Chapter 58

When Ma and He took away Lin Yanzhao's test paper, a group of people immediately gathered around.

"Music knows no ancient or modern, only the people who share it can truly appreciate it! This opening sentence, Brother Yu, with your talent, can you see where the problem lies?" The student surnamed Ma did not dare to speak rashly and passed it to Yu Ziyu.

Yu Ziyu, who was relatively steady, said, "Let me think about it for a moment."

Beside him, Huang Biyou urgently said, "I have it, I have it. This statement is too vague, it cannot be considered a good sentence."

"Huang Brother, are you sure?"

Huang Biyou immediately said, "Of course, I see flaws everywhere in this essay." As he spoke, Huang Biyou took a pen from the desk and pointed at the paper, "Look, here, here, all are poorly written."

Huang Biyou spoke in a tone like a teacher, as if he were educating a disciple. If it weren't for the need to copy the paper, he would have already made corrections, but even so, it did not fully vent his anger.

"Huang Brother, are you sure you can write such an essay?" One person spoke up, and everyone turned to see it was Ye Xianggao.

For the top student of the outer dormitory, everyone still maintained sufficient respect.

After two exams, everyone's jealousy of Ye Xianggao's talent had turned into great admiration.

"Please, Brother Ye, give us some guidance."

Ye Xianggao said, "This initial section is very well written. A country does not expect to be large or small, but to enjoy music, and it does not deceive the present or the past, but expects to share the same name. This is not to belittle anyone, I am speaking the truth."

"Moreover, this essay has the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, with few empty words of the eight-part essay, it is indeed a fine piece."

After Ye Xianggao said this, no one had anything to say.

"This is completely different from Lin Yanzhao's test paper half a month ago. Could he have made such rapid progress in just half a month?"

"Yes, it's really hard to believe. There must be something fishy."

"There's no need to guess. This person was deliberately playing us, what a sly fox, we were all deceived."

As everyone was discussing, they heard two light coughs.

"Can you all return the test paper to me first? It's all wrinkled, and I won't be able to explain it when I take it to the hall master for copying." Lin Yanzhao spoke up.

Ma and He, who had taken the test paper from Lin Yanzhao, turned red in the face. He returned the test paper to Lin Yanzhao and bowed, his face red, "Brother Yanzhao, I was rash."

This person's immediate admission of his mistake and acknowledgment of his fault were commendable. Lin Yanzhao also bowed, "Brother He, you're too polite. We are classmates, and we should help each other in our studies."

Lin Yanzhao's words were very gentle, and he did not rush to counter the previous doubts of his classmates, showing a gentlemanly demeanor. Many people nodded in approval.

In contrast, the student surnamed He felt even more ashamed.

The student surnamed Ma still said with a forced smile, "Brother Yanzhao, you're not being fair. Last time, in the monthly exam, did you answer randomly to play a trick on us?"

Lin Yanzhao said, "Brother Ma, you misunderstand me. How could I be such a person?"

"Then why did you do so poorly in the monthly exam? With your current level, you shouldn't have done so badly even if you wrote casually."

"Brother Ma, you're right. Brother Yanzhao, you must give us an explanation, or you're looking down on us!"

"Right!" Several others chimed in.

"Since you all want to know the secret, I'll tell you."

The lecture hall suddenly became quiet, and everyone perked up their ears.

Lin Yanzhao smiled lightly, "Actually, it's not that difficult. Because I guessed the questions, and I guessed them right!"

The lecture hall was silent.

"You guessed them right?"

"You mean, you guessed all three questions from 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions'?"

"Yes." Lin Yanzhao nodded.

"Impossible, how could you be so lucky to guess one question, let alone all three?"

Lin Yanzhao smiled, "Who among you has 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions'? We can check and see."

Someone immediately ran to borrow 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions' from Lin Liao. It was a thick set of twenty-six volumes, and it took two people to carry it. The student surnamed Ma said, "There are at least ten thousand questions here. To guess three of them by chance is like finding a needle in a haystack. Brother Yanzhao, you're not guessing the questions, you're fooling us!"

Lin Yanzhao smiled but did not respond.

Many classmates started searching through the books, but with so many pages, how could a few people find them? So, all the classmates mobilized, each holding a book, comparing the questions and flipping through the pages.

"Not this one."

"This one isn't it either."

"I found it, I found it! 'Zhuang Bao met Mencius,' from the 'Liang Huiwang' chapter, the opening sentence is 'Music knows no ancient or modern, only the people who share it can truly appreciate it.' It's exactly the same!"

After finding the question, everyone gathered around.

"This is the top paper of Mr. Jingye, written in the palace examination of the third year of Zhengde. I have some memory of it."

Mr. Jingye, named Lu Shen, was a master of Neo-Confucianism, known for his teaching. Many students in the academy had read his works.

"Yes, the承接题 (承接题, the part that follows the opening) and the起讲 (起讲, the introduction) are also the same."

One person holding the test paper glared at Huang Biyou, "Just now, you said Mr. Jingye's top paper was full of flaws and poorly written."

Huang Biyou's face turned white, and he wished he could find a hole to hide in. The classmates who had wanted to criticize Lin Yanzhao's test paper also felt embarrassed. If it weren't for Huang Biyou stepping in, they would have also faced the same fate.

"Even your appreciation skills are not up to par to discuss the eight-part essay?" Another person mocked.

Huang Biyou did not dare to speak anymore.

Everyone's attention returned to the test paper, "Oh, not quite. There are a few errors, but the main idea is correct."

"It seems Brother Yanzhao didn't memorize it all. Although a few branches are missing, the main trunk is still correct."

Another person called out, "I found it too. 'This is not given to others,' the opening sentence is copied verbatim."

Thus, the 'truth' came to light. All three questions were found in 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions.'

"Brother Yanzhao, have you memorized the entire 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions'?"

"No, I memorized it selectively," Lin Yanzhao said, "Didn't Brother Ma just say that if I really guessed the questions, I wouldn't be fooling people?"

The student surnamed Ma, who had been trying to sneak out while everyone was distracted, was standing by the door. But Lin Yanzhao suddenly pointed at him, whether intentionally or not.

"Brother Ma, you really shouldn't have done that."

The student surnamed Ma laughed awkwardly, "I have a stomachache, I need to go to the toilet. Everyone, continue."

Several classmates who were close to the student surnamed Ma covered their faces. A scholar who had lost his dignity was not only defeated but also couldn't bear the loss.

Yu Ziyu stepped forward, "Brother Lin, you can guess the questions like this? Is there some secret technique you can teach us?"

Beside him, Chen Xinggui also stepped forward, "Yes, yes, Brother Lin, don't be stingy."

Lin Yanzhao smiled, "It's just good luck. I'm speaking the truth, there's no secret technique. I only memorized the opening sentences, and I didn't fully memorize the rest. If it happens again, I won't be so lucky."

"That's true."

"Brother Yanzhao, you can't possibly memorize the entire book with dozens of volumes."

Someone sneered, "To come in second like this, you must have had incredible luck."

"Yes, the imperial examinations and provincial examinations prohibit cheating, but they don't say you can't memorize the books. During the Jiajing era, someone in the provincial examination copied all three sections from a published book, from the opening to the conclusion, without changing a single word. The chief examiner, who was a graduate of the Hanlin Academy, didn't even notice, and the person was still selected as a scholar."

"So what's the point of us studying for ten years? We might as well just memorize everything."

"But it's not the Jiajing era anymore."

The classmates finally found an acceptable answer and dispersed, but the discussions continued.

After everyone left, Lin Yanzhao walked to the wall where the hall master had re-posted everyone's test papers. No one was around to appreciate them, but Lin Yanzhao stood by the wall, studying the test papers of Ye Xianggao and Yu Ziyu, carefully examining the comments of the county school instructor, word by word.

The study was now empty, with only Lin Yanzhao still diligently studying.

Outside the study, in the pavilion, Yu Ziyu, Chen Xinggui, and a few other students from the outer dormitory gathered. Everyone's expressions were unfriendly.

One of the students sneered, "Did Lin Yanzhao step on dog poop all night? Otherwise, his luck is too damn good."

Chen Xinggui glanced at him, "Do you really believe that? Even if he stepped on all the dog poop in the city, he couldn't have guessed these three questions so accurately."

Yu Ziyu said, "Brother Chen, the facts are as they are, and we can't deny them unless he memorized the entire 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions.'"

Yu Ziyu's words made the other students say in unison, "Compared to that, I'd rather believe he stepped on all the dog poop in the province last night."

"I told you this kid has some tricks up his sleeve!" Chen Xinggui tapped the table with his finger.

One of the students said, "Right, even a prodigy can't memorize the entire 'The Four Books: Major and Minor Questions' in half a month."

Yu Ziyu pondered, "In that case, there's only one explanation that makes sense!"

The students looked at each other and nodded in unison, "Right, he cheated."

The page with ads begins

The page with ads ends