Martial Saint through Reading

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Tantamount to Ruining One’s Future

Chu Ming had only been here two days and attended a single class, yet he was already targeted by Instructor Shen Yu.

Feng Yuan knew better than anyone what Shen Yu was plotting.

He spurned cumbersome formalities and advocated for simplicity over complexity, claiming he wished to break down the barriers of scholarship.

But let us put aside for now what meaning that really has—what does simplifying texts have to do with breaking scholarly barriers?

Moreover, knowledge was never meant for just anyone to touch; the notion of a ’barrier’ was utter nonsense to begin with.

For this stance, Shen Yu had surely offended more than a few powerful figures.

Otherwise, with his encyclopedic erudition, how could he have reached this age only as a lowly Junior Eighth-Grade official of Baiyuan County?

In Feng Yuan’s view, if Chu Ming did end up entangled with Shen Yu, it would be tantamount to sabotaging his own future.

He lifted his gaze, looking at Xu He: ”Take a message to Chu Ming—at the next Political Book class, I’ll be teaching personally. Tell him to prepare well.”

”Yes, sir.” Xu He’s face was outwardly respectful, but in his heart, he could not hide his delight.

If Lord Feng was to teach Political Book class himself, he would certainly test Chu Ming then and there.

With Lord Feng’s temperament, the test would be anything but easy.

That junior, Chu, would very likely fail to pass—and thus, Feng Yuan would think less of him!

And as for himself...

Xu He drew out two sheets of paper from his robes, bowed his head, and with both hands raised them to his forehead: ”I have not failed Your Excellency’s expectations; I have already deciphered that passage of scripture.”

”Oh?” Feng Yuan’s eyes brightened, and as he picked up the two sheets, a smile spread across his face: ”Not bad, not bad—only half a month and you’ve managed to make sense of it. Though it’s not entirely complete, the overall meaning is clear enough.”

”It is thanks to Your Excellency’s wise instruction.”

”Heh. The Mountain and Sea Scripture is written in the Ancient Shell Script, utterly unlike our present writing system. For you to translate even a fragment in such a short time shows true talent for the ancient script.”

Feng Yuan placed the two sheets onto his desk, then, with steady steps, moved toward the side table and took up brush and ink.

Soon, a new passage in Ancient Shell Script appeared on the page beneath his hand.

”This is the next segment—another half month for you.”

Xu He received the paper with even more deference: ”Yes, sir.”

”Mm.” Feng Yuan gave him a satisfied look: ”If you can decipher this passage as well, you need not sit the Upper Academy entrance exam. You may enter directly.”

”And should you do well at the county exam, I will pen a letter personally for you to carry.”

At these words, Xu He was so thrilled that he flushed red from his cheeks all the way to his neck. ”Thank you, Lord Feng!”

For Lord Feng to say such a thing proved his efforts were not in vain.

”Go, then.”

When Xu He left, Feng Yuan sat back at his desk, stacked Xu He’s deciphered sheets to one side, and drew out two more pages from the other side of the desk.

The content on those two pages was not much different from Xu He’s sheets.

As he gazed at both sets, a flicker of uncertainty flashed across his eyes: ”Xiaang Changgu took twelve days to decipher the opening of the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture; Xu He took fifteen. Both possess considerable potential.”

Murmuring to himself, he rose and walked to the bookshelf beside the table, from the middle shelf withdrawing a blue book, its cover inscribed with the characters ’Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture’.

This book was an ancient tome sent down from Xirong County, its entire text written in Ancient Shell Script.

The so-called Ancient Shell Script was not originally found in the Great Qin Dynasty; it formed only after research into the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture.

The reason why Feng Yuan spent these past years attending the county exams in the outlying towns of Baiyuan was precisely to search for gifted youths—or rather, youths gifted in ancient scripts.

Xu He and Xiaang Changgu were chosen for this; so too was Chu Ming.

Feng Yuan set the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture on the desk, opened to the bookmarked page, and then fetched brush and paper.

”All these years, and I’ve only deciphered thirty percent of the Mountain Scripture; all of Xirong County together is only at fifty percent...”

”Yet it’s this very fifty percent that has so increased Xirong County’s understanding of the Exotic Barbarian Races, evil creatures, and such, that we’ve managed to stabilize the front lines these years—not to mention, how many soldiers’ lives have been saved.”

”If the entire text could be deciphered, Xirong County might go from defense to offense, perhaps even expanding its borders!”

”But who on earth authored this Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture? Are there also Sea Scriptures, Desolate Scriptures?”

”...”

With these thoughts, Feng Yuan’s brow gradually furrowed.

The further into the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture, the more complex it became; each character deciphered took considerable effort.

”I need to test that Chu Ming boy soon; if he passes, let him try deciphering the Mountain Scripture. If not... I won’t bother with him further.”

...

Baiyuan County, East City, Chu Mansion, in an upper pavilion.

A middle-aged man stood respectfully outside a veiled curtain, two figures knelt on the floor before him.

One was quite young, with the visage of a teenage boy—his complexion a little sallow.

The other was dressed as a servant, head pressed low to the floor.

Within the curtain, the outline of a figure could be glimpsed leaning to one side, from the shape evidently a woman.

”Madam, I have brought them.” The middle-aged man addressed the woman behind the curtain respectfully: ”Qin Gui, speak. What did you hear and see in Liutown?”

Qin Gui, still kneeling, dared not lift his head. His voice trembled: ”Madam, I...I saw that Third Young Master looked well, with a rosy face and upright bearing—nothing at all like he was ill.”

”And, Third Young Master even took first place in the county examination.”

He lifted his head slightly, glancing at the youth by his side: ”This is Huang Lu, son of Physician Huang who prescribed medicine for Third Young Master in Liutown. He personally saw Third Young Master join the exam and take first!”

As he spoke, Qin Gui surreptitiously nudged Huang Lu.

Although Huang Lu’s kneeling posture was less extreme than Qin Gui’s, his legs had still gone somewhat numb. He stared blankly at Qin Gui, then at the middle-aged man, his eyes finally wandering past the curtain, as if trying to make out the figure within.

”That’s right, Brother Chu—Young Master Chu took first...” His eyes darted, ”It was only because he ate my father’s tonic that he took first place.”

Huang Lu then turned and looked at the middle-aged man, forcing a friendly smile: ”Would you like to buy medicine? There’s a discount.”

...

Housekeeper Wu was just about to tell Huang Lu to hold his tongue when the figure behind the curtain stirred; immediately, a young maid hurried to serve her.

”Qin Gui.” A plump, melodious voice issued from within: ”You have done well—be rewarded.”

The voice was warm and gentle as a spring breeze; even without seeing her, one would imagine its owner as a lady of graceful elegance and wealth.

”Thank you, Madam!”

Qin Gui was elated. Glancing at Huang Lu out of the corner of his eye, his heart swelled with secret satisfaction—putting up with this boy’s chatter all the way here had been worth it.

”Housekeeper Wu,” the mistress’s voice came again from within: ”Take Qin Gui to collect his reward.”

”Yes, madam.”

Seeing Qin Gui being rewarded while he was not, Huang Lu grew anxious at once: ”What about me? What about me, madam? Do I get a reward too?”

”There is a reward for you as well. Come with me.” Housekeeper Wu’s eyes flashed coldly, his tone icy as he spoke.

”All right, all right!” Huang Lu scrambled up, following Wu and Qin Gui out.

After a moment, Housekeeper Wu returned alone: ”Madam, it is done.”

”Mm.” The gentle, mellow voice behind the curtain remained unchanged: ”Housekeeper Wu, what do you think should be done?”