Ling Qingming happened to be next to Shen Cui. After he raised his hand to signal, there was no need to bother the monk to collect the test papers. Ling Qingming directly took the test paper.
Before looking at the test paper, Ling Qingming glanced at the other people.
The other students in the room were still busy calculating. Even Ling Qingming's favorite students, the fastest of whom could only finish the second to last question.
He lowered his head to take another look at the paper - Chen Cui's calligraphy was poor to begin with, and she deliberately used a half-crippled hand. Although she paid attention when copying the answers and did not make any black ink clumps, the dog-crawling handwriting was really hard to describe.
It is said that handwriting reflects the character of the person, and the young man in front of me has obviously been sleeping with his eyes closed and not paying attention at all, so it goes without saying that the answers to these nine questions are all written randomly!
Ling Qingming frowned unhappily. Another judge was nearby. Seeing that he looked unhappy, he came over and looked at Chen Cui's test paper.
That was the old principal of Hongle Academy, an old academy that had enjoyed a great reputation during the previous dynasty. Although Qingzhu Academy had been in its heyday in recent years, it was still far inferior to it in terms of foundation and heritage.
So when he met the old headmaster, even though Ling Qingming felt that Lao Buyu and the people from Cuiwei Academy were making a fool of themselves and that he was also brought shame upon by them, he still handed over the test paper respectfully.
The old headmaster was not surprised by the handwriting, he just looked at the content.
After seeing this, he smiled amiably and said, "No wonder you were able to stand firm. This boy is truly gifted!"
Ling Qingming was surprised when he heard this, and put aside his prejudice to look at the content. The results on the test paper were indeed all correct!
His eyes couldn't help but fall on Shen Cui's desk again. The manuscript papers looked exactly the same as when they were distributed.
Even for Ling Qingming himself, it would be impossible to calculate these results out of thin air with his brain without using paper and pen.
He did not suspect that Cuiwei Academy had stolen the questions. These questions were the original ones, and the specific numbers were determined by the judges during the previous music and dance competition, and then they had someone copy them onto the test paper immediately.
After the transcription was completed, the fourth competition began immediately and the test papers were distributed.
There is no time to reveal the questions to anyone, and a makeshift team like Cuiwei Academy doesn't have that ability!
But it is really unbelievable that he can calculate the result in his head without any written calculations and is willing to use it for the unknown Cuiwei Academy!
Because the two mountain masters were here, Zhaifu did not come over to lead Chen Cui down. He stood aside and let them watch openly.
Just kidding, when it comes to computing speed, even if she had reviewed for three months at the last minute, the ancients would have no advantage over modern people.
The old headmaster also took a look at the blank manuscript paper, stroked his gray beard and said with a smile: "Young people are really formidable!"
In order not to disturb other students, the old headmaster didn't say anything more. He just patted Shen Cui's back with loving eyes and said, "Go down and have a rest."
Only then was Shen Cui able to escape. Under Ling Qingming's suspicious gaze, she bowed to the two of them and left quickly.
After four matches, it was already afternoon.
When the fourth competition started, Qingzhu Academy had already delivered meals to each participating academy - after all, they had collected a registration fee of ten taels of silver, so lunch still had to be provided.
Of course, due to the limited staff in Qingzhu Academy, the meals prepared would not be much, just enough for the principals and teachers of each school. If the participating college has many students, they will also be responsible for their own meals.
Lao Buyu and the two children were not eating, but were waiting for "him".
Even though they had just met, perhaps because they got along well, or perhaps because she was moved by his strong will despite his disability, she didn't treat him as an outsider.
"Why was my senior brother staring at you just now?" As he spoke, Lao Buyu fanned him and Wei Xi handed him tea.
Mu Erpang pushed the tray of food towards him and asked him to eat first.
Shen Cui gestured a lot, first patted her chest and gave a thumbs up, indicating that she did well in the exam, then pointed in the direction of Ling Qingming, spread her hands, shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head, indicating that she didn't understand why he was staring at her.
Everyone stopped asking questions and let him rest and eat.
Before, Chen Cui was just a parent who accompanied her child to study and had to worry about everything. But now that she is a candidate herself, she can enjoy everyone's care with peace of mind.
He took a steamed bun and gestured to everyone, indicating that they should eat together.
In fact, everyone was so hungry that they had not moved just because they were waiting for him, so they all started to eat.
The meal was almost over and the students in the hall had handed in their papers.
Shen Cui got all nine questions right and was the first to hand in her paper. Not surprisingly, when Ling Qingming announced the results of the competition this time, Cuiwei Academy ranked first in the honors!
"Good boy, you are worthy of being chosen by our headmaster!" Lao Buyu had been holding it in for the whole morning, and now he finally couldn't hold it in anymore, patting Chen Cui on the back and laughing out loud.
Wei Xi also smiled at him, "Brother Zhang has great attainments in mathematics. I hope you will teach me in the future."
Mu Erpang was the most direct. He started to give the thumbs up vigorously with his two chubby hands again!
Shen Cui laughed along with everyone else, then seeing that the last small competition was about to begin and that it was time for her to change back to her identity, she stood up and said goodbye, gesturing that she wanted to go back to sleep.
Doing math problems has always been a brain-intensive task. Lao Buyu would certainly not refuse to let him go, but he was just a little worried about him and wanted to send him back personally.
Naturally, Chen Cui couldn't let him see her off, so she just made some random gestures, which confused Lao Buyu, then bowed and left.
This time when she went out again, she returned to the dead end at a faster speed, then ended her disguise with one click and immediately rushed back.
As soon as she walked to the edge of the crowd in the open space, she saw Mu Erpang coming out.
"Where have you been, mother? My master asked me to come out to find you and ask you how the last competition will go."
Shen Cui wiped the sweat from her forehead and nodded: “My stomach felt a little uncomfortable, which delayed me for some time.”
When she was sick before, she insisted that she was not feeling unwell. When she said this now, Mu Erpang's expression immediately became serious. He carefully observed her face and saw that she was breathing rapidly and sweating profusely. He immediately said, "Then wait a moment, mother. I will go and tell the master that we should give up the last round, and then accompany you to see the doctor."
Thinking of the bitter taste of the medicine she had just drunk, Shen Cui immediately said, "No, it's fine now. Let's go. I'm the head of the mountain and I can't be absent."
After saying that, Shen Cui took him by the hand, pushed through the crowd and entered the venue again.
After a long while of tossing and turning, and thinking rapidly in the middle, Shen Cui was so tired that she sat down directly in the armchair, took several deep breaths before calming down, and then pretended to say: "I met Zhang Sheng when I went out, but I didn't see him when I came back. How was the result of his competition?"
Lao Buyu immediately praised him, "What the dean said before is right. This boy is extremely gifted in mathematics. I was wondering why my senior brother looked at him so harshly after he handed in his paper. I just went to ask around and found out that he didn't even use any manuscript paper and did all his math in his head!"
Because there were no outsiders around, Lao Buyu sighed and said, "He is so talented and open-minded, but it's a pity... God is so unfair!"
Shen Cui gulped down a mouthful of hot tea, and then suddenly heard Lao Buyu ask, "You didn't say before that he had speech problems, so how did you communicate with him before and convince him to participate in the academy competition?"
Mu Erpang and Wei Xi were also curious about this. When they heard this, they turned around and looked at her, quietly waiting to hear the answer.
"Ahem..." Shen Cui put down the teacup. She really didn't expect that her trick to save money not only made them cry, but also left them with such a finishing touch.
"So... I saved him and helped him to rest. He happened to see the questions I had given him, so he wrote them down for me on the spot. Then he gestured and guessed, and that was it."
After making up a story on the spot, Chen Cui felt a little embarrassed and added: "Between people, words are secondary. The most important thing is fate, right?"
After hearing this, Lao Buyu and the two children couldn't help but nod their heads.
Before, they were all unrelated, and Lao Buyu and Wei Xi clearly had no teacher-student relationship, but now they are as close as a family. If it’s not fate, then what is it?
As he was talking, the fifth match began.
This "gift" competition also requires drawing lots to determine the order. Since Cuiwei has already passed three small competitions, Chen Cui has also reported to give up.
Soon, the drawing of lots was over and the students from each family left in turn.
The five rituals in ancient times included the auspicious ritual for offering sacrifices to pray for good luck, the ominous ritual for casualties and disasters, the guest ritual when the host and the guest meet, the auspicious ritual for banquets and celebrations, and the military ritual for military purposes.
Although the test only involves a few movements, to make them standard and good-looking, in line with the temperament of a scholar, and even to show character, there are naturally some requirements.
Shen Cui had probably watched a group of people perform and understood the judging criteria. It’s no wonder that some people perform the same movements in a particularly pleasing way.
About an hour later, after the last small competition was over, Qingzhu Academy counted the results of the preliminary examination and announced the list of candidates for the re-examination.
It goes without saying that academies like Hongle Academy, Wenjun Academy and Qingzhu Academy, which always rank among the best, Cuiwei Academy also made it to the re-examination with just the passing line!
Almost at the same time, Shen Cui received a system prompt——
[The mission of the academy competition has been completed.] 】
[Get reward: simulated room.] 】
No matter what the result of the re-examination will be tomorrow, at least she got a mock examination room. After being busy all day, Chen Cui smiled and asked everyone else to leave.
After this greeting, she realized that Mu Erpang had left the stands without her knowing.
Just as she was about to look for him, Mu Erpang came over with a tray, "Mom, don't leave in a hurry, you haven't had lunch yet! I saved a portion for you and just asked my husband to heat it up for you. Eat it while it's hot, and we can leave after we finish eating!"
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