On a clear morning in early summer, the sky was unusually bright, with the blue color gradually deepening from nearby to the horizon.
The weather was not as hot as it was at noon, and the carriage moved slowly in the cool breeze.
Fang Yun was lost in thought, pondering this world, his future, and how to establish himself in the literary world.
Entering the Prefecture Academy as a "student of the academy" was a new stage in life.
"Not long after, Fang Da Niu said outside, 'Young Master, we've arrived at the Prefecture Academy.'"
The Prefecture Academy was even larger than the State Academy, as it had to accommodate tens of thousands of Child Scholars and Talented Scholars during the Prefectural Examination. The State Academy only accepted Talented Scholars taking the Presented Scholar Examination, and there were far fewer Talented Scholars than Child Scholars, so it occupied less land than the Prefecture Academy.
There was a main gate and six side gates at the Prefecture Academy, but only two of the side gates were open.
Tan Yu whispered, "There's nothing unusual around here. We can go in as attendants."
Fang Yun saw three familiar faces at the side gate, including Gao Minghong, his fellow villager from Ji County who had invited him to the poetry meeting a few days ago.
Gao Minghong waved and walked over quickly, looking grim. "Fang Yun, trouble is brewing!"
"I just got the news a quarter of an hour ago. Liu Zicheng and the members of the Ying Society suddenly gathered at the place where the new Child Scholars were reporting, and they even called for many students of the academy. What's even stranger is that even the Lord of the Guard's Mansion suddenly appeared. He couldn't possibly receive the new Child Scholars in person. Our members of the Li Shan Society hurriedly gathered together. Many people who received the news also came. Now, more than half of the people in the academy are behind the gate, and more are coming. I suspect it's aimed at you, so I'm waiting outside to remind you."
Fang Yun's expression changed slightly. "Liu Zicheng is finally making a move himself. Can you guess what they're up to?"
"We discussed it for a long time but couldn't come up with a conclusion. After all, this is the Prefecture Academy, and hurting you is out of the question. Your safety is not a problem. At most, they'll attack your literary reputation. Your poetry has a big name, so you don't have to worry about their provocation. Liu Zicheng is not stupid enough to use old methods to attack you. As for writing about classics and policy, it's also impossible. You've just become a Child Scholar, and if they use classics and policy to test you, even if you don't answer, it won't affect your literary reputation."
"I've also thought about it before, but I have no clue. After all, Liu Zicheng comes from a prestigious family, with the Lord of the Guard's Mansion below and The Left Chancellor above. There are too many things he can do, and I can't guard against them all," Fang Yun said.Gao Minghong looked worried and said, "If it's just Liu Zicheng and the members of the Ying Society targeting you, I wouldn't be so concerned. After all, the Ying Society is not Liu Zicheng's. Since Yan Yue and the others got into trouble, many people have distanced themselves from Liu Zicheng, and his influence in the Ying Society has greatly diminished. The people who support you are in the majority. But now that the Left Chancellor has come, things won't be good. After all, the Left Chancellor can decide everything."
Fang Yun asked, "No matter how powerful the Left Chancellor is, he can't override the law of the nation! Can he directly kick me out of the Prefecture Academy?"
"He can't kick you out directly, but if he finds an excuse, he can. If he's more ruthless, he might even seal your student status, preventing you from going to any academy to study, and even make it difficult for you to participate in the imperial examinations. I used to hope that you could go to the State Academy, but if you go there, the Left Chancellor's faction might attack Jian Mei Gong publicly, as there has never been a Child Scholar from Jing Kingdom who has gone to the State Academy. Although there have been some from other countries, they were all recommended by prominent families."
Fang Yun said, "Since I'm already at the gate, I can't not go in, otherwise he will definitely punish me for truancy or being late. Let's go, I want to see what Liu Zicheng and the Left Chancellor can do! This is the Da Yuan Prefecture, not surnamed Liu! No matter what tricks he uses, I will stand firm against any obstacles! Liu Zicheng can't stop me from following the Path of the Saints!"
Fang Yun's gaze was firm, his chest slightly puffed out, his head held high, and he walked forward with a steady pace, without any fear.
The vortex of courage to write in the palace of literature spun faster.
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Gao Minghong and the others looked at each other and nodded. Regardless of Fang Yun's literary talent, just based on his calm attitude and fearless spirit in the face of danger, he was not an ordinary person.
"He didn't become a Child Scholar by coincidence," a Talented Scholar whispered.
The others nodded and followed Fang Yun.
Tan Yu and Nie Shi looked at Fang Yun with strange eyes. They couldn't believe that Fang Yun was like a veteran heading to the battlefield, with an unyielding spirit like a reef standing firm in the midst of a tsunami.
There was no one checking at the gate, and Fang Yun and the others entered smoothly.
Fang Yun looked around and saw a row of tables about a dozen steps away.
Fang Yun had originally thought that it should be the place where the fourteen new Child Scholars were received, with a few lecturers and some officials to take the Child Scholars and their families to their respective dormitories, and then introduce them to the rules of the Prefecture Academy.
However, the actual situation there was completely different from what Fang Yun had imagined.
Several officials in official robes were sitting behind the tables, and there were hundreds of people standing on both sides and around the tables, mostly Talented Scholars studying at the Prefecture Academy, as well as more than twenty Child Scholars. In addition, there were low-ranking officials and even some constables.
More than two hundred people were looking at Fang Yun.
There was no wind at the gate of the academy, and it should have been warm under the summer sun, but everyone felt as if it was still early spring, with lingering coldness.
Fang Yun felt a little cold.
Wan Xuezhen, the examiner of Ji County's county examination, was also there. He looked serious and nodded at Fang Yun, as if reminding him to be careful.
Fang Yun saw Liu Zicheng, who was standing among the Talented Scholars.
He was a very handsome young man with fair skin and an elegant demeanor.
When their eyes met, one looked slightly cold, and the other had no expression. Soon, their eyes passed each other like strangers.
Both of them saw a fierce beast in each other's eyes.
Fang Yun bowed to the officials, "I'm Fang Yun, and I've seen all the gentlemen."The etiquette was impeccable, without any disrespect.
Wan Xue smiled and said, "As expected of the top scorer of the Ji County case, double-jinshi of the county exam, and in front of the Holy Court of the Jing Kingdom. In just a few days, your style has improved even more. If you can't enter our Prefecture Academy, it will be a loss for our Dayuan Prefecture. If he is snatched away by another Prefecture, it would be a dereliction of duty. Your Excellency of the Academy, what do you think?"
The prefectural governor had a kind face, but his voice was a bit sharp. "When I choose people for my Academy, I look at their virtues first, then their talents. In my opinion, Fang Yun entering our Prefecture Academy is like a rotten fish entering a pot, tarnishing the purity of our Academy."
Everyone knew that Li Wenying had rebuked the prefectural governor for Fang Yun, causing him to lose face in front of many officials. They had guessed that the prefectural governor would retaliate, but they didn't expect him to be so direct. This was definitely not normal.
Fang Yun looked at the prefectural governor and asked coldly, "Why do you say that, Your Excellency?"
"On that day, you attacked a high-ranking official of the court without being a Child Scholar. This is presumptuous! You spread rumors that Liu Zicheng wanted to kill you without evidence. This is slander! You shattered the Wen Palace of Yan Yue and others, even though you were about to become classmates. This is tyrannical! You wrote the Town-Protecting Pill Refining essay, but did not submit it to the Holy Academy of the court. This is greedy and selfish! A person who is presumptuous, slanderous, tyrannical, and greedy and selfish has no qualifications to enter our Jing Kingdom Prefecture Academy. As the Prefecture Academy Governor of Dayuan Prefecture, I declare that Fang Yun, the top scorer of the Ji County case, has a corrupt moral character, is greedy and cunning, and disregards the court. I revoke his status as a student of the Academy and prohibit any Academy or Academy from accepting this scoundrel!"
Gao Minghong and others turned pale. They thought that Liu Zicheng and the prefectural governor had gone too far. Even if Li Wenying came in person, he could not completely refute the prefectural governor's evaluation, as he had used "virtues" as an excuse.
From then on, Fang Yun would carry the title of "Academy Dropout" for the rest of his life. He would be suspected of doing great evil everywhere he went and would be looked down upon. If his will was not strong enough, he would lose confidence and give up on himself, let alone focus on studying.
In their opinion, if a noble child was expelled from the Academy, he could still live a carefree life. But Fang Yun was a poor scholar who relied on studying to succeed. He was rejected by the Academy, and had to go to other academies and schools to continue his studies. His life would be over.
Without a teacher's guidance for a long time, even if he had a good literary talent, he would not be able to write qualified classics and pass the Talented Scholar exam, let alone the Presented Scholar exam.
Everyone couldn't help but feel scared, especially the poor Child Scholars and Talented Scholars, who were afraid of being targeted by the prefectural governor. Their chances of passing the Presented Scholar exam were already small, and if they were expelled from the Academy, it would be almost impossible.
Being expelled from the Academy was fatal for anyone.
But Fang Yun was different. He had the Book of Wonders!
Fang Yun couldn't help but laugh out loud and looked at Liu Zicheng. "Brother Liu, is this your trick? This move may work on others, but it's not worth mentioning to me! I know you still have a few tricks up your sleeve, but do you think I will let you act so easily?"
Liu Zicheng smiled slightly and said, "Fang Yun, what are you talking about? Why don't I understand? Clearly, His Excellency of the Academy thinks you are not qualified to enter the Academy. What does that have to do with me? Sigh, you are indeed as arrogant as the rumors say, disrespectful to your elders. Your Excellency of the Academy, although Fang Yun is despicable and greedy, he is still my former friend. Can you spare him?"
"This person is wicked and evil. Even if you recommend him, I cannot keep him. Guards, escort him out!"Six or seven bailiffs walked over, but Fang Yun took a deep breath and said, "Hold on, it seems like you forgot something! This academy is not the academy of the Court Gentleman, nor is it the academy of Jing Kingdom. It is the academy of Sage Confucius, the academy of all the saints! Everyone with a position in literature can do one thing!"
"Fang Yun, don't do anything foolish!" Gao Minghong urged loudly.
"Young master, absolutely not!" Tan Yu hurriedly stopped him.
Everyone stared wide-eyed, incredulously looking at Fang Yun, and each person guessed what Fang Yun was going to do.
Fang Yun faced the direction of the Holy Temple, bowed deeply.
"Fang Yun, a student of Ji County, requests to be selected by the saints!"
...
Tomorrow is Monday again, please vote in advance for tomorrow's recommendation. Let this book continue to stay at the top of the new author rankings and on the weekly recommendation list. Thank you, sincerely, Lao Huo.
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