Compared with the prosperous north and southeast, the southwestern region where Shushan lay was somewhat remote and desolate, and Confucian learning was not particularly flourishing there. Across the vast southwestern lands, there were only a handful of renowned academies, and Nanshan Academy was one of them. Though it had never produced a top scholar or second-place graduate in history, it had once claimed the third-place honors.
Unfortunately, that third-place scholar later landed in prison, and Nanshan Academy lost a measure of its glory as well.
Even so, it remained the first choice for the children of dignitaries and wealthy families within Yanjiao City.
Today, Nanshan Academy welcomed a new student.
"Students, let us welcome Chu Liang to our Gengzi Class."
The old teacher stood at the front of the room and raised a hand. A graceful young man in brocade robes entered from outside, drawing every gaze in the classroom.
His brows and eyes were clear and bright, his handsome bearing otherworldly. Though he wore the same Confucian scholar's robes as everyone else, he carried an extra air of transcendence. At the teacher's summons, he entered the classroom and gave the students below a slight nod.
Behind him followed a pageboy with thick brows, large eyes, bronze-colored skin, and a green robe with a small cap. He carried a heavy book basket over his shoulder, his expression seemingly rather disgruntled.
"Chu Liang, find an empty seat and sit down first. Today's lesson is about to begin," said the teacher after letting him make his appearance.
"Yes." Chu Liang saluted the teacher, then walked forward.
There were roughly twenty boys and a dozen girls in the class, each with their own desk. He glanced around, then took an empty seat toward the back. To his right sat Li Jue, who looked somewhat absent-minded.
Just as he was about to sit, the old teacher scolded again, "The pageboy need not come inside. Wait outside instead. If you have a heart for learning, you may listen quietly by the window, but do not make noise and disturb the class."
"Oh..." The pageboy behind Chu Liang finally stopped, set down the book basket, and slunk out of the classroom.
That pageboy was none other than Lin Bei.
He came outside the classroom and stood by the window, looking in. His eyes happened to meet Chu Liang's, and he still looked rather indignant.
"Why is it that we both came to the academy, yet you are a student while I am a pageboy?" His eyes silently conveyed his outrage.
"Probably because we have different temperaments. Besides, roles have no rank or dignity," Chu Liang replied with his eyes.
"I don't understand." Lin Bei remained unconvinced.
"Enough. It will be more convenient for you to gather information as a pageboy. Go ask around among your own circle. You might uncover some news about this strange case," Chu Liang replied again.
Only then did Lin Bei let it go, turning to mingle with the other pageboys.
The students of Nanshan Academy were all children of local wealthy families or officials, so naturally they brought pageboys and servants with them. So many people could not possibly follow them into the classroom. There was a separate outer room in the courtyard for them to rest, and if they wished to study, they could also listen outside the windows. So long as they did not make a loud racket, no one generally bothered to restrain them.
A lesson at Nanshan Academy lasted quite a long time. By the end of the first class, the surrounding students were all a little drowsy, while Chu Liang was still full of interest. He had once been an outstanding student himself, and he rather missed the atmosphere of a classroom.
One of his former teachers had said that he simply could not focus his mind. If he had concentrated wholeheartedly on studying, no one could have surpassed him, and his achievements would have known no bounds. Unfortunately, his interests had been too broad back then. Whether it was sports, board games, or all kinds of games, he had poured his energy into becoming excellent at every one of them.
That was why he had only placed third in the entire province.
Li Jue beside him seemed not to have rested well the previous night. He had fallen asleep on his desk early in the lesson. Chu Liang did not need to worry about him, so he looked around to see whether he could strike up a conversation with someone.
Just then, the freckled girl to his left looked over at him, her eyes glittering like stars as she asked curiously, "Student Chu Liang, where are you from?"
Everyone was bound to be curious about a good-looking transfer student.
"I'm from Xingzhou City," Chu Liang said, giving the information he had prepared beforehand.
"Xingzhou City? Then why did you come to Nanshan Academy?"
"Because of family matters, my whole family moved here, so I had no choice but to come study here as well." Chu Liang smiled.
"Hehe, Nanshan Academy is quite good. It ranks among the very best in the southwest," the young girl said with a giggle after seeing him smile.
"That was what I thought before coming here too. I thought Nanshan Academy might be a good choice." Chu Liang seemed somewhat worried as he spoke. "But after arriving, I suddenly became a little concerned..."
"Concerned about what?" the young girl hurriedly asked.
"I heard that this academy has been haunted lately?" Chu Liang asked in a low voice.
"Ah..." The girl's expression immediately turned grave. She looked around, then lowered her voice as well. "That is true, but you don't need to be afraid. Only those few bad eggs would..."
"Li Chunxia!" A sudden shout came from nearby. "Are you running your mouth again?"
The girl speaking with Chu Liang shuddered and quickly shook her head, not daring to make another sound.
A muscular, sturdy youth had risen from a seat not far ahead. His face was unfriendly as he looked in their direction. He seemed extremely sensitive about what they had been whispering about and had heard them despite several rows separating them.
The sturdy youth pointed at Chu Liang again. "New kid, if you want to study here in peace, stop asking around about things you shouldn't. Hear me?"
Faced with that menacing warning, Chu Liang merely smiled and nodded without making a sound, as though nothing had happened.
At that moment, a gentle voice sounded from behind. "Yan Xiaohu, who are you shouting at now?"
"Teacher Song..." The sturdy youth named Yan Xiaohu immediately became obedient at the sound of that voice and turned around to sit properly.
A woman entered, dressed in a plain blue long skirt with a short green cardigan over it. She was tall and graceful, even somewhat slender. Her hair was simply tied up, revealing ears and a neck as white as fine jade porcelain. Her skin was like congealed mutton fat, her features clean and elegant, and her eyes dark, bright, and crystalline.
Though she kept a stern face and deliberately dressed and behaved with an air of maturity, it was still obvious at a glance that she was not old at all.
"She's an academy teacher too?" Chu Liang was a little surprised.
This woman looked far too young.
Teacher Song entered from outside, walked to Li Jue's side, and lightly nudged him awake. Only then did she slowly make her way to the lectern and say softly, "Let's begin class."
Li Jue even roused himself with unusual spirit when he looked at this female teacher.
Compared to the old teacher from before, who had strained his throat trying to wake everyone to no avail... her voice was gentle and soft, almost a whisper. Yet every student below, male or female, perked up, and not one of them was sleepy any longer.
"We have a new student today, don't we?" Teacher Song looked at Chu Liang and spoke first. "Then let me introduce myself. My name is Song Qingyi, and I teach poetry and literature at Nanshan Academy."
Chu Liang met her gentle gaze and faintly sensed something strange.
Though Song Qingyi was young, her foundation was deep. Her lesson was clear and accessible, yet full of interest.
After class ended, it was time for the midday break.
Only on the way to lunch did Chu Liang meet up with Lin Bei.
"How did your inquiries go?" Chu Liang asked.
"I found out everything." Lin Bei said excitedly, "That Teacher Song is named Song Qingyi. She's from Jiangnan and only arrived at Nanshan Academy a few days ago. She's eighteen or nineteen, about our age... and unmarried!"
Chu Liang: "?"
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