Chapter 102: Ignorance

The blank sheet of paper spread out before her, the brush poised in hand, Jiao Na lifted her head proudly, adopting a stance that clearly said, “Bring it on.” She was evidently confident, well-prepared, and fully ready for the task ahead.

Chen Jianchen habitually held a ruler in one hand, the other clasped behind his back as he paced the study. With each step, he would pronounce a new character, and on the other side, Jiao Na quickly raised her brush and transcribed it onto the paper.

One character read, one character written. The pace was brisk. Before long, all thirty characters taught yesterday had been called out, and Jiao Na had written them all, filling three full sheets of paper.

Chen Jianchen took the papers and glanced over them, unable to suppress a quiet chuckle.

Jiao Na frowned, indignant. “What are you laughing at?”

Chen Jianchen’s face turned stern. “You should address me as ‘Teacher!’ In the classroom, the teacher must maintain sufficient dignity to command respect. In this regard, even if Jiao Na had a dozen clones, none could rival me.”

Jiao Na silently vowed patience. “Teacher, what are you laughing at?”

Pointing at the characters with his ruler, Chen Jianchen said, “Miss Huangfu, your characters are nearly all correct.”

Immediately, Jiao Na straightened her back, pride swelling in her chest. “Of course! I spent an entire hour last night practicing diligently by candlelight.”

Chen Jianchen’s tone shifted. “The characters themselves are not incorrect, but the sizes vary wildly; the strokes are crooked and twisted—there is no proper form.”

...The characters Jiao Na penned on the paper were almost as unsightly as when young Yi had scribbled with his claws. The strokes were loose, the structure collapsed; without close inspection, one could barely recognize the shapes as characters.

Jiao Na pouted. “As long as I write them correctly, who cares if they look ugly or not?”

Chen Jianchen smiled knowingly. “Handwriting reflects the person. There is a vast difference between ugly and beautiful. It’s like clothing: if you only want to cover your body to avoid shame, why bother with stylish garments? A simple piece of cloth would suffice.”

Jiao Na’s eyes widened. “I can’t argue with you…”

Seizing the moment, Chen Jianchen pressed on, “Do you know why you can’t argue with me?”

Jiao Na was speechless... Usually sharp-tongued, she inexplicably found herself at a loss in front of Chen Jianchen, with many thoughts difficult to voice.

Chen Jianchen said calmly, “Because I hold the greatest justice in all heaven and earth.”

Jiao Na remained unconvinced and thought bitterly: Heaven and earth may be vast, but fists speak louder... If it were anyone else, a single punch from me, Miss Huangfu, would smash your mouth, where all your splendid words come from. Then let’s see how you’d preach your nonsense.

“Huangfu, grind the ink!”

At the command, Jiao Na stiffened her neck. “Teacher, are you deliberately making me do this?”

“Not at all. A student grinding ink for the teacher is the most normal show of respect for one’s master,” Chen Jianchen replied.

His orders for Jiao Na to do various tasks were meant to grind down her rebellious edges, to temper her temper, and to prevent rebellion for rebellion’s sake.

Still reluctant, Jiao Na was intimidated by a glare from Chen Jianchen. Feeling guilty, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing wrists as white and smooth as jade, and grabbed the ink stick, pressing it vigorously against the inkstone.

Splash!

Her force was excessive, and ink splattered onto her face unexpectedly, forming tiny black plum blossom-like dots in a comical pattern.

Chen Jianchen shook his head, disappointed. “Enough. You are not grinding ink; you are beating it. Do you have a grudge against the ink stick? Hmm, today you have an extra task: learn to grind ink properly. Xiang’er should know how; you will learn from her and show me tomorrow. Don’t look at me like that. As Confucius said: ‘Among three people walking, there is always a teacher for me.’ Though Xiang’er is a servant, she has virtues to learn from.”

He paused, then spoke seriously, “Miss Huangfu, I want you to learn how to grind ink not just to learn the skill itself, but to cultivate a proper attitude toward learning. Do you understand?”

“No!” Jiao Na suddenly flung the ink stick down, emotions boiling over, and stormed out of the study.

“Miss Huangfu! Miss Huangfu!” Xiao Ju stomped her foot, shot a glare at Chen Jianchen, and quickly followed after her.

Chen Jianchen muttered, “Even after a hundred years of cultivation, without proper guidance, one’s nature is hard to change, like a stubborn child learning repentance... Letting it out is better; bottling it up is never good...”

Compared to Ying Ning, also a fox spirit, Jiao Na’s origins were far more noble—her cultivation surpassed by a full rank—but their spirits were worlds apart. Ying Ning was knowledgeable and well-mannered, displaying remarkable aptitude and ambition; Jiao Na was willful, fiery, impulsive, governed by primal instincts that dictated her every action.

The contrast was clear and stark.

With the student gone, the lesson naturally could not continue. Chen Jianchen felt no regret. The way of a teacher lies in balance: strictness when needed, leniency when appropriate. Success comes when the student comes to understand on their own; if not, more discipline is necessary.

Chen Jianchen always believed time was on his side.

Free from teaching duties, he happily left Hu Manor to explore the surroundings and observe the terrain.

Nestled by the mountains and waters, willow groves stood before the manor, its location superb and imposing. It was clear that Master Huangfu had invested great effort to establish such a grand estate... Though he was a fox spirit who had achieved enlightenment, he adhered strictly to the Daoist temple’s principles, never stooping to thievery or banditry to accumulate wealth.

Such actions would sully his Daoist heart with the lust for gold and silver, a small gain that would cost dearly in spirit.

The Daoist heart was like a levee, painstakingly built and hard to maintain; even the smallest flaw, once exposed, could lead to disastrous consequences, like a thousand-mile dam ruined by an ant’s nest.

The manor employed over a dozen servants, all mortals from the local Suzhou populace. Upon seeing Chen Jianchen emerge, they greeted him respectfully, clearly under Master Huangfu’s orders to treat guests with utmost courtesy.

The thought was somewhat absurd: two enlightened fox spirits, father and daughter, living incognito in the countryside for many years without being discovered, without stir from any cultivators. They had mastered the art of hiding in the wilderness and lived contentedly. If the truth ever came to light, what upheaval would it cause?

Chen Jianchen’s mind turned to the current state of the imperial court. Though the surface seemed peaceful, signs of collapse were evident: rampant corruption, countless tyrants and bullies, even the Black-Clad Guards—considered the nation’s backbone—had become arrogant and abusive, trampling on justice and human life. The emperor, uncharacteristically, was promoting Buddhism into the Central Plains to rival Daoism, inevitably sparking endless conflict between the two sects.

In short: a storm was brewing, and the winds howled through every hall.

Chaos was imminent.

In such troubled times, where would one turn?

Looking up, Chen Jianchen gazed across the endless green mountains. Amid these mountains, sharp winds and piercing rains concealed countless dangers, many of which even he did not fully understand.