As a young marshal, it's reasonable for me to have 300,000 private troops, right?

Qi Fan frowned as he looked at the eighteen children lined up neatly in front of him.

What puzzled him was that no matter how he looked at them, these children did not have a favorability rating above their heads like the others. Just like Zhang Shoufang and Zhang Xueming, they were completely on the system's "ignore list".

The question had barely formed when the long-absent system notification suddenly rang in his mind.

[Since these children's loyalty stems from Yan Shuangying's instructions and is not a spontaneous expression of their loyalty to the host, it is not counted towards the host's mission completion progress.]

"Damn! So that's how it is!" Qi Fan rolled his eyes inwardly and pressed for an answer.

"Why didn't my favorability rating increase at all when I became sworn brothers with Zhang Xuecheng and the others?"

[The host can refer to the following standards to understand the logic of favorability assessment: 60% indicates deep favorability, where the host and the other party are at the level of close friends; 80% indicates absolute trust, and as long as the host does not cross any fundamental boundaries, the favorability will not decrease; 100% indicates unwavering loyalty, where the other party is willing to give everything for the host unconditionally, including their life. Sworn brotherhood is merely a formality and does not establish a deep emotional connection, therefore it does not increase favorability.]

The system's explanation made Qi Fan fall into deep thought.

He subconsciously thought that Yan Shuangying's favorability rating was 80%.

According to the system, this means that although Yan Shuangying is trustworthy, he may still choose to protect himself rather than unconditionally stand on your side if he encounters an extreme situation that endangers his own life.

"It seems that in the end, I still have to rely on myself." Qi Fan clenched his fist inwardly. Only by becoming strong enough can he truly control the situation and make the people around him follow him willingly, instead of relying on this kind of loyalty with "attached conditions".

As evening approached, Qi Fan did not linger any longer. After bidding farewell to Yan Shuangying, he went straight back to the Marshal's Mansion.

As soon as he pushed open the wooden door to his room, a scrutinizing gaze shot straight at him. Zhang Shoufang was sitting at the table, arms crossed, staring at him suspiciously.

"I haven't seen you all day! Tell me! Where have you been gallivanting off to?"

Zhang Shoufang's voice carried a hint of a spoiled young lady's coquettishness, yet it also exuded an undeniable domineering presence.

Qi Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly recalled Zhang Shoufang's domineering nature in the original novel. In the Zhang family, this young lady always had the final say, and even Zhang Zuolin sometimes had to give her some leeway.

He quickly composed himself, put on a well-behaved expression, and explained in a low voice, "I...I went out with Xuecheng and the others this afternoon, but I didn't go anywhere wild."

Zhang Shoufang stood up, walked quickly to him, leaned slightly forward, and stared intently at him with her clear eyes, her gaze so sharp it seemed to see right through him.

Qi Fan felt a chill run down his spine under her gaze and instinctively shrank back, afraid that his lie would be exposed.

"Really?" Zhang Shoufang's tone still carried a hint of doubt.

"Really! Why would I lie to you?" Qi Fan nodded stiffly, but dared not meet her gaze.

Seeing his nervous look, Zhang Shoufang burst out laughing, her previous seriousness instantly dissipating.

She reached out and patted Qi Fan on the shoulder, her tone softening: "Okay, I'll trust you this time. Don't stay out so late next time. By the way, have you eaten yet?"

Only after being reminded by her did Qi Fan belatedly realize that his stomach was empty. He had eaten a large pot of food in the dining hall at noon, and most of the day had passed since then, and he hadn't had time to eat anything at all.

He touched his stomach and honestly shook his head.

"I knew you hadn't eaten."

Zhang Shoufang rolled her eyes helplessly and pointed to the food box on the table.

"I left you some snacks on the table. They were just made in the kitchen. Eat some to tide you over."

"My sister is still the best to me!" Qi Fan's eyes lit up, and he immediately rushed to the table, opened the food box, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, and stuffed it into his mouth.

The soft, sweet taste melts in your mouth, instantly dispelling any hunger.

Watching him wolf down his food, Zhang Shoufang sat to the side, her eyes full of tenderness.

She suddenly remembered something and began to give her instructions.

"By the way, I heard from Father that Mr. Yang Jingzhen is coming to our mansion tomorrow to teach you and Xuecheng how to read. Eat quickly, and go to bed early. You can't be late tomorrow; you need to make a good impression on the teacher."

"Okay! I got it!" Qi Fan replied indistinctly, his mouth full of snacks.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Qi Fan was woken up by his maid.

After washing up and changing into a clean long gown, he headed straight for the school on the west side of the Marshal's Mansion. From afar, he could see a number of people standing at the school gate. Zhang Xuecheng, Zhang Tingshu, and Bao Yulin had already arrived and were huddled together, talking quietly.

As I approached, I saw Zhang Shoufang also walking over, lifting her skirt, followed by the Third Concubine.

The third concubine, dressed in an elegant cheongsam and clutching a handkerchief, smiled as she spoke to the children.

"Mr. Yang is a renowned teacher that your father went to great lengths to invite, so you must listen carefully. I'll be listening from the side and won't disturb you."

Qi Fan had just responded with "Hello, Third Madam" when an elderly man in a blue robe with half-white hair and beard walked over, accompanied by Xi Shun.

The old man was upright with sharp eyes and an air of scholarly dignity; he must be Yang Jingzhen.

"Mr. Yang has arrived!" happy Shun announced loudly.

The children quickly stood at attention and respectfully bowed, saying, "Greetings, sir!"

The third concubine also stood up and nodded in acknowledgment, politely inviting Yang Jingzhen into the school.

Several desks were set up in the schoolroom, and six children, including Qi Fan, Zhang Shoufang, and Zhang Xuecheng, sat down in order, while the third concubine sat down in a chair in the corner.

Yang Jingzhen walked to the podium, put down the book in his hand, and glanced at the crowd.

"From today onwards, I will teach you to read and write, and to study the classics. We will begin with the opening lines of the Analects, starting with 'Is it not pleasant to learn with constant perseverance and application? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? Is it not the mark of a gentleman to remain unperturbed when others do not recognize his merits?'"

As he spoke, he began to explain word by word, from the meaning of words to the main idea of ​​sentences, in a clear, logical, and easy-to-understand manner.

However, the children in the audience were all preoccupied with their own thoughts. Zhang Tingshu and Bao Yulin listened attentively, Zhang Shoufang occasionally drifted off, Zhang Xuecheng buried himself in drawing little figures on paper, and the one who couldn't sit still the most was Feng Yong, who had just arrived.

He was Feng Delin's son, and he was very restless. He started looking around after sitting for less than fifteen minutes.

After Yang Jingzhen finished speaking, he looked up at the audience and his gaze fell on Feng Yong.

"Feng Yong, what do you mean by 'not being resentful when others do not understand you'?"

Startled by being called on suddenly, Feng Yong jumped up, his eyes darting around in a panic. He couldn't answer at all.

In a moment of quick thinking, he suddenly clutched his stomach, his brows furrowed, and he grimaced as he yelled.

"Ouch... sir, my stomach hurts! It hurts terribly, I need to go to the restroom!"

Before Yang Jingzhen could respond, he bent over, clutching his stomach, and stumbled out, afraid that his teacher would call him back.

Yang Jingzhen watched his retreating figure, shook his head helplessly, and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

"Nonsense!" Yang Jingzhen scoffed lightly, then turned his gaze to Qi Fan. "Zhang Xueliang, you answer this question."

Qi Fan wasn't afraid of that. He was a fine young man of the 21st century. It was just a passage from the Analects. How could he possibly let go of such a good opportunity to gain the teacher's favor?

He stood up, his back straight, and answered clearly.

"Sir, 'Not being resentful when others do not understand you' means that you do not resent or get angry when others do not understand you. This is the demeanor of a gentleman. Just like when you teach us knowledge, even if we cannot understand it at first, you will not get angry, but will patiently explain it. This is the behavior of a gentleman."

These words not only accurately explained the meaning of the text, but also subtly praised Yang Jingzhen, making it a perfect statement.

Yang Jingzhen's eyes lit up, his originally serious expression softened considerably, and he nodded approvingly.

"Well said! You understand thoroughly and express yourself clearly. It seems you were listening attentively. Good, sit down!"

Qi Fan had just sat down when a system notification sounded in his mind: [Ding! Host has gained Yang Jingzhen's favorability, currently at 30%!]

Qi Fan was secretly delighted. Fortunately, he had studied hard when he was in school, and he never expected that it would actually come in handy.

He looked up at Yang Jingzhen on the podium and met the teacher's approving gaze. He quickly sat up straighter, looking like he was listening attentively.

Seeing Qi Fan receive praise from his master, the third concubine in the corner smiled with satisfaction and nodded gently.

The atmosphere in the classroom became solemn again, with only Yang Jingzhen's steady explanation and the occasional rustling of pages turning.