The student, who had been half-dead just moments before, immediately perked up and caught up with the student running ahead.
A while later.
"Boyang, the dean is calling you. Go over there right away."
Outside the playground, a man jogged to the banyan tree, unceremoniously picked up a slice of watermelon, and took two big bites. His name was Meng Liang, and he was also an instructor at Songyang Academy.
Li Boyang asked in confusion:
"Why does the dean want to see me? I'm teaching a class right now."
Meng Liang took a breath and said:
"I don't know either. I heard that a big shot's child is going to enroll in school and specifically asked you to be his teacher."
Ancient academies were not like those in Earth's time, which were divided into grade levels.
Although Songyang Academy also has one teacher per class, it does not mean that all the students in the class are of similar academic level.
In this class, some students have just finished their elementary education, some have already mastered the Four Books and Five Classics, and some are almost at the level to pass the imperial examination for the title of Xiucai. Everyone is different.
The instructors at the academy would assign different learning tasks to each student based on their individual circumstances.
Whether a teacher is good or bad depends on whether they can teach according to students' individual needs.
"Rest for ten minutes, then continue running. Bowen, you supervise."
Li Boyang stood up, said something to the playground, and headed straight for the dean's study.
Songyang Academy has a pond with lotus flowers planted in it. It is currently the blooming season, and a wooden plank road leads to the middle of the pond.
Beneath several wooden stakes, a small hut stands in the center of the pond; this is the study where the dean of the academy usually reads and works.
"A woman's natural scent?"
As soon as he stepped outside the study, Li Boyang keenly sensed something different.
The dean of Songyang Academy was a true Confucian scholar named Fang Yuan, who was over sixty years old. He had been a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) of the Yuan Dynasty and had served as a third-rank official before retiring to his hometown.
Fang Yuan's hometown is Dengfeng. His family is a prominent family that ranks among the top in the Northern Jiangsu Province of the Yuan Dynasty. After returning to Dengfeng, Fang Yuan couldn't stay idle, so he came to Songyang Academy to become the dean.
Upon entering, a nanmu wood desk came into view. Fang Yuan was sitting behind the desk, practicing calligraphy, while an acquaintance of Li Boyang was standing next to him, helping to grind the ink.
“Mr. Boyang, we meet again.”
"It's you?"
As soon as Li Boyang entered, he noticed that he recognized more than one person; there were several.
Inside the study, Shen Wansan stood at the edge of the square, grinding ink, while Shen Rong and Cui'er, dressed as men, sat obediently on chairs in front of the bookshelf.
With a smile on his face, Shen Wansan said calmly, "It's been a while since we parted ways at the Quanzhen Sect. I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon."
"Dean Fang, what are you up to?"
Li Boyang was completely bewildered, not knowing what was going on.
Fang Yuan did not answer Li Boyang's question, but laughed loudly: "So Wan San and Boyang know each other. Since they are acquaintances, I don't need to introduce them. I was wondering how you knew that Boyang was the best teacher in our Songyang Academy."
Well, when I came over earlier, Meng Liang said that the child of a big shot specifically wanted him to be his teacher. It turns out that this big shot is Shen Wansan, and the child of a big shot, needless to say, is Shen Rong.
"Dean Fang, Songyang Academy is not a private school. Won't doing this cause any trouble?"
In ancient times, women's education was quite different from that in modern society. It was easier to attend a private school, but it was almost impossible to see female students in academies like Songyang Academy. Otherwise, the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai would not have become a timeless legend.
The fact that Shen Wansan could get Fang Yuan, a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, to agree to let a woman study at Songyang Academy demonstrates the extent of his influence.
Fang Yuan stroked his long beard and laughed, "It's alright, I'm not a pedantic scholar, I can just dress up as a man."
Li Boyang then asked, "Brother Wan, Dengfeng and Jinling are not too far apart, but they are not close either. Are you sure you can leave your daughter here?"
“If it were anywhere else, I really wouldn’t feel at ease, but with Mr. Boyang at Songyang Academy, what do I have to worry about?”
In fact, Shen Wansan had his own difficulties. After leaving the Quanzhen Sect, Shen Rong suddenly told him that she wanted to go to the academy to study. Although he loved his daughter very much, he did not agree at first. However, Shen Rong went on a hunger strike to force him to give in.
This wouldn't have been a problem in itself; he could have just found an academy in Jinling. With his influence in Jinling, he believed no one would dare to gossip. However, Shen Rong was determined to go to Songyang Academy, and in the end, he was worn down and had no choice but to come.
It was only because he knew that Li Boyang was in Songyang Academy that he dared to agree. Shen Wansan was no ignorant merchant; he knew very well what the people who could enter the Chongyang Hall represented. In his view, with Li Boyang in charge of Songyang Academy, he could rest assured about his daughter's safety.
"In that case, I have no objection."
Li Boyang didn't think much of it, assuming that Shen Rong just wanted to experience academy life. Since Shen Wansan had already said so, what else could he say?
Seeing that Li Boyang had agreed, Fang Yuan smiled and said, "Instructor Boyang, Wan San's daughter will be in your class from now on. You must teach her well."
"I hope you will continue to guide me in the future."
Seeing that the matter was settled, Shen Rong happily bowed to Li Boyang.
Li Boyang nodded and said, "I will do my best."
Just then, a student ran in from outside the study. He had come specifically to see Li Boyang, and upon seeing him, he said:
"Sir, a man named Zhang Junbao is looking for you outside the academy."
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