Xu Zhen sat in her seat, pondering. The students in Class B seemed arrogant, yet they were focused on the principles of being an official. Perhaps they had potential. It was the perfect opportunity to ask about their aspirations, tailoring her teaching to each one's needs.
Glancing around, she noticed the students waiting for her to speak. "Do you all plan to become officials someday?" she asked.
A student from Class B stood up. "Why else would we study if not to enter government service?"
Xu Zhen replied, "There are many benefits to studying, and becoming an official isn't the only path."
Not all students, unlike Li Sanlang, were entirely convinced of Xu Zhen's merits. Many remained noncommittal, though a few had their heads lowered, seemingly contemplating other ideas.
Teaching autonomously for the first time, Xu Zhen didn't want to let Mr. Zhao down. She picked one of the quieter students and asked, "If you pass the imperial examination, what do you want to do?"
The young girl looked up and replied confidently, "Become a female official."
"In what field?" Xu Zhen asked.
"Any," the girl replied.
"And if you don't pass?"
The girl's eyes dimmed, and after a pause, she said, "I don't know."
"Do you think you'll definitely pass?" Xu Zhen inquired.
The girl shook her head. "My parents have high hopes. I can only do my best without considering alternatives."
Xu Zhen smiled understandingly, then questioned a few other students, receiving similar answers. Only one mentioned that if he didn't pass, his family could still pull strings to get him a position, leaving him unfazed.
Xu Zhen was a bit startled, realizing she was dealing with a second-generation official.
After some thought, she sipped her tea and said, "Today, I want to discuss how being an official differs from simply being a good person."
Setting her cup down, she continued, "Studying isn't solely about joining the civil service. It's about broadening your horizons, understanding ancient philosophies, and learning to think critically to become capable and less vulnerable..."
The student from Class B listened with disdain. He knew the new teacher was inexperienced but hadn't expected such nonsense. To him, she was worlds apart from the academy's head.
Unable to hold back, he stood up. "Teacher, your perspective is flawed."
Xu Zhen paused. "How so?"
The student from Class B responded, "Since you agree that studying is to understand ancient philosophies, you must support Confucius's views, right?"
Xu Zhen nodded. "For the most part, yes."
The student sneered, "Then Confucius's sayings like 'Study extensively and become an official' and 'A gentleman seeks the way, not sustenance' suggest that gentlemen should study and govern. Once well-read, they should govern; once governing, they should continue to study."
He cited an example from "The Analects," where a student named Fan Xu wanted to farm and asked Confucius for advice. Confucius said he was no better than an old farmer at planting, dismissing Fan Xu. After Fan Xu left, Confucius remarked, "What a petty person Fan Xu is."
This showed that Confucius looked down on common trades, viewing scholars as gentlemen and others as lesser.
The student from Class B reiterated, "Studying and governing are the roles of a gentleman."
