☆, Chapter 135: Did I fail the exam?
Chen Lizheng wished he could sew his daughter's mouth shut.
I never realized she was so silly!
"Yun Jing, don't listen to Xiu Xiu's nonsense. That's just a woman's view. What do you mean by three or six years? I think the top scholar of this year is definitely yours!" Chen Lizheng said as he ushered the man into the house.
Zhao Yunjing and Zhou Mujiao had been hunting in the mountains for several days, and the feeling of exhaustion caused by excessive physical and mental exertion had disappeared. They were supposed to return to the academy on the fifth day, but he felt that he had less and less time to spend with Zhou Mujiao since he entered the academy, so he took the opportunity to stay a few more days.
Hearing Chen Lizheng defend Chen Xiuxiu, he smiled faintly: "Lizheng is joking. There are always people more capable than you. In this world, no honor is a given, and no honor is reserved for anyone. I will just do my best, and leave the outcome to fate."
Leave it to fate?
Judging from that tone, things don't look good!
On the one hand, Chen Lizheng felt it was a real pity that Zhao Yunjing failed the provincial examination. On the other hand, he also felt that it was actually a good thing that Zhao Yunjing failed. He could stay in Peach Blossom County for three more years. If he stayed for three more years, Zhou Mujiao would definitely stay as well. As long as Zhou Mujiao was still in Peach Blossom Village, they would not lose what they currently had.
A while ago, there were indeed rumors that if Zhou Mujiao and the others went to Kyoto, they would move all their businesses there. It was uncertain whether Peach Blossom Village would still have any people left. If they did, then they would still have food to eat; if they didn't, then they would have to go back to the hard life of relying on the weather for their livelihood.
Chen Lizheng wasn't the only one with this idea; many people in the village shared it.
Chen Lizheng carefully comforted him: "Then, then let's just keep trying our best. If it's not ideal, we can try again in three years?"
"Yes, yes, if three years isn't enough, then six; if six years isn't enough, then nine. Brother Zhao, don't worry. Even if you never become a scholar or pass the imperial examinations, you'll still be the most learned man in our Peach Blossom Village. If Liu Ya looks down on you, looks down on you for being incompetent, I will—"
"Who are you calling incompetent?" Zhou Mujiao's voice preceded her arrival. "Miss Xiuxiu, you're talking about this flower. I strongly suspect you can't stand to see Brother Zhao doing well! Tell me, don't you want Brother Zhao to pass the imperial examination?"
Chen Xiuxiu's face turned a deep purplish-red. She wanted to argue loudly or have a fight with Zhou Mujiao, but the thought that everyone in her family was now working under Zhou Mujiao's thumb made her lose her temper. She stammered, "I... I didn't mean that, Brother Zhao, believe me. I want you to be the top scholar more than anyone else, really, I—"
"Why are you here?" Zhao Yunjing asked Zhou Mujiao. "What happened at home?"
"Nothing happened at home, the headmaster came to pick you up."
Master Liang entered from outside, first looking Zhao Yunjing up and down. Seeing that he was in good spirits, he breathed a sigh of relief and got straight to the point: "Yunjing, there are less than two months left until the autumn examination. Even if the results of the academy examination haven't been announced yet, you should go back to the academy. You've been wandering around the village all day, and your mind is already wandering. If the time comes and you still haven't put your mind back, wouldn't all your previous efforts have been wasted?"
Feng Wei, who was escorting the headmaster, snorted behind him: "I bet he failed the exam and is too scared to go! Everyone else has finished the exam and gone back to the academy, but he's the only one making an exception! Zhao Yunjing, just tell the headmaster the truth, so he can give up!"
"Hey, how dare you talk like that? How could Yun Jing not do well on the exam? If Yun Jing doesn't do well, you guys definitely have no chance!"
Seven students from Huilan Academy passed the prefectural examination. If even Zhao Yunjing couldn't pass the academy examination, then the others had even less hope. Even though Feng Wei wasn't on Zhao Yunjing's side, he still attended Zhao Yunjing's classes quite often. When Zhao Yunjing returned to the dormitory to give Hu Peiran extra lessons, Feng Wei would sit outside the dormitory with his books and listen in on the lessons. So, if Zhao Yunjing couldn't pass, Feng Wei was even less likely to pass.
"That's not quite right. Even horses can stumble, and people can make mistakes. I believe in Brother Zhao's abilities, but luck and form are the most unpredictable things. They can come and go in an instant..."
Feng Wei lowered his voice, "Anyway, his current avoidance is just a reflection of his failure in the exam, isn't it? Headmaster, look at me and Chen Liangjin, we feel that our exam results were just average, but we didn't avoid going to the academy like he did!"
After saying that, he turned to the back and asked, "Brother Chen, don't you think so?"
Young Master Chen has also come.
Not only did Young Master Chen come, but all the students who participated in the academy examination with him also came. What was rare was that the students from the neighboring Shanglin Academy also came with their headmaster, saying they wanted to come and give Zhao Yunjing some advice.
Young Master Chen said expressionlessly, "With Brother Zhao's talent, even if you don't pass the imperial examinations, I believe many academies would want you as a teacher. Why put on this complaining act and make the academy go through all that trouble? It's just pretentious!"
"Exactly. I haven't even finished my last essay yet, and I haven't done anything about it. What's he being so dramatic about?" A student from Shanglin Academy couldn't help but chime in.
Although Peach Blossom Village is only a dozen miles away, it still takes half a day to go there and back. Wouldn't it be better for them to use that half a day to review their lessons? Why do they have to come here to comfort these pretentious people!
Hu Peiran glared at those people: "I didn't ask you to come! You all wanted to come. On the way here, you said you would comfort Brother Zhao, but you all turned out to be backstabbing us! You take advantage of any opportunity and leave when there's no benefit. You curse when your own interests are harmed. If Brother Zhao is being dramatic, then you are all snobs! You all call yourselves scholars and think you're so high and mighty, but you're actually more snobs than anyone else!"
The faces of those from Shanglin Academy all turned grim.
Seeing that a fight was about to break out, Headmaster Wang quickly intervened to mediate. He then said to Zhao Yunjing, "Yunjing, even if you failed the exam, don't be discouraged. You've already achieved the top score in two exams. Just like Chen Liangjin said, even if you don't pass the imperial examination and want to become a teacher, our Shanglin Academy will be the first to snatch you up!"
"If Yun Jing becomes a teacher, then he is a teacher of our Huilan Academy. It's not up to you Shanglin Academy to snatch him away!"
"Oh dear Liang Shanhai, you're getting more and more petty! I was just saying it casually, and you took it seriously! Since that's the case, then I might as well lay it out! Yun Jing, what I said just now wasn't just polite talk. If you really fail the exam and want to become a teacher, I, Wang Dayou, will be the first to snatch you away!"
"So that's why you insisted on coming along! You were just waiting for me here!" Liang Shanhai was furious. "Get lost! This is none of your business!"
"Hey, we're doing this for Yun Jing's own good, Yun Jing, you can—"
"Get out! Get out! Get out!"
Seeing that the two headmasters were about to fight in public, Zhao Yunjing had no choice but to say, "Headmasters, please stop acting. I'm going back to the academy now."
The two stopped acting and stared at Zhao Yunjing. Zhao Yunjing had to reassure them: "Headmaster, I didn't fail the exam."
Young Master Chen sneered: "You think you didn't fail the exam just because you say so? Do you think you're the examiner, able to give me whatever score you want?"
Zhou Mujiao spoke up: "Zhao Yunjing is not an examiner, but I believe he will definitely be fine."
Before Young Master Chen could say anything more, Ma Dalang's voice came from outside: "Miss Zhou! Young Master Zhao! The results of the provincial examination have been posted ahead of schedule!"
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