In the afternoon, the first practical class at Zhaoyu Academy was the brewing class, and Li Wanming came to teach it in person.
The main reason was that it was the first class for Lü Songyuan and Fang Zhi. She was afraid that other teachers wouldn't be able to handle them.
However, in the afternoon, just as Li Wanming walked to the window, she heard some discordant voices inside.
"What's that smell? It stinks! Why don't they even light some incense in this classroom?"
It was Fang Zhi speaking.
Most of the girls who came to Zhaoyu Academy were from poor families, and there were also some peasant women who wanted to learn skills.
Most of them had just finished their work at home in the morning and then rushed to class in the afternoon.
The sweat on their bodies hadn't dried yet. Now that they were all gathered in the same room, the smell in the room was naturally a bit unpleasant.
Hearing Fang Zhi's disdainful words, several girls immediately lowered their heads and smelled themselves. They blushed and lowered their heads.
Lü Songyuan also thought there was an indescribable stuffy, sour and sweaty smell in the room, mixed with the dust and greasy smell peculiar to low - grade fabrics. It made her want to vomit.
However, she was different from the straightforward Fang Zhi.
Especially now, since Fang Zhi was being disdainful, she had to appear more generous, calm and nonchalant.
Only in this way could she seem more approachable and gain a good reputation among the common people.
As long as she could become a person recognized by the common people, and with the secret support of Empress Dowager Kang, she was not afraid that the emperor wouldn't make her the queen.
Lü Songyuan said with a smiling face, "Sister Fang is really interesting. Each class at Zhaoyu Academy only costs one copper coin. How can they afford to light incense? If sister thinks the environment here is too shabby and can't stand it, she can just go home."
Although Lü Songyuan was smiling on the surface, she was almost roaring inside: Go back quickly! Say you can't stand it and plan to go back!
As long as Fang Zhi was willing to admit defeat and leave... then after putting on a little show, she could also leave Zhaoyu Academy gracefully!
Ugh...
The smell in this room was really unbearable.
Look at what those women were wearing. They were all made of coarse linen and cotton. They were all disheveled and didn't even know how to apply a bit of rouge. And their hair was greasy. They didn't know how long it had been since they last washed it. There was even dirt on their necks...
Ugh, if she stayed here for one more moment, she would really vomit.
While enduring the discomfort in her heart, Lü Songyuan stared closely at Fang Zhi.
Who would have thought that Fang Zhi gave a cold snort and then turned to her maid and said, "Go and light the Snow - in - Spring - Blossom incense I brought! Since the academy doesn't have incense and the smell in the room is unpleasant, we can just light our own, can't we?"
The little maid immediately took out a delicate gold - inlaid Boshan censer with interlaced branch patterns from the bookcase beside her. Then she picked out two snow - white incense tablets from the spice box and lit them in the censer.
Wispy blue smoke drifted out.
Li Wanming was standing outside the window, closer to Fang Zhi. Immediately, she smelled a faint, elegant fragrance, like a cold plum in the snow, clear and fragrant.
Incense was originally a pastime for the wealthy.
Most of the girls who came to study at Zhaoyu had never seen incense in their lives. At this moment, seeing such an exquisite little censer and smelling such a refreshing fragrance, they couldn't help but be full of curiosity and stared eagerly at the front.
Some sensitive - minded girls even felt envious and ashamed of themselves.
Fang Zhi proudly glanced at Lü Songyuan and then said, "Also, take out all the Huzhou purple - haired writing brushes and Chengxintang paper I prepared before and distribute them to everyone!"
The maid then took out the things she mentioned as ordered.
Li Wanming finally understood why Fang Zhi had to bring such a big bookcase when coming to school.
It was filled with all kinds of censers, incense tablets, cushions, tea sets, snacks, and the writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones she mentioned...
Fang Zhi was very happy seeing the busy maid.
She rolled up her sleeves, stood in the middle, and said to everyone, "We are studying under the same roof. From now on, we are classmates!"
"Dear classmates, since it's our first meeting today, I've prepared a little gift for everyone. I hope you won't dislike it. Come on, come here to get one each!"
When the students heard that there were gifts, and they were from the daughter of Prime Minister Fang, they all became happy and rushed forward to receive them.
Some clever ones immediately began to praise.
"Wow, this paper is so good. It feels so smooth. I've never used such good paper before."
"The brush is also beautiful! Look at the brush handle. It's like it's made of jade."
"Sure enough, she's the daughter of Prime Minister Fang. She's really generous!"
Lü Songyuan was standing on one side, fuming with anger.
The Huzhou purple - haired writing brushes and Chengxintang paper were not really anything special to her. If she wanted to give them away, she could easily take out dozens of sets.
However, she had come to Zhaoyu to study reluctantly, and she really looked down on these poor peasants around her. How could she think of giving them gifts?
She never expected that Fang Zhi, this straightforward fool, had actually improved this time and learned how to win people's hearts...
Lü Songyuan bit her lips tightly, almost biting through her lower lip.
Actually, she had wronged Fang Zhi.
Fang Zhi just thought that the students here must have never seen anything good. If she brought some things over, she would surely be the center of attention and be envied by everyone.
In other words, she just came here to show off her wealth. She didn't think about winning people's hearts or not.
But in Lü Songyuan's eyes, it seemed that Fang Zhi was showing off to her and deliberately provoking her.
She pressed her fingers, stared coldly at Fang Zhi for a while, and then suddenly smiled.
"Sister Fang is really thoughtful and handles things properly. Unlike me, I thought I was just coming to the academy to study. I didn't know I had to bring gifts."
She took two steps forward and came in front of Fang Zhi. The smile on her face became colder.
"Sister is so good at dealing with people and knows when to advance and when to retreat. She knows how to win people's hearts on the first day of meeting. I wonder if it's because of her long - term influence at home?"
Fang Zhi opened her mouth but didn't say anything.
To be honest, she didn't understand.
Lü Songyuan's words sounded like praise, but her instinct from dealing with Miss Lü for many years told her that she would never praise her...
Xiao Yingchu beside her was extremely anxious.
Although the Huzhou purple - haired writing brushes and Chengxintang paper were valuable, they were just small gifts for the classmates today and not a big deal.
However, Lü Songyuan had erased the specific information in her words and only left the words "giving gifts". She also said it was from long - term influence at home... Didn't this directly imply that Prime Minister Fang often had financial gifts in and out, which was a veiled way of saying that Prime Minister Fang took bribes?
She quickly said, "Sister Lü, you know that Azhi has always liked to have fun. This time when she heard that she could study with so many girls, she was very happy. That's why she suddenly had the idea of giving everyone a gift."
"Moreover, what she gave was just paper and brushes. It's not something extraordinary. After all, it's just to celebrate our friendship as classmates."
After saying that, she personally took a set of paper and brushes and presented it in front of Lü Songyuan.
"Sister Lü, this one is especially for you."
"Speaking of which, the three of us are really destined. We were classmates at Zangshan Academy and now at Zhaoyu Academy. I hope we can take care of each other in the future. It's better for us to get along harmoniously. Don't lose our ladylike demeanor in front of the common people."
These words were very well - spoken.
On the one hand, she put herself in a very low position and was almost begging for peace; on the other hand, she reminded Lü Songyuan that this was not a social place for noble ladies, but an academy for the common people. Every move of theirs could spread throughout the streets and alleys at any time and become the talk of the town.
Lü Songyuan stared at her with a complicated expression for a while, and finally waved her hand and asked the maid behind her to accept the gift.
Xiao Yingchu heaved a sigh of relief.
Li Wanming also heaved a sigh of relief.
If such a scene happened even before the class started, how could they get through the days in the future!
As a teacher, she was really troubled.
Sighing again, Li Wanming finally walked to the door and stepped in.
Fang Zhi was very happy to see her. She waved and asked, "Miss Cheng, you're here! Are you going to teach us how to brew wine today?"
"Yes, but not in the room. Now please follow me out. Let's go to the yard to learn." Li Wanming said with a gentle smile.
Fang Zhi cheered and happily pulled Xiao Yingchu and ran outside, saying, "Great! This room is so small and shabby. I've wanted to go out for a long time!"
Li Wanming walked behind her and couldn't help but sigh in her heart: You really have to thank your good friend Xiao Yingchu.
Otherwise, you might have died at Lü Songyuan's hands hundreds of times.