[The core idea is staying the same, though the title and blurb may change]
Yan Qing transmigrates into the body of a penniless scholar who has repeatedly failed the imperial exams.
"Repeatedly failing the exams" and "penniless scholar."
What wonderfully period-specific phrases.
But to a modern person, this is no different from being exiled!
Luckily, though the original owner of the body was a bit of a loser, he had quite a fortune.
Yan Qing says: Why bother with the imperial exams? Wouldn't it be better to travel the world?
Still, just to be safe, he puts his excellent memory to use and successfully becomes a provincial graduate.
Just as everyone else is working toward the next degree, he stops, then opens a private school, one with summer and winter holidays.
Yan Qing: Ahem. To travel the world, you need both money and time.
The adults who send their children to his school can only watch helplessly, lamenting and gossiping behind his back: What kind of teacher lets the kids study for three days and then slack off for two? We've been scammed, absolutely scammed! This guy's a lousy teacher!
Then one day, the man everyone called a lousy teacher is summoned to the palace.
The emperor asks: Why don't you take the next step, sir?
Yan Qing: Maybe because you don't give us holidays?
Theme: Hard work can change your fate
