Hearing her words, the Crown Prince’s teacher said, “Then please find a new teacher, Your Highness!”
After the Crown Prince’s teacher left, Consort Chu and Consort Qi tried to persuade Qiao Jinniang.
“Your Highness, His Excellency has served three emperors and is the enlightenment teacher of His Royal Highness. He is very respected in the East Palace. Offending him will not do you any good!”
“Yeah, he was already a Hanlin during the reign of the late emperor. Why bother to fall out with him for such a trivial matter? Among the officials in Chang’an, he is said to be the most knowledgeable.”
Consort Chu nodded and said, “If you offend him, I’m afraid that no one would dare to teach the imperial grandson because no one would dare to say that they are more knowledgeable than him.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Thank you for your kindness, Sisters-in-law. Xi’er, let’s go back to the East Palace.”
Lu Xi obediently took Qiao Jinniang’s hand and got on the sedan chair with her.
After they returned to the East Palace, Xie Yun had already left.
Qiao Jinniang told Lu Chen what happened just now. “I know that he is your teacher, and I should not have offended him, but I will never let Xi’er fall into danger.”
Lu Chen said, “If my teacher said something like you are from the countryside, he should leave. Just rest assured.”
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Qiao Jinniang said, “I don’t care about that, but how to find Xi’er a new enlightenment teacher? Although he is only three years old, he is the imperial grandson after all.”
Xi’er likes to study, and every day he gets up early to go to school.
Lu Chen thought for a while and said, “Would you like to let Xi’er go to Qingming Academy?”
“Of course not!” Qiao Jinniang said, “Qingming Academy is not in Chang’an and doesn’t have many days off. Xi’er is only three years old!”
If Xi’er was already thirteen years old, then Qiao Jinniang would not delay Xi’er’s studies even if she could not bear separating from him. But he was only three years old. How could she let him go to Qingming Academy alone?
Lu Chen said to Qiao Jinniang, “There are very few teachers who are more knowledgeable than my teacher. Prime Minister Lin is busy with official business. Besides, he is an excellent official, but isn’t necessarily a good teacher.”
Qiao Jinniang pondered for a while and said, “How about you teach Xi’er? It won’t be difficult for you.”
Lu Chen said, “No, I can’t teach him, but I have an excellent candidate, although I’m afraid he won’t be willing.”
Qiao Jinniang asked, “Who is it? Xi’er is the imperial grandson. How could there be anyone in the world who is reluctant to teach him?”
“The Imperial Teacher, Ji Wangkui.”
Qiao Jinniang had heard of the name even when she was still far away in the South. Ji Wangkui had compiled the reference books of the Imperial Examination when he was only 20.
During the reign the late emperor, Ji Wangkui was as famous as Mr. Xie was now, who was the president of Qingming Academy.
Lu Chen said, “Mr. Ji is my father’s mentor, and I also received his teaching when I was young.
“The famous Mr. Qingming from Qingming Academy was his master who only had two disciples, one was him and the other was Mr. Xie.
“One taught the princes in the imperial palace, and the other has students all over the world.”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Mr. Ji should be in his 80s, right? I’m afraid he doesn’t want to teach Xi’er at such an old age.”
“Xi’er was only three years old, while Mr. Ji was over eighty years old. How could such a knowledgeable old man be willing to teach a child as young as Xi’er?
Lu Chen said, “Let’s just have a try.”
Qiao Jinniang certainly wanted Mr. Ji to be Xi’er’s teacher.
But she didn’t have much hope.
Mr. Ji must be enjoying his retirement now, and serving as the enlightenment teacher of a three-year-old child was simply a waste of his talent.
However, as a mother, she should have a try for her child.
Qiao Jinniang went to tell the Queen about this and asked to go out of the imperial palace to visit Mr. Ji.
Queen Zhou said, “Mr. Ji has a quirky temper. It took me a lot of effort to ask him to teach Chen’er back then.
“I went to visit him a few days ago and found that his temper was getting even more weird. If he wanted Xi’er to practice calligraphy now, what would you do?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “If so, I’ll have to find another teacher.
“But I think Mr. Ji, who could teach a wise emperor like Father, must be a very good teacher.”
Queen Zhou smiled. “Then go, remember not to use your identity as the Crown Princess to push him. He hates that.”
Qiao Jinniang replied. “Yes, Mother.”
…
Lu Chen took a day off and took Lu Xi to visit Mr. Ji with Qiao Jinniang.
The Ji Mansion didn’t catch much attention in Chang’an, and it didn’t occupy a large area. When they knocked on the door, no concierge came. After a while, a boy of about 15 or 16 years old came to open the door.
This boy obviously knew Lu Chen. He saluted Lu Chen. “Greetings, Your Royal Highness. Are you here today to visit my grandfather?”
Lu Chen said, “Yes.”
The boy sighed and said, “My grandfather is quarreling with my grandmother. The imperial doctor told Grandfather that he should eat less sweets, so Grandmother forbids him to eat sweets. Now my grandfather is throwing tantrums like a child. You better come another day, Your Royal Highness.”
Lu Chen said, “It doesn’t matter. Please lead the way.”
Qiao Jinniang whispered to Lu Chen, “I didn’t know that Mr. Ji can’t eat sweets and brought a lot of mung bean cakes. Now what should I do?”
Lu Chen said, “It’s not that he can’t eat it but that he should eat less. Mr. Ji has a sweet-tooth and is old, and eating those sticky sweets is not good for his teeth, so he is not allowed to eat them. Your mung bean cake easily melts in the mouth with a sweet aftertaste, so it’s a perfect snack for him.”
Qiao Jinniang heaved a sigh of relief.
When they walked into the yard, they saw a white-haired old man pouting from afar, and a servant was persuading him to take his meal, but the old man was clamoring like a child. “I will not eat without maltose!”
This was quite a contrast to the Imperial Teacher and leader of the literati in Qiao Jinniang’s mind.
Lu Chen smiled and said to Qiao Jinniang, “Mr. Ji and you are like father and daughter.”
Qiao Jinniang asked in confusion, “Huh?”
Lu Chen said, “You won’t take medicine without maltose.”
Qiao Jinniang: “…”
“Grandfather, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess came to see you with the little imperial grandson.”
Ji Wangkui waved his hand and said, “I don’t want to see them. Emperor Huilin has promised to let me enjoy my retirement. Why did they come?”
Qiao Jinniang took the mung bean cake from Hongling, walked up to Ji Wangkui and said respectfully, “Mr. Ji, the Dragon Boat Festival is approaching. I am here to bring you some mung bean cake.”
Ji Wangkui stared at the fluffy mung bean cake in Qiao Jinniang’s hand with the scent of bean paste, and couldn’t help reaching for it.
Qiao Jinniang handed Ji Wangkui a piece of bean paste with less filling.
Ji Wangkui ate it and said, “Huh? Does the imperial palace have a new pastry chef? The mung bean cakes sent over from the imperial palace in previous years were not as delicious as this one, and it still has bean paste filling!”
Qiao Jinniang smiled and said, “Mr. Ji, I made these. If you like it, I will have someone bring you more another day.”
Ji Wangkui glanced at Qiao Jinniang and said, “You and Old Zheng’s granddaughter really look alike!”
