Mingshan Academy is famous for its strict scholarship, but because the students are all wealthy and nobles, the most common punishment is copying books. Jingxinzhai is a place used by the academy specifically for copying.
In the meditation room, Shen Zhuo sighed while copying. If he had known he would be punished, he should not have come to the academy today. However, I blame myself for skipping too many classes and accidentally exceeding the maximum number of days. How could he end up in this situation if he only counted the days?
After a new life, Shen Zhuo saw clearly that he was full of shortcomings. Even though this was the case, my father and mother still closed their eyes every day and praised her for being smart, cute and annoying. Alas, it is really not easy for parents.
Shen Zhuo was in the process of self-reflection when suddenly a branch hit the table. She looked up and saw five heads popping up from the window frame not far away.
"Jiaojiao, were you punished for copying the school rules again?" Zhang Jingyi smiled with a look of gloating on her face.
"Yeah." Shen Zhuo responded feebly.
"How many times have you been punished? I think you've been copying for a long time." Lu Waner asked curiously.
"Ten times." Shen Zhuo bit the penholder with a look of despair.
"Jiaojiao, then you have to work hard." Meng Qinglian held the silk handkerchief in her hand, looked at it with a pair of single phoenix eyes, Jiaojiao said softly, "Oh, don't forget, you still owe us five days. Classwork."
"Oh, that's right. We have brought all the five days of homework that we need to make up for." Lu Waner patted her head and took out her book bag from behind her back.
Then, Shen Zhuo saw five volumes of papers thrown on his desk.
"With lotus as the theme, I wrote five rhymes and seven rhymes, copied from "The Analects of Confucius. Xue Er Pian", and dozens of questions with explanations." Xiao Yushu spoke clearly and had a crisp voice.
"Remember, you have to hand it in before school tomorrow." Wen Mingyun reminded her thoughtfully.
Shen Zhuo looked at the few people expressionlessly: "Are you here to add insult to injury? Why do I remember that the storybook talks about having to go out of your way to save your friends?"
"Well, then the words we read are different. The words I read are all about what is said and what is said is hard to follow." Wen Mingyun's face did not change.
"Yes, a gentleman keeps his word." Xiao Yushu nodded.
"Yes, a promise worth a thousand dollars." Lu Waner nodded.
Shen Zhuo felt that she should not only burn the scripts in her room, but also go to Shangshu's Mansion, Zhongyihou's Mansion, Prince Zhuang's Mansion, and Wen's Mansion and burn all the scripts in their rooms.
"Don't you have to go to class?" Shen Zhuo gritted his teeth.
"Jiaojiao, I asked Taohong to buy Ruishengzhai's osmanthus cakes. Do you want me to get you some? With so much homework, you may miss dinner, but don't starve." Lu Waner said.
"Bang" Shen Zhuo threw the brush in his hand at several people and said through gritted teeth, "Is this all over? Don't leave yet!"
"Hehe, let's go now, let's go now."
"Jiaojiao, remember to finish your homework~~~~"
"Swish, swish, swish", all the heads on the window frame disappeared, a few people ran away laughing, and Jingxinzhai returned to silence.
Looking at the extra rolls of paper on the desk, Shen Zhuo curled his lips, but his eyebrows and eyes curved, and his irritable mind calmed down. She picked up the pen, frowned and carefully copied the hospital rules.
It’s great that they are all still here. There is still time for everything.
It wasn't until dusk began to set in and it had been more than half an hour since the academy had finished school that Shen Zhuo had just finished copying the school rules ten times. She took a thick stack of papers and went to Zheng Shanchang's study room to return to work.
Zheng Gongpei looked at the words written like a dog crawling and raised his hand to press the throbbing veins on his forehead. How could a young girl with so much fluidity and clarity turn into a naughty and irritable character? I can't even calm down at all.
He accepted the copied manuscript, waved his hand at Shen Zhuo and said, "Go back quickly, it's getting dark."
Shen Zhuo stood still and suddenly asked: "Shan Zhang, which one takes precedence, the academy's rules or Tiansheng's laws?"
Zheng Gongpei was surprised that Shen Zhuo would ask such a question, but he still answered seriously: "Of course it is Tiansheng's law. Tiansheng's law governs a country, and academies regulate a corner. If there is a conflict between the two, Tiansheng's law must be used." The law is the rule.”
Shen Zhuo then asked: "Then why did we make a mistake? We have always copied the academy rules and never copied the Tiansheng law? And the academy has never taught Tiansheng law."
Zheng Gongpei was slightly startled and rarely looked directly at Shen Zhuo: "Why do you suddenly ask this?"
Shen Zhuo bowed and said sincerely: "The student was reckless the day before yesterday and almost broke the law and caused a catastrophe. So the student wants to learn the law to avoid breaking the law without knowing it in the future."
As he said that, Shen Zhuo paused, his face turned red, and his voice softened: "But... students really... can't read. I wonder if the academy can offer related courses?"
Zheng Gongpei was shocked. He didn't expect Shen Zhuo, who had never learned anything, to be so motivated.
The students of Mingshan Academy were either from noble families or from aristocratic families, so the academy did not teach for the purpose of imperial examinations, but mainly for the purpose of extensive knowledge and cultivating heirs of various families.
Shen Zhuo's words reminded Zheng Gongpei. Princes who break the law are as guilty as common people. These princes, grandsons, and nobles may not take the exam, fail the exam, or even not study, but they should not be ignorant of the law.
Zheng Gongpei's expression softened: "The law is difficult and obscure, and it is indeed difficult to understand. What you mentioned is very good. I will discuss it with the masters to see how to arrange it. Today, you can go back first."
Shen Zhuo bowed and resigned from the mountain chief. From what the mountain chief said, this matter should be close to home. Shen Zhuo was bouncing all the way and was in a great mood. He didn't even pay attention to the five days of schoolwork that was forced on five people. Anyway, he had his second and third brothers at home, so he was worried that he wouldn't be able to write a few poems?
Shen Zhuo looked up at the sky and saw that the sky was getting darker and a ray of sunset was hanging on the horizon. It was indeed a bit late. Shen Zhuo grabbed his book bag and took a shortcut to the entrance of the academy.
While passing by the stone garden to the west of the academy, Shen Zhuo suddenly heard a deliberately muted conversation, which seemed to be mixed with the faint sound of a woman crying.
Shen Zhuo paused, turned around and walked towards the stone garden.
Mingshan Academy occupies a vast area. In addition to the male and female schools, it also built many small and exquisite courtyards, waterside pavilions or gardens for the master and students to relax or gather after class. Shiyuan is one of them.
The Stone Garden is located in the westernmost part of the academy and is relatively remote. On one side is the academy wall, and outside the wall is a dense forest that is rarely visited by people. On the other side, through the moon cave gate, it is connected to the academy's martial arts performance field.
When there are no martial arts classes, few people come here. If Shen Zhuo hadn't taken a shortcut to the academy entrance, he wouldn't have passed by here.
As the name suggests, the Stone Garden is a landscape with strange rocks. There are several rockeries of different shapes in the garden. There is also a pond dug under the largest rockery. Several water lilies are planted in the pond and several red carps are raised, which is quite elegant. . There is also a tall osmanthus tree on the edge of the rockery. Every year in August, the garden will be filled with fragrance, which is also a sight of the academy.
Shen Zhuo walked lightly and tiptoed through the moon cave door, following the sound and walking inside.
