Chapter 19: Becoming a Disciple of Elder Ye

Ye Chongwen wore an apologetic expression. Since this was an arrangement made by Elder Ye, he had no choice but to comply, and without the Elder’s permission, he was not in a position to explain anything.

Elder Ye noticed Chen Ping’s confusion but did not answer his question. Instead, he smiled and said, "I came to the academy today primarily for your sake."

"For my sake?"

"Naturally. I am not one for empty pleasantries, so I will be blunt: are you willing to become my last disciple?"

Elder Ye did not mince words, asking Chen Ping directly if he was willing to study under him. Beside them, Ye Chongwen had already pulled a pained expression the moment the Elder spoke, but fearing the Elder would notice, he quickly feigned excitement and patted Chen Ping on the shoulder.

"Brother, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Hurry and accept him as your master!"

Chen Ping remained silent; compared to Ye Chongwen’s agitation, his reaction was rather calm.

"May I ask, sir, why me? What virtues do I possess to warrant being your final disciple?"

"Why, for the sake of mathematics, of course! Such talent will surely add great luster to my field!"

One could only say that this answer was truly in character for Elder Ye. Though his temples were gray and his gait sometimes faltered, the eyes of the old man burned with the same fervor as a young student whenever he spoke of mathematics.

As Chen Ping pondered, Elder Ye feared he had been too brief and worried that Chen Ping might refuse. He added, "Set your mind at ease. If you wish to sit for the imperial examinations in the future, as your teacher, I will naturally act as your guarantor. If that is not enough, I will spare no effort in seeking the help of my friends."

These words struck a chord with Chen Ping. Ever since he learned that the examination required at least five guarantors, he had been plagued by headaches. Now that he had encountered such an unexpected boon, Chen Ping was naturally inclined to agree.

Suddenly, he remembered something and swallowed his words, asking instead with some trepidation, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Elder Ye, but this matter is of great importance. Please, give me some time to return home and discuss it with my elders."

Such a significant decision was not one he could make entirely on his own.

"That is only natural, only natural!" Elder Ye’s eyes crinkled into slits with joy at this response.

It seemed the matter of this final disciple was all but settled; waiting a few more days was a small price to pay. Fortunately, the academy granted a few days of leave each month.

To address this, Chen Ping packed his bags on the evening before his break and set off for home early the next morning. Upon arrival, he relayed the offer to his parents, Chen Duohai and his wife. They were overjoyed that a master who lectured at the Huating Academy would choose Chen Ping as his final disciple; how could they refuse?

The mere thought of their son having someone to guide him on the path of the imperial examinations kept them awake with excitement, and they spent the entire night discussing the details of the apprenticeship ceremony.

This was no ordinary ceremony; a "final disciple" was the last student a master would ever take, marking the end of his direct instruction. Thereafter, the master would retire from taking direct pupils, leaving the training of future generations to his disciples. Generally, the final disciple is the one the master cherishes most, holding a unique status among all other students.

This also meant Chen Ping would be spared many pitfalls. When he returned to the academy after his break, his parents did not forget to urge him to study hard and never disappoint his teacher’s expectations.

The matter was settled, awaiting only the formal ceremony. Aside from his parents and Ye Chongwen, Chen Ping did not disclose the news to anyone else. Elder Ye, however, was different; having secured such a talented student, he was itching to tell the world, especially Li Qizhi, who had been trying to compete for the boy.

"You! You were far too quick to act!"

Li Yang had been lured to a tavern under the guise of drinking with Elder Ye. He had not expected that as soon as the wine was served, he would be bombarded with the Elder’s boasting. Every word was designed to tell Li Yang that he had arrived a step too late.

Unable to stand the sight of the man flaunting his new student, Li Yang pretended to be indifferent, stating flatly that Chen Ping was already his student and had to attend his lectures every day, something Elder Ye could not replicate. Even if Chen Ping were the Elder’s disciple, he could not escape a single one of Li Yang’s lessons. As for the Elder? He would have to wait until the academy was on break.

Elder Ye, refusing to be outdone, retorted that he, too, lectured at the academy!

"And how many times a month is that?"

Elder Ye: "......"

In terms of frequency, he truly could not compete with that old curmudgeon, Li Qizhi.

Refusing to accept defeat, Elder Ye gritted his teeth. "I can lecture at Huating Academy more often."

"That is just talk. Will you stop going to Wenyang Academy? Or will you abandon Jiangxia Academy?" As a long-time friend, Li Yang knew Elder Ye’s schedule perfectly, and tearing down his argument was easy.

"You are truly unreasonable!"

Elder Ye glared at Li Yang, eventually downing a cup of wine in sullen silence. All these years, he had rarely managed to get the better of Li Qizhi in an argument.

Seeing he had teased the old man enough, Li Yang quickly picked up some food for him. "Regardless, he is still your own disciple, is he not? No one can take that away from you. Rest easy."

Elder Ye let out a cold snort, then picked up the food in his bowl, chewing and swallowing as if the dish were Li Yang himself.

His temper flared quickly and faded just as fast. Once Li Yang changed the subject with some lighthearted banter, the Elder was already enthusiastically calling him "Qizhi" again.

On the day of the ceremony, Chen Ping was surprised to find Ye Chongwen present. Furthermore, he saw him emerging from Elder Ye’s home, and only then did Chen Ping understand their relationship.

"It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you; besides my grandfather’s instructions, I was genuinely curious about you," Ye Chongwen explained hurriedly. "At first, I even wanted to compete with you, but when it comes to mathematics—well, you know how I am."

Because Elder Ye constantly spoke of Chen Ping’s performance in the exams at home, Ye Chongwen’s ears had grown calloused from the praise. Compounded by being constantly compared to him, he had felt resentful and had even requested to live in the same quarters as Chen Ping.

However, after truly spending time together and witnessing Chen Ping’s diligence, his attitude had changed significantly. He hadn't revealed his identity earlier, partly because he felt it was irrelevant to their friendship, and partly because he had simply forgotten.

As the grandson of the great mathematical master Ye Wenchang, Ye Chongwen preferred literature. It was true that everyone had their own strengths.

After a very formal ceremony, Chen Ping officially became Elder Ye’s final disciple. Aside from the occasional gossip, his life at the academy was peaceful.

As the Lunar New Year approached and the weather turned colder, the students who usually preferred to huddle indoors were, surprisingly, gathered outside. Chen Ping looked at the groups of students whispering to one another, their eyes fixed on the front hall. He grabbed one of them and asked, "What is going on?"

"Haven't you heard? A new student has arrived. They say he came all the way from the capital."

"I wonder why? Why would he come to a place like this?"

"I heard he failed the provincial examination and was sent here by his family."

"Is that true?"