Not long after, Shao Yunan saw a gray-haired old man with a benevolent face walking together with a young man with a handsome face and an uncommon temperament. Seeing them, teachers Chen and Guan quickly took two steps forwards and saluted. “Your Excellency, Dean.”
Your Excellency? Shao Yunan looked at the old man first and then turned his gaze to the young man. It couldn’t be a county master here, is it? When the two teachers called like this, the students who were just talking around them also hurriedly corrected their posture. While the students in teacher Chen’s class all hurriedly came out and called in unison, “Dean.”
It seems that the students also did not know this young master. In a moment, Shao Yunan had a plan in mind and stepped forward, just behind the two teachers and also greeted, “Your Excellency, Dean.”
The old man frowned slightly. “Can you two teachers explain? Why are you all gathered here? It’s not yet time to end the class. Even the county magistrate has been alarmed.” With that, he looked at Shao Yunan, waiting for an explanation. Upon hearing this, the students hurriedly called in unison, “My lord!”
The young man said, “No need to be polite. What happened? The county school is a place for students to study and prepare for their exams. Did someone come here to cause trouble?” After saying that, he looked at Shao Yunan.
Shao Yunan did not back down. This was not his home court where the noisy guest can win over the master. Later he will have time to win over the master, but now as expected, it was teacher Chen who spoke first, pointing to Shao Yunan. “Your Excellency, Dean. This person said that he had a family matter to be judged by the teacher of the county school. The person involved in that family matter is in my classroom.”
The young man raised his eyebrows and said sternly, “How did this family matter find its way to the teachers of the county school? What is your clan and what is your name?” Shao Yunan stepped forward and stood right next to the two teachers, looking very calmly at the young man as he saluted.
“County magistrate, one of the reasons why I came to this county school is that the most important person in this whole thing is a school student. He doesn’t know me, so I won’t mention my surname and my name for the time being, so that I will not be able to tell the whole matter clearly. Secondly, I also told the two teachers earlier, since ancient times, it is difficult for an honest official to judge a family’s affairs, while there were also partial people in the family. If I had another place to address my grievances, how could I dare come to the most reasonable teachers to judge. I know I have been reckless, but since you are here and so is the Dean, why don’t you hear me out first before you convict me?”
In the face of the county magistrate, Shao Yunan did not address himself with a humble address, but called himself ‘I’. He was gambling. He was betting that the young magistrate was a reasonable person and would be intrigued by his words.
The county magistrate looked at Shao Yunan for some time, then looked at the Dean before saying, “Whether the clan has partial people, I will not comment, but your phrase ‘It is difficult for an honest official to judge a family’s affairs’ is somewhat true. Seeing that you are not an ignorant person, this official will give you this opportunity. If what you said is true and this matter needs to be judged by the teachers, this official will exempt you from the crime of trespassing into the county school. If you exaggerated the matter just to mess around, don’t blame this official for punishing you for your crimes.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.” Shao Yunan bowed respectfully. The county magistrate and the Dean sat directly next to the stone in the courtyard, then the county magistrate told the two teachers to sit as well. Seeing this, all the students stood up very self-consciously, without any intention of returning to the classroom. Among these students, Wang Zhisong who still didn’t know how the situation would develop also stood among the lively crowd. All 23 students from the two classes of the county schools were present. There were four people sitting in front of Shao Yunan and behind him was a group of students watching the fun.
In this situation, Shao Yunan’s face remained unchanged. It was not much different from his thesis defense. He turned to the two teachers, Chen and Guan. “Two teachers, this young generation would like to ask, what is a master and what is a teacher?”
Hmm? Didn’t he want to talk about his family affairs? What was he doing asking this? The two teachers looked at Shao Yunan puzzlingly, the county magistrate and Dean’s expression also sank, but Shao Yunan still looked like he was waiting for an answer.
Teacher Chen looked at teacher Guan who spoke first. “Of course, the teacher’s purpose is to teach his students and select talents for the imperial court.”
Shao Yunan shook his head and said, “In this younger generation’s opinion, a teacher is ‘preaching’, ‘teaching’, and ‘solving doubts’ as well. Preaching and teaching. Teaching moral ideas such as etiquette, righteousness, integrity, and shame to these so-called people who become talents. Preaching is the prerequisite for success. Teaching is to teach all kinds of skills and knowledge handed down by our ancestors, which is the only way to become a talented person. While ‘solving doubts’ is to solve the students’ difficulties and confusion, so that they will not take a detour, wrong path, or go astray. As for the selection of talents for the imperial court, it is just a matter of pushing the boat along with the river… a matter of course. I don’t know if this is just a biased understanding of this junior.”
When he finished his words, the expressions of the people present changed, especially the magistrate, the Dean, and the two teachers. When he finished, the Dean was the first to murmur, “Preaching, teaching, and solving doubts… the true path of a teacher…” He clapped his hands and said, “Correct solution! Correct solution!”
The surrounding students were also amazed. The teachers have not taught them these principles. Where did this muddy legs person hear this from?!
Edited by: Jaisland
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