Zhenguo Mansion.

Lin Pojun and his family are having dinner.

The Lin family has very strict rules. The family is required to "not talk while eating or sleep". Even if there are more than a dozen people eating together, they still eat quietly.

The atmosphere is somewhat depressing.

As the prince, Lin Yaoguang naturally sat in the first seat on the left of Lin Pojun, opposite his mother Cheng Qiuci.

At a dinner table like this, the seats are fixed.

For example, Lin Che had been back for three months, but he had not been able to sit at the table for a meal once.

While Lin Yaoguang was eating, he suddenly saw his personal attendant hurried back, looking very anxious, but the attendant certainly did not dare to come in and disturb him.

Lin Yaoguang quickly ate a few pieces of animal meat, wanting to get out early.

But Lin Pojun had seen through everything and said:

"What's the rush? I've told you countless times that you must eat well, four times a day. Every meal nourishes your body and builds a solid foundation."

"You had already cultivated the Controlling Objects Realm technique to the ninth level two years ago. Why is your cultivation still at the Perfection stage, and not yet at the Great Perfection? It's because your body is deficient. You are weak!"

"My father is right." Lin Yaoguang didn't dare to refute.

Cheng Qiuci on the opposite side seemed to have thought of something and sighed:

"You've been fined for three years, reducing your monthly salary by five thousand taels. The short-term impact isn't significant, but this time, His Majesty is traveling to the Southern Territory to control the floods, and I'm afraid the treasury will need to contribute a significant sum. As the Duke of Zhenguo, shouldn't you also make a gesture? This kind of donation is essential."

"And most importantly, a three-year salary deduction means one less Zhen Yuan Pill per month. This will have a huge impact on Yaoguang's cultivation. We have to think of a solution."

"Hmph! Rebellious son!" Lin Pojun cursed with gritted teeth.

No one else present dared to speak, as they all knew that Lin Pojun was scolding Lin Che.

Lin Pojun was fined for three years, which meant he lost 60,000 taels of silver a year. The Zhenguo Mansion was a large and prosperous place, and its expenses were considerable.

The most important thing is that there is a Zhenyuan Pill in this monthly salary, which cannot be bought even with ten thousand taels of gold.

It is a necessary elixir for reaching the True Yuan Realm. It is in short supply and is also what Lin Yaoguang has to take every month.

Now Lin Yaoguang is trying to break through from the fourth-grade object-controlling realm to the fifth-grade true essence realm. If the true essence pill is broken, it will almost cost Lin Yaoguang half his life.

"Don't worry, Madam. I will find a way."

Lin Pojun originally wanted to comfort Lin Yaoguang, but he found that Lin Yaoguang's attention was still on the follower named Jianwen at the door.

He couldn't help but feel a little angry and said:

"Jianwen, come in—what do you want?"

The attendant named Jianwen did not dare to hide anything and said respectfully:

"Master, I have heard some news about Lin Che."

When the family heard Lin Che's name, they felt as if they had encountered a taboo and dared not speak out.

"What has this rebellious son done that has angered heaven and man?"

"Reporting to the Patriarch, I just heard that Lin Che has angered a group of Confucian scholars, including Miss Mo Zhaoxue of the Mohist School. There are printed notices everywhere, stating that in three days, Lin Che will compete with the other students in a poetry competition at Zuiyue Tower. The prize is the imperially bestowed Xuan-level sword in his hand..."

Lin Pojun shook his head and sighed, "This is truly a misfortune for our family. He's too ambitious and grandstanding to attract attention, and he's unfit for any important task!!"

When Lin Yaoguang saw his father's statement, he naturally couldn't bear it anymore. Lin Che's complaint to the emperor had abruptly stopped his path of cultivation.

Now seeing Lin Che messing around with this kind of poetry and song again, he couldn't help but say:

"Seventh Brother, don't you know how much knowledge you have? And you dare to provoke Confucian scholars? I'm worried that he is using the name of our Zhenguo Mansion to deceive people."

At this point, Lin Yaoguang's eyes lit up, and he continued:

"Of course, it could also be that he wanted to attract Zhaoxue's attention. After all, Zhaoxue has become a university student, and he should like people with knowledge the most. He wants to climb up the Mohist school and lean on the big tree, which is playing to his advantage."

Lin Pojun's face was grim. "Catering to their preferences? Humph. Whether they can get married or not still requires my approval."

Lin Pojun doesn't like Lin Che, but he still likes Mo Zhaoxue very much. In addition to his Mo family background, Mo Zhaoxue is also a university student; what the Lin family lacks most is educated people.

Otherwise, their Lin family would be laughed at as a reckless man with courage but no strategy.

But thinking about Lin Che, this rebellious son who is becoming increasingly uncontrollable, can this marriage still fall on him?

Lin Pojun was inexplicably furious:

"Shut up and eat."

…

Confucian Academy.

In the university lecture hall, many Confucian scholars were taking a break between classes.

The nosy students were talking about Lin Che's provocation against them, the Confucian students, and also mentioned the competition in Zuiyue Tower in three days.

"This Lin Che is truly arrogant. He even threatened His Majesty with death in the Golden Palace, and now he's bullying us."

"He's just a returned proton. He's relying on his merits to use this method to elevate himself in a disguised way. The matter of Senior Brother Zhou Xianchun was just a pretext for him to push it forward."

Although many students were denouncing Lin Che and not taking her seriously, some were still quite worried.

"I think we shouldn't underestimate the enemy. This Lin Che said in the Golden Palace: 'Life is what I desire, and righteousness is what I desire. If I cannot have both, I will choose righteousness over life.' It's not like he has no literary background."

"It's just a lucky coincidence. Maybe it wasn't his own words, but something he heard from somewhere else. Anybody here could surpass him in poetry and song."

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