Gu Chengyu followed Mr. Wen to the study. Mr. Wen glanced at Gu Chengyu, who stood respectfully to the side, eyes smiling, looking straight at him. No matter what happened, he admired the student's composure, as if nothing could shake him, and he rarely showed his inner thoughts on his face. Such a person was indeed suitable for the court.
Mr. Wen recalled the comment his teacher had once given him: "Too rigid, easy to break." In his youth, he was proud and confident, believing that, armed with ambition and talent, he would surely have a place in court in the future. However, the subsequent Provincial Examination dealt him a heavy blow, with repeated failures, and now he had lost the confidence to enter the examination hall again. Already in his forties, the lofty ambitions of his youth had been worn away, leaving only teaching to make a living.
