Chapter 91: Chapter 93: Cheating Incident Chapter 91: Chapter 93: Cheating Incident “There was once a famine, and the great benefactor of the village donated one hundred stead buns to the hundred monks in the temple. The head monk ate four stead buns, and four young monks shared one stead bun. Question: How many senior and junior monks are there in the temple?”
As soon as the question was raised, so of the female students imdiately began to write.
Other female students were, however, at a loss.
Most of them ca from poor families and had not bought the answers. Even if they had learned so rudintary accounting, they were only adept at addition and subtraction.
This problem couldn’t be solved with just addition and subtraction, not even the ‘Da Chu Mathematical Classic’ contained such a complex thod…
In the Spring Garden, young maidens all blushed, gazing at the pavilion in the center.
It was a hexagonal pavilion, and the stone table inside had just been lit with a Boshan Incense Burner. The man had set up his zither; his face was as clear as jade, dressed in a blue robe, his nearly flawless fingers lightly plucked at the strings, creating a tinkling sound.
“The first class is ancient zither. If I had known that the Seventh Prince would be the new teacher for horseback riding and archery this year, I would have chosen the archery class.”
Feng Xiangxue flipped through the new titable she had just received; sitting next to her was the Princess Anyang, who had had a conflict with Feng Bailing at Chuyue Tower a few days ago.
Dugu Wu had injured his leg and would not be teaching the horseback riding and archery class this year.
The face of Princess Anyang suddenly changed.
“What a Feng Bailing. I knew it, how could a person like Prince Wu be willing to marry her? It must have been against his will. You and the Seventh Prince have a mutual affection, how could you possibly be just a concubine? It must be her doing.”
Because of Nalan Yan’er, although Feng Xiangxue was just an adopted daughter of the Princess’ Mansion, she had a good relationship with many of the ladies from Yuxiu Academy, especially with Princess Anyang, with whom she exchanged handkerchiefs.
Feng Xiangxue had been aware of Princess Anyang’s affection for Dugu Wu for so ti.
“But, I’ve heard that Feng Bailing doesn’t win the favor of Princess Consort Shun. After all, how she treated Prince Wu’s sister back then. They say that if she can’t get into Yuxiu Academy, Princess Consort Shun will definitely not let her in.”
As they were speaking, Yuxiu Academy’s ancient bell rang three tis, its sound spreading throughout the Academy.
The first examination had ended.
As the bell stopped ringing, the female students handed in their answers.
Nalan Yan’er noticed that the paper Feng Bailing handed in was clean, not showing any signs of calculation.
“Ladies, please wait a mont. Tea has been set up in the corridor. The list will be announced in a quarter-hour, and those who pass will proceed to the second floor for the next round of assessnt.”
A quarter-hour later, before the list was published, a female teacher ca out.
“Number nine, number thirteen, number seventeen, number twenty-one…”
More than one hundred numbers were called out, and the female students whose numbers were announced all showed happy expressions.
The numbers of Feng Bailing and Ouyang Chenchen were not called out.
“All of the aforentioned, please collect your belongings, you may leave now.”
As soon as the words of the female teacher fell, the previously elated female students were stunned – hadn’t they passed the examination?
“Teacher, all of our answers are correct, why must we leave?”
One bold female student spoke out in dissatisfaction.
“You cheated during the examination. By the rules of Yuxiu Academy, cheaters will never be admitted.”
The female teacher’s gaze was icy cold.
Every year, there are students who have no respect for the law, trying to cut corners.
This year, to prevent cheating, the academy had people sell fake answers at high prices in the streets.
They sold the answers for one thousand taels each, over one hundred copies were sold.
“Your answers are identical to the fake ones; you all cheated.”
The female students were left with flushed faces and embarrassnt; none dared to linger, all scurried away hastily.
“The next announcent is for those who have passed the exam. This ti, a total of seventy-two people have passed the first round of accounting.”
The female teacher published a new list of nas.
“I passed, and so did you. It’s all thanks to your advice not to use the answers, thank heavens, I nearly got disqualified.”
Ouyang Chenchen saw her own and Feng Bailing’s number and was brimming with joy.
Half an hour ago, just as Ouyang Chenchen bragged to Feng Bailing about having the answers, Feng Bailing whispered to her.
“If you trust , don’t use that set of answers. It’s a trap set by Yuxiu Academy specifically to catch cheaters.”
The mont Ouyang Chenchen ntioned purchasing answers, Feng Bailing recalled an incident from Chu City. That year, aside from the scandal of her broken engagent and the decline of the Princess’ Mansion, a major event took place—cheating at Yuxiu Academy.
To eradicate cheating, the dean pulled a big move by releasing fake answers to the public, resulting in over one hundred female students being permanently stripped of their admission rights, shaking the whole Great Chu.
At the ti, Feng Bailing was an outsider, but now she was experiencing it firsthand, leaving her with a deep impression of the academy’s dean—a cunning figure who made a profit and easily taught a lesson to cheating students.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Chenchen didn’t suspect anything and imdiately believed Feng Bailing.
“But if you’re so skilled in accounting, why would you buy answers?”
Feng Bailing was sowhat surprised. The fact that Ouyang Chenchen also passed with flying colors ant her scholarship must be pretty good.
“I’m not saying I can’t do it, I’m just too lazy to think. Rather than taxing my brain, I’d prefer to eat and sleep more; life should be enjoyed when you can. If it weren’t for the chance of studying alongside you, I wouldn’t bother with calculations at all.”
Ouyang Chenchen stuck out her tongue playfully.
“Feng Bailing actually passed as well.”
Nalan Yan’er saw Feng Bailing’s number on the list and was astonished.
She didn’t make a single calculation, so how could she have possibly gotten the answers? But indeed, Feng Bailing’s answer sheet was confidently marked with “twenty, eighty.”
Not only Feng Bailing, but the young girl who ca with her also passed.
Nalan Yan’er had soone fetch the paper from that student nad Ouyang Chenchen, filled to the brim with two pages of calculations.
Their seats were quite close; it must be that Feng Bailing sneaked a peek at the other’s answer sheet.
What luck Feng Bailing has.
Nalan Yan’er’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, but then she thought of the second round.
“Feng Bailing, I am curious to see how long your luck will last.”
Nalan Yan’er sneered.
Feng Bailing and Ouyang Chenchen, along with the rest of the female students who passed the first round, went on to the second floor.
“The second round is a talent assessnt. To ensure fairness, Yuxiu Academy has stipulated that only academy-provided equipnt may be used for the assessnt. You may select equipnt before participating in the second round.”
The students looked ahead.
The second floor was draped with orange gauze curtains, not filled with desks like the first floor – rather, it resembled a small storage room, with a collection including ancient zithers, guzhengs, pipas, flutes, bianzhongs, dingqings, and other instrunts.
There were also chessboards, brushes, inks, and inkstones, and even so dance props, a dazzling array of choices.
“Ten students per group, please co forward in the order of your numbers and select the equipnt you’ll use.”
The female teacher spoke, and ten female students went up first, with Ouyang Chenchen among them.
Ouyang Chenchen glanced at the ancient zither, shook her head, then considered the brush, ink, and inkstone, and shook her head again.
“Being a maiden of Great Chu really is difficult, so many things for show but not practical.”
Just as she was speaking, her eyes lit up as she spotted sothing.
Feng Bailing seed thoughtful, picking up an item.
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