The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 232

Underestimating Jin Cheng will surely be the biggest mistake the two of you will ever make in your lives. Just wait for Big Brother to teach you a lesson.

Xu Wan waved her hand and said, "Alright, let's get started. When each person speaks, the other side cannot interrupt. No lying is allowed during the debate, and no going off-topic. You'll take turns, one after the other."

The two teams sat facing each other. All the writing tools on the table had been removed to prevent the kids from grabbing them in excitement and throwing them around or attacking the opposing debaters.

Wei Xinglu confidently fired the first shot: "It's impossible for an eleven-year-old to become the top scholar. The top scholar is the number one in the entire nation. Each round of the imperial exams has hundreds of thousands of candidates, many of whom are renowned poets and scholars. How could a child possibly win? I think this is all nonsense."

Zong Wenxiu gently asked, "The imperial court selects talents to govern the country, not to compose poetry. The focus of the examination is different, so it has nothing to do with whether someone is a famous poet or scholar. Moreover, since ancient times, there have been many child prodigies. The most famous example is Gan Luo, who became a prime minister at the age of twelve. If a twelve-year-old could rise to the highest position in the government, then what's so unbelievable about an eleven-year-old becoming the top scholar?"

When it was Shen Yibai's turn, he was still baffled by the story of Gan Luo becoming a prime minister at twelve. He turned to He Zheng and asked, "Is he talking nonsense? Who becomes a prime minister at twelve? That's a joke. Our current prime minister is almost sixty."

He Zheng swallowed hard and replied, "It's true. Auntie just said that lying isn't allowed during the debate."

Though he felt nervous, He Zheng had to continue debating with the Zong brothers. He bypassed Shen Yibai and went straight in: "Figures like Gan Luo are rare. Just as there has only been one Luo Binwang in thousands of years, who composed a timeless poem at the age of seven. Besides, Gan Luo became a prime minister without taking the imperial exams. Maybe he wouldn't have been able to pass the exams and become the top scholar?"

When it was Zong Jincheng's turn, he had been lounging in his chair with his arms crossed, but suddenly he sat up straight, staring at He Zheng, who quickly raised his hands in surrender, silently begging Big Brother to go easy on him.

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The little demon king opened his mouth: "Brother, although you've studied history well, your logic is flawed. Our debate topic is whether an eleven-year-old can become the top scholar. You just acknowledged that Gan Luo became a prime minister at twelve and cited Luo Binwang composing a famous poem at seven. These examples prove that child prodigies do exist."

He Zheng's eyes widened, feeling the accusing stares from the other two, and he frantically shook his head. He didn't mean to betray them!

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍little demon king continued, "Child prodigies exist in various fields, whether it's poetry, politics, or the imperial exams. That's why dynasties throughout history have established the 'Child Scholar' exams, allowing prodigies restricted by age to stand out and take the imperial exams early. Let me give you a few more examples: Liu Yan and Pei Yaoqing both passed the 'Child Scholar' exams at the age of eight and later became prime ministers."

"Eight years old?!" Shen Yibai and Wei Xinglu exchanged glances, suddenly feeling old at the age of ten.

What's going on? Why are there so many amazing people?

This one became a prime minister, that one became a prime minister—is being a prime minister something anyone can just decide to be?

But He Zheng kept nodding beside them. Everything the big brothers said was true, not a single word made up.

Shen Yibai exclaimed, "You're just talking nonsense. It's impossible for an eleven-year-old to become the top scholar. I've never seen it happen!"

The little demon king retorted sharply, "When a frog looks at the sky from the bottom of a well, it thinks the sky is only as big as the well's opening."

"Heh..." He Zheng couldn't help but laugh.

Big Brother was calling Shen Yibai narrow-minded, but the latter didn't get it at all.

Xu Wan and the private tutors were also trying hard not to laugh. Being adults, they were much better at hiding it than He Zheng.

Shen Yibai kicked He Zheng under the table, forcing him back into the debate: "But there's no record in history of someone becoming the top scholar at such a young age. According to historical records and current records, the youngest top scholar was your father, Zong Zhao, at fifteen."

At this, Shen Yibai and Wei Xinglu seemed to have an epiphany, eagerly discussing: "Wow, He Zheng, you even know that!"

"The youngest top scholar in history is actually Uncle Zong? He's right here with us? I thought it was some ancestor who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago."

The two on the other side seemed to have struck gold, their enthusiasm soaring as they waited for the Zong brothers' rebuttal.

Zong Wenxiu smiled and said, "This proves that just because you haven't seen something, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Just because it's not recorded in history, it doesn't mean it can't happen now or in the future. There was no fifteen-year-old top scholar before my uncle, but he became one. There was no eleven-year-old top scholar before Jin Cheng and Qin Ye, but now there will be."

Shen Yibai and Wei Xinglu turned to He Zheng and asked, "Who's Qin Ye?"

He Zheng excitedly replied, "He's an incredibly talented prodigy. He always ranks first in every exam, crushing all the major academies. He's also the top scorer in this year's 'Child Scholar' exams. He's definitely the future top scholar... or at least a strong contender."

He Zheng, noticing the little demon king's increasingly dark expression and murderous gaze, quickly swallowed his words and changed the last part.

He was terrified, almost killed by Big Brother's glare.

Shen Yibai, fearless as ever, shot back, "No one can predict the future. Right now, we're debating whether an eleven-year-old can become the top scholar. Since no one has done it yet, that means it's impossible. The logic is sound, right? So, Jin Cheng, admit defeat?"

The little demon king narrowed his eyes and said, "The average lifespan in our dynasty is forty-two years, but a hundred years ago, it was forty. By your logic, since no one has reached forty-four years now, it means that in a hundred or even a thousand years, no one will ever reach that age, right?"

Shen Yibai was completely dumbfounded: "No, that's not... Wait, we're talking about the top scholar, not lifespan. What does this have to do with anything? Auntie, they're going off-topic."

Shen Yibai's complaint was met with a response. Xu Wan shook her head with a smile, not considering it off-topic, and the debate continued.

Zong Wenxiu replied, "Of course, it's relevant. We're arguing that what doesn't exist now might exist in the future, not that everything should be dismissed outright."

Wei Xinglu grew impatient: "But the average lifespan is gradually increasing. Based on the trend, it's foreseeable that most people will reach forty-four years in the future. But the top scholar is different. Who can predict who will become the top scholar? Who can predict that the top scholar will be eleven years old?"