Chapter 139: A Thorn

Whether it’s due to prolonged idle time needing CPU rest or excessive storage requiring a refresh, Song Jingyun’s moments of distraction are limited and quite predictable. When the time is up, he snaps out of it, chats pleasantly with Jiang Mixia for a bit, then goes to sleep as usual, relaxed and carefree.

The day of the county examination had arrived.

The examination took place in the county town, consisting of four sessions, with today marking the first one.

Jiang Mixia and Jiang Youcheng had already escorted Song Jingyun to the examination site, where they joined Meng Ziting and others.

As the dawn broke, before sunrise, Meng Ziting counted the students, ensuring all eight examinees were present. Slightly relieved, he then briefed them on the exam guidelines.

Since the matter of answering questions had been reiterated multiple times, emphasizing that the answers tested their regular study habits, last-minute cramming would be of no use. Meng Ziting  briefly mentioned the required number of characters per line, not writing beyond the designated lines, and similar minor regulations.

Furthermore, he double-checked that everyone had brought enough water, food, writing materials, and other essentials.

After confirming these details, Meng Ziting  felt somewhat reassured. “This is the first session. You have all been diligent in your studies, with a strong foundation. As long as you remain calm during the exam, you should be fine…”

“Oh, who do we have here with such a grandiose tone?” mocked Tian Zhixing, an older man with a beard, standing nearby. “Just a student from a poor, remote town academy, probably not even well-read. Thinking of passing the exam? What a joke!”

Such blunt mockery caused a shift in the expressions of Song Jingyun and the others.

Watching Tian Zhixing, who was as irritating as ever, Meng Ziting  felt his temper rising. “I may not know if I have a grandiose tone, but I believe having such a tone is far better than having a foul mouth like some people.”

Receiving this retort, Tian Zhixing naturally felt displeased. However, considering Meng Ziting ‘s current status as an ordinary and somewhat shabby teacher at a small academy, he found satisfaction in the comeback. He added with a smirk, “But that still doesn’t change your bad reputation, does it?”

Upon hearing this, Meng Ziting  was seething with anger.

Tian Zhixing’s mention of his bad reputation was indeed true.

Moreover, this incident had caused quite a stir, to the extent that Meng Ziting  could no longer continue his studies at the county school and had to return home.

Seven years ago, Meng Ziting  had just passed the provincial examination.

Meng Ziting  had excelled in his exams, being outstanding in both stages of the provincial examination, earning the title of a county-sponsored student. Apart from receiving free education at the county school, he also received a monthly stipend for meals, making him both envied and respected.

However, this success also stirred jealousy.

Shortly after starting his studies at the county school, someone accused Meng Ziting  of stealing twenty taels of silver from him, claiming that Meng Ziting  had been swayed by greed.

During the investigation led by the school’s headmaster, the twenty taels of silver were found hidden in Meng Ziting ‘s pillow. Additionally, witnesses claimed to have seen Meng Ziting  sneaking into the room of the student who lost his silver, acting furtively and holding something when he left.

One of the witnesses happened to be Tian Zhixing.

Despite Meng Ziting  being recognized as a person of good character, the headmaster, bound by evidence and testimonies, couldn’t show any bias. However, considering Meng Ziting ‘s future prospects, he chose not to escalate the matter to the authorities but handled it privately.

Meng Ziting  returned the twenty taels of silver to the rightful owner and had to pay an additional ten taels as compensation.

Meng Ziting  had no choice but to return home, where he sold a piece of land to settle the matter completely, seemingly putting an end to the issue.

However, this apparent resolution was only on the surface.

The county town was small, with few scholars, and scholars often gathered to discuss academic matters, so news spread quickly.

Almost all the scholars in the county knew about Meng Ziting  stealing someone else’s silver, branding him as a dishonest person.

People’s attitudes towards Meng Ziting  changed, and gossip and rumors increased.

“Ah, he had such excellent results, never expected his character to be so poor.”

“You can’t judge a book by its cover; just because someone studies a lot doesn’t mean they have good morals.”

“Is someone like him even worthy of being a scholar? It’s a disgrace to scholars and a loss of integrity!”

“We mustn’t let such a person pass the examination; who knows what kind of despicable acts he might commit…”

Meng Ziting  found himself isolated, even enduring verbal abuse when confronted by some. Despite his inner strength and belief in his own integrity, the situation took a toll on him. He struggled to eat, sleep, and focus on his studies, feeling increasingly distracted.

After performing poorly in several monthly exams at the county school, Meng Ziting  had to leave and return home to study in peace. To ease the burden on his family, he began teaching.

Zhang Wenbin, who had also left the county school with him, collaborated with Meng Ziting  to establish the Hongle Academy as it stands today.

This entire ordeal remained a thorn in Meng Ziting ‘s heart—a deep-seated wound not visible on the surface but festering within.

The main culprit responsible for this thorn was now standing right in front of him.

Meng Ziting  clenched his fists, longing to strike Tian Zhixing’s face, hoping to erase the detestable image from his sight.

However, if Meng Ziting  resorted to violence outside the examination hall, it could potentially disrupt the students who had come to take the exam that day.

Tian Zhixing seemed to be deliberately provoking him, hoping to provoke a reaction and trap him.

Meng Ziting  recognized the need to restrain himself in this situation. He coldly snorted, choosing to ignore Tian Zhixing.

“Some people fall silent when faced with the truth,” Tian Zhixing smirked, his chin held high. “But then again, with solid evidence like a mountain, there’s no escaping the fact. A thief for life!”

Meng Ziting ‘s face turned livid with anger, his teeth clenched tightly, but he tried to calm his emotions.

Song Jingyun, after listening for a while, scratched his head and whispered to his friend Lu Yuming, “Do you know why the teacher doesn’t respond?”

Lu Yuming, surprised by Song Jingyun’s sudden commentary, given his usually reserved nature, shook his head, “I’m not sure.”

“Because if a dog bites someone, you can’t bite back, or you’d be no different from the dog,” Song Jingyun chuckled.

Lu Yuming and the other students were initially puzzled but then burst into laughter.

Even Meng Ziting  couldn’t help but smile. “Exactly, that’s the point. There’s no reason to bite back like a dog.”

“You…”