In Jingchen Hall, after Meng Zhengjun sorted out the exam report cards and led many female students out to post the honor roll, the hall became deserted without the youthful and energetic girls.

It was still early for lunch and the gentlemen were in no hurry to leave. Some were chatting, some were drinking tea, or continuing to correct homework.

Mr. Chen, who had been quiet until now, still had a solemn look on his face. He turned to look at Mr. Zeng and wanted to ask something, but the old man just picked up the teacup and drank tea as usual and kept silent.

Therefore, no one knows what the "old senior in the academy" who set the test paper for the classics thought of the paper No. 13. However, since he gave a full score for the test paper in an unexpected and reasonable way, it must have been with appreciation.

While Mr. Zeng put down his teacup, he glanced at a lady sitting by the window in the lobby, who was reading a book with her head down, looking as quiet and elegant as an orchid.

On the other side, several new young teachers also took advantage of their free time to come over and chat, and the topic inevitably fell on the student who had just been "nominated in red" by Meng Zhengjun at the top of the red list.

"In fact, what I admire most is not the painting skills of Candidate No. 13. His use of perspective in figure painting is indeed stunning, and his handling of light and shade is also eye-catching, but these are not the most important things."

"What I admire most is that he dared to draw this painting that seems frivolous to outsiders in the exam, and he also mentioned these amazing words about appreciating beauties, which really touched my heart." Duan Jiuling was amazed and said to his colleagues: "Zhao Ziyu, No. 13 Renzi... It seems that he is a person who loves beauty and cherishes beauty just like me. I didn't expect that there is such a student who suits my taste in Suixing Hall. I didn't find him in class before. I was negligent."

Su Changfeng, who originally didn't want to pay attention to the small talk, stopped flipping through a certain paper in his hand, frowned and said: "Your admiration is no different from scolding him? If this student Zhao knew about it, he would probably avoid me."

"Haha, how could that be, Brother Su? Let me tell you, I can clearly understand his character just by looking at his paintings. We call this making friends through painting. We have similar interests, there is no doubt about it." Duan Jiuling patted him on the shoulder with a firm tone.

Su Changfeng wiped his shoulder in disdain, "Don't lead the outstanding students of the academy astray."

All the gentlemen laughed.

Duan Jiuling turned around again and asked Zhu Yourong who was not far away:

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, why didn't I hear you say before that this student named Zhao Ziyu also got full marks in your calligraphy?"

Zhu Yourong gently tucked her hair behind her ears, and slowly placed a red maple bookmark on the rare book about Dragonborn cultivation in her hand. Then she raised her eyes and said in a casual tone, "Zi Yu is my calligraphy assistant. He used to be the best in calligraphy in the six halls. Naturally, there is nothing to be surprised about."

She smiled and said, "If I wasn't the first in calligraphy, I would look for him."

After a pause, he explained, "But I didn't look closely at his candidate number before. When you all mentioned No. 13, I didn't think it was him, so I didn't mention it."

Duan Jiuling and the other gentlemen looked at each other in bewilderment, and Su Changfeng couldn't help but put down his pen and glanced sideways.

Duan Jiuling was surprised and said, "I didn't expect that Fellow Daoist Zhu knew this student so early and even made him an assistant teacher in calligraphy. He really has a keen eye."

Su Changfeng couldn't help but interrupt: "Mr. Zhu's vision is indeed very good. Everyone has been teaching for such a long time, but they have ignored this outstanding student."

Is your vision in selecting people good?... Zhu Yourong was happy and satisfied, but her expression remained unchanged, and she even had a little bit of disdain in her words:

"Just praise him appropriately, but don't praise him in front of him, otherwise he will be very angry. And I'm not too satisfied with his calligraphy test this time. I told him to write 'window', but he wrote something else. I didn't want to give him full marks... But now it seems that Tzuyu should have focused most of his energy on the arts. Since he got full marks in all six arts and won the first place in the academy, it's understandable. I won't hit him on the head next time in class."

After a pause, the gentleman in the audience was stunned as he looked at Ms. Orchid, who looked troubled and pouted.

My goodness, are you criticizing or praising me? Why do I feel like I have an indescribable sense of favoritism and showing off? Are you sure you are not showing off?

Duan Jiuling touched his bald head and looked at Su Changfeng speechlessly.

But they immediately exchanged glances, knowing each other well. This Zhao Ziyu should be Mr. Zhu's favorite student in calligraphy class. He is familiar with the teachers in this hall. During normal classes, there are a few excellent students in each hall that are very pleasing to the eye. Some are cute and well-behaved, while others are lively and likable. When chatting with other teachers in Jingchen Hall in private, they always talk about them. For example, how is the girl Yu from Ruexing Hall who I taught... and how is the kid surnamed Chen from Guangye Hall this time...

So that was not a complaint at all; there was a clear smile in his eyes when he spoke. But if someone who was listening took it seriously and started finding fault with him, then the gentleman would definitely get angry with you immediately.

Mr. Duan Jiuling, Mr. Su Changfeng and others smiled and looked at each other, understanding each other tacitly, but they were also a little surprised in their hearts. They didn't expect that Mr. Zhu, who always lived a secluded and elegant life, actually had a favorite student. However, when they thought of her obsession with calligraphy and associated it with the full score of calligraphy of this student Zhao Ziyu, they must have thought that it was his calligraphy that won Mr. Zhu's heart.

Duan Jiuling and Su Changfeng both had a deep understanding of this and had no doubts about Zhu Yourong's motives. This was because they were also very curious and admired Zhao Rong, who could draw and write beautiful women paintings and goddess poems.

Sure enough, after he finished "deprecating" the student, Zhu Yourong took out a test paper from his sleeve.

"This calligraphy is only so-so. Anyone interested can take a look at it and give criticism and corrections." The female teacher casually handed Zhao Rong's calligraphy to the gentlemen in the hall. Everyone laughed at this, but they took it out of curiosity and passed it around.

Among the gentlemen, some young gentlemen including Su Changfeng looked at Zhu Yourong's slightly curved lips for a few more times, and silently recited "Zhao Ziyu of Ruexingtang" several times, memorizing it in their hearts.

"Speaking of Zhao Ziyu, I have a very deep impression of him. At that time, he had not yet entered the academy and was still one of the Confucian scholars studying outside the academy..."

Mr. Chen, who was standing by, had just finished his work and was taking a sip of tea when he heard the conversation between Zhu Yourong, Duan Jiuling and other young gentlemen and could not help but interrupt with emotion.

Everyone was stunned and started asking curiously.

"Come to think of it, it was noon that day, which was probably about this time now. I happened to go to the street to get some wine, and when I went out I met..." Mr. Chen paused, as if he thought of something, and looked at the smiling Zhu Yourong.

However, Zhu Yourong spoke first on behalf of the hesitant Mr. Chen, and took the initiative to tell him about the misunderstanding and conflict between her own naughty blue-clothed servant and Zhao Rong that day, and how she took the initiative to go to Mr. Yan to apologize on behalf of her servant. In this way, she got to know Zhao Rong, who had excellent handwriting, and made him an assistant teacher in the calligraphy class.

Of course, there were some minor harmless details along the way, but Zhu Yourong didn't mention them and flexibly passed them over with a few words.

The gentlemen in the lobby were also quite impressed after hearing this story, and they were full of praise for this story which was similar to "Bo Le selecting a thousand-mile horse".

Mr. Chen, who had almost accepted Zhao Rong when he went out to get wine, silently looked at Zhu Yourong, who was being questioned about Zhao Rong by everyone. He suddenly reached out and opened the full-mark scripture paper on the table, looked down, and sighed in his heart, "What a good seedling..."

Soon, Zhao Rong's calligraphy test paper was passed around by the teachers in the hall and returned to Zhu Yourong. The female teacher smiled and put it away. At this time, Duan Jiuling rubbed his hands and grinned at Zhu Yourong and everyone else, "Then everyone, take a look at what I have here. This is a painting of a beauty painted by this student Zhao."

As soon as Zhu Yourong saw him take out the painting of the beauty, she subconsciously became alert - for no reason, and a little panic flashed in her usually calm eyes. However, Duan Jiuling had already happily taken out a scroll and handed it over, praising it: "Although I don't recognize the beauties in this painting, judging from the inscription on it, they should be the top three fairies and beauties in the eyes of this student Zhao..."

The woman became increasingly flustered, but at the same time, her fair and smooth cheeks also blushed slightly. Then, while no one was able to react, she quickly reached out and was the first to take the painting of the beauty drawn by the man. She opened it and lowered her head to look at it.

"But I don't know what the relationship is between the three stunning beauties in this painting and him. The title is "The Three Beauties of the Qi Family". Are they his wives or concubines or confidantes? Or fairies he met by chance..." Duan Jiuling teased in a friendly manner. Just as he was about to wink at the curious crowd, he saw Zhu Daoyou's reaction and said in surprise: "Are you feeling unwell, Zhu Daoyou? Why do you look a little pale?"

"No...it's okay. I've encountered some difficulties in my meditation practice recently. My qi and blood are a little disordered occasionally, but it's nothing serious." Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Zhu Yourong looked away from the scroll and waved his hand while speaking.

Su Changfeng frowned and sighed, "That's good, but Mr. Zhu is right. There is no trivial matter in cultivation. Health is the most important, and marking papers is secondary. You can stay in Yilanxuan to mark papers. If there is anything, you can send the book boy to tell me. There is no need to come here in person."

Zhu Yourong felt a mixture of emotions. She nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Su... Brother Su is right. I really shouldn't have come here today."

As she spoke, the lady handed the scroll to her curious colleagues without even looking at it.

A bald painter was very tactless and asked expectantly, "Fellow Daoist Zhu, what do you think of these three beauties painted by Mr. Zhao?"

"It's a really good painting." Zhu Yourong felt a little jealous.

"He has always been good at these things... Well, he is really good at drawing." The female teacher turned her head, seemingly heading in the direction of the school where the guy was, and she praised him endlessly.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, do you know these three beauties in the painting?" Duan Jiuling became curious when he heard this.

"I know them, how could I not know them... They are my three adopted sisters." A certain lady said in a serious tone.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu's sisters-in-law? All three of them?" Duan Jiuling was a little surprised, but before he could think about it, Zhao Rong's scroll had already made a circle and returned to his hands. Seven or eight gentlemen were laughing and praising it after reading it, so Duan Jiuling did not ask any more questions.

…