Quick Transmigration: The Love Rescue Plan

Unlike modern schools, ancient academies did not have grades like 10, 11, and 12. All students were in the same grade, and classes were formed based on factors such as family background, academic knowledge, and conduct.

Although the Zhu family was just a merchant family, they were still related to the Dong family of Jiankang by marriage. Therefore, Zhu Wei himself was in the top class, not to mention the young master of the Dong family, Dong Zhixin.

After Dong Zhixin presented the headmaster with a tuition fee, he was taken to Class A. The headmaster simply introduced Dong Zhixin and then began the lesson.

Dong Zhixin naturally found an empty seat and sat down.

In the academies of this era, although everyone belonged to the same grade and learned the same knowledge, there was still a distinction between elders and juniors.

It could be said that those who enrolled earlier were considered senior students, and those who enrolled later were considered junior students. Although this era emphasizes respect for teachers, senior students are not necessarily respected.

To put it another way, A and B enrolled at the same time and studied at the college for a year. Then C enrolled, and A and B naturally became C's seniors. If A and B both come from very wealthy or influential families, C will naturally "respect" their seniors. If not, C will naturally not take their two seniors seriously.

If A and B later pass the exam together, regardless of whether they are high-ranking or low-ranking officials, C will still "respect" his senior.

If A passes the exam and becomes an official, while B fails, and B still doesn't give up on pursuing an official career and continues studying at the academy, then both C, who entered first, and D, who entered later, will look down on B, their senior, let alone show him any respect.

If B fails the exam for several years in a row and still doesn't give up, B will only become a laughing stock among his juniors.

Although the Nine-Rank System was not as rigorous as the Imperial Examination System, and placed more emphasis on family background than academic knowledge, it did not mean that a good-looking but incompetent person could become an official.

However, during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, even if one came from a good family, was well-educated, and had strong abilities, it was impossible to become a high-ranking official.

Well, the emperor was incompetent, and he didn't want his ministers to be too capable, fearing they might rebel. So, even if a member of a powerful family was too capable or outstanding, he might be relegated to a lowly position, or the emperor might not even employ him at all.

What was the Eastern Jin Dynasty? It was the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, also known as the Three Kingdoms, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties.

Of course, just like Dong Yue'e's life, the Song Dynasty never referred to itself as the Northern Song or the Southern Song. The distinction between the Northern and Southern Song was made by later generations to differentiate the Song Dynasty.

The same was true of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

The Jin Dynasty was established by Sima Yan after he usurped the throne from Cao Wei. Jin conquered Eastern Wu, completing the unification and ending the Three Kingdoms period of division. However, the Five Barbarian Invasions led to the fall of the Jin Dynasty.

Large numbers of common people and aristocratic families fled south to seek a living. The imperial family member Sima Rui and the powerful clans that crossed the river established the new Jin Dynasty.

The Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties period was the period of most frequent regime changes in Chinese history. Due to long-term feudal separatism and continuous wars, people lived in dire straits, and few talented people with ambitions were unable to realize their aspirations.

The most famous in history are the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. Of course, the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove were famous scholars in the late Wei and early Jin dynasties. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was also Tao Yuanming, who was frustrated in his career, resigned from his official post and went into seclusion, picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence and leisurely gazing at the southern mountains.

At this moment, Dong Zhixin was sitting at the back of Class A's room, carefully observing everyone in Class A.

Although everyone was wearing the academy's uniform, even if the children of wealthy families were spoiled, their more than ten years of family upbringing were not for nothing. However, it was easy to tell from their demeanor which students in Class A were from wealthy families and which were from poor families.

Knowledge, demeanor, and cultivation cannot be acquired immediately through hard work and diligence.

At this point, although Dong Zhixin was at a disadvantage in height, she was, after all, a young lady raised by the Dong family of Jiankang. Even when dressed as a man, she was clearly a wealthy young lady from an excellent family.

There weren't many people in Class A, only about ten, five on each side.

"What can you possibly figure out by looking at the back of your head, host?" Yingying couldn't help but sneer.

"Different distances and elevations."

"Host, how come I never knew you were so humorous?" Yingying said, pursing her lips speechlessly.

Dong Zhixin smiled but didn't say anything.

As soon as get out of class ended, the student sitting on the low chair in front of Dong Zhixin turned around, propped one hand on the small table in front of Dong Zhixin, and said, "Hey, I heard you're from Chengdu Construction Kang."

Dong Zhixin slightly raised her eyes to look at the classmate in front of her, then lowered her eyes slightly, her beautiful eyes glancing lightly at a man sitting upright diagonally in front of her who had not turned around.

Dong Zhixin leaned back slightly, smiled, nodded, and looked at the classmate in front of him, saying, "The Dong family of Jiankang."

In ancient times, with poor transportation and limited communication, the young masters of the powerful families in Wu County might not have known the true strength of the Dong family in Jiankang. However, in the eyes of the families in Wu County, the families in the capital were naturally more illustrious than those in Wu County.

The classmate sitting opposite Dong Zhixin sneered, "Why is a scion of a prominent family from the capital studying in our Wu County? Is he perhaps born out of wedlock or from a collateral branch?"

Dong Zhixin naturally knew that as a transfer student, he would definitely face a tough start from the other students in Class A. However, Dong Zhixin had no intention of backing down. If he couldn't withstand this initial challenge, how could he truly integrate into the small group of Class A?

Playing dumb to fool others or being subservient are not Dong Zhixin's style. Whether she is a daughter or a son of a prominent family, her inherent pride cannot be compromised.

"Haven't you heard the saying 'Better to marry a servant from a wealthy family than a daughter from a poor one'?" Dong Zhixin said, slowly playing with the folding fan in his hand. "The maids of high-ranking families are all better than the women of ordinary families. Even if I am a son of a concubine or a member of a collateral branch, from the Dong family of Jiankang, I am still much better than you, a legitimate daughter of Wu County."

Upon hearing Dong Zhixin's words, Ma Wencai, who had been observing from the sidelines, could no longer remain silent.

You must understand, Ma Wencai was the eldest son of the Prefect of Wu Commandery, arguably the most illustrious among the prominent families of Wu Commandery. Wasn't Dong Zhixin implying that Ma Wencai, a legitimate son of the Ma family, was inferior to Dong Zhixin, a son of a concubine?!

"How dare you, a mere illegitimate son, speak so arrogantly! Is it the style of a noble family in the capital to not distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children? Or is it just the style of your Dong family?" Ma Wencai immediately labeled Dong Zhixin as an illegitimate son.

"Oh, to make friends and chat but not address each other as brothers, instead calling each other 'hey'; to put on a show of provocation but not reveal one's name, and to presumptuously judge whether someone is a legitimate or illegitimate child. Is this... the style of the Wu County aristocratic families?" Dong Zhixin said with a light laugh, "Besides, I never said I wasn't a direct descendant of the Dong family. I was just refuting someone's malicious speculation."

"You..." Ma Wencai didn't know what to say for a moment. After all, all the scions of prominent families in Wu County looked up to Ma Wencai, and no one dared to contradict him.