Chapter 6: Trivial Matters of the School

  Long ago, when Du He was first studying the history of the Tang Dynasty, he learned about the story of Princess Gaoyang's affair with a man. From then on, he had infinite admiration for Fang Yili, the green-hatted comrade.

  It was on a certain day in a certain month of a certain year that Green Hat Comrade and Princess Gao Yang went out hunting, when Bian Ji, who lived in a nameless thatched cottage, was diligently reading Buddhist scriptures. Princess Gao Yang was tired and wanted to rest, so Green Hat Comrade and the attendants brought the princess to this cottage. The noble person suddenly visited, Bian Ji put down everything and hastily came out to greet them.

  Perhaps it was because the debate machine looked too handsome, or Princess Gao Yang had a strange hobby of liking monks. The two were like dry wood and fierce fire, unstoppable once they started, and directly did it in the thatched cottage.

  The green hat comrades faced this situation with the utmost magnanimity and forgave them, so that they could enjoy the pleasure of fish and water. The green hat comrades even personally served as guards, blowing wind for Princess Gaoyang and Bianji Monk at the door.

  Du He could never guess what Green Hat Comrade was thinking and feeling at the time, but as a man, it's not easy to do this.

  So for him, Du He is nothing more than infinite admiration, without any extra words.

  Unexpectedly, Green Hat Brother and I turned out to be sworn brothers who cut off chicken heads and burned yellow paper in the brothel!

  Huh?

  In the brothel?

  Du He's face suddenly looked ugly, no wonder he felt the surrounding eyes were so piercing earlier. It turned out that this green hat comrade was a fellow villager.

  Pffft!

  He is in cahoots with Du He.

  Du He hurriedly explained to him that he had lost his soul and forgotten everything. He intentionally raised his voice, so that everyone in the school could hear it, to avoid the trouble of explaining every time he met someone.

  The green hat comrade let out a sigh of disappointment, "It's true after all. I've heard my dad say it before, but I just didn't want to believe that you'd even forgotten about me."

  Du Ruhui was the prime minister of the current dynasty, Li Shimin's right-hand man. When Du He fell ill, even Emperor Li Shimin of the Great Tang Empire would show concern and ask about his condition. Therefore, Du He's loss of soul had already spread far and wide, and it wasn't anything unusual.

  "The value of friendship lies in the heart, memories may be lost, but the affection we once had can never disappear. Don't be sad, Brother Yi, after all, we've sworn brotherhood! Du He didn't know much about Fang Yi's character, but he was the only one who showed enthusiasm towards him. Du He was happy to interact with him, as long as he didn't learn any bad habits from him."

  Green Hat comrade suddenly laughed out loud: "Brother Qinglian's words are just what I wanted to hear."

  Two men walked into the classroom, Comrade Green Hat pointed out Du He's seat and sat down behind him.

  Green hat comrade seems to have poor relationships with others, ignoring people around him, only constantly pulling Du He to talk.

  Du He responded with a sentence for every sentence.

  The originally somewhat noisy school suddenly quieted down.

  Du He looked curiously towards the big gate, and a hint of surprise also appeared in his eyes.

  A stunning beauty walked out of the school gate.

  She was wearing a soft and loose white cheongsam, looking extremely beautiful, with eyebrows like spring mountains, eyes like autumn water, clear and bright, slender and elegant. However, her demeanor was exceptionally dignified, with an aura of noble elegance that was unapproachable.

  Du He and she exchanged a glance, but subtly saw a hint of disgust in each other's eyes.

  Du He felt uninterested and curled his lips. Such good things would make people like them, but apparently the other party was a bit disgusted with himself.

  Du He didn't deign to use his own hot face to stick to the other person's cold buttocks.

  "You won't have forgotten her too, will you?" Fang Yiai said in a low voice from behind.

  "Who is she?" Du He asked curiously, "Why should I remember her?"

  "It's really forgotten!" Fang Yi Ai muttered, and replied in a low voice: "She is Princess Chang Le, the emperor's most beloved daughter, who was once your wife before you got married."

  Du He nodded in understanding. No wonder that young man was infatuated with her, for Princess Chang Le had the looks to captivate him.

  "Cousin!" A refined and dignified young man, who looked quite impressive, walked up to Princess Chang Le's side and called out warmly: "I heard from my father that you caught a cold yesterday, dear cousin. I've been worried sick about you, unable to eat or sleep."

  "Hypocrisy!" Fang Yu's voice trailed behind him, laced with a sour tone.

  "Who is this guy, I feel a bit annoyed." Du He furrowed his brow, with an inexplicable feeling. Not to the point of being jealous, but just a deep-seated disgust, without any reason.

  "He's called Changsun Cheong, the eldest son of Grand Duke Zhao Guo Gong Changsun Wu Jin. He's very much favored by Your Majesty. Look, that jade pendant on his waist was given to him by Your Majesty. This guy has had a crush on Princess Chang Le for a long time, and now he's the most likely candidate to win her hand in marriage!"

  The Princess Chang Le smiled faintly and responded with a sentence, sitting diagonally opposite Du He.

  Chang Sun Chong looked at himself with a somewhat arrogant expression before returning to his seat.

  Du He's faint smile.

  Fang Yi Ai's voice was low and menacing: "Provocation, this is blatant provocation." He saw Du He's calm expression and said in a low voice: "Brother, has your loss of soul also worn away your temper? You can endure such provocation without getting angry?"

  "Hmm..." Du He looked at him with a strange expression, facing such a boring and childish provocation, did he have to make a big fuss about it?

  No wonder Du He and Fang Yi are so disliked by others. If he suddenly becomes furious for no reason at this moment, people will only think that his heart is narrow-minded, and it's not worth the effort.

  Du He smiled calmly and said, "What can a single ant in front of you do with its swaggering? Calm down, be rational, before others reveal their weaknesses, recklessly losing your composure will only leave you vulnerable to being taken advantage of."

  Fang Yu's eyes were dazed, and he opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

  "Right!"

  The bell rings.

  The chaotic noise in the auditorium disappeared, and everyone sat up straight with a serious expression.

  "Hahaha!"

  Du He heard a sweet, melodious laughter, and a beautiful girl rushed into the school. She was wearing a loose, comfortable bright red dress, her hair was casually tied up, and her face had a sweet, charming smile, as if all the flowers were blooming at that moment, extremely brilliant.

  "The teacher didn't come, and he's not late!" The girl seemed to have won a battle, triumphantly crossing her arms.

  That brilliant smile has a full infectious power.

  "Xueyan, hurry back to your seat!" Princess Chang Le scolded helplessly.

  "Alright, alright, isn't the gentleman not coming?" Xueyan, the smiling girl, still chuckled and sat down beside Duhe in the empty seat.

  "He introduced in a low voice: 'She is Li Xueyan, the daughter of King Li Daozong of Jiangxia, and also a rare beauty! However, her personality is straightforward, like a fake little boy, not gentle and considerate enough.' He shook his head disappointedly as he spoke."

  Du He thought with a smile, thinking of Fang Yi's loving wife, Gao Yang Gongzhu, and how he was destined to be without a gentle and considerate wife in this life.

  Not long after Li Xueyan sat down, a Confucian scholar in his late sixties walked into the school and began to teach.

  Ancient teaching methods were dull and tedious, mainly relying on rote memorization.

  Du He graduated from University of History, majoring in liberal arts, with a certain foundation in classical Chinese. His academic work was not difficult for him, and he found it quite enjoyable to listen to.

  As for Fang Yi'ai, he had long been hiding behind Du He's back and sleeping soundly.

  The Confucian scholar discovered the legacy of love left by Fang, but he was old and couldn't see very clearly.

  Du He hurriedly leaned back and disturbed his peaceful sleep.

  The Confucian scholar walked up close and saw Fang Yili holding a book, pretending to be studying. He slapped his ruler on the desk and said, "As for cultivating one's character by correcting one's mind, what comes next?"

  The face of the housekeeper suddenly turned liver-colored.

  The people around also showed an amused expression.

  The Confucian scholar shook his head and walked back to the hall, shaking his head and saying: "A rotten wood cannot be carved..." Before he finished speaking, he heard Fang Yuanying's intermittent response: "What is meant by 'cultivating one's body lies in correcting one's mind' is that if there is something that makes you angry or resentful, then your mind will not be correct; if there is something that makes you fearful or intimidated, then your mind will not be correct; if there is something that brings you joy or pleasure, then your mind will not be correct; if there is something that causes you worry or trouble, then your mind will not be correct. If the mind is not focused, one sees but does not perceive, hears but does not listen, eats but does not know the flavor. This is what is meant by 'cultivating one's body lies in correcting one's mind'."

  The correct answer ruthlessly suppressed the Confucian scholar's words.

  The Confucian scholar stared with his eyes and said: "What does this mean?"

  "The meaning is that to cultivate one's character, one must first rectify their thoughts. If the heart has anger, it cannot be rectified; if the heart has fear, it cannot be rectified; if the heart has likes and dislikes, it cannot be rectified; if the heart has worries, it cannot be rectified. When the thoughts are not rectified, it is as if the heart is not on oneself: although one looks, it is as if they have not seen; although one listens, it is as if they have not heard; although one eats, they do not know the taste. Therefore, to cultivate one's character, one must first rectify their thoughts. As long as the heart has no evil intentions, naturally one will not do immoral things."

  The house left love again and said the answer out loud.

  The Confucian scholar's ears and eyes were not convenient, and he couldn't hear Du He's words clearly. But the people sitting around Du He looked at him like monsters, as if they were looking at a giant ape.

  Even Chang Le Gongzhu, who had always looked down on Du He, couldn't help but steal two more glances at him.