Chapter 145: Entering the Chongwen Hall

The efficiency of the imperial court was truly unpredictable—sometimes astonishingly slow, and at other times remarkably swift.

Only two days had passed since Wei Renshi returned from the palace when the Chongwen Academy sent someone to notify him that he was to come the very next morning. Along with the summons, they gave him a token signifying his status as a scholar of Chongwen Academy, granting him access to the institution.

Wei Renshi felt a mix of excitement and resignation. Excited because this was an opportunity to come into contact with the future rulers of the Tang Dynasty, yet resigned because it meant returning to being a student once again.

Early the next morning, Wei Renshi gazed at the ancient, elegantly styled building before him and sighed before stepping inside.

There were already many scholars present, exchanging greetings. Regardless of gender, everyone addressed each other simply by their names, without regard to rank or status, which surprised Wei Renshi somewhat.

Naturally, Wei Renshi quietly observed from the sidelines, not stepping forward. The other scholars noticed his unfamiliar face and glanced at him curiously but did not approach to speak.

Soon, the scholars began to enter the hall to attend lectures. Seeing that the courtyard was empty, Wei Renshi proceeded to the back, reaching the farthest point.

No one guarded the rear gate, so Wei Renshi walked in and announced, “Student Wei Renshi pays respects.”

After a moment, a voice called from inside, “Come in.”

Wei Renshi approached and pushed open the door.

Inside sat an elderly man, seemingly older than Scholar Zhang. He looked at Wei Renshi and said, “Wei County man, entering the court at twelve years old and being granted a noble title—this is unprecedented in our dynasty. The Emperor has allowed you to enter Chongwen Academy with the hope that you will diligently cultivate your talents and broaden your ambitions, so you may contribute to the court. Once you enter here, you are a scholar. Even the Crown Prince is but a student here. Titles and status hold no sway; you must focus on your studies, or the rules will surely be enforced.”

Wei Renshi bowed respectfully. “The student will heed your instructions!”

“You are only twelve now. Have you already begun your studies? What have you learned?” the elder inquired further.

Wei Renshi bowed again and listed the books he had studied at home.

Seeing his respectful attitude, the elder nodded and called out, “Someone, come here.”

Immediately, a person appeared outside. The elder instructed, “Take him to Liu Zhao; from now on, he will study under Liu Zhao’s guidance.”

The man looked at Wei Renshi in surprise, hesitated, then said, “Yes, I will take this young gentleman there at once.”

The elder nodded and gestured for them to leave.

The man led Wei Renshi to a room at the front, where he summoned the instructor who had been lecturing on the classics—presumably Liu Zhao.

After a brief conversation, Liu Zhao nodded and said to Wei Renshi, “Come inside.”

Wei Renshi bowed and entered. Inside, he saw that the other students were all older than him, numbering only six or seven.

Liu Zhao seated Wei Renshi near the front and continued the lecture without concern for whether he had books or understood the material.

Wei Renshi had not been a student for a long time. In his later life, after graduating from university, he had worked various jobs and finally settled as a village teacher. Now, sitting once more in the student’s seat, he felt a peculiar sensation.

“Focus!” Liu Zhao suddenly raised his voice, startling Wei Renshi.

The other scholars snapped to attention as well, sitting upright and turning their gaze back to Liu Zhao.

Wei Renshi noticed that the other students were secretly scrutinizing him with curiosity and surprise.

He listened intently. The text Liu Zhao was explaining was one he had read and studied before. The combination of ancient wisdom and his own modern understanding brought an unexpected clarity.

Those in the Chinese literature department often found these old texts tedious, struggling even to decipher the archaic language. This passage had once sparked debate among his classmates. Now, hearing the ancient perspective across time, Wei Renshi uniquely appreciated both the fascination and the sense of loss.

After about half an hour, Liu Zhao closed his scroll and told everyone, “Let us take a short break.”

Then he approached Wei Renshi and asked, “If you do not have your own copies, you may borrow from your classmates to transcribe, or you may take my copy to copy quickly.”

Wei Renshi was taken aback. What—no textbooks provided? He had to copy everything himself?

“The student understands,” Wei Renshi bowed and replied.

Liu Zhao nodded. “I only have this one copy. I will need it during the day to teach, so you must borrow it after class hours to copy, and return it during the day.”

“Understood,” Wei Renshi answered resignedly.

Copying books—this young master’s heart ached.

Afterward, Liu Zhao left the room.

No sooner had he gone than the six or seven students gathered around Wei Renshi. One asked, “May I ask which family this young gentleman belongs to?”

Another exclaimed in surprise, “You are so young, yet you sit here listening to lectures. You must be a prodigy.”

The group began to ask Wei Renshi many questions.

Seeing the value in making friends, Wei Renshi stood, raised his hand in greeting, and said, “I am but a humble scholar from a modest family. I am Wei Renshi. Greetings, senior classmates.”

“A modest family?” The others were astonished.

The Hongwen and Chongwen Academies were traditionally reserved for children of high officials and nobility, granted access to honor the favor of the Emperor and Crown Prince toward these elite families.

They had never encountered anyone truly from a humble background, let alone one admitted to Chongwen Academy.

Wei Renshi’s words were honest. In this era, one’s birth was fixed. A humble origin remained humble, even if one became a distinguished official; the family background could not be changed.

“Wait! Wei Renshi...” one student suddenly seemed to recall something. “I heard my father say that a prodigy, just twelve years old, was granted a noble title in Wei County for meritorious deeds. It must be you!”

Hearing this, the others were even more amazed, turning to look at Wei Renshi.

“Merely a bit of cleverness, unworthy of great halls. It is only by the benevolence of the sage ruler’s favor that I have such fortune,” Wei Renshi replied with a humble smile.

In this, he acknowledged his identity.

The assembled students, all from noble families, were astonished. They knew of the court’s newly ennobled figures, but now, seeing the young man in person and realizing his true age, they were filled with wonder.