CHAPTER 134: CHAPTER 134: WHY DID PEI XUAN INVITE YOU?

There is a severe drought in Hedong, and a student from Huntian Academy proposed "Ten Strategies for Disaster Relief."

Everyone knew it was a student from Huntian Academy, but no one knew who it was.

Even Lin Xujiji, who held the ten strategies, claimed he didn’t know.

"I know!"

A confident voice immediately caught Tang Xiaobai’s attention.

"It’s Pei Jiu!" Wei Sui said smugly.

Pei Jiu is actually Pei Xuan.

Pei Xuan ranked first in the academy’s entrance exam, with even Gu Hui just slightly below him. He was undoubtedly the top student of Huntian Academy.

And that’s not all.

Let’s put it this way, among the young men in the Capital City aged fifteen to twenty-five, ranked by family background, future prospects, talent, and looks, Pei Xuan’s scores in each category could be in the top five, and his overall score could be in the top three.

This was widely acknowledged, not a score given by Tang Xiaobai.

If it were up to her, the overall first place couldn’t be Li Shu.

At Pei Xuan’s level, his family could easily arrange a decent official position for him. There’s no need for him to even take the imperial exam, let alone study at a "third-rate" school like Huntian Academy.

But Pei Xuan came anyway.

Once he was here, he naturally became someone the entire academy looked up to.

So when Wei Sui mentioned Pei Xuan, everyone around showed expressions of "expected as much."

Being able to propose strategies and receive praise from the emperor and his officials was such a remarkable feat that it must have been done by the most outstanding person in the academy.

Besides Pei Xuan, who else could it be?

"Ha!" Tang Xiaobai sneered coldly and asked Wei Sui, "Did Pei Jiu tell you he wrote it?"

"No, he didn’t!" Wei Sui shook his head and was smug for some reason, "Since he’s not planning to come forward, how could he say something carelessly in private? But who else in our academy but Pei Jiu has that skill?"

The surrounding students nodded in agreement.

Tang Xiaobai was very unconvinced in her heart, but she couldn’t expose Ah Xiao, so she simply said, "It could also be Gu Five or Zhu Seven!"

Wei Sui laughed disdainfully.

"Though they are younger than Pei Jiu, they might come up with a good strategy for disaster relief if they discuss it together!" Tang Xiaobai said more and more confidently.

She and Ah Xiao are even younger, yet didn’t they also discuss writing down the disaster relief items?

But Wei Sui still disdained, "They’re just kids, how could they understand anything? It must be Pei Jiu who wrote it!"

"It’s not me—"

Everyone turned to look at the voice, finding a young man standing tall at the classroom door. He was elegantly handsome and graceful, even in the same blue cloth robe as others, he stood out prominently.

He looked at Wei Sui with a somewhat warm and somewhat indifferent expression, "The memorial of the Ten Strategies for Disaster Relief wasn’t written by me. If I had such a good strategy, I would have informed the elders at home for them to present it."

With that said, everyone nodded in agreement.

Pei Xuan’s father was the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Personnel. If he truly had viable strategies, why would he bypass his father and let the academy represent him instead?

But if that’s the case, Gu Hui’s and Zhu Qi’s fathers were also court officials and wouldn’t possibly pass it through Mr. Lin either.

So it could only be—

"Second Miss Tang!"

Tang Xiaobai was just looking outside the door to see if Ah Xiao had returned when she suddenly heard someone call her, and she reflexively responded.

Only after responding did she realize it was Pei Xuan calling her.

"Could I speak with you for a moment?" Pei Xuan asked.

Tang Xiaobai followed him out of the classroom and asked, "What do you want with me, Senior Brother Pei?"

Pei Xuan turned back to study her for a moment, then asked, "Dao never has a boundary; words never have a norm, what does it mean?"

Tang Xiaobai: ???

Pei Xuan frowned and asked again, "To harmonize with time, find benefit in hardship, what does it mean?"

Tang Xiaobai: ????????????????

Pei Xuan’s face darkened slightly: "Didn’t you study ’Qi Wu Lun’ and ’Xunzi’?"

Tang Xiaobai: ...

Seeing her not speak, Pei Xuan’s expression turned even more serious, "Don’t tell me that day you and Tang Xiao cheated in front of Gongsun Yi?"

"No, no!" Tang Xiaobai felt a chill under his stern gaze, reminiscent of the days she was called to see the dean, and quickly explained, "I haven’t read thoroughly, I only remembered those few lines from that day!"

Pei Xuan’s brows didn’t relax, "Did you and Tang Xiao intentionally memorize those lines?"

"No, no, no!" Tang Xiaobai continued to explain, "I memorized them myself, unrelated to him!" Then, she thought for a moment and embellished for her little ancestor, "Perhaps he knows more than I do!"

Only then did Pei Xuan’s brows relax, and he said indifferently, "I remember the last question that day, Tang Xiao didn’t answer it."

Tang Xiaobai recalled and nodded, "He knows it now."

The last line was a famous one from ’Li Sao’, no matter how talented the little ancestor was, he couldn’t have read every book, but when he got back that day, he picked up ’Li Sao’.

He’s a very determined kid.

"With such talent, you shouldn’t waste it," Pei Xuan looked at her deeply, "Come with me!" He said, turning to walk away.

Tang Xiaobai was stunned.

"Wait!" Pei Xuan was already an adult, his one step was like three of hers, Tang Xiaobai had to trot to catch up and asked, "Senior Brother Pei, what kind of talent do I have?"

Pei Xuan walked with graceful steps, not turning his head as he replied indifferently, "I heard you’ve only been studying for a little over a year, but you’ve already gained such broad knowledge, indicating a strong memory. I reviewed your ’Mencius’ interpretations, the analysis is clear and thorough, quite commendable."

"Uh...Senior Brother is too kind..."

These compliments didn’t make Tang Xiaobai feel guilty.

She had learned some segments of ’Mencius’ before the world she transmigrated into, and she also audited classes at the clan school afterward. Her foundation was better than her classmates, except the little ancestor.

If her level could make Pei Xuan so impressed, how come he didn’t react to the little ancestor’s academics at all?

"With your aptitude, there’s no need to follow them in learning the interpretations of ’Mencius’," Pei Xuan stopped and looked back at her solemnly, "From today, I’ll spare half an hour daily to tutor you."

Tang Xiaobai stared at him blankly.

She understood.

Senior Brother Pei considered her an exemplary student of Class B and wanted to give her some special tutoring.

"What is it? You don’t want to?" Pei Xuan frowned.

"I do! I do!" Tang Xiaobai agreed quickly without much thought.

Pei Xuan, being from a prestigious family, had a high and cold elite authoritative demeanor; his frown made Tang Xiaobai inevitably nervous.

Yet having a top student willing to help her catch up wasn’t a bad thing.

Upon thinking it over, Tang Xiaobai was quite happy.

She was happy for about two seconds before a chilly voice came, "What are you willing for?"

Turning her head, she saw the little ancestor who had been invited by Mr. Zhang to "discuss coursework" earlier.

As he spoke, his steps quickened towards her, his eyes dark with a shadowy chill, glaring at Pei Xuan coldly.

As he stood close by, his body tensed like a hedgehog facing an enemy.

Sadly, his imaginary opponent didn’t seem to pay him any mind.

Pei Xuan only cast him a light glance, then nodded slightly at Tang Xiaobai, "Starting tomorrow, you don’t need to attend the last class every day; meet me at Jingsi Hall. I’ll inform the teachers."

Tang Xiaobai nodded repeatedly, "Okay, Senior Brother Pei! Thank you, Senior Brother Pei!"

As he was about to leave, she even waved her hand.

"Take care, Senior Brother Pei!"

Under the sinister gaze of the little ancestor, she watched Pei Xuan leave with a smile.

"What does Pei Xuan want to do with you at Jingsi Hall?"