The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

That afternoon, at 3:45 PM.

The road three miles outside Runzhou City, which was originally deserted, suddenly became lively.

Three blue-clothed official sedan chairs, escorted by yamen runners who beat gongs and cleared the way, swayed and came to a stop in front of the dilapidated courtyard gate.

The huge white "拆" (demolish) character painted on the wall by Wang Shichang looked particularly glaring in the autumn sunlight, like a dark joke that hadn't yet been taken down.

The chief examiner, Lord Zhao, stepped down from the sedan chair and looked up at the crooked plaque with a crack in it—"Jiang Family Academy".

Then I looked at the few withered grasses shivering in the wind in the yard.

"this……"

Lord Zhao's lips twitched, and he turned to look at the two assistant examiners behind him, his eyes filled with disbelief:

"Were those three shocking articles really written in a place like this?"

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it. This was hardly an academy; it would be too shabby to call it an abandoned city god temple.

"Sir, appearances can be deceiving." The assistant examiner wiped his sweat. "Perhaps this is what they call... a hidden master in plain sight?"

Just then, the half-broken door creaked open.

Jiang Lin, dressed in a faded blue robe, walked out calmly and bowed respectfully.

"My humble abode is simple and unassuming; I apologize for not being able to greet you properly, Lord Zhao."

Lord Zhao quickly returned the greeting, his attitude even more polite than he would to his colleagues:

"You're too kind, Jiang Shan! I apologize for my intrusion in visiting you."

……

The lecture hall was dimly lit.

Jiang Lin invited the adults to sit down. The chairs were rickety, and a brick was placed underneath them to keep them upright. The teacups were chipped, and the tea leaves inside were leftover tea dust that Qian Duoduo had bought from the market the night before.

Lord Zhao picked up his teacup, glanced at the unidentified grass stalk floating inside, his eye twitched slightly, but he still forced himself to take a sip and praised it:

"Excellent tea! The bittersweet aftertaste is truly delightful!"

Jiang Lin's inner thoughts: My lord, with your acting skills, it's a pity you're not a movie star.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lord Zhao set aside his official airs, leaned forward slightly, and asked the question that had been troubling him most:

"Since you're so ambitious, I won't beat around the bush. After seeing those three exam papers today, I'm truly curious—"

"Su Shi was exceptionally talented, Zeng Gong was seasoned and composed, and Su Zhe was unconventional yet pragmatic. These three men had very different styles, and each was a rare gem. How did you manage to train them to this level in just three months?"

All three examiners pricked up their ears. This was an industry secret!

Jiang Lin put down his teacup, his fingertips lightly tracing the tabletop, revealing his usual air of superiority:

"Actually, it can be summed up in just four words—teaching according to aptitude."

"Teaching according to aptitude?" Lord Zhao pondered these four words.

"Su Shi was like a wild horse; his talent was too great and could easily hurt himself and others. I taught him 'rules and regulations,' using rules as a bridle to guide him to use his strength in the right place."

"Zeng Gong was like an old ox, capable of plowing but lacking in agility. I taught him 'momentum,' so that he could stand on the mountaintop and look at the fields, instead of just staring at the soil under his feet."

"As for Su Zhe, he is a piece of warm and smooth jade, but still a bit immature. I taught him 'calmness' so that his heart would be as still as water and he would not drift with the tide."

Jiang Lin's words were half true and half false (actually, they were all just test-taking techniques), but they struck the three examiners like a thunderbolt.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

The assistant examiner couldn't help but slap his thigh, "Most academies nowadays use rote learning, forcing students to memorize things. There are so few who can see through human nature and speak so directly to the heart like Jiang Shanchang!"

Lord Zhao nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with even greater admiration.

His gaze shifted, and he recalled Su Shi's poem "Autumn Thoughts".

"The world is vast, and the art of writing emphasizes logic, which can perhaps be taught. But the art of poetry emphasizes talent and artistic conception. How did you manage to enable these three young men to write with such mature and profound artistic conception?"

Lord Zhao stared intently at Jiang Lin: "I dare to ask Headmaster Jiang to demonstrate a few things. How do you usually demonstrate 'artistic conception' to your students?"

This means we're going to have an on-the-spot interview.

Jiang Lin smiled slightly and did not refuse.

"Demonstrate artistic conception? Then I'll show you how to 'express one's aspirations through objects'."

He stood up, walked to the broken window, and pointed to a small patch of inconspicuous moss in the damp corner of the wall, which stood out in the autumn wind.

"Does Your Excellency think this academy is dilapidated?"

Lord Zhao was taken aback, then nodded awkwardly: "Uh...it is indeed somewhat...old-fashioned."

Jiang Lin turned around, and instead of using paper and pen, he casually recited in the dilapidated lecture hall:

"Where the sun never shines, youth still comes."

Lord Zhao's eyes narrowed.

The opening lines are plain, yet they perfectly capture the desolation and forgotten nature of this dilapidated courtyard.

Jiang Lin took two steps, his voice clear and bright:

"The moss flower is as small as a grain of rice, yet it learns to bloom like a peony."

boom!

These twenty words, though brief, struck the hearts of the three examiners like a heavy hammer.

Lord Zhao suddenly stood up, completely unaware that the tea in his hand had spilled all over his sleeve.

Moss flowers are as small as grains of rice, yet they bloom with the same brilliance and fragrance as peonies!

What does this say about moss?

This is clearly a description of this dilapidated academy! It's a description of Jiang Lin himself! It's a description of all scholars in the world who come from humble backgrounds but refuse to be mediocre!

In this humble abode, amidst these broken walls and ruins, the stubbornness and pride displayed in this poem are even more moving than Su Shi's "Autumn Thoughts"!

"What a wonderful phrase, 'Also learning to bloom like a peony'!"

Lord Zhao took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Jiang Lin:

"The landscape is vast; this poem, though lacking in grand pronouncements, possesses an unyielding spirit! I... have learned much!"

The two assistant examiners were also filled with shame. They had complained about the dilapidated state of the place when they entered, but now it seemed that the true literati were the ones living in this run-down house!

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Jiang Lin calmly helped Lord Zhao up: "You flatter me, sir. It was just a fleeting thought."

Lord Zhao calmed himself down, and his expression became serious:

"Jiang Shanchang, with your talent and learning, it is a waste to confine yourself to this desolate and dilapidated courtyard."

He pulled out a waist token from his sleeve:

"I would like to recommend you for a teaching position at the county school, and even... if you are willing, I can write a letter to the prefect recommending you for a professorship at the prefectural school. The tuition there is generous, and the environment is tranquil; wouldn't that be a hundred times better than here?"

This is a formal offer of an olive branch.

Being a professor at a county school meant having a secure, tenured job that many scholars longed for.

The onlookers outside the gate gasped in envy upon hearing this.

However, Jiang Lin simply pushed the waist token back gently.

"Thank you for your kind offer, sir."

Jiang Lin shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the dilapidated lecture hall, which bore witness to all the hard work he had put into it since his transmigration:

There's no place like home.

"I'm used to being a carefree person and can't stand the constraints of officialdom. Teaching here, growing flowers, and scolding students is quite nice."

"And..." Jiang Lin's lips curled up slightly, "I also want to see just how big a peony my few 'grains of moss' will bloom in the future."

Lord Zhao was stunned for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh.

Everyone has their own ambitions; you can't force them.

He took back his waist token, and his gaze towards Jiang Lin held less of a conciliatory tone and more genuine respect.

"The country is forever noble and righteous. Since that's the case, I will not insist any further."

"However, I will certainly report your three students to the imperial court for special attention and cultivation. I eagerly await their performance in this year's prefectural examination!"

……

The three examiners were seen off.

Just as the official sedan chairs disappeared from the intersection, three heads that had been hiding behind the screen in the backyard popped out.

"teacher!"

Su Shi darted up to Jiang Lin like a monkey, his eyes red:

"'Moss flowers, as small as grains of rice, also aspire to bloom like peonies'... Sir, did you write this poem for us?"

They heard it all clearly from behind, and tears almost welled up in their eyes.

It turns out that in the man's heart, although they are insignificant now, they have a future as beautiful as peonies!

Zeng Gong's eyes also reddened, and he choked up as he said, "For our sake, the teacher actually refused the high position of professor at the county school..."

Su Zhe even hugged Jiang Lin's leg tightly: "Sir, I will never be lazy again! I want to bloom! I want to be a great peony!"

Jiang Lin got goosebumps from these three sentimental guys.

He disdainfully pushed Su Zhe aside, his face stern as he said:

"Stop being so self-righteous. I don't go to the county school because the food there is terrible, and I have to get up early every day to clock in."

"and……"

Jiang Lin glanced at Su Shi, who was being praised to the skies by Lord Zhao:

"Don't be too happy yet. This is just the county examination; the examiners value talent. The real test will come in the prefectural and metropolitan examinations, where true ability and substance will be put to the test."

"Starting tomorrow, the training volume will be doubled."

"ah?!"

Three screams echoed throughout the academy.

Looking at the three energetic figures from behind, Jiang Lin finally smiled.

The first step is considered a success.

Next, it will be the arrogant Wang family's turn to fulfill their bet of "ceding territory and paying reparations."

"Old Master Wang..."

Jiang Lin gazed in the direction of Runzhou City, his fingers lightly tapping on his folding fan:

"I hope your heart is strong enough."