Chapter 63
There is no problem teaching Chu Huan, but her current schedule is too tight. In the morning, she has the old tutor, in the afternoon, the old master tutor, and in the evening, Shang Lu. How can she have free time?
No matter how much the emperor wanted to get something good out of Chu Huan, he couldn't arrange any other courses.
After much thought, I regretfully gave up.
Even more regretful than him was General Xuanwei.
He also thought that if Chu Huan asked Shang Lu to teach her how to look at the stars, he would give her a telescope. If she asked him to learn something else, he might be able to give her something more useful in battle.
Too bad it wasn't early enough.
As early as when the old Grand Tutor and other civil officials were vying to be Chu Huan's teacher, the military generals had thought about getting involved as well, but they gave up when they really couldn't think of anything to teach Chu Huan.
If I had known there were such benefits, I would have arranged for them to take turns whether it was teaching horse riding, archery or martial arts.
Huh? General Xuanwei suddenly remembered that they were both Chu Huan's teachers, and had taught her for so long. It seemed that the old Grand Tutor and the old Imperial Preceptor didn't have any gifts.
He turned his head and took a look, and sure enough, he saw that the two old men looked unhappy, and he immediately felt relieved.
Chu Huan was nominally the fifth prince's companion, a freeloader, and not considered a regular student of the two elders. However, the etiquette should not be abandoned, and the apprenticeship gift had been given.
But can the proper apprenticeship gift be compared with something like a telescope?
I don’t feel anything when there is no comparison, but once I do, I feel like I am being compared to the ground.
The two elders felt sad. They suspected that it was because of their study companion, and they also suspected that it was because they were not as good-looking as Smilax glabra.
The system told Chu Huan all the interesting things that happened on the Star Picking Platform, especially the emperor's idea of having General Xuanwei teach her.
This also made Chu Huan's eyes light up.
The reason for choosing a telescope as a gift is that Shang Lu likes to look at the stars. If he disagrees, the astronomical telescope can be thrown out as bait. It also has the meaning of serving as a stepping stone to become a military general.
Sure enough! The effect is good.
The telescope, which can see the enemy thousands of miles away, is one of the most powerful weapons of war in this era.
If she hadn't been worried that it would fall into the hands of others and be quickly imitated and used against Dasheng, she and Meng Hang would not have spent two days upgrading the telescope to the highest specifications that current technology could achieve.
Just in case, Meng Hang also added a self-destruct device inside. If someone does not disassemble it according to the correct steps, the parts inside will be destroyed.
But after all, telescopes are just like that. As long as you understand the principle, you can imitate it quickly. At most, you can't see that far.
The most important thing is to avoid being overly public and to keep it confidential.
The system rubbed its hands expectantly: [Should we strike while the iron is hot?]
Chu Hua: [No, the course schedule is too long.]
System: [That's right. In modern times, at least you work five days a week and have two days off. But now you don't have any days off at all.]
Chu Hua: [There are so many things I don't know. If I want to catch up with the progress of others who have been here for more than ten years, I must work harder.]
The Four Books and Five Classics are only the most basic requirements for officials who want to enter the civil service through the imperial examination. Chu Huan doesn't want to be criticized for not being suitable for studying and becoming an official because she is not good at this, and thus hold back her female compatriots.
There is no shortage of people in the world who become officials because of their special skills. She could also take an easier path - hand in the system, obey orders, and completely lie low.
But in this way, she is the only one who benefits.
If I don’t do something to benefit my female compatriots, I will really be unworthy of the special treatment of time travel and system plug-ins.
The system also knew that Chu Huan's foundation was too weak compared to others, and she also had a gender disadvantage. No matter how much it felt bad for her, it could only cheer her on.
【Come on, Sister Huan! I'm rooting for you!】
Chu Hua: [Thank you, Tong'er.]
Because the old Grand Tutor and the old Grand Preceptor were called to the palace by the Emperor, Chu Huan and the Fifth Prince were reading in the study at this time.
The system said a few words, then turned around and went into the melon field, no longer disturbing Chu Huan's studies.
Chu Huan studied step by step, studying the Four Books in the morning, the Five Classics in the afternoon, and astronomy in the evening.
The study of the Four Books and Five Classics has been put on the right track, and the coordination with the two teachers has reached a certain level. The most troublesome subject is astronomy.
Thanks to her good friend from her previous life, she could recognize most of the stars and the constellations they belonged to, but other than that, she knew nothing else.
Shanglu was not surprised and patiently taught from scratch.
This part of the tradition did not exist among the people. It was already quite good that Chu Huan could memorize an entire star map in three days and accurately identify and describe so many stars despite being so busy with her studies.
After teaching in Shangjia for a month, Shang Lu brought Chu Huan into the palace.
In addition to judging weather changes through the sun, moon, stars, wind and cloud changes, and animal signs, more accurate calculations can also be made with the help of professional instruments.
In order to prevent Chu Huan from becoming overly dependent on the instruments, Shang Lu laid the foundation for her for a month before letting her learn the instruments.
Many instruments improved by Shang Lu were placed on the newly built Star-Picking Platform in the imperial palace. Most of the 10,000 taels of silver from the national treasury were spent on them - the craftsmanship requirements were too high, and too many of them were scrapped in order to meet the standards.
There are instruments specifically designed to detect rain and snow, as well as seismographs that can detect earthquakes.
Shang Lu helped Chu Huan use it once, and after she became proficient in it, he began to teach her the structure inside.
"These instruments may seem useful now, but they won't last forever. You need to understand why they work, how to repair them if they break, and whether they can be improved."
He thought: Chu Huan can make a telescope with amazing effects, and after becoming familiar with the principles, she will definitely be able to improve these instruments.
Maybe one day, she would be able to make a magical instrument that would allow him to see the stars.
That day, Chu Huan also said that the telescope was just a deposit.
Half a month passed.
A month passed.
Chu Huan studied very seriously, even reducing her sleep time for this purpose. However, her aptitude in astronomy and divination was indeed limited. The more anxious she was, the more likely she was to make mistakes in her calculations, and she had to rely on the system to cover her up.
System: [Wrong, wrong, there will be no rain tomorrow.]
System: [Wrong, wrong, it will snow the day after tomorrow.]
Chu Huan: “…”
Phytolacca: “…”
Chu Huan felt a little discouraged for a rare moment. Anyone who still looked like this after studying for two months would start to doubt themselves.
This was not the first time she had doubted whether she was "only suitable for chemistry and incompatible with astronomy and divination." If she had not been thinking about taking the blame for the system, she would have quit long ago.
After knowing each other for more than two months, Shang Lu had never seen Chu Huan complain about the boring and difficult learning of astronomy and divination.
He didn't know whether Chu Huan didn't want to reveal herself in front of him, or whether she was just calm and patient. Now it seemed... maybe it was both.
Shang Lu poured two cups of tea: "Have some tea."
Chu Huan: "Yeah."
It is now January, and everyone in the capital has changed into thick winter clothes. The study place has also changed from the open courtyard to the warm study room.
There were two charcoal braziers in the study, burning high-quality silver charcoal without any smoky smell.
There was a wire mesh on the charcoal brazier, on which a pot of milk tea was boiling. Next to it were a few chestnuts and peanuts that Chu Huan liked, emitting bursts of fragrance.
Although Shanglu seems aloof and difficult to approach, he is actually not old-fashioned and doesn't mind most things.
If Chu Huan had cooked milk tea and roasted chestnuts and peanuts in the study in front of the old Grand Tutor and the old Preceptor, the two elders would have been furious, but Shang Lu accepted it well.
When the weather got cold, Chu Huan brought charcoal basins, silver charcoal, and hot water bottles to improve the quality of life. Shang Lu did not refuse. Even when she made milk tea or fruit tea, Shang Lu would pour some to try.
At this time, the two of them were drinking milk tea.
Shang Lu is eighteen years old this year, five years older than Chu Huan, so it seems a bit strange to talk about him becoming his disciple.
The two of them had never formally discussed this issue, and intentionally or unintentionally ignored the way they addressed each other, interacting as peers. There was no inconvenience at the moment.
Shang Lu: "It's getting late. Finish this cup of tea and go back."
Chu Huan: "Yeah."
Taking this opportunity, the system frantically asserted its presence: [Sister Huan, can we have some melon while I'm at it?]
Chu Hua: [What did you eat?]
System: [You've been studying so hard for so long, you definitely haven't read any storybooks. Recently, there's a very popular book in the capital called "The Story of the Red Chamber."]
Chu Huan was slightly startled: [Imitating The Romance of the West Chamber?]
System: [No, this "Red Chamber" tells the story of a bandit and his harem of three thousand concubines. The language is bold and vivid.]
Chu Huan was stunned: [This book hasn't been banned? ]
System: [Banned books sell the best.]
Shang Lu has a deep understanding of this.
People all have a desire to explore, and the more forbidden something is, the more curious they become.
He was not that curious, but many of the books he wanted to read were not allowed to be studied or sold by the imperial court, so he had to go through other channels, which was much more expensive and troublesome than buying them directly in the bookstore.
Chu Huan was a little tempted, but unfortunately she didn't have time to read this kind of miscellaneous book, so she could only listen to the general idea.
What is the plot?
System: [The story basically tells about the protagonist, Zhang Zizhen, who was originally the son of an official. His father was murdered by a traitor, and his entire family was imprisoned and about to be executed. He was the only one who luckily escaped.]
Zhang Zizhen originally wanted to visit his childhood sweetheart, Miss Zhuang, and ask his future father-in-law for a favor. However, upon learning of the Zhang family's affairs, the Zhuang family immediately announced the cancellation of the engagement and arranged another marriage for Miss Zhuang, with a close friend of Zhang Zizhen's.
Zhang Zizhen was stunned, but he couldn't believe that Miss Zhuang and her father-in-law would be so heartless. He climbed over the wall and entered the Zhuang family's house. He first went to look for Miss Zhuang, but was surprised to find her fooling around with her best friend in bed, hurling obscenities and insulting him.
Zhang Zizhen ran away in anger. He endured the humiliation of being cheated on and went to find his father-in-law, only to hear him rant about how fortunate he was to have broken off his engagement with the Zhang family, otherwise he would have been implicated. He hoped to find Zhang Zizhen as soon as possible to avoid any further complications.
Chu Huan: “…”
She had already seen the Zhuang family's fate: [This, if not dead, then disabled, right? ]
System: [Yes, Zhang Zizhen was so angry that he first killed his father-in-law, then killed Miss Zhuang and his best friend.]
But after he killed the last person who might have helped him, his family was left without hope, and he was the only one left alive. Zhang Zizhen hid his identity and became a bandit, becoming murderous whenever he saw a woman who resembled Miss Zhuang.
[It's just that Zhang Zizhen had been childhood sweethearts for many years, and he did have a crush on Miss Zhuang. However, he killed her before he could even get her, leaving him with an irreparable regret. So, he would abduct women who looked like her and bring them to the mountains, where he would rape and ravage them for a while before killing them.]
The roasted chestnuts in Chu Huan's mouth no longer tasted delicious.
Is this a sleazy novel about one man and multiple women, or a crime suspense thriller?
Shang Lu had the same doubts, and his tea drinking movements slowed down because of thinking.
All the vernacular novels on the market describe love affairs, things that he is not interested in, so he has only read a few of them briefly and is not very familiar with them. But does this "Red Chamber" have too many elements?
Judging from the previous description of "bold words and vivid colors", it should be a storybook similar to erotic pictures and pornographic novels, but this plot summary sounds more like investigating a crime?
System: [It's a pornographic novel, but you're underage and can't listen to it. I'll tell you the general plot.]
Chu Hua's face was cold and indifferent: "The essence of pornographic literature is the vivid and detailed description of erotica. Apart from that, what else is there to listen to?"
Phytolacca: “…”
Perhaps because he was too busy recently, Chu Huan didn't have enough time to sleep and had rarely eaten melons. She appeared in front of him every day in a hurry, so much so that he forgot how vivid Chu Huan was in the report sent by the Jinyiwei.
I like to eat melons and watch the fun.
I like storybooks and love to play around.
And... taking advantage of the fact that others can't hear you, you can be as bold as you can be in your speech.
Shang Lu had never seen a woman bolder than Chu Huan.
The system sighed in a tone that only someone with experience could understand: "You've been poisoned by pornographic comics. Time and budget are limited, so plot and logic are often ignored. This is different."
Chu Hua: [Alright, I'll listen.]
System: [Once, Zhang Zizhen caught a woman who looked very similar to Miss Zhuang. Her surname was Yan.]
Miss Zhuang is the type who cries easily, delicate and weak, unable to take care of herself. Miss Yan is bright and flamboyant, and disobeys discipline. She doesn't like the fiancé her family arranged for her, so she secretly runs away from home. She is discovered by Zhang Zizhen along the way, and is taken back because of her face.
At first, Miss Yan tried every way to escape, but Zhang Zizhen, considering her beauty, didn't beat her. He had her locked up and deprived of food and water. After a few attempts, Miss Yan stopped trying to escape and married Zhang Zizhen.
[A year later, she gave birth to a girl, and three years later, she gave birth to a boy. The couple loved each other very much and had a son and a daughter.]
Chu Huan: “…”
Phytolacca: “…”
This is difficult to comment on.
Since this is a pornographic novel, the most emphasis in the story is on the text version of the erotic pictures. The two of them can probably understand why Miss Yan submitted after resisting a few times. It's all a routine.
It just makes me feel uncomfortable just listening to it.
System: [Over the past few years, Zhang Zizhen has abducted other women like Miss Zhuang and brought them up to the mountain. He's become a local tyrant in the village, even playing a card game every day. Whoever turns up gets to sleep with him.]
Chu Huan couldn't help herself: [I have reason to suspect this is the reason why this book was banned.]
You are a fugitive criminal. Instead of hiding away and trembling for the rest of your life, you have the audacity to commit numerous crimes and even try to get involved with the emperor. This is not the way to seek death!
The system laughed heartily: [You're right, that's right.]
The emperor didn't know about it, but the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Punishment heard about it. Although it was a fictional story and shouldn't be taken seriously, it was somewhat offensive to the royal family and the law, so they ordered it banned.
We’ll know soon, Chu Huan and Shang Lu thought secretly in their hearts.
The system continued: [Those people are different from Miss Yan. Zhang Zizhen will kill them when he gets tired of playing with them.]
[Miss Yan helped the abducted girls escape. Some were captured and then forced to death, some died during the pursuit, and some betrayed Miss Yan.]
The girl thought she would receive a lighter punishment, but Zhang Zizhen unexpectedly left her to the brothers in the mountain stronghold. She was eventually tortured to death. Her death was horrific, and her body was carelessly discarded. Miss Yan helped to collect it.
Chu Huan sensed something was wrong: [Earlier it sounded like Ms. Yan had accepted her fate, but now it sounds like she's still trying hard.]
[Yes, she didn't give up!] The system's tone rose. [She was just playing coy with Zhang Zizheng, she was always looking for a chance to escape.]
She tried to send a message to her family when she came down the mountain, but Zhang Zizhen told her that he had sent the body of someone who looked similar to her home. Her family believed her to be dead, and that it was an ignominious death, so they wouldn't look for her anymore.
She tried to get the local magistrate to send someone to clear out the bandits, but Zhang Zizhen told her that he gave the magistrate money every year and that he would arrange everything. If someone was really going to clear out the bandits, the magistrate would send a message in advance.
[She also tried to rescue other girls and ask them to help pass on messages, but Zhang Zizhen repeatedly captured those girls and killed them in various cruel ways in front of her.]
…
After hearing all these things, Chu Huan and Shang Lu frowned and stood in awe.
After going through so many things, Miss Yan has never given in. Her soul has always been burning, and no one can bend her free and strong spine!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
