Chapter 24
Chapter 24 – The defending master (Part 1)
In the principal’s office.
Professor Lin Wu was dressed in a Western-style suit, followed by Lin Tianlang, who was also wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase.
Indeed, they were both wearing suits and were surrounded by such a heavy atmosphere they looked like members of the triad. (TN: a secret society originating in China, typically involved in organized crime, also known in novels as ‘the underworld’.)
It could be said even Principal Lin Jinghe had never seen Professor Lin Wu dressed in this way and brimming with such a wrathful aura. He quickly greeted the two men and invited them to take a seat.
He quickly understood that the man in front of him was not only a Daoist priest, but also the outstanding and famous Professor Lin Wu of the religious studies department of Beijing University.
But nobody actually knew he had the title of a Daoist priest, as he merely referred to himself as Lin Wu like any normal old man. (TN: Old man here is used in a casual and respectful way of the elderly.)
“I won’t be sitting here for too long. I came here today to resign. Since everyone will later take different roads and urge the horses on anyways, it’s unnecessary to hypocritically serve me a cup of tea.” Professor Lin Wu spoke bluntly. (TN: idiom meaning to part ways.)
Lin Tianlang kept on giving Lin Jinghe a meaningful look, but he still stood firmly behind his master to clearly show his standing, since the master couldn’t speak himself, he spoke in his stead:
“My junior sister Lin Mumu is the sole disciple of master. According to the established principles of Daoism, when taking in a disciple, the latter is comitted to look after his master until old age and arrange his proper burial, and then inherit his foundation and preach his teachings after his death.
In other words, master and junior sister Lin’s relationship is even deeper than that of parents and their children.
Moreover, according to the established principles of Daoism, junior sister Lin is equivalent to my own blood-related sister.
My master has no son or daughter, he only has Junior Sister Lin as his sole disciple, moreover she was brought up by him from childhood till adulthood. You bullying my junior sister is equivalent to not giving face to the master, but also do not giving face to me, Lin Tianlang.”
Lin Wu Dao said no Sitting, or sitting down, the old god is drinking tea on the ground. There is clever to force the apprentice, is peace of mind.
Daoist priest Lin Wu didn’t say a single word, he let his quick-witted and nifty apprentice fight in his stead while he leisurely drank his tea.
Moreover, the master had a tendency to like watching catfights and scuffles. The show was even more interesting when his apprentice was tearing down his own father.
(TN: Alright, mystery solved, at least two ‘Lin’s are related now…)
The principals felt completely oppressed by Lin Tianlang’s intimidating aura: “Have you already forsaken the relationship with your parent and decided to cut yourself from me?”
“I have already entered the way of the Dao (Daoist practice) and paid respects to master, it is only natural that I am now my master’s person.”
(TN: to worship or pay respects to a master means to acknowledge him as your teacher, someone of equal standing to your parents and whom you must obey and respect.)
Chapter 24 – The defending master (Part 2)
Lin Tianlang contended on strong grounds: “At present, the country is stable, and the traditional culture of China is gradually recovering. Although our religious studies are a neglected branch, every school still wants to have it.
Just last month, 324 schools across the country sent distinguished invitations to my master. Among them, 215 actually politely requested him to be an honorary professor of their establishments, without restricting his teaching and giving him the complete freedom over his lessons.
I believe that with my master’s qualifications, we can surely bring in more interested students anywhere he teaches.
Principal Lin, what do you have to add? If there is no way out, we will take our leave first. In the past, he principal of China University has also invited my master over for a chat and a cup of tea. We are ready to pick up my junior sister at any moment to head over there.” (TN: when someone invites you to a chat and/or cup of tea, there’s often an underlying meaning of business to talk about.)
The preceding persuasion was still tolerable, but China University and Beijing University were old rivals, whether it was on fame or strength, they were both almost on par with each other, and their names were juxtaposed in the top Chinese universities ranking.
How could Principal Lin afford to let a person with Professor Lin Wu’s fame and qualifications go join the rival’s side!
“This time’s matter is really beyond my jurisdiction. I’m also facing trouble on my side.” Principal Lin sighed helplessly:
“Lin Mumu’s circumstances are special, but the Educational Bureau recently issued new regulations. China University might also narrowly escape. How about, if Lin Mumu can’t pass the exam, I will let her become Professor Lin’s teaching assistant first, and then let her retake the exam next year?”
Professor Lin Wu got up and walked towards the door: “Even if you and this broken university don’t give face to I, your father, I can still take my two disciples and go back to the Daoist temple to open business.”
(TN: ‘I, your father, …’ is often used to arrogantly show contempt and superiority in a domineering way, such as ‘this grandpa’, ‘this young lady’… It could be insulting or joking, the current situation is the former.)
Principal was really caught off guard with this old Daoist priest’s sudden bad temper. When he first came to the university, he wasn’t like this. He used to dress in traditional Daoist robes and exuded the air of a genuine unworldly immortal Daoist who possessed immense capability.
But now? He was acting like a hoodlum!
And he also turned his own son into a local ruffian he could take along to handle business like a hired thug!
“This, this… Tianlang, won’t you help me persuade your master?”