Liu Xian (Second Update)

"Brother Tianwen is absolutely right. It's already quite impressive for a wealthy merchant to donate ten thousand taels of silver. Spending ten thousand taels to buy a good reputation is one thing, but a hundred thousand would be far too expensive. If donating a hundred thousand taels allowed one's children to study at Yingtian Academy, quite a few wealthy merchants would probably be willing to make the donation. But if that happened, Yingtian Academy would become a private school for the children of wealthy families. The dean probably wouldn't agree, and King Luyang certainly wouldn't either."

Liu Xian spoke with a solemn expression, his voice sonorous and forceful.

Chen Qian smiled slightly without commenting. Then his tone changed as he said, "All right, that's all for today. Lessons will be suspended for three months. You may arrange your own activities. Return after three months, and each of you must hand in an essay on policy concerning our Qufu County."

"Yes, Master."

Wang Tianwen and the others answered in unison, but they did not hurry to leave.

They only left after Chen Qian had departed.

Wang Tianwen, Liu Xian, Sun Jiawen, and Fang Ziyi walked side by side. The four of them had entered Yingtian Academy on the same day and were fairly close.

"Brother Liu, do you have any plans? What are you planning to write about?"

Wang Tianwen asked casually.

"I plan to write an essay on farming. Most of the farmland in Qufu County is controlled by the powerful and wealthy. Ordinary people barely have any land at all. What about you?"

Liu Xian came from a poor family. His household owned very little farmland, and most of the people in the village were tenant households of Merchant Li. Other villages were much the same. The farmland was