Chapter 203: Punishment Must Be Meted Out According to Regulations

Translator: DragonRider

In fact, anger had been bubbling inside Ling Zhang for quite some time. It was very evident that this professor’s intention was to provoke him, and once he talked back, he would end up becoming the wrongdoer, no matter the circumstances. The professor wanted him to be expelled from the Imperial College. Even if it didn’t work, his reputation would be damaged. There were indeed rumors that he was wildly arrogant, but during his conflicts with the Ninth Princess, Peng Fang and Yuwen Qi, these three people had been the ones in the wrong. Even if he had acted arrogantly, there was nothing that anybody could say he shouldn’t have done. But if word got out that he defiantly contradicted a professor, or showed a lack of respect for a professor, or even insulted and beat a professor, things would be totally different. It would give those people an excuse to charge him even Yuwen Tong. After coming to understand all this, he had realized that he must subdue his anger, no matter how intense it was, and he also needed to figure out a way to change the current situation. The only thing that had never crossed his mind was that these five students would follow suit after he took the lead.

The commotion here was too loud and the principal soon came, along with some others, including the old man who tested Ling Zhang and Yuwen Jin that day.

Some students who’d heard the babble of voices also showed up, Jiang Yu and his followers among them.

“These several students set my authority at naught and talked back to me defiantly, which is utterly detestable.

This Ling Zhang guy, in particular, is incurably foolish. He dared to leave the classroom without permission after merely receiving a couple of critical remarks from me. I tried to stop him, yet he incited other students to leave with him, which inflicted a terrible effect on the class!”

Taking advantage of his identity as an elder, the professor took the initiative and branded them rebellious and unruly, Ling Zhang being his main target.

Of course Ling Zhang wouldn’t stand idly by after someone blackened his name. He stepped forward, made a bow first and then said, “Principal, I meant no disrespect for my professor. This is how it came to this…”

Ling Zhang told the whole story exactly as it happened without any exaggerations.

“I was aware of my stupidity, and I found it understandable that my professor didn’t want to see me in his classroom. Too ashamed to keep sitting there, I followed my professor’s instruction and left. I don’t know what I did wrong. Please don’t be misled, principal, professors.”

“What a glib tongue. It’s an unmistakable fact that you defiantly talked back to me and incited your classmates to raise a stink with you, believing that your backer would shield you. How dare you try to justify your misbehavior?” snapped the professor.

“I’m telling the truth. There’s not half a word of my remarks that’s against the fact, to which all my classmates in this classroom can testify,” said Ling Zhang.

“I can testify to this. Each and every single word of Ling Zhang’s statement was factual,” commented the student who had been the first to stand up for Ling Zhang.

“I can testify for him as well.”

“Me, too.”

Some other students also came to his support.

That professor’s face was dark with rage.

In the final analysis, this professor had been deliberately picking a quarrel. Ling Zhang had never uttered a single word disrespectful to him from start to finish. The reason why he had walked out of the classroom had been because the professor had instructed him to. He had merely obeyed the instruction, so the professor couldn’t get the goods on him.

The look in the principal’s eyes briefly flickered. He was not a fool, so of course he had got a shrewd idea of what had really happened.

Once this matter escalated, it would be the statement of this professor that would prove ungrounded. It would be them who’d be found in the wrong.

“Principal, professors, if all of you believe that I should leave this college, I’ll leave right away, and no matter who asks me about it, I’ll tell them the truth.”

The principal furrowed his brow. If he expelled Ling Zhang because of this matter in which clearly they were in the wrong, Yuwen Tong definitely wouldn’t let it go at that. And if the emperor asked about this, he might have difficulty justifying his decision, so he believed that he had to appease Ling Zhang first.

“Repeat your answers to those questions.” At this time, the old man who’d tested Ling Zhang and Yuwen Jin previously suddenly spoke.

Ling Zhang, having nothing to hide, repeated his answers, word for word.

After hearing his answers, the old man gave his beard a stroke and commented, “Please pardon my stupidity, but I don’t see any mistakes in these three answers. Though unduly conventional, they’re far from causing an expulsion from the Imperial College. If the one who gave these answers should be expelled, more than half of the students in this college would deserve to be expelled as well.”

That professor’s face went even more sullen. Of course he had been deliberately picking on Ling Zhang. As soon as this matter had alarmed the principal, he had come to realize that he would be found in the wrong, but hearing someone point out the truth so explicitly, he still felt rather awkward. He unnoticeably sent a quick glance in the direction of Jiang Yu, but Jiang Yu didn’t look back at him.

Ling Zhang’s five senses were sharp and he could distinctly see every subtle movement of people present, so naturally this glance didn’t escape his notice. His eyes instantly went cold.

The principal observed, “Professor Gu is right. There was indeed nothing wrong in Ling Zhang’s answers. I think it must be that Professor Du is a little too demanding, which is why he’s so strict with his students. Ling Zhang is new to the Imperial College, and he probably hasn’t accustomed himself to this place and couldn’t quite understand why Professor Du is rigorous with him, which resulted in this misunderstanding. Let’s end this matter right now. Ling Zhang and the other five students shall go back to the classroom to continue the study. Professor Du, you should take into consideration the fact that Ling Zhang is new to our college and is still adjusting himself to campus life. Cut him some slack.”

On hearing this, Ling Zhang came to realize that this principal was trying to smooth things over without blaming anybody by blurring the line between right and wrong. He disguised a major incident as a minor one and wanted everybody to pretend it’d never happened.

Ling Zhang’s brow slightly corrugated in a frown. He wasn’t satisfied with this outcome, and neither was Yuwen Jin, who intended to express his opinion.

At this time, Ling Zhang noticed that Professor Gu, who had backed him up a while ago, briefly shook his head at him. Ling Zhang paused, took a step forward and stopped Yuwen Jin.

Professor Gu thought that Ling Zhang had decided to let this go, but he had just felt a sense of relief when he heard Ling Zhang say to the principal, “If it were my fault, I wouldn’t utter another word about this, but you just said it yourself that there was nothing wrong in my answers, which meant that just now Professor Du reviled me for no reason, forced me into leaving the classroom, and threatened to have me expelled from this college tomorrow. I respect my teachers and elders, but I’m not going to swallow this kind of insults.

Though a student, I’m also the Marshal’s fiancée. Apart from my own dignity, I have to take account of his reputation as well. If you don’t bring this matter to a clear-cut settlement and word gets out, people might come to the mistaken belief that I was making a great fuss over a mere trifle harboring evil intentions. What would others think of the Marshal if the wrongdoer gets away and I, the blameless party, takes the blame? Or is it the case that professors of the Imperial College can do no wrong and students here have no right to get justice? If that’s true, I’ll leave this college straight away! Since His Majesty specially granted me admission to this college, I don’t dare to keep this matter from him. I will inform him of this exactly as it happened.”

Ling Zhang grew increasingly indignant as he spoke. When he finished his remarks, the look on his face seemed to suggest that an unbearable humiliation had been inflicted upon him, his eyes staring fixedly at the principal.

“Brother Zhang is right. We are here to study, not to be humiliated.” Yuwen Jin finally got a chance to speak.

Ling Zhang’s remarks brought a scarlet flush to Professor Du’s cheeks. He furiously pointed at Ling Zhang and thundered, “Nonsense!”

The principal also had a rather sullen countenance. He had thought that Ling Zhang would take Yuwen Tong into consideration and let this go, but unexpectedly Ling Zhang had done exactly the opposite connecting this matter with Yuwen Tong’s reputation. If this only involved Ling Zhang, he certainly wouldn’t have any misgivings, but if Yuwen Tong was concerned, a minor mishandling of this matter would lead to an eventual outcome that he definitely wouldn’t want to see.

“Ling Zhang, Professor Du is your teacher. By being so confrontational, you’re showing a total ignorance about the virtue of ‘honor teachers and esteem truth’. Just now the principal has already told you that Professor Du was just being excessively demanding. He meant no harm, so stop measuring the motive of an upright man with the yardstick of a knave,” huffed Jiang Yu, stepping forward.

Ling Zhang gave a sneer. “It’s the principal that I’m making a request to, and I think it’s inappropriate for you to chip in on this occasion, Childe Jiang, isn’t it? This is the Imperial College. Am I to take it that Childe Jiang or Jiang family is involved in this matter?”

Jiang Yu’s face changed. “Don’t you pin this on me.”

“Then may I ask what did you by those remarks, Childe Jiang? That because I’m new here I deserve to be insulted?”

“Like I said, Professor Du was just being over-demanding, don’t you think you’re going too far by being so pushy?”

“I don’t see that Professor Du was being demanding. I’m talking about but the fact, and the fact is that he not only humiliated me but also threatened me, which all my classmates here can testify to.”

Yuwen Jin also said, “Brother Zhang, let’s call my cousin here. People of this college are so unreasonable!”

Immediately after saying this, Yuwen Jin summoned Changle, his study-servant (a boy serving in someone’s study). “Changle, go and call my cousin here. Brother Zhang is being bullied!”

“Wait!” Finally, the principal spoke. He looked at Ling Zhang and said, “Let’s not alarm the Marshal with such a trifling matter. What I just suggested just now about how this should be settled was indeed fairly thoughtless. Professor Du’s previous words and conduct were against the working ethics of the teacher, which made it inappropriate for him to continue his teaching career in the Imperial College. By the powers vested in me, I hereby relieve Professor Du of his professorship in the Imperial College, effective immediately. May I ask if you find my decision satisfying, Childe Ling?”

Ling Zhang responded, “All I want is a fair settlement. Now that it’s been equitably settled, I have no further requests.”

Professor Du lapsed into despair, unable to believe what he had just heard. Of course he was unconvinced by this settlement, but the principal, determined to punish him, refused to give him a chance to defend himself. He looked at Jiang Yu, an appealing expression in his eyes.

Jiang Yu, with a sulky face, railed at Ling Zhang, “You seem to take great pleasure in assuming others’ authority as your own. Professor Du merely gave you some criticisms, but you threatened to snitch to the Marshal. This is the Imperial College, not the residential compound of the Marshal!”

“This is ridiculous. I’m truly amazed, Childe Jiang, by your glib tongue and ability to evade the crucial point, making black look white, and white look black. Professor Du insulted and threatened his student, and the principal meted out punishment according to the regulations, but in your eyes I’m the wrongdoer? Is this what Jiang family taught you? Calling a stag a horse? Talking black into white?” Ling Zhang sneered.

“Ling Zhang! Don’t you be so cocky! You’re merely taking advantage of your identity as the Marshal’s fiancée. Are you trying to have the Marshal accused of conniving at your misbehavior and forcing a professor of the Imperial College?!” Jiang Yu reprimanded, trembling with rage.

“Did you forget to take your brain with you, Childe Jiang? It’s an unmistakable fact that Professor Du is in the wrong in what happened today, and the principal has already made a decision as to how it should be settled, but you are still here pestering us, calling black white. Exactly what’s your purpose? Are you saying these words to mislead everybody into believing that I assumed Yuwen Tong’s authority as my own and coerced the principal of the Imperial College into making an unfair decision? So that you can blacken his name?! For over ten years Yuwen Tong fought enemies in border areas, bathing in blood. He risked life and limb defending the Great Yue for His Majesty, for the imperial court and for the people of this country, but this is how you people repay him? Throwing mud at him and plotting against him? If you don’t stop being unreasonable right now, I will seek justice, even if it means I have to report this to His Majesty! I will not tolerate you slandering me and Yuwen Tong like this!” Ling Zhang raged.

“Brother Zhang, there’s no need to continue talking with him. Let’s go and find my cousin. Then we go together to His Majesty and let him be the judge of this!” Yuwen Jin clenched his fists with indignation. Had a warning voice not warned him that he would get himself into trouble if he picked up a fight on this occasion, he would definitely have beaten Jiang Yu to death.