Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 91: Yunshuo Prefecture

In Zhou Wenhai’s study, the scent of tea remained unchanged.

He looked at Su Ming before him, his gaze openly full of admiration. The boy sitting there had finished growing; he was a head taller than two years ago, his shoulders broader, all traces of awkward youth gone. He was steady now, like a stone that had lain motionless at the bottom of a river for a hundred years.

“Su Ming, you’ve been at the school for nearly three years.” Zhou Wenhai pushed a cup of warm tea toward him, “In these three years, your progress has been clear to me. Whether in Classics or policy essays, you’ve already surpassed your peers by far. Your timing is ripe.”

He paused, eyes burning as he stared at Su Ming.

“The provincial exam is near. I have already registered you. For the Yunshuo Prefecture autumn session, you must take part.”

Zhou Wenhai’s tone was not a suggestion; it carried an unequivocal certainty.

“With your talent, you will surely seize first place and win for our Qingshi County School a top scorer the county hasn’t seen in decades!”

Top scorer.

First in the provincial exam.

Those three words meant supreme honor to any scholar.Su Ming lowered his eyes, long lashes hiding all emotion. He did not reply at once. He lifted the teacup and felt its warmth.

“Teacher’s high expectations—this student is... unworthy,” he said slowly, his voice calm and even.

“You are not unworthy, you are fully deserving!” Zhou Wenhai waved his hand, his tone infused with strong confidence, “Go home and prepare well. Do not let your mind wander on trifles. I will be expecting good news.”

Stepping out of the study, the autumn sunlight touched him, but it brought little warmth.

Su Ming walked along the academy path at an even pace.

“Master,” he called in his heart.

Lin Yu’s soul body drifted excitedly in the ring.

Great! Finally leaving! The spiritual energy in this rotten well is like squeezing toothpaste—just a trickle a day!

“Disciple, what do you think of this?” On the surface, Lin Yu retained his usual composed, strategist’s tone.

“The teacher is right. Qingshi County no longer has what I need.” Su Ming answered bluntly.

He needed a bigger pond.

“Good, progress. You know how to assess the situation.” Lin Yu nodded approvingly, then his voice dropped a notch, “But Zhou Wenhai wanting you to go for the top scorer... that needs to be discussed.”

“What does Master mean?”

“Going for top scorer? To be a target?” Lin Yu mentally scoffed, though he spoke enigmatically, “Disciple, have you forgotten the first maxim of my Way of Survival?”

“A tall tree invites the wind,” Su Ming finished for him.

“Exactly!” Lin Yu’s voice carried the tone of a patient teacher, “You were the county’s top scorer at fourteen—you’re already a figure on the edge of public attention. Now you’re only sixteen. If at sixteen you become provincial top scorer, what do you think will happen?”

“Then all of Yunshuo Prefecture, and places even farther, will swarm over you like flies to blood. People will pry into your family background, your teacher’s lineage, what color pants you wore as a child—they’ll strip you bare. Do you think our current stature can withstand the intensity of that spotlight?”

Lin Yu thought: Give me a break. I finally raised this little ancestor into a decent portable power bank; I’m not sending him out to be a celebrity corpse! Keep low-key! Must be low-key!

Su Ming fell silent.

remembered the policy essay rejected by the county magistrate, and

exam I will aim to pass it, not to seek

child!” Lin Yu approved, “That’s called strategic concealment. Our goal is to obtain the provincial graduate status and the ticket into the prefectural city’s larger information platform. Rank does not matter. Middle is just right. You’ll still stand out a

mix of people is dangerous—far more perilous than Qingshi County. Your Aura Concealment Art is at the second level; it will be useful. Remember, restrain all your sharpness and present yourself as the most ordinary, most

understands,” Su

reached a high degree of agreement

...

the ancient locust tree at

Xu, I came today to ask you something,” Su Ming got straight to the point. “Will you take this year’s provincial

moment, then

go, my father will be left to run the book stall alone; it would be too hard on him.” His words

Su Ming looked at him, sincerity in his tone, “We can travel together, so there will be someone to look out for you. As for expenses, I have some spare funds and can lend

thought

gaze was clear, without a trace of pity, only honest

Ming did not

Ming had original insights on Classics and policy essays. They often talked for hours and had become close friends. Su Ming also knew Xu Qing’s talent was not inferior—only stifled by his family’s situation, like

aren’t necessary—my family has saved a bit these past two years. But please, Brother Su, trouble

need to thank me

...

rolled out of Qingshi County’s south gate in the morning

been hired temporarily; inside sat only Su

of spare clothes and two full trunks of books, ink, brushes,

outline gradually receded

curtain once to glance outside, then returned to his seat and unrolled a copy of Yunshuo Local Studies to read quietly. That

closed his eyes as if napping, but his Aura Concealment Art was engaged to the extreme, folding his aura in like a roadside pebble. At the same time, his

radius, rustling grass, flying birds, and buzzing insects were all

this feeling is strange,”

enough as a personal radar,” Lin Yu said lazily. “Stay alert. On the official road, highway bandits and malevolent entities abound. Our goal is

“Disciple understands.”

They rode in silence.

widened and became more level and travelers

Yunshuo Prefectural City.

blocks, sprawling endlessly like a dragon coiled upon the earth. Banners fluttered and armored soldiers stood in

gazed at the city. The prefectural grandeur he had read about in books had become reality. A flash of awe passed

felt it

the whole Yunshuo Prefectural City resembled a vast, chaotic energy field. Countless ordinary, mixed, and faint auras converged into a

a three-to-five zhang alert radius around you! Don’t flail about like a

withdrawing his outward mental force and leaving only a thin layer of

city gate and was instantly swallowed by an even

were packed shops—inns, teahouses, pawnshops, silk stores—countless signs and banners fluttered in the

and cosmetics of thousands of people, creating the complex, vibrant aroma unique to

shop signs in quick, orderly motions, noting bookstores and the Wenbao Zhai’s placards in particular; he seemed to memorize their locations for

calm as he followed Xu Qing, eyes casually sweeping the

stay first,” Xu

street and led Su Ming into

held small inns

three or four places, they chose a modest inn called “Wenan

a lean middle-aged