Chapter 47: Study
Academy, dormitory room. Xiao Yanci handed the purchased sesame seed cake to Jiang Yihui.
Jiang Yihui was racking his brains writing things and did not take the sesame seed cake he offered.
Xiao Yanci held the pose for a long time until his arm trembled nonstop, then Jiang Yihui put down the brush in his hand and took the things he offered.
“This piece I wrote is too messy, copy it over neatly for me.” Jiang Yihui ordered while gnawing on the sesame seed cake. “Why is it cold? How do you do your work?”
Xiao Yanci lowered his gaze and said, “This little one knows his mistake.”
“Clumsy oaf.” Jiang Yihui said, looking at the poems Xiao Yanci was copying.
Although it was copied, the handwriting was exactly the same as his own, just with some modifications to the content.
Of course, only two or three characters were changed.
However, it was precisely those two or three characters that completely changed the artistic conception of the entire poem.
A flash of jealousy appeared in Jiang Yihui’s eyes.
Lately, his schoolwork had always been praised by the teacher, and everyone thought he had suddenly become enlightened, but only he knew it was because of this person.
He was reluctant to give up those admiring gazes, so he could only let the mistake stand, keeping him by his side to serve as a front.
But the more outstanding he performed, the more unhappy he felt.
What right did a slave have to possess such outstanding talent? No matter how good his talent was, he still had to serve him.
“Brother Jiang…” A classmate’s voice came from outside. “Class time has arrived, time to go.”
“Coming.”
Jiang Yihui took big bites of the sesame seed cake and finished it in just a few bites. He snatched the poems from Xiao Yanci’s hand, slipped them into his book, and got up to leave.
He walked to the doorway and saw Xiao Yanci moving slowly, so he impatiently urged, “Hurry up.”
The two passed by the teacher’s room and happened to see Su Yaoguang and her daughter coming out from inside.
Su Yaoguang looked up and saw Xiao Yanci, dressed in a bookboy’s clothes, carrying Jiang Yihui’s book box in his hand. A mocking look flashed in her eyes.
Xiao Yanci did not miss the change in Su Yaoguang’s gaze. This village girl always harbored some inexplicable malice toward him, even though he had no idea where it came from.
Why was she here?
This was the academy. A woman like her appearing here could not possibly be here to study, right?
“Hurry up, what are you standing there for?” Jiang Yihui saw Xiao Yanci had not caught up and impatiently urged him.
Jiang Yihui and Xiao Yanci entered the classroom. Jiang Yihui sat down, and Xiao Yanci could only stand in the corner.
As soon as Jiang Yihui sat down, the classmate in front turned around to look at him and asked, “Brother Jiang, yesterday’s assignment was really too difficult. How did you answer it? Can I borrow it to see?”
“I just answered casually too,” Jiang Yihui said. “Brother Wang is erudite, surely your answer was much better than mine.”
The teacher came in, and everyone sat up straight. The entire classroom was silent.
“A new classmate has arrived today. Everyone get along well in the future and help each other. Zhou Wangshu, come in!” The teacher looked toward the doorway.
Zhou Wangshu wore the same blue robe as the other scholars in the academy, but his outstanding appearance made the robe seem much more noble, looking like an immortal descended to earth.
Everyone in the room was stunned.
With that appearance, even a courtesan courtesan would pale in comparison.
Before, they had thought Jiang Yihui’s bookboy had a handsome and refined appearance, elegant and otherworldly. But now that this person had appeared, his looks seemed a bit plain.
“Zhou Wangshu, sit with Zhong Chushan!”
Zhou Wangshu took the newly issued book and walked toward the empty seat at the back. Xiao Yanci was standing right behind that spot, so with a turn of his head, he could see him with his head bowed submissively.
Xiao Yanci gripped the hem of his clothes, lowering his gaze to hide his unwilling eyes.
They had clearly been bought back from the same village on the same day by people from that village, so why was he a servant while that person could sit upright in the academy studying?
Wasn’t that village girl so poor she could not keep the pot boiling? In such poverty, how could she bear to spend this money?
“Brother Zhou, I’m Chen Buyu. My room still has an empty bed. Do you want to stay in my room?”
“I don’t know. The teacher has not arranged accommodations yet, saying it would be done at noon.” Zhou Wangshu returned the courtesy. “I’m new here and know nothing. Please give me much guidance, Brother Chen.”
“You let someone who ranks last in schoolwork guide you? Then your studies will be wasted, and your tuition fees thrown away.” Zhong Chushan said lazily from the side.
“Zhong Chushan, what right do you have to talk about me? I’m second to last, you’re dead last.” Chen Buyu said discontentedly.
“I never intended to guide anyone. What does it matter if I rank last?” Zhong Chushan yawned and stood up to leave.
“Next class is go class, and you’re running off again?”
“What’s the fun in that thing?” Zhong Chushan said, looking at Zhou Wangshu beside him. “Want to come play with me? Young master here has plenty of money, I’ll cover everything for you.”
Zhou Wangshu showed a docile and honest expression, shook his head, and said very sincerely, “My family has it hard supporting my studies. It’s a rare opportunity to study, I can’t disappoint them.”
“Another boring person.” Zhong Chushan said, striding away.
Chen Buyu said from the side, “Ignore him. His family runs a gambling house. If you go with him, he’ll drag you to the gambling house for high stakes. That place is not to be visited. You’ve seen those gamblers get hands and feet chopped off, ruined for life.”
Jiang Yihui sneered lightly. “Why don’t you mention your family’s industry? Zhong Chushan’s gambling house is off-limits, but yours is fine? Then why don’t you invite him?”
Chen Buyu glared angrily at Jiang Yihui. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Zhou Wangshu said, “Brother Chen seems like a straightforward person. I’m not good at socializing and have a hard time making friends. That Brother Chen is willing to talk to me already makes me very happy.”
Chen Buyu saw that Zhou Wangshu did not distance himself like the others and was overjoyed.
What Zhou Wangshu said was wrong; if anyone could not find friends, it should be him. His family’s business was also not very respectable, and the classmates in the academy deliberately kept their distance from him.
Xiao Yanci saw Zhou Wangshu befriend several people in a short time, all of whom ranked last in schoolwork, and a flash of disdain appeared in his eyes.
In the academy, one should make friends useful for future official career. These who rank last in schoolwork could never pass the exams for official position. This person was truly stupid.
Ever since Zhou Wangshu appeared, Xiao Yanci had uncontrollably observed his every move.
Go skills, average. Schoolwork, average. Zither skill, inferior.
“What are you spacing out for?” Jiang Yihui slapped the table, displeased. “Ever since that Zhou Wangshu appeared, you’ve been staring at him. Do you know him?”
“Young Master didn’t recognize him?” Xiao Yanci said in surprise. “He’s the son-in-law who lives with the wife’s family that the Su family bought back for ten copper coins.”
Jiang Yihui was surprised. “It’s him!”
Not long after, the news that Zhou Wangshu was the son-in-law who lives with the wife’s family bought back by the village girl for ten copper coins spread throughout the entire academy. Those who had intended to befriend Zhou Wangshu now kept their distance. Only Zhong Chushan and Chen Buyu looked at him strangely after hearing it, but still talked to him and invited him to eat together.
