Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 113 - 111: Start of School Controversy

Chapter 113: Chapter 111: Start of School Controversy

Every year, the entrance examination for Juxian Academy is held on the eighth day of the Chinese New Year, and the official start of the school year is on the tenth.

Before dawn, Shen Chengyao led his three sons and two daughters out into a day that was extraordinarily cold, a day when the snow was melting.

When they arrived at the academy, horse-drawn carriages were already filling up the surroundings and people were standing everywhere.

Xiao’er’s sharp eyes spotted Shen Chengguang and Shen Jingwen, with an elderly scholar standing next to them. The scholar was speaking to Shen Jingwen,

who was standing straight, his head bowed respectfully as he listened.

This was the first time Xiao’er saw the respect reflected in his actions.

"Father, Uncle and my cousin are over there!" Xiao’er tugged at Shen Chengyao’s sleeve and indicated with his eyes in their direction.

Shen Chengyao followed his gaze and indeed, there were his older brother and nephew, along with his father-in-law.

As they approached, Shen Chengguang noticed them too. After exchanging their greetings, Shen Chengguang asked, "What brings you here?"

A few days ago, Shen Chengyao’s younger brother and his wife, Mrs. Liu, invited everyone to the county to dine at a furniture shop that her elder brother had opened. Because it was freezing cold, no one went. They all thought it was just a small store that could close at any moment, so they didn’t want to join the fuss.

At that time, the younger brother also mentioned casually that he would send some children to school after the New Year, including Fang Wenri. Mrs. Shen Zhuang was furious and scolded him, telling him not to let Fang Wenri attend school. The younger brother kept quiet under his mother’s verbal attack.

He had worried then that his younger brother’s family would use his father-in-law’s influence to get a discount on the school fees. Three children attending school would cost at least thirty taels in fees a year. Stationery and other expenses would also have to be considered. The cost of food and other sundries would be another expenditure. Including everything, each child would need at least 10 taels per year, not to mention the customary gifts given to teachers during holidays, which would amount to another 10 taels per child annually. Altogether, educating three children would come to almost a hundred taels.

Supporting a scholar would take at least ten years, even for the most talented. Those who started their education at five or six and managed to pass the imperial examinations by the time they were fifteen or sixteen were rare! He didn’t believe these three had more talent than his own son. He felt Shen Chengyao was quite foolish!

"We brought several brothers here for the examination." Shen Chengyao smiled. His son could now read and write, making him so pleased that he had been smiling all morning. In fact, he’d even been smiling in his dreams the night before!

"Do you have any recommendations? The entrance examination at Juxian Academy requires a letter of recommendation. How chaotic would it be if all riff-raff and impostors came to take the exam on the eighth day? Wouldn’t the teachers at Juxian Academy be driven to desperation?" Shen Jingwen was upset, and this was the longest speech he had ever made to his cousin.

These illiterate cousins were actually coming to take the exam with him—it was like they were humiliating him on purpose!

"This entrance exam at Juxian Academy is extremely strict, not just anyone can pass. You guys didn’t have any preliminary education at an academy before this, did you?" Master Lan asked, furrowing his brows.

"Little brother, take those children home immediately to avoid humiliating all of us!" Shen Chengguang flatly drove them away.

The other students who had been watching the commotion now turned to whisper among themselves.

Only then did the smile fade from Shen Chengyao’s face. "Of course we wouldn’t dare to come without a letter of recommendation. They have been studying with Zixuan for some time. Zixuan also said that they would definitely pass the academy’s entrance exam."

In fact, Shen Zixuan had also said that these three brothers were all extraordinarily intelligent. Both Fang Wenri and Shen Jingrui had photographic memories and understood new concepts quickly. As for Jinghao, not only did he have a photographic memory, he could analyze the information and integrate it with his existing knowledge base. Even more impressively, he could use old information to understand new concepts.

"Just because they studied with a child scholar for a few days and he said they would pass, they came to take the exam at Juxian Academy? That’s downright arrogant! If you won’t leave now and end up embarrassing yourselves later, don’t blame me for not having warned you!"

Laughter erupted in the crowd when they heard this. Some said they were overconfident, others called them as fearless as the newborn calf, and still others said they were absurd, thinking they could pass the exam just by recognizing a few words...

Xiao’er remembered the behavior of each person. If his three brothers had an opportunity to interact with others in the future, he could remind them about whom to cultivate friendships with.

The gates of the academy opened, and two elderly men stepped out.

Immediately, the noisy crowd fell silent.

"Those here for the enlightenment class entrance exam, come over here to hand over your forms and pick up your number plates, then head to the room on the right for the exam." The elder on the right side of the academy’s entrance said.

The younger children quickly lined up in front of this old man. The three brothers hurriedly joined the queue.

"Those for the intermediate class, please come here for your number plates and to hand in your forms, then go to the room on the left for the exam. The exam will last for two hours, and results will be ready four hours later."

Once Shen Chengyao saw the three brothers go in, he took his daughters by the hand, planning to wait for them at the furniture shop and then go home together.

Although the words of his eldest brother were somewhat unpleasant, he still had a foothold in the county. Indeed, if he met his eldest brother, wouldn’t he have to invite him over?

"Master Lan, eldest brother, are you going back to town now, or are you waiting for Wen’er to finish and go home together? If you’re waiting for Wen’er, you can make yourself at home in the backyard of my shop first."

Shen Chengguang thought for a moment and nodded. Originally, he planned to rent a room at the inn to wait for his son, but he was also curious about the shop co-owned by his third brother and his nephew.

When they reached the furniture shop, Shen Chengguang wasn’t certain that this was Shen Chengyao’s shop until he stepped inside. He had thought his third brother was just looking around someone else’s shop.

Only when Liu Minhong came out to greet them did the reality dawn on him!

The shop owned by his third brother was much larger than he had imagined, even bigger than his own grocery store. The furniture sold in his brother’s shop was much more expensive than what he had anticipated. He had thought they sold pine and cedar furniture for a few taels or even several hundred coins, rather than the rosewood, rosewood, teak and other preciouswood furniture. Not to mention the genuine leather sofa set that his third brother sold.

The whole shop looked high-class, grand, luxurious and yet elegant!

His third brother is rolling in money!

As they headed towards the tearoom in the backyard, Shen Chengguang overheard a customer asking for a price. He turned and saw the man point at a large leather bed.

"This bed is made of pure cowhide; the rarity of the material makes it quite expensive. This bed alone costs 1,000 taels." The voice of Liu Minhong reached Shen Chengguang’s ears, making him think he was hallucinating!

Xiao’er and Yun’er did not go into the tearoom because it would have been inappropriate for them as young men. The two sisters immediately rushed to the backyard to look for Liu Jingshu.

Seeing Shen Chengguang’s expression, Xiao’er chuckled to herself. She knew her father was going to be flabbergasted!

She was proven right.

As soon as Shen Chengyao entered the tearoom, Shen Chengguang grabbed his arm in outrage. "You’re pretty crafty, third brother! After splitting from the family, you don’t care about your brother at all! You even kept a secret from the family about opening this shop!"

Shen Chengyao appeared innocent, "Didn’t I tell you all that I opened a furniture shop in the county with our elder brother? On the opening day, I even invited you all for dinner."

That day, he booked two tables at the Taste of Xuan in the county, inviting guests who came to the festivities. If they chose not to come and then blamed him for not saying anything, it wasn’t his fault.

Shen Chengyao felt that his eldest brother was starting to become as unreasonable as their mother!