The sudden thunderclap shook the entire Imperial Academy.
When the kindergarten class was performing the apprenticeship ceremony and the first writing ceremony, students from other classes peeked out to watch the spectacle, including the teachers themselves.
When Chen Xunzhi applied cinnabar to Jiang Shumiao, his hands were trembling.
Having lived for over seventy years, I never imagined that one day I would become the master of a deity.
The old scholar said he felt immense pressure.
Finally, striking the drum is wise.
The ceremony has concluded.
School officially starts.
"For our first lesson today, we'll learn the Three Character Classic..."
Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Shumiao raised her hand, "Teacher, I can recite it."
She not only could recite it, but she could recite it fluently without pausing at all. After she finished reciting it, the classroom was completely silent.
Then came the children's praise, filled with admiration.
"Wow, Miaomiao, you're amazing! I've been studying for a month and I've only memorized half of it."
"I only know the first few lines..."
"I just learned to read it..."
Chen Xunzhi felt a headache starting to rise. "Then let's learn the Thousand Character Classic..."
Jiang Shumiao: "Teacher, I can."
She was about to recite it when Chen Xunzhi interrupted her, "The Rules for Students..."
Jiang Shumiao: "Teacher, I can recite it."
Chen Xunzhi finally couldn't take it anymore, "Princess, you can do everything, what are you doing at the school?"
Jiang Shumiao's eyes were full of innocence. "Play, make friends."
Chen Xunzhi: "..."
I really want to kick her out.
But he was afraid of being struck by lightning.
He took a deep breath and said gently, "Princess, just because you can do it doesn't mean everyone else can. Let's start by learning to write, beginning with the simplest characters."
He displayed his authority as a teacher, and Jiang Shumiao finally stopped causing trouble.
Three- or four-year-old children, some of whom can't even hold a pen properly, soon get their hands and faces covered in ink.
Chen Xunzhi figured it out.
These aristocratic children weren't there to study at all; they were just there to play with Jiang Shumiao.
After attending half a day of classes, he felt like he had aged ten years.
That's all for today, school's out.
After saying that, he packed up his books and immediately left.
The children all ran towards Jiang Shumiao, their eyes shining, chattering excitedly, eager to see the paper doll dance.
Jiang Shumiao didn't hesitate, "Give me all the paper you just used."
Everyone took action and then handed over a bunch of messy 'calligraphy'.
Jiang Shumiao commented on each one, "Go back and practice your calligraphy more, otherwise you won't be allowed to perform anymore."
She took out a small pair of scissors from her pocket and began to cut, and soon one by one, the speckled paper figures took shape.
"Watch closely."
She blew a breath onto the paper figure.
Then the paper figure lying down slowly sat up, and then stood up again.
The children all opened their mouths wide and exclaimed "Wow!"
The fifth princess curiously poked one of the paper figures with her finger. The paper figure's hand hugged her little finger, and she was so excited that she couldn't speak.
The other children followed suit.
"Wow, it really moves!"
"It nodded at me."
"It can even spin around..."
"Wow, my paper doll can even do somersaults."
Jiang Shumiao crossed her arms and directed, "Let's form a human pyramid."
About twenty paper figures quickly gathered together, then stacked layer upon layer, forming a small mountain. The mountain even moved, circling the long table before stopping. Then it stood in a neat row, bowing to everyone.
"Miaomiao, can I take this paper figure home? I want to show it to my grandmother."
"I want one too! I want one too!"
One person spoke up, and the others chimed in.
"It's possible, but—"
Jiang Shumiao's gaze swept over everyone, and she said solemnly, "You must do one good deed every day, otherwise the paper figure will die."
Most three- or four-year-old children don't understand what death means and stare at her blankly.
One of the little boys raised his hand and whispered, "Is it like the thrush my dad raised? When it dies, it stops moving, it can't sing anymore, and it'll never wake up again?"
Jiang Shumiao nodded solemnly.
“Yes,” she said. “All things have a spirit. I have given these paper figures life, so you must treat them well and not let them suffer.”
The children all said in unison.
"good."
Jiang Shumiao had them line up, giving each of them one, which they held in their hands like treasures, and happily ran out of the study.
The Fifth Princess held her new playmate and asked curiously, "Miaomiao, can it talk?"
Jiang Shumiao's eyes widened. "If it can talk, then it'll become a spirit or monster. No way."
The fifth prince asked, "Do spirits eat people?"
“Not necessarily,” Jiang Shumiao said. “Just like people, spirits can be good or bad. Bad spirits will eat people, while good spirits will save people.”
The Fifth Prince was filled with astonishment.
"Really?"
"Of course, I'm not lying."
Jiang Shumiao patted her chest and said, "Good people are praised, while bad people are hated by everyone, so you should all be good people, understand?"
The two children nodded emphatically.
"OK."
Jiang Shumiao was satisfied.
After school, Jiang Yining came looking for her and started calling out at the door, "Miaomiao."
Jiang Shumiao waved as she started school, "Third Brother."
Upon leaving the study, I saw Fuqu standing blankly beside a fallen ginkgo tree.
"Sister Fuqu, what are you looking at?"
Fuqu snapped out of her daze, looked at Jiang Shumiao, pointed at the ginkgo tree, swallowed hard, and said, "This tree was said to have been planted when the Imperial Academy was first established, but it was struck down by lightning today."
That bolt of lightning was terrifying.
When she first heard it, she thought it was someone coming to strike her down, until Jiang Shumiao ran out and pointed to the sky, cursing angrily, before she came to her senses.
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