Volume 3: Dragon and Snake Movement Chapter 416: I’m counting on you!
In the eyes of others, Ji Jiu had a very glorious time. Zhang Chen, Zhu Er, Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu and others were all away, and they did not participate in the branch examination of Banshan Hall, so he firmly sat as the head of the first hall. In addition, he had received praise from Zhang Shou before, and even his father, who had always regarded him as a mediocre bastard, was now a little more friendly to him.
However, only he himself knew that the days of being the head monk in the first hall were not good at all!
Zhang Shou was not there, so the eunuch Chu from the Imperial Household Department did not need him to take notes and present them to the emperor, and thus, his only connection with the palace was also cut off. As for the newly transferred teacher who gave the first class, although it was obvious that he was selected by the emperor from among the young officials, and his historical lectures were humorous, he only touched on many key moments and did not dare to comment easily.
As for those who come to take math classes... can they be more reliable? They are basically students of Jiuzhang Hall who come to work part-time. Sometimes, Lu Sanlang, the head of Jiuzhang Hall, comes in person, but that's not much better. Because these guys have one thing in common, that is, they are also regarded as math geniuses, so the progress is so fast that even his brain can hardly keep up!
Not to mention the others, they were having a hard time learning and were afraid of being laughed at by the poor students from Jiuzhang Hall!
Alas, when will Dr. Zhang, a serious teacher, come back to the Imperial College? Or, as the rumor goes, Zhang Shou has gained great popularity and support in Cangzhou, so he does not plan to come back and plans to serve as the governor of Cangzhou in the future? Yesterday, when he came back, he was said to be summoned to the palace, and even got the honor of climbing Wansui Mountain and having dinner in the palace, but no one came back to the Imperial College to take a look!
At this time, the teacher had left, and Ji Jiu was lying on the desk very ungracefully. But at this moment, he suddenly found that the noisy room, which was originally during the break, suddenly became silent.
He shuddered and thought that it was Xu Heizi who suddenly came to inspect the venue. He hurriedly stood up and sat up straight. However, as he looked, he found that a completely unexpected person appeared at the door in the first row. It was... Zhang Shou!
After the initial shock, Ji Jiu almost jumped up and rushed to the door like flying. Then he bowed respectfully and said, "I heard that the teacher left the palace yesterday evening. The emperor gave him leave. We had no choice but to ignore our schoolwork and go to see you during the day. We had originally agreed to go to Zhang Garden after school in the evening. I didn't expect you to ignore the fatigue of the past few months and come here now."
Ji Jiu's words were so beautiful that they couldn't be spoken any more... Although he insisted that he had made an appointment with all the students in the class to visit the teacher in the evening, everyone else knew that this was not the case at all, but who would expose such a harmless lie at this time?
As a result, a large group of people stood up in a hurry and surrounded Zhang Shou. Some bowed and some greeted him. They all agreed with Ji Jiu's nonsense and claimed that they should be the ones to go to Zhang Garden to pay a visit.
In comparison, Zhang Shou still preferred the students in Jiuzhang Hall who held their heads high and faced the homework check. However, he also knew that the students in Banshan Hall had different backgrounds from those in Jiuzhang Hall, so they could not be generalized. At least he had to fight back. After asking Ji Jiu a few questions about his homework, he saw that he was smiling and said that everything was fine, so he nodded.
"Since you are already used to it, that's good. I'll go to the second and third classes to take a look."
Ji Jiu didn't expect Zhang Shou to leave right after arriving, and he immediately felt a little regretful. But then he thought that even if he had something to say, he couldn't say it at this moment. Seeing Zhang Shou turning around, he hurriedly called out, "Teacher, you just returned to Beijing. Why don't we prepare some wine to welcome you tonight..."
Before he finished speaking, Zhang Shou, who had already left the room, waved his hand and said, "It's enough that you have this intention. As for welcoming you back to the capital yesterday, there's really no need. I've already welcomed you back. You should study hard and be worthy of the emperor's efforts in you. That's enough."
Not to mention how Ji Jiu regretted it in his heart, most of the others were satisfied. He acted like a good student, and Zhang Shou seemed satisfied, so that was it? Those of them who were able to attend the first class were considered typical prodigal sons who had turned over a new leaf, and their status at home had also improved. As for whether they could be like Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu, and the lucky guy named Zhao, it would depend on luck.
Seeing Ji Jiu flattering so hard, his grades were considered top-notch, but what else did he get except the title of headmaster? As for the problems of the new teachers now, no one thought it was useful to complain.
Zhang Shou saw that Ji Jiu was not sincere in what he said. Although he admitted that Ji Jiu was indeed a talented person with a lot of crooked ideas, his affection for this extremely slippery boy who was also connected with Chu Kuan was limited. However, he just pretended not to see it. When he came to the third hall, before he could open his mouth, he saw the third son of Xiangyang Bo, the big guy Zhang Wuji, rushed up.
"Teacher, are you back at the Imperial College?" Zhang Dakuai's face was full of surprise, and he even rubbed his eyes, and then shouted, "I thought you would not be a doctor of the Imperial College anymore. Everyone outside is saying that you are going to be the governor of Cangzhou... maybe even the prefect of Cangzhou!"
Zhang Shou was not surprised that Zhang the big guy now sincerely called him teacher. You know, if he hadn't made a special trip to Xiangyang Bo's Mansion, this kid would have been beaten to death!
At this moment, he pretended to be surprised and said, "Huh, there are so many rumors?"
Seeing that other students in the third class also stood up in uneven numbers, but compared with the enthusiastic students in the first class, they were obviously more reluctant, and not as enthusiastic as the big guy Zhang, he naturally knew what was going on.
The least promising students in the Banshan Hall were eliminated, and the emperor directly sent them to the Ruiqi Battalion for training. However, those who were assigned to the third hall inevitably felt that they were neither good nor bad, and thus lost their ambition to improve themselves - just like most of the average students in every class in the future also had this thought. So, he suddenly patted the big guy on the shoulder.
"I heard from Xu Jiancheng that you have been very diligent in your studies recently, and you are among the best students. That's right. If I meet the Earl of Xiangyang later, I will definitely praise him for raising a good son who can correct his mistakes."
Zhang the big guy didn't expect Zhang Shou to pay attention to him, and Xu Heizi, a ruthless and complaining guy, would actually say good things about him! He looked out the door in surprise and joy, and saw Xu Heizi's face full of surprise. He just thought that this sullen guy didn't expect Zhang Shou to directly betray someone and say good things about him, and immediately said with a smile on his face : "Every failure makes a wiser person, I will always remember it."
"That's right. It's a great virtue to admit your mistakes and correct them. Keep up the good work. Maybe you can be promoted to the first class by the end of the year."
As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the room that was just a little commotion. Zhang the big guy was actually the head of the third hall. Since the announcement of this appointment, they have been shocked. After all, his results in the branch exam were almost invalidated, and the final results announced were also very reluctant, but it was different from Ji Jiu who was also among the top in the first hall.
When they found out that Zhang the Big Guy was always in the top three in every monthly exam in the past few months, they were even more amazed. If Zhang Shou wasn't there, the teacher was the one who set the questions, and Xu Heizi was the invigilator, they would have thought there was something fishy going on!
And now, Zhang Shou actually said that this big guy who used to be aggressive and fierce might actually go to court at the end of the year?
Zhang Daku was both surprised and delighted. He was a straightforward person, and he immediately responded in a loud voice: "Teacher, don't worry, I will definitely live up to your expectations! Not only this third class, but my father also sent someone I practiced hard for an hour every day, and I found that after I practiced, the effect was actually quite good!"
As he spoke, he showed off the muscular muscles on his arms: "I used to be able to beat three people by myself, but now I can beat at least five or six by myself!"
The people around him fell silent again, and someone couldn't help but put his hands up to cover his face. This big man, who only knew how to bully people with his strength, was neither good at literature nor martial arts in the past, so why did he catch Zhang Shou's eye?
However, Zhang Shou was not annoyed, but laughed loudly, "I've always wondered, how could you, such a big guy, not be able to practice martial arts? Practice hard, even if it's just to strengthen your body! Put your competitive spirit into building achievements, and you will definitely achieve great success in the future! Hone yourself well, you can do it, I'm very optimistic about you!"
If the shrewd people in the future heard this sentence, they would definitely curl their lips secretly, thinking that it was just an empty talk that would benefit them without any cost. However, at this time and place, under the blessing of Zhang Shou's powerful lucky aura that whoever he favors will be lucky, a lot of people were envious and jealous. Zhang Shou himself was even more grinning, and he almost wanted to nod his head to the ground.
When Zhang Shou walked out of the house, Xu Heida, who came to meet him, couldn't help but ask, "When did I ever praise that big guy to you?"
Zhang Shou chuckled and said nonchalantly, "It's just a small matter, why should Brother Xu care about it? People who have been blamed and scolded since childhood need more affirmation and praise. If he can be set as a benchmark, then in his ecstasy, he will unconsciously move closer to the real benchmark. There will be a glimmer of hope that he will become a great man in the future."
This is Zhang Shou's own personal experience. His English teacher in junior high school was terrible, and his English teacher in high school was terrible. The only thing they had in common was that they spared no effort to discourage him, so when he took the college entrance examination, his English became a weak point that held him back. When he went to college, the head of the English department took a liking to him for some reason and praised him to the sky all day long. As a result, he not only studied in a technical secondary school, but also passed the level 8 exam.
Of course, this trick doesn't work for the self-important and self-righteous guys like the first and second princes. These guys who have been flattered since childhood actually deserve to be scolded, beaten, and disciplined!
Xu Heida felt that Zhang Shou's statement was new. After all, no matter when or where, a person's talent can be seen from a young age, not to mention Zhang Daku's father, Xiangyang Bo Zhang Qiong, but also most of the elders in other families. If a bastard has talent and ability, he will be cultivated, but if not, he will be thrown aside.
With no maternal family to rely on and no family support, these people will mostly be useless wastes who just eat and wait for death when they grow up. Who would waste extra energy on such people?
He hesitated for a moment, and when he and Zhang Shou walked to the second class, which was mostly small classes, he asked tentatively: "Could it be that Dr. Zhang wants to give hope to these people who were not valued at home in the past?"
"Haven't I been giving them hope?" Zhang Shou smiled at Xu Heidao, "Not to mention Zhang Chen, who is blessed by nature, there is Lu Sanlang, Zhang Wu, Zhang Lu, Zhu Er, Ji Jiu... Now with the addition of the big guy Zhang Wuji, it's not too many. But compared to the previous ones, the big guy's experience is more tortuous and his qualifications are slightly inferior. It all depends on him."
Xu Heida was amazed. When he followed Zhang Shou into the second class, he found that this was an interest class for music, chess, calligraphy and painting, so he did not stay any longer.
Zhang Shou took a look around and saw that Banshan Hall was now on the right track, so he returned to Jiuzhang Hall. As soon as he entered, he saw Lu Sanlang standing on the podium. His self-satisfied and energetic demeanor showed that he had already worked out the problem!
Sure enough, as soon as he saw him, the smiling little fat boy ran up to him and said with a smile: "Teacher, I have made it, and the other two have made it too!"
It took Zhang Shou less than two quarters of an hour to finish such a big problem. For Lu Sanlang, Zhang Shou knew it was nothing, because this guy had long since expanded his mastery of plane geometry to self-taught solid geometry. He was also the only one who received lectures and answers from him, and then taught the class on his own. But he was surprised that the other two also solved it.
After all, compared with the solid geometry part in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art which mainly involves practical calculations such as finding volume, real solid geometry is a transformation of thinking. Those high school students who are good at plane geometry have a hard time getting started, let alone those adults who only started to receive systematic mathematics education last year and whose thinking has already been fixed?
Zhang Shou immediately asked with a smile: "Since you are so happy, I guess you have already seen the answers of your two junior brothers?"
Lu Sanlang's mouth opened wider: "I've seen it, and it's exactly the same as my answer. I can't believe it's correct!"
Although Lu Sanlang was not modest at all, Zhang Shou knew the boy's talent. After receiving the three pieces of paper that he handed over like a treasure, he examined the answer process one by one and then nodded with satisfaction.
"Yes, I did it right!" He was taking a college entrance examination solid geometry test question that he had memorized very well! Although these students studied hard on their days off and did not learn anything other than mathematics, they did not have to distract themselves on other subjects, but their receptive ability and learning progress were enough to show their considerable talent!
What's more, it was Lu Sanlang who was teaching the class as a substitute teacher, not him personally!
Thinking of this, he smiled and said, "The second term of Jiuzhang Hall will be recruiting students soon. By then, the teaching staff will be limited. You brothers can take turns to teach the younger brothers in the future. I will be on leave at home for the next three days. Lu Sanlang, you will sort out everyone's homework and send it to Zhang Garden. I want to take a look."
