Chapter 2

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, many years have passed since the appearance of the demon star.

The five kingdoms still stand, and many schools of thought have flourished even more.

At this moment, the city of Hechuan is in a state of panic. The streets, paved with large blue bricks, are in chaos, with people running around with their belongings. Even the waiters and customers in the taverns occasionally glance nervously towards the city gates.

This city is an important border town between Nanzheng and Zhongtang. Rumors of an impending war have been circulating for three years, but no war has broken out yet. However, every time the rumor of war resurfaces, people tend to believe it rather than dismiss it, out of fear.

The saying "soldiers pass like a sieve, bandits pass like a comb" is not to be taken lightly. Of course, this is largely due to the terrifying impressions left by past chaos. The absence of roosters for a thousand miles and fields filled with white bones are not just legends; they are facts witnessed by many elders.

"Hey, hey, hey, Brother Zhao, did I not pay for the noodles I ate at your place yesterday, or are you having a streak of good luck at mahjong and planning to abandon your business?" The speaker was a plain-looking young man standing across the street.

This young man didn't seem to be in the best of health; his chest heaved after just a few steps. His face was only moderately handsome, but his eyes were very black and lively, giving him a clever and sharp look.

Brother Zhao, who was called out, was bare-chested with a white towel draped over his shoulder, running a small street stall. He looked like a simple and honest person. He was busy tidying up his things and pouring water into the stove, which was still burning hot. The water sizzled on the red-hot coals. When he saw the young man, he immediately smiled bitterly.

"Ah, young Master Lin, what are you talking about? Don't tease me so early in the morning. My family depends on this stall for a living. Why would I abandon it?"

Young Master Lin, Lin Fengjin, immediately responded:

"If it's not as I said, why are you closing up so early, just past the third hour of the morning? In the past, you always stayed until sunset."

Brother Zhao sighed:

"Young Master, don't you see the current situation? The streets are in chaos, and everyone is talking about war. How can I have the heart to stay here? I should go home and pack up to seek refuge with relatives in the countryside. When the chaotic soldiers come, they only recognize gold and silver, not the difference between the rich and the poor. When the blood flows in the streets, it won't be a joke."

Hearing this, Lin Fengjin immediately scoffed:

"War? Who is spreading such nonsense? Three years ago, there were rumors that Zhongtang would attack, but nothing happened. It's still peaceful after three years."

Brother Zhao frowned:

"Young Master Lin, you can't say that. Matters of life and death are not to be taken lightly. It's better to be prepared. If the fierce soldiers from Zhongtang don't come, we just lose a few days of income. But if they do come, our whole family will be in danger."

Lin Fengjin sighed, feeling helpless:

"Alright, I came to your place early this morning to eat noodles. I can't go back with an empty stomach. Brother Zhao, let me explain things to you so you can feel more at ease."

Brother Zhao, half-believing and half-doubting, leaned in. Lin Fengjin sat at the table, instructing Brother Zhao's wife to continue boiling water, and whispered:

"Do you know what my old man does, Brother Zhao?"

"Who in Hechuan doesn't know that Lin Yewai has been in the grain business for decades, even trading with other countries?" Brother Zhao immediately replied.

Lin Fengjin spread his hands:

"As the saying goes, 'soldiers move, grain follows.' Zhongtang suffered from floods last year, leading to a poor harvest and high grain prices. Last month, however, the grain prices dropped. So, what war? It's all rumors!"

Brother Zhao, confused, couldn't help but ask:

"The cattle and sheep market is held outside the west gate on the first and fifteenth of every month. How is this related to the war? Young Master Lin, you are a learned man, but we are just simple folk!"

"Sweat... After being here for so long, I still can't change my way of speaking." Lin Fengjin wiped his sweat: "If I don't change, I'll end up being accused of spreading rumors and thrown into a pig cage!"

"Alright, to put it simply, last year Zhongtang suffered from a disaster, and the surplus grain was almost depleted. Now, with the lean season, if they want to attack our well-defended city of Hechuan, they will need a large army, which requires a lot of provisions."

"However, the grain prices are not rising but falling, indicating that no one is buying grain on a large scale. This means that Zhongtang is using its reserves to stabilize the grain prices. What war? Can the soldiers eat clay as their rations?"

Lin Fengjin paused, but when he saw Brother Zhao's blank look, he could only sigh, realizing how terrifying it is to be uneducated. After a moment, Brother Zhao shook his head and looked at Lin Fengjin with admiration:

"Truly, you are a learned man. Although I didn't understand a word, I still find you impressive."

Lin Fengjin, besides sighing, found nothing else to say. However, the next moment, Brother Zhao's actions made him widen his eyes. The seemingly honest and simple man suddenly grabbed a familiar old customer:

"Hey, Old He, was Master Lin's grain shop open when you came?"

"Of course."

"What about Master Hu's pawnshop?"

"Business is booming!"

"What about the Chunfengzui Tavern, run by the brother-in-law of the head of the constabulary?"

"When I came, Young Master Hu was whipping the lazy staff."

"I see..."

"Wife! Boil the water, set the table, and knead the dough! Don't forget to serve tea to Young Master Lin!"

"Aren't we going to leave for the countryside to seek refuge with relatives?"

"Seek, seek, seek! Why not seek rebirth? The richest families in Hechuan are not in a hurry. Why should I, a poor noodle seller, be afraid?"

"..."

Hearing this, Lin Fengjin couldn't help but roll his eyes. Indeed, the wisdom of the working people is boundless, and they have their own ways of survival. It seems that the uneducated one is himself. After a short while, the pulled noodles he ordered were served.

The red oil broth, with the white noodles swimming like fish, was topped with large, sinewy pieces of dark brown beef, cut as large as a palm but as thin as paper. A few drops of vinegar made it sour and spicy, and he ate it with gusto, sweating profusely.

If he felt a bit greasy, there was a local specialty, a green-skinned, purple-hearted radish, which was both beautiful and cheap. For an extra coin, Brother Zhao would slice it thinly and serve it on a plate. It was sweet and juicy, refreshing and pleasant, and had just been fished out of the old well, making it icy cold. Eating it was both sweet and refreshing, and it quenched his thirst.

Lin Fengjin, sweating profusely after eating, would usually chat for a while at the stall, enjoying the river breeze. However, at this moment, a young man in a blue robe and cap ran over from across the street, shouting happily when he saw Lin Fengjin:

"Young Master! Young Master! The results of the child examination are out, and you passed!"

Lin Fengjin is now seventeen years old. At this age, passing the child examination is considered average by insiders, like a seventeen-year-old just entering junior high school. Moreover, his soul, which came from a thirty-something double Ph.D. before crossing over, found the child examination, akin to moving from kindergarten to elementary school, unimpressive. However, this did not stop the illiterate men around him from looking at him with envy.

Passing the child examination means that you have passed the literacy test and can read and write, which allows you to apply to the famous academies across the land, with a good chance of being accepted.

In modern terms, the lack of literate people means a shortage of students. Now, with the Hundred Schools of Thought, literacy is just the basic requirement. What is valued may not be just academic ability. For example, the Mohist Academy emphasizes practical skills alongside academic studies, while the纵横家's Lianheng Academy values eloquence and debating skills more than academic knowledge.

Therefore, when a child passes the examination and applies to the academies, although the chances of directly entering the inner court are not high, the chances of being let go are also very low. Even if they find you lacking, they will often keep you in the affiliated schools and provide free room and board while you study.

This situation is due to the rise of Dongshanyang, who, like a comet, sought education at the Donglin Academy of the Confucians. Being an older student, he was not favored by the examiners, and his initial performance was poor, leading to a series of rejections and insults. If it were someone else, they might have been so ashamed that they would have jumped into the river and committed suicide.

However, although he had no talent for interpreting classics and profound meanings, he was a genius in geomancy and qi discernment!

After being harshly rejected by the Donglin Academy, he coincidentally joined the Wude Academy of the Yin-Yang School, where he thrived and made rapid progress.