"Do you think it's just about releasing toads and splashing ink?" Pei Yanqi said crossly. "Do you know that Xiao Jingbai once stripped a teacher naked and threw him into the fishpond full of thin ice in the prince's mansion in the coldest month of winter!"
"Another time, he smeared mustard juice on another teacher's chair. As soon as the teacher sat down, the bottom of his robe was instantly stained yellow and he looked extremely embarrassed!"
"Ah..." Li Wanming was stunned. "Is he really that excessive?"
You know, scholars value their dignity most. Reputation is often more important than life to them.
What Xiao Jingbai did was simply trampling on their dignity under his feet. It was a thousand times worse than just throwing toads around.
"That's not all!" Pei Yanqi tightened his grip on the teacup in his hand until his knuckles turned slightly white.
"That little brute not only refused to repent! He even boasted about these two disgraceful deeds as heroic feats in the tavern on Changming Street. He told everyone he met! Those two teachers were so ashamed and angry that they couldn't stay in the capital any longer. In the end, they had to return to their hometowns in a hurry!"
"Poor them. They had studied hard for ten years and were full of knowledge. It was the prime time for them to serve the country and make great achievements, but their futures were ruined by that scoundrel's mischief!"
The angrier he got as he spoke. In the end, he gritted his teeth and his eyes almost spat fire.
Li Wanming didn't expect that Xiao Jingbai had such a bad reputation in the academic circle of the capital.
No wonder Mrs. Kang was so angry when he drove away the sixth teacher. If he had such a bad reputation, it would really be difficult for him to find a teacher in the future.
Presumably, that sixth Jinshi teacher was also invited to the mansion with great difficulty by Mrs. Kang after much begging. But Xiao Jingbai ruined everything with just one toad.
Li Wanming scratched her head. She began to feel a little uncertain.
Judging from this situation, the condition of doubling the tuition fee she had thought of before probably wouldn't attract Pei Yanqi.
Although Pei Yanqi seemed unreliable, he actually had his own ideas on major issues of right and wrong. He wasn't the kind of person who would sell everything for money.
It was all that little brute Xiao Jingbai's fault. He was stupid, reckless, and extremely naughty. His actions were so vicious and out of line that he had offended all the scholars in the capital. Now it was so difficult for her to find a teacher for him...
What should she do?
Xiao Jingbai's reputation was so bad that even Li Wanming herself wanted to let him fend for himself.
Over there, Pei Yanqi was still fuming. He said angrily, "You want me to be a teacher for such a scoundrel? There's no way! Although I'm not very talented, I will never bend for a handful of rice!"
A handful of rice...?
Although she knew that Pei Yanqi always had a unique view on money, it still sounded strange to hear the words "never bend for a handful of rice" from his mouth.
Li Wanming slowly raised one eyebrow. She clasped her hands in front of her and said, "Good! Scholar Pei is so noble. He has two sleeves of clean wind and peerless integrity!"
"However, Scholar Pei, have you forgotten how we first met? A handful of rice is money, but the deposit of a hundred taels of silver isn't, right?"
When she found him in the broken temple back then, he didn't talk like this.
He kept raising the price one by one. He was so familiar with the routine of bargaining. He was really enthusiastic!
Pei Yanqi said calmly, "Back then, I saved you from trouble. It doesn't count as bending for the powerful."
He picked up the teacup and took a sip without changing his expression. "At that time, I knew you didn't want to be betrothed to the heir of the King of Ning who was said to be unlucky to his wives. So, based on the idea that saving a life is better than building a seven - story pagoda, I reluctantly agreed to your conditions and promised to marry you."
"Who would have thought..." He gave her a sideways look. "You were actually tempted by his good looks. As soon as you saw that pretty boy, you didn't care about anything else!"
"I..." Li Wanming gasped. "When did I..."
But Pei Yanqi spoke faster and faster. He didn't give her a chance to refute.
"Didn't you look at him for a long time after lifting the red veil? Didn't you even want to give him a red envelope? Didn't you decide to tear up the contract on the spot because you thought he was better - looking than me? Didn't you let your eyes be blinded by his good looks and immediately throw me, your savior, aside? And you even tried to collect wedding gifts!"
After saying that, he glared at Li Wanming angrily again. His tone was full of sarcasm.
"Humph, now you know it's a big pit and you want to come to me for help? It's too late! The sages have long said that you shouldn't pick up random men on the street. But you just wouldn't listen!"
Li Wanming was stunned by his outburst. It took her a while to come to her senses. She murmured, "It wasn't entirely because he was good - looking. I clearly... chose him because he charged less than you. And weren't you also a random man I picked up on the street back then?"
"You—"
Pei Yanqi's face suddenly changed. He flew into a rage. "You're comparing me to him?! I was kind - hearted enough to save you back then. I signed a contract with you in black and white! Unlike him, who coaxed you into changing your choice with just a few words!"
It was only now that Li Wanming gradually realized: Pei Yanqi wasn't really talking about Xiao Jingbai at all. He was clearly taking revenge for the humiliation of being "abandoned" by her back then!
Yes, who wouldn't be angry if a number one scholar was abandoned on the spot by his fiancée and patron?
In this case, the money - based strategy definitely wouldn't work. Her previous idea of asking Liu Yiyi to deduct his book payment wouldn't have any effect either. She had to change her approach.
"Alright, alright... It was my fault for not thinking things through back then. I really wronged you."
A smile immediately appeared on Li Wanming's face. She said softly and flatteringly, "That's why I invited you to dinner specially to apologize."
If your means are not tough enough, you have to be flexible. Li Wanming always understood this very well.
On the contrary, Pei Yanqi immediately became vigilant. "You're apologizing to me...? What do you want?"
"It's just about my cousin Xiao Jingbai..." Li Wanming smiled extremely gently. She poured a glass of wine for him and placed it in front of him. "I think your evaluation of him just now was really accurate."
"This kid is just overbearing, naughty, disrespectful to his elders, and full of evil deeds. He's a complete scoundrel! But precisely because of this..."
She put down the wine cup in her hand and said seriously, "I think you must teach him!"
"What?" The wine Pei Yanqi had just taken into his mouth got stuck in his throat. He stared at Li Wanming with wide eyes. "... Am I such a fool in your eyes? Knowing that he's a little devil, I still go up to him?"
"Hey, why are you talking about yourself like that?"
Li Wanming frowned and let out a soft "huh". Then she said seriously, "I'm saying this for the sake of the country and society... Don't refute yet. Listen to me first!"