“After I went to the prefectural capital to study, Juren Zhao, always said I was too young and had an unstable temperament, so I needed to be tempered further and shouldn’t take the provincial exams too early. I was young back then and thought my teacher was right, so I patiently devoted myself to my studies.”

“It takes two days by water to travel from the prefectural capital to Qingchi County, so I spent most of my time living at the academy.”

“Mr. Zhao liked to take in students from modest, less-affluent families. For scholars like us, it was already a rare privilege to receive personal instruction from a candidate for the provincial examination, so most of my classmates were quite decent.”

“Then? Why exactly?” Ji Rongxia was a bit confused.

Gu Tangjin continued, “Mr. Zhao had limited natural talent; he only passed the provincial examination through sheer diligence and the full support of his family. After passing, he married a woman from a merchant family, which is how he became wealthy. Later, he repeatedly traveled to the capital to take the imperial examinations but failed for many years, which is why he eventually established the academy.”

“By the time I turned seventeen, I felt I was ready both in terms of scholarship and age, but Mr. Zhao still wouldn’t allow me to take the exam. I sensed something was amiss. There were plenty of students at the academy younger than me who were allowed to sit for the exam; even if they didn’t pass, it wouldn’t matter. Naturally, I wanted to do the same, but since Mr. Zhao was the teacher I had formally paid respects to according to custom, I couldn’t possibly defy him openly. That year happened to be a major examination year, and Mr. Zhao had left early for the capital to take the imperial examinations.”

“While I was in the provincial capital, I often went to copy books and sell calligraphy, and I made a few close friends.”

“So I took the opportunity to rely on these friends and found three Xiucai with whom I had a decent rapport to vouch for me, which allowed me to take the provincial exams that year.”

“Matchmaker Ding said you passed the provincial exams and ranked first in your class!” Ji Rongxia muttered. “You’re clearly so talented—why didn’t he let you take the exams?”

Gu Tangjin laughed. “It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but my teacher’s wife told me that Juren Zhao singled me out precisely because he saw I was a child prodigy. Juren Zhao has always detested child prodigies. When he was young, he was crushed by his classmates—now that one of them has entered the Imperial Secretariat and will likely become Chief Minister before long, Juren Zhao remains merely a candidate. He took me on back then merely to boost his reputation—and to keep me down so I wouldn’t get ahead.”

Ji Rongxia’s breathing grew heavy; he simply couldn’t fathom Mr. Zhao’s behavior!

“Host, jealousy is a terrible thing. Your partner’s mentor cannot vent his jealousy on the source of it; he can only seek out a substitute to bully.” The Cooking God System detected the fluctuations in the host’s heartbeat and quickly spoke up, “Host, please calm down.”

“I can’t stay calm! What do you mean, a ‘substitute to bully’? Tangjin is one of a kind!!!” Ji Rongxia forgot he was speaking to the System in his mind and blurted it out.

Gu Tangjin froze for a moment, then realized what he’d said and replied, “The young master is right. In Scholar Zhao’s heart, I am just a substitute he can suppress at will.”

“I topped the provincial exams that year, but he failed again.” Gu Tangjin gently stroked Ji Rongxia’s head as he spoke.

Ji Rongxia felt a tiny bit better: “Hmph, he’s just incompetent. He shows his true colors whenever it comes to serious matters!”

Gu Tangjin continued, “Moreover, on his way back this time, he encountered river bandits and sustained a facial injury—a deep scar that will prevent him from taking the imperial examinations in the future. Of the entire group, he was the one who suffered the most severe injuries.”

Gu Tangjin’s slender fingers traced a line from the corner of his left eye, down his nose, and across to his right cheek and chin: “It’s a long scar like this—it’s impossible to heal.”

Ji Rongxia said angrily, “He deserves it!”

Though bandits who harm others are despicable, Juren Zhao was just as despicable. The old saying is so true: bad people will always meet their match!

“Yes, he deserved it. When he returned and saw that I had placed first in the examination, while his own future was ruined.” Gu Tangjin still remembered Juren Zhao’s ferocious expression at the time.

“He berated me harshly. From that moment on, I was wary of him. But he was, after all, my master. Since he was injured, I felt I had to help care for him. One day, he kept me there until very late. By the time I returned to my quarters at the academy, it was already dark. Suddenly, several hooded figures appeared and shattered my left leg.”

“After I became unable to walk, I wanted to return home to recuperate, but Scholar Zhao found me a ‘good’ doctor and kept me at the Zhao residence, where he deliberately set my leg crooked. Father learned some bone-setting skills when he was young and fleeing famine, so I know a little about it—that doctor intentionally set my leg crooked.”

“My master’s wife felt sorry for me and secretly told me the truth, urging me to make plans ahead. She also covered for me, making Mr. Zhao believe my leg was truly beyond repair.”

“Of course, all this is merely my master’s wife’s account. Although I sensed his resentment and jealousy toward me through our interactions, I couldn’t be entirely certain. So later, I had someone investigate. It turned out the doctor who treated my leg was indeed personally invited by Mr. Zhao. At the time, rumors even spread that Mr. Zhao cherished his disciples, and his academy gained a good reputation because of it.”

“After some time had passed, Mr. Zhao felt my leg had become completely deformed, so he put his mind at ease. When I mentioned again that I wanted to return home, he agreed.”

“Before my parents came to fetch me, I asked a close friend to help me find another experienced doctor. He broke my misaligned leg and set it properly.”

“After two years of recuperation, I can now walk, run, and jump without any trouble, though it still aches a bit when it rains or the wind blows.”

Having had his leg broken twice, it’s impossible for there to be no lasting effects.

“In fact, when my leg was reset the second time, even that old doctor wasn’t entirely confident. But since there was no other option besides breaking and resetting it, he said I was still young, and my bones grew fast; if I endured the pain now, my leg might just heal properly in the future.”

To be honest, his limp wasn’t entirely an act; a couple of years ago, he really didn’t dare put much weight on his left leg, and when he walked, it looked just as if he were limping.

It wasn’t until this year that his leg gradually began to heal.

Ji Rongxia was furious.

“How could he do this? Bullying a younger student! You’ve actually taken him as your master—what are we going to do now?” Ji Rongxia was so distraught that he was on the verge of tears.

He understood the principle that “once a teacher, always a father.”

Never mind that what Tangjin was saying now was all unsubstantiated—even if there were real evidence, there was nothing he could do to Juren Zhao!

Because he was Tangjin’s legitimate master, even if they took the matter to the prefectural office, people would think Tangjin was ungrateful for accusing his teacher, and Tangjin would be the one to be shamed.

“Don’t cry, it’s okay.” Gu Tangjin smiled as he gently wiped Ji Rongxia’s tears with his sleeve.

“He’s just using his seniority to bully us, taking advantage of the fact that Mom and Dad and you don’t know any better. If Mom and Dad found out, they’d be so heartbroken. You’ve worked so hard studying, and they still think everything’s fine since you went to the prefectural city to study. They’d be so upset.” Ji Rongxia said incoherently.

Mom, Dad, and Tangjin are all good people—why would they do this?

Ji Rongxia’s eyes were red: “And you’re still smiling!”

Gu Tangjin said gently, “In a few years, I’ll be able to take the imperial examinations again. Once I pass and become a jinshi, we won’t have to worry about Mr. Zhao anymore.”

He made it sound so easy, but in reality, it wasn’t that simple. Setting aside just how difficult it was to pass the imperial examinations, even if he did become a jinshi, he couldn’t simply disregard the principles of respecting teachers and upholding the Way; the matter with Scholar Zhao would still need to be resolved.

But he didn’t go into detail about any of that at the moment.

They’d just take it one step at a time; patience was the one thing he had plenty of.

“Really?” Ji Rongxia wiped his eyes with Gu Tangjin’s undershirt.

Gu Tangjin nodded solemnly: “Really. Don’t you believe I can pass the imperial examination?”

“Of course not! I believe you, of course.”

Ji Rongxia encouraged both himself and Gu Tangjin: “Then I’ll work hard to learn cooking from the young master, make a fortune, and buy you lots and lots of books. We’ll study on our own—you’re so smart, you’ll definitely succeed. That way, you won’t need to look for another master anymore. And as for that Zhao guy, we can’t let him off the hook either!!!”

He was going to become a culinary god. Though cooks might not seem as impressive as scholars, he was going to become the greatest cook of all. Juren Zhao was just the most useless scholar, who only knew how to bully children.

Who says cooks can’t measure up to scholars? He was determined to be the one who could, so that no one could ever bully Tangjin again.

He was certain he’d be more formidable than Juren Zhao in the future!

He’d be able to stand up for Tangjin!

Upon hearing this, a smile spread across Gu Tangjin’s face again: “So we have to keep this a secret for the next few years—we can’t let Mom and Dad find out. I’m only telling you, Xia-ger. You have to keep this secret with me.”

Ji Rongxia nodded like a chick pecking at grain: “Mm-hmm, don’t worry. I won’t let it slip. I’m the tightest-lipped person around!”

“My legs have been feeling much better lately. If I forget to act lame when we’re out, you have to remind me, okay?” Gu Tangjin assigned Xia-ger a small task.

Ji Rongxia immediately replied, “Sure, I’ll keep an eye out for you. Plus, I have Little Master—can’t he see things within thirty feet? I’ll ask him to watch too. You definitely won’t slip up.”

“Alright, then I’ll leave it to you two.”

The Cooking God System hadn’t expected to be called upon, but it graciously responded, “Alright. Host, Host’s Partner.”

“Oh, it said it’ll help.”

But…

But Tangjin’s legs still hurt.

Ji Rongxia felt terrible, heartbroken that Tangjin had suffered so much for nothing.

“Host, don’t be sad. Once I have enough energy, there’s still a chance I can draw out medicine to treat your partner’s root cause.” The Cooking God System couldn’t help but speak up.

Ji Rongxia’s eyes lit up. The System was right—the root cause of the illness had to be properly treated.

Otherwise, he’d suffer even more in old age.

“First thing tomorrow morning, let’s go to the Diao Family General Store and see if Xiao Yun still has those stones. If she does, we’ll quickly recharge the Little Master. Young master said he might be able to extract medicine to treat your leg pain. It doesn’t matter if Xiao Yun doesn’t have any; once Diao Dalang returns, we’ll ask him where these stones come from, and we’ll go look for them ourselves!” Ji Rongxia hurriedly said.

“All right, all right, we’ll go first thing tomorrow morning.” Gu Tangjin didn’t hold out much hope, but he saw Xia-ger perk up and obediently agree.

Gu Tangjin carried Ji Rongxia back to bed, and Ji Rongxia sat cross-legged obediently.

“Don’t brush it off. It’s been raining nonstop here, and you’ve been in pain the whole time without telling me.” Ji Rongxia shot Gu Tangjin a glare.

Gu Tangjin reassured him, “Haven’t you been too busy lately? And with the young master’s matter, I thought I’d wait until things calmed down to talk to you about it. Besides, my leg doesn’t really hurt that much.”

When it rained in the summer, his leg felt a bit stiff and swollen, but it wasn’t particularly painful. Once winter set in, the cold weather would make his leg ache, but it was still bearable.

Ji Rongxia frowned. “How could it not hurt?”

“Let me take a look!”

That leg had been broken twice, no less. Only a fool would believe it didn’t hurt!

Saying this, Ji Rongxia reached out to pull up Gu Tangjin’s pant leg.

Gu Tangjin had no choice but to roll up his pant leg, exposing his left calf.

“The injury is right here. The old doctor reset the leg based on the location of the wound. He used to be a military doctor and is an expert at setting bones,” Gu Tangjin said, pointing to a scar on his calf.

“When we get a chance to go to the provincial capital, you’ll come with me to meet your friend and that doctor. We’ll give them some tokens of our gratitude,” Ji Rongxia said quietly.

Gu Tangjin nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll do as you say.”

The scar on Gu Tangjin’s calf was a pale pink, and its shape was irregular, appearing in patches.

“Does it really not hurt?” This was the first time Ji Rongxia had examined Gu Tangjin’s wound closely. He cautiously reached out and gently traced the scar with his finger. The skin there was different from the rest of his leg; just looking at the wound was enough to imagine how severe the injury must have been at the time.

Ji Rongxia’s cool fingertips brushed against the rough wound, sending a tingling sensation through him.

“It’s been fine for a long time.” Gu Tangjin nervously pulled his pant leg back down.

Gu Tangjin changed the subject: “What did you cook tonight? I’d like to try it.”

Ji Rongxia: “……”

Ji Rongxia rubbed his hands together. “Um, well…”

He instantly forgot his sadness and stammered in a tiny voice, “That… the dish I made today is pretty difficult. I haven’t reached 95% yet.”

Ji Rongxia held up two fingers, pinching them together with a tiny gap in between. “Just a tiny bit more.”