Chapter 37: Dim-Sighted

"Cough, cough, Zijun, don't misunderstand."

Shangguan Chao hurriedly stepped forward to explain.

"We don't want to go back on our word; we just want to see your true ability. As long as you pass the assessment, we will immediately stamp your papers and will never go back on our word."

"And if I don't pass?"

Luo Zijun raised the Admission Notice in his hand: "Is this thing going to be taken back?"

The room fell silent.

Han Sanzhi spoke in a deep voice: "If you do not pass the assessment, this Admission Notice will indeed have to be taken back. But I can compensate you and introduce you to other Academies. You can come to take the exam again next year, or the year after, and I can add a few points for you then."

Luo Zijun glanced at him, said nothing more, paused, walked straight over, and placed the Admission Notice in his hand onto the table.

Then he said with an indifferent expression: "Actually, it doesn't matter which Academy I go to; it doesn't have to be this West Lake Academy."

After finishing, he prepared to leave.

Isn't this just playing him for a fool?

An assessment?

An assessment after already being admitted?

The item was given out, and now it's being taken back?

What about integrity?

Forget it, there is the Academy Examination next month anyway.

When the time comes, he will just pass it fair and square.

Besides, he already knows Xu Xian now, and he knows where the other person lives.

No rush.

Yuan Mang hurriedly blocked his path and urged: "Zijun, just try taking the exam; perhaps you will pass?"

The others also hurriedly tried to persuade him.

Han Sanzhi frowned and did not speak.

Luo Zijun said: "Teacher Yuan, there are only two spots for exceptional admission each year. It is very obvious that this Han Lao already has other candidates in mind. Even if I perform well on the exam, it is useless."

Once these words were spoken, everyone was stunned.

Han Sanzhi's face instantly flushed red: "You brat, spouting slander! I... I..."

Saying this, he paused, then angrily said: "I did have other candidates in mind before, but I would never deliberately deprive you of your enrollment qualification because of that! As long as you pass the assessment, I will naturally let you enroll! Moreover, you are taking the exam on the spot, and these teachers are grading it together; even if I wanted to target you alone, it would be absolutely impossible!"

At this point, the old gentleman was so angry he clutched his chest, gasping for air as he said: "You brat actually suspect me of favoritism and malpractice, deliberately bullying you! You... you are going to be the death of me!"

Yuan Mang hurriedly said: "Han Lao, please calm down, Zijun didn't mean that."

Shangguan Chao also hurriedly said: "Zijun, Han Lao is absolutely not the kind of person you say he is; we can all vouch for him."

Han Sanzhi was trembling with rage, his eyelids twitching.

Several people hurriedly went over to persuade him.

Shangguan Chao immediately went to fetch the Examination Paper and handed it to Luo Zijun: "Zijun, give it a try. Han Lao is selfless and holds a high position of respect in our Academy; he is definitely not targeting you on purpose. We can all guarantee that."

Yuan Mang also hurriedly urged: "Zijun, write it. I believe you can pass the assessment. When Su Bie came this morning, he even asked about you. You are friends; wouldn't it be better to study at the same Academy?"

Han Sanzhi suddenly gasped for air, slapped the table, and shouted angrily: "If you pass, I... I will kneel down and apologize to you! Even if you don't pass, I will still apologize to you! Write! If you don't write today, I won't let this go!"

"Han Lao, don't be angry, don't be angry, don't ruin your health."

"Zijun just arrived and doesn't understand your character; don't hold it against him."

"Zijun, hurry and write; we can give you an extra hour."

The others offered their advice one after another.

Han Sanzhi suddenly said with red eyes: "I have lived for the better part of my life, and this is the first time I've been accused of favoritism and bullying a student! I... I..."

The old gentleman was actually choked with anger, almost to the point of tears.

Everyone was startled and hurriedly gathered around to console him.

Luo Zijun was somewhat speechless.

Is he this fragile?

It was just a single sentence; can he really be angered to tears by that?

"This junior will write it then."

He was afraid that this old gentleman might suddenly drop dead from anger in a moment, which would be a grave sin, so he had no choice but to take the Examination Paper, walk to the table, and sit down.

Might as well take the exam; it won't take much time anyway.

"Grind the ink for him!"

Han Sanzhi said, his beard trembling.

Yuan Mang hurriedly went over himself, picked up the ink stick, and began to grind the ink.

Luo Zijun lowered his head to read the Examination Paper first.

The first question: reading comprehension and analysis.

The second question: connecting the preceding text, write the following text.

The third question: multiple-choice.

The fourth question: write a poem about "Spring".

The final question: write an essay using the technique of Borrowing Objects to Express Ambition to describe a person through an object; free composition, no specific topic.

"The Examination Paper was set by me and them together. For the fourth question and the final question, you may choose to do only one. I will give you two hours; passing is sufficient."

Han Sanzhi's eyes were red, and his chest was still heaving violently.

Luo Zijun read the exam questions once more.

After a moment of thought, he picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write.

The room immediately fell silent.

Everyone held their breath, fearing they might disturb him.

"Let's go, we shall head out first. Teacher Yuan, you stay behind to invigilate."

Han Sanzhi said in a low voice and walked out first. The others followed silently behind.

Yuan Mang remained, standing by the window waiting, his heart inevitably feeling a bit uneasy.

If this youth failed the examination, it would be troublesome.

It was because of his recommendation that this youth was able to obtain the Admission Notice and come to the Academy; if the youth failed and the Admission Notice was taken back, he, as a teacher, would have no face left to remain in the Academy.

Sigh...

While lost in these wild thoughts, about a quarter of an hour passed.

He looked up at the ink in the Inkstone, and just as he was about to go over to continue grinding ink, the youth suddenly put down his brush, stood up, and said, "Teacher Yuan, this student has finished writing."

"Ah? Finished?"

Yuan Mang was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly walked over, saying, "So fast? Was it too difficult, and you left some questions undone?"

At this moment, Han Sanzhi, who was standing outside the door, heard the voice and immediately shouted from the doorway, "Young man, do not lose your temper, finish it properly!"

Yuan Mang picked up the Examination Paper, scanned it quickly, and said in surprise, "It really is finished..."

!

"Creak..."

The door was pushed open.

Han Sanzhi immediately walked in, his face sinking as he said, "How could it be so fast? Is it because you have resentment in your heart and just scribbled randomly?"

Shangguan Chao and the others also hurriedly followed inside.

Yuan Mang looked down at the Examination Paper in his hands without answering.

Han Sanzhi walked over quickly, snatched it away, and said somewhat angrily, "Let this old man see what exactly you have written! If you brat dared to scribble randomly, this old man... hmm?"

The first question was entirely correct!

The second question...

Entirely correct!

The third question...

Also entirely correct!

Han Sanzhi's expression changed, and he hurriedly looked at the fourth question.

The fourth question was to write a poem with the theme of "Spring," with no restrictions on style.

He saw it written above:

"The green willow is dressed in jade, ten thousand branches hang down like green silk ribbons. I know not who cut these fine leaves, the February spring breeze is like a pair of scissors."

Han Sanzhi's heart jolted.

Stunned for a moment, he immediately continued to look down.

The fifth question, write an essay on Borrowing Objects to Express Ambition, using an object to describe a person.

Free expression, no specific topic.

He saw written below:

"Ode to the Lotus..."

When he finished reading the last character, Han Sanzhi was suddenly full of excitement, his hands trembling incessantly.

"Han Lao, don't be angry! Don't be angry!"

"Perhaps Zijun was too nervous, so he didn't know how to answer the questions..."

Seeing this, the others all thought the youth had scribbled randomly and angered this old gentleman, so they hurriedly tried to persuade him.

"No... you all look first..."

At this time, Yuan Mang, who had just seen the first question, hurriedly said.

He seemed to have guessed something.

Han Lao might not be angry, but rather... excited.

"What is it?"

Shangguan Chao was full of confusion and hurriedly took the Examination Paper, lowering his head to read it.

The others also crowded around.

A moment later...

"This..."

"The green willow is dressed in jade, ten thousand branches hang down like green silk ribbons..."

"Wonderful! Truly wonderful!"

"The entire poem is simple and unadorned, without flowery language, yet upon reading it, one immediately feels a breath of spring rushing toward them. It is too wonderful!"

"The February spring breeze is like a pair of scissors... What a metaphor! What a great metaphor!"

"Novel and apt, it makes one feel refreshed! Just by observing these lines, one feels as if bathed in the spring breeze, and their mood becomes joyful... A good poem! A truly good poem!"

Everyone was incredibly excited, clicking their tongues in wonder and offering endless praise.

When they saw the final question, they all suddenly fell silent again.

"This... this essay..."

After a long while, someone spoke in a trembling voice.

"I alone love the lotus, for it rises from the mud yet remains unstained, it bathes in clear ripples yet remains uncoquettish... hollow inside and straight outside, not spreading, not branching, its fragrance travels far and becomes even clearer, standing tall and purely planted..."

Shangguan Chao muttered as he read it out.

The others also held their breath, reading it over word by word, savoring it carefully, as if they had lost their wits...

"Sigh..."

At this moment, Han Sanzhi suddenly let out a long sigh, his face full of self-mockery.

"This old man is truly old after all... my old eyes are dim, my old eyes are dim..."

(End of this chapter)