Chapter 1891 — The Last Disciple
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"All right, I've said my piece. Go off and enjoy yourselves. Tomorrow the other majors all have a class on university rules and regulations—but our major won't be attending. Rules aren't meant to be memorized; they're meant to be seen in what you do. One copy each, included with your textbooks—go back and read them carefully. Don't let me catch you in the act, or don't blame me for showing no mercy!" With that, Bai turned to Wei Zhao. "Monitor Wei Zhao, come with me to the office. Everyone else, dismissed!"
Every face in the class wore a bitter smile. Each of them had applied for this major because, more or less, their families worked in the pharmaceutical trade, and an elder at home had heard of Bai's fearsome reputation—which was why they had been sent to apply here.
Their original thinking had been that the smaller the major, the easier to coast through—but it had turned out to be nothing of the sort! Still, now that they were here, there was nothing for it but to comply. If Bai really did transfer them to another department, none of them could bear the shame.
Wei Zhao shrugged and glanced at Wang Xinyan, wondering how he might shift this class monitor post onto her shoulders. For one thing, she seemed to excel in both character and learning; for another, she was the only girl in the class, so everyone ought to give her some deference when she spoke.
Of course, if Wang Xinyan could not command the class's respect, then Wei Zhao would recommend Bai Weituo—Bai's own grandson, after all, and surely the most suitable candidate.
At that thought, Wei Zhao rose and followed Bai out of the classroom.
You Panhu still harbored designs on the monitor's post, but recalling Wei Zhao's feats, he had no choice but to let it go.
Once outside the classroom, Bai dropped his earlier expression entirely and addressed Wei Zhao with a chuckle: "Ha ha, young man, I said I would teach you the way of medicine and take you as my disciple, and you refused. And now? You've become my student after all, haven't you?"
"I'm mortified—I had no idea you were an instructor here." Wei Zhao smiled wryly. "Well, it seems your wish has been granted after all."
"That it has. But my original notion was to take you on as my last disciple, to pass on to you a few things—special techniques of medicine, the sort you cannot learn within the university walls..." Bai said.
"Oh? And what would those be?" Wei Zhao's heart stirred slightly. To be honest, when he had first heard Bai say such things outside the examination hall, he had paid them little mind. Teach him medicine? The man could not even cure the ailments of his own body—how could he presume to teach anyone?
But ever since he had seen the way You Panhu behaved toward Bai, his thinking had shifted somewhat. Who was You Panhu? None other than the second young master of the hidden You family. The hidden You family excelled in the arts of medicine and alchemy; in medical attainments, it was likely You Panhu stood no lower than Wei Zhao and his own grandfather. Yet You Panhu was utterly respectful and deferential toward Bai—that in itself said a great deal.
"Heh heh, a last disciple can only be one—otherwise he could hardly be called the last disciple. I have already taken on a rather promising seedling." Bai glanced at Wei Zhao, smiling. "Well? Regret it now?"
"Not really," Wei Zhao said mildly. How could he not know the old man was talking nonsense? A last disciple, only one? Bai Weituo and Bai Weikai made two already. Plainly the old fellow was just whetting his appetite.