The Path of the Sage

Fang Yun secretly thought in his heart that Liu Zicheng was still the same sinister and cunning person.
He had no evidence to begin with, and Liu Zicheng did not force him like Wei Yuanjun did from the beginning to the end.
Instead, he begged insincerely.

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Fang Yun really wanted to kill Liu Zicheng, but could only rely on Li Wenying.
Now that Liu Zicheng was begging for mercy, as a grand academician, Li Wenying could not kill an accomplished scholar without evidence.

Fang Yun immediately walked up with a smile and said, “Brother Liu, you're being too hard on yourself.
As the 'Zuo Zhuan' says, 'To recognize one's mistakes and make changes for the better is the greatest virtue.' Since you have admitted that you wanted to harm me and have chosen to repent, we can still be good friends.
When Yu Huan and I get married, I hope you can come and have a drink at our wedding.”

“Fang Yun, you're really too kind.” Liu Zicheng wept bitterly.

Except for a few people who were moved, most people watched coldly.
It takes time to thaw a frozen heart.
Everyone knew what kind of person Liu Zicheng was.

A part of the people could see that these two were obviously acting.
Although Fang Yun couldn't kill Liu Zicheng, he confirmed Liu Zicheng's evil, and Liu Zicheng couldn't clear his name now.

Li Wenying looked at Fang Yun and nodded without saying anything, then turned and left.

The prefectural yamen's catchpole immediately collected Wei Yuanjun's body.

The state yamen's catchpole, who had been standing at the door for a long time, said loudly, “Congratulations to Fang Yun for coming up with the plan.
Li Wenying has ordered a special admission for you to the state yamen's accomplished scholar class.” He handed Li Wenying's official document to Fang Yun.

No one was surprised.
If the only child scholar who passed the imperial examination couldn't go to the state yamen, it could only mean that Li Wenying was worse than Wei Yuanjun.

“Good things come to those who wait.
Congratulations, Fang Yun.” Gao Minghong was the first to congratulate him.

“From bitterness to sweetness, congratulations!” Wan Xuezhen sincerely praised him.

Everyone congratulated Fang Yun.

Finally, Wan Xuezhen said, “Fang Yun, today's events were truly heart-stopping.
You were on the brink of death.
Why don't you write a poem?”

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Everyone's emotions immediately rose.
If Fang Yun wrote another poem that could be used as a national treasure, it would be another great story.

Fang Yun thought for a moment, sighed softly, and said, “I won't hide it from everyone.
I'm mentally and physically exhausted today.
I can't come up with a good poem.
Why don't I write a warning phrase to encourage young people?”

No one thought there was anything wrong with the phrase “young people” coming from Fang Yun's mouth.

Everyone was still interested.
Although the value of a warning phrase was not high, it was easy to spread and was often hung in study rooms and classrooms.
It was more valued than couplets.

Wan Xuezhen immediately had the table and writing materials arranged.

Fang Yun pondered for a moment and wrote two sentences.

The precious sword is forged through grinding, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold.

Everyone was silent.
These two sentences summed up the entire process of the imperial examination and also seemed to describe Fang Yun's experience as a poor student.

This was the prefectural yamen, so literary talent immediately appeared.

Everyone saw an orange-colored literary talent rise one foot high on the paper.

Wan Xuezhen smiled and said, “Fang Yun, you're truly an extraordinary person.
Although the warning phrase is clever, it lacks literary talent and rarely contains great principles, so it's difficult to produce literary talent.
However, you were able to produce county-level literary talent with these two sentences.
It's rare.”

“What's even rarer is the meaning behind this text.
It can be said to express the hardships of our generation.”

“I don't think this warning phrase is the rarest.
The rarest thing is that Fang Yun was subjected to such difficulties and faced the possibility of losing his chance to enter the academy.
Instead of using poetry to vent his frustration and hatred, he wrote such a positive warning phrase.
This calmness is the rarest thing.”

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“Well said!”

“You're all too kind.” Fang Yun thought to himself that they were overthinking it.Wan Xuezheng reached out and pressed his hand on the paper, showing a strange smile to Fang Yun, with pleading, anticipation, shyness, and a little bit of stubbornness.

“Fang Yun, I am one of the examiners of your county exam after all.
This painting is not worth a town or a state.
Can you give it to me?” Wan Xuezheng said, blushing more and more.
He felt that he must look like a scabby dog ​​begging for bones in front of his master.

Fang Yun looked at Wan Xuezheng like this, holding back his smile and said, “Since Mr.
Wan likes it, then I will give it to Mr.
Wan.”

“Thank you!” Wan Xuezheng smiled happily, “Fang Yun, your calligraphy has made great progress.
Although your brushwork is weaker than mine, the beauty of the font structure is already above me.
If calligraphy can be perfected, it will be of great help to war poetry and the transformation of the virtual into reality.
The highest level can double its power! If you practice calligraphy for another half a year, you can make a copybook.”

“Thank you for your praise, Mr.
Wan.
I will practice calligraphy well after I go back.”

Wan Xuezheng said, “I can't let you give me this painting for nothing.
I have a pen wash at home.
Although it is not a treasure of literature, it was used by a grand academician for ten years and has a little bit of talent.
Its cleaning effect is far better than that of an ordinary pen wash.
I will give it to you.”

Fang Yun also didn't refuse and said, “I will accept it humbly, Mr.
Wan.”

Others were extremely jealous of Wan Xuezheng's relationship with Fang Yun.
They also wanted Fang Yun's ink treasures, but their relationship was not close enough.
Asking for it recklessly would be impolite, so they could only watch.

Wan Xuezheng seemed to think of something and said regretfully, “It's a pity that Lord Wei is delusional.
Otherwise, you would definitely stay in my prefecture's literary academy.
I don't know how many famous poems and essays you would leave behind.
In the future, when you become a great scholar or a semi-saint, this prefecture's literary academy will surely have your former residence and holy place, and we will also benefit from it.
What a pity.”

The officials and scholars of the literary academy felt stuffy in their chests, especially those scholars.
In their opinion, even if Fang Yun could not become a great scholar, his chances of becoming a grand academician were still very high.
At that time, they would be Fang Yun's classmates.
Even if they could not directly benefit from Fang Yun, it would make their political enemies hesitate to act against them.

But now, all opportunities were lost.

Many people also hated Liu Zicheng because of this.

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At this moment, it was almost nine o'clock, and Fang Yun bid farewell to everyone.

After Fang Yun left, Liu Zicheng left gloomily.
When he came here, he was accompanied by twenty people, but when he left, only three remained, including Guan Yaoyuan, who did not know how long it would take to recover his literary palace.

An accomplished scholar looked disdainfully at Liu Zicheng's back and said, “It used to be said that Liu Zicheng was ruthless, but I think that since he is a scholar, he should have a bottom line when doing things.
So I have never cared about his bad reputation.
But today I understand that he has no bottom line in doing things.”

“Everyone knows that this matter is related to him and Lord Wei, but he is very clever and did not embarrass Fang Yun in front of the semi-saint, nor did he reveal any evidence, so there is no way to catch him.
Although Jianmenguan is good at killing, he also pays attention to evidence.
If it weren't for Lord Wei forcing the semi-saint to recite backwards, Jianmenguan would at most scold him a few times, but would not kill him.”

“But now Liu Zicheng won't touch Fang Yun again even if he is stupid.
It is worth as much as a semi-saint just by being valued by one.
Once this matter is reported in writing, Fang Yun's reputation in the Ten Kingdoms will probably surpass that of many ordinary grand academicians.”

“No, I think he will be on par with Jianmei Gong in a month at most.
Think about it, since April 1st, he has written 'Butterfly Love – Spring Scenery' and 'Inscription of a Shabby Room', both of which are sure to be published in 'The Path of the Saints'.
'The Path of the Saints' hasn't had any famous lines in years, and this line 'The sword peak is honed, and the plum blossom fragrance comes from the bitter cold' is thought-provoking and inspiring, enough to make the calligraphy and painting shops of the Ten Nations that sell famous lines rush to produce and sell it.
It is also related to the selection of the saints, so it will definitely appear separately in 'The Path of the Saints', which is equivalent to three publications at once.
If Fang Yun appears in 'The Path of the Saints' for three consecutive months, it will definitely make a huge impact.”

“That's true.”

“Have you ever thought that if he writes another good poem or essay this month, it will be four publications at once, and all the scholars in the Ten Nations will be clamoring for it.”

“As a scholar, I hope he can have four or even five publications at once, but as his 'almost classmate', I really hope he can endure for a year and participate in the Prefectural Examination next year, win the championship, and become the top Talented Scholar.”

“There are rumors that he will participate in the Prefectural Examination this year.”

“He has only studied the classics for a few months.
Even if he passes the Talented Scholar Examination, he cannot get the top spot.
It's a pity.”

“Yes, I really hope he can participate in the Prefectural Examination next year.
If he can get three 'A' grades, he will be Fang Wu Jia, which is better than the five 'A' grades of some Talented Scholars in the Ten Nations.”

“A Talented Scholar with five 'A' grades is a hundred times more difficult to achieve than a Child Scholar with two 'A' grades.
Don't overestimate Fang Yun.”

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“It's just a joke, just a joke.
As a person from Dayuan Prefecture, I just hope Fang Yun can go higher.”

Fang Yun sat in the carriage, full of joy and a little bit of fear.

“The selection of the saints was too impulsive, but it wasn't wrong.
As a scholar, one should be fearless.
If I had been suppressed by Liu Zicheng and Wei Yuanjun this time, my Courage to Write would have been frozen or even shattered.
Now that I have received the enlightenment of the Thunderous Holy Sound, my chances of becoming a Talented Scholar before the Saints have not only increased, but also become more stable.”

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Tanyu, who had been on the left side of the carriage, jumped onto the carriage, opened the door curtain, and entered the carriage, saying, “Young Master, are you really going to the State Academy?”

“Why, is there anything wrong with going to the State Academy?”

“It's not that it's not good.
The State Academy only accepts the top five Talented Scholars before the Prefectural Examination, and the rest of the students are Presented Scholars because they only know how to talk about it on paper.
Therefore, the students of the State Academy have to go out and kill monsters frequently because the three borders are related to monsters.
“

“I'm just a Child Scholar.
Do I have to kill monsters too?”

“You have already broken the ordinary rules by entering the State Academy.
If you are different from other students in killing monsters, others will inevitably gossip.”

“Then I will go kill monsters.” Fang Yun said.

“You don't even know how to talk about it on paper, and going there will only be a burden.
Others will definitely gossip.
There are many people from the Left Chancellor's family in the State Academy.”

“Since others will definitely gossip, I will do what I want to do.
I will go if I want to go and not go if I don't want to go.
What's the point of caring about those gossips? But thank you for your reminder.”

Soon, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the State Academy.

There were people guarding the entrance of the State Academy.
Fang Yun took out the documents, and the bailiff immediately respectfully led Fang Yun to the Talented Scholar Class, while introducing the situation and rules of the class along the way.

The State Academy was very large, with many parts, including places for officials to handle government affairs, school dormitories, examination room areas, cafeteria areas, rest and activity areas, and a large training ground for practicing war poetry and essays.
Therefore, the bailiff suggested that Fang Yun should walk around more in these few days.