noffsinger Chapter 1190 I curse you to die a horrible death!
Chapter 1190 I curse you to die a horrible death!
Huai Shaoyong's act of smashing the jade made Hou Yirui so angry that he was dizzy.
If Jiang Zhiming hadn't caught up with him and "reminded" him, he wouldn't have remembered the bet at all.
Not to mention that he will be going to Liuyang Prefecture to give lectures for a year, those hundred ancient books alone are enough to cripple Luming Academy. After all, the academy's library only has a little over five hundred books in total.
While Hou Yirui was still pondering, the old man with the black beard beside him began to argue: "Lord Jiang, you are mistaken! Huai Shaoyong has already broken the jade pendant, severing all ties with our Luming Academy. That promise was made by him and the Pei student, so why should the academy have to honor it?"
The other teachers from the academy echoed, "Exactly! One must bear the consequences of one's actions. Since Huai Shaoyong has betrayed our Luming Academy, he should bear the consequences himself. What does his promise have to do with our Luming Academy...?"
"Shut up!" Hou Yirui suppressed the anger that was rising in his heart and interrupted the gentlemen.
After taking a deep breath, he looked at Jiang Zhiming and said, "Please convey to Lord Shen that all one hundred ancient books will be delivered to the Liuyang Prefecture within ten days. Starting next month... on the fifth day of each month, I will bring the academy's teachers to give lectures. As for the details, I will write to Lord Shen to discuss them later. Is this... feasible?"
Jiang Zhiming hadn't expected Hou Yirui to be so agreeable. Just as he was about to nod in agreement, the rest of the students from Luming Academy erupted in protest: "Headmaster! That promise wasn't made by you, why should we agree?"
"Headmaster, a hundred ancient books are far too many; the entire academy's collection only numbers in the hundreds..."
"Please reconsider, Headmaster!"
"Please reconsider, Headmaster!"
The students of Luming Academy shouted in unison, and their words, "Please reconsider, Headmaster," were given the air of "Please reconsider, Your Majesty."
But Hou Yirui also thought it over carefully.
Upon reflection, he realized that although he hadn't made the promise voluntarily, Pei Zhaoqi had indeed asked, "Does Headmaster Hou dare to accept?" and he had indeed answered, "This old man accepts."
He thought it over again. Shen Zheng was currently enjoying great favor with the emperor. If Luming Academy offended Shen Zheng to death, it would be as difficult as climbing to heaven to develop in the capital in the future.
He thought it over carefully. Huai Shaoyong's actions today had already damaged the academy's reputation. If the academy didn't do something, it might be burdened with a long-term bad reputation.
After much deliberation, even though reading a hundred volumes of classic texts would severely damage the academy, he had no choice but to agree for the sake of the greater good.
He thought that today's mistake was by no means solely the fault of Huai Shaoyong.
He was wrong too.
His mistake was misjudging people and being swayed by biased opinions.
His mistake was being complacent and arrogant.
His mistake was acting rashly and impulsively.
His mistake was in improper education and putting the cart before the horse.
His mistake was that he didn't think things through and made a hasty promise.
His mistake was...
Ugh.
Hou Yirui sighed heavily and turned to face the students of the academy.
"There's no need to say anything more." He seemed a little tired and said in a low voice, "Huai Shaoyong spoke rudely first. Although I have severed all ties with him, I cannot escape blame. Now, I will offer a hundred volumes of classics and a year of lectures... as an apology from Luming Academy to Liuyang Prefecture."
Having said that, he didn't give the students a chance to speak and walked away from the crowd.
Even though the students of the academy were extremely unwilling, they dared not argue any further and could only follow after them with indignant expressions.
"Take care, Headmaster Hou!" Jiang Zhiming waved and called out, "By the way, Headmaster Hou! If you ever wish to come to Fuzhou to give lectures, just write to me and I will prepare the venue and wait for you as soon as I receive your letter!"
"..." Hou Yirui paused for a moment, then said without turning his head, "Next time for sure."
Jiang Zhiming chuckled and was about to turn back to the stage when he heard a gasp from the crowd.
He turned his head and saw that Huai Shaoyong had jumped down from the five-foot-high platform and was running straight toward him.
Seeing Huai Shaoyong's bloodshot eyes, Jiang Zhiming was startled. In an instant, countless old news stories about "failed scholars assassinating court officials" flashed through his mind.
Before he could finish his question, Huai Shaoyong swept past him like a gust of wind and headed straight for Hou Yirui, who was not far behind him.
Jiang Zhiming immediately understood.
Huai Shaoyong probably regrets betraying his master and wants to ask Hou Yirui for forgiveness.
Just as he was thinking this, gasps of surprise rose from the crowd, followed by Huai Shaoyong's hoarse and extremely vicious curse: "Go to hell!"
"!"
Jiang Zhiming turned pale and immediately turned around to look.
Before he could see anything clearly, he was hit hard by a heavy object and knocked to the ground.
"hiss--"
A dull ache shot through the back of Jiang Zhiming's head, pounding against his brain.
"Who kicked him! They kicked Huai Shaoyong into Lord Jiang!" The cries of alarm from the crowd came from near and far. "Quick! Quick, get a doctor! No, no, help Lord Jiang up first! Move him aside! Move Huai Shaoyong to the side!"
Immediately, chaos erupted at the scene.
Jiang Zhiming felt like an object, being moved around by others.
He wanted to open his eyes and speak, but every time he made the slightest movement, a strong feeling of nausea would surge up in his heart, forcing him to stop moving.
"Lord Jiang? Lord Jiang..." In the dim light, Jiang Zhiming seemed to hear Shen Zheng's voice.
Adhering to the principle of "I can ignore anyone else's words, but I must never let Lord Shen's words fall to the ground," Jiang Zhiming mustered all his strength and opened his eyes.
Seeing this, Shen Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand in front of Jiang Zhiming's eyes, "Lord Jiang, do you still recognize me?"
Jiang Zhiming was taken aback.
What is this nonsense?
He might not recognize anyone else, but he couldn't possibly not recognize Lord Shen!
But it was precisely this moment of hesitation that, in Shen Zheng's eyes, took on a different meaning.
Shen Zheng's expression changed drastically, and she turned to call out, "Quickly, urge the doctor! Lord Jiang has damaged his brain!"
"Hiss—" Exclamations of surprise came from all around. In no time, the news that "Lord Jiang has broken his brain" spread throughout the crowd.
"...I...I'm fine..." Jiang Zhiming lay on the ground, struggling to lift his finger and tug at Shen Zheng's hem. "Lord Shen, my reputation..."
Shen Zheng was overjoyed upon hearing this, and leaned forward again to block the sunlight.
"Lord Jiang, do you still recognize me?"
This time, Jiang Zhiming dared not hesitate and immediately replied, "You are Lord Shen, the Prefect of Liuyang, and I am Jiang Zhiming, the Prefect of Fuzhou. Today is the award ceremony for the second round of examinations in your Liuyang Prefecture. Just now, I was knocked to the ground by Huai Shaoyong and hit my head, but my brain is not damaged, really..."
Hearing Jiang Zhiming's fervent self-justification, Shen Zheng felt completely relieved. Just as she was about to speak, a series of curses came from the side.
"Let me go! Let me go! Hou Yirui, you old bastard! I've risked my life studying for the academy, but you've turned your back on me, willing to lose hundreds of ancient books rather than protect me! I curse you to die a horrible death, and I curse the reputation of Luming Academy to be ruined!"