Chapter 368 Student

Yan Lao’er went on cooking the vegetable porridge.

When the porridge was done, he served himself a bowl first.

Seeing the room was a bit dirty, he rolled up his sleeves and began tiptoeing around to clean, so he would not stir up dust for Magistrate Tian to eat.

He mopped the floor three times, wiped the doors and windows twice, wiped the furniture twice, and put the dirty clothes to soak.

Then he turned around, felt the oil lamp did not look quite clean, and took a damp cloth to rub it bit by bit all around…

Magistrate Tian slowly woke up.

There was a faint bitter taste of medicine in his mouth, the room was warm, and there was also a light fragrance of Scented Soap.

He had used it before, it had been sent by Yan Lao’er.

There was another fragrance of rice, stronger than the Scented Soap, which made him feel a little hungry.

He turned his head. Sitting at the table, absorbed in polishing the lamp, who could it be if not Yan Lao’er.

He looked again at the table, chairs, stools, doors, windows, and cabinets. None of them were as dull as they used to be.

The floor was spotless, with traces that had not yet dried. What was there that he could not understand.

It was just at daybreak, the sun rising in the east.

The new day’s light streamed in through the window, setting off the person at the table as clear-hearted and pure, bright and radiant…

Magistrate Tian felt a warm glow in his heart.

Yan Lao’er kept looking up now and then to steal a glance at Magistrate Tian.

As he lifted his eyes, his gaze met Magistrate Tian’s.

The delighted surprise in his eyes was plain at a glance.

In that moment, Magistrate Tian thought of many things.

He remembered Yan Lao’er candidly admitting that his studies were poor…

He remembered that when the city broke, Yan Lao’er had shouted, calling him old man, and yanked at his clothes while his nephew dragged him along as they ran…

He remembered Yan Lao’er, relying only on his gestures and looks, settling the Crouching Tiger folk who followed them one by one into hidden places…

He remembered Yan Lao’er making him crawl back and forth through holes, feeling him over and even kicking him…

Thinking of that last bit, Magistrate Tian felt a little angry, but as he fumed, tears began to fall again…

If not for Yan Lao’er and the others, he would have died long ago.

It was a pity about Second Master and Third Master…

Those two, though rigid, were utterly devoted to Crouching Tiger, never shirking hardship, unafraid of life and death. In the end, they had gained the righteous end they had sought.

He, on the contrary, had clung miserably to life and kept this leftover breath.

Seeing Magistrate Tian looking at him and crying, Yan Lao’er felt unbearably pained.

Everything they had been through flashed before his eyes. He and Magistrate Tian had suffered together, so he could all the more feel what the other felt.

But at this moment, he could not think about that. He had to look ahead.

He hurried over, gripped Magistrate Tian’s hand, and said, “Magistrate, you have to hold on. Second Master and Third Master died where they ought to.

“The Northern Rong have ravaged our Crouching Tiger. Right now in Crouching Tiger City every household is hung with white, and many are wounded. I just went up front to have a look. It is a mess, everything needs doing.

“As for the villages below, oh heavens, who knows how they are doing. The reinforcements that came have gone chasing the Northern Rong. Who knows how many they can kill, whether they can snatch back our grain…

“And those soldiers from Xizhou are still camped outside our city and will not leave.

“What happens later, we still need you, old sir, to decide. You must hold on!”

Listening as Yan Lao’er listed everything out, Magistrate Tian closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his gaze had gradually cleared.

“If you have cooked porridge, bring some for me to drink.”

Yan Lao’er said, “The doctor said you need to take your medicine. Magistrate, please wait a bit longer. Drink the medicine first, then the porridge.”

So that there would still be room in his stomach.

Magistrate Tian took the advice. He waited for the servant to bring the medicine. Yan Lao’er blew on it with his mouth and fanned it with his hand, helped him sit up, and held the bowl for him, watching as he drank it down little by little. Only then did he bring over the vegetable porridge.

Magistrate Tian’s arm had only just been set back in place, and he still could not use it.

So Yan Lao’er fed him spoonful by spoonful.

After he finished the porridge, Yan Lao’er took a clean cloth, dipped it in warm water, and wiped his mouth.

“Huai’an, would you be willing to be my student?” Magistrate Tian suddenly asked.

Yan Lao’er turned around and stared blankly at him.

He was still holding the cloth he had just wet to wash.

“I… I could not… I… when it comes to studying… I… I am no good at it,” Yan Lao’er stammered.

Magistrate Tian’s expression was grave and earnest. “Huai’an’s character is precious. Your heart is kind, and you are quick-witted. No one is perfect, no one can possess every virtue and skill in one body, there will always be things one is not good at. I know Huai’an’s background. As for the Imperial Examination System, it is enough to obtain just one degree to advance. There is no need to force anything more.”

“In my household there is only one wife. The two of us have no children at our knees. The clan has urged me to adopt an heir. First, the family is simple, with little to leave to a later generation. Second, I serve as an official away from home, and I am unwilling to have flesh and blood separated.”

“If I could have Tianyou as my disciple, I would treat you as my own son and pour out everything I have to teach…”

Yan Lao’er swallowed, and only then did he notice that at some point Magistrate Tian had changed the way he referred to himself; he no longer called himself ‘this official’, but used ‘I’ and ‘you’ when speaking of the two of them…

No children at their knees?

Did that not mean no sons and no daughters?

This old man and old lady were rather pitiful…

Magistrate Tian looked at him expectantly. Seeing that he did not speak for a long time, the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

“Huai’an… are you unwilling?” His voice sank bit by bit, much softer, much softer.

Magistrate Tian was already ill, his face bloodless, lying in bed.

To be asked in such a tone on top of that…

Yan Lao’er really could not bear it.

“I am willing! Of course I’m willing!” he hurried to explain. “It is just that I was thinking I would be reaching too high, and also my learning… If others do not know, it is fine, but if they did, I am afraid I would shame you.”

The light in Magistrate Tian’s eyes brightened again, and even his voice was filled with joy.

“There is no such thing as reaching too high. You must never speak like that again. If everyone knew how good Huai’an is, I do not know how many would be fighting with me to take you as their disciple…”

“As for learning, Huai’an, set your mind at ease. I have a way. You can tell people that I will not allow you to show yourself before others until you have finished your studies. I will teach you only in private. In this way, no one will know your true level. Only one thing, you still have to practice your handwriting well. Your script is a scholar’s face. You must not neglect it.”

“Good disciple, help me up quickly. Let us go to the front and have a look. Though the Northern Rong have retreated, things are not over. Not to mention the people within Crouching Tiger who have suffered this calamity and must be comforted as much as possible, the armies from Gufeng, the Prefectural City, and Xizhou who came to aid us will not be easy to send away, especially the Xizhou army…”

Just like that, Yan Lao’er suddenly had a teacher.

He accepted it quite well, though.

Magistrate Tian was a genuinely good official. Becoming his disciple was no loss.

Seeing that because he was willing to become his student, the old man’s complexion had improved a great deal and he seemed more spirited, Yan Lao’er could not help feeling happy too.

“Teacher, take it slow. There is no rush for this moment. I should still ask the doctor to come and take your pulse again. If the doctor says you are fine, then we will go to the front, all right?”

The words of a newly acquired disciple still had to be heeded.

Though Magistrate Tian was anxious, he forced himself to endure it and lay obediently, waiting.

Before long, the servant invited the doctor over.

Yan Lao’er made a small gesture to the doctor. The doctor understood and lightened his footsteps.

Yet Magistrate Tian, eyes closed, was resting and had fallen asleep.

After taking his pulse, the two of them left the room.

The doctor instructed, “It is best not to tax his mind. Let him rest well for a few days. This time his spirit has been injured. He must not miss his daily calming decoction. As for the restorative medicines, take them for two more days and they can be stopped. Today at the hour of You^[1], I will come again to take his pulse.”

(End of chapter)