CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 43: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

"Next, let’s welcome our honorary teacher, Su Yue’s homeroom teacher... to the stage to speak."

After Su Yue left the podium, it was finally Ding Beitu’s turn.

The latter calmly ascended the stage.

As a homeroom teacher, his speech was quite good, though somewhat official.

After Ding Beitu’s speech, the principal seized the opportunity to elaborate further, piecing together interpretations that contained some logic.

"Next, it’s time for the honorary teacher awards. This time, our Governor will personally present the awards."

Li Xingpei had long arranged for the TV broadcast.

Suddenly, the Cengyan Channel showed the Governor’s office at the Governor’s Mansion, where Renqing Province Governor Jiang Fuyan was seated before the desk.

"Governor Jiang is busy with official duties and cannot come to Cengyan City, but he will present the awards via video."

Li Xingpei said.

In an instant, the entire school fell silent.

Impressive indeed.

To be awarded personally by a provincial governor is something a teacher can boast about for a lifetime.

Jiang Fuyan held the manuscript, reading out the awards seriously.

House, car, cash prize.

He didn’t leave anything out, and now the entire Renqing Province could see the broadcast, with even some television stations from other provinces airing the ceremony.

Jiang Fuyan was determined to lead the educational reform and was under much public scrutiny.

Throughout, Ding Beitu remained calm, his undisturbed state earning admiration from many in front of their TVs.

This is what a good teacher should be.

Finally, Jiang Fuyan finished reading the manuscript.

Having a student score an 18-card was like pouring gasoline on his reform efforts.

The flame of reform is bound to burn fiercely.

The reward system didn’t initially include the principal, but Jiang Fuyan decided on the spot to reward the principal with some resources.

But just as he was about to speak, Jiang Fuyan suddenly saw, through the video from Cengyan Second Middle School, an off-road vehicle enter the school’s gate.

It was Qingwu’s car.

Qingwu is an A-class Wuda. Though it’s located in Renqing Province’s capital, Wuda is directly under the Ministry of Education.

While Qingwu’s principal’s position wasn’t higher than the Governor, they were actually not in the same department and not in a superior-subordinate relationship.

Furthermore, Qingwu would even take away some educational funding from the Governor’s Mansion.

Now, why would Qingwu’s car appear at Cengyan Second Middle School?

It made no sense.

Not only was Jiang Fuyan on the other end of the video curious, but the entire Second Middle School was also watching Qingwu’s off-road vehicle, puzzled.

The off-road vehicle had Qingwu’s emblem painted on it, an emblem very familiar to many as Qingwu was an A-class Wuda in Renqing Province.

Liu Dachen was initially sulking.

But when he saw his alma mater’s car, his pupils suddenly shrank.

This was bad.

It’s the personnel from Qingwu, here to take Ding Beitu back to join the school.

Indeed.

Both the principal and governor had signed Ding Beitu’s dismissal letter; Qingwu personnel would naturally take Ding Beitu back to the school immediately, as a sign of respect for scholars.

The timing works out.

Driving from Qingwu, maintaining a speed of 220 miles per hour, it’d take roughly two hours to reach Cengyan City.

And it was about two hours ago that Ding Beitu signed the dismissal letter.

This is really the end.

The Governor’s video was still connected, yet Qingwu personnel arrived.

Precisely what one fears, comes true.

"Are you Teacher Ding Beitu? We’re from Qingwu’s personnel department, here specifically to pick you up."

Three middle-aged people got out of the car, one of them a woman said.

Being from Qingwu, they prioritized efficiency and didn’t care much about protocol, they just wanted to take the person away.

Besides, Second Middle School’s choice of dismissal was quite excessive.

Qingwu had already received the scan of Ding Beitu’s dismissal letter, and the hiring process was complete.

Dismissal and resignation are two different concepts.

Dismissal is a kind of shame.

Therefore, they would further not care about Second Middle School’s face, picking up Ding Beitu from the venue was also a way to help him regain some dignity.

"Qingwu personnel department, what are you doing at Cengyan Second Middle School?"

At that moment, Jiang Fuyan asked through the screen, looking displeased.

"Oh, so the Governor is in a meeting, sorry to interrupt.

"Teacher Ding Beitu, as a professor of Poetic Language Studies, has signed a contract with Qingwu, and we’re here to bring him back to the school."

Seeing Jiang Fuyan, the Qingwu personnel were more polite; after all, he was the Governor.

"Nonsense.

"Ding Beitu is a teacher at Cengyan Second Middle School, his personnel relationship is still with the Renqing Education Bureau, did you get my consent to take him?"

Jiang Fuyan was both surprised and angry.

This Ding Beitu is a real treasure.

Not only could he mentor a second-year student to achieve an 18-card score, but he also self-studied to qualify as a professor of Poetic Language Studies.

Compared to Su Yue, Poetic Language Studies is dozens of times more important.

This is a field heavily supported by the Divine Cabinet.

Jiang Fuyan also understood that Ding Beitu was inevitably going to Wuda; both publicly and privately, such talent couldn’t be wasted in high school.

There’s a way to leave.

For instance, using Ding Beitu as a bargaining chip, Jiang Fuyan could request more resources from the Divine Cabinet.

The annual funding is fixed; if you receive more, I’ll receive less.

Renqing Province could use Ding Beitu to exchange for a lot of resources from the Ministry of Education, which would alleviate urgent needs for him.

After all, implementing educational reform, he as the Governor, also faced considerable pressure.

The local Education Bureau, though also bearing an educational name, is under the Governor’s Mansion, and it’s an agency that often goes hungry.

Only Wuda could receive direct funding from the Ministry of Education.

Yet, high school students’ graduation rates would assess the Governor’s Mansion, so Jiang Fuyan was determined to improve education.

Now with the emergence of Ding Beitu, he became a good bargaining chip with the Ministry of Education.

"Governor, my apologies.

"Two hours ago, Qingwu had already received the dismissal letter for Ding Beitu from the Renqing Education Bureau, which we’ve uploaded to the Ministry of Education.

"Since the Governor personally signed the dismissal letter, why make things difficult for us?"

The Qingwu personnel remained calm.

With all the procedures complete, they weren’t afraid of the Governor.

Jiang Fuyan’s signature was genuine and couldn’t be forged.

Click!

In the video, the Governor’s office desk suddenly cracked in the middle.

He stared sharply at Li Xingpei in the video.

As the overseer, Li Xingpei needed to give an explanation.

But Li Xingpei was utterly baffled, as if struck by a thunderbolt.

What exactly happened?

Ding Beitu becoming a Poetic Language Studies expert was a tremendous thing.

But why did Second Middle School fire him?

When did it happen? How come I wasn’t informed?

No one asked me to sign anything!

I was here happily to present the awards.

Li Xingpei looked at the principal of the Second Middle School, who bore the primary responsibility.

"Governor, I apologize, it was my own decision to preemptively sign Ding Beitu’s dismissal letter. I thought he would rank last, and I didn’t expect Su Yue could score an 18-card.

"Nor did I expect Ding Beitu to qualify as a professor in Poetic Language Studies."

The principal felt his heart about to shatter.

Ding Beitu, oh Ding Beitu.

In this lifetime, I’m ruined by your hands.

If you were going to qualify in Poetic Language Studies, couldn’t you have announced it earlier?

If I knew you were a professor, wouldn’t I worship you like an ancestor?

This time, it’s over.

The workings of fate, is this heaven’s way of collecting me?

"Hmph!"

The Governor crushed the camera with a punch.

"Sir Governor, I’m truly sorry. I didn’t foresee things turning out this way either."

Ding Beitu let out a wry smile.

Then, he stepped down from the podium to bid farewell to Su Yue and others.

The whole class of students couldn’t contain their joy, even though they didn’t know what Poetic Language Studies was, they knew Teacher Ding was going to Qingwu.

"Teacher Ding, I’ll definitely get into Qingwu, and you’ll still be my teacher."

Gong Ling was crying with swollen eyes.

"If you can get into the Big Four, you should strive for it.

"Of course, Qingwu is also a good choice."

Ding Beitu patted the students on the shoulders.

"Teacher, you hid it so well, always knew you weren’t simple."

Su Yue also admired Ding Beitu.

"You hide even deeper, you little fox."

Ding Beitu pinched Su Yue’s arm.

Afterwards, Ding Beitu bowed to the school and left with a heavy heart.

He loved this place, but it also brought him sorrow.

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