Min Zhengchun was a small, thin old man with a white beard and hair, his face etched with deep wrinkles.
He wore a long robe, faded from countless washings, and carried himself with the lean frame and unyielding integrity of a true man of letters. Despite his small, frail stature, he possessed an indomitable presence.
Upon seeing Zhao Jing and Chen De'an, Min Zhengchun scrutinized them both carefully. He said nothing, however, and simply had an instructor named Mr. Sun lead them away to get them settled.
Getting settled could wait. The first duty upon entering the prefectural academy was to pay homage to the great sage Confucius, so they went first to Dacheng Hall.
One of the prefectural academy's key duties was managing the Confucius Temple and honoring the ancient sages.
The current court even decreed that officials had to visit the local Confucius Temple and pay their respects to Confucius before officially assuming their posts.
