Chapter Sixty-Seven: Saying She's Making a Scene
Two days later, Gu Jingxi took Gu Xiuwen to visit the headmaster of Lingshan Academy.
As expected, Gu Jingxi came to ask for a place, and Headmaster Xu tested Gu Xiuwen's knowledge again. He found that the boy was intelligent, but his knowledge was not solid. However, he also gave face to his friend and gave him an extra spot.
Inside, Xu Shanzhang, who was over fifty, and Gu Jingxi, who was nearly thirty, were having a lively conversation. They were close friends despite their age difference; the two were old enough to be father and son, but they insisted on calling each other brothers.
Xu Shanzhang looked at the boy playing with the cat in the yard outside. The boy had a bright smile and seemed carefree. Xu Shanzhang asked in confusion, "Yaoling, your nephew is quite clever. How come your Gu family failed to raise him to be outstanding?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "My sister-in-law usually spoils the children."
After hearing this, Master Xu understood. The child had been spoiled and become lazy, resulting in poor academic performance. He wanted to change the child's learning environment to help him transform himself.
After a moment, Headmaster Xu changed the subject, took out a brocade box, and handed it to Gu Jingxi, saying, "When you got married, I was traveling with my students and couldn't attend your wedding. This is a wedding gift from your sister-in-law and me to you and your brother and sister-in-law."
Gu Jingxi reached out and took the brocade box, thanking him gently, "Thank you, Brother Xu."
Headmaster Xu asked with a smile, "You've been single for so many years, how do you feel now that you have a family?"
Speaking of this younger brother's wife, it was as if she fell from the sky. Even storybooks wouldn't dare to write such a story. Originally, his son was going to get married, but on the day of his wedding, he ran away from the wedding. In a fit of anger, the prospective daughter-in-law insisted on marrying her future father-in-law. In the end, the father was forced to marry his prospective daughter-in-law. He was shocked when he heard this.
Gu Jingxi replied without hesitation, "It's alright, just a bit noisy."
Xu Shanzhang was slightly taken aback, then shook his head and chuckled: "You just haven't spent time with girls before, so you think they're too lively. Your sister-in-law was quite lively when she was young, and your sister-in-law is a teenager, so it's normal for her to be a bit lively."
Gu Jingxi opened his mouth as if to speak, but in the end he decided not to explain. His little girl wasn't just lively, she was simply restless. Xiu Ming would also be released from confinement soon, and this "mother and son" pair would be quite a handful from now on. Their lives would probably be chaotic.
Xu Shanzhang asked with great interest, "What kind of girl is she that you were able to win over and marry her despite societal norms?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "Next time there's a chance, I'll bring him over to meet Brother Xu and his wife."
Xu Shanzhang smiled and nodded: "Okay, bring it next time. Your sister-in-law and I are both curious."
The two chatted for a while longer before Gu Jingxi took his leave.
Hearing the study door open, Gu Xiuwen instinctively let go of the cat and stood up as quickly as possible, his posture ramrod straight. He tensed up again. Seeing the two of them chatting and laughing as they came out of the study, he hurriedly called out, "Third Uncle, Headmaster Xu."
Master Xu said with a gentle smile, "Young friend, go back and study hard, and don't let your third uncle's good intentions go to waste."
Gu Xiuwen nodded hurriedly: "I will definitely study hard when I get back."
After bidding farewell to Headmaster Xu, on his way back, Gu Xiuwen secretly glanced at his third uncle, who was resting with his eyes closed. He wanted to ask about the result several times, but he didn't dare to speak, afraid that Headmaster Xu hadn't taken a liking to him and that it would embarrass his third uncle.
It wasn't until he returned to the Marquis's residence and met his parents that he heard the result from his third uncle.
Seeing his brother and sister-in-law looking at him with eager eyes, Gu Jingxi said gently, "Headmaster Xu gave Xiuwen an extra spot, but it's in the lowest-ranking D class. Xiuwen will have to study even harder after entering. If he fails the assessment, he will be asked to leave. But he can also be promoted to a better class and gradually advance through assessments, from D, C, B, and finally A."
The academy divides students into levels to better tailor instruction. Different levels of students require different teaching methods. Students in the top-tier class shouldn't be taught using the methods used for the bottom-tier class; that would be a waste of time. Conversely, if students in the bottom-tier class were taught using the methods used for the top-tier class, they probably wouldn't understand. For someone like his nephew, whose knowledge isn't solid enough, it's best to study diligently in the bottom-tier class.
Despite being in the lowest-ranking class, Gu Jingsheng and Zhang Shi were all smiles, their hearts filled with excitement. Even though it was the lowest-ranking class, it was something they could boast about for a long time.
Gu Jingsheng's voice was filled with undisguised excitement: "Third brother, thank you so much this time. It doesn't matter if you are ranked last. As long as Xiuwen studies hard, he can also be promoted."
"Brother, you're too kind." Gu Jingxi saw his brother's eyes light up when he looked at him, and he was afraid that his brother would ask him to stay for lunch and then he would have to persuade him to drink more. So he said, "Brother, sister-in-law, Ayao is still waiting for me to go back to Weiruixuan for lunch. I have to go back first."
Hearing this, Gu Jingsheng was somewhat disappointed, but he didn't want to stop him, so he nodded and said, "Alright, take care, Third Brother."
Gu Xiuwen was somewhat elated and asked incredulously, "Father, am I dreaming? I can go to Lingshan Academy to study? When Headmaster Xu tested my knowledge today, I felt that I did not perform well and there was probably no hope."
Gu Jingsheng smiled broadly, his mouth almost reaching his ears, and said with a chuckle, "With your third uncle here, even if you perform poorly, you can still get into Lingshan Academy. You'd better study hard in the future and don't embarrass your third uncle."
Zhang also instructed, "Xiuwen, your third uncle has helped so much, you must take good care of your third uncle and aunt in the future."
After all, the mother-in-law might want to have Xiuwen adopted by the third branch of the family; otherwise, why would she suddenly want to help Xiuwen get into Lingshan Academy? Xiuming didn't even receive this treatment.
Xiuwen's respect for his third brother and sister-in-law serves two purposes: firstly, to show respect to his elders, and secondly, to leave a good impression and win the favor of his mother-in-law and third brother. Perhaps then, he might actually be adopted into the third branch of the family, and Xiuming's position as heir apparent would be revoked, with Xiuwen being made the new heir apparent.
Gu Xiuwen had no idea what his mother was thinking. He nodded vigorously and said, "Mother, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of my third uncle and aunt, and I will study hard."
The excitement had barely subsided when he felt he could even stay up late every night to study, emulating the ancients who would hang their heads from beams and prick their thighs with awls.
However, how can someone who has been lazy for many years get rid of their laziness so quickly?
The first two days were fine, but after a few more days I found studying too tiring. I would read for an hour after meals, but I gave up after only a few days. On the last day, I would just pretend to read, but what I was really thinking about was what good food was available in the capital.
He truly began to study diligently after arriving at Lingshan Academy. Seeing his classmates studying hard, he felt ashamed to slack off and gradually changed his lazy nature, becoming a diligent and earnest student.
Of course, that's a story for another time.
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