After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

It is no exaggeration to say that Gu Lin spoils his children.

Regarding Gu Lin's way of raising children, Sister Zhao said in person: "If it weren't for Zheng Hao, any other child would have been spoiled by you long ago."

How do you say this?

When he was still in the county town, Zheng Hao went to the Wuliu Academy every day to study. As a result, he wore his school uniform almost every day of the year.

In other families, elders wouldn't make too many clothes for their children, since they wouldn't wear them anyway; at most, they'd make one or two pieces a quarter to keep on hand.

Moreover, a boy like Zheng Hao grows taller every day, and if you buy too many clothes, he won't be able to wear them after a few days. It's better to wait until he reaches his final height before buying more.

Gu Lin, however, thought differently and did the opposite.

Not counting previous seasons, Zheng Hao had a total of thirty or forty pieces of clothing each year, and this was only after he stopped Gu Lin.

When buying servants, Gu Lin thought of Zheng Hao taking the provincial examination. He saw many scholars in the inn with servants by their side. He was afraid that Zheng Hao would be bullied if he went to the prefectural school without a servant. So he wanted to buy one for him, but Zheng Hao politely declined.

Gu Lin then abandoned the idea.

Although Gu Lin kept saying he wanted to cultivate Zheng Hao into a model youth, what he actually did was spoil him.

Especially when it comes to material things, their main goal is to buy the best for their own children, and their children must have what other children have.

Just as Sister Zhao said, if Zheng Hao hadn't been so determined and precocious, he would have really been spoiled by Gu Lin and raised to be an innocent and kind young master who didn't know the value of daily necessities.

As Zheng Hao stepped off the train, he turned to Gu Lin and said, "Uncle Gu, I've arrived. You can go back now."

Gu Lin took out the prepared food box and said to Zheng Hao, "We'll wait for you to come back for dinner tonight. This is lunch that Sister-in-law Zhao prepared for you. Brother Zhao will come to pick you up this afternoon."

Zheng Hao nodded to indicate that he understood.

After receiving the food box, Zheng Hao said goodbye to Gu Lin again, then turned and walked into the academy.

Watching the other person's figure disappear, Gu Lin said to Brother Zhao in front, "Brother Zhao, let's go back."

Zheng Hao walked through the gate of the academy, carrying his book box, toward his destination.

This is his second time visiting the prefectural school; the first time was the day before yesterday when he came to pay his tuition.

Zheng Hao knew where his school was and followed the route in his mind.

Stepping into the classroom, Zheng Hao glanced around and saw that almost all the seats were occupied.

He found an empty seat in the middle and sat down.

Then, Zheng Hao took out his writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone from his book box. After tidying up the things he had taken out of the book box, Zheng Hao looked back and saw food boxes on several empty tables at the back of the school.

He picked up the food box, walked over, and placed it on the table.

Although Zheng Hao hasn't said a word since he came in, no one else in the school can ignore his presence.

The young man was exceptionally handsome, a true gem. When making friends, scholars not only value a person's talent and character but also pay close attention to their appearance.

The young man before them was a rare and handsome man.

After putting the food box away, Zheng Hao returned to his seat.

A round-faced, almond-eyed boy walked over, cupped his hands in greeting to Zheng Hao, and said, "Brother, my name is Peng Zhizhi. May I ask your honorable surname?"

Zheng Hao slightly raised his head. Although his expression was indifferent, a slight smile appeared on his lips, instantly dispelling any sense of unapproachability.

Zheng Hao said, "Brother Peng is too kind. My name is Zheng Hao."

Zheng Hao?

Peng Zhizhi widened his eyes slightly, making his already round almond-shaped eyes appear even rounder: "Brother Zheng, are you Zheng Hao, who ranked first in both the prefectural and provincial examinations?"

Faced with Peng Zhizhi's blunt question, Zheng Hao remained calm and nodded slightly, saying, "That's right, it was just a fluke this time."

When Zheng Hao said this, Peng Zhizhi did not take his modesty seriously: "This year's provincial examination was not easy. In previous years, the questions were all related to taxation or agriculture, but this year the question was about floods in the south. We are in the north, how can we know about floods in the south? When I saw the question, I didn't know how to answer it."

If this were in a county town, Zheng Hao wouldn't say much when faced with his classmates' complaints about the exam questions. Because their levels were different, further discussion would only be a waste of time.

However, the prefectural school was different. All the students in this school had passed the county-level examination. Looking at Peng Zhizhi in front of him and the subtle glances he received from those around him, Zheng Hao also wanted to see how capable his classmates at the prefectural school were.

He spoke slightly: "Since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty, starting from the time of the founding emperor, the previous dynasty changed the practice of only having policy questions in the imperial examinations above the provincial level. Now, policy questions are included in all examinations from the provincial level down to the prefectural level."

"Policy direction always tests the current problems we face. Being in the north, we cannot be there in person to feel the severity of the floods in the south."

“But outside the city, all that is gathered are refugees who have fled from the south. Countless people are starving. On the streets of the city, in the brokerage shops, there are people who have sold themselves into slavery and refugees everywhere. Young men who used to cost more than twenty taels of silver can now be bought for ten taels. From this, we can infer the severity of the floods in the south.”

After Zheng Hao finished speaking, Peng Zhizhi frowned and pondered, "Indeed, as Brother Zheng said, my mother recently bought several servants back home. They all fled from the south. My mother said that the prices are much cheaper than before."

After Peng Zhizhi finished speaking, one of the students who had gathered to discuss the provincial examination questions asked, "The floods in the south are indeed urgent, but why is the provincial examination asking us how our prefecture should deal with them? Isn't this the responsibility of the imperial court? Besides, we are in the north, so how can we handle the floods in the south?"

Another student said, "The refugees have fled here, and I think the prefecture has no other way but to provide porridge." Then he said, "This is also a helpless situation. The prefect has been providing porridge for two months, which is already considered merciful."

"I just wonder how long this porridge can last," someone sighed.

"We should be able to hold out until the end of the year without any problems."

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the crowd.

Everyone looked up and turned to look in the direction from which the voice came.

Then they saw a pair of boys with similar builds and appearances standing together, and the one who had spoken earlier must have been one of them.

Upon receiving such a definitive answer, Peng Zhizhi asked with slight anxiety, "Brother, where did you get this information? Is it reliable?"

Zhen Yuan's face stiffened.

Although his information was reliable, he couldn't say where it came from.

Faced with a pair of bright, piercing eyes, Zhen Yuan couldn't help but turn to his elder brother, hoping that the other could help him out of this predicament.

But Zhen Cheng didn't look at him; his gaze was fixed on Zheng Hao, who was sitting not far away.

Meeting the other's cold eyes, Zheng Hao did not flinch, his dark eyes meeting hers.

After a moment, as Zhen Yuan grew increasingly anxious, Zhen Cheng spoke up: "The information is reliable, but I can't reveal its source."

Upon hearing this, the students present were not fools; they immediately understood that the two brothers must have some connections to have learned of this news.

If the other party is unwilling to talk, they sensibly refrain from asking.

Zhen Cheng spoke, his voice as cold as a spring, asking, "Do you think the number of refugees fleeing from the south to the north will increase next year?"

He seemed to be asking the others a question, but his gaze swept over Zheng Hao, who was sitting down.

Peng Zhizhi pondered for a moment and said, "I heard that a month ago, the imperial court ordered the dispatch of an imperial envoy to the south to provide disaster relief and urge the construction of water conservancy projects and the dredging of rivers. This should solve the flood problem. The reason why the refugees fled to the north was simply because they had suffered from the floods. Once the floods are over, they will no longer need to flee."

After thinking about it, the other students agreed with Peng Zhizhi and nodded in agreement.

Zhen Cheng's gaze remained fixed on him without shifting. Although Zheng Hao disliked being high-profile, he was not afraid of attracting attention.

"I believe that there will be even more refugees fleeing from the south to the north next year."

As soon as Zheng Hao finished speaking, the other students looked on in astonishment. They glanced at Zheng Hao with expressions that said, "Are you out of your mind?"

Unaffected, Zheng Hao continued, "The floods in the south are caused by torrential rains that have been falling every day for the past few months. Even after the Imperial Envoy completed the disaster relief, the crops in the southern farmlands have already been destroyed. The people have no food to eat, and even if they want to plant, they will have to wait until the spring of next year. This means that after the floods, the people in the south will also face a food shortage. They will have to endure at least half a year before they can have new grain to eat."

One student disagreed, saying, "While other prefectures and counties in the south are suffering from floods, the Jiangnan region is not. Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice. If it were willing to allocate some of its resources, it would be enough to feed the entire south."

Despite being refuted, Zheng Hao remained calm and composed, saying, "In previous years, when the southern regions suffered from floods, the imperial court would issue orders for the Jiangnan region to allocate funds and grain to aid the disaster areas. However, this year, the disaster relief grain was transported from the north. What do you all think is the reason for this?"

Peng Zhizhi swallowed hard, and hesitantly voiced his guess: "Could it be... that Jiangnan is too busy to take care of itself?"

When Peng Zhizhi finished speaking, all the students in the school could not believe it.

Zheng Hao said, "Although there is no flood in Jiangnan, the harvest is not good this year due to several months of continuous heavy rain. Jiangnan will have to count its money and grain for the next two years, and there is no money or grain left to help other places."

One student murmured, "No, no, the granaries in Jiangnan are rich in millet and have accumulated reserves year after year. How could they not have extra money and grain?"

Zheng Hao stopped talking at this point.

The other students in the school also tacitly remained silent.

The granaries in Jiangnan are indeed abundant, more than enough to feed the entire population of the Great Qian Dynasty for a year. However, without the emperor's order, even if there are starving people everywhere, the granaries in Jiangnan cannot be opened.

Otherwise, if someone with ulterior motives stirs up trouble and the people riot, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Zhen Yuan stood beside Zhen Cheng and looked at Zheng Hao. At first, he didn't pay much attention to him, thinking that he was just a bookworm who was a little better looking than the average person.

But after listening to the other party's words and actions, Zhen Yuan realized that he had misjudged the situation.

Zhen Cheng looked at Zheng Hao and asked, "May I ask how you are addressed, brother?"

Zheng Hao replied, "My name is Zheng Hao."

Zheng Hao? Zhen Yuan frowned, quickly realizing that the other person was Zheng Hao, whom he had never met before.

Zhen Yuan knew him very well; it was the one who prevented his elder brother, who had been taught by famous teachers since childhood, from achieving the "Minor Triple Crown" (a prestigious honor in the imperial examinations).

Zhen Yuan had inquired about the other party, but had not obtained any useful information.

Zhen Yuan guessed that the other party was probably a poor scholar from a county under the prefecture city. He just happened to be lucky enough to get the best of both world examinations.

However, at this moment, Zhen Yuan's previous thoughts vanished.

Because of Zheng Hao's words and actions just now, especially his views on the floods in the south, every word seemed ordinary, but it revealed a lot of information.

For example, how did Zheng Hao, a poor man who lived in the county town all year round, know the severity of the floods in the south and how did he predict the increase in the number of disaster victims next year?

Although Zhen Yuan knew that the floods in the south would be difficult to quell in a short time, it was because his father was the prefect of the prefecture, and therefore he had access to and knowledge of a lot of court politics, so it was not surprising to him.

But Zheng Hao came from a poor family, so how could he know about court affairs?

Before Zhen Yuan could think further, Peng Zhizhi whispered, "The teacher is here, quickly return to your seat."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked up at the school gate.

Sure enough, at some point, two middle-aged men appeared at the school gate; one had a gray beard, and the other was about forty years old.

The students hurriedly returned to their seats. Peng Zhizhi sat to Zheng Hao's left, while Zhen Cheng and Zhen Yuan sat to Zheng Hao's right.

Two middle-aged men entered the school. After they stood still, the man with the white beard said to the students below, "I am the headmaster of the prefectural school, and this is Mr. Zhou. From now on, he will be the teacher of your Earth and Heaven classes."

The students rose and bowed, saying in unison, "We greet Headmaster Zhou."

The headmaster of the prefectural school led the person away and then left, leaving Mr. Zhou alone standing on the school floor.

Mr. Zhou had a serious expression, unlike ordinary teachers. He had an inexplicable aura that made the students in the school not even dare to breathe loudly.

Zhou Zicheng began, “When I came in just now, I heard you discussing the floods in the south. Although I know your ranking in the provincial examination, I am not familiar with the level of your policy questions. In the future provincial examination, metropolitan examination and palace examination, policy questions will be indispensable, and even of paramount importance.”

"After school today, all of you go back and write a proposal on how to control the floods in the south, and hand it in to me tomorrow!"

As soon as Zhou Zicheng finished speaking, the students below were momentarily stunned. They hadn't expected that on the very first day of school, a teacher would assign homework.

However, they dared not show any dissatisfaction and all said, "Yes."

Afterwards, Zhou Zicheng told everyone to read the book on their own and to have class the next day.

After school, seeing that Master Zhou had left, Peng Zhizhi turned around and whispered to Zheng Hao, "Do you know who Master Zhou was before?"

Zheng Hao had some guesses in his mind, but he said calmly, "Mr. Zhou was able to enter the prefectural school to teach, so his status should be that of a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations).

Peng Zhizhi shook his head mysteriously and said, "There are rumors in the prefectural school that Master Zhou is that fourth-rank official who retired from the capital. I used to think so too, but judging from the headmaster's attitude towards Mr. Zhou, those people must have guessed wrong."

Peng Zhizhi said, "What is the concept of a fourth-rank official? This prefect is a fourth-rank official. In the past, I would have to take a step back in front of a fourth-rank official."

"The headmaster's attitude towards Mr. Zhou just now was not respectful at all, unlike that towards a fourth-rank official. Others must have guessed wrong."

Zheng Hao, however, thoughtfully glanced at Zhen Yuan, whose face showed annoyance and disdain after Peng Zhizhi's words.

Is that so? Not necessarily.

[I'm preparing for a book quiz next month, so I'm collecting nice book titles now. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments below!]