"Good morning, Meng," said the man called Su, bowing his hands in courtesy.

"Morning, Meng," replied the rough-voiced man.

Meng Zhengjun returned the gesture, "Good morning, Young Teacher Su, Young Teacher Duan."

The two gentlemen who entered looked youthful, probably not yet thirty, but their styles and temperaments were quite distinct.

The one walking ahead was Su Changfeng, clad in a clean white Confucian robe, with a fair complexion and a baby face, exuding a hint of youthful innocence.

He was the poetry and prose teacher at Mochi Academy, also teaching the poetry class at Shuaixing Hall.

Following closely behind was a self-proclaimed 'lover of colors,' a tall and burly man, even more robust than Gu Yiwu, measuring over nine feet, with thick eyebrows and large eyes but sporting a shiny bald head. Whether this was intentional or not was unknown.

If it was the latter, it was certainly convenient, saving the trouble of daily hair binding.

His name was Duan Jiuling, and all the students of Shuaixing Hall, like Zhao Rong, were familiar with him. He was the painting instructor at the six academies, and his shiny bald head was quite recognizable.

On usual days, as the students walked through the academy, they could notice Teacher Duan from afar, becoming a notable sight within the academy, often talked about with delight.

The two were not yet official academy teachers but 'young teachers' from Mochi Academy, recently arrived at Linlu Academy, also known as 'prospective teachers.'

There were a few like them in the academy.

They were the academy's reserve teachers.

This was customary in most Confucian academies; every few years, they would recruit young scholars from the seventy-two academies globally.

They might be outstanding among their peers or simply be reading seeds from certain academies, the pride of Heaven.

Selection criteria were stringent, with scholarship and cultivation exceeding those of their contemporaries.

Despite this, they must start as 'young teachers,' possibly enduring decades or achieving remarkable accomplishments and reputation to be promoted to official academy teachers.

This was the orthodox path for most of the current academy teachers.

Meng Zhengjun followed this path.

The Meng family was renowned in Wangque Continent for its Confucian literary traditions, a scholarly lineage. Meng Zhengjun was a genuine talent, once a reading seed at Linlu Academy, staying on in his homeland Wangque after graduation, starting as a young teacher and progressing to become an academy's scholarly principal responsible for rituals.

However, there were exceptions, such as those not from orthodox academies who achieve great scholarship, becoming renowned Great Scholars across the provinces. Even those over seventy, without spiritual cultivation, are respected as teachers in Confucian academies, though such cases are rare.

But presently at Linlu Academy, there was another exception, Zhu Yourong.

She was recruited into the academy not long ago, around the same time as Su Changfeng and Duan Jiuling.

However, Zhu Yourong skipped the 'young teacher' stage, becoming a bona fide academy teacher.

The reason was none other than her being a top-notch scholar recorded in the Confucian Temple.

She could choose from any of the seventy-two academies globally, starting as an academy teacher in any academy. If her Snow Eyes Nascent Soul hadn't lost her sight, she might have directly become one of the 'Six Exemplars' in Confucian academies where Confucianism was somewhat declining.

So, as a blue-clothed girl who lost a snack once said, teachers are just too lazy.

Currently, at the entrance of Jingchen Hall, Meng Zhengjun saw the two young teachers who had arrived not long ago and proactively asked, "How's the paper grading going?"

Su Changfeng nodded, "Just a few examination rooms left."

Duan Jiuling replied with a laugh, "Almost done."

Meng Zhengjun nodded.

The two young teachers returned to their desks in the main hall.

Despite being from different regions, they joined the academy together within the same cohort, and over time, they had become quite familiar.

Su Changfeng walked to his desk, first using a small dust-removing spell, carefully tidying his seat before calmly sitting down, taking out his books and tools, and placing them on the desk.

However, drawing the side-eye of surrounding teachers was Young Teacher Su quietly pulling out a wooden ruler from his sleeve and meticulously measuring certain spots on the desk.

Then arranging the test papers, ink, paper, and writing tools in a specific pattern that others couldn't discern.

Judging by his meticulous calculations, it seemed accurate to the millimeter.

Everyone:...…

Beside him, the bald teacher Duan Jiuling wasn't so particular. He simply leaned back on his chair, tossed the students' paintings onto the desk, and casually picked one to review. Without all his tools, he turned and said:

"Hey Su, lend me a red brush, I got absorbed in painting last night and forgot to bring it this morning."

"Why didn't you forget to bring yourself as well?"

Without lifting his head, Su Changfeng quipped, after organizing his things, comfortably exhaled and started his new day of work perfectly.

Duan Jiuling laughed and cursed, "Su is like taking off your pants to fart."

Su Changfeng frowned, "Doesn't the cluttered desk bother you? Such vulgar people."

Duan Jiuling raised his hand to rub his bald head, "And doesn't it bother you to spend precious time on this? Mere mediocrity."

"Humph."

Meanwhile, Meng Zhengjun, judging the time to be right, summoned a few attendant students and gave orders. The students responded and proceeded to inform the six academies accordingly.

Meng Zhengjun looked back at Jingchen Hall, it seemed everyone who should have come was here, he nodded and went to close the door.

At this moment, a woman's figure appeared at the door.

Inside Jingchen Hall, whether it was the conversations about Su Changfeng and Duan Jiuling, or the serious exam paper corrections by Mr. Chen and Mr. Zeng, everyone turned to look at the door.

Because she was a 'rare guest'.

"Why have you come?"

Meng Zhengjun asked Zhu Yourong in confusion.

The latter gracefully stopped and, with her hands behind her back, glanced at the plaque above the door and curiously asked, "This is Jingchen Hall, right?"

Meng Zhengjun nodded.

"Oh, then I haven't gone the wrong way, Mr. Meng, excuse me."

With her hands behind her back, Zhu Yourong smiled and walked past Meng Zhengjun, entering the hall of her own accord.

"Hello, Mr. Zeng, Mr. Chen, oh, Daoist Duan, Mr. Su, hello..."

All the teachers smiled in response.

Zhu Yourong was not shy, she behaved elegantly and calmly, greeting them, "I've been busy these days and haven't come by much, Mr. Meng and everyone, please forgive me."

"This morning, when I left home, my attendant student Jingzi insisted on giving me some pastries from Jixiang House, telling me not to come empty-handed but to bring some for you all to taste. Alas, I realize I'm not as thoughtful as a girl..."

Mr. Chen smiled and comforted, "Mr. Zhu, you're too kind. It's normal to be busy and unable to come by. We're not always here either; it's just today we're grading papers, and Mr. Zhu is still very dedicated."

Some other teachers sitting leisurely nodded, "Yes, that girl Jingzi seems lively and fiery around the academy, unexpectedly so knowledgeable, modest, and sensible."

Su Changfeng suddenly chimed in with a smile, "Jingzi is a good child, very sensible, but naturally, the one who taught her, Mr. Zhu, is even more sensible. Mr. Zhu, you're humble."

Zhu Yourong smiled and responded, warming up the atmosphere, then distributed the pastries among her colleagues to let them taste, while chatting a bit, making everyone feel more at ease.

Meng Zhengjun watched silently without saying anything.

On the other side, Su Changfeng frowned and said to Duan Jiuling, "Can you stop staring at Mr. Zhu all the time?"

Duan Jiuling remarked strangely, "Mr. Zhu is recognized inside and outside the academy as a great beauty, I'm a man, if I don't stare at beauties, should I stare at you?"

Su Changfeng's eyes continuously avoided looking much at Zhu Yourong, who was politely handing out pastries not far away, as she gradually approached, Su Changfeng was focused on the exam papers, seriously correcting them, but couldn't help but murmur, "Stop talking nonsense. Okay, just stop talking now."

Duan Jiuling looked at the seemingly serious exam grading Su brother, then at the politely and gracefully distributing female teacher not far away.

Under his rounded bald head, a conspicuous thick eyebrow raised.

He looked at Su brother meaningfully and then suddenly changed his expression, seriously nodding, "Why not let me ask Mr. Zhu?"

"No, you..."

Su Changfeng instantly became anxious, yet Duan Jiuling had already unabashedly asked:

"Mr. Zhu, might this humble one keep looking at you?"

At this moment, Zhu Yourong was just handing over the last few pastries to them, upon hearing, she smiled radiantly, graciously saying, "Of course, Daoist Duan, feel free."

She called Duan Jiuling Daoist, a title that was common on the mountain, but in the eyes of some sincere Daoists, it only acknowledged and respected the other's way when calling them Daoist.

Obviously, Zhu Yourong was not unfamiliar with this teacher of painting skills at Shuaixing Hall, and had some understanding.

Duan Jiuling grinned widely, then turned to the restrained Su Changfeng with a triumphant lift of his eyebrows, "Well, that's strange, Mr. Zhu himself has agreed, yet Su brother here is full of hindrances."

Su Changfeng looked up, his expression normal, frowning slightly, "What is Brother Duan talking about?"

He turned to Zhu Yourong, "Mr. Zhu, please ignore this one, he was talking nonsense this morning, saying he recently read some improper book and started researching the beauty of women, strolls along the way, eyes wandering, unbecoming, a shame to the teacher's identity, so I told him to watch less, refrain from seeing improper."

Su Changfeng paused, looking into Zhu Yourong's eyes, "Really, can't do anything about him, learning to paint ruined his mind, Mr. Zhu, excuse him."

Zhu Yourong shook her head, "Mr. Su, you're overreacting, I don't think so, Daoist Duan's straightforwardness about being a 'lover of beauty' is a trait of someone with true character, besides, mountain scenery, water scenery, human beauty, they are all world's beautiful sights, in the eyes of an excellent painter, all are viewed equally, appreciative without restraint, it can be understood."

She glanced at this painter with a height of more than nine feet, suddenly smiling, "Painting is already a very meticulous job, no less fine than calligraphy. A close friend of mine once said: The heart has a fierce tiger, sniffs the rose delicately. I feel it's extremely apt to describe Daoist Duan!"

"The heart has a fierce tiger, sniffs the rose delicately..." Duan Jiuling murmured, his eyes lit up!

In the next moment, Su Changfeng and Duan Jiuling almost spoke simultaneously, "Who is Mr. Zhu's close friend?"

However, their expressions were different, the former calm, the latter curious.

"A junior disciple." Zhu Yourong smiled lightly, not saying more.

Su Changfeng and Duan Jiuling exchanged a glance, realizing it was inappropriate to inquire further, they had to let it go.

Ah, in the future... a female teacher, where a fictitious 'junior' was mentally added to the list.

Subsequently, seeing Meng Zhengjun stand up, with his gaze shifting over, the three ceased chatting, exchanged polite words, then returned to their seats to grade papers.

Zhu Yourong, noticing the goal of distributing pastries and making colleagues familiar already achieved, and laying a cue for future favors in class, smiled inwardly.

Feeling well, she turned to grade the papers.

...

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