CHAPTER 010
The two walked side by side, with Sheng Qingzi glancing subtly at Lu Yun'er. When his eyes met her exquisitely delicate profile, a blush crept up from his neck to his ears. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending nothing had happened.
The next moment, he heard Lu Yun'er's clear and gentle voice by his ear.
"Scholar Sheng, I have a question I’d like to ask you. The students in the men's academy are all from wealthy and noble families, well-educated and courteous. But if one particularly lively student were to break the academy’s rules, how should that be handled?" Lu Yun'er turned to look at him seriously as she asked.
She naturally knew that there was nothing wrong with punishing the young prince, but being a new teacher with limited experience—and not always understanding the thoughts of young boys, especially those going through a rebellious phase—she wanted to seek Sheng Qingzi's advice.
Sheng Qingzi was briefly surprised by her question, and then the admiration he held in his heart grew stronger. Gazing into her clear, bright eyes, he couldn't help but feel even more moved.
Over the years, he had met many proud and arrogant women, but never one as gentle, humble, and unassuming as her.
He admitted that from the moment he first saw Lu Yun'er, he had been completely captivated by her. He deliberately sought to learn more about her and discovered that she had previously served as the Minister of Revenue, with a notable record of fairness and integrity. More importantly, she remained single and pure.
Such a rare and exceptional woman in this world—he certainly wouldn't let the opportunity slip away. He decided to take the initiative and seize the chance.
With a smile in his eyes, Sheng Qingzi said, "As for punishment, the men's academy is generally less strict than the women's, but since we're dealing with male students, it's important to be somewhat lenient. The main form of punishment is usually copying texts, which allows them to review their lessons while serving as a consequence—it's a win-win situation."
He continued, "Why, did you encounter such a situation on your first day, Scholar Lu?"
Lu Yun'er sighed lightly, "Yes."
He hadn't expected the boy he once rescued from the Liu Su River to be such a willful and arrogant young prince.
Sheng Qingzi thought for a moment, "Was it the young prince, Su?"
"That's right. He skipped class today without any reason. I was planning to report the matter to the headmaster, but on my way to Jingyi Pavilion, I found him playing by the lotus pond. He refused to return, so I ended up staying there with him all morning," Lu Yun'er said helplessly.
Sheng Qingzi was taken aback, frowning slightly. "You stayed with the young prince all morning?"
Lu Yun'er, calm and unhurried, replied with a smile, "Yes, the lotus pond is quite large. If something were to happen to the young prince, it would be terrible."
After the incident at Liu Su River, she knew the young prince couldn't swim. Being the only child of Prince Yun and with such a noble status, if anything happened to him during her class, she would be held responsible.
"I see," Sheng Qingzi said softly, clearly relieved.
As they talked, they unknowingly arrived at the dining hall. The dining hall had two large doors, one for the men's academy and the other for the women's academy.
Although Lu Yun'er taught at the men's academy, she was still a woman, so she would dine on the women's side. Sheng Qingzi explained the general situation to her, and the two then separated, entering through different doors.
Lu Yun'er carried her lunch box and walked in unhurriedly, observing her surroundings. This was her first time in the dining hall, and it was quite spacious, with tables and chairs neatly arranged on both sides.
As it was lunchtime, many female students were dining. When they saw a refined and otherworldly woman suddenly enter, they began whispering among themselves.
Lu Yun'er found an empty seat and was about to ask the cook to heat up her meal when someone called out to her.
"Scholar Lu, are you dissatisfied with the dining hall's food?"
Lu Yun'er looked toward the voice and saw an elderly woman, likely over sixty years old, with slightly sunken but sharp eyes that held a touch of sternness.
It was the chief cook[1], Zhang Yun, whom Lu Yun'er had seen during the sacrificial rites. To be honest, she had met many people that day, but since Zhang Yun knew her name, it was clear she was already aware of who Lu Yun'er was.
Sheng Qingzi had mentioned that Zhang Yun was the most senior figure in the Imperial Academy and was known for being strict and not very approachable.
With a gentle demeanor, Lu Yun'er explained, "It's not that. I have a bit of a stomach issue, and my maid prepared a meal for me out of concern. If I don't eat it, it will go to waste. I hope you don’t mind…"
Before she could finish speaking, several urgent cries for help rang out.
"Somebody help! Someone's in trouble, please help her..."
Lu Yun'er turned towards the commotion and saw a crowd gathering on the right side of the dining hall. Frowning, she immediately ran over, with Zhang Yun following closely behind, her expression serious.
Lu Yun'er pushed her way through the crowd, shouting, "Make way, make way."
The students, seeing an unfamiliar woman dressed in a scholar's robe, stepped aside.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd called out to her, "Scholar Lu."
"You?" Lu Yun'er recognized the speaker as the female student who had greeted her the other day.
"Scholar Lu, she was fine just a moment ago while eating, but suddenly she started choking! What should we do?" The student was sweating profusely, her face filled with anxiety.
Lu Yun'er looked at the student whose face had turned red, her eyes wide in pain as she desperately clutched her chest. She then focused her gaze on the food on the table beside her.
Zhang Yun's expression hardened, and she urgently said, "Quickly, help her to the infirmary."
"There’s no time!"
The female student was choking, her airway blocked by food, causing difficulty in breathing and a lack of oxygen to her brain. The longer it went on, the more dangerous it became. Lu Yun'er quickly stepped forward, but Zhang Yun grabbed her arm and sternly said, "What do you think you're doing? Don’t act recklessly!"
"Saving her!" Lu Yun'er snapped her head around, her face cold as ice, a stark contrast to her usual gentle demeanor. "I'll take responsibility for the consequences, Chief Zhang."
Her sharp gaze startled Zhang Yun, who hesitated momentarily.
Lu Yun'er pulled her arm free and began using the Heimlich maneuver she had learned. Standing behind the female student, she softly reassured her, "Don't be afraid. Trust me."
She positioned her feet in a bow stance, placing one foot between the student's legs. She then wrapped her arms around the student's waist, found the spot two fingers above the navel, and with her right hand clenched into a fist, positioned it at the spot. Her left hand gripped her right, and she forcefully thrust upwards into the student's abdomen repeatedly.
The surrounding students, including Zhang Yun, watched with a mixture of concern and doubt.
In just a moment, the object blocking the student's throat was expelled, and the crowd of female students gasped in disbelief. Zhang Yun narrowed her eyes slightly, giving Lu Yun'er a once-over, her gaze revealing a hint of subtle astonishment.
Zhang Yun spoke up, "Quick, take her to the infirmary." She then gave Lu Yun'er a meaningful look before turning to leave.
Lu Yun'er, who hadn't eaten all morning, felt a bit drained and supported herself on a table. The surrounding students quickly gathered around her, looking at her with admiration and exclaiming, "Scholar Lu, you’re amazing!"
"Not really," Lu Yun'er responded with a slight smile.
"How did you know how to use that method to save someone? It looked so unusual—we’ve never seen anything like it."
Seeing the students' eager curiosity, Lu Yun'er patiently explained, "This method is called the abdominal thrust technique. It's specifically used for situations like the one we just saw, where someone is choking."
She deliberately used a simpler, more understandable name to help them grasp the concept.
"By the way, why haven't we seen you in the women's academy?"
Lu Yun'er replied, "Well, I’m currently teaching at the men's academy." Naturally, they wouldn't see her at the women's academy!
The students exchanged puzzled glances, momentarily confused…
Suddenly, a voice like a resonant bell interrupted their conversation.
"Alright, everyone disperse!" Zhang Yun appeared again, this time holding Lu Yun'er's lunch box.
The female students, seeing the Chief Cook, quickly left with respectful glances.
Zhang Yun looked at Lu Yun'er with her usual calm expression and said, "Here, I asked the cook to reheat it for you."
"Thank you, Chief Zhang." Lu Yun'er was slightly surprised and quickly reached out to take the lunch box. She hadn’t expected the Chief Cook to have someone reheat her food.
Zhang Yun, with a tone neither warm nor cold, said, "If you ever need anything, you can directly instruct the cook."
With that, she walked away with her usual stern demeanor, leaving behind one final remark, "Cold food is bad for the stomach."
Lu Yun'er chuckled softly, looking down at the lunch box in her hands, her smile growing wider.
Author's Note:
[1] Chief Cook: Responsible for food and utensils in the dining hall.
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