Chapter 113

Shen Cui tried to recall the relevant plot of Mu Yunchuan at the prefectural school in the original book and confirmed that there was no mention of this young master from the Cui family.

This was understandable. Mu Yunchuan was the protagonist, and the plot might have been altered because of her involvement, so there had to be a replacement.

This young master from the Cui family was probably that replacement.

Otherwise, Mu Yunchuan might not even have been able to afford the travel expenses and accommodation fees to participate in the rural exam in Lin Nan Prefecture.

Listening to Cui Wuniang’s words, this young master seemed to have developed a favorable relationship with Mu Yunchuan after they met.

Anyway, Cui Wuniang was very pleased with it.

Shen Cui didn’t comment on this and just continued with a smile, “That’s really fortunate. When I was thinking of moving the academy to the prefectural city, Yun Chuan had already left the prefectural school early to take the exam. I haven’t been able to communicate with him yet. Maybe I could trouble your family to inform him?”

“It’s just a small favor, no need to be polite.” Although Lin Nan Prefecture was quite far from Qingzhou Prefecture, Cui Wuniang was already concerned about her brother, so she was planning to send someone to inquire about his results in these days.

Passing on a message was just a small matter, not worth mentioning.

However, this incident made Cui Wuniang sniff out a slight hint—Mu Yunchuan’s relationship with his family didn’t seem to be very good?

Otherwise, if there were frequent communications, there wouldn’t be such an information gap.

In her brother’s mouth, Mu Yunchuan was the best person in the world, and after several interactions with Shen Cui, Cui Wuniang also felt that she was a very nice person.

She carefully scrutinized Shen Cui without revealing any expression.

Shen Cui shouldn’t have a son of Mu Yunchuan’s age at this age.

Was she a stepmother to Mu Yunchuan?

The head of the Mu family hadn’t shown up until now, so he might have passed away, which could have caused discord between the stepmother and stepson?

But that didn’t seem right—after Mrs. Zhou served tea, she sat next to Shen Cui.

If Shen Cui hadn’t introduced her earlier, and considering their ages didn’t match, just by observing their harmonious interaction, those unaware would have thought they were mother and daughter.

However, it was their family matter after all.

Cui Wuniang pondered about it for a while but didn’t delve further.

Soon, the morning studies of the young men in the classroom were over, and the only guest, Cui Wuniang, also took her seat.

Shen Cui then led everyone to the front gate, watching as the Wei family’s servant hung the plaque of “Cuiwei Academy.”

After symbolically tying a few red ribbons under the corridor pillars, they completed the ceremony simply.

Several young men came over to greet Cui Wuniang.

They were all polite and refreshing young men, with good looks.

Cui Wuniang couldn’t help but secretly complain about her troublesome cousins and nephews at home again.

In the blink of an eye, it was already noon, and Mrs. Zhou quickly prepared a small table of dishes.

Of course, these dishes couldn’t compare to the ones Cui Wuniang usually had, but she had already enjoyed the high-foam tea earlier, so she wouldn’t mind.

Besides, Mrs. Zhou’s cooking skills were really good.

With her touch, even the simplest home-cooked dishes had a unique flavor.

After finishing the meal, Cui Wuniang used half a bowl more than usual.

Today, because there were guests, Shen Cui didn’t activate the time gain.

After the meal, she took Cui Wuniang to visit.

The ornaments donated by the Wei family to the academy, though adding some elegance to the old house, didn’t quite fit in because of the dilapidated condition of the old house.

But in this setting, they looked just right, complementing each other perfectly, giving it a scholarly atmosphere.

The students’ desks were no longer crowded together but neatly arranged in two rows.

Most of their desks still had unread books or unfinished writing. Cui Wuniang could only be considered somewhat literate, able to recognize characters and understand texts, but she wasn’t extensively educated.

She didn’t randomly comment on anything but noticed some papers with clothing patterns drawn on them on the corner desk.

She picked one up and asked, “These shouldn’t be drawn by students, right?”

Mrs. Zhou smiled and admitted, “I drew those randomly.”

“They look quite innovative.”

Even someone as knowledgeable as Cui Wuniang said so, indicating that the clothing styles were indeed innovative.

That’s because Mrs. Zhou designed them herself—she had started a small business earlier because of taking orders from Song Li.

Later, she got used to adding her own ideas to the clothes she made. Now, with the experience she gained in the prefectural city, her ideas expanded, and she started sketching designs like Song Li.

She had been self-taught in drawing for the past two years, occasionally seeking guidance from Lou Buyu.

She was skillful, clever, and quick to learn anything. Although her drawings didn’t convey any deep artistic meaning, they looked decent, similar to Song Li’s previous ones.

“It’s my own idea,” Mrs. Zhou explained somewhat embarrassedly, “Back when we were in the countryside, I used to help people make clothes and do some small business. Although the livelihood has temporarily stopped now, I feel that I shouldn’t let this skill go to waste, so whenever I have an idea, I just draw it.”

Cui Wuniang admired women who could stand on their own feet rather than just relying on men and revolving around trivial matters in the backyard.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have felt the desire to make friends with Shen Cui as soon as they met.

Now, she was increasingly impressed by Shen Cui, not only because she started her own academy but also because she had raised her daughter-in-law to be able to support herself.

After taking a brief tour and inquiring about the daily schedule of Cuiwei Academy, Cui Wuniang learned that the students didn’t rest after lunch and immediately returned to their studies.

She didn’t linger in the classroom and only briefly sat with Shen Cui in the main house before taking her leave.

During this visit, Cui Wuniang and Shen Cui spent even more time together, and their relationship became even more harmonious.

Before leaving, Cui Wuniang said to Shen Cui, “If you encounter any trouble, just send someone to my house to inform me. I’ll definitely help in any way I can.”

Shen Cui also liked her sharp and straightforward personality, and the two agreed to occasionally communicate with each other.

…

In early September, Wei Shu, Wei Xi, and Mei Ruochu went to the prefectural school to register.

Mei Ruochu had already passed the preliminary examination with top honors, becoming a first-class scholar.

As for Wei Shu and Wei Xi, their grades would be determined after the annual examination.

For most people, entering a prestigious school like the prefectural school would naturally be nerve-wracking, but their attitudes were good, especially since they were traveling together and would return to Cuiwei in the evenings. There was nothing to be nervous about.

Perhaps unexpectedly, when they arrived at the prefectural school, their classmates learned that they were from Yongning County and took the initiative to strike up conversations, asking if they knew Mu Yunchuan.

While Wei Xi and Mei Ruochu didn’t really know Mu Yunchuan, Wei Shu had been very close to him in his early years, although their friendship had cooled off later.

Upon learning about Wei Shu’s past friendship with Mu Yunchuan, the reactions among the students at the prefectural school varied.

Some sourly remarked that in a small place like Yongning County, producing one or two scholars each year was already remarkable.

Now, they had just produced Mu Yunchuan, who achieved the ‘Three Execellence,’ and this year’s top scorer in the preliminary examination, all from the same county.

They couldn’t help but wonder what kind of luck Yongning County was having.

However, most people praised Mu Yunchuan, not only for his academic achievements but also for his character and personality.

They believed that Wei Shu and his companions couldn’t possibly be inferior to him in learning and character.

So, as soon as they entered school, they were often compared to Mu Yunchuan just because they were from the same place.

While some might see this as a matter of pride, it also brought pressure.

In the original plot, Wei Xi couldn’t bear this pressure and ended up treating Mu Yunchuan as his rival, competing with him.

But now, there was no need to worry about such things because Mei Ruochu, who had also passed the preliminary examination with top honors, was the one mainly bearing this pressure.

With his strong heart, he could be said to be as steady as Mount Tai, unfazed by any adversity.

Shen Cui observed his mood value, but there was never any change. It wasn’t a disguise of indifference; it was truly the demeanor of someone who had weathered countless storms without being moved by success or failure.

With his genuine talent and scholarship not inferior to Mu Yunchuan’s, he quickly distinguished himself shortly after entering the prefectural school.

When compared to Mu Yunchuan, he truly deserved recognition!

Moreover, despite their different personalities, the three of them got along well.

In contrast to Mu Yunchuan’s somewhat aloof demeanor, they were much more approachable.

Within just a few days, the three young men discreetly gathered the information Shen Cui wanted to know—

Unlike other academies and schools, the students here at the prefectural school were all scholars who had already obtained their degrees.

They were well-versed in the Confucian classics.

The instructors, who held official ranks, did not micromanage the students’ studies. It was similar to modern-day universities, where students were expected to be self-disciplined, and the instructors were not there to constantly supervise them.

Moreover, it was very easy to skip classes here.

Those who frequently skipped classes and performed poorly in the annual examination would be advised to leave the school to give other students a chance.

The young man from the Cui family who was closest to Mu Yunchuan, named Cui Fei, used to skip classes frequently and didn’t attend the prefectural school much.

He was on the verge of being advised to leave the school.

That’s why Shen Cui couldn’t recall Cui Fei at all. He used to be an invisible figure at the prefectural school.

However, since he became friends with Mu Yunchuan, he started appearing at the school more often, and his grades improved slightly. This year, he even successfully participated in the autumn examination.

After hearing this, Mei Ruochu’s expression became somewhat complicated. He said, “When others mention that young man from the Cui family… their expressions are a bit strange. It’s not envy or jealousy, but… I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Having experienced cold treatment and exclusion from his classmates at Hongle, he was more sensitive to such matters.

His words were already quite subtle. When others at the prefectural school mentioned Cui Fei, their expressions weren’t just a little strange; some smirked, while others looked disdainful.

Upon hearing this information, Shen Cui couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions.

She was worried that her intervention in the plot might have influenced others.

If Cui Fei was only being used as a tool, it would be one thing, but if he was being subjected to exclusion and injustice in place of Wei Xi, then she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

However, Wei Shu and the others had only been at the school for a short time, so it was already quite difficult for them to gather this much information.

As for more details—whether Cui Fei was originally unpopular at the academy or if it was only because he had become close to Mu Yunchuan—was still unclear.

It would take some time to slowly explore these matters, or perhaps wait until Cui Fei and Mu Yunchuan return from Linan Prefecture to meet them in person and make a judgment.

…

Wei Shu and the others left the academy every morning before sunrise and returned to the prefectural school in the evening before sunset.

Translated into modern times, it would be leaving before 7 a.m. and returning after 5 p.m.

They were all disciplined individuals with good study habits, accustomed to rising early and retiring late. Plus, the new location of the school was only about a half-hour walk from the prefectural school, so it wasn’t much of a hassle.

Therefore, they could also participate in the morning exercises, have breakfast, and then leave for school.

After they left, Lou Buyu began teaching Mu Erpang one-on-one.

They returned before dinner, had their meal, and then gathered to do their homework together.

The atmosphere at Cuiwei was no different from before.

In early September, Cui came over again to share some good news. She said she helped Shen Cui deliver a message and also found out about the results of the provincial exam – Mu Yunchuan became the top scorer!