After the family fell, I wanted to lie down

"Ge'er, they're all saying that you're not actually in school, what's going on?"

Xue's voice trembled, "Is it, is it... is he harming you?"

Naturally, he was referring to Master Liu Wenru.

Did the news spread so quickly? Yingge looked at Xue with a critical eye. Was this a coincidence, just like the last time she was about to tell Liu Wenru that she was a girl?

"Mom doesn't know yet. As soon as she got up this morning, the news spread among people in our courtyard and outside."

Since the news could be sent out so quickly, only a generous person could do it. Currently, he is the only person she has contacted, Master Liu.

"Don't worry, mother. It's not that I didn't go to school. I just didn't study with Mr. Zichun. I have another teacher of my own." It's just that Yingge should say some things and some things that she can't say, and some things that are simply true and false.

"Ge'er, this is not about whether you study or not. This is, this is the rhythm that Master Liu is preparing to kick us out..."

Yes, Yingge had forgotten about this. It would be bad if others knew her real purpose.

"Mother, I have just told Master Liu that he will continue to support my studies."

"How can these words count? What if he just said less?"

"No, you have to let Mr. Zichun take you in. That way he won't have any excuse to drive us away."

"Mom, no need, I can do it myself, I have a teacher to teach me."

"No, don't worry about it, I'll do it."

"What to do, mother?"

Xue's face was serious, but she didn't answer Yingge's words.

It couldn't be the same crying, making a fuss and threatening to hang herself scene as before, right? Yingge felt a headache just thinking about it and felt embarrassed, but she wasn't the only one having this headache, so she'd just let that scholar Mr. Zichun suffer!

The news spread quickly, and when everyone knew that Yingge did not study under Mr. Zichun, everyone started to mock her.

"Hey, who is this? Isn't this our future number one scholar? Yes, he's the one who can write poems during the dragon boat race."

"Yingge, you can write poetry, can you write a poem that will make you a champion?"

Even Chunqiao and Xiao Taohong sighed and looked worried when they heard the news. Yingge had no choice but to repeat what she said just like she had explained to Mrs. Xue.

When a man's rational thinking is used to convince a woman's thinking, it is simply a disaster. After the communication failed again, Yingge was no longer in the courtyard. She just closed the door and hid in the room to read. Leave those annoying things to them, because you can't explain them clearly.

Yingge felt a little secretly happy when she thought so, as if she was becoming more and more like a man. If she couldn't make anything happen, she would just stop trying and study hard.

_______

Although she thought so, when she got up the next day and went to the yard, she was still somewhat affected. Xiao Taohong was the only one in the yard.

"Mrs. Xue went to look for Chunqiao's mother, Aunt Five."

"Master, lunch has been packed for you. Are you still going out?"

"Of course, I'm going."

In their eyes, it was ridiculous that Yingge had to go to school despite having no teacher to accept her.

Xiao Taohong mumbled something, but no one knew what she said, but she still prepared Yingge's meal.

The courtyard is very lively today, and of course, everyone is here to see Yingge.

"Master Yingge is going to study."

"The number one scholar is going to study..."

Well, since you don’t believe me, it’s useless even if I talk my mouth off, so let’s just leave it at that for now.

All the words he said along the way were nothing more than saying that Mr. Zichun didn't like him and didn't accept him as a student, which is something Liu Wenru would have done.

Yingge walked and thought all the way, and it seemed that this was nothing.

"Yingge, why are you still here? Hurry up and leave, your mother is having a fight with Mr. Zichun at Qinghe Academy!"

Oh, it turns out that Xue’s fighting ability is extraordinary. Let’s start now.

When Yingge arrived at the foot of the mountain of Qinghe Academy, she saw a group of students surrounding her as she expected. She glanced at the crowd and saw a familiar figure. It could not be anyone else but her teacher Zhixing. He was squatting on a big rock, even holding a handful of melon seeds in his hand, and was eating them with relish.

Xue did not come here alone. This time she learned her lesson and made an ally. She also saw Chunqiao in the crowd, and Chunqiao also saw her.

"Yingge, stop Madam Xue quickly. She is going up the mountain, kneeling down step by step, to beg Mr. Zichun to let you study." Chunqiao ran over and pulled Yingge's sleeve and said.

"Pray to the gods and Buddha." As expected, Yingge saw that Xue had already knelt down for more than a dozen steps and did not continue because the way up the mountain was blocked by a servant who looked like a book boy. The two children looked gray and green, and they must have been very angry.

Mr. Zichun has always made friends with great scholars rather than common people. Now he is like a scholar meeting a soldier and it is difficult to explain his reason. This woman is really difficult to deal with.

When the little boy saw Yingge, he was furious. "Yingge, what do you and your son want to do? Is this Qinghe Academy owned by your family?"

"Nothing. My mother just cares about me. She is very sad, that's all."

Mrs. Xue screamed loudly. "My son, it's all because of your mother's uselessness. Your father died early, and I raised you with great difficulty. Now you're grown up, and you're not good. Children without a father are looked down upon wherever they go. My son, why is your life so miserable..."

Xue taught Yingge everything about her father, herself, and her experiences over the years.

"This time, Master Liu finally got the chance, but it was lost. It's all because of my mother's failure to protect you..."

Mrs. Xue was not being unreasonable. She cried softly and explained the whole story clearly while crying.

The people around were naturally not stupid, some of them were curious and discussed in low voices, the students who were watching were talking among themselves, and the surrounding residents who liked to watch the fun gathered at the gate of Qinghe Academy for a while. What a disgrace for the academy, the book boy was extremely anxious, why hadn't the school official arrived yet?

While the noise was going on, a little child came over in a hurry.

"Mr. Zichun said, why let Yingge come in first and block the door?"

When Xue heard this, she stopped crying immediately, and the people around her were also surprised.

The boy said arrogantly, "The teacher said that you are a naughty student who has no ambition, but your mother loves you dearly, so I will give you another chance."

As soon as these words came out, the people around shouted: "Sir, be kind and righteous, please have pity on this kind mother's heart."

The embarrassment was resolved, and handling the matter in this way immediately distinguished the superior and inferior.

Xue held Yingge's sleeve and said, "We don't care, no matter who is taller or shorter, as long as you can study, it's fine. You should fix yourself up and go meet the teacher. You have to pay attention this time."

Chunqiao also cried with joy, "Yingge, you can do it, go quickly, go quickly, don't let others wait anxiously."

"Okay, I understand, mother, please don't worry."

The world and the Xue family need Mr. Zichun's reputation to remain in the Liu family, and she also needs Mr. Zichun's identity to cover up the fact that she has another master. This is a win-win situation.

Xue's farce was exactly what she wanted. Chunqiao supported Xue and watched Yingge go to the school to visit Mr. Zichun.

Just like last time, many students gathered inside and outside the academy. Some stood on the stones of the academy to watch, and a few gathered together to discuss. The only difference was that this time someone was able to recognize her.

"Hey, it's that Yingge."

"It's Erzairo."

"Yingge, Yingge" a loud voice interrupted her steps. Yingge turned back to look at the voice, it was Zhu Nian, the enthusiastic student she had met several times.

Well, this is an acquaintance you can get to know, "Shh, I'm going to visit the gentleman, you be quiet."

Zhu Nian looked at Yingge and answered. "Oh, then you have to talk to the master nicely and make him accept you."

When Su Qinghe and Su Qingyu arrived, they only saw Yingge's back. Holding a fan in his hand, he said calmly, "I hope you have good luck this time, but don't act on impulse again, otherwise there will be no hope."

"This person, sometimes I really don't understand her!"

"Hey, it's Zhilin." A tall young man stood in the crowd.

Su Qinghe used his fan to block the sunlight from his head and looked over. "Now he has time to watch the fun. Isn't he busy?"

"Fu Zijing is here too!" The students around heard them talking. "Let's go, let's go. I heard that Zijing's poetry club produced the top ten poems yesterday. Let's go and congratulate them."

"Fu Zijing was able to compose a poem and was praised by the prefect, take a look at yours..."

"Zijing, I heard that the poem you wrote was praised by the prefect. Congratulations, congratulations."

"It's Yingge."

"It's like seeing a man with new eyes after three days of absence."

"What did you say?"

"I said the poem was written by Yingge, and the poem that the prefect praised yesterday was also Yingge's..."

When people around heard this, there was an uproar.

"It's her, are you sure?"

"Sure. I was there at the time."

Su Qinghe, Su Qingyu and Liu Ziheng who arrived later were all a little bit unbelievable.

Then they were worried in vain today. Mr. Zichun valued the talent of people who could write such poems and generally would not make things difficult for them.

The book boy led the way for Yingge. This time he did not have the same attitude as last time. He gave the same lukewarm response. When he reached the door, he said loudly, "Sir, student Yingge is here."

A "hmm" sound was heard from the inner hall of a room in the school building.

The servant boy extended his hand and made a gesture of invitation, and hummed in a nasal voice, "Please."

Yingge straightened her clothes before entering the room. When she walked into the inner hall, she saw a middle-aged man in his forties, tall and slightly thin.

Yingge looked up at her and he was also looking up at Yingge.

Is this the Mr. Zichun praised by everyone? He really looks like a strict teacher, never smiling and with a serious face.

Yingge leaned over and saluted again. After a while, she didn't hear any shouting. She didn't get angry and just stood up.

Mr. Zichun has been watching her, observing her very carefully. What is he looking at? Is he looking at her identity? Yingge became a little alert.

Mr. Zichun probably realized that his concentration made Yingge a little uncomfortable, so he looked away.

"I heard you are going to take the imperial examination?"

"It's no small matter to take the imperial examination. What books have you read?"

"Mr. Hui has read the Spring and Autumn Annals and history books."

"Then tell me about your understanding of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and choose any passage from it."

Yingge explained to Shang Zichun her understanding of the Spring and Autumn Period in detail, but did not see his reaction afterwards. Of course, what Yingge explained was not what Zhixing taught, but what she heard on the mountain.

Mr. Zichun did not respond, but just asked, "Last time you wanted to become my disciple, why did you not answer the question I gave you and just left?"

Well, what can I do? I don't want to answer. But I can't answer like this.

"The question you raised is how others evaluate me. I personally think that what others say about me is not the real me. My character and personality should be defined by myself."

"Crafty Words"

Okay, you may not agree with this, but you can’t say that.

When Mr. Zichun heard Yingge's answer, his face showed regret and anger, but he suppressed it. It was very complicated and seemed strange.

Mr. Zichun picked up a book on the table and said softly, "Well, I won't give you any questions this time. I'll ask you directly, are you studying just to pass the imperial examination and seek fame and fortune?"

Yingge thought, of course not. Yingge bowed to Zichun and said, "Students study to understand the truth."

Mr. Zichun was not a pedantic bookworm. After all, he had a lot of experience, so he could naturally tell which words were true and which were flattery.

He said with a serious and somewhat unhappy expression, "Tell the truth, don't be perfunctory."

Mr. Zichun held his breath and slowly exhaled: "Your so-called fame and fortune is to become the son-in-law of the Liu family? These are fame, these are greed."

Hey, your personal attack isn't beautiful, is it?

Well, so it would be a bit boring to follow a serious and slightly famous strict teacher. They have to teach and educate, and what they convey are the concepts they believe in. This is what Yingge dislikes the most. After all, she is not a real student, nor a real person here.

"No one is a saint, and all of us have greed, ignorance, anger, and desire."

"That's why I let you study to understand the truth. This is the way of Confucianism." Mr. Zichun looked at Yingge. He knew that she might not have heard what he said at all...

Alas, it was too late to start enlightenment, and I grew up in the market, so I can only teach him slowly in the future.

"You are still young and have just started learning, so I accept you as my apprentice because of your mother's kindness. I hope you can study hard and not be bound by fame and fortune."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir, but I cannot do that."

Mr. Zichun was just about to teach her a few more words about Confucianism, but when he heard her words, he was stunned.

She refused.

She refused again...

"I have my own considerations. I am not rejecting you, sir. You are willing to accept me as your apprentice for my mother, but I cannot let my mother be looked down upon."

"This is clearly the love of a mother. How could it be looked down upon?"

"I am not here for this. I want to be admitted to the county school tomorrow based on my own ability and then become your disciple."

"Next year's county school? You have to think about it carefully. There is not much time left until the county school. Besides, you have only read the Spring and Autumn Annals and history books. How can you pass the exam?"

"You said you would rely on your own abilities. How do you decide?"

"I ask you to give me the right to study freely in Qinghe College to prove myself."

"You're exaggerating."

"This is better than asking in person right now."

After all, it’s still about being utilitarian.

"Since you have already made up your mind, just do it."

"Thank you, sir, for allowing me to attend classes freely at Qinghe College."

"Yes, but you are not allowed to attend my class!"

Yingge answered yes, turned around, bowed and left.