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"Hmm, Mrs. Yun Yuye, is that correct?"

Inside the academy, a young scholar responsible for registration was dressed in a long robe, clearly portraying the image of a learned man.

The beautiful woman who was called by name quickly came forward with her daughter and respectfully saluted, "Greetings to you, sir."

The young scholar was not very old and clearly had little contact with women; after all, even if the children who came to register were girls, most of the elders who accompanied them were men.

It was very rare for a woman to bring her child here, and this woman also happened to be exceptionally charming.

The young man’s face instantly turned red, and he stammered, "No... no... no need to be so polite. Your daughter may one day be my schoolmate, and you are my elder..."

The woman couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at the sight of the young man’s embarrassed state, which made his face turn even redder.

"The young master is too kind..." After laughing, the woman felt it inappropriate and hastily stepped forward with her child, saying, "Whether my daughter is blessed with this opportunity is still unknown; how dare we claim to be the elder of a young master?"

"Ahem..." The young man cleared his throat lightly, "I’ve seen your daughter’s results, and her overall performance ranks within the top five in Yunzhou, especially in Art Calculation. This time’s examination papers were personally set by Lord Chen and are common across Jiangnan.

With such a score, your daughter stands out even among the seven provinces of Jiangnan.

As long as she remains steady in the re-examination, getting into the academy should not be a problem. .."

"Really?" Yun Yuye’s eyes lit up. She only knew that her daughter had passed the preliminary examination but had not expected her to rank so highly.

Could it be that she was wrong? That her daughter was here not because she stumbled upon an opportunity but because she possessed such strength in her own right?

That shouldn’t be the case...

Therefore, she cautiously asked, "Are you certain about this ranking, young master? It’s not that I doubt it, my daughter has never been taught by a famous teacher from a young age.

She has only helped me run the store and learned a bit of bookkeeping.

A while back, Master Huang took a liking to her and personally taught her, but it’s only been a year. .."

The youth glanced at the little girl who was carefully looking around and said with a twinkle in his eye, "One year?

Then your daughter must possess a high talent for Art Calculation.

Have you considered enrolling her in Huang Academy?

Master Huang you mentioned is Huang Ying, right?

She is also an alumna of our academy..."

Yun Yuye immediately became excited, "Master Huang is from the same academy as you? That is truly wonderful..."

Master Huang, a woman, held a very high position in Yunzhou currently; the entire shipyard was under her managment, and many officials and generals were courteous to her.

Yun Yuye had never seen a woman rise to such a high position in her life, which inspired her to send her daughter to Lyuzhou to study.

"However..." Yun Yuye still had doubts, unsure whether her daughter could really have such a high ranking, she cautiously asked, "I heard that even the daughter of Master Su from Yunzhou did not pass the examination; how could my silly girl score so high? Is there a mistake?"

"How could there be a mistake?" The youth frowned and spoke seriously, "Exam papers are collected by the City Gods themselves and sealed away, with divine spirits from the underworld guarding them, there is no chance of cheating!"

"No, no, I just mean... it seems unbelievable..."

"Master Su’s daughter?" The young man seemed to understand the other’s concern and asked curiously, "Is she well-known?"

"Famous indeed!" Yun Yuye nodded vigorously, "Skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she is renowned in Yunzhou City as a talented lady!"

"Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?" The youth was taken aback, "Our examinations are about Art Calculation, Physical Inquiry, and the hundred schools of Yin and Yang. What does her mastery in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting have to do with us?"

"But... after all, she’s from a Scholarly Family... a famous talented woman..."

Upon hearing this, the youth immediately understood her situation and nodded, "Madam, you worry too much. Our academy selects talents who are proficient in the subjects we need, not to mention a talented woman skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Previously, even a young scholar who topped the imperial examination couldn’t join our academy because he wasn’t up to par in Art Calculation. "

"Ah? Even the top scholar couldn’t join?" Yun Yuye exclaimed.

"Isn’t that the case?" The young man smirked, "That Gu Beiquan from North Street, the top scholar appointed by the Imperial Court, the former prefect of Luling County, was full of prestige. He had spoiled his mind with books, treating the classics as the gospel. Since his skills in Art Calculation were lacking, he was thrown out by Dean Chen... Now he’s collecting relief food up in North Street. "

"The top scholar... collecting relief food?" Yun Yuye found it hard to believe.

"Madam, the Lyuzhou of today, the Jiangnan of today, has changed!" The youth said with a smile, "Your daughter’s high ranking itself signifies her exceptional talent. There is no need to worry; once she joins Yin Yang Academy, wherever she goes in the future, she will be a person of ability!"

These words filled the young girl’s eyes with luster, while Yun Yuye stood somewhat dazed and bewildered.

After a long while, she sighed, "Lord Chen... is truly remarkable."

"Lord Chen is certainly remarkable!" The youth said with pride, as if the compliment were directed at him.

When it comes to the most profound faith in Chen Qing, there’s none to rival the academy.

In this place, there were young men from merchant families, children of carpenters and blacksmiths, and even those who were the progeny of prostitutes.

Because they grew up in the lower echelons of society, they were more astute in calculations and thus often quicker in the Art of Numbers.

Even those from Scholarly Families, because of their preference for these so-called heterodox studies, were scolded by their elders time and again.

But currently... Lord Chen had proven with facts that what they learned wasn’t heresy but the true great path!

Yun Yuye nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, observing the demeanor of the young man; it seemed that the academy was indeed as fair as the rumors suggested. She could feel at ease leaving her daughter here.

"Then, sir, my child, can she enroll in Huang Academy?"

She had heard that, in Lyuzhou Academy, among the four divisions of Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Huang, Huang Academy, which excelled in engineering, was the most popular!

"Of course!" The youth eagerly responded, "Your daughter’s talents are extraordinary. She would be welcomed in any academy she chooses to apply for. Huang Academy is currently developing the best, so joining our academy is a wise choice. Let me register your younger sister first?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Seeing that he had already referred to her as ’younger sister,’ Yun Yuye nodded repeatedly. If her family’s young lady could achieve what Master Huang had, even if she were no longer around, her daughter would be able to stand on her own in Jiangnan.

"Zhuo Lang!" Just as the youth was about to directly register someone.

A rich male voice reached them, and they turned to see a burly man walking over.

The man first bowed to the mother and daughter, and Yun Yuye quickly returned the bow with her daughter. Only then did the man turn to the youth, "Didn’t the master who assigned you this task tell you that you’re not allowed to guide students to your own academy?"

"I didn’t guide anyone," the youth muttered, puffing his cheeks, "She was personally instructed by Huang Ying. She naturally has a longing for our Huang Academy. How is that my doing?"

"Cut it out!" The man glared at him, "Huang Ying is known for being fair and generous, why would she deliberately guide someone? If she wanted this girl to join Huang Academy, wouldn’t she know to write a recommendation letter?"

"This...can’t we report her?" Yun Yuye suddenly became anxious.

"That’s not what I meant," the man quickly explained with a smile, "Choosing an academy is a crucial decision that affects a lady’s entire future. One must be extremely cautious. Just as ’the fear for a man is to choose the wrong profession, the fear for a woman is to marry the wrong man.

’ Nowadays, in Lyuzhou Academy, there is no distinction between men and women.

If girls are admitted, they must be as cautious as boys in their choice of academy. "

"This..." Yun Yuye hesitated after hearing this, "But I’ve heard that Huang Academy is currently the hottest."

At these words, the youth immediately straightened up.

It wasn’t mere bragging. Initially, the Heavenly and Earth Institutes were considered top academies, but now in terms of development, Huang Academy was second to none. Which province now doesn’t thirst for students of Huang Academy?

"Madam, choosing a career isn’t about looking for the hottest profession," the man quickly replied, "but about what is suitable. Your daughter is a young girl. Huang Academy focuses on object-matter engineering and design, and it’s not that girls can’t do it, but it’s not quite appropriate.

For instance, the currently popular construction department in Huang Academy.

..you’ve seen Lyuzhou’s Observing Stars Tower, Celestial Wolf Gate, and the soon-to-be-expanded Jiangnan Grand Road, all of which require many magicians in this area. Do you think it’s suitable for a girl?"

"On the construction site, covered in dust and dirt, it’s nothing for boys to get a bit dirty, but that atmosphere isn’t fitting for girls, is it?"

"Eh?" Yun Yuye was startled, "You have to...do construction work?"

"Not necessarily..." the man shook his head, "But you do have to supervise and observe construction sites.

Deciding where to start the actual construction, how to use materials in certain places—she would have to direct these herself, dealing with workers on the construction site every day. Now tell me..."

Yun Yuye: "This..."

The youth frowned in a hurry when he heard this, "Huang Academy isn’t restricted to just the construction department. Heavenly Artisan’s ingenuity, shipbuilding, heavy machinery, which of these isn’t a hot project now?"

"But aren’t all of those still not quite suitable for girls?

" the man said with a smile, "On the other hand, look at Mystic Academy: medical, astrology, life agriculture—these may not be as sizzling as the engineering department, but they are also very hot. Madam, think about it. If your daughter were in Mystic Academy, she could either be a compassionate healing magician, an astute divining magician, or an agricultural magician, able to communicate with mountain deities and improve crops, all of which are highly respected professions. Even if, at the very least, she became a transformation magician, the working environment is not bad. Nowadays, all sorts of premium fabrics in Jiangnan come from the hands of transformation magicians, that’s not obscure either, right? "

"The main point is, the environment is good, she wouldn’t have to be covered in dust and dirt like in the engineering department, would she?"

"This...indeed..." Yun Yuye heard this and was interested.

Master Huang was indeed popular in Yunzhou, but she usually didn’t seem like a traditional girl. Spending her days in the shipyard mingling with craftsmen, and occasionally spotted with ship oil on her, she didn’t quite fit the traditional image of a girl.

In contrast, if her own child could become a saintly doctor who cures hundreds of diseases, that would be an everlasting profession with a respectable status.

The market seemed viable too. Female doctors were rare in Great Jin, but not unheard of, and many women patients found it more convenient to be treated by a female physician.

With this in mind, she turned to look at her own daughter, clearly considering this path for her.

The youth, watching this unfold, grew anxious. So Pan Kai had come under the guise of tutoring him only to end up promoting his own academy? Utterly shameless!

And he was not among those adept at debate. Had he known, he would have asked Senior Brother Feng to take charge here.

Although there were quite a few students registering for Huang Academy, those of high caliber were scarce—especially ones like this girl, who scored full marks in both object-matter and Art Calculation.

Two years at the academy had taught him a clear truth: talent can make the gap between people wider than the gap between a person and a pig!

Just as everyone looked towards the girl Yunke’er, she pointed at the entrance and asked, "What is that...over there?"

The others were puzzled, not understanding why the girl was pointing at the entrance. What else could be there besides the door frame?

"Can you see it?"

While everyone was still baffled, a figure quickly appeared before them.

Dressed in blue, it was a student from the Heavenly Institute.

"Senior Brother Shen?" Both quickly greeted him.

The best-performing students from the Heavenly Institute were famously scholarly and always among the top contenders in Art Calculation competitions between the four academies.

Even though Huang Academy and Mystic Academy were now more popular, they still dared not disrespect this knowledgeable senior brother.

Shen Yuan, however, ignored everyone and focused intently on the little girl, "What do you see?"

Frightened but courageous, Yunke’er pointed towards the door and said, "Blue-green rings, lots of rings!"

"You really can see them!" Shen Yuan immediately looked at Yun Yuye, "I apologize, Madam, but we at the Heavenly Institute will take your daughter, and she won’t need to take the examination. She must follow me to Nanming Prefecture now!"

Everyone: "..."