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Mushroom: hazza! Had a bit of free time because it's raining outside. Enjoy!
Although Zhen Pu Yang was willing to read the book he gave, he was still not easy to get along with, giving him a headache.
In the days that followed, he did not have any misgiving in bringing out his youthful nature. If you told him to go east and he would go west, deliberately making him angry.
Afterwards, he would stare at He Lang's eyes filled with anger, and would laugh evily.
Later, He Lang realized that his childishness was not the common variety, and could not help but smile reluctantly. Afterwards when he would deliberately talk back, he simply did not get angry.
If He Lang does not come, then Zhen Pu Yang would not read. He (ZPY) takes the initiative to advance, letting him get used to his approach.
Today, just as he was about to enter Zhen Pu Yang's Changle Hall, he heard a familiar voice together with a woman's sobbing and pleading.
He was startled and quickly walked in.
Zhen Pu Yang seems to have just woken up, not properly dressed, and his hair was scattered down his back. There was a woman kowtowing and kneeling before him, tears overflowing, making one feel pity for her.
In the face of the woman begging for mercy, Zhen Pu Yang remained indifferent. His calm eyes enrupted with disdain and disgust, as if he was afraid to be touched by her, kicked her. “Dirty thing -—get lost.”
He Lang couldn't help but say: "You're making a scene"
Zhen Pu Yang hesitated for a moment, stopped his action and looked towards him with dissatisfaction and surprise for his early arrival.
He sighed a little towards his own recklessness, as He Lang came over and asked what happened.
Zhen Pu Yang did not say anything, and gazed at his face without expression.
The servant who saw that him as her life-saving straw, quickly went to his feet and slammed her head to kowtow, hurriedly opened her mouth. “When this servant was under the command of his Highness, this servant inadvertently angered his Highness – Imperial Tutor, please rescue this servant!”
If it was a small matter, she would not dare to speak, but this was about her life. She had no other options, and had to resort to pleading to Imperial Tutor.
He Lang listened, and couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows. If this person had done something wrong then so be it, they should be punished. How could it be like this servant imply, as if Zhen Pu Yang was going to kill her? Was there a need to be so violent, if you're not happy then you use other people's lives to vent your anger?
He was full of pity for the servant girl and helped her up.
When Zhen Pu Yang saw this, he sneered and stared at the them with eyes filled with loathing. It seems that He Lang also did something to annoy him.
He Lang did not fear him and looked back and said generously. “This official did not think that His Royal Highness was such a person who does not understand that one must be gentle with girls.”
He does not regard himself as his servant, nor as court official, but his teacher.
In the face of his bad habits, he naturally has to rise to the occasion and help him to change.
Zhen Pu Yang spoke arrogantly, as if everyone was beneath him. “In the eyes of this highness, she is a mere servant.”
In his eyes, regardless of gender, everyone in the world was beneath him.
“…”
This kind of dispotic opinion was formidable, and he frowned, staring at him, his eyes turned cold.
He knows that the temperament of this prince was stubborn, and today he truly feels that he was like a Crown Prince,aloof and remote and insufferably arrogant. Really was far from the image of a benevolent gentleman in his mind.
Not hearing He Lang say anything, Zhen Pu Yang looked at him and felt himself tense up but he didn’t want to lose face. He insisted on following his set path “This highness is teaching his servant a lesson. Do you want to do it?”
He Lang heard the jarring tone, but he eased his tone, as if he were a young child: “This servant is your highness's Imperial Tutor. You should differ to your teacher. Otherwise, this servant presumes your highness does not require this servant to teach His Royal Highness again?”
Who knew that the youngster turned out to be a ungrateful and gently returned the sentence: “Do you qualify?”
(TN: Chinese culture is very touchy about respecting your teachers hence the gravity)
The quietly spoken disrespectful words fell onto the ears of He Lang, andfelt like a slap to his face.
He had to say that this sentence was too much, not only arrogant, but also disrespectful towards him.
If it was like this, unwilling to obey him, his bah habits not changing, what is there to teaching?
This devil incarnate could be rebellious, he could act like he did not put anyone in his eye, but this does not mean that He Lang will be willing to let him trample on his own dignity.
A bit of anger surged in the He Lang's heart and settled down, but did not disappear, merely surging.
His expression was calm perhaps too calm, giving off an air of cold detachment.
Since he came to this world, Zhen Pu Yang can be said to have always been his thoughts. He thinks day and night about how to teach Zhen Pu Yang, and what books to make him read to get him to gather more knowledge.
Moreover, in Zhen Pu Yang, he had always faintly felt the shadow of the He Zhang in his youth, both arrogant and dispotic and thinking too much of themselves. He thought that for a child to be so thorny, his heart must be extremely soft.
These days, it could even be said that his state of mind is always concerned about Zhen Pu Yang, and in the shallow pool of his tender eyes, he had placed great expectations on him.
But who would have know, this child does not regard him as his teacher, but an official or mayhaps even a servant.
This of course rendered him disheartened. Could it be that towards his regard, could this prince not even be aware of it even a little bit?
In his heart, he paced back and forth a thousand times. In the end, he retired and bowed in reverence. His tone was indifferent, and his eyes were cold and alienated.
“This servant is not worthy of being the teacher of His Highness, so His Highness should find someone more qualified than me”
Zhen Pu Yang opened his lowered eyelids and looked at him incredulously.
He Lang turned and continued: “The books that was taken from this servant and pendants, paintings and calligraphy that were gifted to this servant's student, asking your Highness to return.”
He wants to settle things with Zhen Pu Yang, and wants draw a clear line. He was no longer his student, thus naturally there was no reason for him to keep his personal belongings.
Zhen Pu Yang clenched his fists, as the suffocation in his chest suddenly accumulated. He couldn't tell if he was mad or panicking. He scolded darkly, how could this person be so stingy? He actually wants to haggle with with over those worthless things?
Moreover – those things if he liked them, then he will definitely not give it to him!
He has always been so arbitrary, punishing anyone. No one has dared to stop him, how can he think to control him? Even his mother has never tried to.
Moreover, he was just speaking without thinking, was there a need for him to be so high and mighty?
However, seeing his cold look, he felt uncomfortable in his heart. This person was not willing to teach him. Which prince would he teach then?
Seeing the face of Zhen Pu Yang changing, He Lang slightly nodded. He couldn't tell whether it was a sigh or a satire. “His Royal Highness is blessed. Great Imperial Tutor has just finished writing a book and is idle.” This hinted that Zhen Pu Yang's next teacher was probably the Bowen Great Imperial Tutor.
(TN: He Lang is 太傅 imperial teacher while Bowen is 太师 Imperial Tutor. Both of them teaches but 师 implies higher mastery hence the Great Imperial Tutor)
Speaking of the Great Imperial Tutor, he was a white-haired old man, proficient in various academics and known for his unparalleled enthusiasm for studying. He loathed people who was irreverent towards studying and his character was loathsome and firm.
Moreover, the emperor had been taught by him when he was younger, thus he was extremely respectful to him. The former princes that we're trained by him, had the palms of their hands smacked due to their naughtiness. The emperor also fully agreed with this way of handling done by Great Imperial Tutor.
If Zhen Pu Yang falls into his hands, and he was not willing to compromise on his own temperament. The result could be imagined.
He doesn't know if the emperor will still spoil and indulge him in front of Imperial Tutor Bowen.
Alarm bells sounded in Zhen Pu Yang's mind, and his head conjured up an image of that plank gave. He immediately frowned in loathing. He did not want Imperial father to get that old man to teach him.
After he finished saying his full, He Lang was no longer relunctant and flung his sleeves to say his goodbyes.
Zhen Pu Yang panicked and shouted at He Lang.
When the speed at which He Lang left did not diminished, Zhen Pu Yang gritted his teeth. Even if he was suffocating in his chest, he hurriedly chased and shouted “Teacher, don’t go.”
Finally, when he heard “Teacher”, He Lang stopped in his tracks and turned his head slightly. He glanced at him, as if he didn’t hear it, or he didn’t want to turn back.
Zhen Pu Yang had to repeat it once, trying to make himself appear willing, and forcefully said: “Teacher.”
When He Lang got his wish, he couldn’t help but bend his mouth and burst into a light smile. His eyes seemed to reflect the early bloom of spring and as if he was praising a young child, “Good boy.”
Zhen Pu Yang frowned, and there was a subtle feeling in his heart. The emotion surged, and he engulfed his heart all at once, filling his heart with a knot, and his usually eloquent self was turned speechless. He didn't know what kind of attitude be should use to face this gentleness.
He thought he would be hateful, but in fact, this feeling could not be considered annoying, upon further deliberation, it was a somewhat sweet feeling.
The dissatisfaction of yielding to someone else for the first time gradually dissipated, and his mood finally calmed down. He couldn't help but want to see what else this person would reveal, more of his unconventional thinking. He had never experienced this feeling before.
His lips parted again, and Zhen Pu Yang did not know why he again called out. “Teacher". There was no anger in his tone, instead, a joyful tone that he had yet to become aware of.
He Lang slighty trembled, thinking that this child was acting coquettishly towards him, but looking at his pretentious look, he dispelled his own thoughts. Knowing that he was willing to compromise to this step, He Lang was very pleased, and his smile reflected in his eyes deepened.
Zhen Pu Yang's heart experienced a thrill of pleasure. Sure enough, this person's smile was very pleasing.
His smile seems to still be pleasantly surprised. Two delicate eyes looked over devotedly towards him. Zhen Pu Yang feels for the first time that being this man's student doesn't feel so bad.
However, even though this person seems to be wise and intelligent, he was quite stupid inside. Such an insignificant name, was he that happy? Zhen Pu Yang inwardly snorted.
After He Lang meddled, Zhen Pu Yang did not have the mind to punish the servant and waved his hand impatiently to send her away.
The servant knew that this was due to Imperial Tutor He, and eagerly thanked him.
When He Lang received her gestures of courtesy, he dismissed her. This incident was merely a small matter now.
After saving a person’s life, the previously of the depressed He Lang's gloom disappeared, and he secretly congratulated himself for his smooth path.
Little did he know that Zhen Pu Yang was watching him attentively, thinking smugly to himself, that as long as he acted like an obediently clever child, Imperial Tutor would be completely controlled by him. If he continues like this, sooner or later, he will have him in the palm of his hands.
He Lang noticed he sizing him up and down and smiled slightly.
Who can say what would happen in the future? Who will control who? This definitely was not a forgone conclusion.
***
The author has something to say:
Don’t look at Lang Lang, as if he is the Virgin Mary (slightly a little). Please leave a message. I will cultivate harder to attain immortality and wait for you QwQ