Chapter 32 (1/2)

Even though Badou always seemed carefree, he was just a young boy. He was clear of whom he should ever never offend even for once.

In fact, he had to be careful all the time to not offend some people, such as those who were respectable, like Yu Ziyou and Hu Lianshen for they were good at learning with good reputation both in interpersonal relationships and personalities.

However, there were another kind of people that he should not offend, such as those like He Ming, who might be good at learning, while lack of integrity nor decent personalities. People like He Ming always spoke something ill and lacked of broad minds.

The conflicts between Badou and He Ming were out of that kinds of reasons as well.

“He Ming, shut your little pet up! Do not misinterpret my words.” Badou was angry.

“Ha, then what do you mean? We all have heard your words. You said this guy must be able to surpass Yu and Hu, and succeed in imperial examination. You are actually indicating the narrow failure of them in the past imperial examination!”

It might be inappropriate for Badou to call this short and stout as “little pet”. Anyway, this “little pet” was big, and not cute at all. This “pet’ was actually acute.

The same words said by Badou were turned into the opposite meaning by this rubbish. Ha.

Badou was outrage now, but he had no way to refute. The fellows of Yu and Hu were condemning him now.

“You are really self-conceit. Students in class B are really lack of both self-consciousness nor knowledge.” The short and stout continued.

“It’s right. How could they ever dare to compare the unknown new comer with Yu and Hu? Out of pride and ignorance!” A student commented.

“That’s why the old saying goes, the ignorant are always proud and bold.” Another student continued.

There were no dirty words in these comments, while all of the words were more insulting than the dirty words. You see, that was where the knowledge they had learned came into function.

What’s more, the students in class A were at the superior status in Qing Yuan School, and were respected and even worshiped by the students in class B. Nearly all of them were longing to make acquaintance with those in class A, so that they could turn to theose in class A for favors in the future.

Besides, if those students in class A should have succeeded in imperial examination, they would get advantages through such personal relationships.

Therefore, under such condition, those who were not good at learning, like Badou, were despised and looked down upon.

“Badou is really self-conceit. It’s no wonder why he was nearly expelled by school last year.”

“It’s said the master admitted him stay out of the mercy for his grandfather’s begging.”

“It is not said so. It is just so. I witnessed by myself. You can never imagine how ashamed it is when his grandfather begged master.”

Students were judging them with personal standpoints, selfishness, and the viciousness deeply rooted in their humanity.

Xue Tingxiang actually had experienced the similar things in the dream, for which he understood Badou would prefer to fight or quarrel directly rather than suffer from such gossips with righteousness.

Under such condition, Badou could not defend for himself, since he was not offended by the others.

Badou’s wrath was so fierce that made his face brash.

However, Yu Ziyou smiled with generosity, and said, “It’s not something deserve attention. May we take less consideration about that and have meals.”

“Agree. So wise and generous you are.” Hu Lianshen approved, threw a glance to Xue and Badou, and then move his eyes away indifferently, “Just someone who is so short-eyed while self-boast.”

Yu and Hu seemed to show their tolerance to them, while actually had satirized Badou and Xue.

Badou was getting even more agitated. It was not so disgusting to suffer from such comments by himself, but it was really terrible to have Xue get into such troubles.

“Please do let me apologize, and do let the vile slanders free from your honored hearts and minds. I was so careless that had made such mistake. But Xue has nothing to do with it. Do please forgive my carelessness.” Badou said sincerely.

However, the students in the two exclusive groups even had not spare a glance at Badou and his words at all. They talked and chatted joyfully, and froze Badou and his apologies in the air.

Xue sighed in his heart, and stopped Badou, “It’s enough, Badou…”

“I can demonstrate that Badou indeed hasn’t mean any sataireness to anyone of you. The three just playing jokes with each other, and they have said so out of the respects and admiration of you. Their words were used by others to defame them in purpose.”

The voice was hoarse. Chen Jian had kept silence, while spoke out at this moment. Xue and Badou even had not noticed him.

“Chen…” Badou turned back and stared at Chen with surprise. Never had he thought about that Chen should have helped him one day.

However, the students in the two exclusive groups turned to them owing to Chen’s uncommon speech.

“You demonstrate for them? With what?” He Ming sneered and said. His voice seemed loafing in the air, which sounded with satirizes.

The unspoken meanings indicated by He Ming made the other students laugh.

“Even Chen dare to demonstrate for others? Ha, they are really confident of themselves.”

Chen’s eyes seemed to be shadowed immediately. He clenched his hands under the table.

Xue had not planned to get involved. In fact, after the dream, he became more clam and mature. It was strange, since he should have get angry in such situation, while he was actually not. The disputations seemed to be childish.

But now things were different. Both Badou and Chen Jian were defending for himself and suffered from the satirizes of others. If he kept sitting around, it would be coward rather than tolerant.

“Since we all learn and read, we must know clearly what to listen to and what to believe. Those who talk nonsense deserve no attention. Those who are average worth no minute to be bothered. Besides, I and Badou have no intention to mean so. Even if we indeed have meant so, then so what? Should that be regarded as your excuse to tease and teach us so harshly and mercilessly?” Xue said without any agitation, while full with refutation.

The short and stout had been planned to argue, while had predicted that Xue should have challenged Yu and Hu by himself. He immediately caught this chance, pointing at Xue’s face and speaking, “Ha, you see, how nonsense my words are? He is the one who despises all the others!”

Suddenly, all the students were gossiping, discussing, and criticizing Xue’s arrogance.

Yu Ziyou and Hu Lianshen were covered with cold faces. How dare Xue challenge them in this way? What did he mean by “so what”? A new comer who even hadn’t learned the Four Books should have looked down upon them?

Xue continued his speeches and was un-swayed by even one word of the others. “As the saying goes, day line, the gentleman to self-improve. Is there anyone here don’t want to succeed in the imperial examination? If you don’t, then why you come here and study here?”

It was so blunt and honest. Nearly all of the students were touched by Xue’s words.

He was so right. No one would like to be inferior to the others. Even though nearly all the other students seemed to honor Yu Ziyou and Hu Lianshen, few of them were really appreciating the two. In fact, some of them even might tease the two by themselves since the two had learned so many years, while had not been able to pass the imperial examination for once.

They actually though by themselves that they would pass for once time when their time came. If asked, most of them would cover such despises, but today, such thoughts had been revealed and exposed to the public by Xue.

Even though Xue had said these to satirize the students who had teased and judged, the short and stout was the mostly aimed one.

The short and stout now could feel how embarrassing it was to be judged and insulted. However, he could not help but staring at Xue with shame.

“Those who are fool always like to fool the others. Those who are low always like to lower the others.” Xue said calmly with despises in his eyes.

Xue was just to leave, while Hu Lianshen stood up and said to him.

Hu stared at Xue with coldness in his eyes, “How ambitious you are! May I have you name?”

Xue stopped, and said humbly, “My name is Xue Tingxiang. I dare not to self-boast of ambition, but merely humility and modesty. The decent always consider while never compare. The vile always behave opposite.”

Hu Lianshen brushed immediately.

Xue obviously had satirized him that he was not decent and bully the others indecently.

Xue left these words for Hu Lianshen and went out without any words more.

Badou and Li Datian followed Xue right away, but to find Chen Jian stand there without a move. Badou dragged away Chen quickly.