The Imperial Academy is recognized as the highest institution of learning in the State of Chen.

There are two ways to enroll. One is "official influence", which is only for the descendants of officials of the fifth rank and above in the court. They do not need to take an examination and can directly enter the school based on their family background. The number of students is limited to 30 per year.

Another way to enter the school is to pass the annual student selection examination, which only has twenty places available.

The strict quota restrictions have led many people to come up with crooked ideas.

After the selection is finalized, there are always a few poor students who give up due to "illness", leaving several valuable places vacant.

Unfortunately, this year, there were only two people who claimed to be sick.

One quota was given to the Liu family, but the other quota had not yet been decided, and the price was driven up to nearly one thousand taels.

Everyone thought that the winner should be the Lin family. After all, in the capital, the only family that could compare with the Liu family was the Lin family.

However, on the day the list was announced, a completely unfamiliar name appeared at the end.

——Wu Zida.

The freshmen of the Imperial College looked puzzled.

...Who is this? He is not young anymore, only twelve years old, but he is not famous at all in the capital.

In the capital, if you want to gain a foothold in the literary world, you must accumulate reputation from an early age.

Poetry meetings, family gatherings, outings, mountain climbing, no matter what the activity is, you always have to write a few articles to prove your "talent", regardless of whether the articles are written by you or not - this is an unspoken fact among people in the capital.

As for Wu Zida... the people around him racked their brains but couldn't remember when they had seen this name before.

Someone speculated: "Is there any gentleman with the surname Wu outside of Beijing?"

No one in the capital has heard of Wu Zida's name. Maybe he is the son of an official from another province.

"As far as I know, no." Someone immediately rejected his guess.

"It's really strange. How could this kid take up the last spot without anyone noticing? Could he be the son of some righteous man, and was chosen by the emperor to attend the school?"

In addition to being admitted through official appointments and examinations, there is also a special way to enter school - to be selected by the emperor.

Someone shook his head, "I haven't heard of the emperor's decree..."

On the day of enrollment, the legendary "Wu Zida" finally appeared in front of everyone.

The teacher read out the students' names one by one until he called Wu Zida.

The boy who answered was half as wide as an average person, but his fat was loose, giving him a sense of vanity. He was wearing a gorgeous robe, the material of which must have weighed nearly a hundred taels.

Because of the instructions from above, the teacher's serious expression softened a lot, and he even gave Wu Zida a few special instructions.

At the end of the day's class, someone finally couldn't help but come forward to inquire about Wu Zida's background and wanted to make friends with him.

"Hello, brother. May I know who your father is?"

"My father is not a high-ranking official." Wu Zida answered lightly. Although he said that his father was not a high-ranking official, his expression was full of arrogance, as if he had unparalleled confidence.

"Brother Wu is too modest. In my opinion, how can a person of Brother Wu's magnanimity be cultivated by a small family?"

The person who came forward to inquire was too direct in his words. His flattering manner made the nobles who pricked up their ears in the distance shake their heads.

——What can you find out by inquiring in this way?

Unexpectedly, Wu Zida was really flattered by this sentence.

Wu Zida raised his head and said proudly: "It's good that you know. My family can enter the Imperial College, so of course they are capable."

The playboys in the distance couldn't help laughing when they heard this. They were amused by Wu Zida's arrogant look.

Being able to enter the Imperial College - is that something to brag about? Isn't it possible to enter when you are born?

Hearing the laughter from afar, Wu Zida's face turned gloomy. He widened his eyes and walked towards the playboys angrily.

"What are you laughing at? I heard it." Wu Zida asked angrily.

The teenagers in the distance were still laughing.

Wu Zida was so embarrassed that he walked over to question them.

The one who laughed the loudest held his stomach, glanced at him, and started laughing again: "Has no one ever told you that you're funny?"

Wu Zida's face instantly turned red, and he shouted angrily: "Are you sick?!"

Next to him, a tall young man bowed in a pretentious manner and apologized to Wu Zida.

He said sincerely, "I'm sorry. His father is just a lieutenant. As you know, warriors are likely to raise sons with not very good brains."

Wu Zida thought that this was true.

So he snorted coldly and said magnanimously, "Okay, then I forgive you."

As a result, when they heard his words, this group of playboys burst into laughter again.

Many of the onlookers couldn't help but smile.

Wu Zida's face turned red instantly.

He realized that he seemed to have become a laughing stock, but he didn't know what he had said wrong.

"Brother Wu." The person who first spoke to him tugged at his sleeve and reminded him in a low voice, "His name is Jiao Suoying."

Wu Zida frowned and asked impatiently: "So what?"

The person who spoke loosened his sleeves and looked at him in disbelief: "...Brother Wu, Brother Jiao's father is Jiao Canling under General Bai, a third-rank official!"

Only then did Wu Zida realize what a joke he had made.

His father's superior was only a fifth-rank official, but the boy who looked stupid in front of him actually had a father who was a third-rank official.

Amid the laughter of people around him, Wu Zida became more and more embarrassed and ashamed.

On weekdays at home, no one ever dared to speak harshly to him, let alone embarrass him.

Wu Zida felt that he had to save face and not be looked down upon by others.

So, he snorted coldly and sneered: "Third rank? So what if he's third rank?"

There was a pause in laughter.

Everyone's eyes fell on his face, causing Wu Zida's face temperature to rise a little.

Wu Zida said disdainfully: "He is just the son of a military officer. Humph, I won't bother with you."

Jiao Suoying had never seen anyone of her age like this.

He stood up and asked tentatively, "I am not well-informed. I wonder who Brother Wu is?"

Wu Zida said: "My sister is a teacher to the prince in the palace."

Jiao Suoying's expression became very strange, and he asked doubtfully: "...your sister?"

Everyone who is a playboy relies on their father. This is the first time he has heard someone call herself his sister, which makes Jiao Suoying feel very novel.

"Your surname is Wu, and your sister is a teacher to the prince... Could it be that your sister is Concubine Ji?" The tall young man at the side suddenly asked.

Wu Zida nodded very reservedly.

"…Ms. Ji? Who is that?"

Jiao Suoying still looked bewildered. His understanding was still stuck in the time when the imperial concubine was the most favored in the six palaces.

The tall boy pulled him over and gave him a long lecture in his ear.

In short, Concubine Ji is currently the most favored concubine in the palace. The emperor not only promoted her to a higher rank, but also bestowed her with a precious title.

...Just a mere nobleman.

Jiao Suoying was disdainful. How could he bend over when she didn't even have a concubine?

This thought was fleeting, and Jiao Suoying immediately put on an extremely enthusiastic expression, completely different from the person just now.

"Brother Wu, it turns out that your sister is the most famous lady in the palace, Concubine Ji. I was blind to her."

Jiao Suoying bowed and saluted deeply to Wu Zida: "Brother Wu, you are a magnanimous person. Please don't worry about this matter."

Wu Zida's mouth curled up slightly, and he was secretly proud of himself. He snorted from his nose and said arrogantly: "Humph, you are sensible."

As he spoke, the fat on his chin shook twice, causing a wave of flesh.

The tall boy tried to hold back his laughter for a long time.

——Which teacher let this weirdo in? He is such an idiot and a disgrace to others.