Chapter 046: A Timid Ning

When Xie Wei walked in from outside, he saw this scene: the entire Fengchen Hall was unusually quiet, with everyone’s eyes focused on the far right corner of the third row. Princess Leyang was not sitting in her seat but standing in that corner, her eyes red and on the verge of tears, holding tightly to the slender hand of a girl.

And that girl was Jiang Xuening.

At that moment, Jiang Xuening was preoccupied with the pros and cons of being favored by Shen Zhiyi and didn’t realize Xie Wei’s voice had sounded outside until she saw him appear at the hall’s entrance.

Xie Wei looked at her hand, held by Shen Zhiyi.

In his calm gaze, there was a hint of contemplation.

Jiang Xuening suddenly felt a chill at the back of her head, and her hand, under his gaze, felt as if it had been pierced by an arrow. Her back hairs stood on end, and she instinctively withdrew her hand.

Who knows what Xie Wei would think seeing their close relationship!

What if he suspected her of causing trouble again?

Fortunately, Shen Zhiyi’s attention was also drawn to Xie Wei at that moment, and she didn’t notice this small detail. She quickly smiled and bowed to Xie Wei, “Greetings, teacher.”

Only then did the others follow suit and bow.

Jiang Xuening also quickly stood up and bowed to Xie Wei, “Greetings, Master Xie.”

Xie Wei finally withdrew his gaze, giving Jiang Xuening one last look before walking into the hall and passing by her. He stood at the front center of the hall and said calmly, “No one is late, very good. No need for formalities, please sit.”

Everyone stood up and dared to look at him.

He was still dressed in a dark green Taoist robe, with his hair tied with a green hairpin, wide sleeves, and his robe still carrying the slight chill of the late autumn and early winter mist outside, making him look like a reclusive hermit.

But he wasn’t alone.

Accompanying him into the hall were four scholars selected from the Hanlin Academy.

Three of them were the elderly scholars who had previously supervised the exams at Fengchen Hall with Xie Wei. The fourth was a new face, a man in his forties with a serious expression, who seemed to have been newly selected to teach.

Jiang Xuening immediately recognized the three scholars in front.

After all, it had only been a few days.

She still vividly remembered their perfunctory attitudes and the things they said during the academic examination.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Jiang Xuening recalled that she had intended to report these scholars’ behavior but hadn’t had the chance yet.

Xie Wei said, “Today is the first day. Since the Princess and the companions are not yet familiar with the teachers and haven’t had time to review, we have decided not to start lessons today. Instead, we will introduce the teachers and let them explain what will be taught over the next six months and their expectations.”

He then looked at the other four scholars.

The four scholars stepped forward to introduce themselves and the subjects they would be teaching.

The books needed for the companion reading had already been placed on their desks: “Book of Rites” taught by Zhang Zhong, the chief compiler of the National History Museum; “Book of Songs” taught by Zhao Yanchang, a lecturer from the Hanlin Academy; “Eighteen Models of Calligraphy” taught by Wang Jiu, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy, who would also teach painting; and “Ten Books of Arithmetic” taught by Sun Shu, a newly appointed arithmetic professor from the Imperial Academy.

Four scholars, four books.

It seemed correct.

But after the arithmetic professor Sun Shu finished speaking, everyone noticed something was off: each desk had the required books, but there were only four, each taught by one of the four scholars.

So, what about Xie Wei?

Jiang Xuening was still wondering what Xie Wei was planning when Shen Zhiyi, sitting in the front, curiously asked, “But Master Xie, there are only four books and four subjects. Didn’t you say you would teach us another subject besides the qin?”

Xie Wei replied, “I will teach ‘Literature.’”

Shen Zhiyi was puzzled, “No book?”

Xie Wei glanced outside the hall and said, “Someone has gone to fetch it. It should be here soon.”

Fetch it?

The palace had all kinds of books. Shouldn’t it have been prepared in advance? Why fetch it now?

Everyone was curious.

But Xie Wei didn’t explain further. He sat down, and Zhang Zhong, the chief compiler of the National History Museum, stood up to lecture on the importance of scholarship, citing classics and historical examples.

Zhang Zhong, with his graying hair, was the same scholar who had previously said that girls only needed to read “Admonitions for Women” and didn’t need to know much else. Although knowledgeable, his lecture was dull and dry.

Everyone was feeling dizzy from listening.

Although Jiang Xuening warned herself that Xie Wei was nearby, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander. Her eyelids were fighting to stay open, and she almost hit her head on the desk before waking up a bit. When she looked up, she saw Xie Wei sitting there, holding a cup of tea, staring at her intently.

In that instant, she almost fell out of her seat in fright.

Any drowsiness she had flew away instantly!

Jiang Xuening was now fully awake, her mind flashing back to Xie Wei’s warning, “Don’t make me angry again.” She quietly pressed down her twitching eyelids and forced herself to listen attentively to Zhang Zhong’s monotonous lecture.

After enduring for half an hour, Zhang Zhong finally said, “As I am a historian, it is fitting that I give the first lecture to the Princess and her companions, to emphasize the importance of learning. As the saying goes, ‘There is a golden house in books,’ and ‘An inch of time is an inch of gold.’ Opportunities to hear lectures from the world’s great scholars are rare, and you should cherish them. I hope you will avoid arrogance and impatience. Let me warn you in advance, if you bring your spoiled temperaments from home, I will not tolerate it.”

Jiang Xuening sighed inwardly: Finally, it’s over!

In her previous life, she didn’t like sitting here listening to lectures, not just because she was unmotivated or uninterested, but because these old scholars were so rigid and boring, speaking in ways that were hard to understand and not engaging at all.

If Xie Wei hadn’t been sitting there today, she might have flipped the table and left.

And the worst part was…

This was just half an hour, but such torturous days would continue for six months!

Jiang Xuening felt a bit desperate.

Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi, sitting in the front, also frowned slightly.

Shen Zhiyi, in the middle, even stifled a big yawn after Zhang Zhong finished speaking.

The other scholars, however, remained unfazed, either sitting quietly in thought or resting with their eyes closed, not finding anything wrong with Zhang Zhong’s lecture.

Only Xie Wei looked at the nine drowsy female students in the hall.

But before he could say anything, hurried footsteps were heard outside.

A young eunuch rushed in, sweating despite the cold weather, carrying a stack of books. He said to Xie Wei, “Master Xie, the books you requested have been printed and bound as you instructed. All ten copies are here.”

The other scholars looked at him.

Shen Zhiyi and the companions also looked at him.

Xie Wei picked up one of the books, flipped through a few pages to check the printing and binding, then gestured for the palace servants to distribute the books to everyone. Each person received a copy.

The most common blue book cover, with no title, and thicker than the other books.

Jiang Xuening vaguely remembered that Xie Wei had distributed a similar book in her previous life, but she had slipped out during Zhang Zhong’s boring lecture and never really listened or opened the book.

So now she was quite curious—

What exactly was in the book Xie Wei had prepared for teaching?

She took the book in her hands and opened it.

However, upon carefully examining the contents of the book, Jiang Xuening was astonished:

“Wu Yi”

“Zheng Bo Ke Duan Yu Yan”

“Gou Jian Mie Wu”

“Su Qin Persuades Qin with Horizontal Alliance”

“On Liu Hou”

“On the Six Kingdoms”

“Gong Shu”

“Fish I Desire”

“Free and Easy Wandering”

“On Strategy”

“Bian Que Sees Cai Huan Gong”

“On Passing Qin”

“Inscription on Jian Ge”

“Ten Gradual Prohibitions”

“Record of Snowfall in Chang’an”

There was a bit of everything.

Some were from the “Book of Documents” and “Zuo Zhuan,” others from “Discourses of the States” and “Strategies of the Warring States,” and still others from “Mozi” and “Mencius.” From the pre-Qin period to the Han and Wei-Jin dynasties, from political essays to travelogues, all were selected masterpieces compiled into one book!

Was Xie Wei really going to teach these?

Jiang Xuening suddenly felt a bit bitter.

No wonder she could never outsmart Xiao Shu.

Considering Xie Wei’s strategic mind and exceptional intelligence, this book showed that his teaching was not superficial. If one could truly learn even a fraction of it, they would benefit greatly.

In her previous life, Xiao Shu had listened attentively; but she…

For Jiang Xuening, who had read many books in her previous life after being reborn, the contents of this book were shocking. For the other young ladies, it was even more astonishing.

Even Shen Zhiyi was wide-eyed and couldn’t react for a long time.

Chen Shuyi, who had been strictly educated, had read and written, but knew that some books and articles were not meant for women, and her family never allowed her to read them.

At this moment, flipping through the book, she couldn’t help but frown.

She couldn’t resist asking, “Master Xie, are you really going to teach these?”

Without looking up, Xie Wei replied, “Yes.”

Chen Shuyi’s fingers tightened on the pages, and she stood up, bowing deeply to Xie Wei, and said slowly, “The world has always had clear distinctions between heaven and earth, yin and yang. Men are to be outside, women inside, clearly separated, and should not be changed. My father said that political essays are for men to learn. If women understand the ways of governance and practical application, it disrupts the natural order and goes against heavenly principles. I respect your scholarly achievements, but compiling such a book to teach us women, forgive my boldness—does this not go against propriety?”

Xie Wei was still flipping through the book in his hand, his finger resting on the last line of “On Passing Qin,” when he heard Chen Shuyi’s question. He paused and looked up at her.

With a slight smile, he said, “If you don’t want to learn, you can leave.”

Everyone was shocked: wasn’t this basically saying, “Learn if you want, leave if you don’t”?

Jiang Xuening was initially stunned, but then it was like a light in the darkness. Xie Wei’s words echoed in her mind: If you don’t want to learn, you can leave.

Leave?

She was so excited that her hand shook, and she dropped her book.

“Thud.”

The hall was so quiet that the small sound was particularly jarring.

Xie Wei’s gaze immediately shifted to her. Seeing it was Jiang Xuening, his eyes deepened slightly, and he asked, “Second Miss Jiang, do you have any objections?”

Jiang Xuening was terrified.

The thought of “I don’t want to learn, I’ll leave” vanished instantly. She shook her head vigorously and declared her loyalty, “Master Xie, you have painstakingly compiled this book. We are here to accompany the Princess in her studies. The Princess is exceptional, unlike ordinary young ladies. To say this is ‘improper’ is to judge by one’s own standards, which is utterly absurd!”

Xie Wei’s eyebrow twitched slightly, and he even smiled a bit at her.

Chen Shuyi’s cold gaze immediately turned to her, pinning her down!

Jiang Xuening felt a chill down her spine and realized—

Oh no!

Blame Xie Wei for being so intimidating. In her panic, she had blurted out her true thoughts!

She had no recollection of what happened next. Although she appeared calm, she was mentally berating herself. She vaguely knew that Chen Shuyi eventually sat down without saying anything more.

After all, the opportunity to be a companion reader was hard to come by.

Xie Wei’s attitude was unexpectedly unkind, so even if she was dissatisfied, she had to reconsider.

But when the teachers finished explaining the assignments and the qin lessons for the next day, and dismissed them, Chen Shuyi was the first to leave Fengchen Hall.

Xiao Shu and the others, worried about her, followed her out.

Jiang Xuening felt somewhat awkward and stayed behind. When she looked up, she saw Xie Wei coming down from the platform. He paused slightly as he passed her.

Her scalp tingled, and she had to awkwardly say, “Master Xie.”

Xie Wei, towering over her, looked down at her with a faint, inexplicable smile. Holding the book in one hand and with the other behind his back, he casually said, “You behaved well today. Quite obedient.”