“A separate joint exam?” Zong Jincheng and Zong Wenxiu exchanged puzzled glances.
It wasn’t a four-academy joint exam anymore, but a two-academy one. Another joint exam, and they’d chosen the most formidable opponent… The dean of Qingbo Academy was truly undeterred by setbacks.
Zong Wenxiu sighed, “I never expected Hanlin North Academy to be so fond of exams, organizing joint exams with other academies every month.”
Zong Jincheng was about to nod in agreement when Xu Wan suddenly interjected, “No, it’s because of Qin Ye.”
“Huh? Did Qin Ye request to take another exam with Hanlin Academy?” Zong Wenxiu asked in surprise.
Zong Jincheng immediately retorted, “How could that be! What does Qin Ye matter? There’s no way Hanlin North Academy would bring their entire academy to take an exam just because he wanted to!”
Even if it were because of one person, it could only be him, Zong Jincheng. What did Qin Ye amount to?
Hmph, that arrogant brat.
Unexpectedly, Xu Wan explained, “It’s because Hanlin North Academy, a place that always strives to be first, couldn’t accept Qin Ye surpassing all their geniuses. That’s why they proposed a separate joint exam to redeem themselves next month.”
Zong Wenxiu: “…”
So, it was actually Hanlin Academy that initiated the challenge? They were the ones who wanted to face Qin Ye again?!
Zong Jincheng: “!!!”
Damn, the feeling of infuriating the Capital City’s top academy is so satisfying!
Why couldn’t it have been him who caused this?!
If he had been the top scorer in the last joint exam, it would be Hanlin North Academy going crazy over his name, Zong Jincheng!
Yes!
Top scorer in the joint exam!
He would also achieve that!
He, Zong Jincheng, would also relish the feeling of outshining all the geniuses!
“Let’s go home. I need to prepare for next month’s joint exam. Watch me defeat all the geniuses of Hanlin North Academy!”
The little devil was brimming with determination, dragging Zong Wenxiu back to the manor to study.
Seeing that her goal had been surpassed, Xu Wan’s brow relaxed. This trip had gone surprisingly smoothly.
Cui Zhi praised her, “Madam, you’re truly brilliant. No wonder you’ve always had us keep an eye on Qin Ye. As soon as we found out he was coming to Hanlin to visit his brother, you immediately brought the two young masters here.”
Xu Wan smiled, “Zong Jincheng is too overconfident. Only someone as strong and proud as Qin Ye can keep his arrogance in check.”
Cui Zhi said, “With the example of Hanlin North Academy’s students fighting with their backs against the wall, I feel that the two young masters will study even harder this month, burning the midnight oil every night.”
Xu Wan shook her head, “Burning the midnight oil isn’t necessary. I’ve always thought Wenxiu spends too much time studying. Children of this age need plenty of sleep for proper growth. We can’t end up with two shorties.”
“Then… how can they improve their studies in the shortest time possible?”
Xu Wan replied mysteriously, “That’s where our three private tutors, each earning a hundred taels of silver a month, come into play.”
“Huh?”
At Yangyuan Marquis Manor.
The plaque bearing the words “Virtue Carries All” above the grand study was taken down, and a brand-new plaque was hung in its place. Servants and maids gathered to watch the spectacle, and even the Zong brothers peeked over to see.
“Marquis Manor Elite Class.”
Study plaques usually featured four-character idioms, appearing both majestic and awe-inspiring. But with this peculiar new name, the study felt more like a school—a prestigious one at that.
“What does this mean?” the little devil asked.
Xu Wan made a grand entrance with the three private tutors and introduced with a smile, “The Marquis Manor Elite Class: focused teaching, tailored education, high-quality one-on-three tutoring, helping you overtake and surpass all the geniuses in the Capital City!”
Zong Jincheng: “Huh?”
Zong Wenxiu: “Huh?”
The three private tutors, all in their twenties or thirties, were full of energy. After being trained by Xu Wan for a few days, they were not only in awe of her teaching methods but also filled with hope for the future.
With such a dedicated mistress and two intelligent, hardworking students, they felt their own prospects were bright and inspiring.
“Greetings, young masters. I’m Cheng Zhidong. Over the past few days, I’ve assessed your current progress. Here’s the list of study materials I’ve carefully selected for you, tailored to your needs. It will guide you from the simple to the complex, ensuring no effort is wasted.”
“Greetings, young masters. I’m Pan Hongzhi. I’ve compiled all the mistakes from your past exam papers and summarized your common errors. This way, you won’t need to redo all the questions to master the key points you’ve missed.”
“Greetings, young masters. I’m Zhao Yin. I’ve analyzed past exam papers for students your age and highlighted the most important topics. This will allow you to focus on the core content first, saving time to learn new material.”
“………………”
Baili Xi, seated at the head of the room, had initially been quite relaxed, curious to see how the three newly appointed tutors would assist him in teaching. But as soon as they began speaking, their approaches were unconventional yet sounded incredibly effective. His relaxed posture gradually straightened.
By the time they finished, he couldn’t help but ask in amazement, “Has Hanlin North Academy’s teaching methods become this advanced?”
He had merely suggested that Xu Wan hire a tutor from Hanlin Academy, never expecting such a groundbreaking impact.
Pan Hongzhi, the tutor from Hanlin Academy, clasped his hands and explained, “You’ve misunderstood, sir. These methods were all taught by Madam. Hanlin Academy hasn’t yet adopted such refined and comprehensive approaches.”
The other two tutors chimed in agreement.
Though they were all accomplished scholars in their own right, Xu Wan’s methods enabled them to impart their knowledge to the two boys with precision and efficiency. Her ability to bring out their potential was remarkable, and it was no wonder she dared to offer them such high salaries.
Baili Xi was even more astonished. He not only gave Xu Wan an approving look but also turned to the boys and said, “Having a mother and aunt who cares for you so deeply is truly a blessing.”
Zong Wenxiu wholeheartedly agreed and immediately responded, “Thank you, Madam. I will study diligently and live up to the teachings of all the tutors!”
Zong Jincheng, however, was still in a daze.
The three tutors seemed incredibly capable, their methods sounded brilliant, and even Baili Xi had praised them.
But they said all these great ideas came from Xu Wan. This woman… this so-called “bad woman”… didn’t seem so bad after all… and seemed quite impressive?
How did she become so capable?
Was she also a brilliant scholar and exam-taker?
Or perhaps she had secretly earned the top honors in the imperial exams and returned incognito to live as an ordinary person?
