After completing the enrollment procedures, Gu Qianying, under the identity of Bai Qing, officially began her studies at the Shu Yu Pavilion.
The Shu Yu Pavilion was a place arranged by the Sheng Yu family for the female members of the household to study. Therefore, both impoverished girls and noble young ladies were eligible to attend.
On her first day of enrollment, Gu Qianying, still in plain clothes and holding her books, arrived at the Shu Yu Pavilion's classroom. Inside the classroom, a picturesque scene unfolded: the daughters of various prominent families. They didn't seem like they were attending a lesson; rather, they appeared to be on display, adorned in vibrant attire, with painted faces and jeweled hairpins, walking in with an air of disregard for others.
When they noticed Gu Qianying, they all showed disdain and turned away to mock her. "See? Another pauper has arrived. She's probably here to catch the eye of one of the Shu Yu Pavilion's tutors and is just here to join the fun." "Oh, please. These people are so wicked. How can they compare to us? We focus on our studies and respect our tutors. They can't match us."
Among them were Bai Xiaoxiao and others. Gu Qianying, seated in a corner, overheard their words and couldn't help but smile, finding it utterly ironic. They claimed to respect others, yet in public, they called people paupers, looked at them with prejudiced eyes, and spoke with such venom. People like them were hardly capable of upholding the concept of respect.
As the Shu Yu Pavilion's tutor, Bai Yangping, entered, the boisterous classroom finally quieted down. Gu Qianying placed her books neatly on the desk and slowly looked up, feeling somewhat surprised. The last time she saw Bai Yangping was fleeting; they exchanged only a few words before parting. She had been nervous then, fearing she wouldn't be able to study at the Shu Yue Hall, so she hadn't paid close attention to Bai Yangping's appearance.
Upon seeing him today, she was truly astonished. The saying "gentle and refined like jade, unmatched in the world" seemed to perfectly describe the man before her. Gu Qianying had already noticed that Bai Yangping was popular among many in the classroom. When he appeared, the usually proud young ladies in the classroom almost stared blankly, their eyes fixed forward. They looked as if they had seen a delicious dish, eager to devour it.
Bai Yangping cleared his throat from the front and smiled warmly. "Ladies, please be seated. Have you completed the homework I assigned yesterday?" Although his tone was gentle, his years as a tutor had instilled a certain authority. Naturally, no one had finished their homework and they all shook their heads, feeling quite guilty.
Bai Yangping did not scold them, but with a sigh, he instructed, "My dear young ladies, this is the homework the tutor has given you, and you must complete it. Today is your last chance. Do not repeat this mistake again, understand?"
"Yes." Gu Qianying was surprised, thinking what a gentle tutor he was. At this thought, she couldn't help but compare him to Bai Yu Feng. The moment she recalled Bai Yu Feng's cold face and playful eyes, Gu Qianying shivered, feeling a chill run down her spine. Looking up again at the gentle and refined Bai Yangping, her nervousness immediately dissipated. She curved her lips into a smile, finding it truly enjoyable to study under Bai Yangping.
Bai Yangping taught the Four Books and Five Classics, teaching ordinary matters that Gu Qianying was already familiar with. Whenever Bai Yangping uttered a sentence, she would already know the following words in her mind. Just as she was feeling a bit bored, Bai Yangping suddenly asked, "So, I asked you all to review the Great Learning yesterday. Can any of you complete this sentence: 'If one does not cultivate virtue,' what is the next line?" He added, "This is a famous quote from the Great Learning, and you must remember it. If you can answer correctly, your homework from yesterday will be waived."
Yesterday's homework was to copy the Four Books, three times over. However, the young ladies of the Bai family were not accustomed to such hardship, and they all did it perfunctorily, with no one willing to write it out. But if they could be excused from it and not be reprimanded by the tutor, they were naturally willing. A moment of deep thought ensued, with everyone racking their brains. The classroom fell silent, punctuated only by the occasional sound of pages turning.
Gu Qianying shook her head and sneered. They were studying the Analects today, not the Great Learning, and she truly wondered what these people were looking for in their books. Bai Yangping's gaze was sharp, and he looked at them with disappointment. "Come, my dear young ladies, you did not review your studies at home." Not wanting to embarrass themselves in front of Bai Yangping, they quickly retorted, "We saw it." Bai Yangping calmly swept his gaze over them, "Then what is the next line?" Silence fell.
Bai Yangping suddenly noticed Gu Qianying. She hadn't been looking at her books since the beginning, only listening attentively to his lecture, but she hadn't been diligent in her work. While everyone else was deep in thought, she had seemed to be watching a show, appearing quite relaxed. He raised an eyebrow slightly and called on Gu Qianying. "Bai Qing, do you happen to know the next line?"
A ripple of murmurs went through the crowd. Someone scoffed, "Tutor, this person is new here on the first day. Please don't make things difficult for her. She probably can't even afford books, so how could she have read the Great Learning?" Bai Xiaoxiao was always at the forefront when it came to belittling others. "Exactly! Tutor, look at her? She probably doesn't even know how to read, so how could she know the Great Learning?"
Gu Qianying inwardly cursed them, a group of ungrateful people. She decided to show them what it meant to have someone beyond the heavens, and that there was always someone better. Gu Qianying slowly stood up, let out a laugh, and directly replied, "Tutor, I know the next sentence. 'The supreme Way is not condensed.' I can also briefly explain its meaning to everyone. If a person does not possess extremely high moral character, they cannot achieve the Way. If a person holds a high position but is not arrogant, only then can one truly understand." Gu Qianying calmly continued, "I truly wonder if the young ladies in this classroom are worthy of embodying this 'Way'?"
Those who had just mocked Gu Qianying were completely taken aback. They hadn't expected her to be so capable, far exceeding their imagination. Bai Yangping looked at Gu Qianying, perhaps with admiration, and clapped his hands in approval. "Truly excellent. You are called Bai Qing, aren't you?" Gu Qianying bowed slightly, "Yes, I am called Bai Qing. I hope the tutor will guide me more in the future." Bai Yangping waved his hand, "Indeed, I did not misjudge you. You are a person with innate talent. Continue to study diligently."
"Mm!" Gu Qianying nodded and then sat down to continue her studies. Behind her, several hateful gazes were fixed on Gu Qianying. Bai Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth, her eyes bloodshot, clenching her fists tightly. "Where did this person come from? With such a seductive appearance, is she here specifically to lure people?" Bai Ziyun was also seething with anger. They couldn't answer, yet this country bumpkin, possessing neither power nor wealth, dared to stand above them? She quietly said to Bai Xiaoxiao, "We absolutely will not let this person have an easy time." Bai Xiaoxiao glared at Gu Qianying, her eyes filled with resentment. "Naturally, we will never let her have an easy time."