Chapter 69

After revising "Early Plum," Fang Yun continued to practice calligraphy and study.

Zhou Zhubu had once asked him to write "The Fox Rhyme" a little later, but Fang Yun occasionally wrote a section while practicing calligraphy. Today, he finished the last section, took a sheet of white paper to cover it, and solemnly wrote "The Fox Rhyme."

Nunu happily pounced on it, rolling around and cooing, not caring at all about the ink stains on her body. All the ink stains naturally fell off when they touched her.

At the same time, Fang Yun sensed a change in the Literary Palace and immediately entered it with his mind.

Fang Yun was astonished to find that due to the completion of "The Fox Rhyme" and the continuous accumulation over these days, his talent had grown to ten inches! Once he broke through, he would become a Scholar.

Fang Yun immediately looked up at the starry sky in the Literary Palace. The literary gallbladder vortex remained, but a new star appeared in the sky, rivaling "The Inscription of a Humble Abode."

"Although 'The Fox Rhyme' is good, it can't compare to 'The Inscription of a Humble Abode.' However, this new star is so bright, probably because 'The Fox Rhyme' has a powerful enlightening effect and is of great significance to the Saint Yuan Continent. Even if the 'literary style' is insufficient, the 'literary talent' is extremely strong. Though not a great talent, it has great merit! No wonder Zhou Zhubu directly mobilized the people of the Punishment Hall to keep it secret."

Fang Yun also noticed that the two stars representing "The Pillow Story" and "The Three-Character Classic" were growing the fastest, especially "The Three-Character Classic." Despite only being spread in the academies, schools, and private schools within Dahuang Prefecture, it had become so bright, indicating its great educational value.

"It seems that writing启蒙readers first was the right choice. Though not a great talent, it has great merit, which greatly helps my talent."

"Should I temporarily not participate in killing demons and stay at home to practice until I become a Scholar before the Sage?"

As Fang Yun was thinking, the literary gallbladder vortex immediately slowed down.

"Not good! If I didn't have the literary gallbladder vortex, it would be fine to retreat when facing demons. But since I have already written the first three and a half characters of 'The Song of Righteousness' to form the literary gallbladder vortex, I must rely on 'The Song of Righteousness' to refine my literary gallbladder. If I lack courage now, how can I have the face to talk about the Sage's path in the future! Since I have chosen the path of 'righteousness' and perfected my righteous spirit, I must not fear demons and barbarians! Sacrifice oneself to achieve righteousness, give up one's life for justice! Besides, a Scholar must talk about strategy on paper and laugh in battle. If I want to become a Scholar before the Sage, I must personally experience fighting demons and barbarians to break through!"

The literary gallbladder vortex suddenly sped up.

"Besides, a quick start leads to a quick progress. Others can only get one talent descent when they become a Scholar, but I get two. If I can become a Scholar before the Sage and take the Scholar exam again, that would be four times!"

Fang Yun glanced at the literary gallbladder vortex again, recalling the movement of the Literary Star.

"I wonder when I can trigger the movement of the Literary Star."

Fang Yun exited the Literary Palace, continued to study, and consolidated his talent, hoping to break through as soon as possible.

On the other side of Dahuang City, Liu Zicheng visited Zhuang Wei, who was resting in bed.

Liu Zicheng handed him a bottle of medicine and said, "This is top-grade muscle-growing ointment, containing demon elephant skin and demon turtle glue. It will ensure that your wounds scab over in two days and fully heal in five."

"Zicheng, your brother-in-law couldn't help you and instead helped that scoundrel Fang Yun, and was even forced to swear. I'm sorry to you all," Zhuang Wei said guiltily as he took the medicine bottle.

Liu Zicheng said, "We're family, no need for such formalities. If I were in your position, I might not have done as well. Who would have thought Fang Yun was so cunning, deliberately using Li Wenying's poem to set a trap for you."

Zhuang Wei knew that Fang Yun had no idea he wanted to destroy the poem, and he had brought the humiliation upon himself. But hearing Liu Zicheng say this, he felt happy.

"You swore with your literary gallbladder that you wouldn't 'actively' help our Liu family, but our Liu family helping you won't shake your literary gallbladder. You said you won't take the Jinshi exam within five years, but you didn't say you can't be an official. What are you thinking, brother-in-law?"

Zhuang Wei said with hatred, "If I can't take the exam for five years, my literary gallbladder will inevitably be eroded. I might as well enter the bureaucracy early!"

"You can't go to the literary academy anymore, but it's better to go to the military in the north under the guise of atonement. There are four major armies in the north. One was crippled by the wolf barbarians last year, one is barely holding on, one is impregnable, and the last one is under the control of your uncle. Are you going to the military or the civil service?"

Zhuang Wei hesitated and asked, "Is the military safe?"

"Those Scholars can still die in battle. Giving you a position as a clerk or a military advisor, not going to the battlefield, only reciting 'departure poems' and 'inspirational poems' before the battle, and 'calming poems' after the battle, what's there to fear?"

"Alright! I want to go to the north as soon as possible. I don't want to stay in Jiangzhou anymore."

Liu Zicheng nodded and asked, "What do you think of Fang Yun?"

Zhuang Wei, who was not as extremely despicable as Liu Zicheng, showed a look of guilt on his face and said, "If it weren't for his young age and low literary rank, I might have been convinced by him. In fact, you know in your heart that at such a young age, he can recite 'The Analects' backward and apply Confucius' teachings to himself. If given time, he will surely become a Half-Sage!"

Liu Zicheng understood the implications of Zhuang Wei's words and said, "I heard that the Scholar class will soon go to kill demons. Some people want to trip him up instead of directly attacking him. Should I stop them?"

Zhuang Wei, being a Jinshi, was not always confused. He quickly said, "You must stop them! If Fang Yun returns safely, it's fine. But if he is killed by demons because of some minor issues, the Punishment Hall will definitely take action, and at least a Great Confucian will lead people to come. Normally, harming Fang Yun's reputation is not a big deal, as it is seen as a form of tempering. But if Fang Yun dies, the highest person in Jingguo might even come in person, and might even spend decades of the Holy Temple's accumulation to investigate."

Liu Zicheng nodded. The highest person in Jingguo was naturally Chen Guanhai, a Half-Sage with boundless power. If someone harmed others by mentioning Chen Guanhai's name, he would have a "heavenly感应," and would unconsciously do something beneficial to Fang Yun, nipping the danger in the bud.

"Alas, I actually hope he becomes a Scholar before the Sage, so that the demon race and traitorous literati will surely try to assassinate him."

Zhuang Wei remained silent.

Liu Zicheng sighed and said, "What a pity. Before I came, I received news that a 'Great Confucian's Polluted Writing' appeared in the Qu Shui River, attracting a demon general of the snake clan. A demon general is equivalent to a Jinshi. Ten Jinshi students and a Jinshi lecturer encountered the snake demon general. They couldn't defeat the demon general, but the Jinshi lecturer had a literary treasure from the literary academy that temporarily held the snake demon general, and then sought help from the nearest county. The county magistrate, a Jinshi, immediately led all the Jinshi in the county to the rescue."

"Did they kill the snake demon?"

"How could they? The snake demon is not only cunning, but it also has a Great Confucian's Polluted Writing. Do you know what is on the Great Confucian's Polluted Writing?"

"Generally, it's the heart's blood of a great demon, right?"

"Wrong, it has a drop of a demon sage's blood!"

"Could that Great Confucian's Polluted Writing be a famous piece by a Half-Sage before they became a Sage?"

"Of course. Fortunately, it's just a fragment. The snake demon general was still no match, and fled into the Yangtze River with severe injuries. The prefectural army has already been mobilized to clean up all the demons within a 300-mile radius, to prevent any from escaping and to prevent the snake demon general from making a comeback."

"Did they get the Great Confucian's Polluted Writing? If it's sent to the Holy Academy to remove the demon sage's blood, that piece of writing can protect an entire city. Demons and barbarians would need to mobilize five great demons or a great barbarian king to break through the protection of this Great Confucian's famous piece."

"Unfortunately, they didn't get it. It's said that Li Wenying will carry the complete Sage's writing placed in Yuhai City by Chen Saint and search again tonight. I originally wanted you to volunteer to go today. Even if you don't get the Great Confucian's Polluted Writing, killing some demon soldiers and establishing merit would be good. Unfortunately, this happened, and Fang Yun has truly caused a lot of trouble!" Liu Zicheng said.

"Alas..." Zhuang Wei sighed deeply, filled with regret.

The next morning, the weather was particularly clear, with not a cloud in the sky.

Fang Yun went to the literary academy as usual, but just as he stepped out of the gate, he saw Mr. He Yutang, a teacher from the Fang family's clan school, waiting outside.

"Brother He, what brings you here?"

He Yutang smiled awkwardly and said, "I also like painting, but I've never been able to reach the first realm of 'poetic and picturesque.' I heard that you also understand painting and even helped Xiao Yi, who is famous for his paintings, to break through. I wanted to ask for your guidance on the way to the literary academy. I won't waste your time; I'll leave as soon as we get to the literary academy."

Fang Yun smiled and said, "I can't teach you much, but I can teach you about light and shadow."

"That's enough, more than enough." He Yutang was overjoyed.

"Let's go, get in the carriage."

In the carriage, Fang Yun explained the concept of "yin and yang" in traditional Chinese painting, which is essentially light and shadow. In contrast, sketching adds a gray tone to light and shadow, forming three surfaces. The names of yin and yang and the three surfaces are different, but they are essentially the same concept, with sketching being more detailed.

In the "Gongbi Painting Teaching Plan" written by the famous Gongbi painter Yao Mingkui, it is mentioned that it is best to learn the three surfaces of sketching when studying Gongbi painting, and to integrate the concept of yin and yang.

Fang Yun naturally followed the teaching philosophy of modern Chinese painting masters to avoid misleading others.

At the entrance of the literary academy, He Yutang left, and Fang Yun carried his book box and walked towards the literary academy.

At the entrance of the literary academy, there were more than twenty people, including students, elderly people with white hair, elegant middle-aged men, and even someone wearing a seventh-rank official's robe.

"That's Fang Yun!" a Jinshi from the prefectural literary academy pointed at Fang Yun and called out.

Fang Yun was startled. If it weren't for the man's joyful expression and the fact that everyone seemed to be carrying painting scrolls, he would have turned and run.

More than twenty people rushed over. Fang Yun couldn't leave, but he also couldn't stay, so he could only walk forward slowly, with Tan Yu and Nie Shi immediately blocking in front of him.

"Don't misunderstand, don't misunderstand! We are all lovers of painting. This is Hu Moyuan, the painting master of Jiangzhou. Although he is a Scholar, he reached the lifelike realm early in his career. Yesterday, we heard about your method of light and shadow, which was like a sudden enlightenment. Xiao Yi has been in seclusion, so we came to ask for your guidance. If you could just explain it again, we would each present our best works as a token of gratitude."

"Ah, you are all painting masters, my apologies, my apologies!" Fang Yun smiled. These people could sell their paintings for dozens of taels of silver, and Hu Moyuan only sold five paintings a year, each worth at least a thousand taels of silver.

So, Fang Yun explained the method of light and shadow again. Everyone gained insights and was extremely grateful to Fang Yun, presenting their paintings to him.

Finally, the painting master Hu Moyuan not only gave Fang Yun a battle painting but also a piece of Tianhuang stone for him to make a private seal in the future.

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