Master Zhu finally settled into a rhythm after increasing the requirement to four hundred characters every half hour. The five youths also saw great progress; looking back at their earlier calligraphy, even they found it unsightly. The West Courtyard at the farm estate soon filled with numerous sets of the Four Books and Five Classics, all copied by Wang Jixue and the others during their practice sessions.
Master Zhu’s high-pressure, authoritative teaching style provided Lin Zezu with significant inspiration. In the stolen moments between his duties at the private school, Lin Zezu drafted a training syllabus for the West Courtyard. This syllabus focused primarily on practical application, establishing clear roles for Little Xin'er, Yaohua, Zhang Shanhu, Zhao Wangjia, and the others.
The first provision was to divide the youths in the courtyard into groups and classes. There were currently one hundred and fifty-six individuals in the courtyard, and the basis for these divisions was the examination and screening system introduced by Lin Zezu. Little Xin'er was responsible for setting the questions, and over the course of three consecutive days, they sat for three exams. Based on their total scores, they were ranked and sorted into classes and groups. The benefit of this system was the end of the "communal pot." Those with better grades and faster learning capabilities were assigned a heavier daily workload, while those who struggled or had average comprehension levels followe…
Chapter 185