Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Since ancient times, no parent has ever taken their children's studies lightly.

After hearing Shen Huaizhi's boasting, the parents of the Pan, Zhao, and Wu families were, unsurprisingly, filled with curiosity and admiration for Han Zhang—this wonderful teacher who could get through to even the most stubborn blockhead!

As soon as Shen Huaizhi left, the three families quickly sent people to check up on Han Zhang and to ask their own sons what they thought of him.

After all, Pan Taining and the other two were spoiled playboys, wild and unruly by nature. If the tutor didn't suit their fancy, these little tyrants would surely throw a fit.

But when it came to Han Zhang, Pan Taining and the others got all excited.

"What? You mean Brother Han? Brother Han is the best person there is! Father, Mother, I tell you, you've never met a poor scholar as fun as Brother Han..."

"Brother Han isn't just knowledgeable and insightful—he doesn't have that chip on his shoulder that other poor scholars have. Talking to him is just so easy..."

"Most importantly, Brother Han has good judgment! Other people look down on me and Old Shen and the rest, calling us good-for-nothings, but Brother Han says that being a playboy isn't something just anybody can pull off! He says we shouldn't measure our shortcomings against other people's strengths. I think that makes a lot of sense..."

"Ah, it's a pity Brother Han is already Old Shen's brother-in-law. Otherwise, I'd want him to be my brother-in-law or sister's husband too. Old Shen really lucked out..."

The three of them were singing Han Zhang's praises while feeling jealous and bitter toward Shen Huaizhi.

Looking at Old Shen's brother-in-law, then at their own brothers-in-law, who walked around with their noses stuck up in the air...

There was just no comparison! No contest!

Pan Taining and the other two grumbled to themselves.

The three families' sons-in-law thought: Who walks around with their noses in the air? They just didn't want to deal with these good-for-nothing brothers-in-law.

Seeing how highly their sons thought of Han Zhang, Mother Pan and the others were thrilled and immediately made up their minds.

"Since my son likes Mr. Han so much, tomorrow your father and I will send over a visiting card to ask Mr. Han to teach you too, how about that?"

Pan Taining and the other two were instantly horrified: What the—?!

What, have Brother Han teach them? No freaking way!!!

They were always inseparable from Shen Huaizhi, so they knew full well that he'd been going home for extra lessons every day after school lately.

So they'd also seen firsthand how miserable Shen Huaizhi's studies had been lately.

They didn't want any part of that, no matter how sweet Han Zhang's flattery had been!

Unfortunately, what their parents wanted wasn't going to change.

They'd been spoiled before because Mother Pan and the others thought their sons were hopeless. But now that Shen Huaizhi had managed to turn himself around, their sons could surely be saved too.

"It's settled then. Son, just wait for your father and mother's good news!"

Mother Pan and the others waved their sleeves and happily dispatched visiting cards to the Han residence.

...

At the small courtyard house.

Shen Qinglan looked at the three visiting cards with some confusion: "Husband, we've never had any dealings with Lady Pan and the others. Why would they suddenly want to visit us?"

"It's probably about Second Brother's studies."

Han Zhang guessed the truth almost without thinking, and his expression stiffened.

Although he'd indeed entertained the idea of turning Pan Taining and the others into his right-hand men when he first met them, he'd abandoned that notion after personally tutoring Shen Huaizhi.

It really wasn't for nothing that teachers always loved top students.

The effort he'd poured into teaching Shen Huaizhi would've been enough to train several clever protégés!

One Shen Huaizhi was already more than he could handle. Add Pan Taining and the other little tyrants to the mix... Han Zhang felt his vision going dark just thinking about it.

Shen Qinglan also thought of his elder brother's good-for-nothing friends and got anxious too:

"Surely Lady Pan and the others don't want you to tutor Brother Taining and the rest too? That won't do! Brother Taining and the others are just like Second Brother—stubborn as rocks, the lot of them. Teaching four rocks at once would run you ragged!"

"How about this... Husband, pretend to be sick right now. When Lady Pan and the others come calling, just say you've been under the weather lately to turn them down, alright?"

Han Zhang shook his head thoughtfully: "That excuse only patches the symptoms, not the root of the problem. Lady Pan and the others have finally seen a glimmer of hope for their sons—they won't let it go easily."

"Besides, the fact that Lady Pan and the others noticed me so fast probably has something to do with Second Brother..."

He was certain Shen Huaizhi had gone to the Pan, Zhao, and Wu households to stir the pot, otherwise it couldn't be such a coincidence.

And the reason for his actions wasn't hard to guess—he was afraid his brothers would suffer, but also afraid they wouldn't!

Han Zhang said wearily: "Husband, do you believe that if I turn down Pan Taining and the others, your Second Brother will come knocking the very next moment, clinging to my leg and throwing a fit until I agree?"

"Second Brother is the type who, after getting soaked himself, has to tear up everyone else's umbrella too. Good brothers should share both joy and misery."

Shen Qinglan was speechless.

That was definitely something Second Brother would do.

Shen Qinglan's face was full of worry: "Then husband, what are we going to do?"

"Since I can't turn them down directly, I'll just have to make Pan Taining and the others give up on their own. Those little tyrants absolutely hate studying."

Han Zhang thought for a moment and hit on an idea.

Since he couldn't solve the problem himself, he'd toss the problem back to the person who caused it.

And so it was.

When Mother Pan and the others came calling.

Han Zhang said sincerely: "Aunts, it's not that I'm unwilling to help, but in the pursuit of learning, even the best teacher can't teach someone who doesn't want to learn."

"I do have some friendship with Brother Pan and the others. When I was tutoring my brother-in-law, I did invite them to join in. But Brother Pan and the others' temperaments... alas, you aunts know this well. I truly am willing but powerless."

A mother knows her own son's nature, right?

Mother Pan and the others didn't doubt Han Zhang's words one bit. They were both embarrassed and anxious to hear this.

"Then, then what should we do? Nephew Han, you've got to think of something for us aunts. These kids are mischievous, but their hearts aren't bad. If they just waste away like this, what's going to become of them in the future..."

"Nephew Han, if you can set Taining and the others on the right path, we aunts will never forget your kindness. You'll be the greatest benefactor of our Pan, Zhao, and Wu families!"

Mother Pan was especially anxious, her eyes already welling up: "Nephew Han, our Pan family has only Taining as the sole male heir of this generation. If he can't stand on his own, he won't even have a brother to lean on in the future..."

And precisely because he was the only male heir, Pan Taining had been treated like a precious jewel by his family since he was a kid.

Add to that the fact that Pan Taining's uncle—Eunuch Pan, a favorite of the Emperor—had no offspring of his own due to his eunuch status, Pan Taining would eventually inherit the wealth and connections his uncle had amassed, so his future was basically set.

Thus, Pan Taining was even lazier than Shen Huaizhi, and that's saying something.

The Pan family was worried sick about this.

After all, it took generations of hard work to raise a family's standing, but just one good-for-nothing descendant could bring it all crashing down.

Seeing this, Han Zhang looked troubled and, after a long pause, let out a soft sigh.

"I understand your concerns, Auntie. But at the end of the day, studying has to come from the person themselves. How about this—if you can persuade Brother Pan and the others to come study under me in person, I'll do everything I can to help."

But if those guys flat-out refused to learn, that wasn't on him.

Having said this much, Mother Pan and the others had no choice but to drop it for now and head home, frowning, to figure something out.

After all, if the student themselves was unwilling, even a teacher couldn't crack open their head and pour knowledge in, could they?

But getting three spoiled rich kids to hit the books was no easy task.

If persuasion had worked, the three families wouldn't have been tearing their hair out all this time!

Of course, the main issue was that none of the three families had the heart to really crack down on their kids—no hitting, no yelling, no starving them. A few well-meaning lectures weren't going to cut it.

When told they'd regret being lazy bums when they got old,

The three of them shot back without a hint of shame: they'd just live off their kids!

When told their descendants might be useless and unreliable,

The three of them shrugged it off: by then they'd be old and have lived their fill—no loss if they kicked the bucket!

When told to think of their future generations,

The three of them shamelessly went full grovel mode: they begged their parents to raise the next generation for them!

Bottom line: you do your persuading, they do their ignoring. They'd rather work everyone else to the bone than lift a finger themselves.

Working hard? Not in this lifetime.

"Why won't this kid listen to reason..."

Mother Pan and the others were furious and worried at the same time.

And so the whole thing just stayed stuck for now.

...

In the imperial palace.

Eunuch Pan had always kept a close eye on his nephew, the one who'd carry on the family name, and he was always asking about how things were going at the Pan residence, so of course he heard all about the family's failed attempts to talk some sense into the kid.

He too was worried—if his nephew stayed this hopeless, what would become of him down the road?

Eunuch Pan had served Emperor Taixuan for years, and the Emperor valued this trusted aide. Noticing that he seemed distracted, he took a moment during his free time to ask what was wrong.

"I've noticed you seem troubled lately. Has something happened at home? Tell me—what's so serious that even my head eunuch can't handle it?"

Pan Fu was always level-headed. If it weren't something genuinely serious, he'd never have let his mind wander while on duty.

"Your servant thanks Your Majesty for asking... It's nothing major, really—just my nephew at home..."

Eunuch Pan was touched by his master's concern and didn't hold anything back, telling him all about his nephew.

Thinking of the deep bond between master and servant, he hoped that, given their long bond, the Emperor might be kind enough to grant his nephew some cushy honorary post, so the kid would have a future.