Chapter 73: Gossip

The people were very curious about Xie Qiao. They would turn their heads to look every now and then.

Not many knew about her identity. However, they found out as the words spread!

Within a blink of an eye, the seats around Xie Qiao… became empty.

“So this is the lady from that bandit family? How come Mr. Xu sent her to our Orchid Courtyard?” mumbled someone.

“Isn’t her sister at the Begonia Courtyard? She’s born into a bandit family. Can she catch up to us?”

“I peeped at her earlier. Will she get her brother to fight me?”

Everyone panicked when they heard that.

Xie Qiao did not hear all those things. She was reading the book that she had brought.

It was the Orchid Courtyard, after all. The things they learned here were different from the Snowball Bush Courtyard. The Snowball Bush Courtyard was still reading the primer, and here… They were already talking about The Doctrine of the Mean.

It was mandatory to learn about the Four Books and Five Classics, discussions of all sorts, Collection of Wisdom, important people of the world, and history.

There would be a teacher arranged for each class, and there would be at least four hours of class per day.

For instance, the first class that Xie Qiao attended would be talking about “Ms. Yuan’s Precepts for Social Life”. It mainly talked about one’s behavior when dealing with people and how to run a family. The class was clearly meant for ladies.

It was the mandatory class for literature. There was also a mandatory martial class, which was horseback archery and pitch-pot.

The rest were elective courses, such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, the four arts, music theory, mathematics, needlework, and even cooking. The more intense ones would be whack-ball[1] and ball games, which were tiring activities.

Mr. Xu told her about all that along the way. He also gave her a booklet.

The time of each class and the teachers’ names were written on the booklet.

Xie Qiao was overwhelmed as she looked at the things that she would be learning.

Soon, the bell rang, and the teacher came in.

The mandatory class’ teacher had the family name of Lu. He came from a big family and had taught many students. He was considered the person in charge of the students in the Orchid Courtyard.

He wore a white robe and looked approximately 60. He had a long beard, which made him look like an immortal who was rather majestic.

Master Lu looked around the class as soon as he came in and said calmly, “Why are you guys squeezing together? Return to your seats.”

That made all students quiet. They buried their heads and dared not say a word.

A moment later, a lady stood up and said politely, “Sir… Master Xie used to be a bandit, so…”

‘So we’d rather squeeze together instead of sitting too close to her!’

Master Lu sat there and suddenly asked, “The four characteristics of a gentleman—Reverence in doing, respectful in duty. Kindness in cultivating, righteous in serving. What does that mean?”

The lady was stunned, and she stammered, “A revered behavior, respectful to his Master, kind to the people, and serving the people with righteousness. A man with these four characteristics is a gentleman.”

“That’s right. Master Xie was wrong in the past, but he’s a changed man now. He stood up when the country was in crisis, he’s a righteous man. He’s now an official who works diligently. He doesn’t misbehave, and he did everything that the emperor delegated wonderfully. He doesn’t bully the people, so that proves that he’s a good official who is no different from a gentleman. So what if he was a bandit before?”

Master Lu added, “Sit alone quietly with your thoughts, don’t gossip about people. Return to your seats!”

As soon as he said that, those who had changed seats returned to their seats carefully.

Xie Qiao was rather surprised to find that this teacher was so forgiving.

It had been five to six years since her father had become an official. It seemed he still met with obstacles in his career since many still judged him.

It was her first time hearing a compliment about her father!

[1] Chuiwan, or Chinese golf.

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