I just wrote a love poem, how did that make me so powerful?

Zou Linchuan spoke solemnly:

"Did you stop Xu Qing today because he was making a scene and disturbing your peace? Or did he physically assault you?"

Zhou Kang trembled slightly as he faced Zou Linchuan's tone: "No...no."

Zou Linchuan raised his voice: "Since there isn't, then you think you've misinterpreted the academy rules and can make decisions for me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Kang's face turned deathly pale.

"No...the student dares not..."

Zou Linchuan slammed his bamboo cane down hard:

"Since you've brought up the rules, then we'll follow them. According to the academy's rules, anyone who maliciously misinterprets the rules and obstructs fellow students from entering... will be whipped."

Zhou Kang was stunned.

He instinctively clamped his legs together, covered his buttocks, and pointed at Xu Qing:

"Hit me? Shouldn't you have hit him?"

Zou Linchuan glanced at him: "Is Xu Qing your classmate?"

Zhou Kang: "No, he's a study companion..."

"Was Xiao Mingyuan among the people you just stopped?"

Zhou Kang opened his mouth slightly, but didn't dare to answer.

He stopped Xu Qing; he didn't dare say that he stopped Xiao Mingyuan...

Even if Xiao Mingyuan is not the best, he is still the eldest son of the Xiao family and a proper student in the academy.

Zou Linchuan didn't look at him again, but turned to Xu Qing and looked him up and down.

Then, his tone softened, carrying the concern of an elder:

"Xu Qing, I witnessed your performance at Zhuangyuanlou yesterday."

He paused, then spoke solemnly:

"I'm sorry to have put you in such a difficult position as a study companion. From today onwards, you are a full student of Songlin Academy and will no longer need to come and go as a study companion. I will have the relevant roster processed immediately."

Zhou Kang was dumbfounded when he heard this.

His two henchmen were equally dumbfounded.

Does this mean they've been given official status?

You should know that Songlin Academy isn't a place where just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can get in...

Either they have a family tradition of learning;

Either you need to pass an entrance exam;

Either donate money to support education.

A penniless, down-on-his-luck scholar, who yesterday was a page with a few interesting stories, was admitted to the academy today with just a word from the headmaster.

Zhou Kang opened his mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Given his status, he dared not disobey the headmaster's decision.

Not far away, Li Yan walked over from the other end of the corridor with two classmates and began to applaud from afar.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Xu Qing: "Young Master Xu, welcome. From now on, we'll be classmates."

Xu Qing returned the greeting, glancing at Zhou Kang's pale face out of the corner of her eye, and inwardly snorted coldly...

I was able to become a formal student because of the three couplets in the Zhuangyuan Building yesterday.

Old-school scholars like Zou Linchuan valued genuine talent and learning above all else. As long as you had the ability, he would find a way to solve your problems.

Zou Linchuan offered a few more words of encouragement, nothing more than "study diligently" and "don't waste your talent," before slowly walking away, leaning on his bamboo cane.

Before leaving, he glanced back at Zhou Kang and said casually, "Go and receive your whipping. Five strokes for today. If you break the rules again, it'll be doubled."

Zhou Kang's face turned completely ashen.

After Zou Linchuan had gone some distance, the five of them arrived at the pavilion.

Xiao Mingyuan had just sat down casually.

Li Yan smiled and waved to Xu Qing, patting the seat next to him: "Xu Qing, sit down. You're a student now, not just a study companion."

Xu Qing didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on the stone bench.

Xiao Mingyuan looked around and lowered his voice, "Brother Li, what brings you here?"

Li Yan glanced around...

Not far away, around the corner of the corridor, a figure was peeking out; it was one of Chen Shijin's men.

He opened a folding fan to cover half his face, and lowered his voice: "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go somewhere else."

Before Xiao Mingyuan could react, Li Yan had already gotten up and walked out.

Two classmates also stood up; one winked at Xu Qing, and the other patted Xiao Mingyuan on the shoulder.

Xu Qing understood and got up to follow.

The five of them left the academy, made several turns through two alleys, and finally stopped in front of a building.

Xiao Mingyuan looked up and stopped in his tracks.

Chunhong Courtyard.

A plaque with three characters hung above the door, its red paint and gold lettering gleaming in the sunlight.

The two servants at the door greeted Li Yan and then stepped aside.

Xiao Mingyuan swallowed hard, turned to look at Xu Qing, then at Li Yan, a complex expression on his face:

"Ahem... How could a few scholars like us come to a place like this? Don't you think so, Xu Qing?"

Xu Qing glanced at him, straightened her clothes, and stepped inside: "What's wrong with this place? It's quite nice. Aren't you going? Then let's go."

Li Yan's two classmates echoed in unison, "Yes, yes, Chunhong Courtyard is great! We have to go to Chunhong Courtyard."

Xiao Mingyuan stood there stunned for a moment, then quickly caught up, shouting:

"No, no, no! I was just pretending, but I didn't expect you guys to not even bother pretending!"

Li Yan walked ahead, turned back and chuckled, "That's what they call being open and honest."

Xu Qing's lips curled up, but she didn't reply.

The group booked a private room on the second floor facing the street.

The tea had just been served, and I hadn't even had a chance to take a sip...

A strange, sarcastic voice came from outside the door:

"Oh, Young Master Li, Young Master Xiao, what refined tastes! Is the tea at Chunhong Courtyard better than that at the Academy? Coming here in broad daylight... or are you two just too hot-tempered to wait and vent?"

The curtain was lifted, and Chen Shijin led Zhou Kang and Sun Decai in.

Zhou Kang was still gritting his teeth, clearly angry because he had just been whipped.

Upon seeing this, Li Yan's face turned completely gloomy.

He put down his teacup, stood up, and glared angrily:

"Hey Chen, what are you doing? You follow us everywhere we go, are you some kind of tagalong?"

Chen Shijin sat down unhurriedly, crossed his legs, and swung them back and forth, saying with a hint of sarcasm:

"Young Master Li, what you're saying... Is Chunhong Courtyard your private property? You can come, but I can't? Or are you saying..."

He smiled, a smile laced with sarcasm. "You want to use your uncle's name to bully us locals? Or perhaps you outsiders want to fight us locals?"

Xu Qing sneered inwardly after hearing this.

This guy is truly shameless; with just a few words, he steered Li Yan toward the idea that outsiders were bullying locals.

No matter how Li Yan responds, in other people's ears, it will leave the impression that an outsider is belittling a local.

Li Yan naturally wouldn't fall for his trick: "You're the one who's been following me around all this way, stop with this 'hometown feud' nonsense. You've followed me everywhere I go today. What, don't the students of Songlin Academy have anything else to do?"

Chen Shijin sneered, "My legs are my own, what can you do to me? I know Hengyang County much better than you outsiders. You come to the brothel to relieve your pent-up desires in broad daylight, but I can't?"

Xiao Mingyuan, who was listening nearby, was furious. Fueled by his earlier anger, he suddenly stood up, about to start cursing.

He had just stood up when someone gently tugged at his sleeve.

Looking down, Xu Qing was pointing in the direction of the door.

Xiao Mingyuan looked up, and the words of his curse immediately caught in his throat.

There was a person standing at the door...