Making money, taking exams and supporting the family

chapter 69: Renovation of the Private School

*Xianleju is The Joyful Residence of Immortals, a famous pastry shop in Nanyang Town. The translated name is too long.*

After the renaming banquet, as expected, Lin Ze’s name set off a frenzy in Nanyang Town.

The phrase “strike while the iron is hot” was truly embodied by Lin Ze this time.

If Lin Ze had simply opened a private school and expressed willingness to enroll the children of merchants and specially admit impoverished students for free, he might have gained everyone’s favor. However, it would not have led to the current situation, which can be described as nothing short of fanaticism.

The credit for this great effect must also go to Master Wei, who actively paved the way.

Master Wei was a very face-conscious person. His reputation in this area could be described as “highly respected” after many years of effort.

Year after year, his private school had produced excellent academic results, adding countless accolades to his name. Although most of the credit was to the students’ own efforts and Master Wei’s teaching ability was average, outsiders were unaware, leading to the increasing renown of Wei Hongjue.

This time, Lin Ze was forced by Wei Yunying to go to the yamen to seek justice, and unexpectedly exposed the Wei family’s misdeeds. The consequences could be imagined.

Previously, Master Wei’s reputation was as good as it was now bad. He was once praised as a sage, but now he was condemned for being profit-driven, falsely claiming to be a saint, using his daughter for personal gain, and being narrow-minded. In short, the impression of him had completely changed, and everything about Wei Hongjue was now seen as wrong.

On the other hand, when comparing Lin Ze’s enduring patience and grievances for his master’s daughter’s reputation to the current situation, it was like a clear stream in a mudslide—prominent and rare. The incident involving Chen Shuju and her son only adds to this perception, making Lin Ze the most unlucky, wronged, and sympathetic figure in the world.

People naturally sympathize with the weak, so it’s no surprise that after Lin Ze’s reputation was cleared, he became the talk of Nanyang Town, and the sentiment was positive.

Now, as Lin Ze seized the opportunity to announce the news about the private school, the effect was like pouring a bowl of water into a hot pan, causing a sizzling response and spreading rapidly among the people.

Under Lin Ze’s eloquence, what was once seen as accepting the children of merchants and traders, driven by profit, had transformed into the noble integrity of “teaching without distinction”; what was originally a gesture of goodwill towards impoverished special students had become the great benevolence and righteousness of caring for the people.

Lin Ze had not only gained the favor of the merchants and traders in Nanyang Town but also the enthusiastic admiration of the common people.

This kind of enthusiasm was somewhat beyond Lin Ze’s own expectations. He never imagined that the tactic of “controlling public opinion” would be so powerful in ancient times…

But it was not surprising, considering that many people in ancient times were illiterate and easily influenced.

Lin Ze quickly disregarded the rumors he heard and continued to press on while the iron was hot, focusing on completing the renovation of the private school and then recruiting students to start classes!

Lin Ze had already written the renovation plan for the private school.

Actually, there was no need for major changes to the layout of the courtyard. The main focus was on arranging and dividing the various teaching areas and facilities of the private school.