amaotonovel Chapter 497 Dean Lin
Chapter 497 Dean Lin
"Husband, why don't you blush when you lie?" Zhou Xiyin asked irritably from the side.
"Does my lady know that rouge didn't exist hundreds of years ago?" Lin Ping asked, his mind wandering.
Zhou Xiyin nodded, clearly aware of the matter.
"Back then, I would only blush in front of my sweetheart," Lin Ping said affectionately.
Such flirtatious words caused Zhou Xiyin's pretty face to blush, which also confirmed Lin Ping's words.
"Hmph, the reason my husband's face isn't red is because I'm not the one you love," Zhou Xiyin pouted.
You dug your own grave; it's no wonder you fell in and died.
This time, Lin Ping's face really turned red, but it was from embarrassment. He changed the subject again and took Zhou Xiyin's hand as they walked into Huiwen Academy.
Huiwen Academy is just a borrowed property; they simply changed the signboard. Inside, the furnishings are all antique and elegant.
Lin Ping's appearance immediately drew a crowd of students.
"You must be Dean Lin. You are indeed handsome and dashing."
"I've heard that you are a high-ranking general of the current dynasty, and even the position of Dean is higher than that of the Chancellor."
"As your students, we should at least be on the same level as the county magistrate, Dean Chen, please give us a lesson."
The crowd chattered amongst themselves, their excitement mixed with a touch of arrogance.
Lin Ping is a first-rank official in the current court. He not only holds military power but is also the future son-in-law of the emperor, making him the most powerful minister in the court.
Based on the principle that "when one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven," his disciples must also be superior to others, and they would not even look at a mere seventh-rank county magistrate.
In other words, joining Lin Ping's side was like taking a shortcut, and there was absolutely no need to pursue fame and fortune.
As long as you can gain his favor, you can easily take up a position in the military or stay at Huiwen Academy as a professor, and you'll probably reach the fifth rank.
"It's time to teach you a lesson." Lin Ping said with a cold smile.
"You think you can become an official here? What a joke! This is a technical college, trained to train technical personnel. After you come to Xuecheng Town, you'll be working in a factory. You'll never have any chance of fame or fortune in this lifetime."
"The dean is about to give us a lesson, let's clap! What will the dean talk about in the first lesson? The Four Books and Five Classics? Or military strategy and tactics?" one of the quick-witted students clapped his hands and asked.
"This class is not the same as that class," Lin Ping muttered to himself.
"It's neither the Four Books and Five Classics, nor military strategy or tactics," Lin Ping said as he walked into the school.
The students took their seats, straining their ears to listen, not daring to miss a single word.
"Could it be poetry and prose? I've long heard that the dean is a great talent, especially skilled in poetry and prose," a student flattered.
"This first lesson will be about the etiquette and laws of our Wu Kingdom, and the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants," Lin Ping said coldly.
They're going straight to bestowing titles and appointments? That's incredibly exciting!
"Dean, please wait a moment, allow me to grind the ink and paper to take notes." A student who had not prepared the brush, ink, paper and inkstone in advance was in a panic.
Lin Ping's ability to rise directly from a commoner to a first-rank official must have involved a secret method, the secret of which far surpasses the wisdom gained from ten years of studying the classics.
"To become your disciple, one must have entered the scholar-official class, but I wonder what rank one is?" someone asked curiously.
Whether they were scholars or graduates of the imperial examinations, they were still peasants and not qualified to enter the scholar class. That is why they were so eager to get into Huiwen Academy.
"I don't know what rank it is, but it's definitely ninth-rate," Lin Ping said, feigning profundity.
"Ninth class?"
Everyone was shocked. Not only was the ninth class lowly, but they were also the lowest of the low among ordinary people, even lower than their original status.
"Haha, Dean, you're really joking. As your student, how could I possibly be a low-ranking official? I bet I'm at least a seventh-rank official," one of them said confidently.
"Who said you are my students? I only give you lessons occasionally. You will be craftsmen in various trades in the future. If we were to classify you according to the traditional social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, you wouldn't be an exaggeration to call yourselves the nine classes," Lin Ping said seriously.
Do a few mere scholars really think they can become Lin Ping's disciples?
He had long ago established a rule that he would not accept anyone who was not a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, and even if someone was a scholar, he would only accept disciples depending on his mood.
In fact, Huiwen Academy aims to cultivate top-notch modern talents, so it naturally abandons the notion of different classes. Lin Ping yearns for equality for all.
He was clearly trying to intimidate the students, since they were only interested in fame and fortune.
Only by giving up the idea of becoming an official and devoting oneself wholeheartedly to scientific research can one be qualified to become a member of Huiwen Academy.
As for what to use to keep them, it's naturally money!
"Craftsmen? We're all going to be craftsmen from now on?" One of them stood up angrily, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, "I'm a dignified scholar who didn't even have to kneel before the prefect! And now you want me to be a craftsman? Farewell!"
“That’s right, we are all scholars, how can we associate with the lowest craftsmen?” another person said arrogantly.
"A scholar who passed the imperial examination? Heh heh, a scholar who passed the imperial examination is nothing but a fart! Oh, no, not even worth a fart!" Lin Ping said sarcastically.
"Even if you are a great general or the dean of Huiwen Academy, you cannot insult these scholars present," someone said indignantly.
Becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) is the dream of millions of students worldwide, and it even allows one to become a minor official. While this may not be as prestigious as Lin Ping's status, it is still far superior to that of a craftsman.
"I'm sorry, I'm not targeting any of you here, but I'm saying that all the scholars in the world are trash! I forgot, you're all useless trash who can't even understand what trash is." Lin Ping said, hands on his hips and nose in the air.
He enjoys watching people try to kill him but fail.
"Husband, we can't afford to offend all the scholars in the land," Zhou Xiyin whispered in Lin Ping's ear, tugging at his sleeve.
Although the title of Juren (举人) did not have any official rank, they represented all the scholars in the world.
Let alone writing a few words, even a single spit from one person could drown Lin Ping.
"Are you really that great just because you passed the imperial examination? Do you know which great master wrote the phrase 'The roc rises with the wind and soars ninety thousand miles high'?" Lin Ping asked sharply.
"This..." Everyone fell silent, bowing their heads in shame.
This sentence has a magnificent and grand artistic conception, and must have been written by a master. Yet they have never heard of it. They are unworthy of being scholars and literati.
"A fine sword is forged through tempering, and a plum blossom's shape comes from bitter cold—but whose hand created these?"
"Laughing loudly, I stride out the door; how can I, a man of such talent, be a mere commoner?"
Lin Ping asked one question after another, convinced that none of them had ever heard of it.
“They must be some reclusive masters,” one person replied hesitantly.
"A reclusive master? Do these poems sound like they're about to live in seclusion? How could you come up with such a thing? Do you know the saying, 'Riding a horse on the spring breeze, one can see all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day'?" Lin Ping said coldly.
He can tolerate others' lack of talent, but he must humbly accept it.
To argue three times even when you know it's unreasonable—how ridiculous! How can one become an excellent craftsman?