The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 276

On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, five days remained until the debate.

Having ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍spent two days preparing for the topic, Zong Jincheng was gradually getting into the zone. As he scooped up Laba Congee with his spoon, his mind raced with ways to dismantle Qin Ye’s arguments.

History showed that few officials who spearheaded reforms achieved lasting fame—most met tragic ends after their failures. A man might not fear death for himself, but what about his family? His entire clan?

Would Qin Ye care?

After two days of contemplation, Zong Jincheng realized his disadvantage: he didn’t truly understand Qin Ye.

For two years, he’d boasted about crushing Qin Ye, yet he’d never bothered to delve deeper into the boy’s character.

Qin Ye had begun his education at three, studied for six or seven years, skipped grades repeatedly, and topped every exam. His reputation was unmatched in the academy—even across the capital. Arrogant, aloof, and utterly self-assured, he radiated an unshakable confidence.

So when accepting the debate topic, Qin Ye must have thought with that trademark certainty: *If it were me, I’d absolutely succeed.*

The more Zong Jincheng dwelled on it, the angrier he grew. He slammed his fist on the table, muttering, "Hmph, that conceited brat! As if he’s the only one who could pull it off!"

Pan Hongzhi, who was eating with him, nearly dropped his spoon as the table shuddered. This little troublemaker, with his abysmal table manners, was talking to himself again.

"What’s wrong, Jincheng?"

"Nothing," Zong Jincheng grumbled. "Just figuring out how to annihilate Qin Ye."

"Ah. Right." Pan Hongzhi promptly clammed up.

Since he didn’t know the debate topic, he couldn’t help. His only role was to stay silent and wait for the competition.

On the fourth day before the debate, Zong Jincheng was still poring over the reasons for Wang Anshi’s failed reforms, then digging into his fate—dismissed twice as chancellor, dying of illness at sixty-five.

The little demon king frowned. "Sixty-five… doesn’t seem like he was murdered. So why did Shang Yang die so horribly?"

Muttering to himself, he gathered every historical account of reformers, lining up their lives and deaths to spot patterns and discrepancies.

The advanced class had cleared a private space for him. Books sprawled across a long table while the others craned their necks from a distance, though they couldn’t see a thing.

Only Buyan, with his sharp ears, occasionally caught snippets: "Was XX assassinated?" "XX died so young—wasn’t that suspicious?"

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Rolling his eyes, Buyan decided ignorance was bliss.

*Young master’s mind is downright morbid, obsessing over unnatural deaths… These are official historical records, not some fabricated folktales!*

On the third day before the debate, Pan Hongzhi was jolted awake yet again by Zong Jincheng’s outburst. He pulled the blanket over his head, chanting inwardly: *Three thousand six hundred taels, three thousand six hundred taels, three thousand six hundred taels…*

After sleep-talking about crushing Qin Ye, the little lord now blurted out: "I can’t just attack Qin Ye—what if he attacks *me*?"

Zong Jincheng’s usual debate tactic was relentless offense, using sophistry to dismantle his opponent’s logic. But what if Qin Ye didn’t falter? What if he zeroed in on the flaws of Zong Jincheng’s counterarguments?

A cold sweat broke over the little demon king.

He scrambled out of bed, clothes askew, and rushed to brainstorm the merits of self-preservation. *Right—refusing a mission isn’t cowardice! It’s strategic! Timing is everything!*

Zong Wenxiu and He Zheng, always the earliest to the study hall, gaped as Zong Jincheng barreled in, disheveled and frantic.

"Big brother, what’s the emergency? Shouldn’t you be having breakfast?"

"Jincheng, what book are you looking for? Need help?"

"No, no!" The little demon king waved them off, stretching on tiptoe for a high shelf.

Then a hand reached past him and plucked the book down. Assuming it was Buyan, he turned—only to see Xu Wan.

"Mother?" Zong Jincheng lit up. "What are you doing here?"

Handing him the book, Xu Wan teased, "If I hadn’t come, you’d be climbing the ladder."

"I could’ve asked Buyan," Zong Jincheng said cheerfully. "Besides, I’ve grown taller—I can reach the next shelf now."

Xu Wan looped an arm around his shoulders, steering him out. "First, change your clothes, wash up, and eat. I’ll read the book to you."

As they walked, Zong Jincheng frowned. "Isn’t that cheating?"

"How? I’m slower than you at reading."

"Ugh… now it feels pointless."

Xu Wan laughed. "Not at all. Can’t a mother and son bond over this?"

"Oh. That part’s fine." The little demon king fought to keep a straight face, but his eyes sparkled with barely contained delight.

The day before the competition, Zong Jincheng was fully prepared. He shooed everyone out of his room, rehearsing his arguments alone—now forceful and logical, now impassioned and persuasive. His focus on this debate was unprecedented.

And Buyan…

He heard everything.

Not only did he learn the debate topic and sides, but he also discovered something shocking: his usually arrogant young master… *stuttered* when nervous!

During practice, Zong Jincheng’s mind kept blanking. He fumbled words, paused mid-sentence—like some bumbling spirit had possessed him.

Buyan gulped, vowing to take this secret to the grave. If the humiliated young master found out, he’d surely silence the witness—permanently.

Holed up in his room, Zong Jincheng grew more anxious with each run-through. At one point, he blanked entirely, panic driving him to jot down every possible argument. *If Qin Ye corners me tomorrow, I’ll lose all dignity!*

After a day of stumbling through his script, his delivery smoothed out. His mind cleared, and he pumped himself up with affirmations.

"Relax. It’s just Qin Ye. He’s never even debated before—no way he can beat me."

"*Aaaah* but it’s *Qin Ye*! He’s always first… I’ve chased him for two years and never caught up. Can I really win now?"

"Calm down. Zong Jincheng is a genius among geniuses, a star of literature descended to earth, a future high-ranking official! I’m the best! The strongest! Unbeatable! Fearless!"