Chapter 215: Provoking the Senior Brothers
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
The First Prince’s voice echoed through the room, thick with disbelief. “What did you just say?!”
Lu Chao Chao, her tiny finger poking at her ear, replied with an innocent tone, “Is your brain not working well? And your ears too? I was just repeating what you taught me.”
Her speech, resembling that of a child, was clear. “The Three Character Classic, big brother taught me. The Analects, you taught me. When you recited it, I remembered it.”
Chao Chao looked around with wide, curious eyes, leaving everyone speechless. “Isn’t it something you can understand just by listening?” she asked, her voice filled with genuine wonder.
The room fell into shocked silence.
“You learned it on the spot?!” exclaimed a voice, sharp as if choked by disbelief.
“Yes, I learned and memorized it right here. Isn’t that how you do it?” Chao Chao’s surprise was evident. “Why wouldn’t you do it that way? Is it because you don’t like it?” Her head tilted, puzzled as she surveyed the room.
The First Prince clutched his chest, staggering back. Why? Why did she have to hit him so hard?
A scholar nearby, nearly in tears, muttered, “Is it that we don’t want to? That’s what we dream of!”
Chao Chao scratched her head, confused. “She… she has a photographic memory?” the First Prince managed, his voice laced with disbelief and awe. “The legendary photographic memory, is it real?”
Prime Minister Yuan nodded slowly. “Chao Chao was born with a photographic memory. If you don’t believe it, you can test her with any random book.”
Everyone’s gaze fixed on her in amazement. A two-year-old prodigy stood among them, outshining even Lu Yan Shu!
Teacher Zhu, more eager than anyone, dashed to the library and came back with a Buddhist scripture. “Chao Chao, how about you remember this Sutra as I recite it?” he proposed, full of enthusiasm.
Chao Chao nodded, “Although it’s a bit boring… Fine, I’ll do it for you all.” She consented generously, noticing the senior brothers nearly in tears.
Teacher Zhu started reciting rapidly, aiming to challenge her. Everyone concentrated hard, but as he sped up, they struggled to keep up.
When Teacher Zhu concluded, the scholars were still trying to grasp the verses.
“I only remembered about ten sentences… just over a hundred words.”
“I barely remembered three or four hundred words…”
“Shamefully, I only remembered nine sentences…”
Someone turned to Lu Yan Shu, “Brother Lu, how much did you remember?”
“About a third,” he replied calmly, unruffled.
Then Chao Chao spoke up again. Without missing a beat, she recited the entire Diamond Sutra, displaying her extraordinary ability.
“The Diamond Sutra has five thousand words. She only needs to hear it once. She only needs to hear it once!!” a scholar exclaimed, tearing at the book in his hands in frustration.
“Five thousand words, only needs one hearing!!”
“We’ve studied for ten years, yet we can’t match a two-year-old. Her talent surpasses all of ours.”
“What’s the point of trying so hard?! What’s the point?!” The scholar both laughed and cried, utterly defeated.
“We’ve spent years studying the Four Books and Five Classics. How many years? Yet we can’t recite them completely, but she? She only needs to hear them once to imprint them in her mind. The heavens are truly unjust,” their spirits shattered.
The scholar left the academy in tears.
“He has average talent and comes from a modest background. He climbed to the top through sheer effort. But faced with such natural talent, he’s always found it tough.”
“Last month’s exam dropped him from the top tier to the second. His confidence was already fragile,” Lu Yan Shu explained to Chao Chao.
Chao Chao rested on her brother’s shoulder. “Big brother, I think I made the senior brothers cry…”
Indeed, many of the senior brothers present were visibly emotional.
“I began studying at three, handling a pen before I could properly hold chopsticks. I thought diligence could compensate for lack of talent. I was mistaken.”
The mood was somber. Chao Chao’s exceptional talent overshadowed everyone.
Prime Minister Yuan raised an eyebrow. “I took Chao Chao as my last disciple not to shield her, but to protect your fragile egos.”
The scholars bowed their heads, their pride crushed by a toddler.
“There are always stronger people out there. Never underestimate your opponents! Even if they appear innocent and harmless, they might overwhelm you,” Prime Minister Yuan advised gravely.
“Losing to Chao Chao is merely a blow to your pride.”
“But in the real world, losing to your rivals can be catastrophic.” His warning was stern.
Their underestimation of Chao Chao had sealed their defeat.
Lu Yan Shu, indifferent to his classmates’ feelings, carried Chao Chao out of the academy, with Lu Yuan Xiao cheerily tagging along.
“At least I’m not the only target now.”
“Big brother, if I memorize all the articles, can I stop going to school?” Chao Chao schemed internally.
“Chao Chao, memorizing the texts is just the beginning. You also need to grasp their meanings…”
“I get it, I get it, I get it all. Test me, big brother!” Chao Chao insisted.
“What does ‘fields intersect and paths interconnect, chickens and dogs hear each other’ mean?”
Chao Chao pondered briefly, “It’s from ‘Peach Blossom Spring’. It means chickens and dogs can smell each other, right?” She looked up eagerly.
Lu Yan Shu paused. “Never mind, you should keep studying. Don’t waste your talent.” After all, she was still young and only grasped the literal meaning.
Chao Chao felt a twinge of disappointment.
Their carriage hadn’t yet reached home when a servant halted them.
“Hurry, hurry, to the Xu family. The old lady suddenly fell ill and can’t get up.”
“Come quickly to the Xu family. Grandmother is seriously ill!” Lady Xu’s voice quivered, her eyes teary as she fastened her cloak while leaning on Deng Zhi for support.
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“The royal physician is already on his way, but the outcome is uncertain.”
“How could this happen? She was fine when we left!” Lu Yuan Xiao exclaimed in shock.
[During Lu Jing Yao’s full moon banquet, the Xu family was implicated and imprisoned. Ultimately, Uncle Xu bore the blame and was executed. The shock was too much for Grandmother, and she passed away in prison.]
[I often used elixirs and longevity charms to aid Grandmother’s health. She was supposed to live a few more years. Why did she suddenly fall so ill?]
Lady Xu clenched her teeth. “Lu Yuan Ze! What madness possessed him to suddenly demand to see the old lady?”
“He made Mother faint from anger.”
“Let’s go see Grandmother first.” They climbed into the carriage and headed for the Xu family.
As they approached the Xu family’s gate, Chao Chao felt a chill.
[Oh no, there’s an aura of death at the door. Grandmother might be in grave danger…] The gravity of the situation weighed on everyone’s hearts.
The carriage barely stopped before Lu Yan Shu, usually so composed, leapt out and confronted Lu Yuan Ze, who was kneeling at the gate.
“What are you doing here? Haven’t you caused enough harm to Mother? Isn’t that enough for you?”
Bam! He punched Lu Yuan Ze squarely in the nose. Bright red blood dripped onto the snow.