Chapter 95 - Entering School (2/2)
However, when the three esteemed scholars of the academy came out to personally receive them, Qian Wen felt extremely privileged to be able to bask in the glory of others. He bowed deeply to the headmaster, academy supervisor, and the official.
Headmaster Yuan noticed that he was wearing the uniform of a student: a long gown. He smiled at him and nodded his head, “Are you a student in the junior class? What’s your name? Are you from the same hometown as Yu Fan and his sister?”
They had to admit, Headmaster Yuan had a formidable memory. After all these days had passed, he could still clearly remember Little Shitou’s full name. As for being able to recognize Qian Wen as a student in the junior class, that wasn’t because he had an impression of Qian Wen. Instead, the classes at the academy: primary, junior, middle, and advanced, all had different uniform colors.
The children in the primary class wore long robes that were an ink-blue color. The primary class had sea-blue, the junior class was azure blue, and the advanced class wore a pale moon-blue. By looking at the sea-blue uniform Qian Wen was wearing, Headmaster Yuan could tell in a glance what class he was in.
Qian Wen respectfully bowed to Great Scholar Yuan in a reply to his question. Headmaster Yuan stared obviously at the basket in Xiaocao’s hands and carelessly encouraged Qian Wen with a couple of sentences. The boy felt overwhelmed with favor by his attention.The old man waved his hand in dismissal to let Qian Wen go eat a meal and then he smiled toothily at Xiaocao. He rubbed his hands in anticipation, “Little girl, what’s in your basket? The greedy monster inside my stomach is already rumbling, quickly take it out...”
The academy supervisor and official of rites looked at each other and then simultaneously turned their heads away——we don’t know this shameful man, we don’t know him...
“Esteemed headmaster, you really have a good nose! I brought over some braised pig head meat and pickled fish. Do you want to try them?” Xiaocao took out two plates of tantalizing braised food from the basket and placed them on the table in front of the three important figures of the academy.
“Braised pig head meat? Is that the dish that the emperor emeritus loves the most? That’s fantastic...ah! You two, didn’t you both say that you were full? If you’re full, then leave, quickly leave now…” Headmaster Yuan protected the two plates of food like it was his beloved treasure. He wanted to keep his beloved food away from the two hungry wolves that were his old friends.
The academy supervisor and official of rites had been friends for him for a long time, so they naturally knew what type of personality he had. They looked at the table full of food that had been barely touched and the wine cups that had only a sip taken out. The two of them looked at each other bitterly and silently got up to leave——it looked like they needed to have the kitchen make another table of food.
The two men glanced at the raggedly clothed Xiaocao and thought, ‘This little girl looks like she comes from a very poor family, yet she can bring out something that our old friend, who disdains the food from the imperial kitchen, likes so much? Isn’t it just a plate of pale red meat and a few messy looking strips of fish? Does he really need to protect them?’
The supervisor and official both sat down at a nearby table and sat face to face drinking wine as they watched Headmaster Yuan’s movements and expressions. They first saw him pick up a piece of pork with the skin on it and carefully chew the bite to taste. His eyes closed in pleasure, and his body language showed that he was very satisfied with the taste of this dish.
It was just a piece of pork, how delicious could it be? Could it possibly be that their old friend’s taste buds had degenerated and he was no longer that picky? The two men then saw the headmaster pick up a fish about the size of a young child’s palm. A fish that size had a lot of thin bones, right? Eating it had to take a lot of effort, they needed to see how their old friend would eat this.
Headmaster Yuan evidently also had some doubts, and he asked the little girl a couple of questions. After hesitating for a short period of time, he then popped the fish into his mouth. Supervisor Meng and Official Yao felt like they could feel the multitudes of small fish bones piercing their mouth and both of them coughed to clear their throats.
As for their old friend, Headmaster Yuan, his eyes, which had originally been opened wide, and slowly closed into a line with his chewing movements. This type of expression clearly showed that he was enjoying the taste of a culinary delicacy.
Ehhhh? How come when their old friend was eating the fish he didn’t spit out a single fish bone? And he also didn’t seem to get poked by any bones? Is the fish the type that didn’t have any bones? That couldn’t be right. Official Yao, who had grown up in the rural country, had recognized early on what type of fish that was used. It was a crucian carp and it definitely had a lot of tiny bones!
This little girl, what kind of spell did she cast on the headmaster that he could eat fish with tiny bones in it without any sign of pain or suffering...
Official Yao couldn’t sit there anymore! That can’t do, he needed to figure out what was going on. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to eat and sleep for the next few days!
Official Yao quickly stepped over to Headmaster Yuan’s table and snatched a little fish when the old man was in the midst of speaking warmly to Xiaocao. Before the other man could object, he quickly stuffed the fish into his mouth.
Headmaster Yuan was immediately stunned. He had known Official Yao for almost fifty years, and he knew that his old friend had come from a poor family. Thus, Old Yao didn’t have any expectations for food, as long as he could eat his fill, then he was content.
Today Old Yao knew that there was something special to be had. He knew that the little girl’s fish had to be a dish of unique taste and splendor. Thus, he didn’t care about his reputation and had snatched food from his plate. After being stunned for a second, Headmaster Yuan snarled, “Old Yao! You’re really too much! How could you steal the pickled fish that the little girl made especially for me as a sign of her filial respect? I...I...I’m super angry at you!!”
At this moment, Headmaster Yuan put down his chopsticks and threw himself at his old friend who was still chewing on the fish that he loved. Official Yao continued to eat the fish that had melted completely in his mouth, yet his hands were not idle. He continuously managed to dodge and repel his old friend’s ‘offense’.