The Students’ Association was being organized in full swing. The Chancellor had originally intended for Shen Linchuan and Luo Qingshan to serve as co-presidents, but Shen Linchuan, preferring to keep his life free of burdens, declined.

Luo Qingshan was appointed president, and twelve students were selected from among those wishing to join. Together, they formed the Students’ Association and worked alongside Vice Chancellor Tong to oversee academic affairs at Bailu Academy.

Shen Linchuan felt that Luo Qingshan was quite suitable to serve as president of the Student Association. Luo Qingshan was a man of integrity and would naturally not engage in favoritism or corruption. Under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Tong, a wave of reforms swept through Bailu Academy, and a credit system was implemented.

The reforms focused not only on academic performance but also on personal virtue, aiming to eliminate cheating and favoritism and purge the academic administration of corruption.

Vice Chancellor Tong and the Chancellor were brewing tea and enjoying the cool breeze in the bamboo grove. The Chancellor sipped his tea with a contented look on his face, his eyes half-closed. “One must accept the realities of aging,” he mused. “It’s these young scholars who truly have innovative ideas.”

After the Students’ Association was established, Bailu Academy adopted the credit system. Vice Chancellor Tong thought this was indeed a good idea, but with the academy’s restructuring, assessments had become fairer and more transparent—the channels for bribing the teachers were no longer viable.

Thinking of this, Vice-Chancellor Tong snorted. “Some of the sons of prominent families at the academy lack ambition and rely solely on their family background to remain here. It’s time to weed out a batch of them.”

Although Bailu Academy was a county-level institution, it ranked among the top in the entire Nanling Prefecture. Being admitted to Bailu Academy to study under eminent scholars brought prestige to the families of those admitted.

Originally, a Students’ Association had been established, but after the students deliberated, they switched to a credit system. While this had little impact on students from poor families, it was a different story for those from official and aristocratic families. Previously, they could rely on connections to remain at the academy, but now that was no longer possible. Without genuine talent and scholarship, they would likely be unable to stay at Bailu Academy.

The Chancellor opened his eyes. While Bailu Academy’s reform had offended some people, the academy had accumulated numerous deep-rooted problems over the past century; how could they possibly succeed without uprooting them completely? 

“Governing an academy is no different from governing a nation. With our current Emperor’s wisdom, supported by capable ministers and renowned generals, why should we fear that the day of national revival will not come?”

Vice-Chancellor Tong snorted as if a thought had occurred to him. “The current Emperor is far more enlightened than the late Emperor.”      

“Brother Tong, watch your words.”                                 

“Watch my words? I didn’t hold my tongue even when the old man was still around. Now that he’s gone, why the hell should I?”

The Chancellor of the Academy shook his head in exasperation. This Tong—back in the day, he’d dared to submit a memorial offering frank advice, enraging the late Emperor so much that he’d thrown the memorial to the ground right there in the imperial court. He’d even dared to call the late Emperor muddle-headed and incompetent and accuse him of favoring his maternal relatives to his face—an accusation that nearly made the late Emperor spit blood, prompting him to order Tong Guangmei’s execution by caning.

Tong Guangmei immediately removed his official cap on the spot. “It would be just as well if Your Majesty were to execute this subject. I would then earn the reputation of a loyal minister, and future generations will surely vindicate this old servant in the annals of history!”

It is said that on that day, the late emperor was so enraged that his hands trembled, and he fainted after closing his eyes. A mere eighth-rank Censor had dared to exchange insults with the emperor in public. Tong Guangmei was thrown into prison and, within a few days, banished from the capital. Being a man of strong temperament, he simply resigned from his post and returned to his hometown of Nanling Prefecture with his wife.

Later, he took up the post of Vice Chancellor at Bailu Academy, where he remained for ten years. Even after the late Emperor had passed away, the current Emperor offered him the position of Chief Censor, but he declined. Thus, Tong Guangmei continued to stay at Bailu Academy.

Vice Chancellor Tong stroked his beard. “I see that among this new batch of recommended scholars, there are indeed a few who stand out—Shen Linchuan and Luo Qingshan are both exceptional. But right now, I find Ye Jinglan to be more to my liking.”

The Vice Chancellor named several outstanding students—all of them exceptional. If they were to one day enter the highest ranks of government, they might well become capable ministers in a well-governed era.

The Chancellor nodded. “There are indeed a few fine students in this group, but I wonder how Ye Jinglan caught Director Tong’s eye?”

Tong, the Deputy Chancellor, chuckled. “Don’t let that lad’s gentle demeanor fool you—he’s stubborn to the core. He actually reminds me quite a bit of my own temperament when I was young. I’d like to take him as my adopted son someday.”

Vice Chancellor Tong had long harbored this intention. Previously, while searching for a suitable candidate, he had set his sights on Shen Linchuan and Luo Qingshan, but now he felt that Ye Jinglan was a better fit—he shared Tong’s temperament and had no parents or relatives left.

Shen Linchuan headed home after class. Since the academy’s restructuring, he’d felt as if he’d been transported back to college—earning credits and leading a life even busier than before.

It was the height of summer, and Shen Linchuan strolled leisurely back home. His Fulang’s pickle shop was doing quite well these days—so busy, in fact, that he didn’t even have time to make steamed corn buns. Shen Linchuan had urged him to simply give up the bun business for now, so he could sleep in a little longer in the mornings.

Before, every time he got out of school, he’d first help his Fulang sell steamed buns for a while. Now that his Fulang wasn’t there, Shen Linchuan walked home alone and felt the journey had grown a bit longer.

Before Shen Linchuan even reached his front door, he heard the sounds of children playing in the courtyard. His heart leapt with joy—the two little ones had come over.

As soon as Shen Linchuan stepped through the gate, he saw that the courtyard was bustling with activity. His older brother and sister-in-law had come over; Hu-zi was doting on Dahuang, hugging him as they played, while San Tuan was being held in Xiaoyu’s arms.

As soon as Hu-zi saw Shen Linchuan return, his eyes lit up. “Second Uncle, you’re back!” Shen Dasao gently scolded him, “I know, I know. Why are you making such a fuss?”

Shen Dasao smiled as she stood up, went into the kitchen, and brought out a winter melon. Zhou Ning helped bring out the cutting board. “My older brother and sister-in-law bought a winter melon and were waiting especially for you to come back.”

Shen Hu-zi ran over and gathered around the table, his eyes fixed intently on the large winter melon. Shen Dasao cut into it; as the skin split open, a sweet, refreshing fragrance wafted out. She invited everyone to help themselves: “Come on, come on—this winter melon is huge. Everyone should try some.”

Shen Hu-zi was the happiest of all—he loved winter melons the most. They were crisp and sweet. Shen Xiaoyu grabbed a big slice and scampered over to Zhou Da, saying, “Grandpa, have some.”

Zhou Da was grinning from ear to ear. “All right, all right. You can have some too, Xiaoyu.”

Shen Dasao laughed. “It really makes a difference once you start school—you’re becoming more well-mannered. Hu-zi, you’re the older brother, yet all you think about is eating.” 

Shen Hu-zi snorted. “Who says that? I know how to behave, too.”

Shen Hu-zi picked up the winter melons from the table and passed them out one by one, making everyone laugh. Shen Dage ruffled Shen Hu-zi’s hair and said, “You little rascal.”

Everyone sat in a circle in the courtyard, eating watermelon and chatting idly. It had been a while since they’d all gathered together—Shen Linchuan was off at the academy, Zhou Da was selling pork, Zhou Ning and Shen Dasao were running the pickle shop together, and Shen Dage was out working as a carpenter for others. Today was a rare occasion for them all to be together.

Shen Linchuan ate a slice of watermelon and stopped there. Of course, watermelon was a must in the heat of summer. If only there were air conditioning—eating watermelon while enjoying a cool breeze would be absolutely blissful.

Watermelon was a precious commodity in this area—a single one cost several hundred wen. Since Shen Linchuan had eaten plenty of watermelon before, he saved it for the children.

Shen Dage said with a smile, “Hu-zi’s schoolwork isn’t even as good as Xiaoyu’s. He’s not cut out for studying. Once he’s been in school for a few years, he’ll come work with me as a carpenter.”

Shen Hu-zi snorted in defiance, “Who says I’m not as good as Xiaoyu? It’s just that the teacher explains things too hard—I can’t understand them.”

Shen Dage tapped Shen Hu-zi on the head. “You can’t understand it, and you still think you’re in the right? How come your younger brother can understand it?”           

“That’s because he teaches it simply!”

“Nonsense. He’s clearly just lazy and doesn’t like studying. That teacher was way too lenient when he smacked your hand.” As Shen Dage spoke, he burst out laughing. “That kid isn’t cut out for school. He wasn’t even eager to learn carpentry when I told him to before, but now that he’s been to school, he thinks carpentry is great.”

Shen Hu-zi puffed out his chest and stuck out his lower lip. “I still think being a carpenter is easier.”

The whole group burst into laughter. Zhou Ning then started talking about the business at the pickle shop. His sister-in-law was a shrewd woman; when the weather was cool, she’d sling a basket over her shoulder and head to the roadside inns to sell pickles and preserved vegetables. Now that it was hot, refreshing pickles and preserved vegetables were especially popular.

Now that she was running her own small business, Shen Dasao was brimming with energy, and her complexion had even taken on a healthy glow. “Brother Ning-ger and I have secured contracts with several households now,” she said.

Shen Linchuan was pleased to hear this. Their family had now settled down in the county seat, and the mosquito coil business back in the countryside was doing quite well; Xu Zhifan had said this year’s orders were sure to exceed last year’s.

He had nothing else to do at the academy at the moment, though his coursework had become much more demanding. It had been nearly three months since he arrived at Bailu Academy, and with the August public examinations fast approaching, Shen Linchuan dared not slack off.

Although August was still sweltering, the atmosphere at the academy grew increasingly tense as the public examinations drew nearer; students even carried their books while walking.

Zhou Youcheng, on the other hand, wasn’t having such an easy time of it. Having previously spent his time loafing around with Sun Shiping instead of studying properly, his ranking was already low to begin with. If he didn’t do well on this exam, he’d end up among the very bottom few; if he failed again next time, he’d be expelled from Bailu Academy.

Ever since being publicly reprimanded by Vice Chancellor Tong, Sun Shiping had been in a foul mood. He didn’t dare provoke Shen Linchuan, and now that the Students’ Association had been formed, he couldn’t bully that pretentious young man Ye Jinglan anymore. So Sun Shiping often took his frustrations out on Zhou Youcheng, making his life a living hell.

Zhou Youcheng flipped through his book while tugging at his hair in frustration. Shen Linchuan, Shen Linchuan!

Those three characters felt like a massive mountain weighing down on his head. Why did Shen Linchuan always have to be a step ahead of him in everything?

That day was clearly supposed to be his moment to shine as he passed the Xiucai exam in grand style, but Shen Linchuan had taken the top spot and stolen his thunder. If only Shen Linchuan weren’t around, things would be so much better.

Zhou Youcheng angrily flung the book he was holding aside; it landed right at the feet of a group of people walking ahead. “Oh, so it’s Zhou Youcheng after all.”

Zhou Youcheng looked up to see Shen Linchuan and his group. Xu Zhifan was standing there with his arms crossed, glaring at him defiantly, while Luo Qingshan and Ye Jinglan stood beside him.

Xu Zhifan bent down to pick up the book from the ground. “Zhou Youcheng, aren’t you with Sun Shiping and the others today?”

“None of your business!”

Xu Zhifan rolled his eyes at Zhou Youcheng and tossed the book at him. “Let’s go, let’s go—he’s an eyesore.”

Shen Linchuan merely glanced at Zhou Youcheng before looking away. He was a nobody—someone who could no longer harm his family in the slightest.

Shen Linchuan and his group walked down the path. Ye Jinglan cast a piercing glance at Zhou Youcheng; the memory of those greasy hands brushing against his face still made him feel sick to his stomach.

Zhou Youcheng clenched his fists in rage. What kind of look had Shen Linchuan just given him? It was as if he were nothing more than a random passerby! What gave him the right?

The villagers constantly compared him to Shen Linchuan, yet Shen Linchuan didn’t give him the time of day!

The more Zhou Youcheng thought about it, the angrier he became. He’d heard that his eldest uncle, Zhou Da, had opened a pork shop at the county seat, and even Zhou Ning had started a pickle business. Shen Linchuan was nothing more than a son-in-law everyone had once despised—so why was everything so different now?

It shouldn’t be this way—it just shouldn’t be. Zhou Youcheng felt as though none of this was supposed to be happening right now.

Shen Linchuan and his friends found a cool bamboo grove and sat down on stone benches to study together. Among the four, Xu Zhifan was under the most pressure; his rankings weren’t very high, and if he failed the exams twice, he’d be kicked out of Bailu Academy.

It was now August; although the nights had grown a bit cooler, the midday sun was still scorching. Coming to this bamboo grove helped calm his mind a little.

Xu Zhifan opened his bookbox, first pulling out some cooling ointment to apply a couple of swipes to his temples, then holding the box up and offering it to the others. “Come on, come on, everyone should put some on—it’ll refresh your mind.”

Only Ye Jinglan applied a little. Xu Zhifan looked at Shen Linchuan and Luo Qingshan, whose faces were full of envy, and said, “If my grades were as good as yours, I wouldn’t be so stressed either.”

“Zhifan, you’re not doing badly either. Don’t worry.”                        

“How can I not worry? If I get kicked out of Bailu Academy, my dad will break my legs.”

Shen Linchuan shook his head with a smile. “You, you’re not exactly slow on the uptake. As long as you can absorb the material, that’s all that matters. I don’t believe Luo Qingshan, and I can’t keep you in here.”

Xu Zhifan grinned so widely his teeth showed. “I’m just taking advantage of being right next door.”

“Stop joking around. Get back to your books.”

“Oh!”

Xu Zhifan immediately straightened up. One word from Shen Linchuan carried more weight than ten from his father. If Shopkeeper Xu caught him like this, he’d surely exclaim, “Is this really my good-for-nothing son?”

Before they knew it, it was the seventh day of the eighth month—the day of the academy’s annual year-end public examination. Lasting three days, the test assessed not only poetry and policy essays but also horsemanship, archery, calligraphy, and painting. Some candidates who had struggled academically actually breathed a sigh of relief—previously, the exams had focused solely on policy essays, with their fate determined solely by their literary prowess.

The students who had previously thought the credit system was a bad idea now breathed a collective sigh of relief. Thank goodness—even though the imperial examinations didn’t test horsemanship and archery, Bailu Academy now counted these skills toward their final grades.

The three-day public examination passed quickly amid the tension of the tests. During those three days, Zhou Ning was even more attentive than Shen Linchuan; knowing how hard Shen Linchuan was studying, he prepared meals and other things according to his preferences.

After the results were announced, there were both joy and sorrow at Bailu Academy. The academy’s grades were divided into nine levels—A, B, and C—each further subdivided into three tiers. Falling into the lower tier of Class C was considered dangerous.

Shen Linchuan and Luo Qingshan both ranked among the top five in the academy, remaining in the upper tier of Class A. Xu Zhifan had risen to the upper tier of Class C this time, and Ye Jinglan had also advanced to the lower tier of Class B.

Looking at his ranking posted on the Wensi Board, Xu Zhifan could hardly believe his eyes—not only had he not dropped a grade, but he’d actually moved up one!

Xu Zhifan let out a loud “Ahhh!” and took off running toward Shen Linchuan. “Shen Linchuan, I’ve moved up! I’ve moved up!”

This drew the attention of many students, who turned to look. Some had risen, others had fallen; some rejoiced, others grieved. Students in the lower Class C would have to leave Bailu Academy if they dropped any further.

Shen Linchuan heard the commotion from inside his dormitory. With both him and Luo Qingshan supporting him, he didn’t believe Xu Zhifan could possibly slip back down again.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month—the Mid-Autumn Festival—the students who had remained breathed a sigh of relief. The academy hosted a Mid-Autumn Flower-Viewing Banquet, and students were allowed to bring their family members along.

Shen Linchuan had long wanted to take his Fulang for a stroll around the academy, and this flower-viewing banquet provided the perfect opportunity. During dinner, Shen Linchuan spoke up.

“Me? Go to the flower-viewing banquet with you?”