Chapter 213 The Fifteenth Day of Entering a Rebirth Novel

Chapter 213: Day Fifteen in a Rebirth Story

An Yi stepped forward, leaned down slightly, and his voice was gentle as he soothed, "Do not be alarmed, lift your heads."

His voice was like a clear spring, calming the wildly beating hearts of the two youths.

They timidly raised their heads, and what met their eyes was the National Teacher’s face—so close and strikingly handsome, and his eyes held a gentle warmth.

An Yi guided them, then gave a slight bow toward the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, these two cannot read, yet they have an honest nature and clear eyes. I wish to ask them a few questions."

The old emperor waved his hand, signaling him to go ahead.

An Yi turned back, looked at the two youths who were still too nervous to know what to do with their hands, and casually asked them a few questions.

They answered haltingly, their words plain and simple, even stumbling over their words, but their thoughts were clear, without any pedantry.

They were intelligent.

An Yi nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, wait over there."

The two youths, bewildered, were led by the taoist apprentice to stand at one side of the platform.

The crowd below had no idea what had been said, still scratching their heads as they answered the questions.

The one-hour answering time passed quickly.

The taoist apprentices collected the papers and presented them to An Yi.

An Yi did not scrutinize them carefully or ponder deeply as the crowd had imagined.

He flipped through them quickly, his slender, fair fingers brushing over the papers still wet with ink, his eyes scanning, understanding dawning inside him.

Halfway through his review, he pulled out one paper.

This paper had many blank spaces, and the few places with writing seemed perfunctory, as if the test-taker's mind was elsewhere.

An Yi glanced at the name on the paper—Ran Zhuyu.

He understood. This was the reborn female lead’s deliberate attempt to keep her distance from him.

A faint smile curved at the corner of his lips, a look of understanding, without anger. He calmly set the paper aside onto the rejection pile.

Since that was the case, so be it.

He made his decision quickly.

In less time than it takes for an incense stick to burn, he selected over thirty people from hundreds of papers.

The taoist apprentice stepped forward, took the list, and read aloud the names of those chosen.

As the list was announced, reactions varied among the crowd below.

Those whose names were called were naturally overjoyed, especially the scholars from humble backgrounds and commoner youths, including the two trembling children on the platform, who nearly wept with joy, feeling as if they had ascended to heaven in a single step.

What caught people's attention was that, aside from Ran Zhuyu, all the women who had come to participate were selected!

In addition, some names of sons of officials appeared, among which Huo Huai’s name was prominently listed.

The moment Huo Huai heard his name, he lifted his head, his stern face unable to hide his ecstasy.

His heart started beating uncontrollably again, blood rushing, ears burning.

He... he was chosen! Could he now be close to the National Teacher from now on?

Even if the curse wasn’t lifted, it didn’t matter!

The tips of his ears reddened as he thought, "What am I thinking..."

As for the losers, especially those arrogant sons of officials, their faces instantly showed disappointment, unwillingness, and even hidden resentment.

They had lost to those mud-footed commoners?! How could they accept this?

But in front of the emperor, no one dared show their dissatisfaction, only clenching their teeth secretly.

An Yi did not pay attention to the mixed feelings of those below.

He walked to the front of the platform, his gaze sweeping over the over thirty selected people, his clear eyes seeming to see into people's hearts.

He smiled slightly, then spoke in a clear voice: "Since you have entered my school, you must know what you will learn. From now on, I will teach you five subjects."

He paused, looking at the suddenly focused gazes full of curiosity and longing, and slowly continued:

"First, the study of laws. To explore how the most subtle primordial Qi that constitutes all things interacts, governing all motion from dust to stars. Learn this, and you will know the law that moves the world we live in, where light comes from, how sound travels, and what force is and how it arises."

"Second, the study of transformations. To understand how primordial Qi combines to form different elements, and how these elements undergo transformations through cause and effect and separation. Why metal is hard, water soft, and wood burns—all are explained by this principle."

"Third, the study of life. To investigate how the soul attaches to the body, driving its growth, perception, and reproduction. How living beings and heaven and earth together form a causal formation, where every blade of grass, every breath, cycles and maintains balance."

"Fourth, the study of stars. To look up at celestial phenomena is actually to glimpse the operating laws and creation and destruction of the myriad star realms. The sun, moon, and stars are not mere decorations but microcosms of limitless worlds. Learn this, and you may try to understand where we come from and where we return."

"Fifth, the study of earth. To explore how the land’s skeleton, veins, breath, and vitality are woven into a grand feng shui pattern. Mountains, rivers, earthquakes, and mineral deposits all have their principles. Understand how heaven and earth interact and how the myriad things arise."

These words struck like a great bell in the hearts of everyone present!

Whether it was the selected disciples on the platform, the losers below, the observing officials, or even the emperor on the dragon throne, all felt a sense of awe, as if a door to an unknown world was slowly opening before them!

Laws, transformations, life, stars, earth!

These were no ordinary studies! This was clearly a celestial method pointing directly to the origin of the Great Way, exploring the supreme principles of heaven and earth!

If one could truly master them, would they not be able to summon wind and rain, move mountains and seas, and even attain longevity and behold eternity?!

The losers now regretted deeply, and their families gnashed their teeth in frustration, lamenting over their children’s failure!

Had they known earlier, even if they had to tie their hair to a beam and stab their thighs, they would have learned those "miscellaneous" things well!

Ran Zhuyu stood among the crowd, listening to An Yi’s grand and mysterious description. She pursed her lips, a sharp pang of regret rising in her heart.

She seemed... to have missed an extremely important opportunity.

The knowledge An Yi described sounded completely genuine. Could it be that he was not reborn, but...?

But this regret was quickly suppressed.

What’s done is done; regret is useless.

And she noticed that throughout the entire process, An Yi’s gaze at her was no different from his gaze at others—with a gentle smile, but only a courteous gentleness, as if she were just an insignificant stranger.

This relieved her a little. Either An Yi did not know about her rebirth, or he simply did not care.

Either way, for her at present, it was for the best.