"Because, Master, you're stronger than him," Lu Xun said, pointing at Zhuge Liang.
"..." Chen Xi looked up at the sky speechlessly. That reason was certainly pragmatic, but it did fit Lu Xun's character—he was indeed a realist.
Zhuge Liang also sighed. This kid… Zhuge Liang suddenly felt a bit childish himself.
"That's a good reason," Chen Xi said, patting Lu Xun's shoulder. "Let me first tell you what I know. Astronomy, geography, the art of war, formations, yin-yang, military strategies, rewards and punishments, signals, and encampment..."
Chen Xi listed a whole bunch of things, and Lu Xun's eyes grew brighter with each word. Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang turned his head to look at the sky, already anticipating what Chen Xi would say next. He had experienced this before—Chen Xi would get him all excited, only to deliver a punchline that nearly made Zhuge Liang choke.
"...But I'm not actually good at any of those," Chen Xi finished with a dry laugh.
"..." Lu Xun froze in place, his facial muscles twitching.
"Sigh~" Zhuge Liang sighed from the side. "Those are just trivial matters. It's not that Zichuan doesn't know them; he's just too lazy to teach them. Think about how many military achievements and governance records he has. That's all the proof you need." Zhuge Liang reassured him.
"So, what should I learn from you?" Lu Xun tried to stay calm. He had been shocked by Chen Xi's lack of reliability. In this era, respecting one's teacher was of utmost importance, and teachers needed to maintain their dignity. Clearly, what Chen Xi had just done didn't fit the role of a teacher.
"You should first go ask your father and grandfather if they allow you to take me as your teacher," Chen Xi said, patting Lu Xun on the shoulder. In this era, becoming someone's disciple wasn't something done lightly. The approval of one's elders was required.
"I already agree," Lu Jun said with a smile. "As for the formal disciple ceremony, we won't skip that either once our family is settled."
"In that case, Lu Xun, do you wish to become my disciple?" Chen Xi's usual carefree expression turned serious. After all, in this era, one had to conform to the expectations of the times.
"Disciple Lu Xun greets Master," Lu Xun said as he knelt on the deck and solemnly bowed three times to Chen Xi.
"I'll think about what to teach you later. A lot of what I know is just surface-level, so you'll need to figure things out on your own." Chen Xi muttered to himself, while Zhuge Liang nodded along. Many of the things Chen Xi had were frameworks that required filling in.
"I'll make sure to teach you well. Kongming, help take care of him too," Chen Xi said with a yawn. "Didn't you borrow a lot of books from Cai Zhaoji? You can pass those on to Boyan; they're quite valuable."
The more Chen Xi learned about Cai Zhaoji's father, the more he marveled at Cai Yong's abilities. How he managed to amass so many books still puzzled Chen Xi, but he was certain that with such a collection, producing renowned ministers, generals, or even emperors wouldn't be difficult, as long as they were properly taught...
"Yes, Cai Dajia has been transcribing the books she's read. I've always found it strange—how do you and Cai Dajia know so much? One of you theoretically shouldn't know so much, and the other theoretically shouldn't be able to remember so much," Zhuge Liang said, adding something that had puzzled him for a while.
"That's probably just a matter of talent," Chen Xi replied after thinking for a while. After all, his vast knowledge came from the accumulation of two thousand years, with experience outweighing wisdom. As for Cai Zhaoji, it was indeed inexplicable—she was only nineteen, yet she claimed to have read and memorized all the books in the Eastern Pavilion, making her a walking library.
Zhuge Liang pouted but said nothing. Given Cai Wenji's scholarly prowess, had she been born male, she might have become a great Confucian scholar.
"Boyan, follow Kongming for now. He carries a lot of books with him. Read those first, and if you don't understand something, ask him. He'll explain it to you," Chen Xi said, turning to Lu Xun. He still wasn't used to this new role, but he knew he had to ensure this promising student didn't grow up the wrong way.
"Okay~" Lu Xun looked back and forth between Chen Xi and Zhuge Liang, dragging out the word reluctantly. He was clearly dissatisfied with Chen Xi's arrangement but obediently complied due to his teacher's authority.
"But what if I ask him something he doesn't know?" Lu Xun asked with a cute expression, pretending to be innocent. Having been discouraged by Zhuge Liang earlier, his childlike nature made him reluctant to interact with him.
"As long as your questions aren't too ridiculous, he should be able to answer them. Even if he can't, he'll come up with a solution. Other than experience, Kongming isn't intimidated by anyone now," Chen Xi thought for a moment. As long as Lu Xun didn't ask something absurd like how many stars were in the sky, Zhuge Liang would either answer or provide his own insights.
"Really?" Lu Xun asked with a look of disbelief, glancing skeptically at the calm and collected Zhuge Liang, starting to believe him a little.
"Yes. Follow him for now. If you don't understand something, ask him. He'll guide you without bias and won't just give you the answers. He'll provide hints to help you figure out the solutions yourself," Chen Xi said, turning to Zhuge Liang. His words made Zhuge Liang frown slightly, as this approach was far more challenging than simply giving answers, but he didn't object.
"..." The more Lu Xun listened, the worse he felt. Was the gap between them really that wide? Zhuge Liang wasn't much older than him, yet he was so far ahead. This was beyond belief—it didn't seem scientifically possible.
"No problem," Zhuge Liang said after some thought. To him, this was just another test from Chen Xi.
"Then it's settled. See what he likes," Chen Xi said, giving a few more instructions. He then began to ponder what he could teach Lu Xun. After all, Lu Xun was destined to be famous, and as his teacher, Chen Xi didn't want to embarrass himself. Raising a prodigy meant providing proper nourishment, and there was no way Lu Xun, whom he mentored, could turn out worse than his wild counterparts. After all, the environment in which Lu Xun originally grew up was far from ideal.
"Understood." Zhuge Liang's expression remained unchanged, still exuding that calmness tinged with loneliness, as if teaching Lu Xun was no challenge at all.
Chen Xi had tasked Zhuge Liang with teaching Lu Xun what he was best at and most passionate about, and Zhuge Liang had accepted it without batting an eye. This only made Lu Xun feel even worse—Zhuge Liang had taken on the task with such indifference.
With his head down, Lu Xun silently vowed to test Zhuge Liang in every possible way to see how they measured up.