Chapter 138 Sun Shan studies alone
Ever since he told Master Zheng about the imperial examination, Master Zheng's teaching method towards Sun Shan completely changed.
The next day, as soon as they arrived in the classroom, Master Zheng separated Sun Shan from the classroom.
In one classroom, De Ge'er and Yang Qingbei were on one side, and Sun Shan was alone on the other side, and they did not interfere with each other.
De Ge'er looked at Sun Shan, who was sitting alone, with a sneaky look, as if to say: Shanzi, don't be afraid, I'm right in front of you.
As a result, after being glared at by Master Zheng, he immediately straightened up and sat upright.
Master Zheng continued to teach Yang Qingbei and De Ge'er in the same way as before.
After the teaching is finished, let the two students study on their own to digest the knowledge.
Come to Sun Shan.
Since Sun Shan was the only one in the entire school who took the imperial examination, Master Zheng taught Sun Shan according to the scholar teaching method he learned in the county.
The course progress has obviously accelerated. Previously, Sun Shan learned 24 characters a day, but now he learns 36-48 characters a day. The knowledge explained is more in-depth, and Sun Shan is asked to take notes and study the content carefully from beginning to end.
Fortunately, Sun Shan had the intelligence of an adult, and he was able to easily accept what Master Zheng taught, and he completed it brilliantly.
Master Zheng stroked his beard and said with satisfaction, "Not bad, keep studying like this. Imperial examinations require not only diligence but also talent. If you can't even keep up with this pace, let alone learn other knowledge in depth."
Master Zheng taught Sun Shan his lessons in the morning, and in the afternoon he still asked him to practice calligraphy by the small pond with Yang Qingbei and De Ge'er.
Master Zheng said solemnly, "Good handwriting is very important. No one who can pass the examination for a scholar has bad handwriting. Sun Shan, you must practice diligently. You don't have to write very well, but at least make sure your handwriting is acceptable to the examiner."
Sun Shan responded and promised to practice diligently.
Master Zheng asked again: "Do you have a copybook?"
Sun Shan nodded and said, "Yes, Master. I am practicing Yan Zhenqing's "Duobao Pagoda Induction Stele". My eldest cousin asked me to practice it. He said that since I have just started to learn calligraphy, this is the best book for beginners."
Master Zheng nodded in agreement: "Your eldest cousin is right. He passed the exam and his grades are so good. You should learn more from him. Other people's successful experiences are very important. They can help us avoid many troubles."
Sun Shan said he understood.
Master Zheng said, "You should still practice calligraphy on a slate now. When you know more characters, you will need to practice on paper. There is a huge difference between writing on a slate and writing on paper. You must practice well on paper for the imperial examination."
Sun Shan said seriously: "Thank you for your teaching, Master. I understand."
After the morning class, Sun Shan, De Ge'er and Yang Qingbei went to the kitchen and got their meals to eat.
As the weather was very hot, Zheng Bo would put the lunch boxes he brought in the morning into the well to cool them down, and would only pull them out and steam them again when the get out of class was almost over.
The dishes that Sun Shan and De Ge'er brought today were all bacon, which is a specialty of the city.
After becoming familiar with Yang Qingbei, the three of them often shared meals.
The three of them squatted under the shade of the tree with their fellow brothers, eating their food mouthful by mouthful.
A senior fellow student asked with a smile: "Shanzi, I heard that you want to take the path of scientific research. Is it true?"
Sun Shan swallowed a mouthful of rice. He had just talked to the teacher about taking the imperial examination yesterday, and today everyone in the school knew about it?
The only people who knew about this were Zheng Fuzi, Yang Qingbei, and De Geer. I think it must have spread from these three people.
As for Sun Boming, it is even more impossible for him to tell everyone.
Sun Shan looked at De Ge'er speechlessly, as he was the most suspicious.
He said to his senior brother seriously: "Yes, senior brother, I want to take the exam to become a scholar, just like my eldest cousin."
When others heard what Sun Shan said, they gave him some encouragement.
Someone said in a sour tone: "Shanzi, it's not easy to pass the exam. In our Huangyang County, only two people have passed the exam in all these years. In the past ten years, there has been no one. You are a child, how can you understand the difficulty of passing the exam."
Before Sun Shan could say anything, De Ge'er was not convinced. He patted his chest and loudly retorted, "My eldest cousin was born to my eldest aunt. Shanzi's father and my eldest aunt are siblings, both born to my grandfather. My eldest cousin was born to the Sun family, and Shanzi is also a member of the Sun family. My eldest cousin can pass the exam to become a scholar, so can Shanzi. We are the Sun family or those born to the Sun family are the smartest."
To make it more convincing, De Geer added: "My eldest uncle said that my eldest cousin is like my eldest aunt, like the Sun family, so he can pass the exam to become a scholar. My second cousin, third cousin, and fourth cousin are like the He family, they are not very good at studying, so they can't pass the exam. My eldest uncle said that those who are like the Sun family are smart. Humph, my Shanzi is a member of the Sun family, the smartest."
When Sun Shan and others heard De Ge'er's words, they didn't know where his logic came from, nor could they tell whether his words were true or false.
Sun Shan said to the senior brother he had just met: "Senior brother, you won't know whether you can pass the exam until you pass it. Since we are all studying, why not give it a try, right?"
The senior brother who was speaking wanted to say that it was not right, because the conditions did not allow it and how could he go on the scientific expedition without money.
But Sun Shan's family obviously has the conditions. Even if the Sun family can't do it, there is still the eldest aunt in the city who can provide financial support.
Everyone within a hundred miles knew that Sunjia Village had a daughter who married into a wealthy family. Moreover, this daughter cared about her parents' family and often helped the villagers, not to mention her own family.
I could only stare blankly and stop talking.
A nosy senior brother asked again: "My fellow junior from Peking University and Tsinghua University, Shanzi has taken the exam, are you going to take it? Your family is very rich."
Yang Qingbei didn't know why the fire burned him, so he shook his head and said, "I don't know."
No more talking.
Sun Shan also knew that his participation in the imperial examination would definitely cause ripples in Zheng's school. After all, he was the first person in Zheng's school. Others might envy him, be jealous of him, or say that he was overestimating his own abilities. But since the mouths were on others, he could not control what they said.
“Be calm in praise or criticism, and watch the flowers in the courtyard bloom and fall; be indifferent to coming or going, and watch the clouds roll and unroll in the sky.”
Ignore what your senior brother said.
The lunch was not pleasant. Sun Shan glared at De Ge'er and asked in a bad tone, "De Ge'er, did you say I wanted to take the imperial examination?"
De Geer stammered, "I...didn't..."
Sun Shan didn't believe it, and asked sternly, "Tell me the truth. If you don't, don't blame me for being rude."
Leniency to those who confess; severity to those who resist. No matter how dishonest you are, I will let you know why the flowers are so red!
De Ge'er lowered his head and said with a pale face: "I, I was just talking, I didn't mean it."
It was De Ge'er, and Sun Shan knew it must be his. Master Zheng would not tell his students that Qingbei people were quiet and did not gossip. Only De Ge'er was like a parrot, very noisy.
Sun Shan taught him a lesson: "Don't talk nonsense in the future, especially about me. If you talk nonsense again next time, I will end our friendship!"
Dege'er's mouth needs to be treated. If not, he will be no different from the gossip in the village.
De Geer shrank his neck in fear and said timidly, "Shanzi, I know I was wrong. We will not break up."
De Ge thought to himself that Shanzi was the richest among the children in Sunjia Village and had a brighter future, so he couldn't break off his friendship with him.
When I grow up, I will continue to follow Shanzi and enjoy the good life.