Chapter 276: Chapter 276: School Enrollment Turmoil
276 School Entrance Incident
Qiao Muchen and the others were preparing to introduce themselves.
However, Lv Wenhao chuckled and said, "Ah, no need for introductions. I know you guys. You’re the top student for three consecutive years, Qiao Muchen, right?"
After speaking, he looked at Zhao Yue. "You’re Qiao Muchen’s good brother who always follows him, Zhao Yue!"
Zhao Yue raised his eyebrows. "Well, well, you know so much. You wouldn’t happen to be the legendary informant, would you?"
Zhao Zhitong was puzzled. "Informant? What informant?"
Qiao Muchen explained, "It means someone who is very well-informed. I heard that among our peers in this year’s intake, there’s an informant nicknamed ’Know-It-All.’ He’s said to know everything that goes on; there’s hardly anything he isn’t aware of."
"Oh." Zhao Zhitong nodded. So, he’s just a gossip king, huh? "That’s impressive."
"Not at all, not at all. I’m just a bit more curious, with a slightly better memory and hearing," Lv Wenhao chuckled, then glanced at Zhao Zhitong and then at Xiao Shitou. "Are these two your pages?"
He was puzzled. Why would someone have a young girl as a page? And this page wasn’t even helping to carry anything!
Qiao Muchen introduced, "No, this is my page, Xiao Shitou. This young lady is not a page; she is my classmate and good friend, Zhao Zhitong."
Zhao Zhitong also followed their example and clasped her fists. "A pleasure to meet you."
Lv Wenhao nodded. "Oh, haha, a pleasure to meet you too."
I wonder where Qiao Muchen and the others studied before, to have female classmates, he thought.
Before he could inquire, Zhao Zhitong had already started asking about the young master from the horse carriage. "Young Master Lv, you just said that the person in the carriage is the prefect’s son? The new prefect of our Xuzhou?"
Lv Wenhao nodded. "Exactly. This Li Liangcai is the prefect’s treasured only son."
Zhao Zhitong became even more curious. "Hey, Qiao Muchen, how did you offend him? He seems to really hold a grudge against you."
Qiao Muchen helplessly shrugged and, facing Zhao Zhitong, let out a deliberately profound sigh. "Alas!"
Zhao Zhitong was exasperated. "..." Honestly, can’t you just speak properly? What’s with all the dramatic sighing?
Zhao Yue rolled his eyes and explained to Zhao Zhitong, "It was during the examination in Xuzhou. Before entering the examination hall, all the scholars would gather to recite poetry and compose verses."
"Our dear Young Master Qiao, being exceptionally talented, outshone Li Liangcai—that young master famous for coasting on flattery—and stole his limelight. So, naturally, Li Liangcai has remembered him for it."
Lv Wenhao exclaimed in admiration, "I must say, Young Master Qiao, your literary talent is truly outstanding! You fully deserve to be the top student. I am genuinely impressed!"
Qiao Muchen, always modest with outsiders, immediately smiled. "You flatter me, you flatter me."
Then he said to Zhao Yue and Zhao Zhitong, "Alright, let’s hurry to the academy."
With that, he prepared to part ways with Lv Wenhao.
But Lv Wenhao spoke up first, "Ah, what a coincidence! I’m also reporting in today. Since fate brought us together, why don’t we go together?"
It was difficult for them to refuse, so they headed to the academy with Lv Wenhao, chatting and laughing along the way.
When they arrived at the academy entrance, they happened to stumble upon quite a scene.
A group of scholars had gathered at the academy gate. Not far off, a horse carriage was parked, and its owner was currently standing before a Teacher, receiving a lecture.
The reprimand was naturally about the issue of bringing a horse carriage onto academy grounds.
Just then, the "Know-It-All" was back in action. Pointing to the figures at the academy gate, he began his introduction. "Hey, see that? The Teacher lecturing Young Master Li is our academy’s Vice Dean, Fu Jingguo—Teacher Fu."
"And the two Teachers standing behind the Vice Dean... one of them, dressed in that free-spirited, unconventional style, should be the legendary Hua Zhengqing, Teacher Hua, said to be the academy’s finest music instructor."
"The other one, with the same stern and serious expression as the Vice Dean, is likely his capable assistant, Fang Ji."
Zhao Zhitong was astonished. "Young Master Lv, have you been to the academy before?"
Lv Wenhao chuckled and shook his head. "No, this is my first time. However, I saw portraits of the academy’s Teachers before I came, so I should be correct."
Zhao Zhitong couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up. Amazing! He truly lives up to the name ’Know-It-All’!
Vice Dean Fu Jingguo, who appeared to be over fifty, had a dignified face that immediately conveyed an impression of sternness and rigidity. When reprimanding Li Liangcai, his voice was loud and resonant.
"Once you enter this academy, you are a scholar of this academy. Regardless of your status, you must abide by the academy’s regulations. There are no exceptions. This must not happen again."
Li Liangcai, so arrogant just moments before, was now thoroughly cowed. He quickly ordered his servants to move the horse carriage away. Only then did the Vice Dean nod, his expression still stern. "Alright, you may enter."
After Li Liangcai entered the academy, the flow of people at the gate smoothed out, and Qiao Muchen’s group went over.
They politely greeted the three Teachers and registered their names at the desk near the entrance. A servant then came forward to lead them. "Young Masters, please follow me."
Once they had departed, Hua Zhengqing glanced in the direction they left, then walked over to check the registration book. After a moment, he couldn’t help but chuckle. "Qiao Muchen, haha! So this is the one from this intake who topped all three stages of the Elementary Scholar examination. I hear he’s only eleven. A youth to be reckoned with!"
Fu Jingguo, his face still set in a stern, solemn expression, glanced at Qiao Muchen’s departing figure but said nothing, merely nodding at other students who passed by and bowed in greeting.
Hua Zhengqing paid Fu Jingguo’s silence no mind, continuing to gaze at Qiao Muchen’s name with keen interest, clearly intrigued by the boy.
Meanwhile, Qiao Muchen and his companions had already followed the young servant some distance away.
"Young Masters, this is the Moon Pool. Scholars often enjoy reciting poetry and composing verses here; it’s quite an elegant spot. Further ahead are the scholars’ dormitories. Academy regulations state that three scholars share one room. Please follow me to draw lots for your room assignments. However..."
He glanced at Zhao Zhitong. "Might I ask about this young lady? Is she with one of you Young Masters? And will she also be staying at the academy?"
Qiao Muchen replied, "Rest assured, she is my friend. Having heard of Taiyi Academy’s great renown, she merely came to admire it and won’t be staying long."
The young servant nodded. "That’s good. The academy is primarily for males. Although she’s still a young girl, it wouldn’t be proper for her to remain here for an extended period."
Zhao Zhitong, indignant at being called a "young girl," fumed silently. You’re the child! Your whole family are children!
Then, she blinked and called out, "Excuse me, young man, do you happen to know where your Dean is?"
The young servant frowned at Zhao Zhitong, asking suspiciously, "Why are you asking about our Dean?"
Zhao Zhitong smiled innocently. "Well, young man, it’s like this: I’ve heard of the Dean’s great name since I was little and know him to be an exceptionally learned and talented individual whom I deeply admire. Look, these are fruits and vegetables from our own garden. I wish to present them to the Dean personally to express my admiration."
Listening to Zhao Zhitong’s unrehearsed stream of effusive praise, Zhao Yue nearly rolled his eyes out of his head.
After hearing Zhao Zhitong’s impassioned speech, the young servant looked at the fruits and vegetables in her basket, utterly astonished.