Chapter Sixty: The Time Has Not Yet Come

  Ming Rui Academy became famous far and wide due to the arrival of Confucius, but its strange rules and regulations are also a topic of interest. What's more, Ming Rui Academy even dared to go against the norms of society by admitting female students.

  As for the admission of women, Yun Wenyin was appointed as a teacher, which was a bold move that made people in the State of Yan praise and criticize her. Many officials from the Ministry of Rites petitioned to the Emperor to punish the headmaster of the academy who did not know etiquette.

  However, Zhu Ziming, the great shopkeeper, heard this and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. The joint impeachment by these officials from the Ministry of Rites was indeed a huge threat. If the Emperor believed the officials' words and issued an imperial edict to shut down the temple, Zhu Ziming would be in deep trouble.

  It is not known for what reason, even though several officials from the Ministry of Rites strongly argued in favor of it, the Emperor remained unmoved and did not express his opinion. All the officials knew what was implied, as if they were letting Zhu Zhiyuan do as he pleased.

  As the nephew-in-law of the old emperor, Zhu Ziming was fortunate. If he hadn't had a bit of a relationship with the Emperor of Yan, he would have been sentenced to a false crime long ago.

  After all, in this feudal ancient times, many ideas were constrained, let alone daring to do such a shocking and heaven-defying rebellion.

  Here is the translation:

  After two days of examination, the assessment at Mingli Academy has finally come to an end. After being reviewed and scored by several teachers, the hundreds of students were ranked from first place to last place.

  Thus, the ranking of this name had a standard for division, under Yan Yinfu's arrangement, hundreds of students were divided into ordinary classes, second-rate classes and superior classes.

  The standard for this class division is based on ranking, but after the exam, the college informed that it would be suspended for two days and wait for the announcement of the class list. Many students were anxiously waiting, hoping to enter the top class, but some students who didn't like studying already knew in their hearts and spent the two days traveling and playing, without any thoughts.

  The class list for today is about to be announced, and hundreds of students are lingering in front of the school gate, all hoping to see which class they will be in at the first time.

  In a study room of the Ming Rites Academy, Zhu Ziming sat cross-legged on his bed, with the tips of his five fingers intertwined, looking at an ancient book in front of him and reciting slowly: "Sit calmly and quiet your mind, relax naturally. Lightly close your lips and teeth, breathe softly and smoothly. Hold your hands firmly, gaze forward steadily, gather your spirit and reach the heavenly heart. Enter the muddy pellet, descend to the air hole. Soft and gentle as if existing, use it without diligence. The elixir field is warm with energy, the kidneys are like a simmering stew. The breath flows through the meridians, refining one's work completely..."

  In the bright and clear chanting of Zhu Zi, a faint golden true energy slowly rose from the dantian, following the true energy meridian chart in ancient books, using intention to slowly guide the true energy into each acupoint.

  Sweat dripped down Zhu Ziming's face, although this true energy was very weak and its color was very light, but for him, a newcomer who had just begun to explore the path of martial arts, it was all extremely difficult.

  "Ah..." Finally, the true energy was injected into each acupoint on the diagram. Zhu Ziming took a deep breath and let out a sigh: "Still can't break through the first layer, this Tongzi Jue is too difficult to practice."

  Thinking of the fifth layer, he didn't know when it would be completed, Zhu Ziming felt a sense of being deceived by the old lady, but the Tongzi Jue had already been practiced, and thinking about turning back was no longer possible.

  "Brother Zhu..." The sound of Yan Yining's voice came from outside the door, interrupting his thoughts. He hastily stood up and walked out of the small bedroom to the front hall.

  The door opened, and Yan Yiren was wearing a white shirt, with a kerchief on his head, holding a small fan in his hand, looking handsome like a young lady, really having a bit of an elegant and refined scholar's demeanor.

  "Zhu brother, what are you doing? You've been gone for half a day," said Yan Shizi with a smile.

  However, upon closer inspection, Zhu Ziming saw that behind the Yan brothers stood a woman with an elegant and refined face, who was none other than Yun Dacai.

  "I'm reading," Zhu Dachang chuckled and said.

  Neigong Tongzi Jue hadn't broken through the first layer in several days, Zhu Ziming felt embarrassed to tell him that he was practicing internal strength, so he decided to wait until his martial arts skills had improved a bit before telling him.

  Yan Yunli rolled her eyes, if you were reading books, the sun would have risen in the west. She knew that Zhu was a person who never read books, but it was strange that even though he didn't read books, he was full of knowledge and had a lot of weird ideas.

  "Miss Yun, there are no classes at the academy today, what brings you here?" asked Zhu Ziming, looking at Yun Wanceng.

  Mr. Cloud said with a smile: "How come you're so busy and yet you've arrived, can't I?"

  The talented woman's words revealed a hint of annoyance, and indeed, Zhu Ziming was like that. The Mingli Academy was founded by him, but he didn't even show up on the day it opened. It seemed as if he had come to take a leisurely position, and no one knew what wind had blown him in today, yet he actually came today.

  Xiao Nizi had a sarcastic tone, Zhu Ziming awkwardly smiled: "These days I've been deeply thinking and worrying about things in the mansion, just like everyone else, doing my best for the development of the academy."

  "Who would believe it?" Yun Wanjing raised an eyebrow and pouted her sexy red lips: "The students' rankings have already been decided, why not post the results publicly?"

  "Is it, Brother Zhu? What kind of medicine are you selling in your gourd?" Yan Yiliu followed closely.

  Yun Wenyue glanced at Yan Yilie, thinking to herself that although this person didn't have much talent, his martial arts skills were quite good. She was certain that Zhu Ziming wasn't capable of shouldering the expenses of the academy on his own, which is why he had pulled him in as a partner.

  Miss Yun didn't know that Yan Yulie's identity was the crown prince of Zhen Nan Wang, and Shen Biyin and Yan Yulie were related by blood but didn't know it. This was because Yan Yulie had asked Zhu Ziming to keep his true identity a secret, so in the academy, only Zhu Ziming knew who he really was.

  "Master Zhu said with profound meaning: 'The time has not yet arrived.'"

  What timing? Yun Wenyue thought for a moment and suddenly realized something, while Yan Yuli was confused and didn't know what it meant. What did this so-called timing refer to?

  Just then, Liu, the manager of the academy, walked to the front door and said respectfully: "Young Master, Mr. Zhu, there are a few relatives of students who want to request an audience."

  Zhū Zǐ Míng smiled and said: "The time has come, let them enter one by one."

  This cunning person, upon hearing that a relative of the student had arrived, immediately understood what this meant: it was the silver-delivering person who had come.

  Zhu Ziming sat at his desk, looking up expectantly as he waited for the student's family member to arrive. In a moment, a middle-aged man was led in by a servant. He had a fat head and big ears, with a large belly that seemed to be bursting out of his clothes, giving off an air of being a nouveau riche.

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