Chapter 106: The Scholars of Huang Zhai Question Their Lives

The students of the Yellow Hall stared in a daze as Dean Wei walked in, followed closely by Li Su. Seeing Li Su, Song Sheng felt a jolt of shock. Had Brother Li gone to find the Dean so early this morning? He must have gone to seek instruction; how incredibly diligent!

Li Su sat down next to Song Sheng and shook out his hand. If it weren't for his habit of regular physical training, he feared he would struggle even to hold a pen today. As it was, his hand only felt a bit sore. Seeing this, Song Sheng couldn't help but wonder just how much writing Brother Li had done to make his hand ache like that.

From the moment Dean Wei entered, the Yellow Hall fell into a profound silence; not a sound could be heard. Since Li Su had arrived at the academy, how many times had they even caught a glimpse of the Dean? The two must surely share a very close relationship.

Dean Wei spoke calmly, "I shall be teaching Arithmetic in the Yellow Hall."

The students of the Yellow Hall took a long moment to process what they had just heard. Dean Wei was going to teach? In the Yellow Hall? Everyone had heard that the Dean’s teaching style was notoriously grueling, but such an opportunity was rare. For a moment, the joy and honor the students felt eclipsed their worries.

However, once Dean Wei began his lecture, the smiles vanished. The students sat up straight, not daring to move a muscle. Because when Dean Wei taught, one could not fidget, or one would be reprimanded; someone had already been scolded just moments ago.

Wei Shi’an’s demeanor was intensely serious—from his facial expressions and voice to his gestures. The students felt as though they were truly learning profound things. But after explaining a concept, Wei Shi’an would immediately pose similar problems and call on students at random to solve them.

"This is lethal!" the students thought.

Wei Shi’an called on Li Su several times in a row, and the students finally felt a sense of relief—thank goodness for Li Su. But before they could fully relax, the Dean began calling on others as well, and their hearts jumped back into their throats.

Wei Shi’an broke down problems into their simplest parts. Everyone who entered Mingyue Academy held the rank of *Xiucai*; they all had a solid foundation. Even the students of the Yellow Hall were quite capable. Initially, they felt enlightened, thinking they understood everything perfectly because the Dean explained it so well.

But as soon as the Dean presented a new problem, full of complex variations, they realized they didn't understand as much as they thought. It was incredibly difficult. The problems grew progressively harder, leaving the students dizzy and overwhelmed. They were force-fed a vast amount of information, but it refused to stick in their minds.

Their emotions seesawed as they lived in constant fear of being called upon. They dared not let their attention wander for even a second. By the end of the lesson, they were physically and mentally exhausted, as if their very essence had been drained away.

To make matters worse, Wei Shi’an left behind a mountain of problems, both easy and hard, all to be handed in by tomorrow. Mistakes would lead to punishment, and being punished was a source of great shame. Furthermore, the punishment wasn't just physical; it meant an increased workload, practicing until they reached mastery and could make no mistakes.

The students felt immense pressure. Arithmetic was already a weak point for many, but even in subjects they excelled at, such a method would be daunting. No one was confident they could avoid making a single error.

Li Su, however, adapted well. Looking at the dejected state of his peers, he asked Song Sheng, puzzled, "What is wrong with you all?"

The students turned their eyes toward Li Su in unison, discovering he was just as he had been before, showing no signs of discomfort. They wondered, "Why does Li Su look as if nothing happened?" He had been called upon the most often, yet when they thought back, Li Su had answered every question perfectly, unlike them, who stammered and struggled to find the right path.

Seeing how well Li Su accepted the instruction, Wei Shi’an stroked his beard. A student trained by Xi Sheng was bound to have better adaptability. If that were the case, balancing imperial examination studies, the study of *Gewu* (the investigation of things), and martial arts would surely not be too difficult for him. To enter the imperial court as an official, one must develop the Six Arts of a gentleman in a balanced manner.

Satisfied, Wei Shi’an began planning Li Su’s schedule in his mind. The imperial examination curriculum and the Six Arts were already handled by other instructors, so he would not claim that time. His own time with Li Su would be dedicated entirely to *Gewu* and martial arts. Given Xi Sheng’s personality, he had likely assigned Li Su tasks as well. He didn't care what those tasks were, nor was it his concern; Li Su would simply have to find the time to complete them on his own. He didn't care if Li Su finished Xi Sheng’s tasks, but his own tasks had to be completed—and he would supervise them personally.

Li Su let out a sneeze, wondering if his family was missing him. Wei Shi’an cast a burning, intense look at Li Su before departing. Li Su was left bewildered.

Once the Dean left, the students of the Yellow Hall looked at Li Su with ravenous eyes. "Brother Li, once we finish the arithmetic problems assigned by the Dean, may we take a look at yours?"

Li Su was momentarily reminded of his modern days, where classmates would compare answers. He did not refuse. "Certainly."

"That’s wonderful! Brother Li, you are our savior!"

Li Su wondered if they weren't being a bit dramatic.

"We had only heard the Dean’s teaching style was terrifying, but now we’ve experienced it," one student lamented. "It was nerve-wracking and required total concentration. There wasn't a single moment to rest, and he left so much homework."

"Brother Li, you are close with the Dean; how long do you think he will be teaching us?" another asked. "And why did he suddenly decide to teach? Why the Yellow Hall?"

As the words fell, everyone looked at Li Su. They all assumed the Dean had come for him. If Brother Li passed the next exam and moved to the Heaven Hall, would the Dean follow him there? They had only had one lesson, and they were already terrified. Receiving the Dean's instruction was an honor, but also a torment. The excitement they felt at the start had turned into bitter exhaustion.

The other halls did not understand the plight of the Yellow Hall; they were envious that the Yellow Hall students were receiving personal instruction from the Dean, viewing their complaints as mere boasting. The Yellow Hall students could only think, "Wait until the Dean teaches you—then you will know the true meaning of hardship."

The students of the Heaven Hall were the most envious of all. Such an opportunity, and it wasn't theirs! The Yellow Hall students were truly lucky.

Meanwhile, just as Dean Wei returned to his room for *Gewu* research, pondering how to write a letter to the Wang family with the most threatening tone possible, he saw Master Zhao waiting at his door.

Seeing the Dean, Master Zhao hurried over, looking quite agitated. "Dean Wei!"

Wei Shi’an nodded. "Master Zhao, what brings you here?"

Master Zhao’s expression was grave. "Dean Wei, during your absence, a major incident occurred at the academy—one that concerns the very safety and lives of the students."