Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 70: is a sure thing.

"Hey, isn't that the Zhou family's... relative? So, how did the exam go? Did you completely disgrace Director Zhou's reputation?"

Another person chimed in, "He's a relative of the Zhou family, after all. He probably got the inside scoop long ago. Something like scripture memorization and transcription is probably child's play for him, right?"

They sneered with mocking laughter, their eyes full of contempt.

Zhao Rui's face instantly flushed a deep purplish-red, a mixture of shame and anger. His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

Su Ming turned around and calmly looked at those few students.

"In the examination hall, everyone relies on their own ability. Outside the hall, excessive talk is pointless."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a bucket of cold water, dousing the arrogance of those few. Looking into Su Ming's clear and utterly unperturbed eyes, they felt inexplicably unnerved and slunk away awkwardly.

Zhao Rui stared blankly at Su Ming's back, a tumult of mixed emotions churning in his heart.

The second exam: policy discussion.

Zhou Wenhai stepped aside, replaced by an elderly man with graying hair and beard and a gentle demeanor. He was Professor Liu of the County School.Professor Liu walked to the front of the platform, his gaze sweeping gently over the crowd, his voice resonant:

"Today's policy discussion topic will not discuss classical meanings or literary flair. It asks only one thing—'Discussing solutions for summer floods and autumn droughts in the five southern townships of Qingzhou.'"

As soon as the topic was announced, the hall erupted in a wave of astonished murmurs.

Most of the students were dumbfounded. They had prepared for grand, abstract topics like "The Way of the Ruler" or "Benevolent Governance and Loving the People." Who would care about flood and drought disasters in some rural backwater?

Instantly, cries of despair rose. Many racked their brains but could only write empty statements like "The ruler should cultivate virtuous governance to move Heaven."

Zhao Rui's face turned ashen. He didn't even know where the five southern townships of Qingzhou were, let alone anything about summer floods and autumn droughts.

However, when Su Ming heard this topic, he inwardly let out a long sigh of relief.

the platform, a trace

exam question... it was practically tailor-made for

I owe you

for? It's an open-book exam!" Lin Yu's voice grew excited. "Take the stuff from that County Records of Qingzhou, mix it with the farming experience your dad has been drilling into you for over a decade,

Su Ming smiled.

up his brush,

then transformed

any flowery rhetoric, getting straight to the heart of the problem from the very beginning—"The calamity of floods and droughts is not

landforms, and river courses of the five southern townships. He pointed out that the main local rivers suffered from silted-up channels and poorly maintained, aged dikes, which were the root cause

turn, and he began proposing concrete

winter slack season to deepen river channels, use the excavated silt to reinforce the banks on both sides, and extensively plant soil-stabilizing trees

channel excess floodwater during the rainy season into low-lying wasteland, transforming water damage into water benefit. This

conditions. Rice can be planted during flood-prone periods; drought-tolerant crops like sorghum and beans can be

river should be dredged how, which location was suitable

like a student's policy discussion; it more closely resembled a detailed administrative report

character, the bell signaling the end

next day. A side office in

Liu sat alone before his desk. A stack of exam papers piled beside him was so high

tearing at the air. He picked up a cup of long-cold tea broth, took a gulp, the astringency bitter on the back of his tongue. His fingertips pinched a paper from the stack, his gaze sweeping over

naturally finds peace..." He snorted, fingers applying force, flicking that paper aside onto a pile of discarded papers. The paper pile grew taller

another. "Cultivate virtuous governance, move Heaven's heart..." He shook his head, wrist flicking, the paper floating

his throat, like a trapped beast. He had read Sage's Books his whole life, taught students for decades, and in the end, these youngsters only had eyes for the clouds in the

breath, suppressing the irritable fire in his heart, his fingers reaching for the next

is not a natural disaster, but actually a

hand, holding the teacup,

a solid *dong*. He pulled that

gaze devoured each line. Dredging silt, reinforcing dikes, digging canals, diverting water, changing crops,

tapping the desk

trees... digging canals