Chapter 10: To restore his honour
The welcoming ceremony for the alchemist was meant to be as simple as possible and to occur without any hitch whatsoever. The scholars had went to great lengths to ensure that all their obstacles had been removed. Yu Xiaoguang most especially.
All the students were gathered up in the main hall, the proud scholars all stood together, wearing their most expensive hanfu to please the alchemist. The students did not dare make small talk with one another, lest they faced the wrath of their hypocritical scholars.
"The newest scholar has just arrived and will now make an appearance to you all. But before that, I would like to call upon our top student to make a speech on your behalf." Said the scholar for calligraphy, grinning from ear to ear at his chance to show off his most prized student.
Ming BaoZhai.
Meanwhile, Mei Deng stood at the back of the crowd, hoping to have a word with the scholars right after this ceremony. He hung the name tag on his waist, as he impatiently toyed with his hair.
'Speech? These scholars are definitely up to no good.' he thought to himself, gently massaging his temples with his pale fingertips.
"I now call upon our brightest star, Ming BaoZhai to deliver..."
Mei Deng had drowned out what the scholar was saying, till one of his fellow students tapped him on the shoulder, pulling him back into reality.
"Brother the scholars are calling for you." He said, informing Mei Deng of the situation at hand, as he picked up the wooden name plate dancing at his sides.
"Rats!" He cursed underneath his breath, as he read the name on the name plate, written so boldly it was hard to miss. Our young doctor was led to believe that there were perhaps two people bearing the name Ming BaoZhai.
'Just how is it, that my luck is so sour? Is that you father raining bad luck on me?' Mei Deng wanted to run away and hide somewhere, but all the attention turned to him, as the nosey student beside him called attention towards them.
"Here!" He called out, waving his hands in the air frantically from the back, forcing the other students to partway, revealing one taller looking student wearing a straw hat, standing at the end of the hall.
The scholars smiled fully as the students pushed Mei Deng towards the front, despite his low toned pleadings and last minute attempts at bribery.
Mei Deng found himself standing in front of his peers, at the centre of everyone's attention, to give a speech he had no knowledge on. It was at this point Mei Deng was wondering if a black cat had crossed his path.
'Fufu...you all don't realise it, but I've overcome my fear of public speaking and will wow you all with my superb people skills and manners. Rebuking those notorious uncles have taught me a great deal.' he straightened his white hanfu and stood straight, smiling from ear to ear.
"Great scholars of this imperial college, it is with the greatest of honours that I..."
It was the very moment this youngster opened his mouth to speak, that suspicions started to rise. The scholars who stood side by side, all exchanged worrisome glances with one another.
"Perhaps he's caught a cold?" One out of the others proposed, nervously scratching the back of his head, desperately analysing the situation.
"I shall now receit a poem from my childhood, to welcome the newest addition to the college." Mei Deng shamelessly said, taking quite the dramatic stance to say a preschool poem.
"Huh?"
"Is this guy serious?"
"I don't think my ears can take anymore of this."
Ming BaoZhai was the prime student of the imperial college and thus incredibly sheltered. He was placed in a separate Classroom from the others and only ever interacted with the scholars.
The only time he was visibly seen, was when he took on and off his attendance slip. Aside that, no other scholar was privileged to even breathe the same air as him.
It was when Mei Deng had gotten carried away by his performance, that the scholar for arithmetic noticed his side profile and easily deduced who that was.
He frightfully looked to the other scholars, who had also just made the same deduction.
The fool singing up there, was none other than Yu Xiaoguang!. The school's delinquent!
"This must end..." He announced, taking a step towards where Mei Deng stood.
"You mustn't...look over there." The hot headed scholar looked at his elbow, only to see it was the scholar overseeing calligraphy.
He retracted his grip and turned to look at what could prevent him from humiliating this tyrannical child.
Little, did he expect to see the alchemist himself walk into the main orientation room!. Moreso, the old man helped himself to a seat and casually watched Yu Xiaoguang perform without bothering to intervene.
"If the great scholar himself could withstand such torture, then who are we to complain? We'll get him after this is over." His colleague said, in a bid to pacify him.
Despite the uneasiness the arithmetic scholar felt, he sucked up his anger and folded his arms across his chest, waiting to watch how events would unfold.
Relived, the other scholars relaxed their shoulders and stood patiently, inwardly cursing the ground under Yu Xiaoguang's feet.
Meanwhile...
Outside, Ming BaoZhai, who was running late, was stunned beyond words, when he did not find his attendance slip hung on the notice board.
"What's this? I'm being cheated?" It didn't take this young genius a second to understand that someone had impersonated him. And with good motive as well...
"I will just have to expose this cheat for who they are." He concluded, as he marched towards the source of the noise at the imperial college.
Unlike most of the students at the imperial college, Ming BaoZhai was not attending due to a recommendation letter or family influence. His reason for attending was far more...unique than other students.
Hence, this youngster was more than determined to save his spot at the imperial college, no matter the cost.
He went in through the main door, only to meet a crowd of students, making some side talk at the back. Some had even settled on the floor and started to play some board games.
"Humph! They all act like delinquents!" Ming BaoZhai had a habit of raising his chin up when he walked about. Hence, it was only natural for him to walk past these low ranking students.
But...
"That Ming BaoZhai isn't at all what the rumours say he is. To think..."
"Is that truly the brightest star in our grade? What a wasted talent!."
These gossips didn't go by unnoticed by the real Ming BaoZhai, who was terribly at his limit! He curled both his fingers into fists and marched through the crowd of students, to get to the front.
From where he stood, he could hear some fool tarnishing his good rep by some sloppy performance.
The closer he got to the front, the more furious he became, and this caused the youngster to lose his cool. For someone else had turned him into a laughing stalk!
As a last resort to restore his honour, Ming BaoZhai lunged towards the impostor at the front and swung a sharp punch at him!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone