A Clash of Gods - Chapter 189
Chapter 189 Employment
Seeing Yang Ning all confident and casual, Jiang Suiyun felt mentally disturbed, but then he thought, it was undoubtedly like a fool’s dream to go to the sky with no wings.
Of course, he knew people who practiced flying skill could fly. Three chi above the ground was no problem, but that was certainly not going up to the sky.
Yang Ning followed the crowd into the Qionglin Residence for the lecture with a purpose to more or less learn something actually.
Zhuo Qingyang was a contemporary great scholar. Yang Ning could see he was quite appreciative of his disciple Jiang Suiyun. Although Yang Ning didn’t like Jiang Suiyun, thinking that a famous master has no lame students, Jiang Suiyun should still have some real talent.
After he came to this era and space, although he had gradually been used to it, he didn’t essentially integrate himself into it. Since there was the opportunity to come to this academy, where a talented people would come for lecture, he might as well attend it and fit into the system of this era through cultural contact.
But the result was a big disappointment to him.
Yang Ning wasn’t sure if Jiang Suiyun was a real talent, but what he lectured today was all nothing but nonsense and some completely made-up strange and bizarre stories to show his outstanding talent. Of course, there was no need to continue to listen to such a lecture.
Yang Ning didn’t pretend to be polite anymore, arched his hands to Zhuo Qingyang in full view of the public after the betting agreement was set, and exited Qionglin Residence.
In fact, Yang Ning had been in a good mood for meeting the old friend Xiaoyao in Qionglin Academy, but as the lecture went halfway, Jiang Suiyun and Su Zixuan repelled him like two flies, ruining Yang Ning’s mood. He really didn’t want to still stay in Qionglin Academy.
It occurred to him that he hadn’t greeted Xiaoyao yet after he walked out for a few steps, so he paused for a moment, but as he thought that it’d be inappropriate to greet her at this time, and since Xiaoyao studied here, there was always a chance to meet her later. He could even make Duan Canghai inquire about Xiaoyao’s family history, which shouldn’t be difficult for Duan Canghai.
After walking for another ten steps or so, Zhuo Qingyang’s voice from behind sounded, “Wait a minute!”
Yang Ning stopped and turned back, only to see Zhuo Qingyang walking fast over. Yang Ning thought to himself, could it be that this master was to get him in trouble since he sabotaged Jiang Suiyun’s lecture?
But he still said respectfully, “Mr. Zhuo!”
Zhuo Qingyang walked up to Yang Ning, stroking his beard, looking Yang Ning up and down carefully. His look as if to appreciate something made Yang Ning quite uncomfortable. He suddenly felt a little embarrassed, smiled and said, “Sir… what is your instruction?”
Zhuo Qingyang raised his hand and pointed to a hexagonal pavilion not far away and said, “Let’s sit over there.” Without saying much, he put his hands behind his back and walked over.
Yang Ning couldn’t refuse, so he could only follow him to the hexagonal pavilion. A round stone table was placed in the pavilion, with four stone piers on all sides.
Yang Ning hesitated for a moment and finally sat down opposite Zhuo Qingyang.
“Holding doubts about anything that fails to be certain, and then going discover the truth…” Zhuo Qingyang, however, let out a long sigh, “Qi Ning, I have underestimated you.”
Yang Ning knew that he must not be arrogant in front of this erudite scholar, and said hasty, “I was talking nonsense, sir…!”
“If you could drivel out these truths, wouldn’t you already be a saint?” Zhuo Qingyang revealed a rare heartfelt smile in front of Yang Ning, then looked serious again, asked, “The people you mentioned, Thucydides, Ari… Well, let me ask you, who are these people?”
Yang Ning thought to himself that this old man seemed to be going to the root of the problem. He failed to control himself before and spit out all these theories beyond this era. Naturally, he should be cautious now in the face of Zhuo Qingyang alone. He thought for a while, then said, “They’re also scholars as you, sir.”
In his heart, he knew that although Zhuo Qingyang was a great scholar, he was still obviously much inferior to any of the names he had mentioned earlier.
“Overseas scholars?”
Yang Ning nodded his head.
“Have you met them?” Zhuo Qingyang asked.
Yang Ning shook his head.
“And how do you know the names of these people?” Zhuo Qingyang said with a slight hint of doubt.
Yang Ning just smiled and didn’t explain.
Zhuo Qingyang thought Yang Ning was unwilling to explain, nodded slightly and asked thoughtfully, “You just said that there are various disciplines, and what does philosophy mean?”
Yang Ning felt troubled with it, but he couldn’t ignore the question either. He had to get it over with, saying, “Philosophy is a discipline overseas, which is very complicated to explain. In fact… Let’s put it this way, philosophy has been asking a few questions, who am I, where do I come from, where am I going? It is these kinds of questions that philosophy needs to answer.”
Zhuo Qingyang was stunned and muttered, “Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?” He was in deep thought.
Yang Ning thought to himself that the old man hadn’t really started thinking about these questions, had he?
Not long after, Zhuo Qingyang raised his head and asked, “I have something I want to discuss with you.”
“Mr. Zhuo, you’re being very polite. If you have any orders, just say so.” Yang Ning immediately said, “If I can do it, naturally I will do my best.”
Zhuo Qingyang nodded slightly, stroked his beard and smiled, “As you said earlier, it’s not easy for these girls to study in the academy, and now there are only four masters in the academy, even including me.” After a pause, he sighed lightly, “As you have seen, the youngest among us is more than sixty years old, and the other three old masters are not in very good health condition, one of whom is teaching with illness…”
Yang Ning frowned and said, “Teaching with illness? Mr. Zhuo, with all due respect, it shouldn’t be that difficult to find a few masters to come over and teach with your seniority and prestige, why…”
“Quite the opposite.” Zhuo Qingyang shook his head and said, “These old masters in the academy are all friends of mine when I was young, and they come to the academy to teach because of me. I’m not afraid to tell you, they don’t get much money every month from the academy, and they are not short of money too. It’s completely because of my pleading to assist me. Qionglin Academy receives more scold than praise. From the first day Qionglin Academy was established, countless people have insulted behind my back and even secretly accused me of disgrace and bad intentions. Hey, since I did these things, I’ve never cared about how others say.”
Yang Ning stood in awe and said, “A person who wants to do something extraordinary will always attract criticism, and if he treads as on eggs, he just can’t do anything.”
Zhuo Qingyang obviously agreed to Yang Ning’s words deeply, clapped his hands and laughed, “Good, whatever they say, just do it yourself.” Then he frowned and said, “Although I don’t care about those words, and the old masters also endure it for me, not everyone has the guts. In fact, these years, I’ve written a few letters, inviting some learned men of letters to teach in Qionglin Academy. Although their responses varied, ultimately no one was willing to come to the academy.”
Yang Ning had thought Qionglin Academy was filled with youthful and pretty girls, many people should want to flock in the place, but only then did he realize this was not the case. Qionglin Academy was different, but it was not easy for it to survive because of the difference.
“I know how they think.” Zhuo Qingyang sighed, “In the eyes of many people, teaching in the Qionglin Academy means disgrace and intention of misbehavior. Many men of letters cherish their reputation. Even if I personally went to invite them, it didn’t help. Later, I just let go of the idea. I came up the idea of training female disciples with outstanding knowledge, so that they can carry on the legacy of Qionglin Academy.”
“Sir, this is a good idea,” Yang Ning immediately said, “Naturally no one will say anything bad anymore if female teachers come to teach female students.”
“But to train a disciple with outstanding erudition is never an easy task, and it’s only in the past few years that I feel aging. I didn’t think of this earlier, and now it’s already quite hasty.” Zhuo Qingyang made a silence before he said, “Qi Ning, I would like to ask you to teach in this academy. What do you think?”
Yang Ning failed to react for a moment, “Ah”, and asked, “What did you say, sir?”
“I want you to help Qionglin Academy, what do you think?” Zhuo Qingyang stared into Yang Ning’s eyes, “Of course, I’m not asking you to stay at the academy all the time. I just hope you can spare two to three days a month to teach the children in the academy. Much gratitude if you can do so!”
Yang Ning opened his mouth and was baffled for a moment.
He couldn’t have imagined that Zhuo Qingyang would make such a request no matter what.
“You … you are not willing?” Seeing that Yang Ning keep the silence, Zhuo Qingyang seemed disappointed.
Yang Ning came back to his senses and said solemnly, “I indeed couldn’t have expected your general love. Sir, if I can help relieve your worries, of course, I’m obliged to do so. It’s just… I really don’t know how to teach students with my shallow knowledge. Well… don’t take me wrong, I’m afraid of everything except people’s gossip behind my back. Hahaha, I don’t have a good reputation anyway. It’s just that…”
Zhuo Qingyang smiled brightly and said, “You don’t have to take it as a big deal. What you said today in the book hall was already very good. Just teach according to your own method. Don’t care about any rules and regulations. You don’t have to be overly modest as for shallow talent. As far as I’m concerned, you kept it pretty well hidden.”
Yang Ning thought to himself, “I’m not hiding something, but with additional hundred years of knowledge, I still know something after all.”
“Sir, actually I want to ask you a question.” Yang Ning thought for a while and finally asked, “Don’t you find what I said on stage just now ridiculous?”
“Ridiculous? Why is it so?” Zhuo Qingyang shook his head and said, “You said that what you see with your eyes is not always true. We need to try our best to find the truth. I won’t say that the square moon Jiang Suiyun said is false, nor will I say that your galaxy is true, but you all have the right to speak. I hope they will think for themselves what is true and false.”
Yang Ning thought to himself that he was indeed a great scholar, with clearly different insight from ordinary people. He thought for a moment before saying, “Since Mr. Zhuo has put down your words, I will seem pretentious if I keep hesitating. But I should say in advance, sometimes I also run off at the mouth and talk about some strange things. Hope you won’t blame me, sir.”
Zhuo Qingyang clapped his hands and laughed, “I’d also like to put my words in advance. The stranger things you say, the more I am satisfied. I’m just expecting how much knowledge you have in your mind.” He got up and said, “Let’s make a deal, set aside three days every month to come over to lecture, it’s a deal!”
Yang Ning also got up and said, “A promise is a promise!” But deep in his heart, he felt that it was unbelievable that he was hired as a visiting professor of Qionglin Academy just after a trip here, and he didn’t know whether this was a good or bad thing.
Some laughter suddenly sounded. Jiang Suiyun had come out of the study hall, followed by a group of female students of the academy. Su Zixuan stood to Jiang Suiyun’s side with a sweet smile, seeming to be discussing something with Jiang Suiyun. Jiang Suiyun put with his hands behind his back, looking courteous, and explained patiently.
Yang Ning glanced at Zhuo Qingyang, only to see that Zhuo Qingyang was also with his hands behind his back, looking at Jiang Suiyun, his face slightly sunken, a trace of coldness showed in his eyes.