Chapter 50

But like Liu Bi, a son of a noble family, none were fools; Jia Cong was injured like this, how could it be as understated as he said himself?

But after all, it was someone else's family business, so he couldn't say much, only feeling indignant in his heart that a seed of literary brilliance like Brother Cong was born into this vulgar family of military officials.

Mere family punishment could abuse a person into such a state; if it were any heavier, wouldn't it take a person's life? It was simply unreasonable.

He waited until Jia Zheng returned from seeing Wang Dong off and said to Jia Zheng, "Official Jia, my grandfather knows that Brother Cong has no school to attend now."

Jia Zheng felt extremely embarrassed when he heard Liu Bi say this.

The so-called lack of a school to attend was because Jia She had personally notified Elder Dairu to expel Jia Cong from the clan school; it was rare for a father to set such a trap for his son.

He hadn't expected this matter to reach the ears of the Master of Literature Liu Jingan; it was truly shameful.

Jia Zheng knew that this grandson of Master Jingan before him had passed the provincial examination at twenty and was somewhat famous in the Love Shenjing; he was exactly the kind of younger scholar he liked most.

Yet now he was being reminded of such bizarre family matters, and he had truly lost all face before this junior.

"My grandfather thinks Brother Cong is a talent worth molding and fears he will delay his studies because of this, so he has recommended Brother Cong to study at the Qingshan Academy to Principal Zhao Chongli."

The Imperial Academy's division of Confucian studies into colleges was a standard set for the world and was the model for the Da Zhou imperial examination to cultivate and select scholars.

This was an extremely unfair starting line for the imperial examination for scholars from poor families who could not enter the Imperial Academy.

Even in successive imperial examinations, many regular officials in the Imperial Academy served directly as examiners and supervisors.

Students entering Qingshan Academy were not divided by their background, whether poor or noble, but only valued their own talent and aptitude, entering after assessment or recommendation.

But the threshold for the Imperial Academy for poor scholars was somewhat high, and the Imperial Academy specifically set up "Yin" students (those admitted through family status).

The Imperial Academy was established to cultivate and select scholars for the country.

But in terms of academic achievement alone, the Imperial Academy was not as good as the private Qingshan Academy.

Its academic atmosphere was flourishing, and there was none better in the world.

This was related to the different purposes of running the schools between the two.

This was a legacy set up by the imperial court to win over noble families; each generation of nobles could have one person admitted through legacy, known as an "Yin" student.

In the minds of Da Zhou scholars, Qingshan Academy even carried more weight than the government-run Imperial Academy.

And since its establishment sixty years ago, Qingshan Academy had set the grand ambition of "embracing the studies of the sages and cultivating the learning of the predecessors," rather than just sticking to the corner of the imperial examination.

So for scholars who wanted to fight for a career through the imperial examination, entering the Imperial Academy to study was a very good choice.

It was because Qingshan Academy was the most famous academy in the Love Shenjing, and perhaps the most prestigious academy in the entire Da Zhou.

Jia Zheng was shocked when he heard this: "What did you say? Master Jingan actually wants to recommend Brother Cong to study at Qingshan Academy!"

Qingshan Academy had another measure that was even harder for the Imperial Academy to compare with.

Jia Zheng was so surprised to hear about Qingshan Academy.

The Imperial Academy was the highest government-run academic institution in Da Zhou, based on the wealth of the country, with complete facilities and a well-established structure.

Since the founding of Da Zhou, almost all the great scholars and famous figures whose names were recorded in history had gathered to lecture at Qingshan Academy.

The regular instructors, libationers, directors, and assistants in the academy were all officials with ranks.

Once an "Yin" student completed the enrollment period and passed the annual examination, they could skip the child examination and enter the provincial examination directly.

Coupled with the various names derived later by the Imperial Academy, such as tribute students, official students, and example students, it further compressed the path for poor scholars to advance.

Comparing the two, Qingshan Academy showed a more broad-minded style of "teaching without discrimination" and "boundless learning," and was respected by scholars all over the world.

But Qingshan Academy was the leader of academies in the world, yet not everyone could enter.

One was having outstanding talent and aptitude, and being at the top of the assessment.

The second was being strongly recommended by a great scholar of the time.

The first path was the conventional way to enter Qingshan Academy to study.

And the second path rarely happened, because all great scholars of the time naturally had extremely high standards, and they would not look favorably upon anyone who was not a talent of exceptional brilliance.

And how many such descendants could there be in the world?

It was no wonder Jia Zheng was so shocked by Liu Jingan recommending Jia Cong to study at Qingshan Academy; this old Master of Literature actually valued Jia Cong so much.

Liu Bi smiled: "My grandfather truly looks at Brother Cong differently. When I entered Qingshan Academy to study, my grandfather didn't even recommend me."

"I let myself pass that entrance assessment. In the future, Brother Cong and I will study at the academy together, so we can be companions."

As he spoke, he took out the admission notice for Qingshan Academy, which bore the signatures of Principal Zhao Chongli of Qingshan Academy and the recommender Liu Yanxiu.

Jia Zheng looked at this admission notice for Qingshan Academy, his expression somewhat dazed.

To be exempted from the entrance assessment of Qingshan Academy and be recommended directly by a famous scholar to enter—

For a scholar who had not yet entered the school, it was an honor equivalent to plucking the laurel in the Toad Palace.

And such a fine son of the Jia clan would be raised by his own second branch in the future; Jia Zheng's joy was about to overflow, and he stroked his beard, looking at Jia Cong with satisfaction.

At this moment, Liu Bi added: "It's just that I didn't expect Brother Cong to be so severely injured."

"I will go back now and tell my grandfather, so he can inform Principal Zhao to postpone Brother Cong's enrollment time."

That Zhao Chongli was a great scholar of the world on par with Master Jingan; Jia Zheng had always prided himself on being a scholar, so how could he not know?

Hearing Liu Bi say this, his previous joy instantly fell into the abyss of shame; could it be that these sordid affairs of the Jia family were known even to Principal Zhao?

If Master Jingan and Principal Zhao both knew, wouldn't it be equivalent to the entire academic circle of the Love Shenjing knowing about these broken affairs of the Jia family?

The ancestors' faces would be lost; Jia Zheng's mood was like a violent wind crushing the earth—how... devastating.

Jia Cong looked at the admission notice with its simple and elegant binding in Liu Bi's hand; although he was pleasantly surprised, there were turbulent undercurrents in his heart, giving rise to some doubts.

He was not a young boy on the surface, but a person living a second life, having seen too much deceit, interest entanglements, selfishness, and secret fighting between people.

Although he had revealed his name through poetry and books at the Nanxi Literary Gathering, that was all; he and Liu Jingan had only met for the first time at the literary gathering.

The other party actually valued him so much and took the initiative to recommend him to study at Qingshan Academy.

Although there were reasons such as Jia Cong having no school to attend and his rare aptitude, even Jia Cong himself felt it was self-deception to say there was nothing abrupt or logical about it.

He was not as straightforward as Jia Zheng, thinking that with some literary talent, he could roam the academic forest and be held up by every famous scholar.

But he racked his brains and couldn't find the reason, so he could only keep more thoughts in the future, hoping to break through the mystery.

Fortunately, he could taste that Liu Jingan had good intentions and would not harm him; as a concubine-born son of the Jia family, he didn't have such status or qualifications.

He had a low birth in the Jia family and was subjected to insults and suppression, and even those around him could not be protected; his heart grew colder and colder, and he felt disgusted by this immoral and ghostly mansion.

This Qingshan Academy might become an opportunity for him to walk out of the Jia family.

He suppressed the doubts and thoughts in his heart; although he was injured and unable to move, he gritted his teeth and raised his body, asking Liu Bi to definitely convey his gratitude.

After his injuries healed, he would definitely visit Master Jingan to thank him.

(End of chapter)