Why Don't You Analyze?

Lu Xian's smile carried a clear message: skipping class, ignoring advice, and now, while in a Poetry and Politics class, reading a military strategy manual—he clearly couldn't handle the analysis, and so what if he added three lines? Anyone could do that.

At the same time, he felt a growing sense of equilibrium. Through this class, he had basically confirmed that Chu Ming, who had outperformed him in the Willow Town Academy Exam, would likely be relegated to the Lower Academy in the next promotion exam, and might even rank lower than him in the monthly assessments.

In his view, since they had all passed the Academy Exam, their innate talent was roughly the same; it was all about how much time one invested.

Since Chu Ming was late to the game, he was a step behind, and would remain a step behind forever.

The Students below had various thoughts, and Shen Yu gestured for a Student sitting in the front row to collect the answer sheets.

That Student was fair-skinned and looked refined and scholarly. Upon receiving the instruction, he rose unhurriedly and began collecting the sheets from everyone.

A moment later, the sheets were handed to Shen Yu, and the old gentleman began grading them on the spot.

Shen Yu read very quickly, basically glancing at one sheet before moving to the next, occasionally pausing with a furrowed brow or a calm expression.

The Students watched with racing hearts, unable to tell if the pauses meant their own work was good or someone else's was poor.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, all twenty-plus sheets had been reviewed. Three were placed separately under Shen Yu's hand, while the rest were set aside.

Seeing this, the Students' hearts beat even faster, their gazes fixed on the podium like torches.

Lu Xian was like this, as were Ning Hao and Liang Yuan in the middle-front rows.

Chu Ming merely looked up once before withdrawing his gaze, continuing to flip through the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy.

Time was tight; he only wanted to finish this book as quickly as possible so he could move on to other matters.

Lu Xian and several Students nearby heard the sound of turning pages and felt a strange sensation in their hearts.

It was a peculiar feeling—disdain, aversion.

When the results are being announced, you're still pretending to be calm and reading? Who are you putting on a show for?

Master Shen only looks at how well you analyzed the poetry; he doesn't care about your performative diligence!

Chu Ming naturally sensed the subtle, lingering gazes, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

It was just a small post-class quiz; he had lost count of how many he had experienced.

Having lived two lifetimes, his state of mind had long since changed; how could he possibly care about the gazes of a group of teenagers?

On the podium, Shen Yu cleared his throat and swept his gaze calmly over the twenty-odd Students below, who were tense and reserved...

Eh? Why is there still someone in the back row with his head down, reading?

Trying to distract himself from the tension by reading?

After taking in everyone's demeanor, Shen Yu picked up an answer sheet and looked toward the middle-front row: "Ning Hao, your poetry analysis is quite good, and the three lines you added are also rather interesting."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Ning Hao's face—a very confident smile, as if he had known all along that his answer would earn the Master's praise.

The Students in the hall listened, all casting envious glances his way.

Lu Xian watched Ning Hao's back, his fists clenching tightly beneath his desk.

One day, he too would sit in that seat and be the object of everyone's envy!

But in the eyes of Liang Yuan, sitting next to Ning Hao, it was nothing but—shameless showing off!

However, just as everyone assumed Ning Hao would be exempted from the next monthly poetry exam, Shen Yu frowned and spoke: "However, you over-analyzed it, and you used the Traditional Script. I don't like it. It is a failure."

Ah?

Traditional Script analysis, and he doesn't like it?

What kind of grading standard is this?

The books of the Great Qin Dynasty all used the Traditional Script; it was the most common form of writing.

If not the Traditional Script, was he supposed to use that so-called Simplified Script that Master Shen had cooked up himself?

Shen Yu had taught them the Simplified Script, but those characters were too crude, lacked the solemnity of the Traditional Script, and were not promoted by the Great Qin Dynasty.

It wasn't just the Great Qin Dynasty; even in Baiyuan County, those who recognized Shen Yu's Simplified Script could be counted on one hand.

And even among those few, one would have to filter them further—were they just sycophants, or did they truly identify with the Simplified Script?

It was hard to say if one could even find another person who truly believed in it.

They were all Students who had passed the Academy Exam with high aspirations; how could they waste time on the Simplified Script, which was merely one man's opinion?

A flash of defiance crossed Ning Hao's face, but he dared not say anything.

The corners of Liang Yuan's mouth were nearly impossible to keep down; this was the true spirit of their Cloud-Perch Academy.

Shen Yu took in the expressions of the Students, sighed inwardly, and picked up the second answer sheet: "Who is Lu Xian?"

Lu Xian?

Who?

Me?

Lu Xian stood up instinctively, the expression on his face visibly excited.

The older Students in front turned around one after another, and the new Students to his left and right cast glances at him.

Lu Xian's heart hammered like a drum.

Was I called upon by Master Shen?

My exam paper was placed together with Senior Brother Ning's, and it was even underneath his—does that mean...

Haha, I knew it; hard work always pays off.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Lu Xian puffed out his chest slightly, feigning composure as he replied, "Reporting to Master, I am Lu..."

"So you are the one called Lu Xian," Shen Yu interrupted before he could finish his introduction, his eyebrows arching as he asked in a peculiar tone, "Is your father Lu Hong?"

"Yes." Upon hearing this, Lu Xian puffed his chest out even further, his voice booming as he answered.

The only reason he had managed to enter the Middle Academy of Baiyuan Academy with a second-place finish in the Willow Town Academy Exam was because of his father's connections.

It seemed this Subordinate Eighth Rank instructor was also one of his father's contacts.

"Your analysis is a complete mess—it would have been better left unwritten. If you want to continue studying at this academy, you had better discard everything your father taught you as soon as possible."

Shen Yu tossed Lu Xian's exam paper aside and shook his head as he spoke.

What?

A complete mess?

Lu Xian was somewhat dazed.

Did I mishear just now?

Wasn't my exam paper singled out and placed beneath Senior Brother Ning's?

Senior Brother Ning received praise, so why is mine a complete mess?

Did I hear wrong, or was Master Shen not talking about me?

Yet, hearing the collective gasp of the crowd, he felt his body temperature rising, the heat spreading from his neck to his face.

"Sit down." Shen Yu's emotionless voice came from the podium.

Lu Xian stood there blankly, as if he hadn't heard, his face as red as a bride whose veil had just been lifted.

Seeing this, Chu Ming tugged at Lu Xian, who finally snapped out of it and sat down stiffly.

At this moment, Shen Yu picked up the final exam paper, his expression shifting slightly as he looked toward the crowd: "Who is Chu Ming?"

Chu Ming?

Lu Xian whipped his head to the side, the shame in his heart instantly vanishing.

Brother Chu's paper was placed beneath mine, and he was called upon as well.

He then recalled the large blank spaces on the paper Chu Ming had submitted, without a single word of analysis...

Strangely, not only did he stop feeling ashamed, but he even felt a faint sense of anticipation for Master Shen to say the words "complete mess" once more.

If it isn't a complete mess, how would one describe submitting a blank sheet?

Utterly worthless?

"Brother Chu, Master Shen is calling you," Lu Xian reminded him in a kind and polite whisper.

Chu Ming stood up with a sense of helplessness.

Just as before, he instantly drew the gaze of every Student.

Ning Hao and Liang Yuan, sitting in the front-middle rows, looked at Chu Ming with some sympathy, exchanging glances that seemed to say: We must give Junior Brother Chu some serious remedial lessons when we get back, otherwise, it will be such a disgrace to our Cloud-Perch Academy.

Shen Yu looked at Chu Ming with a calm expression, picked up the exam paper, and asked in a low voice: "Why did you not provide an analysis? Do you feel that the poem I wrote lacks merit?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone had the same thought in their minds.

This Student named Chu Ming is finished.