The aroma of cooking filled the house: I sent my eldest brother to become the Grand Secretary.

Wang Chengyan, who was standing to the side, did not know who the person next to the headmaster was, but he saw that the headmaster treated him with great respect, so he figured that this person might be a friend of the headmaster.

Because he had been observing Liu Zixu, he noticed Liu Zixu's unusual behavior immediately.

He followed Liu Zixu's gaze and looked over.

Unexpectedly, I saw him, and his calm expression changed noticeably.

Sure enough, the headmaster's friend knew him, so the headmaster's friend must be someone special.

I didn't expect him to come too. It seems that my matter is now in a sure thing.

But then he suddenly noticed a familiar figure next to that person, and the two seemed to know each other.

Liu Zixu pulled Zhao Haoran aside and whispered a few words in his ear.

Zhao Haoran's expression also changed. He looked in the direction Liu Zixu was pointing, his face filled with shock and a hint of joy.

If that person comes, it means he must have done very well on the Xin'an Academy exam this time.

Zhao Haoran quickly pulled Liu Zixu toward that person.

The people watching below recognized the headmaster of Xin'an Academy. They saw him walking down with a happy expression and a hint of respect, as if he were there to greet someone.

The crowd made way for the headmaster.

Zhao Haoran walked up to Grand Tutor Zhou in a few steps.

He bowed respectfully to him and said, "Junior Zhao Haoran greets Grand Tutor Zhou."

The headmaster's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

What? Grand Tutor Zhou?

Is that the Grand Tutor Zhou, who had countless students?

Grand Tutor Zhou actually came to our Xin'an County in person?!

Is it because of the results in this autumn's imperial examinations?

Wait a minute, aren't the results of the autumn examinations supposed to be announced soon?

I've heard that for years, Grand Tutor Zhou has been looking for a student, hoping to cultivate the next generation of great Confucian scholars for our Great Xia Kingdom.

Could it be that Grand Tutor Zhou came for the sake of his students?

【My friend, now that you mention it, I suddenly remembered that Grand Tutor Zhou did say something like that before.】

"No way, who is it that has such an honor that Grand Tutor Zhou would make a special trip for them?"

Wang Chengyan heard the murmurs below. He had long believed that Grand Tutor Zhou had come for him, so when people were talking about it, the corners of his mouth were turned up so high they could hold a dozen oil lamps.

Wang Chengyan: "You don't know, do you? Grand Tutor Zhou came specifically for me."

[You'll all be shocked in a moment! I, Wang Chengyan, will be the biggest winner today!]

【Hahaha……】

Wang Chengyan had already imagined how those people would flatter him after Grand Tutor Zhou publicly accepted him as a student.

Grand Tutor Zhou was surprised to be recognized. He stroked his beard, looked at Zhao Haoran in front of him, and raised his hand to let him stand up.

"Grand Tutor Zhou, junior Liu Zixu greets Grand Tutor Zhou."

Grand Tutor Zhou turned around. No wonder he was recognized; he had run into an acquaintance.

"Little Liu, I didn't expect to see you here."

"I've come to join in the fun, but Grand Tutor Zhou, what brings you to Xin'an County as well?"

Grand Tutor Zhou stroked his beard again. "I came here for one person."

Grand Tutor Zhou's words were like throwing a pebble a hundred times larger into a lake that had just been calm.

This time, the entire lake surface was not just rippling, but was stirred up into waves.

[The Grand Tutor really did come for his students this week.]

Who is this person?

The crowd became restless. Fearing that Grand Tutor Zhou might get hurt, Zhao Haoran prepared to lead his men to escort Grand Tutor Zhou to the entrance of Xin'an Academy, where it would be relatively safer.

At this moment, he saw Shen Chen next to Grand Tutor Zhou.

Shen Chen was somewhat stunned by the shock of Grand Tutor Zhou.

He never expected that the person he had just helped was the very person he had always looked up to as a role model and someone he had always tried to emulate.

He had just thought they were there to check on the results of the autumn imperial examinations, and the thought made him want to slap himself.

He raised his hands and stared at them for a long time, realizing that these were the very hands he had used to support Grand Tutor Zhou.

What should I do? I can't wash my hands for a month.

Suddenly he heard someone calling his name.

Coming to his senses, he looked up at the person who had called him, "Headmaster."

He respectfully bowed to the headmaster.

"I was just looking for you. Let's go upstairs together, it's a bit urgent here."

Before Shen Chen could refuse, he was pulled away by Wang Chengyan.

Perfect timing! In a moment, in front of everyone, he's going to utterly humiliate this hypocritical person.

The words of Grand Tutor Zhou have just confirmed that he came here specifically for him.

If you just keep studying by rote, you'll almost turn yourself into an idiot.

Grand Tutor Zhou was right beside him and didn't even know it.

He had only glanced at the books a few times before the exam, yet he had managed to get Grand Tutor Zhou to come to Xin'an County in person. He wanted Shen Chen to know this today.

Effort is worthless in the face of talent.

The shock brought by Grand Tutor Zhou had completely captivated Wang Chengyan, leaving him lost in his own imagination.

He actually thought that Shen Chen only had hard work but no talent.

Without talent, how could he have ranked at the top in all his previous exams?

He only saw Shen Chen's hard work, but ignored his talent.

Once they reached the main gate, things quieted down considerably.

At this moment, the school supervisor saw Shen Chen and showed a surprised expression.

"Shen Chen? How dare you show your face here?"

"Didn't you say you didn't want to come to the school? Why do you want to come back and benefit from its fame now that the school is about to become famous?"

Apart from Shen Chen, Wang Chengyan, and the school supervisor, no one around knew what had happened.

Grand Tutor Zhou frowned as he looked at Shen Chen. He had just felt that this student was very kind and was very polite to a stranger like himself.

He always felt that Shen Chen wasn't the kind of person who wouldn't want to come to school.

There must be some misunderstanding here.

The headmaster was also very puzzled after hearing the supervisor's words. "Supervisor, I haven't been in the school for a while. Has something happened?"

“I know Shen Chen as a student; he is very studious. Why wouldn’t he want to come to school?”

When the headmaster asked him, the supervisor quickly stepped forward and said, "Headmaster, you don't know, this Shen Chen has only been at the school for a few days since the autumn examinations ended."

"He was taken away by the government officials, and he never came to the school again after that."

The headmaster was even more puzzled after hearing his words. How was this related to the county government again?

Shen Chen didn't speak, but Mr. Liu explained to him, "Headmaster, I know about Shen Chen's situation. He told me he wouldn't be coming to school."

"I figured he could study at home after the exams, so I told him he didn't need to come in for the next few days."

Shen Chen looked at Mr. Liu with gratitude.

The school supervisor was surprised that Mr. Liu would actually explain to Shen Chen. His expression changed, but he quickly calmed down.

"Headmaster, even if Mr. Liu agreed that Shen Chen wouldn't come to school, I didn't know that."

"And most importantly, he was extremely rude to Wang Chengyan."

"Wang Chengyan?" Grand Tutor Zhou felt that the name sounded somewhat familiar.

Wang Chengyan had been listening from the side, and when he suddenly heard Grand Tutor Zhou call his name, he quickly stepped forward.

"Grand Tutor Zhou, this junior greets you." He bowed respectfully to Grand Tutor Zhou.

"you?"

"I am the person you have come to find."