The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 274

Just then, he saw that the kitchen was on fire!

Yao Silian and the steward rushed to the kitchen, where they saw Wang Chuanyu of the Langya Wang family cooking a bowl of white rice porridge. After serving the porridge, she placed it on a tray and headed towards Yao Silian's room.

Yao Silian looked at the boots in his hand, a look of emotion flashing in his eyes. Then he returned to his room and saw Wang Chuanyu kneeling outside his door with porridge in his hands.

Yao Silian immediately opened the door and said, "Why is that?"

Wang Chuanyu simply said, "I am willing to learn the gentlemanly conduct from the Grand Tutor. I understand that extravagance will only deplete the national strength of the Tang Dynasty. If I can follow the Grand Tutor every day to learn the gentlemanly way and the strategies for governing the country, then my trip will not have been in vain. I will serve you as I would my father."

Yao Silian nodded: "A teacher for a day is a father for life. Get well soon."

According to the ancient Book of Changes, in the chapter on teachers and students, students must personally serve their teachers and cook three meals a day for them.

But Wang Chuanyu was pampered and raised in the past, so how could he know how to cook?

This bowl of plain porridge represented all his feelings.

Yao Silian's intention was to make him get up and stop kneeling outside the door, as the cold wind could be quite dangerous if it blew on him.

Every day at dawn, Wang Chuanyu would kneel outside his door and invite him to taste the porridge he had made. And during the hottest days of summer, he would fetch bathwater from the river for him. When the weather got a little colder, he would come to his room to cover him with a blanket.

Yao Silian was finally convinced that this boy had changed his ways. Although the Crown Prince in the palace was arrogant and licentious all year round, and sometimes his actions were infuriating, he was deeply moved to see how Wang Chuanyu treated him.

The Crown Prince's tutor was destined to return to the palace to teach the Crown Prince. However, he was able to stay at the academy for a short time and address Wang Chuanyu as his teacher and student. The relationship between the two continued to warm up, and they got along like father and son.

It was already getting dark when someone knocked on the door.

"I am your master."

Yao Silian immediately opened the door and saw a child standing outside.

"I've come specifically to style your hair; it used to be my nanny who styled my hair." Then the child was seen kneeling obediently beside the prayer mat.

Yao Silian's eyes immediately filled with tears. His family had been poor since he was a child, and his mother was sick. He used to tie her hair like this. Now, seeing Wang Chuanyu so well-behaved, he was touched by the sadness in his heart.

Yao Silian was like an iron plate, impervious to water and knife. Years of ups and downs in officialdom had hardened his heart, but now he saw that there was still someone who understood him!

Yao, lost in thought, immediately asked someone to help her up. She tied her hair up and said, "You're still young, the teacher will always have something to teach you."

The Lanling Xiao family has been quite bored these past two days. The wealthy young men in the class seem to have all quieted down, probably because Xu Tian has a way to get everyone to study willingly.

Xiao Xin did not do that. He saw a strong man walking over. This man was very burly.

Seeing Xiao Xin's frail appearance, Lu Deming patted him on the shoulder and walked over. In the past, when he was of noble status in the Lanling Xiao Clan, no one had ever dared to get so close to him.