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墨書 Inktalez
A chubby boy came running over, his eyes squinting into slits as he grinned and asked, "Are you here to sign up for school? Can you read?"
Wang proudly lifted his chin and replied, "I know a lot of words! If you can't read, just ask me later, and I'll definitely teach you!" He playfully patted Liu Qingyan's seemingly thin shoulder.
The people nearby took a small step back, as if sensing the hostility from their parents. The children tightly held onto their adults' hands and retreated.
Even a proud lady whispered, "Son, stay away from that child. He's an ill-omened person; look at him—he doesn't have parents at such a young age. You mustn't get close."
Although Liu Qingxi and Liu Qingyan didn't look like they came from the countryside, living in Biqi Town meant they had never spoken about being siblings.
So in their hearts, they regarded the two as people who were just pretending to be more than they were.
Liu Qingxi smiled; people always viewed others through colored lenses.
She crouched down and said, "Qingyan, you need to understand that only by standing at a height that others find hard to reach can you avoid all the gossip. I want to protect you for life, but sometimes you need to learn to grow on your own."
Liu Qingxi knew she couldn't always protect her brother. In any era, those without parents faced difficulties. Liu Qingyan would eventually have to confront these challenges.
And these challenges would be the very tools that helped him grow quickly.
Liu Qingyan nodded heavily. He was simple but not foolish; he was aware of the rumors circulating in the village before. However, through their efforts, they had finally gained everyone's recognition.
At his young age, his mind was extraordinary. Amidst the disdainful gazes of others, he held his head high and smiled as he waited in line for the Master’s summons.
As for the chubby boy beside him, well, because he was so overweight, no one wanted to play with him. Liu Qingyan was the first one who didn’t run away when he approached.
Before long, the two children became familiar with each other and became good friends.
"Pang Zichen, come in!" The Master's voice called from inside.
The chubby boy who had been happily playing with Liu Qingyan suddenly turned around and said, "Qingyan, I'll play with you later! I need to go in first!"
Liu Qingxi couldn't help but chuckle. It was just too much; the chubby boy truly lived up to his name, which perfectly matched his physique.
The Scholar, Master Zhu, assessed each child who entered. The evaluation wasn't about high standards but rather to determine their level of learning and to categorize them into appropriate classes, with varying teaching methods.
Among the parents and children entering, some were happy while others left disappointed and dejected.
Liu Qingyan was the last to go in. By this time, everyone's results had been made transparent. The Master would announce the class placements at the end and note whether the children needed to stay at the academy.
Liu Qingxi accompanied him inside and saw that in a courtyard of about three or four hundred square feet, a long table was set up near the house, with a middle-aged man sporting a beard sitting quietly beside it.
He wasn't particularly handsome, but his features were soft and gentle, indicating a mild demeanor.
His blue robe accentuated his slightly slender frame.
"Are you Liu Qingyan?"
"Yes, Master Zhu!" Liu Qingyan respectfully performed a bow as a sign of respect.
"How old are you?"
"Have you studied before? How many characters do you know? Read this page."
In response to every question from Master Zhu, Liu Qingyan remained calm and composed. The questions were basic knowledge, and what Master asked him to read was the Three Character Classic.
He had studied it for an entire winter and had memorized it thoroughly, handling it with ease.
At this moment, the parents waiting nearby shifted from initial disdain to astonishment at Liu Qingyan's calm demeanor, eventually feeling quite impressed.
Why? These two were just from the countryside; how could they know so much?
Their own children could barely recognize a few simple characters. When Master Zhu casually asked them a few questions, they struggled to respond. Yet Liu Qingyan...
At this time, the round chubby boy widened his eyes in disbelief. Well, even if he widened them further, it would only be a slit. He opened his mouth wide, drool trickling down the corners of his lips.
What did he just say? Did Liu Qingyan have a problem to ask him about?
The chubby boy swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. Clearly, Liu Qingyan understood much more than he did.
Ah! His fragile heart was stimulated.
Especially as Master Zhu developed a strong interest in Liu Qingyan next. It was already a challenging task for a new student to read, yet Kid answered without any pressure.
"Then explain the meaning of this sentence to me!" His curiosity filled him with anticipation.
It was rare to encounter such a gifted child.
"Master, this sentence means..."
Liu Qingyan articulated clearly, speaking fluently with logical coherence, and Master Zhu nodded continuously.
With each satisfied smile from him, those who had just mocked the siblings lowered their heads in shame. It was truly embarrassing; they were underestimating someone genuine.
Especially Liu Qingxi and the others who aspired to rise above their humble beginnings; coming from the countryside meant they should not pretend to understand what they did not. They should honestly stay at home and farm instead of wandering into town for no reason.
But at this moment? Reality slapped them hard in the face.
"I wonder who you learned from?" Master Zhu suddenly asked Liu Qingyan, curious about how this student with no background could possess such profound knowledge and mastery of the Three Character Classic.
It was impossible that this child learned it all by himself.
"Replying to Master, I studied for a while with my neighbor's older brother, but I didn't learn well." He blushed deeply.
If only he could be half as good as Brother Yang.
Since he was unwilling to tell the whole truth, Master Zhu did not press further: "Alright, you can go home and prepare your things. Since you will be living here, you need to get clothes and bedding ready. You can head back now; school will officially start in three days."
"Alright, here is the Class Assignment List. Take a look and you can prepare for it."
Of course, Liu Qingyan's name was at the top, leading by a wide margin, making others envious and causing jaws to drop.
As soon as she stepped out, the mature demeanor of Liu Qingyan immediately vanished.
"Yanzhen is amazing; I'm so proud of you, sister!"
"Yes, yes! Brother Yang, do you know if you're happy or not?"
"Of course! You're one of his students, so make sure to tell him later."
"Yes, but unfortunately Brother Yang is taking the exam and won't be able to see it!" The kid looked dejected.
Such a child—happy one moment and sad the next.
And what was the main character doing?
Having experienced the fierce competition of the Imperial Examination, Yang Yichen sat once again in this serious examination hall. Although the number of candidates had decreased, the atmosphere was even more imposing. He remained as confident as ever.
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