Chapter 2284: You Can Wash Your Clothes Yourself

Chapter 2284: You Can Wash Your Clothes Yourself

Of course, there would be exceptions for special cases.

These were the admission requirements for the elementary class. After that, they would admit students based on their performance and achievements.

For those who had completed the elementary class but were still "blank-slate" scholars, there would be four classes available. Currently, this was the largest group of students, including Er Niu and Da Bao. If there were more students in the future, more classes would be opened accordingly.

Next came the young scholars who had passed the county-level examinations, and there would be two classes for them.

Following that were the "Xiu Cai" (cultivated talents), who were mostly students studying at the county school. However, Meng Yunzheng had already persuaded several to come over.

Lastly, there were the "Ju Ren" (presented scholars), but there were no students at the level of "Ju Ren" at Zenglu Academy yet. However, that wasn't a concern; there were two masters on their way who were planning to travel to Dong'an Prefecture soon. Even if they didn't enroll as students, as long as they stayed at the academy for more than half a year and later passed the provincial-level examination, those slots would also belong to Zenglu Academy.

Leaving that aside, when they were in the capital city, people like Xun Sheng had also considered coming here. They were currently traveling and making their way towards Dong'an Prefecture, so they would likely arrive soon.

"Now, regarding the issue of accommodation. The academy has dormitories with four students per room. Students under the age of eight are allowed to go home but must arrive at school on time. Those above eight years old must stay in the dormitories and can only go home during scheduled breaks. If there are special circumstances, you can request leave, and we'll consider it."

Upon hearing this, the crowd began buzzing with discussions.

A chubby boy of about ten asked, "Head... Headmaster, can I bring my personal servant?"

Meng Yunzheng smiled and replied, "No, you can't."

"But if I have to stay in the academy without my personal servant, who will wash my clothes?"

"You can wash them yourself."

The chubby boy widened his eyes in disbelief, and not only him, but also other children from families with servants stared at him incredulously.

"I don't know how to wash clothes."

"You can learn."

The chubby boy was on the verge of tears. "But... but I came here to study, not to wash clothes."

Some parents also found Meng Yunzheng's response somewhat unreasonable. They had sent their children here to study, so why should they have to wash clothes? In families with servants, the servants would take care of such chores, and even in families without servants, mothers would typically handle it. It didn't make sense for the children to be responsible for washing clothes.

Meng Yunzheng remained patient and explained, "You're here to study, but that's not the only reason. You're still young, and there are many things you may not understand yet. This is a valuable opportunity, so let me share some of my experiences during the Emperial examination."

He was about to impart some valuable knowledge.

The students' eyes lit up, and they straightened their backs, eager to listen to Headmaster's words.

Meng Yunzheng continued, "The Emperial examination lasts for nine days, as most of you probably already know. During these nine days and six nights, we stay inside the examination booths. You might not be familiar with the concept of an 'examination booth,' but it's about this long."

He gestured, comparing it to the length of a nearby desk. "It's not even as long as this desk, and it's where we spend our days and nights. Our eating, drinking, and even personal needs all take place within this small space."

The older students were already aware of this, but the younger ones, like the chubby boy and their parents, wore expressions of astonishment, furrowing their brows in concern.

"At night, we have to remove the tabletop and use it as a makeshift bed. These tabletops are heavy, so we need to have the strength to do so. For meals, we either eat dry rations or cook something warm ourselves. The spring Emperial examination takes place in the coldest weather, especially in the capital. Eating something warm is essential to avoid falling ill. Therefore, we need to learn how to start a fire and cook."