No way!
Ye Xiao wasn't trying to favor one over the other.
Today, he chose to give Chu Yuan this gift because the latter would soon be leaving for the capital to participate in the Spring Examination.
He sent this gift out of sincerity.
It wasn't about treating them differently.
“Teacher.”
Seeing Master Fei's sour look!
Ye Xiao pretended not to understand and directly used his killer move: acting innocent and smiling!
Right then!
A sweet smile, tinged with shyness: “You really care about me!”
Master Fei never expected a child to answer irrelevantly.
Immediately!
He couldn't help but purse his lips and say in a low voice, “Yes, he deserves it.”
Lies don't hurt, the truth is the sharpest knife.
Think about Chu Yuan teaching…
Teaching him literacy, solving his problem with the domineering true energy, and passing on so many martial arts techniques.
Compare him to himself!
He either made Ye Xiao test poison or took him to the graveyard for dissections.
No wonder Ye Xiao was so close to Chu Yuan!
Comparing himself to the other man was just humiliating.
Chu Yuan, on the other hand!
Seeing Master Fei's silent expression, a warm smile spread across his lips.
He casually handed Master Fei a cup of tea and said:
“Don’t worry!”
“Since Ye Xiao knows to give me a brush today, he will also know to give you gifts in the future.”
“What’s there to be sour about!”
Although he knew it was a comforting word, who doesn't like to hear nice things?
Moreover, Master Fei thought about it and realized it made sense, so he was no longer sour and smiled back, “Indeed, only scholars know how to talk.”
“I said… are you really not considering it?”
“Instead of waiting to fail the Spring Examination, why not come to my Imperial Censorship Office now, you’re going to be an official anyway.”
Speaking of which.
Master Fei, with a touch of banditry, said: “All the people in my Imperial Censorship Office are villains, no one in the capital dares to provoke us, isn't that more glorious than being a small civil servant?!”
As soon as he said this!
Not to mention Chu Yuan, even Ye Xiao beside him was speechless.
Their teacher!
He really didn't act like the head of the third branch of the Imperial Censorship Office.
He was more like an old bandit who had escaped from a bandit’s lair.
This wasn’t recruitment, it was clearly a call to join him!
…
…
Chu Yuan smiled!
Then, he didn't dwell on the topic.
He turned to Ye Xiao and said:
“Look at your teacher, I, your teacher, can’t even take you out for a meal without worrying.”
“Don’t look at him as just here for a meal, actually, he might have ulterior motives.”
Ye Xiao wasn’t stupid!
As clever as he was, he naturally saw through Master Fei's purpose and nodded, “I understand, Master, you are afraid I will be poisoned.”
Upon hearing this!
Master Fei blushed and felt a little uncomfortable, like he had been exposed.
He looked like he was really concerned about Ye Xiao!
He was quite embarrassed!
He could only try to cover it up by talking:
“There are many ways to kill someone, but the easiest and least conspicuous is poison.”
“My task in coming to Tanzhou is to teach you about this within the shortest possible time.”
“Just in case you are poisoned in your food and die.”
In the end!
Master Fei reminded him again and again:
“Anyway, Ye Xiao, you must remember!”
“All those people from the capital are not good people, they are all power-hungry!”
“Be careful!”
Chu Yuan’s expression was slightly strange upon hearing this, was this fellow out of his mind?
He seemed to have forgotten?
That he was also from the capital?
“Cough!”
Sure enough, after Master Fei finished speaking, he realized it and could only awkwardly pick up his teacup and pretend to drink tea.
…
…
“Then why are you teaching me now?”
Ye Xiao was also a person who had lived two lives and quickly grasped the key to the matter.
For him!
Some questions must be clarified, so he didn’t care about whether Master Fei would realize that he was mature beyond his years.
He continued to ask:
“Teacher, weren’t you afraid of people poisoning me in the past years?”
Fortunately!
Master Fei was busy covering up his embarrassment and didn’t pay attention.
He laughed mischievously!
The laughter had a kind of indescribable sleazy taste: “Because a short while ago, your father’s concubine just gave birth to a son.”
“In other words, you now have another competitor for the Nanbo Estate!”
“And it just so happens that your second wife is related to some people in our Imperial Censorship Office, your father is worried that something might happen to you…”
“He can’t conveniently send someone to protect you long term!”
“He doesn’t want you to surface too early, so he arranged for me to teach you.”
At this point.
Ye Xiao noticed the way Master Fei was addressing him…
That father!
But soon, Ye Xiao didn’t think much about it and smiled wryly, “Teacher, have you forgotten?”
“I am a bastard son.”
“According to Qing’s law, I am not eligible to inherit the Nanbo title, my second wife shouldn’t be too worried about me, right?!”
He didn’t know!
Master Fei casually said: “In this world, what can be said for sure?”
…
…
On the side!
Chu Yuan secretly nodded.
He hadn't spoken, but it didn't prevent him from judging Master Fei.
I have to say!
Looking at the entire world of the Great Qing Dynasty in the movies and television, Master Fei was definitely a clever man.
Only he lived the most transparent life.
At this moment!
Master Fei’s nagging started: “Although you are still young, I hope you remember what I said.”
Seeing his teacher behaving so seriously for once!
Ye Xiao quickly sat up straight.
“The things in your family are much more complicated than you think.”
“It involves more than just your life, it will even involve the lives of many others, so you must…”
“Live well!”
These four words were said with great weight by Master Fei.
Then!
He suddenly looked at Chu Yuan and said in a low voice:
“So, in these years before you grow up, you must learn to protect yourself…”
“Only then will you be able to protect those you want to protect in the future.”
Ye Xiao was stunned.
He clearly didn’t understand what Master Fei meant for a while.
Seeing this!
Master Fei smiled and pointed at Chu Yuan: “For example, someone like your teacher, who is already inseparable from you.”
Ye Xiao understood now!
He continued what Master Fei said and added: “And Teacher!”
Hearing this!
A smile also appeared on Master Fei's face: “You little brat…”