A Records Of An Alpha’s Life In Ancient Times - Chapter 3

Teacher Zheng had taken very good care of himself and looked only in his fifties. He kept a goatee, had a lean face, and wore a stern expression. Perhaps because he frowned all year round, a deep crease in the shape of the character “川” had formed between his brows, making him look especially imposing.

After everyone paid their respects, Teacher Zheng proceeded according to routine and first explained today’s lesson. He covered the meaning of each passage from the classics, which famous commentaries and annotations existed, how they should be understood, how questions were generally set on them, and from what angle one should break into the topic and write an essay.

His explanation was clear and well-organized. He quoted the classics and cited their sources, and basically never needed to flip through a book. All kinds of historical allusions related to the topic came easily from his mouth, and everything he said was perfectly logical and well-founded.

Even Shen Qingshu listened with great interest. As expected of a famous teacher.

After finishing the lecture, Teacher Zheng had everyone raise questions about anything they found confusing, then explained again. Once the questions were answered, he called them to his side one by one, tested them on the assignments he had given before, and then assigned new work.

During the testing, if Teacher Zheng was satisfied, he would stroke his beard and nod to show approval. If he was not satisfied, he would furrow his brows and take out a ruler to smack their palms a few times.

When it was Shen Qingshu’s turn, she walked up to Teacher Zheng a little nervously, afraid he might ask her something she could not understand at all.

But Teacher Zheng did not test her. He only asked gently about the condition of her health, then told her not to be anxious and to spend this period reviewing her previous lessons first.

It seemed Teacher really was “looking after” her.

But right now, that was because of her health. There would come a day when he tested her too. She had to seize this time and quickly make up for the lessons she had missed.

After the testing, Teacher Zheng left, leaving them to continue studying on their own.

Teacher Zheng did not teach children who were just beginning their studies. The six students in Class A had all roughly finished reading the Four Books and Five Classics. Aside from them, he also had a dozen or so students who had already passed the county-level examination and become xiucai. From time to time, juren would also come to visit him, so the amount of time he could give them was limited.

Meng Bozhou had his palm smacked again today. Seeing that Teacher had left, he turned to look at Shen Qingshu and said enviously, “Teacher didn’t test you at all, and he even spoke to you so kindly the whole time. Sigh, no school and no answering questions. I almost want to get injured too.”

The corner of Shen Qingshu’s mouth twitched. This injury of hers had cost the original owner her life. “What nonsense are you saying? Do you think getting injured feels good? The lessons you miss will have to be paid back one day. You might as well finish studying earlier and be free earlier.”

Hearing their conversation, Xia Boyan, who was beside them, also leaned over and said with a grin, “Qingshu is right. With the way you can’t even stand a tiny bump on normal days, if you really suffered an injury as serious as Qingshu’s, wouldn’t you be crying for your father and shouting for your mother?”

“I would not—”

The moment Meng Bozhou heard this, his face flushed red, and he was about to refute it unconvinced. But just as he opened his mouth, Gao Mingche behind them cut him off in a sharp voice.

“Silence!”

Meng Bozhou turned and looked at Gao Mingche’s stern face, then pursed his lips in great dissatisfaction, but he did not speak again.

Among the six students in the schoolroom, Zheng Heng came from a poor family, yet had the best grades. The Xia brothers came from a family of scholars that had been so for generations, and their upbringing was extremely strict. Meng Bozhou was the grandson of Marquis Suning. He was rather lazy, but he still knew what mattered.

Gao Mingche was the most serious and hardworking, and the others were all a little afraid of him.

Teacher Zheng’s discipline was not particularly strict. After school was dismissed at noon, everyone could eat lunch and continue reading at the schoolroom, or they could choose to go home and study there.

That was what he said, but who would really dare not come back? It would be strange if they did not get a beating from their family.

Aside from Zheng Heng, who ate at the Zheng residence, everyone else settled lunch on the street themselves.

As the heir of Count Chengyi’s household, Shen Qingshu naturally did not lack money, but she was not too wasteful either. She took Fu An with her to find a clean and tidy little restaurant, then ordered three small dishes and two bowls of rice.

The taste and portions were both decent. When they settled the bill, the total came to twenty-four wen. Fu An handed over two copper coins worth ten each and one copper coin worth five. The cashier gave him one coin worth one in change.

This was also something Shen Qingshu found very strange. The currency here was not like the round copper coins with square holes that existed in her impression. Instead, it was a rectangular style that combined physical currency with a virtual denomination value.

On rectangular metal currency of various sizes, exquisite patterns and denominations were engraved: one, two, five, and ten. The materials were gold, silver, and copper. One gold coin was equivalent to ten silver coins, and one silver coin was equal to a hundred copper coins.

It was neither like paper money, whose value relied entirely on the credibility of the state, nor as rigid as copper coins and silver taels.

Shen Qingshu suspected there was another transmigrator like her.

After lunch, Shen Qingshu wanted to visit a bookstore. She did not know where one was, but she was not in any hurry either, so she slowly wandered along the street, looking left and right. After a while, sure enough, she saw a bookshop.

When the shopkeeper saw her come in, he immediately came forward with a beaming smile. “Young gentleman, what sort of books do you need?”

Shen Qingshu casually picked up a book and flipped through it. It was actually related to the imperial examinations, which frightened her so much that she hurriedly put it down. Then she turned and asked the shopkeeper, “Do you have history books here?”

“Of course we do. Young Master, this way, please.”

The shopkeeper led her to another corner. Once Shen Qingshu flipped through the books there, sure enough, they were all history books.

She chose a few, but did not find any history of the current dynasty, so she asked the shopkeeper again.

The shopkeeper said with some surprise, “History of the current dynasty is rarely tested in the imperial examinations, and few people read it. There are some unofficial histories about Emperor Shizu. Does Young Master need those?”

Shen Qingshu nodded, and the shopkeeper instructed an assistant to fetch them from the storeroom at the back.

While waiting, she settled the bill for the other books. The shopkeeper accepted the money and complimented her, “These history books are generally only touched on after one becomes a xiucai. This is the first time I’ve seen someone as young as Young Master buying history books.”

Shen Qingshu smiled. She was just going to get a rough look at them.

When she returned to the private school, it was still early. Only Gao Mingche and Zheng Heng were there. The whole classroom was quiet, with only the occasional rustle of pages being turned.

Shen Qingshu placed the books she had just bought on her desk and could not help yawning.

This body was still in its growth period, and she had woken so early in the morning. Now that she had eaten lunch, it was inevitable that she felt somewhat sleepy.

It was the pleasant season of March, and the sunlight and breeze were both very comfortable. Shen Qingshu was not particular about appearances. She padded two books together as a pillow, lay down directly on the mat, and fell asleep. She was not tall right now, so if she curled her legs a little, it was just right.

Seeing this from the back row, Gao Mingche stared at her with a cold, sharp gaze. Shen Qingshu, however, was completely unaware and slept soundly. Only after a long while did Gao Mingche let out a huff through his nose, withdraw his gaze, and continue reading.

Zheng Heng’s expression carried a bit of envy, but he did not dare slack off. He still lay properly over his desk for a midday nap.

After sleeping for less than half an hour, Shen Qingshu woke up. She yawned and climbed to her feet, then saw that everyone had returned. Aside from Meng Bozhou, who had not woken yet, the others were all reading.

Xia Boyan turned to look at her and gave her a thumbs-up, leaving her somewhat baffled.

She took a moment to gather herself, washed her face with the water Fu An had brought, and only then did she fully wake up and begin reading through that thick pile of history books.

She had indeed transmigrated to more than a thousand years before her original timeline. The dynasty currently in power was Great Yan. But different from what she remembered, the current Great Yan was not at the end of its dynasty, with rebellions breaking out everywhere. Instead, it had risen again and reached the peak of national strength.

This had to begin with the previous emperor, Emperor Shizu of Yan. Originally, he had only been an obscure member of the imperial clan. But after falling into water one day, he suddenly displayed outstanding political and military talent.

When the world descended into chaos and warlords vied for supremacy, he led a rebel army, established the new Yan state, fought in all directions, and actually pacified all rebellions under heaven. After ascending the throne, he worked hard to govern, reformed long-standing problems, and created a peaceful and prosperous era.

And this legendary Emperor Shizu of Yan was not only a good emperor, but also a scientist, gourmet, writer…

During his reign, he invented stir-frying, promoted sweet potatoes, guided research into hybrid rice, discovered methods for firing glass, and improved papermaking and printing…

In addition, he had lived a very long life. He had reigned for over forty years and had only passed away not long ago. If Shen Qingshu had arrived three or four years earlier, perhaps she might even have been able to meet him.

Without a doubt, this was also a transmigrator. Shen Qingshu practically wanted to applaud him. Amazing, amazing. Compared with this predecessor of hers, she was basically a useless nobody. She had absolutely no ambition to change history or the world.

But now, the world was at peace, and the common people did not need her. She might as well quietly keep her head down and live her own life!

Shen Qingshu closed the book and could not help staring blankly into space for a while. Only after some time did she collect herself and take out the books for the imperial examinations to read.

When the sun slanted westward, servants came over to remind everyone that school was over. The students all packed up their things and went home.