Sheng Chumu became nervous. “What?”
Fu Rou was slightly timid. “I want a written scroll as well.”
Sheng Chumu froze. Junhui secretly tugged at Sheng Chumu’s sleeve.
Sheng Chumu seemed to regain his consciousness as he was surprised and happy at the same time. His brush flew across the paper as he finished. It was the same four characters.
Sheng Chumu personally handed it over to Fu Rou, “For you.”
“Thank you.” Fu Rou accepted it happily. She walked over to the window and admired it.
Junhui pretended to pack up as he muttered to Sheng Chumu, “Congratulations, you have managed to move Lady Fu Rou.”
Sheng Chumu muttered back, “When Master punishes me, he always forces me to write (自强不息) strive for self-improvement. After writing a thousand times, I can’t believe I actually used it to move someone. Worth it, so worth it!”
Junhui smiled non-stop. “That’s right. The only calligraphy Young Master is good at are these four characters.”
Sheng Chumu glared at Junhui. Junhui immediately shut his mouth.
Who knew that the test today did not end there. Fu Tao ran in hurriedly. He had just gotten a military book but could not understand its contents. He wasn’t sure if Sheng Chumu understood and asked if he could teach him.
Sheng Chumu had wanted to pretend to be humble and slip away. However, Fu Rou said, “How can a general’s son not understand the art of war?” And he immediately braced himself as he declared that he could. He took the book and pretended to be focused on reading it. In reality, his mind was just a straight black line. Other than the book title <<Wei Liaozi>>, he was completely unable to understand the contents of the book.
“Are you confused after reading <<Wei Liaozi>>?” Thankfully, Sheng Chumu was quick-witted.
“How did you know I was reading <<Wei Liaozi>>? You really know everything. I found the right person.” Fu Tao was foolish.
“No wonder.” Sheng Chumu pretended to ponder hard. “Everything has a sequence. A young child has to first learn to hold a brush before they can learn to write. You have just started learning military tactics and have yet to learn the steps but are trying to run.”
Fu Tao replied with “Oh”.
“When it comes to military books, Sun Tzu should be the first. In his book, he writes about all the basics of war. How to act as a general, how to lead your troops, how to arrange formations. Have you read ‘The Art of War’?” Sheng Chumu held his breath as he prayed for heaven to help him.
“I haven’t.” Fu Tao shook his head.
Sheng Chumu’s eyes glimmered, “No wonder. You have messed up the reading of a good book like <<Wei Liaozi>>.”
Carrying on, Sheng Chumu expressed his opinion on how Fu Tao should first start by reading <<Sun Tzu>> before moving on to <<Mozi>>. Once he has thoroughly understood those, then he can continue onto <<Wei Liaozi>>.
Respect shone in Fu Tao’s eyes. “Brother Chumu, you make a lot of sense. You must have read ‘The Art of War’ before, right?”
Sheng Chumu could not confess that he has only ever heard of the name and resorted to smiling.
Fu Rou, who had been listening, immediately interjected, “Of course, Brother Tao. Since Young Lord is so well-read in military tactics, he would have definitely learnt ‘The Art of War’ and must be extremely good at it.” She looked back at Sheng Chumu and smiled.
Sheng Chumu seemed to lose his soul as he nodded.
Fu Tao clapped his hands. “Oh right, Brother Chumu, you should be my teacher.”
Fu Rou’s look of anticipation made the overconfident Sheng Chumu proceed to boast, “Of course, I will teach you!”
Fu Rou was extremely happy, thinking that there was finally someone who could help her restrain Fu Tao’s wild temperament. She ordered Ziyun to bring a bottle of wine to officially thank Sheng Chumu for agreeing to teach Fu Tao.
“I have conditions for teaching him.” If he did not take advantage of the situation now, when would he? Sheng Chumu pounced on the opportunity.
Chapter 3.2: Self Improvement
“As long as you are able to guide my third brother, I will do my best to repay your kindness.” Fu Rou did not consider further.
“First, you are no longer allowed to call me Young Lord, you have to call me by my name.” Sheng Chumu wanted a more intimate address.
“Okay.” Fu Rou did not think it was difficult.
“Secondly, make me fragrant.” Sheng Chumu slipped up.
“What?” Fu Rou’s eyes hardened. Did she hear wrongly?
“Err…err…I meant to say that you should help me sew a fragrance pouch.” Sheng Chumu was crying internally, he almost treated Fu Rou as one of the wild girls back in Chang'an.
“A fragrance pouch?” Fu Rou was slightly hesitant. A fragrance pouch was a woman’s item and its significance was different when it came to men.
“Why? I taught you calligraphy and will be teaching your third brother military tactics. Isn’t that worth at least a fragrance pouch?” Sheng Chumu was not compromising on this.
“Okay.” For her brother’s future, she will think of it as giving it to a relative. “I will give you a fragrance pouch.”
“You have to personally make it. It has to be like the flower I gave you the other day.” Sheng Chumu was asking for more.
Fu Rou did not say anything more as her gaze deepened. She was trying to suppress a smile.
Alas, upon returning to his room, Sheng Chumu started pacing in circles.
These few days, as he witnessed Fu Rou becoming more sure of him, he started to struggle internally. Fu Rou liked a man that sought improvement, was good at both literal and martial arts and was upright. He was, however, a hedonist which is the kind that Fu Rou hated the most. As the time they spent together grew longer, he did not know how much longer he could keep up the act.
Du Ning looked at Sheng Chumu, who was pacing in circles, like an ant in a heated pan. Has this good old friend of his gone too far in order to woo a girl? Not only did his friend come to live in the Fu Residence, he was frantically trying to improve his calligraphy as well as crafting poems. He even practiced martial arts three times a day. If this goes on, he will really be all-rounded.
Sheng Chumu suddenly raised his fists towards the sky. “I will not be a hedonistic noble! I will do my best to become the guy of her dreams and win her admiration. I will be an all-rounder good in literature and martial arts!”
Du Ning drank his tea calmly and tried not to laugh. “Since you are so determined, you should really persevere all the way.”
Sheng Chumu dashed towards Du Ning and got down on his knees. He stretched his arms out as he begged pitifully, “I can’t pretend any longer. I have used all my tricks. This is all because of Fu Tao, that brat. He is the one that is adamant in me teaching him military tactics. You are well aware that I am hardly capable of anything, how am I supposed to teach him military tactics? If I make a mistake, all my effort in creating a good image of myself in front of Rou’er…will be for nothing.”
Du Ning thought solemnly. “If you are really determined to work hard, I know an exceptional master that teaches military tactics. He stays just outside the city.”
Sheng Chumu’s eyes lit up. “Who?”
Du Ning suppressed his laughter. “Your uncle, Niu Wudi.”
Sheng Chumu ran towards a wall, looking as if he had decided he was going to turn into a lizard and live on the wall. “That king of hell? I won’t go to him even if you kill me!”
Not only was Niu Wudi Sheng Chumu’s uncle, he was also his nightmare. When he was younger and knew less, he had once tried to learn martial arts from Niu Wudi and almost lost his life. Whatever semblance of martial arts that Sheng Chumu had now was the remnants of his training with Niu Wudi long ago.