It's really too polite.

You could even say it's excessively polite.

This little princess seems to represent the humble and polite side of the Dongying people.

Jiang Chen was a bit dumbfounded, caught off guard, unable to react, only to see Koda Kaoru giving him an encouraging look.

Sure enough.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

"It's been too long, I don't quite remember, better let Teacher Xiang Tian tell it."

Jiang Chen declined, not out of ingratitude, but he simply couldn't bring himself to do it. Although he didn't know how the Imperial Family paid Koda Kaoru, wasting class time on the Journey to the West seemed like deceiving children.

Koda Kaoru didn't force him, and picked up the conversation, "The Queen of the Daughter Kingdom invited Tang Sanzang to meet in the evening. The two sat by the bed, with the room filled with large red candles. In the flickering candlelight, the Queen, wearing a red palace dress, held Tang Sanzang's hand, moving him with emotion and reason, hoping he would stay to govern the country with her. But her royal brother's goal was only one: to go to the Western Heaven for the true scriptures."

The story is the same story.

It's not a pirated version.

Yet, Jiang Chen's eyelids twitched non-stop as he listened.

The key point was that even young Princess Ya Yi, who was only eight or nine, showed a look of disappointment and even sadness, "Did Tang Sanzang really leave?"

It seems being too mature as a child is not a good thing.

At this age, they should be excited about watching Ultraman or Sailor Moon.

Koda Kaoru nodded, "Yes, Your Highness, the next day Tang Sanzang still rode his white horse, leaving under the Queen's royal brother's calls..."

"Cough."

A sudden cough interrupted Koda Kaoru's words.

Koda Kaoru turned her head, only to see Jiang Chen, who looked as if his throat was uncomfortable, holding his hand in front of his mouth.

"Mr. Jiang, please have some water."

On the stone table, there was tea, along with pastries and fruit.

Jiang Chen picked up the tea and took a sip.

"I remember Tang Sanzang wanted to leave, but upon hearing the Queen's call, he turned back, exchanged glances with the Queen, then dismounted, took off his cassock, and ran back to embrace the Queen."

"..."

"..."

Koda Kaoru was not only silent but also had a peculiar expression, just like Jiang Chen earlier.

By-standing Tanki Liuli was the same.

She was probably wondering if the books her teacher bought her were pirated.

"Mr. Jiang, is it true? Tang Sanzang didn't leave?"

Ya Yi asked eagerly, hope rekindling in her eyes.

Young girls are always poetic at heart.

It's natural for a girl to yearn for a romantic love story, but isn't this girl a bit too young?

"Yes, Tang Sanzang stayed in the Daughter Kingdom."

Jiang Chen nodded without changing his expression and put down the teacup.

"But wasn't he supposed to go to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures?"

Ya Yi inquired,

Jiang Chen was unfazed, "Doesn't he have three disciples? Just leave it to them to fetch the scriptures."

"Is the story ending here?"

If it doesn't end, aren't they just getting paid for nothing?

Jiang Chen lightly coughed, "Ending it here, isn't it better?"

"But Tang Sanzang set out from the Eastern Land of Tang, enduring so many hardships, with the goal of retrieving the scriptures."

Truth be told, this little princess is indeed a good student. Ordinary teachers might find it hard to cope, but Jiang Chen, who can teach the pride of Kyoto University, was unperturbed.

He was calm and steady, "Does the true scriptures necessarily refer to a specific object? For each person, the true scriptures might differ, and at different life stages, they might change as well. Like Tang Sanzang, when he started from the Eastern Land of Tang, he believed his true scriptures were far away in the Western Heaven. But upon reaching the Daughter Kingdom, he might have realized that his true Western Heaven had arrived, and the scriptures he sought were right before him."

When Jiang Chen finished speaking, the garden in the inner courtyard of the Imperial Palace fell silent.

Several women of different ages, statuses, experiences, and temperaments, none of whom shared any similarities, all fell into silence simultaneously.

In the quiet, Ya Yi suddenly stood up, more solemn and serious than before, and gave Jiang Chen a proper bow.

"Ya Yi is enlightened."

Mr. Jiang, who casually reinterpreted a classic work, showed no shame. While the princess of Dongying showed remarkable qualities, he also displayed the grandeur and etiquette of Shenzhou, quickly standing up and politely supporting her.

"Just my humble opinion, Princess Ya Yi, take it as it suits you."

"Though I'm also Teacher Xiang Tian's student, compared to Mr. Jiang, Ya Yi truly feels foolish."

Even if a little girl of primary school age compares herself to him, whether win or lose, Boss Jiang still feels rather awkward.

"Your Highness, you are young, and among your peers, you are already considered very outstanding."

Jiang Chen was fine with it; no matter how mature and composed this Dongying princess seemed, she was still a child in his eyes. But Koda Kaoru was different, as she seemed to be engaging in a conversation with an adult from start to finish. After all, she is Dongying, and her mindset towards the Japanese Imperial Family is certainly different from Jiang Chen's.

"Teacher Xiang Tian, the story of Journey to the West ends with the Daughter Kingdom, right?"

Facing the little princess's gaze, Koda Kaoru couldn't answer.

Since someone already altered the plot, could she continue fabricating?

Even if she wanted to make up something, she'd still need a direction.

Although Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West only chants scriptures or calls Sun Wukong to stop, he is undoubtedly the soul of the journey.

All the demons and monsters took the risk to ambush and rob him because they wanted to eat Tang Seng's flesh to become immortal. Without Tang Seng, leaving only the three disciples, how could there be the famed eighty-one calamities? They could directly ride the clouds to the Western Heaven.

Boss Jiang's impromptu storytelling effectively blocked Koda Kaoru's chance of "just passing the class," so she could only nod towards the little princess, then looked at Jiang Chen.

"Come with me for a moment."

The two of them walked to the side.

"When I asked you to speak, you wouldn't. When I didn't want you to speak, you started babbling. Mr. Jiang Chen, is that how Journey to the West is written?"

"I was just fulfilling the girl's beautiful notions of love. Didn't Teacher Xiang Tian notice that making Tang Sanzang stay in the Daughter Kingdom made Princess Ya Yi obviously happier with that outcome?"

"You're deceiving the Imperial Family."

Koda Kaoru said earnestly.

But Boss Jiang wasn't frightened.

The crime of deceiving a sovereign was indeed severe, usually punishable by death, even involving the nine families. However, the monarchy of Shenzhou had crumbled in the last century.

Could the Japanese Imperial Family possibly sentence a person of Shenzhou?

"If Teacher Xiang Tian thought my intentions were malicious lies, why didn't you expose me earlier and instead chose to cooperate?"

Jiang Chen looked at the young adult-acting Princess Ya Yi, "Didn't Teacher Xiang Tian also want to make her happy?"

Swords are sharpened over time, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold.

A child so well-behaved and polite must have been through tough training undeserving of her age.

But that's just how the world works.

Nothing comes without a price.

To enjoy the glory bestowed by the Imperial Family means to bear the corresponding costs.

Koda Kaoru fell silent, also watching the special student seated in absent-mindedness, seemingly enthralled by the altered ending of Journey to the West.

"Indeed, Her Highness is quite pitiable. I'm not her only teacher, and her schedule is packed every week, so I shared Journey to the West with her, giving her a tiny bit of joy amidst the heavy coursework."

Was this an explanation or just an excuse to pass the time potentially?

"Teacher Xiang Tian, please speak cautiously; the consequences of criticizing the Imperial Family and deceiving it are likely not much different."

Jiang Chen feigned seriousness, "I haven't heard anything just now."

Koda Kaoru bit her lip, then flashed her charming eyes sharply, "Then you should know that one of the virtues in Shenzhou is respecting teachers and valuing teaching."

"Teacher Xiang Tian, you've never actually taught me anything."

Jiang Chen replied.

Koda Kaoru had indeed been employed at Dong University when Jiang Chen was about to graduate, so they didn't have a substantial teacher-student relationship.

"I haven't taught you, so that's your reason for not respecting me?"

Looking back at the ordeal of the wealthy conglomerate heiress is enough to show that Boss Jiang was not one to shy away from respect, even if he had undressed her by force.

"Ya Yi, aren't you in class with me?"

Someone walked into the garden rather inappropriately while Koda Kaoru was not earning her workshop time, but instead pulling aside an unrelated person for a chat.

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