In fact, Xishan Company did not deliberately keep it secret. Moreover, it had to mobilize as many shareholders as possible and there was no way to keep it secret for everyone.

That evening, those who were well-informed had already found out that Xishan Company was planning to join hands with Jiangnan Group to promote the sea transportation of grain.

This was a shocking event, and it really deserved to be called a "major event". However, the young and old men in Beijing were the most politically sensitive, and many people realized that this matter was not that easy.

As a result, two completely different voices appeared in the capital.

Optimists believe that Xishan Company and Jiangnan Group will join forces to achieve this goal. The grain transport by sea will bring in a lot of money. Xishan Company's stock price will soar again!

Pessimists believe that Xishan Company is just too full and will definitely fail in the end. This fully proves that coal bosses are just a bunch of idiots with big intestines and their success is all luck. I can do it too! Damn it!

However, even pessimists believe that even if this fails, Xishan Company's stock price will go up. Because this proves that Xishan Company and Jiangnan Group have a close relationship. If sea transportation fails, there is still cement!

Of course, there are also trolls who will criticize you no matter what you do. They accused Xishan Company of deliberately suspending trading because they wanted to monopolize the benefits and didn't want them to get rich! Bah, disgusting!

Fortunately, in general, Mr. Zhao's kindness was not in vain. Most people still appreciated it, and no one went to Xishan Company to make trouble. Everyone was holding their breath and waiting for the moment when the dust settled...

~~

Unexpectedly, the person involved was very calm. Zhao Hao neither encouraged anyone to write a petition nor went around to pay respects. After the meeting that day, he stayed at home to rest and check on his disciples' homework.

Although the disciples were not with their master this year, they did not fall behind in their studies. By the end of the year, Wang Wuyang, Wang Dingjue and Yu Shenxing had already finished learning the textbooks Zhao Hao left for them, namely "Mathematical Principles of Natural Sciences" and "Theory of Conic Sections".

This year they have thoroughly read the "A Brief Introduction to Logic" that Zhao Hao sent to them, and are already crying out for food, waiting for their master to continue feeding them.

Mr. Zhao couldn't help but sigh that the Hanlin Academy was indeed a good place to study.

Of course, Li Maocai and Chen Yubi, two registered students studying social sciences, well, let’s not talk about them…

Zhao Hao took out the test paper that Hua Shuyang had prepared before going to Beijing and held a graduation exam for his three disciples.

As a result, the three of them got full marks in all three subjects, which made Mr. Zhao, who deliberately found fault with them, feel both relieved and sad. Why is it so easy for a top student to get a perfect score? After I graduated from elementary school, I only saw others pass the exam.

After calming down, Master Zhao held a small ceremony and awarded the three disciples with Yufeng Academy undergraduate graduation certificates.

Although the three disciples didn't know which direction the door of Yufeng Academy faced, they would just consider it a correspondence course...

Zhao Hao did this in order to fill the gaps in academic qualifications for his three disciples.

In Yufeng Academy, he crossed out the original five-level MLM system... and changed it to a five-level teacher-student system, made further improvements, and fixed it in the form of school regulations.

According to the school rules, only those who passed the imperial examination and obtained a bachelor's degree in the academy could be personally cultivated by President Zhao, the so-called "in-house disciples".

In this way, Master Zhao can escape with a legitimate reason and teach ordinary students in the academy!

~~

In addition to the silk-covered cardboard and the exquisite undergraduate diplomas, Zhao Hao also prepared a jade pendant for each of the three people as a token of "discipleship". Each jade pendant has the same shape, but the patterns and materials are different.

Wang Wuyang's jade pendant is made of chicken blood stone, with a lightning pattern engraved on the front, because he chose physics as his major after his undergraduate studies. On the back of the jade pendant is the seal script of "Wuyang".

Wang Dingjue's jade pendant is made of old beeswax, with a globe on a lever engraved on the front. Because his chosen research direction is mechanics. The word "Jinyang" is engraved on the back of the jade pendant.

Yu Shenxing's pendant is made of jadeite, with a fire engraved on the front, because he chose chemistry as his future research direction. The word "Zhengyang" is engraved on the back of the jade pendant.

Li Maofang and Chen Yubi felt extremely envious when they saw their master handing the exquisite graduation certificates to their fellow disciples and personally tying the round jade pendants on them to represent their status as disciples.

"Don't envy them, you will have them when you graduate." Zhao Hao handed two jade pendants to the two people with a smile and said, "Here, they are all prepared for you."

The two disciples who had always been self-deprecating were moved to tears. They finally believed that they were no longer insignificant and insignificant. It turned out that the master did not discriminate against them... In fact, Zhao Hao did not discriminate against the sons of cabinet ministers. If you don't believe me, look at Yu Shensi. He worked so hard, but did he get the pendant given by the master? But he was often "poohed" by the master.

The one Chen Yubi got was made of golden rutilated crystal, with a fish symbol engraved on the front, because he studied political science.

But he looked at the jade pendant in his palm and hesitated to turn it over. The thoughtful Chen thought that since there was no words on the back, turning it over would only make his seniors laugh at him.

Li Maofang was not so thoughtful. He looked at the jade pendant in his hand excitedly. He saw that it was made of moonstone and there was a word "sheep" carved on the front with one horizontal line missing. He wondered what it had to do with economics?

Then he turned it over and saw the words "Dabai" engraved on the back.

Seeing that the master had even prepared the number for him, Xiao Li's heart melted. With tears in his eyes, he tightly grasped the jade pendant in his hand, and then carefully put it in his arms. He secretly vowed to work harder and strive to hang it around his waist as soon as possible.

Upon seeing this, Chen Yubi turned over his jade pendant in surprise and saw the words "Zhenbai" written on it, which was obviously the title prepared by his master for him.

Although he felt a little disappointed that there was no "Yang" in the name, he felt relieved when he thought that he was studying social science and there should be such a distinction.

He immediately knelt down and kowtowed, thanking his mentor for his painstaking encouragement. He said that he would definitely write his thesis as soon as possible, pass the defense, and get his diploma, so as not to let the name "Mashiro" be hidden for too long!

Li Maocai quickly knelt down and thanked his teacher. But he changed his mind and thought that Chen Yubi was already a scholar, and as long as he graduated successfully, he could become a disciple.

As for me, whether I can pass the imperial examination in this life is still uncertain. Will this jade pendant never be seen by others? And will the name "Dabai" never be called by anyone?

Thinking that he was undoubtedly the worst disciple in the science department, Li Maocai felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Maocai, why do you look so bad?" Fortunately, Master Zhao was very concerned about the current young elder. He asked in a gentle voice and then said to Wang Wuyang, "Quickly move a chair for your junior brother and pour him a glass of water."

Li Maocai sat on a chair and drank some water, and his complexion finally looked better.

Mr. Zhao comforted him, "Maocai, take care of your health and don't work too hard. Everyone will graduate."

It’s just that if it really doesn’t work, the master will directly give you a certificate.

"Master, what I am worried about is that I may not pass the imperial examination." Chen Yubi understands his good friend very well.

"Well." Master Zhao felt a headache. If it was any other disciple, he would have been sent to Yufeng Academy long ago. But Li Maocai's father was the Prime Minister and the top scholar. He had to consider Li Chunfang's feelings.

Would they be willing to let him teach their sons for the imperial examination? Not necessarily. Before he could figure out Prime Minister Li's attitude, Young Master Zhao could only smile and encourage him, "It's not a big deal. You are the descendant of a top scholar. A good father will have a good son. You will definitely pass the exam. By the way, how is your father these days?"

"My father is fine. He asked about our master the other day." Li Maocai replied respectfully.

"Oh?" Zhao Hao's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but smile apologetically, "I've been back in Beijing for several days, but I haven't visited your father yet. I really shouldn't have done that. By the way, what did your father say about me?"

"He didn't say anything, he just asked what Master had been doing since returning to Beijing. I said he had been resting and guiding us in our studies, so my father didn't say anything else." Li Maocai asked tentatively, "I'll go back and ask my father when he's free at home to invite Master over for a meal?"

"Don't worry, let's talk about it later." Although Zhao Hao really wanted to talk to the Prime Minister about the sea transportation of grain, it was obviously too early now. He had to wait until Pan Jixun came to Beijing.

~~

Master Zhao originally thought that Pan Jixun would not be able to enter the capital until the end of next month at the earliest. Unexpectedly, five days later, he received news that Pan Zhongcheng had entered the capital from Yongding Gate!

At that time, Master Zhao, who was lying on a recliner and explaining the importance of mechanics to his third disciple, suddenly sat up.

"Why so fast?!"

"..."Sun Dawu, who came to report the news, couldn't help but smile bitterly. Where could he find out about this matter?

"Let Xiwa go to Zhihua Temple and find out what's going on." Zhao Hao ordered in a deep voice.

At this time, officials from other places who came to Beijing had the habit of living in temples. It was not because they believed in Buddhism, but mainly to avoid suspicion, so as to prevent the Paw Patrol from impeaching them for maneuvering connections, private transactions, etc.

Before leaving, Pan Jixun told Zhao Hao that he would live in Zhihua Temple in Lumichang Hutong after arriving in Beijing, and if he had any questions, he could go there to find his son Pan Dafu.

Although Xiwa didn't stay in Beijing for long, Lumi Cang Hutong was near his home, so he wouldn't get lost. In the evening, Xiwa returned safely and reported to Zhao Hao that he had seen Pan Dafu, who had followed Pan Jixun to Beijing.

"What do you mean?" Young Master Zhao asked hurriedly.

"It was said that His Majesty summoned him urgently." Xiwa replied, "Old Pan came with the river governor Weng Dali. Neither of them had time to take a boat, so they traveled by land and changed horses seven times to get here."

"Why are you in such a hurry? Don't you want to die?" Zhao Hao couldn't help but feel sorry for Lao Pan. No matter how many pieces of cement he ate, it couldn't make up for it.

"Originally, there was no need to be so anxious, but His Majesty also summoned the Governor of the Grand Canal, Zhao Kongzhao. They were both afraid that the other party would get to the capital first, so it became a race." Xiwa scratched his head and said, "As for why they were afraid that the other party would get to the capital first, Pan Dafu said that uncle must know, so I won't waste words..."

ps. Please give me your monthly votes for the third update!