The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

After dinner, Zong Jincheng embarked on his writing journey.

It all started when Pan Hongzhi accidentally let something slip. Then, Zong Jincheng went to Zong Wenxiu to borrow money to redeem a jade pendant. After writing a letter to his grandmother and not receiving a reply, he reflected for a while and finally remembered that his birthday was approaching. If his grandparents were to return, it would surely be because of this occasion.

So, he had Shunzi fetch a piece of chili from the kitchen, dabbed a bit under his eyelids, and began his quest for the truth.

Pan Hongzhi, taking deep breaths and pinching the pressure point between his nose and upper lip, forced himself to see things from Zong Jincheng's perspective.

It had to be said, once he put himself in the boy's shoes, he realized just how clever Zong Jincheng was. In his pursuit of the truth, he quickly devised a way to break through the situation and achieved significant progress, skillfully manipulating an adult in the process.

Impressive, truly impressive.

Pan Hongzhi, who had been skillfully manipulated, gritted his teeth and said, "After applying the chili, you could write a couple of sentences about your physical and emotional sensations. It would better highlight your determination."

"That makes sense," Zong Jincheng replied, making some edits and adding a couple of lines.

Shunzi snickered beside him.

He thought to himself that this way, Pan Hongzhi might feel a bit better, as Zong Jincheng had at least invested some effort.

Pan Hongzhi tried to remain calm as he guided Zong Jincheng in his writing. When he saw the last sentence where the young troublemaker described his excitement and happiness, and how he had studied more than usual, he finally thought, "Alright, this is somewhat helpful."

In the main study, Xu Wan was discussing Zong Wenxiu's academic progress with Cheng Zhidong.

Cheng Zhidong said, "Given Wenxiu's current pace, he could even get into the Child Prodigy Class at Hanlin North Academy. That's what Pan Hongzhi said."

"The Child Prodigy Class?" Xu Wan asked.

"Of course," Cheng Zhidong replied with a smile. "The test in three days is a sure thing for Wenxiu. You can rest assured, Madam."

"What about Luo Chen? Can he get in too?" Xu Wan asked again.

The two boys had made a pact that whoever performed better would win. If both of them got in, it would be hard to say who would come out on top.

Cheng Zhidong shook his head. "I'm not sure about that. We haven't seen Luo Chen's papers, so we can't assess his level. As for Qin Shi, I heard Luo Chen barely surpassed him. Their abilities should be similar. If we could get a look at Qin Shi's papers, we might be able to make a rough estimate."

Speaking of Qin Ye's older brother, Pan Hongzhi had heard many rumors about Qin Shi at Hanlin North Academy. Qin Shi was known for his gentle nature and dislike for arguments. Those who knew him either sought trouble with him or stayed away to avoid getting involved. The only ones who had ever helped him were Zong Jincheng and Zong Wenxiu.

Young people tend to remember kindness. Pan Hongzhi thought that if they approached Qin Shi in Zong Wenxiu's name to ask for a copy of his exam papers, he would likely agree.

Xu Wan pondered for a moment and said, "Let's ask Wenxiu tomorrow if he's willing. If he agrees, we can ask Pan Hongzhi to make the trip. After all, he used to be at Hanlin North Academy, so it should be easier for him to negotiate."

"Agreed."

Zong Wenxiu agreed. He also wanted to know how much of a gap still existed between him and Qin Shi. Qin Shi, for his part, was very generous, allowing Pan Hongzhi to take his last three monthly exam papers without any hesitation.

When the Zong brothers saw Qin Shi's papers, they eagerly gathered around to take a look. But upon seeing the nearly indistinguishable handwriting on the exam questions, they were both stunned.

Zong Wenxiu said, "This... how is this handwriting identical to Qin Ye's?"

Zong Jincheng was equally puzzled. "Could this be Qin Ye's paper by mistake?"

Finally, Pan Hongzhi, the former teacher at Hanlin North Academy, explained, "No, this is indeed Qin Shi's paper. Look, his name is written here. As for the similar handwriting, it's because the first lesson at Hanlin North Academy is to learn how to write."

"Learning to write here doesn't mean the literal act of writing. It means writing in a uniform, square structure, with consistent spacing and size, no connected strokes, no overlapping, and no straying outside the lines. The goal is to make it easier for the teachers to read during grading."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Pan Hongzhi's explanation left the two boys enlightened.

Truly, the number one academy in the capital had its standards.

"Does Luo Chen write like this too?" Zong Jincheng asked.

Pan Hongzhi smiled. "Of course. As I said, it's a foundational lesson. Everyone who enters Hanlin North Academy must write like this, including me."

Zong Jincheng pursed his lips and after a long pause, added, "You guys are so boring..."

Pan Hongzhi smiled, trying to subtly hint at something. "If it helps with the exams, practicing this kind of writing is quite necessary."

Zong Jincheng pretended not to understand and continued, "So, is Qin Shi better than my brother?"

He didn't even bother comparing himself to Qin Shi. Given Hanlin North Academy's track record of outperforming Qingbo Academy, he figured he was still far behind Qin Shi.

Cheng Zhidong looked at the papers and said, "There are a few blank spots here where Qin Shi either didn't answer or got it wrong. But Wenxiu has a solid grasp of these points."

In other words, Zong Wenxiu had surpassed Qin Shi.

"Really? Is my brother really that good now?" Zong Jincheng exclaimed, jumping with excitement.

Zong Wenxiu stood there in shock, unable to believe it. "I've surpassed Qin Shi?"

That was... Qin Ye's older brother...

Pan ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‍Hongzhi smiled and said, "When I was leaving, Qin Shi told me that he and Luo Chen are about the same level. If you're stronger than him, then defeating Luo Chen shouldn't be a problem."

Zong Wenxiu held Qin Shi's papers, feeling both happy and excited. But then he felt a bit worried. "What about Qin Shi...?" Is he not upset?

Xu Wan patted his shoulder and said, "Don't overthink it. Qin Shi has a strong heart. He knows his own path."

Zong Wenxiu finally relaxed and turned to Zhao Yin. "Then for the next three days, while I review, I'll also practice this formal handwriting. I don't want to lose to Luo Chen in this aspect."

Zhao Yin smiled and said, "I transferred to Hanlin North Academy midway, so I didn't stay long. If you want an expert in teaching this kind of writing, you should ask Pan Hongzhi."

Xu Wan nodded in agreement. "That's true. Then for the next three days, Pan Hongzhi and Zhao Yin can switch roles."

Zhao Yin: "???"

Wait, that's not what I meant!

I curse my mouth for running faster than my brain!!!

Pan Hongzhi's heart was already celebrating with fireworks, bursting in all directions. After a moment, he calmly said, "No problem. I guarantee Wenxiu will master it in three days."

Zhao Yin looked at him with a pained expression, already imagining the man's internal laughter. What a miscalculation! How could he have skipped learning this just because he was a late transfer?

Regret filled his heart...

That night, as Zhao Yin shared a room with Zong Jincheng, he nervously crept over like a kidnapped bride, hesitating to get on the bed for fear of encountering rats or cockroaches.

But after a while, when nothing happened, he remembered Pan Hongzhi saying that Zong Jincheng had never pranked anyone. He patted his chest, calming himself while giving himself a pep talk: "Stay calm, stay calm. There's nothing harder in this world than the imperial exams."