County school.

Public housing.

It gathered a group of scholars, instructors, mentors, and those who entrusted them with important tasks.

Xia Xuezheng: "Every year, the county school sends a group of students on a study tour. There's no such event in the spring. Why don't we take advantage of this time when our studies aren't too busy? I wonder where you all think would be the most suitable place for us to go on a study tour this year?"

After thinking for a while, Instructor Xu suggested, "How about we go to Yingzhou Prefecture to gather inspiration?"

"The main problem is that our county doesn't have many scenic spots to visit; it's mostly just rural roads. I think... we should let the students experience academies, gardens, even famous temples and the former residences of great scholars from previous dynasties, so that they can be immersed in culture and broaden their horizons. What do you all think?"

"Not very good."

He Bo'an smiled faintly.

"Yingzhou Prefecture is a long way away, and it's summer now. Can those young people handle it? What if something happens to them on the way? We won't be able to face their parents and elders."

Instructor Xu gave him a deep look.

Xia Xuezheng suddenly felt a headache coming on. Why couldn't everyone just be nice and amicable?

Then another thought occurred to me.

"Since everyone has objections, why not let the students decide for themselves? Write the points for discussion on the blackboard and let them decide for themselves."

"Uh-huh."

Instructor Xu's eyebrows twitched. Besides the headmaster, he was the most influential and prestigious person in the county school.

He had some ideas of his own. He would visit those gardens, where his old business partners would give him a small rebate on food and lodging at the Yingzhou Prefecture Hotel. That would be enough to last him a while. He could also take advantage of the gardens as a summer resort. It was the height of summer, so how wonderful it would be to escape the heat!

Not long after.

The students looked at the location on the blackboard, and one of them mustered up the courage to ask.

"Xia Xuezheng, can we choose the location ourselves?"

Xia Xuezheng hadn't spoken yet.

Instructor Xu jumped out.

"Giving you the choice to vote is a very high honor for you, and you still have such a strong sense of self-determination?"

The student shrank his neck and gave an embarrassed smile.

Instructor He chuckled and said, "As long as the places you suggest are within Yingzhou Prefecture and not too far from us, Academician Xia will consider them."

A young man in the crowd said excitedly, "Lately, everyone has become interested in the owner of Chen's stall on the food street, and since Mr. Chen comes from Qingxia Village in Daxing Town, we were thinking, could we go there?"

Instructor He, standing in the crowd, looked at Duan Erlang with a smile.

Instructor Xu frowned slightly, then looked meaningfully at another young man in the crowd.

The young man, who had been hiding in the crowd with a calm expression, waited for the signal from Instructor Xu.

Lu Chengfeng said loudly, "I think that instead of going to a small village with lots of mosquitoes, snakes and ants and bumpy dirt roads, it would be better to go to places like the Yingzhou Prefecture Academy and gardens to broaden our horizons?"

"Brother Lü, what do you think?"

A dark-skinned young man hesitated, dressed in light blue clothes and shoes, with a pair of whitewashed cloth shoes on his feet. His hands were calloused and rough, and he seemed a little hesitant.

Lu Chengfeng shook his head.

Kid, I gave you a chance but you didn't do it right.

Instructor Xu glanced at him, remaining silent. He remembered that this young man rarely gave him gifts during holidays, and he didn't remember his name very clearly.

Lu Chengfeng glanced again at the young man who remained silent in the crowd.

"Brother Shi, where do you think we should go?"

Shi Jingxing held a folding fan in his hand and bowed to the people around him, saying, "Let's all vote. It's not appropriate for me to go alone just because it's my own preference."

Lu Chengfeng walked up to him in a low voice, "Brother Jingxing, did you not understand what Mr. Xu said just now?"

Shi Jingxing chuckled and said, "I'm just following the crowd; the minority submits to the majority."

The voting results came out shortly afterward.

Twenty-six votes went to Qingxia Village, and fourteen votes went to Yingzhou Prefecture.

Qingxia Village overwhelmingly defeated Yingzhou Prefecture with a large number of votes.

The boy in coarse cloth in the crowd also breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was in a nearby village. He squeezed the copper coins in his pocket.

Xia Xuezheng: "In that case, I'll give everyone a day to pack up and bring your change of clothes and travel expenses."

One student whispered, "Xia Xuezheng, it's just a village, there are lots of mosquitoes. Do we really need to stay there? We can go back and forth in a day. Do we need to bring a change of clothes?"

Xia Xuezheng frowned and said, "This is the result of the vote of most of you. I recently heard from my colleagues in the county government that a farmer in the village warned the county magistrate in advance that there might be a locust plague. He was granted a ninth-rank official position by His Majesty."

Qingxia Village is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. I believe this village must be different from ordinary villages, and it must have strengths that you can learn from. I want you to write at least a thousand-word reflection on your study tour. How can one day be enough?

The students let out a wail.

"I knew I shouldn't have chosen Qingxia Village. Why do I have to write a reflection on this study tour? It's too tiring, Master. Can I not write it?"

Xia Xuezheng chuckled and said, "Sure, of course I'll give you a grade of C below in the end-of-term assessment."

The student sighed, "C" being the worst grade he could get.

At this moment, Lu Chengfeng suddenly said to Xu Jiaoyu in a fawning tone, "Sir, the journey is long. Why don't you ride in my carriage with me? The horses are strong and stable, just purchased from Yingzhou Prefecture. I guarantee you will have a comfortable ride on this journey."

"I have prepared a small feast for you at Baiweilou Restaurant, and I hope you will do me the honor of coming."

Instructor Xu smiled, his eyes narrowing. "Thank you for your thoughtfulness. If Chengfeng has any academic problems in the future, feel free to ask me anytime."

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