Entering the Competition

Wu Zong's heart was bleeding, but he couldn't show it.

He glared back at Zhao Ruxi: "What kind of look is that? I have paintings just like my master's, okay?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but clutch his heart.

Although his master also gave him and his fellow disciples paintings, those were all his early works. Later, as his master's paintings improved, he himself disliked those paintings and instead used them as gifts to reward his disciples.

One is a work of disdain, the other a work of pride. Sigh, how can there be such a huge difference between people?

Zhao Ruxi paid him no heed; she was content to have received her master's masterpiece.

However, she didn't forget the important matter.

"Master, I have something to discuss with you," she said.

"Let's go to the hall."

Kang Shilin left the painting studio, entered the hall, and called for servants to bring refreshments and tea before asking, "Speak, what is it?"

Zhao Ruxi then explained that Beining and the Capital Women's Academy shared the same exam papers, saying, "Now Madam Cui is very worried, afraid that if I do well on the exam, the Capital Women's Academy will take a liking to me. If they do take a liking to me and then reject me, I will offend Consort Jin."

Kang Shilin frowned slightly, then waved his hand. "Don't worry. I'll talk to the Emperor about it. You're my apprentice, so you have to serve me wherever I am."

Zhao Ruxi shook her head. "Master, I'm not telling you this so you can plead with the Emperor. Although the Emperor might grant your request out of consideration for you, you'll still offend Consort Jin in the process. You're not afraid, but it wouldn't be good if Senior Brother Kang and the others were targeted in court."

Before Kang Shilin could speak, she continued, "I was thinking that I can't rely on you and my fellow disciples for the rest of my life; I have to stand on my own two feet. If I were a respected and admired scholar, wouldn't others be less likely to think I'm easy to bully and provoke me? So I wanted to ask Master, should I participate in the year-end competition in the capital? Which event would be better?"

Although Zhao Ruxi's words were ambiguous, Kang Shilin and Wu Zong still understood her unspoken meaning.

"You mean... you want to reveal that you are the artist of that painting?" Kang Shilin asked.

Zhao Ruxi nodded and asked the two of them, "Master, Senior Brother, what do you think?"

Wu Zong frowned, seemingly pondering the pros and cons of going public.

Kang Shilin slapped the armrest. "Make it public, of course it should be made public. If we hadn't been worried that your painting wouldn't fetch a high price, we wouldn't have needed to hide your identity at all. Now the painting has been sold, and it was even bought by the Emperor. He already knew it was painted by you, and he really liked it. He didn't feel like he was losing out by spending 25,000 taels of silver on your painting. So what is there left to hide? Make it public, make it public now."

Zhao Ruxi and Wu Zong exchanged a glance, both with helplessness in their eyes.

The master is a huge fan of showing off his disciple, so it's no surprise that he strongly approves of making it public, since Zhao Ruxi raised this question. That way, he can freely boast about his little disciple.

You know, after Zhao Ruxi's painting was auctioned off, everyone who mentioned it praised it. Every time Kang Shilin heard it, he felt like he was about to burst with internal rage.

Zhao Ruxi simply asked Wu Zong, "What do you think, Senior Brother?"

Wu Zong thought for a moment and said, "There's nothing wrong with making it public. With the Emperor's painting in hand, even if people like your paintings, they can't force you to sell them at a low price."

Zhao Ruxi nodded.

Speaking of this, all three were secretly relieved that Zhao Ruxi 'Eunuch Xie painting at a high price on behalf of the Emperor. Otherwise, Zhao Ruxi would have encountered many troubles if she wanted to make it public. With the Emperor as her protector, those who wanted to force her to sell the painting or make her sell it at a low price had to give up their ideas. Otherwise, what would become of the Emperor?

"Then it's settled. I'll go participate in the painting competition," Zhao Ruxi said.

Kang Shilin stroked his beard and thought for a moment, then asked Zhao Ruxi, "Zhiwei, I heard from Old Man Gan that you can solve problems that no one in the Ministry of Revenue has ever been able to solve. Is that true?"

Wu Zong was taken aback.

"A problem that no one can solve?" Zhao Ruxi frowned. "When Master Gan gave me the problem, he didn't say it was Ministry of Revenue problem."

Wu Zong was speechless. "So, you didn't find the questions difficult when you were doing them?"

"Uh," Zhao Ruxi touched her nose and chuckled awkwardly, "It's alright."

Kang Shilin stroked his beard and said, "Since you're so good at math, why don't you just participate in the math competition as well?"

The year-end competition consists of eight skills: music, chess, calligraphy, painting, archery, horsemanship, poetry, and mathematics.

Numbers are mathematics.

If Zhao Ruxi hadn't displayed her talent in mathematics, it wouldn't have mattered. Kang Shilin felt that Zhao Ruxi's ability to astound the entire capital and the painting world of the Great Jin in painting was truly remarkable, making him, her master, very proud.

But since they're also good at math, why not participate together and give everyone an even bigger shock?

Zhao Ruxi shook her head. "Master, even if I solved the problems accumulated by the Ministry of Revenue, apart from Master Gan's few words of lament to you, have you heard of my mathematical talent from anyone else?"

Kang Shilin was taken aback, shook his head, and seemed to be deep in thought.

"It's clear that Master Gan also knows I can't spread my reputation in mathematics. I guess I won't participate in the mathematics competition."

Princess Xiangyang had little plot in the original novel, only being mentioned briefly because she was the Third Prince's sister. However, after Zhao Ruxi arrived in the Great Jin, as someone determined to change the plot of the original novel, it was impossible for her not to understand the situation of the royal family and the various factions of the powerful nobles in the capital.

Therefore, upon hearing that she had tackled a difficult problem posed by the Ministry of Revenue, and considering that the matter seemed to have gone unnoticed even by Madam Cui, Zhao Ruxi knew that Gan Lun also had concerns. He knew that if her mathematical talent were to become known, it would not only be a bad thing, but would also bring trouble.

If that's the case, there's no need for her to provoke Princess Xiangyang for a mere empty title.

The reason is the same as whether or not to accept the offer from the Capital Women's Academy.

Kang Shilin was actually a very insightful person; otherwise, he wouldn't have achieved such a prominent position. He was simply focused on painting and didn't think about much else.

Now that Zhao Ruxi had brought it up, he understood Gan Lun's concerns.

He sighed deeply, "It's still because Master isn't strong enough to protect you."

"Master, please don't say that." Zhao Ruxi felt very uncomfortable hearing this. "Don't worry, once I finish the imperial examination and obtain a certain rank, I won't hide my talent in mathematics anymore. I will definitely make you proud then."

"Okay. I'll wait." Kang Shilin nodded vigorously.

After a few moments of frustration, Kang Shilin remembered that his young apprentice was going to participate in a painting competition, and he cheered up again. He picked up his pen and wrote a letter, which he sent to Fang Jingye, thus registering Zhao Ruxi for the competition.

Zhao Ruxi's decision to participate in the painting competition was also impromptu. It was only when she saw Kang Shilin writing a letter to Fang Jingye that she remembered something.

She asked, "Master, who is the judge in a painting competition?"