Early in the morning, just as Sun Mo was still in a deep sleep, he got awakened by Dong He.
“What’s the matter?”
Sun Mo frowned. (Right now, I’m a great teacher, do I not have the qualifications to sleep until I wake up naturally?)
(You remind me of those past times where I had to force myself to wake up early so I could head to school to monitor the self-revision of the students.)
(That was especially so in winter. The feeling of being forced to wake up was simply unbearable.)
“The butler of the Eldest Princess is outside seeking an audience.”
Dong He felt very wronged. (I also didn’t wish to wake you up, but who would dare to obstruct the Eldest Princess’s butler?)
(Ai~)
(If I became the number one maid in Jinling, even that butler had to treat me politely, right?)
(Ai~)
(Master, you have to work harder. My future is dependent on you.)
“Get him to continue waiting!”
Sun Mo spoke unhappily and pulled his blanket over his head as he continued to sleep. (So what if it’s the Eldest Princess? Is she that impressive? This daddy isn’t a simp and also has no wish to become an official of the Great Tang Empire. If you antagonize this daddy, this daddy will go and become a dark great teacher.)
“Master is so bold!”
After seeing Sun Mo’s reaction, Dong He’s heart was still filled with worry, but there was also some pride. She returned to the living hall and reported Sun Mo’s words to the butler.
“My master is still resting, you can just wait here for now!”
After Dong He spoke, she brought the tea she brewed away.
“Wait?”
The butler had a stunned look on his face. With his status, he had never been treated like this when he went to issue invitations before.
Upon thinking of this, the butler grew angry and slammed his palm onto the table.
“Bastard, get Sun Mo out to see me!”
The butler roared, “The Eldest Princess has a matter for him, but he actually dares to slight me? Do you guys still have the royal authority of Great Tang in your eyes?”
The butler was very cunning and directly used Li Xiu’s name.
Dong He felt a little panic. Just when she was at a loss of what to do, a clear voice rang out from the second floor.
“Is the royal authority of my Great Tang something for you to use to scare people?”
Li Ziqi appeared on the second floor in her pajamas. Her eyes were filled with anger as she stared at the butler. “Is this how my aunt teaches her subordinate?”
“Y…your highness?”
The butler was shocked. (Why are you here? Also, why are you dressed like this?)
(If this matter spread out, what would others make of it? Does the royal clan still want their face?)
“I’m talking to you, do you know your mistake?”
Li Ziqi berated.
“Your highness, I’m here on behalf of the Eldest Princess to invite Great Teacher Sun to a meeting about an important matter. This matter truly cannot afford any delays.”
The butler explained.
“Slap yourself.”
Li Ziqi’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly.
“Ah?”
The butler started and didn’t move.
“I said slap yourself. Didn’t you hear it?”
Li Ziqi was very angry. As expected, this was a bad slave.
(Given my teacher’s good temper, let alone a butler, he wouldn’t even look down on a beggar. Why would he get you to wait?)
(You must have done something that made my teacher unhappy.)
(Since my teacher has suffered, as a student I naturally must seek justice for him.)
“Your highness, I am working for the Eldest Princess.”
The butler argued, his eyes were filled with contempt. (A trash princess that even a secondary saint doesn’t wish to accept, on what grounds can you be so prideful? Most probably, you have made his majesty angry and run to Jinling to hide from him!)
From the butler’s point of view, Li Ziqi was finished. Maybe she would be forced to marry out even before she became an adult.
“Fine, you are capable!”
Li Ziqi no longer wasted words. She entered her room and changed her clothes. “I will speak to my aunt about this.”
When the little sunny egg came out again, she saw Sun Mo standing at the entrance.
“Teacher, this student ought to suffer death for I’ve disturbed your rest.”
Li Ziqi’s eyes were a little red because she felt it was very embarrassing. Even a servant dared to rebut her.
Bluntly speaking, the butler felt that he was a trusted aide of the Eldest Princess and was working for her. In his view, his value was higher than a trash-like princess like Li Ziqi.
“If I was talented, who would dare to look down on me?”
Li Ziqi gritted her teeth and bit her lips.
“Pharaoh, what are you doing? Quickly get to work!”
Sun Mo was very unhappy.
“Break both of his legs first.”
“Are you mad? I’m the butler of the Prince Consort Manor, a trusted subordinate of the Eldest Princess!”
When the butler saw a giant bug appearing in the living room, he was so afraid that he peed his pants.
…
When Sun Mo arrived at the Prince Consort Manor, he discovered An Xinhui was here as well.
“Why are you here?”
An Xinhui was surprised. She already told the butler who came to invite her not to disturb Sun Mo from resting. She could make the decision if there was a need for any discussion.
Not long later, Li Xiu and Zheng Qingfang both arrived.
“Little Friend Sun, please forgive us for disturbing the two of you so early in the morning!”
Zheng Qingfang apologized.
“Uncle Zheng, no matter what we are discussing today, I won’t agree to it. Just go ahead with whatever plans you two have without me.”
Sun Mo had an unfriendly look on his face. “Also, I only came here to get justice back for my student.”
“What do you mean?”
Zheng Qingfang was stunned. Ever since he got acquainted with Sun Mo, he had never seen Sun Mo losing his temper before. Sun Mo was definitely a refined and cultured lad.
“Earlier, I just learned how imposing the slave of the Eldest Princess was. He even dared to rebut the princess. When Ziqi said a sentence, he argued three sentences back.”
Sun Mo coldly snorted.
Zheng Qingfeng frowned. “Where is that slave?”
Very soon, a person brought the butler up.
“Mistress, you have to help me out!”
The butler sobbed. As a servant, he was most proficient in observing what others thought from their body language, and he naturally knew Li Xiu was relatively unhappy with Sun Mo. This was the reason why he dared to slight Sun Mo.
Besides, one would have to see who the master was even if they wanted to beat a dog up. (Sun Mo, you are dead for sure!)
The butler felt that his broken legs just so nicely gave the Eldest Princess an excuse to handle Sun Mo. His misfortune would surely allow him to gain credit.
“Drag him out and beat him to death.”
Li Xiu waved her hands.
(Haha, you are going to die, Sun Mo. Do you know what fear is now?)
The butler stared at Sun Mo complacently. However, he soon discovered that the guards actually seized him by his arms.
(Eh? Why are you guys dragging me? You all should be dragging Sun Mo!)
“Great Teacher Sun, are you satisfied now?”
Li Xiu asked.
Upon hearing this, the butler’s eyes widened in disbelief. He suddenly understood that the Eldest Princess was unhappy with Sun Mo because she couldn’t deal with him. Otherwise, she could simply have broken all his limbs.
(It’s over, I misread the situation!)
The butler was frightened now. Was Sun Mo really someone a lowly butler like him could antagonize?
“Your highness, I…”
Without waiting for the butler to finish speaking, one of the guards directly covered his mouth, dragging him out. Swiftly later, screams and the sounds of rods hitting someone could be heard.
“Aunt!”
Li Ziqi couldn’t bear this.
“You are too soft-hearted. Do you know why the butler dared to slight you?”
Li Xiu reprimanded her.
“Take out your royal prestige. It’s fine even if you kill a hundred slaves like this. Do you even need to wait for me to make the decision for you?”
Sun Mo’s brows were furrowed so tightly that they could squeeze a crab to death. He felt that Li Xiu was scolding him indirectly.
Zheng Qingfang cast a ‘just relax, this has nothing to do with you’ gaze at Sun Mo.
That butler, his ego had swelled after receiving a few rewards from Li Xiu, and he thought that his status was very high. Little did he imagine that he was just a dog.
Li Xiu wanted to kill him because she wanted to use his death as a warning to the other slaves.
No matter how trash Li Ziqi was, she was still a princess, someone that slaves must never slight. Naturally, this punishment was also to apologize to Sun Mo.
The news of the intense battle at the remote village that had happened yesterday swiftly circulated back.
Although there were no witnesses, Li Xiu and Zheng Qingfang guessed that Sun Mo and An Xinhui must be the ones who had done it.
One must know how powerful Huo Lanying and that star general were. Li Xiu had personally experienced their strengths before. Yet even so, the two of them were still finished off by this couple…
Honestly speaking, it was ultimately better to be on the same side as such talents.
“Xinhui, the battle in the Dongwang Village yesterday, I wonder…”
Li Xiu looked at An Xinhui and called out in a very cordial manner.
“My body is a little unwell, I can’t really meet people now. Farewell!”
After Sun Mo spoke, he rose and left.
An Xinhui also rose and followed blindly after Sun Mo. In fact, she didn’t even bid farewell.
Li Ziqi hesitated awhile, but she soon followed after Sun Mo.
“Mn?”
Li Xiu was shocked. She understood An Xinhui’s character very well. Such an outstanding woman like her actually obeyed a man so thoroughly?
(Is she blind?)
(Spineless!)
Li Xiu disdained.
“Sun Mo, Sun Mo, don’t leave!”
Zheng Qingfang could only become the peacemaker and hurriedly stop Sun Mo.
“I don’t want to work together with her.”
Sun Mo bluntly spoke.
Li Xiu’s character was independent and extremely forceful. She would not give anyone a chance to state their own opinions. The most terrifying thing was that she also seemed to be a ‘feminist’.
When she looked at guys, there would be disdain and contempt so thick in her eyes that they could even flow out.
“This operation was to eradicate Li Zixing’s faction. Doesn’t your Central Province Academy want a part of the glory and rewards?”
Zheng Qingfang sighed. This opportunity was something he suggested. Otherwise, Sun Mo wouldn’t be able to receive any rewards despite all the efforts he put in.
“Li Zixing is the financial backer of the Myriad Daos Academy, you should know this, right? But if Li Zixing died, who do you think the Myriad Daos Academy would belong to?”
Sun Mo actually wasn’t concerned, but he saw An Xinhui’s eyes brightened. He also thought back to how much face An Xinhui had given him earlier. He felt awkward to leave now.
“Come, let’s sit down before we speak.”
Zheng Qingfang was a cunning fox. When he saw Sun Mo hesitating, he hurriedly got him to sit down. After that, he shouted for his maids, “Why are you girls still in a daze for? Quickly brew some good tea!”
“It’s definitely impossible for Li Zixing to sit still and wait for death. He must be assembling his forces and preparing to retaliate. We should move quicker and finish him before that!”
Zheng Qingfang described his plan. “If there are no surprises, Li Zixing’s armed forces should be hidden in Jinling. I wish to invite Headmaster An to lead your students and teachers to surround his troops. Otherwise, if things get chaotic, they would surely not mind harming the innocents.”
“Maybe we can find some excuse to give the teachers and students a holiday?”
Sun Mo’s lips twitched. This matter wasn’t troublesome at all, right?
“It can’t be done!”
This time around, An Xinhui decisively shook her head.
For a famous school, even if there was a holiday, a portion of students and teachers would still stay behind to take care of things. After all, in this era, travel was inconvenient and some students didn’t even return to their homes once despite studying at the school for several years.
There was another reason. If a famous school gave the students and teachers holidays for no reason at all, it was an ominous sign and people would view this as the start of the school’s decline.
“In that case, instead of protecting the innocents, we will be responsible for eliminating the vile people of the Myriad Daos Academy then.”
Sun Mo bargained.
He had no interest in fighting Li Zixing for Li Xiu.
Li Zixing was a prince and his foundation was consolidated in Jinling for several generations. It was unknown how deep his foundation was. Once he started a rebellion, the entire Tang Empire would most probably be swept in chaos.
This was also the reason why Li Xiu wanted An Xinhui to act. Her strength alone was insufficient and even if she mobilized her troops, she needed time and might inadvertently warn the enemy in advance. Hence, the great teachers and students of the Central Province Academy were a good solution as they could swiftly be assembled into a massive military force.
“Xinhui, as long as you guys help us out, as the reward for this operation, I will make sure the entire Myriad Daos Academy will become a branch campus of your Central Province Academy.”
Li Xiu promised.
An Xinhui felt her heart stirring. If that was the case, the Central Province Academy would truly become the number one famous school in Jinling.
