Chapter 307: Don’t Forget to Do Your Homework, Okay?
Math.
It can be hard or it can be easy.
It’s easy if you understand the principles and can apply them flexibly.
But it can also be downright tricky, like trying to juggle flaming swords while riding a unicycle.
Of course, Young Master Sang didn’t just throw little Prince Huo into the deep end straight away.
But under his relentless barrage of knowledge, he somehow crammed every math principle from elementary and middle school into the prince over four grueling hours of class.
Little Prince Huo was indeed sharp and quick-witted, but even he struggled under Sang’s relentless teaching style.
At first, he was fine with solving equations, no confusion or hesitations.
But as they progressed, his eyes started to glaze over, and by the time geometry rolled around, he looked utterly lost. By the end, his head was spinning like a top, and he was barely clinging to consciousness.
Sang? He didn’t care. He was too busy pumping information like a math machine gun.
And how was Huo going to truly learn?
Well, obviously by giving him homework!
So…
“Slap!”
Sang looked at the little prince, who had fallen face-first onto the desk, and cheerfully dumped a thick stack of test papers in front of him.
“Little Prince, we covered a lot today, and pretty quickly too. Time’s short, so I can’t tell how much you absorbed.”
“So, I’ve thoughtfully prepared twenty sets of exam questions to help you solidify your knowledge.”
“Remember to get a parent’s signature when you’re done. With the Emperor supervising, I can rest easy,” Sang added with a wink.
Huo Ming’s body shuddered.
Huo Ningxue’s eye twitched.
But since they were in school, she couldn’t really complain.
To be honest, she didn’t even grasp half of Sang’s so-called theories on everything being knowledge and stuff.
She hadn’t reached the high realm of enlightenment to discuss such lofty concepts.
But in the Empress’s mind, the national teacher, Li Shanyan, was practically a walking encyclopedia. Whenever she needed advice, he was her go-to guy.
Maybe… the national teacher’s way was the kind of thing Sang was talking about.
If her little brother could reach the same heights as the national teacher someday…
Just imagining that made Huo Ningxue a bit envious.
Deep down, what she really hoped for was for her brother to stand strong on his own someday.
Even though she had already cleared most of his obstacles, she still worried that if one day she wasn’t around to protect him, something bad might happen.
She knew she was being overprotective. But as an older sister, Huo Ming was her only family in this world. She couldn’t help but think of these things.
But if one day Huo Ming could reach the pinnacle of the Great Ascension like Li Shanyan, then she’d truly have no worries left.
So even if Huo Ningxue didn’t expect much from Sang, this new wild teacher, she was starting to feel a bit convinced.
If this teaching plan actually worked… she couldn’t help pondering it.
…Well, let’s just give Ming a trial period and see what happens.
With that resolved in her mind, Huo Ningxue gave Sang a slight nod.
“I understand. I will supervise him to complete his homework properly.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Sang said, beaming. “In that case, class is dismissed for today. I’ll come again tomorrow.”
Huo Ming: “?”
Huo Ningxue: “…Wait a minute. Does Mr. Sang mean… this is all the homework for today?”
“Yep!”
Sang blinked: “It’s really not that much.”
“I heard the little master Xiang Zimo next door locks himself in his room for an hour every day just to do these practice questions!”
“And Cao Sima’s son too, he’s behind everyone’s back, sneaking in practice. He doesn’t even tell his friends, claiming he’s playing a communication device game… If that gets out in exams, wouldn’t the gap just widen?”
“Our little prince is so smart, but if his scores end up lower than others, it’ll make you look bad, Your Majesty.”
Huo Ningxue’s face showed signs of uncertainty upon hearing about the other students’ efforts.
After a long while, she let out a reluctant sigh: “I understand.”
Huo Ming looked at her with pitiful puppy eyes, his little face full of pleading.
But in the end, he said nothing and just slumped his head, sadly going to do his homework.
Yet Sang didn’t rush to leave. Instead, he suddenly spoke up: “Your Majesty, may I have a word with you?”
Huo Ningxue’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
—
—
Outside the courtyard.
“Mr. Sang, feel free to speak your mind.”
“Then I’ll be straightforward.” Sang said earnestly: “I don’t know if Your Majesty has noticed. Little Prince Huo’s personality seems a bit odd.”
Huo Ningxue’s body jolted slightly, but her expression remained calm: “What do you mean?”
“Although the little prince is clever and obedient, there’s a problem… He’s a bit too obedient.”
Sang waved his hand: “Most students would at least complain or ask if I could reduce the homework when faced with such a huge pile. But the little prince didn’t say a word, just accepted my unreasonable homework demands silently.”
“…What are you trying to say, Mr. Sang?”
“I’m saying that the little prince’s personality might be a bit too submissive,” Sang said slowly: “By common sense, a five-year-old child should be lively and excited.”
“But the little prince seems to carry a heaviness that doesn’t fit with other kids his age, almost like a little old man. That’s not a good sign.”
After saying that, Sang fixed his gaze on Huo Ningxue’s expression.
Sure enough, Huo Ningxue hesitated for a moment, then spoke bitterly: “To be honest, he… faced some difficulties when he was younger.”
“It’s my fault.”
Good.
Sang immediately picked up the thread: “So, Your Majesty wants to compensate for the little prince’s lack of childhood affection with overindulgence and protection, right?”
“…Perhaps.”
“But I dare to advise you, Your Majesty, this is not a good approach.” Sang said seriously: “The little prince is still young; we absolutely must not smother him with excessive love and protection, which would only hinder him and prevent him from living a normal childhood.”
“If this continues and the little prince is isolated from the world, I fear that what you’ll get is not the ideal sage king but a puppet who just does what he’s told!”
Huo Ningxue’s light golden eyes swept over Sang.
“…Mr. Sang might not be aware.”
She slowly began: “In the Holy Kingdom, there’s an unwritten rule. No matter the rank, one must not discuss the little prince’s matters.”
“If others talked to me this way, I might have already been furious.”
“I’ll let it slide since you’re new to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Besides…” she lowered her beautiful eyes slightly, “you might have a point.”
“Little Ming’s personality is indeed concerning me.”
There’s hope! Sang’s eyes brightened.
“Then according to your advice, what should I do to educate little Ming?”
“First and foremost.”
Sang raised a finger and replied thoughtfully: “Let the little prince attend classes with other students instead of being isolated from the world, without communication.”
“Secondly, Your Majesty must not stick to the little prince all the time, overseeing everything. He should have his own life.”
“And finally… do your homework on time. If you don’t finish, I do have punishments.”
Huo Ningxue was silent for a moment.
Eventually, she slowly nodded.
“I understand.”
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