Chapter 38 The kitchen is a kind of benevolence

  After practicing in the Qin government office, Sun Simiao had a breakfast with him. Fang Yilove swayed and came to the upper book room. As soon as he entered the upper book room, Fang Yilove found that his legs were held by someone. Fang Yilove picked up the little maid on the ground and smiled: "Little rabbit, do you miss me?"

  "I've been thinking, where did you go for so long? I asked mom, but she didn't tell me!" Li Mingda bit her finger and said with a cute expression.

  "Hehe, little rabbit, I'm going mountain climbing, and your mom doesn't know where I've gone, of course, I couldn't tell you." Fang Yi'ai said with a gentle smile as he hugged Li Mingda. Li Mingda tilted his small head and shook it back and forth, his two small braids swinging back and forth, looking extremely cute. "Yi'ai brother, can you take me next time when you go mountain climbing?"

  "Of course, next time I go hiking, I'll definitely take you with me. Are you satisfied now?" Looking at Li Mingda's genuinely smiling face, Fang Yiai really couldn't bear to refuse her.

  "Brother, you're too good! When the time comes, I'll definitely climb to the highest place and take a good look at Chang'an City!" Li Mingda was so excited that he directly pecked on Fang Yuai's face with his small mouth. Fang Yuai quickly hugged Li Mingda and sat him down in her own seat. Just as she was about to chat with Li Xueyan in the front row, Cheng Ling'er walked into the study from outside. Seeing Fang Yuai, Cheng Ling'er scowled at her delicate little face and said discontentedly: "Fang Jun, where have you been running off to these days? I'm telling you, next time you dare to shake me off, I'll tear down your family's front door!"

  Fang Yu stared foolishly at this fierce girl, and indeed, she was not unworthy of being the daughter of the old demon. She even dared to dismantle the gate of the Liang Guo Gong Fu, her courage was really not small. However, thinking about the family style of the old demon, Cheng Ling'er might have done it. "Ling'er, I've said it before, that time I was just joking, and I've already said it, that poem was copied by me, why are you so serious?"

  "Hmph, you still dare to deceive me? I've already asked my dad and Master Yao about it, and they've never heard of that poem. If that poem wasn't written by you, then I'll be a ghost! You don't need to say anything else, I'm Cheng Ling'er, a person who keeps her word. Do you want me to go back on my own words?

  Cheng Ling'er didn't show any signs of being moved, leaving Fang Yu'ai speechless. "Ling'er, if I still haven't gotten married by the time I'm twenty, do you plan on waiting for me forever?"

  "This girl is not afraid, wait until you are 20, I am only 22, not old yet!" As soon as Cheng Ling'er finished speaking, Li Mingda, who was sitting on Fang Yiai's leg, jumped down in fright and pointed at Cheng Ling'er with a milky voice, saying: "Sister Ling'er, shameless!"

  "Little Li, stop talking nonsense! Can't you see the sour face of your brother? Don't cause him more trouble!" Li Xueyan almost vomited blood after hearing Li Mingda's words. This matter was already chaotic enough, and now Li Mingda was provoking Cheng Ling'er - wasn't this adding fuel to the fire? Li Xueyan held Li Mingda in her arms, not saying a word, just watching how these two happy enemies would continue on."

  Fang Yi'ai and Cheng Ling'er stared at each other, both unsure of what to say. Li Mingda's words had been too hurtful earlier. The two looked at each other for a while before hearing an abrupt voice, "Haha, isn't that Second Master Fang? When did you get back? Haven't you lost a leg outside yet?"

  Fang Yi Ai knew that Zhang Sun Ran had arrived as soon as he heard the voice, but Fang Yi Ai was too lazy to pay attention to him. Just because Fang Yi Ai didn't react doesn't mean Cheng Ling Er would hold back her anger. Cheng Ling Er was furious inside and couldn't vent it out on Li Ming Da, so she seized the opportunity to scold Zhang Sun Ran instead. Cheng Ling Er turned around, glared at Zhang Sun Ran with disdain, and said: "Zhang Sun Ran, you're still as shameless as ever! It's true that a dog can't produce ivory teeth!"

  "You...Cheng Ling'er, don't think that just because others are afraid of you, I'll be afraid of you. If you dare to say one more word, I'll have someone sell you to a brothel!" Before Long Sun Ruan could finish speaking, Cheng Ling'er kicked him to the ground with one foot. "Long Sun Ruan, if you dare to say one more word, Young Lady will have you castrated!"

  After hearing Cheng Ling'er's words, Fang Yiai felt a chill run down her spine. This girl was really too fierce! Chang Sunyan had been made to lose face by Cheng Ling'er and almost couldn't bear it. Seeing Fang Yiai's smiling face, Chang Sunyan nearly fainted with rage. He bellowed at his cohorts: "What are you all standing there for? Are you all dead men? Can't you catch this stinky girl?"

  "I dare anyone to try!" Cheng Ling'er wasn't afraid at all, and she took two steps forward with her head held high. Long Sun's gang of friends immediately retreated in fear, not because they were afraid of Cheng Ling'er, but because they were afraid of that old witch. If anyone dared to touch Cheng Ling'er, the old witch would dare to chop off their hands and feed them to the dogs. At that time, you wouldn't even have anywhere to complain, because from the Three Departments of Justice to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, to the Ministry of Punishment, no one dared to provoke the old witch. If she got angry, she would dare to lead the Golden Armor Guards to tear down the yamen.

  "A bunch of trash, a bunch of trash!" Zhang Sun Ruan almost went crazy seeing this situation, how did he end up with such a group of cowardly subordinates. Cheng Ling'er hooked her little finger, "Zhang Sun Ruan, you're not trash, so hurry up and fight against the lady for 300 rounds!"

  Cheng Ling'er was wearing a red tight-fitting warrior suit, with a pair of small leather boots on her feet, and her figure was slender and graceful, especially that small waist, which was truly tempting. Unfortunately, Zhang Sunyan didn't have the mood to look at this anymore, as he had just fought a fierce battle with Cheng Ling'er for 300 rounds, and even the bed was still intact; if they were on the ground, would Zhang Sunyan still be alive?

  "Smelly girl, don't be arrogant, wait for me!" Zhang Sun Ran pointed at her and ran out of the study room in a huff, not even bothering to attend class. Cheng Ling'er clapped her hands and spat at Zhang Sun Ran's back, "Cowardly scoundrel, apart from relying on your family background, you have no skills whatsoever!"

  "Ling'er, you'd better be careful, I think Zhang Sunyan has gone to find someone." Fang Yiai thought that after seeing Zhang Sunyan run out, he would definitely not give up easily.

  "Hmph, this little rascal, I'm not afraid of him at all. It's better if he finds someone to deal with me. My father is worried that he can't find an excuse to discipline him!" After Cheng Ling'er finished speaking, Fang Yi'ai was speechless. This family is really something, none of them play by the rules. I reckon this time Zhangsun Ruan will be in trouble again.

  In the study, Kong Yingda was talking endlessly about "Mengzi", and Fang Yiai had almost fallen asleep listening to him. Listening to Kong Yingda's nagging was no better than listening to Cheng Ling'er's chatter. It's a pity that Cheng Ling'er wasn't in the study reading books, otherwise it would have been even more lively. Who knows if Kong Yingda dared to show his dark face to Cheng Ling'er?

  "Fang Yi'ai... Fang Yi'ai..., what are you looking at, I'm calling you!" Kong Yingda was also speechless towards Fang Yi'ai. This guy is obviously quite clever, why doesn't he just listen to the lesson properly?

  "Ah?" The housekeeper stood up and said with a smack of her lips: "Sir, what are you calling me for?"

  "House love, can you explain to me what is meant by 'a gentleman keeps a distance from the kitchen'?" Kong Yingda asked with a stroke of his beard, very elegantly.

  "Sir, since you asked, I'll speak directly." Fang Yiai hesitated for a moment before shaking her head and speaking up, "Sir, may I ask, how do you understand it?"

  "Haha, I'm asking you, and you're actually testing me, okay, so I'll explain it to you. The saying 'a gentleman keeps a distance from the kitchen' means that a gentleman should keep himself clean and pure, the kitchen is a dirty place, a gentleman should stay away from such a dirty place and maintain his own integrity!" Kong Yingda explained elegantly.

  "Sir, I don't think so!" Fang Yiai said loudly.

  "Oh?" Kong Yingda found this strange and actually wanted to hear what Fang Yiai had to say.

  "Sir, the phrase 'a gentleman keeps a distance from the kitchen' comes from the conversation between Mencius and Duke Huan of Qi. To understand this phrase, we must read the entire article," said Fang Yiai slowly. "A gentleman keeps a distance from the kitchen is actually Mencius explaining a way of governance to Duke Huan of Qi. Keeping a distance from the kitchen means being unable to bear the cries of animals before they are slaughtered, which is a kind of compassion. Compassion is benevolence, and if one cannot bear the suffering of cattle and sheep, they will also be unable to bear the suffering of the people. Only those who possess a compassionate heart can be considered gentlemen. 'A gentleman keeps a distance from the kitchen' means that only with a compassionate heart can one be considered a gentleman, not that one must stay away from the kitchen in order to be a gentleman. For ordinary people, having a compassionate heart can bring more help and less suffering. If emperors and officials have a compassionate heart, the people will live in abundance, which means that emperors and nobles can also be gentlemen, just like farmers in the mountains. Without a compassionate heart, even if one is well-read and wealthy, they cannot be considered a gentleman, at most they are just a hypocrite! Therefore, going to the kitchen to cook does not lose face, as long as you often have a compassionate heart, then no matter what you do, you are a gentleman!"

  After listening to Fang Yi'ai's lengthy argument, the entire upper study room fell silent, even Kong Yingda was stunned. Fang Yi'ai's explanation was truly astonishing. "Fang Yi'ai, did you really think of all this yourself?"

  "Of course, sir, have you heard this explanation?" Fang Yiai nodded and said with a big face.

  E (Kong Yingda) was really convinced this time and rushed to Fang Yiai, bowing his head in respect.

  The house is left with love, and this time it's a bit dizzy. How did Kong Yingda play this trick again? "Sir, don't do this, you're old and I can't afford your courtesy!"

  "House Yi Ai, you can bear it. As the saying goes, 'learning has no priority', those who understand are first. You have such insight, and you should be my teacher!" House Yi Ai was too lazy to chat with Kong Yingda, this Kong Yingda is good everywhere, but he loves to be serious, a complete old pedant.

  As soon as the school was over, Fang Yiai rushed out of the study room. If he stayed any longer, he would definitely be held back by Kong Yingda for a long and tedious lecture. After Fang Yiai left, Kong Yingda shook his head and sighed with a bitter smile, "This little brat, is old man really that scary?"