NOVPUB"Because, Master, you are stronger than him," Lu Xun pointed at Zhuge Liang and said.
"..." Chen Xi looked at the sky speechlessly; that reason was indeed very pragmatic, but that’s probably fitting for Lu Xun’s situation. This guy is a true realist.
Zhuge Liang couldn’t help but sigh. Oh, what a bear child he thought, suddenly feeling somewhat childish himself.
"That’s a good reason," Chen Xi said, patting Lu Xun on the shoulder. "Let me tell you first what I know: astronomy, geography, Mystical Tactics, Yin and Yang, Military Momentum, Formation, rewards and punishments, drum and banner signals, camping..."
Chen Xi went on and on, and Lu Xun’s eyes grew brighter, while Zhuge Liang involuntarily turned his head to look at the horizon, already knowing what Chen Xi was about to say. Last time, he was ecstatic listening, only to end up gasping for air, almost choking Zhuge Liang to death.
"I basically don’t know any of these..." Chen Xi said with a dry laugh.
"..." Lu Xun instantly froze, his face twitching uncontrollably.
"Sigh~" Zhuge Liang sighed to the side, "All those are trivial matters. Zichuan is not ignorant of them, he simply can’t be bothered to explain them. Just think about his military and political achievements to understand," Zhuge Liang offered comfortingly.
"Then, what should I learn from you?" Lu Xun asked calmly as possible, clearly startled by Chen Xi’s unreliability. In this era that revered teachers, a master’s status was highly esteemed, and a master also needed to maintain a certain demeanor in front of his disciple. Clearly, Chen Xi’s previous behavior was not in line with that status.
"First, go ask your father and grandfather if they approve of your apprenticeship to me," Chen Xi patted Lu Xun, indicating that apprenticeship in this era was not to be taken lightly and required parental approval.
"I approve," Lul Jun said smilingly, "As for the apprenticeship feast, that won’t be lacking once the Lul family has settled properly."
"In that case, Lu Xun, are you willing to take me as your master?" Chen Xi’s playful expression disappeared as he put on a serious face; in this era, one had to fit the roles dictated by the times.
"Disciple Lu Xun pays respect to Master," Lu Xun kneeled on the deck, giving Chen Xi three respectful bows.
"Later, I’ll think about what to teach you. After all, there are many things I haven’t studied properly; they are all just an overview. You’ll need to understand them on your own," Chen Xi mused aloud, while Zhuge Liang kept nodding. Chen Xi’s teachings, in his view, were frameworks in need of filling.
"I will teach you well, and Kongming, help take care of him too," Chen Xi said with a yawn. "Didn’t you swindle a good number of books from Cai Zhaoji? You can impart those to Boyan as well; those books are quite excellent."
Speaking of which, the more Chen Xi learned about Cai Zhaoji’s father, the more he realised that Cai Yong was a character. How he had collected so many books, Chen Xi still didn’t understand, but he was sure those books could easily produce a Renowned General, a Great Confucian Scholar, or even an emperor—as long as they were well taught...
"Hmm, Great Scholar Cai has also been silently writing down books he’s seen before. Actually, I’m quite puzzled about you and Great Scholar Cai—one theoretically shouldn’t know so much, and the other theoretically shouldn’t remember so much." Zhuge Liang nodded, then added a sentence that had always baffled him.
"This probably boils down to a matter of talent," Chen Xi mused after a long thought. But then again, it made sense; his extensive knowledge was due to an accumulation of two thousand years’ worth of learning, where experience trumped wisdom. As for Cai Zhaoji, her case was clearly unscientific. She’s only nineteen, and according to her, she had read and memorized every book in the Eastern Pavilion, effectively becoming a walking library.
Zhuge Liang frowned in dissatisfaction but said nothing; after all, if Cai Wenji had been born a man, she might well have become a Great Confucian Scholar.
"Boyan, you should start by reading books with Kongming. He always carries a number of them with him. First, finish those, and if you don’t understand something, ask him. He will explain it to you," Chen Xi said as he turned to Lu Xun, still not fully accustomed to his sudden change in status. He was determined not to let such a promising seedling be led astray.
"Okay~" Lu Xun glanced at Chen Xi, then at Zhuge Liang, and finally dragged out his reply. His tone revealed some dissatisfaction with Chen Xi’s arrangement, but he obediently complied due to the respect for his teacher.
"What if I have questions he can’t answer?" Lu Xun put on an innocently cute expression and looked earnestly at Chen Xi, having been struck down by Zhuge Liang’s criticism before. The child’s temperament made him somewhat reluctant to interact with Zhuge Liang.
"Generally speaking, as long as you don’t ask questions that are nonsensical, he can basically answer them. Even if he can’t, he will come up with a solution. Apart from experience, Kongming is now formidable enough to stand up to anyone in the world," Chen Xi explained after considering Zhuge Liang’s capabilities. As long as Lu Xun didn’t ask purely troublesome questions like how many stars there were in the sky, Zhuge Liang would have his own insights even if he couldn’t give a direct answer.
"Really?" Lu Xun’s face showed disbelief, and he involuntarily turned his head to glance at the composed Zhuge Liang, becoming somewhat convinced.
"Yes, just follow him. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask him. He will explain it to you, and he won’t get emotional. He won’t simply tell you the answer; he’ll give you hints and let you come to the conclusion yourself," Chen Xi turned his head to look at Zhuge Liang. His words caused Zhuge Liang to frown slightly. This would be much more difficult than just giving answers, but he said nothing.
"..." The more Lu Xun listened, the more disheartened he felt. Could the gap between them be that great? Zhuge Liang was only two years older than him; how could he be so much more advanced? This was utterly nonsensical.
"No problem," Zhuge Liang finally spoke after some thought. In his view, this was merely a test from Chen Xi.
"That settles it then. First, see what he’s interested in," Chen Xi advised, then turned around to think about what he could teach Lu Xun. After all, the other party was a renowned person, and as a mentor, it would be rather embarrassing not to offer substantial knowledge. At the very least, as a mentor with an ’alt account,’ he ought to take good care of his pupil. It would be a pity if his own ward turned out worse than their historically wild counterpart, especially considering Lu Xun’s rather average upbringing.
"Alright." Zhuge Liang’s expression remained nearly unchanged, still the embodiment of indifference and isolation. It seemed as if guiding Lu Xun was of no challenge to him.
Lu Xun’s mood soured further upon realizing that. Zhuge Liang had accepted the task with such detachment. Chen Xi was talking about teaching Lu Xun the subjects he was most skilled at and interested in, and Zhuge Liang had so indifferently agreed.
[Zhuge Kongming, if I don’t give you a hard time, then my name isn’t Lu Xun. I refuse to believe that what I’m most skilled at, you also excel in; what knowledge I favor most, you also master. I simply can’t believe it. You truly can’t be stronger than me in everything.] Lu Xun thought to himself, resolved to try every aspect and see who was superior between him and Zhuge Liang. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)
