Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

Gao Qiu looked at Gao Zhao sternly and said in a deep voice, "Since the Emperor has granted you permission to enter the Imperial Academy, I must tell you about the things inside, lest you be ignorant and make a fool of yourself!"

Gao Zhao straightened his back and said solemnly, "My lord, please enlighten me!"

Gao Qiu nodded and said, "The teaching at the Imperial Academy can be roughly divided into two parts. One is the main part of the Imperial Academy, which mainly studies the classics, with the Thirteen Classics as the main text and the New Interpretation of the Three Classics as the standard. In addition, it also studies administrative knowledge, such as governing the people, military affairs, and water conservancy."

The examination of policy essays was conducted using a three-tiered system. Those in the top tier were directly appointed to official positions; those in the middle tier were exempted from the Ministry of Rites examination; those in the palace examination were granted official ranks; and those in the lower tier were exempted from the preliminary examination and were treated as part of the regular civil service examinations.

Gao Zhao nodded. He had learned about this before; it was the system that Emperor Huizong of Song, that incompetent...wise ruler, used to replace the imperial examination system.

"Besides these, there are six other disciplines: law, mathematics, calligraphy, painting, medicine, and martial arts!" Gao Qiu continued, "These six disciplines also follow a three-tiered system, with outstanding individuals being appointed to relevant official positions!"

Gao Zhao immediately understood. It's a vocational college! It's mainly used to train relevant technical personnel, but its potential is probably not very high.

Seeing his earnest expression, Gao Qiu sighed and said, "You should enroll in the Sixth Academy. At least you'll learn something. In a few years, I'll recommend you for an official position, and then you'll have a skill!"

Gao Zhao thought about it and felt that what he said made a lot of sense. If you have a skill, how can you not get promoted faster than others? When that time comes, I will be transferred to the south. The emperor is far away, so I can be extravagant, licentious and immoral!

He nodded emphatically and said earnestly, "Your Excellency is very knowledgeable and experienced; I will listen to your advice!"

Gao Qiu shook his head again and said, "Then which subject do you want to study?"

"Mathematics!" Gao Zhao answered without hesitation. Just kidding, I also went through nine years of compulsory education in my later life. As for math, let me put it this way, you can give me any addition and subtraction problem within ten!

I've come to your Great Song Dynasty, so why don't I just go on a rampage and slaughter everyone!

Haha, fellow time-traveling veterans, it's finally my time to show off! Behold my moment of glory!

Gao Qiu was quite surprised to hear this: "Why do you want to learn mathematics? That's not easy to learn!"

"Haha... My lord, you have no idea!" Gao Zhao laughed smugly, "I have quite a talent for mathematics! Haha..."

Gao Qiu watched him silently for a long time, then sighed again, got up, took two books from the bookshelf, opened one, and handed it over, saying indifferently, "These are Shen Kuo and Shen Cunzhong's 'The Art of Accumulating Gaps' and 'The Art of Converging Circles.' See if you can understand them?"

Gao Zhao felt dizzy after just one glance, and the smile on his face immediately froze.

Gao Qiu then handed over another book, calmly saying, "During the Yuan You era, Minister Su Song oversaw the construction of the Water-Powered Astronomical Clock Tower, with Han Gonglian in charge of supervision. This is his book, 'The Nine Chapters on the Hooked Triangle and the Celestial Sphere.' Try to see if you can understand it!"

Gao Zhao glanced at it blankly, his expression becoming even more dazed!

That's not right. Didn't we agree that people in ancient times were all math idiots? With the multiplication table as the highest level of skill, I can astound the world with just one recitation!

As for linear equations in one variable, that's a forbidden technique. The moment I use it, I can crush everyone in the world!

What the hell are these two books?!

Seeing his state, Gao Qiu couldn't bear it and comforted him, saying, "Mathematics can't be forced. Talent in this area is either there or it isn't; there's no faking it! You should try something else!"

"Come, write a few words for me to see. Our officials love calligraphy and painting. If you have talent, you might just gain their appreciation!"

Gao Zhao's eyes lit up. "That's right, this is also a shortcut!" So he picked up his pen and wrote two black ink blots.

Gao Qiu: "..."

"Don't worry, sir. My calligraphy isn't at home today, and besides, I'm not very good with this brush!" Gao Zhao said somewhat awkwardly, then picked up the brush again and said, "Let me paint a picture for you, sir, and then you can see my talent!"

"Sigh..." After a moment, Gao Qiu put down the picture of the chick pecking at rice and sighed again. He didn't know why he could still have hope for him!

Gao Zhao felt rather awkward, so he tentatively suggested, "My lord, how about I try my martial arts skills again..."

Gao Qiu waved his hand to interrupt him, saying helplessly, "Go to the outer dormitory of the Imperial Academy, which is the Biyong Hall in the southern suburbs. Go there and learn some basic things first!"

"Oh!" Gao Zhao was also somewhat dejected, feeling as if he had no particular talents. He looked at Gao Qiu resentfully and whispered, "My lord, you seem to look down on me!"

Gao Qiu sighed again and waved his hand, saying, "It's not just a resemblance!"

Gao Zhao: "..."

Before long, Gao Zhao came out of the study with a calligraphy copybook. This copybook was by Su Shi, and Gao Qiu told him to practice his calligraphy first!

I'm about to go to university, and you want me to start learning to write from scratch? That's simply outrageous!

As he walked along dejectedly, Qian Bao'er came towards him. Seeing his appearance, she asked worriedly, "Young master, was it because you risked your life to save me that day and were scolded by the Grand Commandant?"

Gao Zhao glanced at her and casually replied, "It has nothing to do with you. It's because the Emperor saw my intelligence and wanted to cultivate me, so he sent me to study at the Imperial Academy!"

Qian Bao'er felt relieved and smiled broadly, "Oh, that's a good thing! Why aren't you happy... Oh, I know! You must be afraid that studying will be restrictive with a teacher, and you won't be as carefree as you are now!"

Gao Zhao found her gloating expression hateful and immediately sighed, "No, it's just that the thought of going to the Imperial Academy and not being able to see you often makes me sad!"

Qian Bao'er froze on the spot, then her pretty face flushed red. She spat and turned away, stumbling and running away.

Gao Zhao watched her retreating figure, curled his lip in disdain, and said, "She runs without even flinching. You're blushing? What's there to blush about!"

He decided that next time he met Li Qiaoniang, he would also meet her, not for any other reason than to see the surging waves!

Back in his room, he picked up a brush and began practicing calligraphy. After writing a few ink blots, Lu Qian couldn't bear to watch any longer and reminded him, "Young Master, don't use your arm strength; use your wrist strength to write, and raise the brush a little higher!"

Gao Zhao tried it and it worked much better; at least he could vaguely make out what the characters were!

A crude brute actually dared to instruct me on how to write!

Gao Zhao felt only sorrow in his heart!

I simply threw down my pen and went to sleep!

I got up early today, but I'm still very sleepy!

I didn't even eat dinner that day. After a good night's sleep, I felt refreshed and full of energy!

This feeling is amazing! It's something I haven't experienced in a long time, even before I traveled through time!

I always said it was worth investing points in constitution!

In a good mood, he immediately decided to get up and practice calligraphy. He had only written two lines when Shi Qian rushed in, beaming, and exclaimed, "Young Master, the Prefect of Kaifeng has been impeached by the Censorate! They say he colluded with thieves to abduct and sell children from orphanages, committing acts of cruel torture and mutilation! The whole city is in an uproar, everyone is cursing him!"

Gao Zhao: "..."

Holy crap...that treacherous minister!