Chapter 48: What the Heck

"..." Huang Yu's vision blurred, and she nearly collapsed on the spot.

Even the Prince of Zhennan doesn't know? Brother, are you really from the Tianxuan Kingdom? Did you crawl out of some godforsaken corner?

At this moment, she somewhat regretted bringing this guy here!

He knew nothing. If he said the wrong thing, she would definitely be implicated!

Actually, Zhang Xuan wasn't pretending; he really didn't know.

His previous self was merely the worst teacher at the academy, always thinking about how not to get expelled. He never inquired about the kingdom's political affairs and knew very little. Before his transmigration, he couldn't even distinguish between departments, divisions, and sections, so how could he possibly understand what the Prince of Zhennan was?

Creak!

Just as he was about to explain the glorious exploits of the Prince of Zhennan, he heard the gate before him rumble as it swung open from the middle, and a steward-like figure came forward to greet them.

"Steward Cheng, I am ready. I hope to receive the master's guidance again!" The white-robed young man, Bai Xun, had lost all his earlier arrogance and spoke with a respectful tone.

"So it's Young Master Bai and Miss Huang! Please follow me to the parlor and wait!" Recognizing the three, the steward bowed.

The three followed behind and entered the mansion.

Zhang Xuan looked around.

Although the place was not luxuriously decorated—even somewhat inferior to some parts of the academy—it had a unique charm, blending motion and stillness like a silent ink painting, indescribably elegant.

"What a fine, unadorned ink painting!"

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but admire.

"Oh? This young master... has some skill in painting?" The steward, who was walking ahead, turned around upon hearing the exclamation.

"Just a casual remark!" Not expecting his random comment to catch the steward's attention, Zhang Xuan quickly shook his head.

In his previous life, he was a librarian with a refined job. Although he had seen many paintings, he had never held a paintbrush, let alone painted!

"Our master uses his heart as a brush and the courtyard as paper, cultivating the entire mansion like a painting scroll. The young master is not wrong!" The steward nodded and said no more.

Soon they arrived at the living room.

The living room was not large, antique and elegant, with various scroll paintings hanging on the walls. Entering it gave one a sense of tranquility and calm.

Unlike other places, where stone pillars for testing strength were everywhere, giving a feeling that those lacking strength would be eliminated.

"I'll go inform the master!"

The steward arranged for the three to sit down, then turned and walked out.

"You know how to paint?" As soon as the steward left, Huang Yu looked over curiously.

She had clearly heard the previous conversation, and she really knew nothing about this young man she had brought.

"I just thought the layout in the courtyard resembled a painting," Zhang Xuan said.

"Xiao Yu, don't listen to his nonsense. This guy is just putting on airs and being mysterious!" Bai Xun on the side glared as if his eyes were about to burn.

"What do you know? My friend here is learned and talented! Do you think everyone is like you, just putting on a show?" Hearing him insult the friend she brought, Huang Yu immediately became displeased.

"Learned and talented? Him? Xiao Yu, you'd better be careful. I think this kid is just a good-for-nothing playboy. Young as he is, he learns to talk nonsense and sweet-talk girls—shameless and utterly despicable!"

Hearing the girl praise the other, Bai Xun grew angrier, his teeth grinding audibly.

"My friend here is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—there's nothing he doesn't excel at. Not to mention being the best among the younger generation, even among the older generation, few can match him! Unlike you, who knows nothing and only thinks about fighting all day! You're the real good-for-nothing!"

Huang Yu refused to yield an inch.

"Proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Him? He doesn't look much older than me. Even if he started learning in the womb, how much could he know? Only you would be fooled by him!" Bai Xun glared viciously at Zhang Xuan.

"Just because someone is young doesn't mean they can't be good? What if he has great talent? If you lack talent yourself, don't doubt others!" Huang Yu retorted.

"..." Listening to both sides, Zhang Xuan, caught in the crossfire, had a head full of black lines.

If you two want to argue, go ahead—but why drag me into it? What did I do to anyone?

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting—he hadn't even touched these four things... And great talent? If he had great talent, how could he have become the first person in Hongtian Academy's history to score zero on the teacher qualification exam?

As the two argued, Bai Xun was about to retort further when footsteps sounded outside, and a figure walked in.

It was an old man with white hair and beard, carrying a special aura that inspired awe without anger.

The former steward was following behind.

Lord Lu Chen, the former teacher of His Majesty Shen Zhui!

“Greetings, Master!”

Seeing this man, Bai Xun and Huang Yu dared not bicker any longer and bowed simultaneously.

“Just now I heard someone say that my courtyard’s arrangement is an ink painting. Rare indeed for young people nowadays to have such refined taste!”

Ignoring the two who were bowing, the old man’s eyes fell on Zhang Xuan as he entered. Clearly, the steward had told him about Zhang Xuan’s words.

“Master, this fellow is talking nonsense. Pay him no mind. I have reviewed my lessons today, so you may quiz me as you wish…” Bai Xun, seeing the master’s attention drawn to the newcomer, was displeased and hurriedly spoke.

“Did I ask you to speak?”

Master Lu Chen raised an eyebrow.

“I…”

Bai Xun’s face flushed crimson, but he dared not utter another word.

Although his status was very high and his father was formidable, he was still far beneath an imperial tutor.

After reprimanding Bai Xun, Master Lu Chen turned to Zhang Xuan again: “Since you understand painting, I happen to have a work here. Appraise it for me as well!”

With that, he gestured.

The steward stepped forward, handed over a scroll, and immediately unrolled it on the table.

It was an ink painting, plain and elegant. As it unfurled, a fresh aura rushed forth: curling smoke from chimneys, a tranquil mountain village, children playing and frolicking. The whole scene seemed to carry the chirping of cicadas and the rustling of leaves—a pastoral landscape.

“This…” Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

He knew nothing about painting; he could only tell that this painting was good. Appraise it? Appraise what?

“You need to speak well. This is the master testing you. He… really likes testing people. Anyway, when I came, he tested me too… If you say it well, you can borrow as many books as you want; if you say it poorly, you might as well go back…”

Just as he was hesitating, Huang Yu’s anxious voice transmission sounded in his ear.

“Test?”

Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.

If he had known that Master Lu Chen was so fond of this, he wouldn’t have opened his mouth in the courtyard!

Wasn’t this asking for trouble? However, from Huang Yu’s tone, even if he hadn’t spoken, the other party would have tested him anyway, since it had become a habit that probably couldn’t be changed!

As for appraising—appraise my foot!

He knew nothing at all. What problem could he spot? What opinion could he offer?

The other party was an imperial tutor, proficient in calligraphy and painting. If he spouted nonsense, he might be driven out with a stick before he even finished.

“What? Is there a problem?”

Seeing his expression, Master Lu Chen looked over.

“Ah, no!”

Zhang Xuan scratched his head, at a loss. As he racked his brain for words that wouldn’t invite criticism, a thought suddenly struck him.

“The Heaven’s Path Library can even distinguish the authenticity of treasures… Can it spot the flaws in a painting?”

With this in mind, he couldn’t help stepping forward, approaching the painting, and lightly touching it with his finger.

Buzz!

A soft hum sounded in his mind, and a book appeared in his thoughts.

After reading its contents, Zhang Xuan’s mood lifted greatly. He looked up at Master Lu Chen, who was staring at him intently, and smiled slightly: “Master, do you truly want me to appraise it?”

Master Lu Chen did not reply, indicating tacit consent.

“I have an eight-character critique!” Zhang Xuan said.

“I’m all ears!” Master Lu Chen looked at him.

Zhang Xuan nodded, gazed at the painting before him, turned around lightly, and couldn’t help shaking his head: “These eight words are… ‘Utter nonsense, what the hell is this?’”

“Sir, be careful with your words!” The steward, who had expected some critique, nearly fainted on the spot upon hearing this. He quickly tried to stop him: “This is the master’s newly completed painting…”