Chapter 72

"Your usual self? What's that like?"

Seeing that the speaker was Chen Changsheng, Tang Sanshi's expression immediately came alive, rolling his eyes as he asked.

"Just like before, you would curse directly."

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "After cursing until you're tired, you would fall asleep."

Tang Sanshi looked at the seats where the faculty and students of Tian Dao Academy were seated. After a moment of silence, his voice lowered slightly as he said, "After all, some people have been good to me."

During the Tian Dao Academy entrance examination, Chen Changsheng had glimpsed some scenes and knew that Deputy Dean Zhuang had been very considerate towards him. Now, seeing that his gaze indeed fell on Deputy Dean Zhuang, he thought there must be a hidden story, and it was probably because of this person that Tang Sanshi was acting so differently from his usual self.

"But, one should indeed be oneself first." Tang Sanshi looked at the seats of Tian Dao Academy, thinking about the hidden frost and snow of the past few months of college life, the targeting by his classmates, and his own experiences the two nights before the Qingteng Banquet. The corners of his lips curled up, revealing a smile with an indescribable meaning.

If it were usual, Chen Changsheng would not offer any advice on his choices, even to his only friend, due to his personality. But tonight, encountering such an event, and seeing Tang Sanshi fall into a despicable trap like in Tian Dao Academy, and barely escaping the black dragon, many things had quietly changed.

He looked at Tang Sanshi, saying nothing, but his calm and determined gaze represented support.

"Are you actually asking me to apologize to those southerners?"

Tang Sanshi looked at Zhuang Huan Yu and said, "This is too boring, and you're acting too boring."

Surprised murmurs echoed in the hall.

Zhuang Huan Yu was the tenth on the Qingyun List, a leader among the young elites of the Qingteng Colleges, as famous as the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom in the south. Although his earlier behavior was somewhat out of line, making people unhappy and even despising him, he was still Tian Dao Academy's figurehead. For Tang Sanshi, a Tian Dao Academy student, to directly point out his faults was somewhat disrespectful.

"Because it's boring, it's not fun. If it's not fun, why should I continue to play here? Don't try to bind me with the bond of Tian Dao Academy classmates, or control me with the identity of a teacher, or make me shut up for the sake of the senior students' dignity, because I... have decided to drop out."

Tang Sanshi looked at his former classmates and teachers, his expression calm as he said, "I have decided to leave Tian Dao Academy."

Even though the people in the hall had already experienced many shocks tonight, they were still in an uproar upon hearing these words!

Tian Dao Academy was the top college on the continent, having cultivated countless world-class strong individuals. The current Pope was a graduate of this academy, and many top students in the imperial examinations also came from here. Although in recent years, Tian Dao Academy's young students had been overshadowed by the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom in the south, and a world-class genius like Xu Yourong had emerged within the Zhou Dynasty, Tian Dao Academy was still Tian Dao Academy. No one dared to question the status of this college, and everyone was proud to be admitted to Tian Dao Academy. Many people struggled to enter its gates, and tonight, someone actually requested to leave Tian Dao Academy voluntarily!

The uproar in the hall continued, and the faces of the faculty and students of Tian Dao Academy turned extremely grim, with Deputy Dean Zhuang's face turning slightly pale.

Surprisingly, the head of Tian Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu, showed no reaction. The old man's expression seemed somewhat relieved, as if everything was within his expectations.

"I know many people will ask me why."

Tang Sanshi looked at everyone with a blank expression and said, "Tian Dao Academy has the best teachers and the best students. I must admit that I have received a lot of care. Even if I have suffered some委屈, compared to these, it seems insufficient to make me decide to drop out. But as I said just now, the current Tian Dao Academy is really boring."

"Boring means not fun, and if it's not fun, why should I continue to play here?"

This was a sentence he had said earlier, and many people remembered it.

"Just because I said I wanted to cripple Tian Hai Ya'er, the teachers and some senior students in the academy would forbid me from attending the Qingteng Banquet! Just because I wanted to challenge Zhuang Huan Yu, someone used a restriction to confine me in the library for a night! Don't tell me it's for the greater good. In the past, Tian Dao Academy didn't need to care about anyone else's greater good. What about now? They are even afraid of the Tian Hai family! What's going on? This is not the Tian Dao Academy I read about in books. Such a Tian Dao Academy is too boring, too uninteresting!"

Tang Sanshi looked at the faculty and students of Tian Dao Academy, speaking lightly but with a very serious expression, as these were his heartfelt words before leaving.

Hearing these words, the hall became even more chaotic, because the young man from Wen Shui mentioned the Tian Hai family.

There was a lot of content in these words, but people only heard the Tian Hai family.

They are even afraid of the Tian Hai family!

He actually used the word "居然" (actually).

He actually thought the Tian Hai family should not be feared!

Prince Chenliu lowered his head slightly. Two wine cups had appeared on the table in front of him, the wine inside reflecting the light of the night pearls, looking very beautiful. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Mo Yu looked at Tang Sanshi with a cold expression, her right hand gently holding a teacup, the tea inside not even rippling.

Tian Hai is the surname of the Empress, and the Tian Hai family is the Empress's maternal family. After the brutal political struggle over a decade ago, the Tian Hai family has replaced the Chen family, becoming one of the most prestigious surnames on the continent, comparable to the Bai family in the west. If we talk about power, it is undoubtedly the first in the world.

In the current Zhou Dynasty, even the Pope's residence, the Lijing Palace, treats the Tian Hai family with gentleness. Even though many people privately hate the Tian Hai family to death, no one dares to say such things in public. Who could be like Tang Sanshi, openly criticizing them in front of everyone?

People looked at Tang Sanshi with complex expressions.

There was admiration, there was pity, of course, and more people looked at him as if he were a fool—had this young man become addicted to slapping faces tonight? Even the Tian Hai family was not spared?

Tang Sanshi seemed to be completely unaware of these gazes and did not think about the hidden dangers in his words. He looked at Zhuang Huan Yu with a cold expression and said, "I know you had a hard childhood, but that's not a reason for you to blame others. Don't always think that everyone in the world owes you. You put on a calm and composed appearance in front of others, but inside, you are always self-pitying. Even though you have already made it into the top ten on the Qingyun List, you still feel that fate is unfair and that you could be as strong as Qiushan Jun. Who are you complaining to? I can't stand, and I despise, such people. The current Tian Dao Academy has too many students like you, which is why it has become more and more like a theater, singing soft and weak songs all day, of course, it's boring!"

The hall gradually quieted down, and people looked at the seats of Tian Dao Academy, at Zhuang Huan Yu.

Zhuang Huan Yu was silent for a long time, his expression gradually calming. He looked at Tang Sanshi and said, "I did indeed lose my composure earlier. No matter what you do wrong, no matter whether you care about the continuation of Tian Dao Academy, it's not my place to criticize you. And although your words are harsh, they do have some truth... But have you ever thought about why, after you entered Tian Dao Academy, the teachers and we all dislike you? Why do you feel that we secretly exclude you? Pride? No, Tian Dao Academy students should naturally be proud. You are a descendant of the Tang family of Wen Shui, born with a silver spoon in your mouth, and have the care of important figures after entering the academy. You don't need to attend classes or follow the rules of the academy, yet you get everything you should get. What about the other classmates? They have to work hard to achieve something, so naturally, they look down on someone like you who only takes shortcuts."

Most of the students sitting on the scattered seats in the hall were from ordinary families, and most of the dozens of young students in the southern delegation were from poor backgrounds. The three young men of the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom listened to Zhuang Huan Yu's words with a slightly calmer expression, and it was well-known that Gou Hanshi, who came from a poor background, was also lost in thought.

Deputy Dean Zhuang's face was very grim because he knew that the important figure who had taken care of Tang Sanshi was himself.

"What you say might also have some truth. Tian Dao Academy has its own rules and traditions that have been passed down for a thousand years. Perhaps the teachers and you all believe that only those who have endured hardships can truly succeed, but... my family is just rich, what can I do? Should I pretend to be poor, or should my grandfather give away all our wealth? That would make the Empress very happy."

Tang Sanshi shook his head and said, "You have your reasons, I have my habits, and Tian Dao Academy has its rules. Tonight, we won't talk about right or wrong. Since we are not suitable for each other, this matter will never become interesting, so I am leaving Tian Dao Academy."

"Shut up!" Deputy Dean Zhuang said with a grim face.

He had received favors from the Tang family of Wen Shui in his youth and had many old ties with them. Since he had promised to take care of Tang Sanshi's life in the capital, he would not stand by and watch him act recklessly: "Have you had enough of your mischief? Your father entrusted you to me, do you really think I won't discipline you?"

Tang Sanshi looked at him for a moment, scratched his head, and said, "Uncle Zhuang, you always say that my father entrusted me to you... Actually, on the way to the capital, I had already opened the letter and read it. I know that the person who entrusted me to you was my mother, so don't use that to pressure me anymore."

Deputy Dean Zhuang's fingers trembled with anger as he said, "You, how could you open the letter... open the letter!"

For some reason, Zhuang Huan Yu's face turned slightly pale upon hearing this.

"In short, I will leave Tian Dao Academy tonight."

Deputy Dean Zhuang said bitterly, "Why are you so disobedient? The preparatory course is over, if you drop out, what about next year's imperial examination?"

Tang Sanshi was slightly stunned, realizing that this was indeed a problem.

"This is not a problem."

Chen Changsheng smiled and said, "Come to me."

Tang Sanshi raised an eyebrow and said, "Come to you?"

Chen Changsheng said, "Students of the National Teaching Academy also have the right to directly participate in the imperial examination."

He would not get this rule wrong. After entering the capital, he had tried every means to enter the Qingteng Six Colleges to avoid the preparatory examination and directly participate in the imperial examination at the beginning of the next year. He did not expect that fate would ultimately make him the first new student of the National Teaching Academy in many years.

Tang Sanshi's eyebrows raised even higher, as if he had discovered something very interesting and fun.

"How many people are there in your place now?"

"Three."

Chen Changsheng pointed to himself and Luo Luo and said, "Another one stayed at the National Teaching Academy tonight, someone you have met."

Tang Sanshi was silent for a moment, then laughed and said, "Count me in."

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, "Then we will have four people."

...

...

(Chen Changsheng's stamp collecting activity continues. The National Teaching Academy now has four people. There is only one chapter today.)

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