clan."
Lü Jue: "...That's right, the lecturer is indeed very good."
The academy's lecturers were all personally recruited by Jinghe, who made three visits to their homes to secure their positions, winning them over from the fierce competition among various public schools. They were not only given excellent treatment but also immense respect. For three consecutive years, the academy consistently ranked among the top private schools in Ganzhou.
If it weren't for its relatively small size and limited funding, it would be normal for it to gain fame if it could compete with the top team on equal footing.
"Did I offend Dean Mei to the point of death?"
"almost."
Luo Sha choked for a moment, rested his chin on his hand, looked at the students rushing to their respective classrooms, and said with a wry smile, "General, you shouldn't have offered a word of comfort, saying that Dean Mei is broad-minded and should just stick to the facts?"
Lu Jue said, "Jinghe used to have the nickname 'Poisonous Spider'."
They hold grudges.
If she were the headmistress of a public academy, she would indeed address the issue on its merits, but this private school represents over twenty years of her hard work, and she has complete autonomy. Otherwise, Mei Meng wouldn't have added Luo Sha to the list of people to avoid overnight. Lu Jue, seeing Luo Sha's discomfiture, couldn't help but chuckle: "My lord, there's no need to worry too much. There are plenty of students with the surname Luo in the world; as long as they don't specifically mention you, you'll be fine."
The important thing is that the seedlings must be good seedlings.
Talent may be slightly lacking, but a good character is essential.
Luo Sha was relieved after hearing this.
Lu Jue took out his pocket watch and glanced at the time—this thing was a timekeeping device made by the Imperial Workshop in its early years, inspired by objects fishermen salvaged from the sea. The emperor generously allocated funds to establish a production line, and the government promoted it to the people for five years before lifting production restrictions. Now, all kinds of timekeeping devices made based on this model are available in the countryside, and every household has one or two. They are portable and very useful. He said, "It's getting late, and I should go to the camp to check in for my duty. Farewell, my lord. See you next time."
Luo Sha said, "Okay, let's spar again next time."
Lü Jue: "..."
Let's skip the friendly competition.
That incident yesterday will stay with him for the rest of his life.
He spent the entire night coaxing Jinghe to calm her down.
No sooner had Lü Jue left than Qi Cang came up with a bowl. Luo Sha thought the other party had come to settle scores with him for yesterday's conflict, but to his surprise, Qi Cang said, "You're taking my seat, move aside."
Luo Sha: "???"
It was only later that I learned that Qi Cang often cooked rice and looked after children on the roof.
Luo Sha couldn't understand what kind of quirk this was.
Qi Cang seemed to sense the doubt in Luo Sha's eyes. He used his teeth to hold chopsticks and put various seasonings into the large rice bowl: "You grew up at sea, and the people you had the most contact with in your childhood and youth were your family. Although the material conditions were poor, at least your clansmen were still around."
But Qi Cang is different.
The chaos of the world stripped him of everything he could and could not lose in his life, leaving him all alone, barely finding a peaceful place to settle in his later years. Whenever he feels lonely, looking at this group of energetic and noisy children below makes him feel less alone.
Over time, they developed the habit of eating rice on the rooftop while enjoying the view.
The land beneath my buttocks is the original site of the private school.
The subsequent buildings were all expanded and renovated little by little.
Luo Sha: "I don't really understand."
Qi Cang laughed and said, "It's a good thing that you don't understand at this age."
Luo Sha: "..."
It's impossible to tell whether the other person is envious or mocking you.
After a long while, Qi Cang picked up the last grain of rice and put it in his mouth. Luo Sha saw two figures walking side by side in the distance.
Dean Mei Meng, who had just updated her list of people to avoid, and Liao Jia, who had long been on Mei Meng's list, were in a tense but not exactly harmonious atmosphere. Luo Sha couldn't understand whether these people on the shore were too fickle.
Qi Cang knew what was going on at a glance.
"It must be because of some favors from Liao Shaomei."
"benefit?"
“Money is expensive these days. More and more students are coming to the academy because of its reputation. How can the tuition fees they pay each academic year cover all the expenses? Don’t the lecturers get a monthly salary? Don’t the academy’s security guards get paid? Don’t the cooks and dishwashers get paid? As the saying goes, a half-grown child can eat his father out of house and home. These kids have amazing appetites and consume an unknown amount of rice, flour, and cooking oil every day. All of these cost money. As long as Liao Shaomei provides enough funding, given Jinghe’s profit-driven nature, she will temporarily put aside the conflict.”
Luo Sha: "...I see."
That's just how it is.
All conflicts and contradictions stem from a lack of shared interests.
Luo Sha expected Liao Jia to be all smiles, but strangely, the other man looked worried instead. Puzzled, he asked, "Lord Liao, you've successfully achieved your goal; shouldn't you be beaming? Why do you look so sorrowful?"
Liao Jia said, "The price is too high."
"The price? Is it money?"
The Liao family only has two nephews and nieces. Even though they've spent some of their money over the years, their remaining savings are still considerable. It's clear from the fact that Liao paid Luo Sha to help them that the latter is very wealthy. Even Liao couldn't withstand Dean Mei's exorbitant demands?
“A problem that can be solved with money isn’t a problem.” Liao Jia shook his head. “I’ve just gained a bunch of political enemies for no reason.”
"Two political rivals?"
"You know them, they're Gu Dexia and Hou Yu and their group."
To be precise, they were both scholars and warriors who graduated from the Southeast Quqing Academy.
Luo Sha was once sent to the central battlefield and worked with Gu De, Xiahou Yu and others for several years. They were on good terms with each other.
"I've never heard of Dean Mei having any grudge against them..."
When Mei Meng withdrew from the political stage, Xiahou Yu and the others were still in the central continent. In the eighteen years after the change of era, Xiahou Yu and others, like other court officials, followed the rules of the court, serving as officials in the capital and in the provinces. After several rounds of transfers, they had almost circled the entire continent.
Did one of them become enemies with Mei Meng while serving as an official in Ganzhou?
"It's not exactly hatred, but we're competitors."
This matter is quite simple to explain.
Due to some historical issues, Quqing Academy could not be rebuilt on its original site in the southeast. The emperor would not agree, nor would Duke Wu, Zhai Le. Therefore, they began preparations for a new location. They ultimately chose Ganzhou, a region with a strong academic atmosphere, rapid economic development, and a remarkable cultural environment. The reconstruction of Quqing Academy adhered to its original motto and progressed remarkably quickly among private schools.
This directly created a competitive relationship with Mei Meng's private school.
With Mei Meng's temperament, would she be willing to be dominated by someone?
She wanted to make her academy the number one private school in Ganzhou!
No, it was even the premier private school in the entire Kangguo!
Is Quqing Academy, an outsider, trying to compete with her?
Over the years, they've been poaching her lecturers?
Mei Meng naturally could not tolerate it.
However, Quqing Academy had a rich history and profound educational experience, and many prominent figures in the southeast were graduates of this academy. As soon as news of its reconstruction spread, these alumni generously donated. They weren't short of money, unlike Mei Meng who had to apply for funding and policy support from the Ganzhou government; they also had powerful connections. People like Gu De were the academy's most natural recruitment brochure!
How can Meimeng, which was rebuilt just over twenty years ago, be compared to it?
Several times, promising young talents were snatched away during recruitment.
This is intolerable!
After hearing the whole story, Luo Sha was speechless.
After a long pause, he finally said, "No, you can argue about this?"
Liao Jia sighed, scratching the slightly withered hair at her temple: "Why can't we compete? This is probably more intense than some political struggles. Admissions, academics, students, resources... which one isn't a battleground for? Whoever produces more students, whose students achieve higher positions, whose students will occupy more positions in the future court, whose students will have more say in the future..."
Luo Sha: "It shouldn't be that exaggerated."
The three public hospitals are not just for show.
The military general, who usually seemed aloof and uninvolved, now displayed astonishing insight: "Our lord cannot allow the future of Kangguo to be controlled by private schools. Fighting over private schools is one thing, but once the bottom line is crossed..."
Liao Jia: "I know too."
However, he wasn't inclined to get involved in such matters. He had no choice but to agree to Mei Meng's conditions, lest he truly anger her.
"Didn't Dean Mei's academy also have a history?"
If we really want to be precise, Duke Ning Yan of Anguo is also related to him.
Liao Jia said, "That's different."
Xiahou Yu and his group rebuilt the academy that had been burned down years ago. The new academy is directly descended from the old one, so it can naturally inherit the legacy of the old academy. Mei Meng, on the other hand, built a new academy on the old site. The new academy has no connection with the old one, so how can it inherit the legacy?
At most, it's a revisit to familiar places with old friends, a sentimental remark about the passage of time and the changing circumstances.
"If it's really troublesome, it's best if you don't get involved, Master Liao."
Liao Jia shook his head: "Just as you said, the three public colleges are the mainstream, and private schools are just filling in the gaps. If the trend of private schools becomes prevalent and squeezes out the three public colleges, the Lord will not allow it."
Both Xiahou Yu and Mei Meng are intelligent people.
Especially the alumni of Quqing Academy, who know best why the old academy was burned down, will naturally not easily cross the line again.
Kangguo also lacked the fertile ground to repeat their mistakes.
Luo Sha nodded.
Liao Jia continued to sigh.
However, it wasn't all without its advantages. Liao Qian's wife and Liao Gong's husband no longer had to worry about who he favored with his accumulated wealth: "That's great, the entire fortune is going into Mei Jinghe's pocket, which saves us from unnecessary family conflicts. It's a blessing in disguise."
Mei Meng not only wanted his connections and resources, but also his money.
Luo Sha: "..."
In his opinion, this was all Liao Gong's own doing.
He might sigh and complain, but he's actually very happy inside.
That is the ultimate realm of the scholar's way. If you were to randomly grab any scholar with a literary heart and let them choose, anyone with even a little ambition would choose the ultimate without hesitation. This is the way that countless scholars with a literary heart have pursued throughout their lives, and it is their life's ideal.
but--
He was very interested in the conditions that Liao Jia had set for achieving perfection.
Why must Mei Meng cooperate?
Liao Jia: "Although my perfect ritual back then was to steal the perfect results of others, it was still stealing other people's achievements and taking a crooked path. Now, if I want to reach perfection, I can only go all the way down this path. I need to cooperate with Mei Jinghe to complete our respective rituals."
"But the way of the scholars of both of you..."
The current situation of unification is probably not in line with this.
Their scholarly ways were better suited to be applied in chaotic times.
Liao Jia: "The ceremony will be held at the sacred site of mountains and seas."
To be precise, it is in the sacred land of mountains and seas, the sacred temple of the Yin-Yang School.
|ω`)
Tangmei: You guys are so high and mighty, you've made me suffer in the IF line.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
