Chapter 91

Fang Yun finally understood why the previous Zhou clerk had envied him. He never thought that Yuhai City would be willing to use a "Flying Page Airboat" personally written by a Great Scholar to escort him. Unless it was a matter of urgent war, even a Hanlin scholar would not receive such treatment.

Yu Xingshu held the holy page and said, "Please send us on our way." Subsequently, the holy page absorbed the talent aura from Yu Xingshu's body. Once it was full, the holy page rapidly expanded, finally transforming into a golden paper page about ten feet square, floating one foot above the ground.

"Come up." Yu Xingshu was the first to step onto the Flying Page Airboat. His feet touched it, and the airboat did not waver at all, truly as solid as steel.

Nunu had long woken up. It curiously opened its eyes wide, jumped out of Fang Yun's arms, and then onto the Flying Page Airboat. It playfully jumped around, rolled a few times, and then waved its little paws at Fang Yun, as if saying, "Come and try it, it's so amazing!"

Everyone laughed. Fang Yun walked over and tried to step on it, finding no difference from stepping on the ground. The golden paper page did not waver at all.

"Yuhuan, come up." Fang Yun extended his hand to Yang Yuhuan.

Yang Yuhuan reached out with her right hand and placed it on Fang Yun's hand, her face slightly blushing. She gently lifted her left hand to hold up her skirt and was pulled onto the Flying Page Airboat by Fang Yun.

Fang Da Niu and Jiang Pozi also carefully walked up. Both felt their legs go weak and sat down on the airboat, not daring to stand up again.

The soldiers placed a few bundles on it, and the other three officials also walked up. There were eight people in total, and with four bundles, it was a bit crowded.

"Will we fall down?" Fang Da Niu asked worriedly.

"Relax," one of the officials said with a smile.

"Goodbye, everyone!"

"Smooth journey!"

The Flying Page Airboat slowly rose, gradually changing color during the ascent until it matched the sky, making it hard for those below to see it.

The Flying Page Airboat slowly accelerated, and all the wind was blocked by an invisible force, so no one felt uncomfortable, and breathing was smooth.

The little fox curiously extended its paw outside the Flying Page Airboat but was stopped by an invisible force wall at the edge of the paper. It then played around, thoroughly enjoying itself.

Yang Yuhuan was so scared that her legs went weak. Fang Yun supported her, and she naturally leaned against his chest, hugging his waist tightly, blushing and smiling sweetly. Only then did she realize that Fang Yun was her only support.

Fang Yun looked outside the Flying Page Airboat. The sky was a deep blue, and the large Yuan Prefecture below became smaller and smaller. Night travelers moved like tiny ants. The distant mountains and rivers were all in view, and he felt a surge of grandeur in his heart, as if he were looking at the world.

After taking in the surrounding scenery, Fang Yun asked, "General Yu, when will the Flying Page Airboat reach Yuhai City?"

"The distance between Large Yuan Prefecture and Yuhai City is about eight hundred miles. If the Flying Page Airboat carries only one person, it would take just fifteen minutes. Now, with more people, it will be a bit slower."

"Fifteen minutes? That's too fast, even faster than Sword-Eyebrow Duke's 'Ascending to the Blue Clouds.'"

"Of course, this Flying Page Airboat is after all made by a Great Scholar."

Fang Yun calculated in his mind: "The speed of sound is about 1,400 kilometers per hour, or 2,800 miles. This Flying Page Airboat can fly 3,200 miles per hour, isn't this a supersonic aircraft?"

Jiang Pozi, while massaging her legs, muttered softly, "Too scary, I've never ridden this thing in my life, it scared my legs weak."

Fang Da Niu, though scared, said excitedly, "When we return to Jixian, see who dares to look down on me! I've ridden the Flying Page Airboat!"

Yang Yuhuan, however, completely forgot where she was, closed her eyes, and pressed her face against Fang Yun's chest, not thinking about anything, only wishing to be with her beloved forever.

Nunu, fearless, continued to play.

Before long, Fang Yun saw a vast sea shimmering with a faint light in the distance, like a line of blue jade, which soon expanded into a flat surface.

On the coast, a huge city lay there, like a prehistoric beast. The main city was square, and there were four secondary cities in the east, south, west, and north.

This Yuhai City was not only the commercial center of Jiangzhou but also the most commercially developed city north of the Yangtze River. Even if the Western Wu Kingdom claimed to be ten times stronger than the Jing Kingdom, no city could rival Yuhai City.

This was the only trading point between the Jing Kingdom and the Dragon Clan, and there were only three such cities in the ten kingdoms.

The three secondary cities were military strongholds, housing a large number of soldiers, while the northern secondary city was a commercial stronghold, the most prosperous place in Jiangzhou or north of the Yangtze River, filled with merchants.

From the sky, whether it was the main city or the three secondary cities to the east, south, and west, except for the bright military facilities on the city walls, most places were dim. Only the northern secondary city was brightly lit, like a city that never sleeps.

Yu Xingshu said, "You can go anywhere else, but you must not go to the northern secondary city."

"I understand, sir," Fang Yun replied.

The northern secondary city, being a commercial center, could not be too strict, but the main city and the other three secondary cities were always on high alert. Every person would be thoroughly checked, and even the slightest suspicion would result in refusal of entry. The citizens of Yuhai City were proud of their clean records.

Yu Xingshu whispered, "You have great talent and should have received even stricter protection, perhaps even being sent to the Holy Academy. However, Academician Li ultimately decided not to send you there, for two reasons."

"Please enlighten me, sir," Fang Yun said.

"First, the internal struggles in the Holy Academy are even more intense than in the ten kingdoms. Although the noble families of the sages share the same goal of revitalizing the human race, the Hundred Schools of Thought must 'contend' in their ideas, in the holy places, and in the holy pages. Once you enter the Holy Academy, you will inevitably be caught in that vortex. It is not advisable to go before you become a Jinshi."

"I have heard a bit about this," Fang Yun had long guessed that the ongoing contention among the Hundred Schools of Thought was actually a process of natural selection, an internal driving force for the advancement of the human race. Most people would follow the rules, but some would break the limits.

"Second, Academician Li found that among the young geniuses sent to the Holy Academy for protection, some became arrogant and complacent, while others were suppressed and discouraged by other geniuses. Nearly two in ten would struggle to achieve anything significant. If you were three years older, Sword-Eyebrow Duke would not be afraid to send you to the Holy Academy, but you are too young now and need two years of tempering before it is suitable for you to go."

"Thank you, Academician Li, for your thorough consideration," Fang Yun was interested in the holy places of the Holy Academy but did not want to get involved in such a complex place. He wanted to spend more time studying the classics of the sages and refining his talent aura to avoid it growing too fast and becoming uncontrollable, ultimately leading to the collapse of his literary palace.

Yu Xingshu said, "It's good that you don't blame the adults. If you can calm down, perhaps in less than two years, you can go to the Holy Academy to contend with the geniuses of the human race. That place is the essence of the human race, with the talent aura of Sage Confucius protecting it. It is said to be the place where the light of the Literary Star is brightest, and studying there has great benefits. You will eventually enter the Holy Academy, and no one can stop you!"

Everyone present nodded, including Jiang Pozi and Fang Da Niu, and even Nunu nodded vigorously, seemingly understanding.

"Thank you for your praise, sir," Fang Yun said.

"Your poetry alone is not enough to make Academician Li praise you so highly, but I know that if he did this, there must be a reason. I hope you can become the second Sword-Eyebrow Duke, the second literary prime minister, and not the second left prime minister."

Fang Yun immediately said solemnly, "I naturally understand what is the right path and what is the wrong path. I will take the path of benevolence and righteousness and will never follow the path of the left prime minister."

"Such is a scholar!" Yu Xingshu nodded in approval.

The head of the Prefecture Literary Academy, Feng Zimo, said, "The six holy pages awarded to you by the Holy Academy are on their way and will be delivered to the Yuhai City Literary Academy in about three days. I will have someone deliver them to you. I also read the 'Holy Way' on the first day, and 'The Inscription of a Humble Abode' would normally earn three holy pages, but it is said that a semi-sage praised this essay, so it earned an extra page. 'The Pillow Record' has little talent aura but has profound educational value, so it was specially awarded two holy pages. And the poem 'Butterfly Lovers in Spring' earned another holy page. So in June, you will have seven holy pages. I envy you."

Yu Xingshu said, "I have been a Jinshi for over twenty years and have only one essay in the 'Holy Way,' earning one holy page. The other holy pages were awarded for military achievements, totaling only four. You, on the other hand, have earned more holy pages in a month than I have in my entire life."

A juren official said, "If you weren't so young, we would definitely team up to extort a banquet from you!"

Everyone laughed.

Nunu, however, looked at the juren with suspicion, narrowing its eyes, guarding against this person extorting Fang Yun, and secretly signaling to Fang Yun to be careful.

As they approached Yuhai City, the Flying Page Airboat slowly decelerated, and Yu Xingshu threw the official seal into the air. The people inside the city immediately received the message, without the need for a bell to be rung as a warning.

"First, we will go to the southern secondary city and stay at my residence for one night. Tomorrow, I will have someone take you to your chosen residence. Your left neighbor is the residence of a deputy general, and your right neighbor is a juren from the Criminal Hall, who will specifically protect you. This juren will follow you in secret, and if you encounter any problems at home, you should immediately call his name."

Fang Yun was touched by the thoughtfulness of these arrangements, feeling warm inside.

Jiang Pozi and Fang Da Niu were especially envious. Both knew that a prince of a kingdom could bring at most two juren as attendants. Now, not only was Fang Yun being escorted by a Jinshi official, but he also had a juren following him in secret, indicating that his treatment was close to that of a common prince.

The Flying Page Airboat landed in the residence of General Dinghai. Everyone stepped off the paper page and took their bundles.

Yu Xingshu bowed slightly to the Flying Page Airboat and clasped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Great Scholar, for your gift."

The Flying Page Airboat immediately shrank and then spontaneously combusted, disappearing.

Yu Xingshu's wife, two concubines, and two sons were all awake and came to the courtyard to welcome them, except for his six-year-old daughter, who was already asleep.

After the initial greetings, Yu Xingshu's eldest son handed Fang Yun an invitation, smiling and saying, "This is an invitation to the Dragon Boat Literary Gathering, sent by Sword-Eyebrow Duke. The person who delivered it said, 'Academician Li hopes you will try to attend the Dragon Boat Literary Gathering.'"

Everyone looked at Fang Yun. The word "try" clearly was not used lightly, indicating that Li Wenying very much hoped Fang Yun would attend the Dragon Boat Literary Gathering.

The page with the AD begins

The page with the AD ends