Di Ming

Chapter 113 Nan Yongshi

The Dong family members who came to cause trouble at Tianyu Pavilion numbered in the dozens, and they were all men.

They shouted as they rolled up their sleeves and approached Ning Caiwei and Zhu Yin.

"Step back!" Ding Hongying shouted, brandishing her sword. "What are you trying to do!"

The imposing and tall Lancha, wielding a spiked club, stood like an iron tower blocking their path. The crowd immediately stopped, but continued to glare angrily at him.

At the forefront, an elderly man dressed in plain silk, leaning on a cane, cried out in anguish:

"Mingxuan! You've only been dead for three months, and your wife has already sold off the Dong family's Tianyu Pavilion without my permission and run off with the money! You're innocent!"

"It's all my fault! It's my fault for being too soft-hearted! You and your son were killed in Gansu, and the Tianyu Pavilion was left without an owner. I should have acted decisively and taken back the Tianyu Pavilion back then!"

"But Madam Cai lost her husband and spent her days in tears. I couldn't bear it, so I didn't force her. I hope that once her grief subsides, she can hand over the shop deed and keys on her own initiative. There's no rush. In this way, she will still be a member of the Dong family and will not lack wealth."

"Who would have thought that outsiders are still outsiders, and ungrateful wretches that can never be tamed! She took advantage of our kindness and secretly used delaying tactics to sell Tianyu Pavilion!"

"How despicable! How hateful! How shameful! Where is justice in this world? Where is the law?!"

His words were stern and forceful, righteous and indignant.

A young man holding a folding fan with a jade handle shouted:
"This matter is not the fault of Sixth Uncle; it is Cai who is too good at deceiving people! She promised to hand over the Tianyu Pavilion and the key after a period of time, but she deceived the entire clan!"

"Our Dong family is not to be trifled with! Don't think that colluding with the Cai family will allow you to swindle the Dong family's ancestral property! If you don't hand over Tianyu Pavilion, then you'd better go see the officials!"

"Where are your parents? Call them out here! Shameless! You did something wrong and now you're making your child take the blame!"

Another middle-aged man shouted, "Outrageous! The person in charge, come out here! Cai is not the owner of Tianyu Pavilion! She has no right to sell Tianyu Pavilion!"

Dozens of Dong family men shouted angrily at the two children, immediately attracting a large crowd of onlookers.

In the blink of an eye, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered three or four deep in front of the Tianyu Pavilion.

The onlookers inquired among themselves and found out what had happened.

It turns out that the young mistress of the Dong family sold Tianyu Pavilion and then ran away with her daughter.

The Dong family members did not recognize the deal and came to cause trouble.

Immediately, the onlookers began to discuss the matter.

An elderly man, who knew the ins and outs of the business, said, "Tianyu Pavilion is an old brand with a very strong reputation. It's been around for nearly a hundred years."

"The first shop owner was of the same generation as my father. His name was Dong He, and he was the nephew of Eunuch Dong of the Nanjing Procurement Office at that time."

"Speaking of which, that was during the Hongzhi reign. Eunuch Dong was rich and powerful, but he had no heir, so he adopted three cousins ​​as his sons."

"These three adopted sons became Dong's sons together, nominally brothers, but in reality they were just cousins."

"The eldest son inherited a large brothel in Nanjing at the time, which was a real money tree."

"The second son inherited several manors in Moling, which included several thousand acres of fertile land."

"Only the third son, Dong He, inherited a jewelry store. At that time, Tianyu Pavilion was just a newly opened jewelry store, far less than the family fortune of the eldest and second sons."

The elderly man, over seventy years old, looked sentimental as he continued, "At this point, he spoke again:"
"But ironically, the third son, who had the least family wealth, was the most successful. Dong He was just a teenager at the time, yet he dared to personally travel to the Western Regions to befriend foreign merchants."

"He worked hard from dawn till dusk, was diligent and honest, never cheated anyone, young or old, and was very good at business. In just a few years, Tianyuge became famous in Nanjing."

"In just twenty years, Tianyuge became renowned throughout Nanjing, its business flourished, and it became a cash cow."

"But the eldest and second eldest sons were good-for-nothings. They indulged in drinking, gambling, whoring, and extravagance, and were not good at managing money. They only knew how to be arrogant and licentious, spending money like water. They ended up squandering their wealth and getting into trouble on the spot."

"In just thirty years, we've sold some things and pawned others, ending up penniless. We had no choice but to bring our whole family to seek refuge with the third brother, Dong He."

"That was probably sixty years ago. Tianyu Pavilion was becoming more and more prosperous and was not worried about not being able to support so many people. In addition, Dong He was a kind-hearted man, so he kindly took in the two large families of the eldest and second eldest sons."

"And so, the three brothers, though nominally brothers, became a family again. However, Dong He had few children, with only one son, Dong Xing, growing up to adulthood."

"His son, Dong Xing, only had one son, Dong Qian, who grew up to adulthood. Dong Qian also only had one son, Dong Mingxuan."

"It's a pity that Dong He was a kind man, but his son, grandson, and great-grandson were all single-son heirs for three generations."

"Several months ago, Dong Qian and his son Dong Mingxuan were killed together in Gansu. They only had a young daughter, which ended their family line."

"It's laughable that Dong Da and Dong Er, those two spendthrift sons, have such a large and prosperous family that their descendants have multiplied over several generations."

“Alas, even if Dong Da, Dong Er and Dong He were not real brothers, after several generations, their descendants should not have taken Tianyu Pavilion from the Cai family. After all, the Cai family has a daughter.”

After hearing the old man's words, everyone immediately understood.

It turns out that these members of the Dong family who came to cause trouble were all descendants of Dong Da and Dong Er!
In terms of blood ties, they're completely unrelated. Moreover, Dong He's branch of the family has been raising Dong Da and Dong Er for several generations for nothing.

However, according to the laws and customs of the dynasty, they are still within the five degrees of mourning and are indeed still considered relatives. The outcome of this case depends on the court's judgment.

If the government is biased towards the Dong family, then it can declare the transaction invalid!

As for how the government will rule, that depends on who has more power in the government.

As everyone watched the spectacle, a beautiful young woman emerged from inside, like a girl from a painting. Although she was young, her face was full of frost.

The little girl said fearlessly, "I'll report it to the authorities! Even if you don't, I will!"

"You bunch of adults, trying to bully a little kid like me! I bought this shop from the rightful owner with my own hard-earned money! It was a transaction transferred through a brokerage! The contract is right here! What difference does it make whether you acknowledge it or not!"

"This is my shop! Who let you in? Get out now!"

A young man from the Dong family flew into a rage, pointing his fan at Ning Caiwei: "You sharp-tongued, eloquent little girl! How dare you be so shrewish! Where is your upbringing!"

Another person shouted, "What kind of upbringing does she have! Didn't you see? She didn't bind her feet, she has big feet! A daughter from a respectable family wouldn't have big feet! She must have no manners!"

The old man from the Dong family shook his head: "No wonder! So she doesn't practice traditional feminine virtues and has unbound feet! What kind of upbringing does she have!"

The young man with the fan said with a look of disdain, "How despicable! You dare to come out and embarrass yourself! You don't practice traditional female virtues, no wonder you dare to commit fraud at such a young age!"

He then pointed at Ding Hongying, "Look, look! A big-footed girl, holding a steel knife, trying to commit murder in public! Is this still a girl? It's truly horrifying and outrageous!"

The old man from the Dong family, leaning on his cane, tapped his foot repeatedly on the floor, and said with a pained expression:

"Like master, like servant! People's hearts have changed!"

Upon hearing this, Ding Hongying became even angrier, her hand gripping the knife turned white, and her eyebrows shot up.

The Dong family's arrogance immediately surged even higher.

In Nanjing, which noble lady, wealthy young woman, or even a woman of any standing did not bind her feet?
Women who did not bind their feet were either of lowly birth, of low social status, laborers, or orphans with no one to care for them.

This kind of woman can't possibly have any powerful background.

Originally, the Dong family members were wary of Ning Caiwei's background, but after seeing her big feet, they no longer had any reservations.

Their reminder prompted everyone to look at Ning Caiwei's feet and shush.

Wow! They really are huge feet.

Nowadays in Nanjing, very few women with any semblance of dignity and good upbringing have large feet.

If it were any other young girl, being openly and brazenly "discussed" like this in front of everyone would probably be incredibly ashamed, tantamount to social death.

However, Ning Caiwei showed no shame or anger; on the contrary, she became even more confident. She looked coolly at the Dong clan members and said firmly:

"Do you know that the founding mother of our Great Ming Dynasty, Empress Xiaoci Gao, also had natural feet? Your slander against women with natural feet is an act of disrespect! You are nothing short of a depraved madman!"

What? Everyone's expression changed.

Then I remembered that Empress Xiaoci Gao, the wife of Emperor Taizu, had a nickname: Big-Footed Ma.

The nickname "Big-Foot Ma" was known to everyone in the country. It was deliberately spread by Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang, and the Yuan army to attack and ridicule Emperor Taizu.

This means that Emperor Taizu married a woman with large feet, which was considered beneath him and disqualified him from vying for power.

In the end, the whole world knew, and it was impossible to hide it anymore.

Today, this little girl is using the fact that Empress Ma also has big feet to try and label them!
"Young lady, don't talk nonsense!" the old man from the Dong family roared. "How dare I disrespect Empress Gao! Don't spout nonsense and make false accusations! Tell your master to come out and speak! I won't argue with you!"

He immediately changed the subject.

Ning Caiwei puffed out her chest, "Why trouble my master with such a trivial matter! It's not worth it! I bought Tianyu Pavilion, so I, Ning Caiwei, am the owner!"

Just then, a woman's voice rang out: "Ning girl is right!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd outside suddenly parted, and a woman in elegant clothes, around fifty years old, entered with an air of grandeur, surrounded by several maids.

Her presence and demeanor clearly indicate that she is the matriarch of a wealthy family.

What particularly caught everyone's attention was that this elegant and refined lady also had unbound feet.

Ning Caiwei and Zhu Yin immediately recognized that this noblewoman was none other than Lady Ning, the wife of Tian Yi, the ruler of Nanzhi!
Madam Tian coldly stared at the old man from the Dong family, "I also have bound feet! What, does having bound feet mean a woman is uncultured? Did the imperial edict say so? Did the sage say so? Or did the national law say so? You rude old wretch!"

Then he said to Ning Caiwei, "Caiwei, don't be afraid. I am here, and no one can bully you."

“You…” The old man from the Dong family was nearly seventy years old. He was scolded by Madam Tian, ​​who was twenty years younger than him, for being old and disgusting. He didn’t dare to talk back.

At his age, even though he didn't know Madam Tian, ​​how could he not see that this noblewoman was someone of great importance?
When the other members of the Dong family saw this noble lady step forward, they all looked at each other in dismay and dared not scold Ning Caiwei anymore.

Suppressing his anger, the old man from the Dong family asked, "Is this lady Ning Caiwei's elder? If not, please do not interfere in the affairs of my Dong family."

Madam Tian retorted angrily, "So what if I am her elder! Her surname is Ning, and so am mine! She is my niece from my maternal family, so I am her patriarch! Is that not allowed?"

"This poor little girl has been forced into this state by a bunch of you!"

When Madam Tian met Ning Caiwei, a fellow villager with the same surname, and saw that Ning Caiwei also had large feet like herself, she liked her very much and had a good impression of Ning Caiwei.

I originally thought it would be just a fleeting encounter.

Who knew we'd meet again so soon? That means it wasn't just a brief encounter.

She was passing through Pailou Street today, on her way to Confucius Temple. But when she saw a large crowd gathered at the Tianyu Pavilion by the roadside and heard shouting and commotion inside, she stopped to watch the excitement.

While watching the commotion, they overheard the Dong family members insulting the woman with big feet. Wasn't that including her in their insults?
It turned out that the person being scolded was Ning Caiwei, a fellow villager from Guanzhong whom she liked.

That's when she decided to step in.

Ning Caiwei was incredibly well-behaved. She inwardly praised the old man from the Dong family for his divine intervention, quickly stepped forward, gave a curtsy, and said affectionately in her Guanzhong accent:

"Aunt, what brings you here? I wouldn't dare trouble you with such a small matter. Please sit down and rest, Aunt. I'll have a match with them."

She spoke the words "aunt" and "niece" very smoothly, and her tone and demeanor were very natural.

Anyone present who saw it would not have any doubts.

When Madam Tian heard the word "aunt," she felt a sense of warmth, and her eyes welled up with tears as she thought of her maternal family, who had been wiped out by bandits years ago.

For decades, she has had no relatives from her maternal family.

But today, a fellow villager with the same surname called me aunt.

Isn't this just fate?
In a daze, Madam Tian felt that Ning Caiwei was indeed her niece from her maternal family, and the softest spot in her heart was touched.

"Caiwei." Madam Tian took Ning Caiwei's hand. "Now that your aunt has arrived, you don't need to worry about this matter."

"Yes." Ning Caiwei nodded obediently. "I'll do whatever my aunt says. Whatever my aunt says, I'll do."

Madam Tian felt an overwhelming protective instinct rising within her, and turned to the Dong family members, saying:

“I already know the whole story. Madam Cai has a daughter who is pregnant and is the owner of Tianyu Pavilion. Yet you have bullied this widow and her child and forced her to hand over the shop deed.”

"She has no one to rely on, how can she fight against you? If she doesn't sell Tianyu Pavilion and leave the Dong family, how can she survive? How can you tolerate her?"

"I just heard that your ancestors and the owner of Tianyu Pavilion were not originally from the same family. It was the first Pavilion Master who took in your ancestors and raised you for generations! Tianyu Pavilion has never been your ancestral property!" "You have enjoyed wealth and luxury for generations, but instead of giving back, you have plotted to seize the property of orphans and widows! You are utterly shameless!"

"The Cai family was forced to sell Tianyu Pavilion and leave. How can this deal be invalid? Ning Caiwei is the owner of Tianyu Pavilion!"

"If you're not satisfied, go ahead and sue. If Jiangning County and Yingtian Prefecture can't decide this, then I, the garrison commander, will!"

Garrison Commander's Office!

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Dong family members immediately changed.

Could this noblewoman be related to the garrison eunuch Tian Yi...? Suddenly, someone in the Dong family remembered that the garrison commander's wife seemed to be surnamed Ning, and also had unbound feet.

"Sixth Uncle..." the man immediately whispered to the old man of the Dong family, "She might be Madam Tian."

Although it was absurd for eunuchs to marry, it was a common occurrence in the dynasty.

Moreover, when a high-ranking eunuch marries, he usually goes through the proper rituals of marriage, including formal marriage with three letters and six rites.

Therefore, the principal wife of a high-ranking eunuch was the true head of the household.

What no one knew was that Madam Ning was Tian Yi's cousin. The two were childhood sweethearts, betrothed since childhood, and their affection was extraordinary.

Back then, Tian Yi was castrated and entered the palace due to family misfortunes, and Ning Shi never married.

Later, Tian Yifei rose to prominence and, seeing that his cousin was unwilling to marry, he finally married her.

When the old man from the Dong family heard that the noblewoman in front of him might be the garrison commander's wife, he couldn't help but tremble and his legs went weak.

Although he had established connections with Magistrate Han, Registrar Wang, and Clerk Ma of Jiangning County and was not afraid of lawsuits, he would not dare to go against the garrison's wife even if he had ten times the courage.

That would be suicidal.

The old man from the Dong family immediately lost his composure, and with a trembling old face, he said:
"There might be some misunderstanding. Madam, I was rude before, please forgive me..."

He thought to himself, if she really is the Lady of the Guardian, then vying for the Jade Pavilion would be tantamount to courting death.

A lawsuit would be a sure loss. Neither Jiangning County nor Yingtian Prefecture dared to offend Tian Yi!
Fortunately, although we didn't get our hands on the Tianyu Pavilion, we did get our hands on the family's silver treasury.

"Misunderstanding?" Madam Tian sneered. "Even if I didn't show up today, you wouldn't win the case. Zhuang Tingjian, the Assistant Magistrate of Jiangning County, has already been appointed as the Acting Magistrate of Jiangning County for his merits. Now, Magistrate Zhuang has the final say in the Jiangning County government."

The Dong family members are not stupid; how could they not understand Madam Tian's meaning?
This means that Zhuang Tingjian will definitely side with these two children!
Even if Madam Tian doesn't show up, they still won't win the lawsuit.

Zhu Yin finally spoke: "If you are not satisfied and still want to make trouble, then try it and see how the magistrate decides."

He finally learned the good news that Zhuang Tingjian had been appointed acting magistrate.

This threshold was extremely important for Zhuang Tingjian's career.

Upon hearing this, the Dong family members looked like a group of defeated roosters, their faces ashen and their expressions utterly disheveled.

They originally thought they had a lot of influence in the government and weren't afraid of lawsuits.

But unexpectedly, the two children were even more powerful!
That makes sense. If someone dares to buy from Tianyu Pavilion, how could they not have a powerful backer?

The Dong family members, of varying ages, bowed to Madam Tian, ​​apologized with forced smiles, and then left Tianyu Pavilion looking dejected.

They came in with great force, and left trembling with fear.

The crowd, having witnessed a good show, quickly dispersed.

Everyone knows that no one can change the identity of the new owner of Tianyu Pavilion.

From this day forward, the surname of Tianyu Pavilion shall be Ning!

This scene made Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei realize even more that in ancient times, doing business without the support of power was simply impossible.

Madam Tian smiled at Ning Caiwei and said, "We are truly destined to meet. Since you call me 'aunt' today, then you are my niece."

"Caiwei, don't deny that you're an old woman."

After this incident, she simply accepted this niece as her own.

Ning Caiwei's face lit up with joy, her eyes welled up with tears, and she bowed down, her voice choked with emotion, saying:

"My parents died early, and I have no elders. I never imagined that Heaven would take pity on me and give me an aunt..."

Her tone was so heartfelt that it moved everyone who heard it.

"Your son greets Your Highness, Aunt."

Madam Tian was also moved to tears and quickly helped her up, saying, "Good child, good child, just like the women of Guanzhong! So magnanimous!"

“We’re both from Guanzhong, and our hometowns are close by. My surname is Ning, and yours is Ning too, so we must be from the same clan!”

As she spoke, she pulled Ning Caiwei into her arms and stroked her hair. "In a few years, your aunt will take you back to Guanzhong to see your hometown, okay?"

Ning Caiwei smiled through her tears, "Okay. I will definitely accompany my aunt back to Guanzhong for a visit."

Zhu Yin quickly stepped forward and greeted her, saying, "Greetings, Aunt!"

Madam Tian smiled and said, "You must be Wei'er's husband, right? You can call me aunt."

Madam Tian was very pleased and then said to Ning Caiwei:

"Now that we've recognized each other, we must have a family feast at the garrison commander's residence tonight. You take care of Tianyu Pavilion first, and I'll send someone to pick you and Zhu Yin up around 3 PM this afternoon. From now on, we're family."

Ning Caiwei said, "Yes. Your niece thanks Aunt for the banquet."

Lady Tian glanced around the Tianyu Pavilion and sighed:

“You and Zhu Yin are both precocious children who are quite clever for their age. You are so young, yet you are already the owner of Tianyu Pavilion. Will you be able to succeed in business? The business acumen involved here is very profound.”

Ning Caiwei helped her sit down in the private room, personally poured tea, and said:

"Don't worry, Aunt. I know a thing or two about business, so I won't lose money."

Madam Tian laughed and said, "If you lose money, you lose money. Don't be stubborn. If you make a profit, you can become a female Qin merchant. With your aunt here, what are you afraid of?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Caiwei immediately lowered her head and began wiping away her tears again, saying, "My aunt still cares about me the most."

Madam Tian said, "In a few days, I will send a trustworthy shop manager to help you. When you have nothing to do, come to the garrison commander's residence to chat with your aunt."

After talking for a while, Madam Tian agreed to meet again that evening, then took her leave.

Ning Caiwei and Zhu Yin saw the carriage off at the door and watched it leave.

Ning Caiwei returned to the shop and addressed the group of waiters who looked on with awe:
"You've all seen what happened today, haven't you? From now on, follow my rules. If you do well, you'll be rewarded handsomely. If you break my rules, it won't be as simple as being dismissed; you might even be tied up and taken to the authorities."

"In short, I may be young, but I have high standards. Anyone who tries to take advantage of my youth should pack their bags and leave now, lest they ruin their own lives..."

He gave a long, earnest lecture, a real show of force, and then concluded by saying:
"Did you all hear that clearly?"

At this point, no one dared to underestimate her. They all cupped their hands and said, "What you say is right, Master. We understand."

Zhu Yin couldn't help but find it a little funny to see that she had regained some of President Ning's demeanor.

After giving her lecture like a little adult, Ning Caiwei continued to check the store's inventory with Zhu Yin and re-register it.

Then I went through the employee roster again.

From now on, Tianyu Pavilion will operate as usual; she doesn't plan to cause any trouble for it for the time being. Tianyu Pavilion is just an important commercial base.

Although Tianyu Pavilion is a golden goose that lays the eggs, its income is very stable. The annual net profit is only tens of thousands of taels.

A net profit of tens of thousands of taels per year is truly impressive. But it's simply impossible to achieve the goal of earning 500,000 taels in three years.

Her energy, of course, still lies in the confectionery industry.

Ning Caiwei was busy managing the Tianyu Pavilion and couldn't leave, so Zhu Yin could only take Lan Cha to see Zhuang Tingjian.

Upon arriving at the county government office, Constable Zhao greeted them with a broad smile.

"Oh, Brother Zhu, it's been so long since we last met! I'm so happy to see you today!"

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "Brother Zhao's face is glowing red; in my opinion, he's about to be promoted!"

Zhao Hong laughed heartily and said, "Then I'll take advantage of Brother Zhu's auspicious words."

He accompanied Zhu Yin into the county government office, and the clerks and officials along the way were very polite to him.

Zhuang Zanfu was just promoted to acting magistrate today, and is now the top official in the county.

This young master Zhu is a junior of Magistrate Zhuang, how could they dare to offend him?

This time, Zhu Yin met Zhuang Tingjian not in the familiar county magistrate's office, but in the county magistrate's back hall!
The magistrate's back hall was clearly a level above the previous county clerk's office in terms of its scale and location.

There was also an extra pair of guards at the gate.

Zhu Yin, sporting a pair of horned buns, entered the magistrate's study with an air of familiarity and immediately spotted Zhuang Tingjian sitting at his desk, writing a memorial.

It's true that officialdom breeds a certain kind of affluence.

In just half a month, the former Assistant Magistrate Zhuang, now Acting Magistrate Zhuang, has become even more refined and distinguished.

"Uncle!" Zhu Yin smiled and bowed, "Your son greets Your Highness, Uncle!"

"Child Tiger!" Magistrate Zhuang was very pleased. "You've finally arrived. No need for formalities, sit down and let's talk."

Zhu Yin smiled broadly and said with a joyful expression, "Your son congratulates you, Uncle, on your promotion to the position of County Magistrate and Governor of Jiangning! The people of this county are truly blessed from now on!"

"You're such a smooth talker!" Zhuang Tingjian laughed. "It's all thanks to you that I've made a contribution and been promoted for it. However, I'm only an acting magistrate."

Zhu Yin sat down and said, "It's just a formality. In a few months, the acting position will be removed."

Zhuang Tingjian put down his brush. "Zhihu, you've come at the right time. I have something to tell you: you can now enroll in Nanyong."

"Although it's a routine prison, you won't have to pay a single tael of silver! I've taken care of all the procedures for you. However, I've reported your age as one year older, making it ten years. You won't blame me for being nosy, will you?"

Zhu Yin quickly stood up. "Your son thanks you, Uncle! It's just right to be a year older. Otherwise, if I entered Nanyong, it would attract even more attention. Uncle is so considerate!"

He was already a little worried about being too young to enter the Imperial Academy, but Zhuang Tingjian was thoughtful and directly used his authority to change his age by one year.

Nine years old and ten years old, although only one year apart, still sound different.

Zhuang Tingjian took out a document and an ebony ivory plaque, and said with a smile, "This is your admission ticket and your identity ivory plaque."

“Chih-hu, from now on, you are the Nan Yongshi.”

Nanyongshi!
Zhu Yin suddenly became a little excited.

Compared to the early Ming Dynasty, the Imperial Academy had actually declined considerably. However, even in its decline, the Southern and Northern Imperial Academies were still the top institutions of learning in the Ming Dynasty.

Even those with the status of a junior official in charge of education had the opportunity to participate in the provincial examinations and could call themselves scholars of the Southern Academy.

Zhuang Tingjian continued, "There is less than a year until next year's provincial examination. You must study hard and strive for excellent grades in the monthly and quarterly exams."

"The Imperial Academy uses a point system. Only if you accumulate enough points in your regular exams can we speak on your behalf and make you eligible to participate in next year's provincial examination."

"Yes." Zhu Yin nodded. "I will definitely study hard, earn points, and strive to participate in next year's provincial examination."

Although the term "point system" sounds very modern, Zhu Yin understood that the term existed as early as the Ming Dynasty. The point system was the assessment system for students of the Imperial Academy, essentially an ancient form of score-based evaluation.

Just as Zhu Yin finished speaking, a soft, sweet, and childlike voice rang out:

"Child Tiger is already a Nan Yongshi? Congratulations!"

P.S.: Another long chapter of over 7,000 words, sob sob. Thank you, goodnight. Headache... it's hard to hold on.

(End of this chapter)