bookrebus Chapter 720: Is such an academy worthy of being called Qingfeng?
Chapter 720: Is such an academy worthy of being called Qingfeng?
Bai Wanwan didn't care about that and directly led her men into the dean's study.
The dean of the college was talking to a group of people:
"Our Qingfeng Academy has a long history, at least one hundred to eighty years.
Over the years, we have trained countless learned gentlemen, and have produced countless students, one after another.
Just take those who took the imperial examinations for example. There were dozens of top scorers who came out of here back then, and even more who passed the imperial examinations.
Many of the high-ranking officials in the court today studied here in their early years.
Our college's mission is to help more students achieve success, not only by studying but also by being able to work, so that the college's reputation will grow even greater!"
Bai Wanwan rushed in with his men, surrounded the place and said:
"As the old saying goes, cultivating oneself begins with cultivating virtue. Your academy talks a lot about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but what you've produced are only petty thieves!
What do you think of me, a student from Qingshui County, when I come here?
You only care about and give preferential treatment to the children of high-ranking officials, but look down on the children of common people. At best, you treat them coldly, and at worst, you make things difficult for them.
Is this academy worthy of being called Qingfeng? It's clearly a place that harbors filth and dirt!"
The dean was so angry at the accusation that he was shaking all over, his beard was standing on end. He pointed at Bai Wanwan's nose and spit flew:
"Where did this young brat come from? He's barely wet behind the ears and yet he dares to act wild in his official uniform.
How dare you slander the century-old reputation of Qingfeng Academy like this! This is outrageous, outrageous!
Bai Wanwan shouted loudly:
"Are you the dean of an academy or a bandit? People send their children to your academy because they trust you.
But what are you doing? Are the students from Qingshui County here?
I am the magistrate of Qingshui County. You can tell me any grievances you have."
Bai Wanwan looked at the more than one hundred students from Qingshui County. All of them lowered their heads and did not dare to speak.
The dean sneered, "You saw it all, didn't you? How did we mistreat the students? That's pure nonsense."
A student suddenly stepped out and said:
"Isn't there? They have families with them and don't dare to speak out. I'm not afraid.
All my family members are dead, so I am not afraid of offending you powerful people. I am dead anyway.
You know how you treat us.
Those of us who don’t have a family background have to get up before dawn every day to work.
Sweeping the yard, fetching water, chopping wood, and pouring night incense...
We had to do all the chores in the yard, and only after we finished could we get a bowl of porridge so thin you could see your reflection in it, sometimes mixed with sand."
He paused, his eyes reddened:
"If any work is not done properly, the supervisor will whip it.
Last time, I spilled half a bucket of water while carrying it, and they pinned me to the ground and beat me. My back was covered in blood, and I had to lie down for three days before I could get up.”
As he spoke, he suddenly lifted up his left sleeve. The scars on his arm were shocking. It was obvious that there were new wounds overlapping old ones. Some places even had scabs, which was heartbreaking to look at.
The dean's expression suddenly turned bad: "Don't talk nonsense, this has nothing to do with us, were you beaten by someone outside?"
Another slightly older student also stepped forward:
"They provided special meals for the children of the rich and powerful, with meat and vegetables for every meal, but we could only eat hard cornbread.
It was cold in winter. The children of wealthy families wore warm clothes, but we had to work in light clothes and shivered with cold, but no one cared.
Anyone who dared to talk back would be locked up in the woodshed, where it was common for them to starve for two days and two nights."
The young man lifted up his trouser leg and said, "I didn't make the bed for the dean's nephew in time yesterday, so he beat me with a stick."
Someone came forward, and others also began to tell about the evil deeds of those people in the academy.
The dean had invited dignitaries from all over the country today. When they heard about this, their expressions changed: "Oh my! This won't do. If the child is really sent here, he will be bullied to death."
"That's right! I can't let my only child suffer such injustice."
"I paid money to go to school, why should I suffer like this?"
The dean was so angry that he almost vomited blood. Qingfeng Academy relied on word of mouth to get to where it is today:
"Don't listen to the nonsense of these lowly people. Our Qingfeng Academy has never been like this.
I can take you inside for a tour, and you'll see that our environment is absolutely first-class."
He glared at Bai Wanwan and said, "I'll settle the score with you later. How dare you, a little kid, put on this show with them?"
Bai Wanwan said with a half-smile:
"Since you are not afraid, let's go and take a look together!
I also want to see what the situation is like at your Qingfeng Academy."
The group followed him through the corridor and into the front hall of the academy.
This place is indeed magnificent. There are lotus patterns carved on the beams, the ground is paved with bluestone slabs, and celadon vases and ancient bronze stoves are placed on the shelves on both sides. Elegance is everywhere.
Walking further in is the main hall for lectures, which is even more spacious and bright. The walls are covered with authentic works of great scholars from past dynasties, some dignified and some free and easy.
The dean stood in the hall, stroking his goatee, and said with a bit of pride:
"Look at this environment, how can it be compared to an ordinary academy?
Now let’s talk about our teacher. The one on the east side who is annotating the classics is a former doctor of the Imperial College. He once taught the prince. His knowledge of the classics is so profound that even the prime minister of the time has to respect him.
The calligraphy copied by the orthodox student in the west was the best in Jiangnan. The emperor even asked for his calligraphy.
There was also a teacher who taught mathematics. He won the third place in the imperial examination with his mathematical essays. All the children in the court who wanted to learn mathematics would fight to get into his school!
He became more and more excited as he spoke, pointing at several elderly men who were busy at their desks in the hall:
"Which of these gentlemen is not highly respected? Which of them is not well-educated?
No matter how many dignitaries have begged us to send their children to us, we would first examine their character before accepting them.
"You little brat, tell me, how could such a teacher, with such knowledge, do such a dirty thing?"
Bai Wanwan listened to the dean's words with a smile on her face, neither responding nor refuting.
Seeing her like this, the dean became even more excited and said loudly, "Let's go look somewhere else!"
As he said this, he led everyone to the dining hall.
As soon as I entered the cafeteria, it was indeed lively, and the long wooden table was filled to the brim.
The celadon bowl is filled with spare ribs, steaming braised fish, seasonal vegetables, steamed buns, and even pickles and sweet soup, the aroma is fragrant.
Several well-dressed students were sitting around the table, eating slowly. The cups and plates on the table were neatly arranged, and it looked like they had been carefully taken care of.
"Did you see that?" The dean's voice rose a little. "The food in my academy has always been plentiful and exquisite. How could we treat our students harshly?"
He strode out again: "Let's go see where they live! Today I must open your eyes, little kid!"
The group then turned to the back of the academy, where they found an elegant courtyard.
Push open a moon door and you will see a series of independent small houses inside. Each one has window lattices and potted plants on the windowsill.
When I pushed the door open, I saw that the room was neatly furnished, with a cushioned wooden bed and a neatly folded quilt.
There were pens, ink, paper and inkstone on the desk next to it, and there was even a servant bending over to straighten the student's clothes, or standing by with a cup of hot tea, very attentive and considerate.