Great Tang Idyll

Book 2: Chapter 42

Volume 02 Chapter 42: How Many Degrees of Respect And Ridicule

"Oh, Mister Li is talking about Teacher Zhang?" Housekeeper Zhang said while trying to recall who this person was.

"Exactly, exactly." Li Cheng replied.

"I wonder what he looks like? Mister Li must not know, but in the past few days, so many things were going on in the residence. There is a new teacher who has applied for the job, but he hasn't come here yet. Sigh~! Being a housekeeper is difficult..."

"Yes, yes, what Housekeeper Zhang had said is correct. It is difficult, extremely difficult. However, it seems that Teacher Zhang has been at your great residence for a long time already? " Li Cheng interrupted Housekeeper Zhang's rant and went directly to the main topic.

"A long time? There was never a person like that before. Did Mister Li remember incorrectly?" Housekeeper Zhang was still unable to recall who this Teacher Zhang was.

Li Cheng shook his head promptly, and spoke with confidence, "It's correct. I saw him yesterday. He went to the pond to pick lotus root and he gave me a lotus root. He taught me about how broken lotus roots are still connected by threads."

"Oh~! Right, right. Broken lotus roots are still connected by threads. Yes yes yes, I heard something like that before. I heard others say that otus root can't be snapped; you need to cut it with a knife and it's a lot of work to prep it. Is it possible that you're looking for a chef at my residence?"

Housekeeper Zhang went along with Li Cheng's words because he didn't know how to reply to him anymore. He just followed along with whatever Li Cheng said.

"Housekeeper Zhang, his name is Da'ya. He isn't a chef, he's Teacher Zhang." Li Cheng was upset. He thought that Housekeeper Zhang was a bit too straightforward but now he took that thought back. If he wasn't more direct about his questions, he would never get any answers.

Housekeeper Zhang was taken aback. He blinked twice, and stared at Li Cheng and asked, "You're talking about Da'ya?"

"No, no, no, um, that...Mister Li, have a taste of this tea, I will return shortly." Housekeeper Zhang understood now. Li Cheng had mistaken Da'ya to be Teacher Zhang and made some broken lotus roots that were still connected by threads, which sounded quite nice. He didn't dare to neglect this matter and he had to report this to the Young Master and Young Miss. Once he tells them, the two little masters will know what was going on.

Li Cheng watched Housekeeper Zhang leave and then Li Cheng sneered. He put the tea bowl down onto the table, and said to himself, "The truth has leaked out already. Does he not know what I'm capable of? How could he try to lie in front of me?"

"Xiao'bao, our wounds have scabbed over already and there were no pus inside. It seems that we can go to the next outdoor training in the desert, which starts in two days. Should we go?"

In the room, Wang Juan looked at her wounds and asked Zhang Xiao'bao.

"Let's go. Why wouldn't we go? We need to scare that emperor's kin and let him know about the hardships of surviving in the wild. This way, he would devote more mental effort towards it. Once he has nothing to do and he returns to the Li Manor, he will definitely think about us. This is only the first time---it can be considered as part one. When the training is over, we can suggest more ideas to him so that he can organize part two, and then part three.

It would be harder and more dangerous each time compared to the last. I doubt that he would lose interest. You need to try to read the minds of people like him. He constantly wants to try to prove his worth to other people, so we have to give him a chance."

Zhang Xiao'bao put down the brush that he had just used for practicing calligraphy. He laid down on the couch and then he explained to Wang Juan. However, Wang Juan was still a little worried, "If we keep outperforming him, will he hate us? What if he loses his confidence?"

"Why would we have to keep on outperforming him? We just need to make him feel that he is capable of becoming stronger. Hope always needs to stay in front of a person. It's good if we can teach him something since we have so many years of experience. Eventually, he will be able to achieve a lot and this will be our contribution to the country's army."

While talking, Zhang Xiao'bao examined the injury on his leg. His injury really recovered very quickly. It was just chafed skin, so it would not affect their participation in the desert survival training that's happening two days later. The environment of a desert was not as simple as grassland. When the time comes, Li Xun will learn what it means to survive in a desert. However, it was a pity that there were water stations along the way, so how could it be an actual survival experience?

"Oh, then we'll do as you said." Wang Juan agreed to Zhang Xiao'bao's proposal.

Just when Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan finished discussing the matter, Housekeeper Zhang rushed over. He explained the matter to them, and retold the content of the detailed conversation he had just now.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan glanced at each other and nodded at the same time. Zhang Xiao'bao said, "It seems that our manor has been targeted. Juan Juan and I performed slightly better than others when we were on the ranch. They assumed that we wouldn't be able to do this without anyone's help and that there must be someone who had taught us. Consequently, Da'ya has been mistaken to be the mastermind.

That's fine. Go talk to Da'ya about this, and from now on, he is the mastermind. He should occasionally meet Li Cheng, and each time he should show him some gestures. I'll design the gestures. He's only allowed to show one gesture each time and he can't stay with Li Cheng for too long. He has to leave right after making the gesture

As for everyone else, you should treat him just as Da'ya. Just act like how you did before and do whatever you want. Don't treat him like he has a high status; that would not be good as before. "

After Zhang Xiao'bao finished speaking, he drew a few things with the brush he had used earlier and handed the drawing over to Housekeeper Zhang.

"I understand now, Young Master. Our Young Master is truly amazing as always. You don't even need to meet him to know what he is thinking of." Housekeeper Zhang respectfully took the paper over and spoke sincerely. Then, he turned to leave.

When he came to the entrance of the living room, he sighed in his heart and said secretly, It's over, Li Cheng. Run away quickly. Poor child, what are you even doing here?'

Four days passed in a hurry, and Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan had also recovered. Their skin was just a bit damaged, and a child's body grew fast, so only a faint scar was left behind on their legs.

Wang Juan prepared her belongings to get ready to go there, and then she urged Zhang Xiao'bao.

Zhang Xiao'bao was also almost done preparing. This time, the two of them brought a larger shovel with them. They were provided with water in the desert, so the most worrying thing was the temperature under the scorching sunlight. During the day, they had to dig a hole to bury themselves. In addition to this shovel, they also brought a foldable lantern.

They disregarded whether they could rest at night or not. The two of them have decided to travel at night and teach Li Xun a lesson. Other children shouldn't falsely think that they would be able to run that fast in the desert during the day.

After packing his backpack, Zhang Xiao'bao said, "We'll leave right away. Today, Li Cheng should be occupied with thinking about how to divide a circle equally into four. It's actually very simple, but I wonder what method he's going to use. He hasn't even tried dividing into five equal parts yet. Let's go."

After speaking, Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan left the room. Shi'liu and the other three were already waiting outside and there were two beautiful carriages parked outside the gate. In the past few days, Zhang Xiao'bao paid money to repair the walls in the courtyards of the Zhang Residence since the original walls were no longer suitable. Seven-rank officials were also officials and were similar to the county magistrate. The only difference was that they didn't have any actual power.

Shi'liu and the other three were fully confident about the contest in the desert. They believed that there was nothing that could be difficult for their Young Master and Young Miss.

The two carriages left the manor one after the other and headed towards Ding'ping County. There was a small desert there, and this small area was larger than the other locations. There was more than enough space for those children to run around for days.

Ding'ping County was not far from Luo'chuan County. Li Xun would probably bring the people over there directly. It was unknown how many people would participate this time and how many new people would join in. If the number of people was low, Li Xun would definitely immediately recruit people. Otherwise, who would he train?

The two carriages were not in a hurry, and it took them two days to arrive at that place.

When Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan got out of the carriage and stood there with their backpacks on their backs, they heard the laughter of the children who arrived here earlier. They also heard some people whisper that these two people were fools for carrying such a big backpack in the desert.

None of the people who participated in the grassland survival training a few days ago could be heard among the sounds of laughter and voices. They looked at Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan with awe. They had seen the two children's skills before. On the first day, they cooked their own food. On the second day, they were in the leading position for the entire day. On the morning of the third day, they mounted a horse like they were able to fly. They left an indelible impression in their hearts.

"Hahahaha, look at those two fools. They're actually carrying such a large bag. Hey, don't you agree? Why aren't you speaking?" A new participant laughed loudly and tapped the person next to him. He wanted someone to agree with him, but the person next to him stood still with a solemn expression on his face while looking at the two children who had just got out of the carriage up front.

"What are you saying? You're the fool. Do you know who those two are? They're Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan from the Zhang and Wang families in the Tu'qiao Village, Sanshui County. You can laugh at them if you don't cry when you're unable to keep going later on.

The speaker was an eleven-year-old child who had persisted through the survival training at the grassland.

At this time, a boy that was about ten years old stepped out of the crowd and went up to Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan. He said to them, "You are the rumored deity-like Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan? From the Zhang and Wang families of the Tu'qiao Village?"

"Yeah, that's us. Who are you?" Zhang Xiao'bao calmly faced the person and asked in a light tone. Wang Juan was standing next to him and she looked around as if she hadn't heard him.

"I'm your neighbor. Didn't your family just get a piece of land? On the other side of the land is my family's manor. We may see each other often in the future." This person curled his lips and said.