Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1455: Chapter 1556: Dealing with Master’s Arch-enemy_1

It took Ning Yu quite a while to snap back to reality, before turning to Bai Ruozhu with excitement, ”Ruozhu, your son is incredibly talented in Mechanical Technique. Let him become my disciple!”

Bai Ruozhu showed a troubled expression, ”He’s still so young and completely clueless about the world. Even if he were to become your disciple, he wouldn’t be able to learn much. All he thinks about is playing all day, and I’m afraid that you might end up being frustrated beyond measure.”

Ning Yu said with a grin, ”No worries, then I’ll just play along with him.”

He had made up his mind to take Little Dengdeng as his disciple.

”Dengdeng, would you like to become my disciple, and play with these puppets together with me?” he said, and worried that Dengdeng might refuse, he took out a Mechanical Wooden box to demonstrate to Dengdeng.

Dengdeng’s eyes sparkled, yet he looked towards his mother and asked, ”Mom, is it okay?”

There was hope gleaming in Dengdeng’s eyes, yet it was also tinged with a cautiousness that softened Bai Ruozhu’s heart. Her child was so young but already knew to seek her opinion.

After some thought, she said to Ning Yu, ”He’s still young, so there’s no need for a formal apprenticeship just yet. Just take him along to play for a while. If he’s still interested when he’s three and would like to learn—and if you are still willing to take on this disciple—then it won’t be too late to have the ceremony then.”

It is said that one can discern the long-term from a child’s behavior at the age of three. At least until Dengdeng was three and his personality more settled, they could revisit the matter of apprenticeship.

Ning Yu thought for a moment and nodded, ”Alright, let’s do it the way you suggest.”

Dengdeng didn’t quite understand his mother’s intention, but he knew that he could now frequently come to play with the Mechanical Technique toys made by his uncle master, and he smiled with joy.

Bai Ruozhu touched her son’s head, conflicted for a moment.

What parents don’t wish their children to thrive? Yet Bai Ruozhu was an extremely open-minded mother. She didn’t want to impose too much on her child at such a young age, which is why she didn’t immediately agree to Ning Yu’s proposal. If she had agreed and Little Dengdeng later decided he did not want to learn Mechanical Technique, what then?

But if she didn’t require her child to learn many things from a young age, how would he make his way in life when he grew up? She and Achun wouldn’t be there to protect him forever.

Perhaps many parents struggle with this, wishing for their children to excel but afraid they might overburden them with hard work.

Later, Ning Yu started taking apart the Mechanical dog with Dengdeng, and Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but silently criticise: Hadn’t he just said it was a gift from the master and should be cherished? Now, wasn’t he concerned about cherishing it?

On the way home, Bai Ruozhu asked Dengdeng in the horse carriage, ”Do you like the Mechanical Technique taught by Ning Yu?”

Little Dengdeng nodded vigorously, ”I like it.”

”If learning Mechanical Technique is hard work, and you have to practice again and again, and can’t play as freely as you do now, would you still be willing?” Bai Ruozhu asked.

Little Dengdeng tilted his head to think for a bit, ”I’m willing; learning that seems really fun.”

Bai Ruozhu, after hearing this, didn’t probe further, thinking to herself that if Dengdeng truly had an interest, she would definitely be fully supportive.

The day before she was scheduled to start at the Female Physicians Institution, Bai Ruozhu sent Qingyan to the home of the Ministry of Rites Vice Minister Bai Guanghe. Bai Guanghe was extremely excited to see Qingyan but also somewhat reserved, considering that Qingyan was an aristocrat from the Western Regions.

”Chief Doctor Bai, how did you come to know Qingyan?” Bai Guanghe asked, somewhat curiously.

Bai Ruozhu had previously agreed with Qingyan, who then said, ”I wanted to walk around Danliang Country, and I encountered danger on the road, nearly losing my life, but it was Ruozhu and her company who saved me, so I followed them all the way here.”

Bai Guanghe and Qi Qingyan had known each other when they were young, and now that they were meeting again, their temples were both white with age. Both of them felt somewhat emotional. Bai Ruozhu left the two to catch up and excused herself to leave.

She hadn’t gone to find Lin Zhenghui in the few days since her return, which was somewhat difficult to justify, so she took a gift to the Commerce Association’s Guest House in the Capital.

”Ruozhu pays respects to Master. After not seeing you for many days, Master seems even more spirited. Is there some good news?” Bai Ruozhu asked with a smile when she saw that Lin Zhenghui was in a good mood.

Lin Zhenghui said cheerfully, ”The proposal you made at the last council meeting has been implemented very well. At yesterday’s meeting, the President and several elders all praised you by name, such a pity that you weren’t there.”

Bai Ruozhu said with a smile, ”If I had been there, they wouldn’t have praised me so openly.”

”That wouldn’t be the case,” Lin Zhenghui said, still cheerful. ”Your proposal was indeed good. It really is the young minds that are quick. The Commerce Association does need fresh blood.”

While the two were talking, they sat down at a stone table in the courtyard of the Guest House and called for a servant to bring over tea and dimsum.

At this moment, footsteps approached from a distance. Bai Ruozhu thought it was the servant returning but to her surprise, it was an elderly man dressed in luxurious clothes exuding a somewhat imposing aura.

As soon as Lin Zhenghui saw the man, his face grew dark, and he even let out a cold snort.

”That’s Elder Wang Chengen from the Northwest; he has always been at odds with your Master,” Lin Zhenghui whispered a warning, pretending not to notice Wang Chengen, acting as if he had no intention of dealing with the man.

Unexpectedly, Wang Chengen walked up to them and said with contempt, ”So this is your disciple Bai Ruozhu? She indeed does not live up to her reputation. For her sake, you even helped her come up with proposals. How could such a person, even if she muddles through by deception, handle the subsequent competitions?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhenghui was furiously angry. ”Wang Chengen, have you lost your mind? Which of your eyes saw me advising my disciple? It was her own skill that led her to think of that proposal. The reason you can’t find a good disciple is that you lack character. Just look at that jealous face of yours, not ashamed even at your age.”

Wang Chengen’s eyes widened, ”Lin Zhenghui, are you asking for death? Don’t be obstinate here, dying a fool’s death. She’s a woman, not even twenty, low-born and poorly educated. What good idea can she come up with? I can’t understand how you accepted such a disciple,” his face breaking into a lascivious grin, ”unless it was for your own personal desires, right?”

Now Bai Ruozhu was enraged. She raised her hand and slapped him, ”You’re the lowly one, your whole family is lowly! People like you, who have such filthy mouths, I can’t understand how you became an elder. You’re a disgrace to the Commerce Association!”

Wang Chengen’s martial arts were not inferior to Lin Zhenghui’s. He dodged Bai Ruozhu’s slap with a swift move and then raised his hand to strike at Bai Ruozhu. She quickly dodged and, waving her hand, scattered some poison powder.

”You, you dare use poison against an elder, you can forget about getting along in the Commerce Association!” Wang Chengen stumbled back a few steps, but the poison powder had already entered his system, his body quickly weakening, even standing became difficult.

”Using poison isn’t as toxic as the words from your mouth. How do you account for insulting other elders? Pretending to be an elder of the Commerce Association with such behavior, no wonder you cannot find a good disciple,” Bai Ruozhu taunted, then pointing at Wang Chengen, said, ”I will remember what you said today. If I make it to the end in the young elders’ selection, should you not slap yourself for the words you just spoke?”

Wang Chengen showed a look of disdain, ”If Lin Zhenghui didn’t help you cheat, how could you possibly make it to the end?”

”Could it be that my Master can cover the sky with one hand during the Commerce Association’s assessments? You fear I might indeed reach the end, so you keep looking for excuses, don’t you?” Bai Ruozhu scoffed coldly, ”How about we make a bet?”

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The month is ending, and Mouka feels the need to publish extra Chapters to ask for monthly tickets. Allow me to grit my teeth and stay strong~