Chapter 123

123 You Can’t Live With Your Own Sins

“Then, Elder Tian, can you give me a general introduction to his situation first? That way, I can have a better idea in my heart. We can decide whether I want to go and see him later.”

Mo Ruyue had never been the one to ask for help, but this matter concerned her babies’ studies. If that person was truly talented, it wouldn’t matter even if she restrained her temper a little.

“Alright, I’ll tell you. Come, Lady Qin, please come in. Let’s have some tea and talk.”

The two of them had already reached the door of the study. The old imperial doctor instructed the little medicine boy who was passing by to make tea and invited Mo Ruyue to sit in the study.

After the two of them sat down and the medicine boy served them tea, the old imperial doctor continued his explanation.

!!

The person he was going to introduce to Mo Ruyue was called Du Zhongheng. He was a young man in his twenties.

From the age of three, when he started learning, to the time he finished reading the books that others would take fifteen years to finish, he used a total of five years. At the age of eight, he became the youngest student, and at the age of ten, he became the youngest scholar.

The shockingly talented child was famous all over the world, and almost everyone was looking forward to the birth of the youngest scholar in history.

The intelligence and the praises surrounding him made Du Zhongheng feel smug. He began to become arrogant and complacent, pointing fingers at the code of etiquette, thinking that it was a shackle that bound one’s nature and mind, and that those who were bound by the code of etiquette were all idiots.

He had once proclaimed on the streets that his ideas were deviant and that Fang Yan would revolutionize the world’s etiquette when he was in high school.

One could imagine how much of a hornet’s nest he would stir up with such outrageous words and actions. He was simply openly going against the mainstream ideas of the entire society, so he became the public enemy of all scholars in the world.

After that speech, no academy in the world was willing to accept him. Without the academy as a backer, Du Zhongheng’s scientific examination path had come to an end.

It wasn’t that his talent would be buried just because there was no one to guide him or teach him. With his brain, he could become successful by self-study, but the problem was that his characteristics were too prominent. It could be said that he was the best among the outstanding students in the world. This was his greatest glory, but it also eventually became his greatest sorrow.

Every time he took an exam, his essay would always be the first to be deleted. The examiner didn’t even need to think about it. As long as he saw his essay, even if it wasn’t marked with a name, he would be able to recognize that it was his handwriting.

No matter how fancy his article was, as long as it was recognized, there was only one end, and that was to fall.

From the age of thirteen to twenty-six, Du Zhongheng failed again and again, failing again and again, and only ended up in first place every time.

A so-called scholar was trapped in the title of “scholar” and it seemed that he would never be able to make any progress in his life.

Later on, it was not just someone who spread the news that the person sitting on the highest seat in the imperial court had heard Du Zhongheng’s words and said that he would never hire him and would let him have a taste of being a scholar for the rest of his life.

Du Zhongheng did not believe it verbally. He only said that the scholars of the world were in cahoots and wanted to bully and suppress him, deliberately hiding it from “that person”.

However, he knew very well in his heart that these were probably all true.

With Du Zhongheng’s amazing reputation, it was impossible for “that person” to not have heard of him. Furthermore, he had repeatedly failed in the examinations for the past thirteen years. How could “that person” not ask about it?

In the end, he was eliminated as soon as he participated in the test. If it wasn’t for the instructions of “that person”, how could someone be so bold as to risk the crime of deceiving the emperor and being beheaded again and again just to teach him a lesson?

After recognizing this fact, Du Zhongheng suffered a huge blow and locked himself in his room for three months without leaving. After that, he never took any exams.

When the old imperial doctor said this, he finally stopped and shook his head with a sigh, saying, “This matter has also been spread around the palace. In the past, whenever there were any rumors in the palace, they would be quickly suppressed, but no one cared about this matter. On the contrary, they allowed it to spread even more fiercely.”

“We all know that this… This is the Tian family’s tacit approval. It’s not a groundless rumor.”

“Lady Qin, other than worrying that Du Zhongheng’s temper might clash with yours, do you know what I’m most worried about?”

The old imperial doctor’s tone changed and he asked Mo Ruyue a question.

“I think you’re worried that if I find such a teacher for my babies, it will be bad for my babies’s future?”

Mo Ruyue’s mind was so quick that she didn’t even need to think to come to a conclusion when she heard the old imperial doctor’s question.

“That’s right, this old man is worried about this. Now, Du Zhongheng is someone who has been banned by the Tian family. If he becomes the children’s enlightenment teacher, in the future, whether he enters the academy or participates in the examination, I’m afraid he will be made difficult again. If he is also banned, then…”

The old imperial doctor didn’t finish his words, but Mo Ruyue clearly understood what he meant.

It was true that if Du Zhongheng were to be the children’s teacher of enlightenment, his talents were definitely more than enough. Moreover, he was not old-fashioned and feudal. On the contrary, he was a very deviant person. He would not teach the children to be old-fashioned, so he was the most suitable.

However, in the future, if there was a boy who wanted to be an official, it was impossible for him to not take the imperial examination. Of course, this was a long story.

For example, a few months later, when the babies went to a private school in a neighboring village, if the teacher knew that their first teacher was actually Du Zhongheng, he would drive them out of the private school on the spot.

Du Zhongheng could only blame himself for offending all the scholars in the world. From a peerless scholar sought after by everyone, he became a peerless scoundrel cursed by everyone in just five years.

This was called “you can do the sins of the heavens, but you can’t live with your own sins.”

Mo Ruyue hesitated for the first time. If she wanted to find a master for herself, it would be Du Zhongheng without a second thought. However, she could not deprive the babies of their chance to take the examination.

The old imperial doctor saw the wavering in Mo Ruyue’s eyes and continued to persuade, “Lady Qin, I can understand that you want to find a good teacher for the babies, but you don’t want to suppress their original nature and become people who are only bound by etiquette.”

“It’s just that it’s not wrong to say that Du Zhongheng is the public enemy now. You have to think carefully. If you want your babies to take the imperial examinations and have a career in the future, this stain is definitely fatal.”

Mo Ruyue muttered to herself for a moment before saying to the old imperial doctor, “Elder Tian, please give me that person’s address. I’ll discuss it with the babies after I get home. Then, I’ll make a decision.”

Since Mo Ruyue had already said so, the old imperial doctor couldn’t say anything more. He only nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll give you the address. I’ll also write you the letter I mentioned before. If you still decide to look for him in the end, you don’t have to come to me again.”