Chapter 124: Misunderstanding

"Feed, wake up!"

"Chen Ji, wake up!"

Chen Ji's shoulder was heavily patted by someone. In his dream, he subconsciously turned his body and grabbed that hand, pinning the opponent's right hand behind their back.

The person being captured cried out in pain: "It hurts, quickly let go!"

Chen Ji suddenly awoke. This wasn't the inner prison, nor the sea of fire beside the peony bridge, nor that extremely dangerous city gate cave.

He was breathing in the thick scent of books and the smell of pine incense and ink from Zhixing Academy.

Here there were only rows of bookshelves, no swords or killing intent.

Chen Ji hurriedly let go. When he looked closely, he was startled to discover that the one he had just captured was Zhang Xia, dressed in fiery red.

Bad!

How did he capture this one?

Zhang Xia rubbed her wrist and frowned, saying: "What kind of habit is this? It's fine to sleep standing up, but you hit people after waking up?"

Chen Ji explained: "Sorry, sorry, I was groggy from sleeping. I was having a nightmare about being chased and killed, and when I was woken up with a pat, I subconsciously wanted to resist."

Zhang Xia sized up Chen Ji suspiciously.

She recalled the scene just now, only feeling that the other party's speed was extremely fast. She hadn't reacted at all before her right hand was captured and she couldn't move.

Chen Ji politely and courteously asked: "Second Miss Zhang, how about you follow me back to Taiping Medical Hall later? I'll ask my master to prescribe some medicine for falls and injuries to apply."

However, Zhang Xia waved her small hand: "No need, I'm not that delicate."

Chen Ji asked again: "Second Miss Zhang, why did you call out to me just now?"

Zhang Xia said directly: "Earlier I misunderstood my father's words and thought we were engaged in medicine. I impulsively ran over and said some inexplicable things to you. I just found out you originally wanted to apologize to you, but you twisted my arm today, so we can consider it even."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Apologize?"

Zhang Xia hummed: "If you want me to apologize, it's fine for me to apologize."

Chen Ji sized up Zhang Xia. Her pair of phoenix eyes were like two willow leaf knives, neat to the point of being unbelievable.

He thought for a moment and said: "It was just a misunderstanding earlier, no need to apologize to me. It's good that we've cleared things up. I wish Second Miss Zhang finds a good match."

Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji: "You weren't angry earlier, were you?"

Chen Ji was unwilling to get further entangled: "Not angry, let's just let this matter pass."

"Okay!"

Zhang Xia saw that this matter was resolved and then said: "Why were you late today? Why do you look like you haven't slept all night?"

Chen Ji didn't speak.

Zhang Xia changed the subject: "I heard my father say you're arguing with Senior Chen and unwilling to return to the Chen family. But you have the ambition to establish your own household, and now you also have the opportunity to study under Mister Wang. You should cherish it properly, why are you still abandoning yourself?"

Chen Ji said seriously: "I do have important matters to attend to. Being late was not my intention."

Zhang Xia was puzzled: "What matters?"

"Sorry, I can't say."

Zhang Xia said solemnly: "Today is the first day of enrollment. Even if you have matters as big as the sky, you should postpone them a bit. This is not only being responsible for your own future, but also showing respect for Mister Wang. Mister Wang is virtuous and prestigious; it's not easy for ordinary scholars to meet him even once. I hope you can correct your attitude and study under him properly."

Chen Ji said lightly: "It is indeed wrong to be late on the first day of enrollment. I will apologize to Mister Wang in person later."

Zhang Xia looked at the red blood threads in his eyes and said suspiciously: "You didn't really go to the gambling house like the rumors on the street, did you?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "Let Second Miss Zhang think whatever she wants."

As soon as the words fell, they heard a voice from the side: "If he didn't go gambling, how could he be late?"

Chen Ji looked over and saw Chen Wen Zong and Chen Wen Xiao walking out side by side. Chen Wen Xiao continued mockingly: "Zhang Xia, he definitely went gambling last night. You must be careful, in case Senior Zhang really wants to marry you to..."

Zhang Xia suddenly interrupted Chen Wen Xiao: "How can you be so arbitrary without evidence? Who I marry or don't marry, what does it have to do with you?"

Chen Wen Xiao was stunned.

Zhang Xia said disdainfully: "Even if I were really engaged to him, that would be between him and me. I can say he's capable, but you can't say he's not. Don't think I don't know how you got that Autumn Wei Jing Kui. I asked my father to copy your essays. Chen Wen Zong and Lin Chao Jing truly deserve it, but the 'Cure Country Policy' you wrote is complete nonsense. I don't know what you learned in those three years at Donglin Academy?"

Chen Wen Xiao's face instantly turned red, "You, how can you be so ungrateful? I was just helping you speak."

"I still need you to help me speak?"

Zhang Xia laughed coldly: "I heard you've been attending banquets everywhere recently, accepting congratulations from others. I advise you to just stay at home honestly, lest you make others laugh their heads off when discussing essays with them."

Chen Ji was also stunned. This Second Miss Zhang had a sharp tongue.

She wasn't targeting him, but rather looked down on everyone who was ignorant.

At this moment, Princess Baili and the Crown Prince had just bid farewell to Wang Dao Sheng and walked into the front hall, when they saw Zhang Xia saying something aggressively.

Baili stepped forward and stood in front of Chen Ji, raising her thin eyebrows and saying: "Zhang Xia, what do you want to do again?"

Zhang Xia looked at Baili, then at Chen Ji, and let out a light "eh".

Before she could speak, a carriage stopped at the door.

Zhang Zhuo lifted the curtain, poked out his body and greeted the people in the front hall: "You're all here."

The Crown Prince, Baili, Chen Wen Zong, and others all cupped their hands and bowed: "Senior Zhang."

Zhang Xia came to the door and asked curiously: "Father, why did you come?"

Zhang Zhuo laughed happily: "Just passing by, came to pick you up."

Zhang Xia frowned: "I'm not a child anymore. You don't need to pick me up. If others see, they'll think I'm spoiled."

"It's on the way, father picking up daughter is natural. Others won't say anything."

Zhang Zhuo jumped down from the carriage, walked past Zhang Xia, and pulled Chen Ji aside.

The crowd in the front hall looked at each other. Zhang Xia looked at her father's absent-minded back and suddenly felt that he hadn't come to pick her up, but had found an excuse to come find Chen Ji.

Behind a bookshelf, Zhang Zhuo lowered his voice and asked: "Do I need to explain a thing or two to Wang Dao Sheng?"

Chen Ji looked at Zhang Zhuo with a strange expression: "When did Senior Zhang discover my identity?"

Zhang Zhuo proudly stroked his beard: "This official has a photographic memory and can recognize a person merely by the sound of their footsteps."

Chen Ji sighed inwardly and cupped his hands: "I still hope Senior Zhang can keep it a secret."

Zhang Zhuo laughed: "Rest assured, rest assured."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhuo's expression darkened, "It's just a pity you didn't take the proper imperial examination path. Otherwise, after the palace examination next year, you could come to assist me and make me like a tiger with wings. Now that you've entered the Directorate of Ceremonial, once a eunuch party, always a eunuch party. Those civil officials will never accept you."

"Many thanks for Senior Zhang's good intentions, it's no problem."

Zhang Zhuo asked: "The matter of you being late today, do I need to go and explain to Wang Dao Sheng?"

"No need!"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I'll go apologize to Mister Wang myself. Senior Zhang, don't stay here either, it's easy to arouse suspicion."

"Okay!"

Zhang Zhuo turned and walked out, leading Zhang Xia by the wrist into the carriage.

In the carriage, Zhang Xia sized up her father, "You didn't come to pick me up, did you? You clearly came specifically to find Chen Ji."

Zhang Zhuo thought for a moment and explained: "Yesterday you acted rashly, running over and saying a bunch of messy things to that Chen Ji. I should apologize to him myself."

Zhang Xia hurriedly said: "Father, rest assured, I've already made it clear to him. We have no engagement. But this Chen Ji is also very muddled. He was late on the first day of enrollment. No wonder everyone says he's rotten mud that can't support a wall."

Zhang Zhuo was speechless for a moment.

He gently lifted the curtain, looking at Chen Ji standing at the academy door, preparing to see the carriage off.

This young man clearly made great contributions last night, saving thousands of households in front of the West City Gate, yet he couldn't speak to the people around him.

Zhang Zhuo gently sighed: "The taste of being misunderstood is probably not good."

Zhang Xia said strangely: "Father, what are you saying?"

Zhang Zhuo put down the curtain and said casually: "Daughter, when looking at people, don't listen to what others say. You must understand them yourself."

Zhang Xia said: "Never mind him. Anyway, later I and he will be like well water not offending river water. What kind of person he is doesn't concern me."

Saying that, she actually jumped out of the carriage and shouted: "Zao Er!"

The next moment, a date-red steed galloped out from the small alley.

Zao Er passed by Zhang Xia's side, its hooves not stopping. The girl quickly and skillfully grabbed the saddle, lightly leaped, and mounted the horse's back: "Father, go home yourself. Absolutely don't come to pick me up later!"

Zhang Zhuo sat in the carriage, looking at the girl urging her horse into the distance, and sighed softly: "Daughter, you spoke too soon."

In the front hall of Zhixing Academy.

Chen Wen Zong and Chen Wen Xiao had already boarded the carriage and left.

Baili gently pulled Chen Ji's sleeve: "I asked my mother a bit yesterday. That Zhang Xia is just a lawless mad girl. You must not take her words to heart. In her early years, she audited at the capital's Guozijian and angered several doctors there. But Xu Ge Lao dotes on her, and the deputy supervisor of the Qintianjian, Xu Shu, also pampers her. No one can do anything to her."

Chen Ji smiled: "It's fine, County Princess and Crown Prince, please return to the prince's mansion for now. I still need to apologize to Mister Wang in person."

The Crown Prince shrank his neck: "Then you must be a little careful. Mister Wang is very strict, and we can't help you either."

Saying that, the Crown Prince pulled Baili and walked out.

Baili frowned: "Brother, don't pull me! We should also go and beg for mercy for Chen Ji."

The Crown Prince lowered his voice: "What are we two going to do? Go and get scolded together? Mister Wang has disliked me for a long time."

Chen Ji listened to the gradually fading voices, straightened his clothes, lifted his foot, and stepped into the backyard.

The backyard was clean and tidy. A plum tree was planted in the southwest corner. At this time, flower buds had already formed, ready to bloom.

That Mister Wang, wearing a blue Confucian robe, held a classic book, with a white paper flower pinned to his chest, just standing under the plum tree in a daze.

Chen Ji stood still from a distance, cupped his hands, and bowed: "Mister, I was late last night because of matters..."

Wang Dao Sheng didn't even turn his head, just looking at the plum blossom and calmly asked: "Are they very important matters?"

Chen Ji said seriously: "Yes."

Wang Dao Sheng said indifferently: "Do you think it's more important to enroll on time today, or to do these matters?"

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment: "Doing these matters is more important."

Wang Dao Sheng said calmly: "That's enough."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Mister?"

Wang Dao Sheng's gaze slowly swept over: "My Zhixing Academy cannot provide an official future, it can only teach some ways of being a person. But principles as vast as the sky cannot withstand the original intention. If the original intention is without blemish, it's fine to follow the original intention."

Chen Ji cupped his hands and bowed again: "Understood."

Wang Dao Sheng walked towards the main room. Before entering, he changed the subject: "But you must remember, breaking the rules must be punished. The rules of the world are like this, and the rules of my Zhixing Academy are also like this. The next time you are late again, you will be waiting for punishment."

"Understood!"

Chen Ji looked at the already empty courtyard, then at the plum tree. He felt that this Wang Dao Sheng was a bit strange, different from Zhang Zhuo, and also different from Chen Li Qin.

He was like a heretical scholar, only teaching his own principles.

Chen Ji took a deep breath, turned, and walked out.

But he was stunned as soon as he went out. He saw Jin Zhu wearing a bamboo hat and squatting on the opposite street, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the breakfast shop next door.

In the oil pot in front of the shop, there were vegetable corners and fried dough sticks tumbling.

Chen Ji looked left and right at Anxi Street, then quickly came to Jin Zhu's front: "Senior Jin Zhu, we only separated a few hours ago, no need to miss me so much."

Jin Zhu heard the sound and suddenly lifted his head, his eyes bursting with bright light: "You think I want to keep coming to find you? It's that your cultivation path was sent to Luocheng early. Strange, strange, the letter requesting merit for you should have just arrived in the capital, how did the cultivation path get sent over so early?!"