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“Three days,” Song Jingyun replied.
Three days?
Master Meng looked at Song Jingyun in disbelief.
The Three Character Classic, although not lengthy, is not an easy piece to memorize entirely, especially for beginners who have limited experience with reading and writing. Reciting it all in three days seemed almost impossible.
“Would you mind reciting it now?” Master Meng asked.
Song Jingyun cleared his throat and began reciting slowly, “At the beginning, people’s nature is inherently good. Their natures are similar; their habits set them apart…”
His voice was not loud, but steady and clear, with precise pronunciation and a smooth flow, showing no signs of hesitation or stumbling.
Impressed, Master Meng nodded in approval at the satisfactory recitation and then expressed his surprise.
After Song Jingyun finished reciting the last two lines, “Being diligent yields merit, but frivolity yields no benefit. Beware of it and strive diligently,” Master Meng couldn’t contain his astonishment and scrutinized Song Jingyun once more before blurting out, “Did you truly only memorize it in three days?”
“Yes,” Song Jingyun nodded. “I dare not deceive you, it indeed only took three days.”
Actually, it wasn’t a full three days.
In addition to learning to recite with Jiang Mixia in the mornings and evenings, during the daytime, Song Jingyun also helped out at the bamboo workshop.
When Zheng’s manager noticed the bamboo satchel he had made for school, he even taught the workshop’s assistants how to weave similar items.
Impressive!
Master Meng was astonished, “How did you memorize it so quickly?”
“Not to deceive you, Master, I seem to learn things a bit faster than usual,” Song Jingyun answered truthfully.
Faster learning?
Excited, Master Meng proposed, “In that case, I will recite a poem for you to listen to carefully. Then, try to see if you can memorize it.”
“Sure,” Song Jingyun agreed.
After a moment of thought, Master Meng began reciting, “Emperor Gao Yang’s descendants, the royal ancestors known as Bo Yong; Upright and virtuous at Meng’s Slope, only in the year of Geng Yin will I descend; The Emperor views and examines me at the beginning, granting me a good name…”
“…Not cherishing the strong and abandoning the corrupt, why not change this path? Mounting the noble steeds to gallop freely, come, I will guide you on the right path.” This poem is quite long; I’ll stop here for now. Can you try to memorize it?” Master Meng paused.
Raising his head after listening attentively, Song Jingyun, after a moment of contemplation, began reciting, “…Since I already possess this inner beauty, I further enhance it with my abilities; Walking alongside the Jiang and Li rivers, threading autumn orchids as adornment…”
Just like when reciting the Three Character Classic, Song Jingyun’s recitation was smooth, with no stuttering.
The only flaw was that he got one word wrong, but the word he used sounded very similar when reciting. Master Meng thought he might not have made a mistake but simply misheard the word.
After Song Jingyun finished, Master Meng couldn’t help but applaud and exclaimed, “Excellent! Truly a person of exceptional talent.”
With a photographic memory, Master Meng had only heard of such individuals in plays. Such a gifted person was rare and must be enrolled as a student promptly; otherwise, someone else might snatch him away!
Excitedly, Master Meng inquired, “When can you start studying at the academy?”
“Anytime…” Song Jingyun replied.
“Great,” Master Meng patted Song Jingyun’s shoulder, “Just come straight here tomorrow; I’ll be waiting for you at the academy.”
“What do I need to prepare when I come tomorrow?” Song Jingyun asked.
“Just bring yourself!”
With a head like that, why ask for so much preparation?
“Classes start at the third quarter of the morning every day. Come after breakfast at home in the morning, and we provide lunch at noon. No need to go home; classes end in the late afternoon,” Master Meng explained.
“I’ll remember that and be at the academy on time tomorrow,” Song Jingyun replied, then inquired, “What about the fees…”
“Annual fees are two taels of silver, and meal costs seven wen per day, payable during meal times,” Master Meng clarified. “No rush with the fees; attend classes here for about ten days, then decide if you want to study here before paying. When you come tomorrow, just bring the lunch money.”
“Understood.”
After discussing further details about studying at the academy, a student came to remind Master Meng of his class. Song Jingyun and the others bid farewell.
As Song Jingyun and Jiang Mixia got on the cow carriage, and it slowly started moving, Master Meng took a few steps forward, calling out, “Remember to come tomorrow…”
Jiang Youcheng remained silent.
Truly, a remarkably enthusiastic teacher.
Compared to the one who criticized Song Jingyun for being too old to study, the initially challenging Yang Shunde can’t even be compared.
Watching the cart disappear into the distance, Master Meng returned to the academy to resume teaching.
After completing his classes, he excitedly sought out Zhang Wenbin, “Let me tell you, today I admitted a prodigy!”
“Wait, at his age, he’s not just a prodigy; he’s a phenomenon!” Zhang Wenbin was reviewing the students’ written work from the previous day. As he read through one piece, he sighed, furrowed his brow, then thumped his chest twice before grabbing a pen to mark errors and corrections.
These students are truly returning what they’ve been taught, indeed.
“How extraordinary is he?” Zhang Wenbin questioned, skeptical as he shuffled through the papers. Master Meng’s eyebrows practically rose to his hairline as he exclaimed, “Incredibly extraordinary! His memory is exceptional, he never forgets, he memorized the Three Character Classic in three days. I read him a lengthy poem once, and he recited it almost flawlessly!”
“Is that so?” Zhang Wenbin expressed doubt, setting aside the heavily marked paper and picking up another student’s work. After a moment of exasperation, furrowed brows, and a chest thump, he sighed once more before beginning to correct the writing.
One could say that each assignment is quite headache-inducing.
Behind each assignment stands a student who not only listens attentively but also effortlessly recalls interpretations and book passages.
Zhang Wenbin could hardly believe there was such a reassuring student in town.
“If you don’t believe me, test him when he comes tomorrow,” Master Meng suggested.
“Alright,” Zhang Wenbin agreed. “What’s his name? How old is he? Has he studied before? Since you’ve taken him in, how will he be accommodated—will he follow your lessons or mine?”
Zhang Wenbin and Master Meng had their own areas of focus.
Zhang Wenbin primarily taught younger students, while Master Meng instructed those with a certain level of knowledge.
“He has never studied before, never been to a school. This will be his first time attending, around sixteen or seventeen years old, as for his name…” Zhang Wenbin scratched his ear awkwardly.
Encountering such a person was rare, and he was so excited that he…
Forgot to ask for the name!
“Since it’s his first time attending a school, he can follow me,” Zhang Wenbin casually decided.