Chapter 213: Unyielding Spirit
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Mr. Zhu was battling a relentless headache.
The youngest and most endearing Princess Sunshine, despite her tender age and sweet demeanor, was proving to be quite the challenge. Not because she was mischievous—quite the opposite—her candor was simply overwhelming.
It was a straightforward nuisance.
The school year kicked off with the traditional enlightenment ceremony.
Leading a procession of young students, Mr. Zhu guided them to bow thrice before the statue of Confucius, signaling their respect for the wisdom of their forthcoming mentors.
“Raise your hands and bow,” Mr. Zhu directed. “For the heavens and the earth, for the community, for the perpetuation of knowledge, and for eternal peace…”
Echoing Mr. Zhu, the children’s voices, tender yet resolute, filled the air, “For the heavens and the earth, for the community, for the perpetuation of knowledge, and for eternal peace.”
With the ceremony concluded, Lu Chao Chao, positioned at the front, sensed the gravity of the occasion, her expression growing earnest.
Prime Minister Yuan watched, nodding approvingly.
“Parents bring us into this world, but it is our teachers who mold us. First bow to the teacher…”
“Second bow to the teacher…”
“Third bow to the teacher…”
“Ceremony complete.”
A servant boy brought forth a heavy drum as Mr. Zhu announced, “Strike the drum to cleanse your thoughts.”
“The louder the sound, the broader your ambition, the firmer your resolve, the clearer your mind, and the keener your senses,” he explained.
Handing the drumstick to Lu Chao Chao, he cautioned, “Princess, given your remarkable feat of drawing the Radiant Sword, perhaps a gentler touch…”
Nodding, Lu Chao Chao took the drumstick and delivered a resounding bang.
One by one, the students followed, their expressions filled with determination.
The enlightenment continued with the application of red cinnabar. Prime Minister Yuan dipped a brush into the pigment, marking the center of Lu Chao Chao’s forehead.
“May your vision and heart be clear, and may you grasp knowledge instantaneously,” he intoned.
Each child now bore a similar mark.
By midday, the enlightenment ceremony wrapped up, and Mr. Zhu transitioned to teaching the Three Character Classic in the classroom.
“People at birth are inherently good. Their natures are similar, yet their habits diverge…” he lectured, breaking down the verses for the youngsters, who listened with partial comprehension.
Lu Chao Chao raised her tiny hand slowly, causing Mr. Zhu’s headache to throb anew.
“Princess Sunshine, you have a question?”
Sitting upright, her voice soft and infant-like, Lu Chao Chao addressed him, easing his tension slightly.
“Mr. Zhu…”
“Time for cookies…”
Her tiny hands rested on the table, and she looked up expectantly, her eyes twinkling.
Mr. Zhu grasped his chest theatrically.
“King Daddy wouldn’t fib, right?” She recalled the king’s promise of snacks during breaks.
Stifling a response, Mr. Zhu found himself besieged by eager eyes.
“Mr. Zhu, where are the snacks?”
Taking a deep breath, he commanded, “Bring out the prepared snacks.”
The laughter of the servant boy barely contained.
Delighting in her treat, Lu Chao Chao beamed. “King Daddy was truthful! The snacks here are yummy.”
She resolved to return the next day.
Lunch only heightened her joy.
“The school’s lunch is delectable!”
“Superior even to the palace’s fare…”
The academy catered to the children of the elite, who typically had servants deliver their meals. Yet today, all gathered in the dining hall.
Pointing at Lu Chao Chao, someone remarked, “Thanks to her, we have top chefs from the royal kitchen and beyond.”
Lu Chao Chao, engrossed in her meal, didn’t notice.
Yuan Man, the Prime Minister’s grandson, offered her vegetables. “Chao Chao, have more. Did my grandfather scold you today?”
She shook her head. “Your granddad wants me as his last disciple, some… some kind of final pupil.”
“Why can’t he shut the door himself? Why do I need to do it?” she mused aloud, her cheeks bulging with food.
Yuan Man nearly choked on laughter.
“He wants you as his last disciple? Chao Chao, that’s a big deal!”
“Being a final disciple isn’t about shutting doors,” he clarified, his face alight with excitement.
The dining hall fell quiet at the mention of a final disciple.
“Has Prime Minister Yuan lost his senses?”
“Though she’s a princess, appointing a two-year-old as a final disciple is preposterous!”
“Fear of influence must be driving him mad!”
“Is there anyone less qualified than a toddler?” a young boy challenged, gesturing at Lu Chao Chao.
A hush fell over the room.
Lu Chao Chao, unfazed, continued to savor her chicken leg, her face smeared with oil.
“Whoever wants the spot can have it. I don’t mind,” she declared softly.
“How can she qualify as the Prime Minister’s final disciple just because she’s Princess Sunshine?” the young boy protested, tears welling up.
“If it were Lu Yan Shu, maybe. But she’s only two! She probably can’t even write her name or recite the Three Character Classic. Are you all really okay with this?” His words stirred the crowd’s discontent.
When the Prime Minister first announced he would select a final disciple, every student had aspired to the honor.
The young boy’s elder brother had performed nearly as well as Lu Yan Shu in recent exams; Lu Yan Shu had topped the list, with his brother close behind.
No one had expected the position to go to a toddler.
Unnoticed, Lu Yan Shu entered the dining hall.
“I am not as deserving as Chao Chao. If you disagree, challenge her.” His serene demeanor and green robe contrasted sharply with his confident smile at Lu Chao Chao.
“Big brother! Aren’t you meant to be studying?” she exclaimed, jumping into his arms, chicken leg still in hand.
“The exam is in three days. I just wanted to check if you were skipping class,” Lu Yan Shu eyed her sternly.
[If not for the delicious snacks, I’d have fled by now.]
[And the lunch is too good…]
[I don’t want to study, but I crave the snacks and lunch here…]
Clearly, the king had pinpointed her weakness.
Lu Chao Chao continually reminded Mr. Zhu about the snack times.
The students, now noticing Lu Yan Shu, stood and greeted him awkwardly, “Brother Lu…”
“Brother Lu, you have three days until the royal exam. We wish you the best of success!” They bowed respectfully.
Everyone recognized Lu Yan Shu’s brilliance. Despite being bedridden for ten years without books, he had excelled in his studies.
At just eight years old, his capabilities were evident.
“Brother Lu, a competition?”
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Us, against a two-year-old Princess Sunshine?” They gestured between themselves and Lu Chao Chao.
“Isn’t that a bit unfair?” Their dissatisfaction was evident, yet they shied away from outright dishonor.
Prime Minister Yuan, standing at the doorway, wore a serene expression.
“Compete!”
“I expect you to lose convincingly!”
He didn’t intend to dampen his students’ spirits, but they had pressed the issue.
He saw this as a chance to temper their arrogance.
“Summon the director and deans to judge!”