Linlu Academy is located outside the east city of Wangque.

It is hidden deep in the quiet and beautiful forested mountains hundreds of miles away.

Adjacent to Lidu.

It can be said that one side is backed by mountains and the other side is surrounded by water.

Linlu Academy is one of the two Confucian academies in Wangquezhou.

The music and culture have continued for thousands of years.

Occupies half of the Confucian and Taoist traditions in Wangque Continent.

It is a holy place for studying that Confucian scholars living at the foot of Yizhou Mountain dream of.

A scholar who graduated from Linlu Academy.

There are heroes who are capable of governing the country and supporting the society, there are famous scholars with brilliant writing and profound knowledge, and there are solitary men with noble aspirations who live in seclusion in the mountains and rivers.

The immortal nobles in the mountains or the secular dynasties at the foot of the mountains spread Confucianism and Taoism and fought against the Hundred Schools of Thought.

In Zhao Rong's view, Linlu Academy is the "lighthouse" of the Zhongzhou Confucian Temple built on Wangquezhou.

Although the storm of questions and debates among the various schools of thought in the Xuanhuang Realm is swirling in the distant Tunan Continent.

But several other continents in the world were also hit by the huge waves caused by the storm.

During his travels through the dynasties, Zhao Rong had seen no less than ten schools of thought that were exclusively respected by the rulers of the dynasties, and Confucianism and Taoism were just one of them.

Other schools of thought also had their establishments in Wangquezhou.

However, according to Zhao Rong's observation, the continuous cultivation of scholars by Linlu Academy and Siqi Academy made Confucianism one of the prominent schools on the mountains of Wangquezhou, and the trend of respecting Confucianism was quite prevalent.

About its establishment.

Rumor has it that there was originally a Confucian saint who led his disciples on a study trip from Central China to this remote corner of the world.

Respectfully following the teachings of the great sage, "A gentleman must observe a great river when he sees it," I stopped to observe the water.

The Confucian sage seemed to have realized something.

He left his disciples here and established a school to pass on the cultural heritage...

This morning.

It was a sunny day, with birds singing in the mountains and forests and the air fresh.

The sound of rolling waves of a river could be heard faintly from not far away.

Zhao Rong took a deep breath and jumped off the carriage.

He turned around and smiled.

"Miss Xiaowan, thank you for your hard work."

Sitting in the carriage, Lu Wan glanced at Zhao Rong, who had disappeared for the entire afternoon and returned at night. She always felt that he seemed a little different from before.

But I can’t tell what the difference is.

He is still wearing the same simple Confucian robe as before. Hmm, it seems that the pair of beautiful jade pendants around his waist are missing. And today he suddenly carries a book box. Is he going to Linlu Academy to study?

She had brought a few confident and generous scholars here before, but most of them...

Lu Wan shook her head, not thinking any more, and said with a gentle smile:

"If you have a long journey, Mr. Zhao, just ring the bell. Goodbye."

Zhao Rong nodded slightly, waved his hand, turned and left.

Not long.

He walked through a small forest.

Looking up, you can see a large, rigorous and orderly building complex in the distance.

The exterior of the academy reveals its plain gables, which are gray and white, and are particularly fresh and bright.

It is built against the mountain, with low front and high back, and it is stacked layer by layer in an orderly manner.

It is hidden by trees and dotted with pavilions, with undulating gables and flying eaves.

The overall style is simple, solemn, elegant and generous.

In Zhao Rong's eyes, it formed a tranquil and beautiful picture of mountains and water blending into one.

Zhao Rong looked curiously, carrying his book box and quickening his pace.

Although the academy is hidden in the deep mountains and forests in the suburbs, pursuing a quiet and leisurely reading environment, it is also surrounded by the worldly life.

After all, there are many teachers and students in this academy, and there are also many scholars who come from far away to study.

Many open-air taverns, elegant inns, paper and ink bookstores, antique shops and other buildings are sparsely dotted around the academy.

It is a quite lively small market.

When Zhao Rong approached from a distance, he was inconspicuous.

Because there are many scholars like Zhao Rong around.

However, some of them were dusty and shabbily dressed, while others were dressed in brocade and embroidered clothes, looking extremely luxurious.

But it seems that they all come here to study.

Zhao Rong joined the crowd, looked around, reached back, and calmly took away the flag embroidered with the word "Linlu" on the bookcase.

Because there are too many scholars hanging this flag...

He blinked and felt that it was not easy to enter Linlu Academy.

but……

Zhao Rong glanced around and smiled crookedly.

We are different.

After a while, he arrived at the gate of Linlu Academy.

The academy was not as grand and majestic as Zhao Rong had imagined. It was even inferior to the gate of the Imperial Academy of Chu where Zhao Rong had once studied.

It is solemn and simple, without any carvings or paintings, but with simple and elegant embellishments.

At first glance, it looks ordinary and does not look like a Confucian academy that is famous throughout the state.

However, Zhao Rong felt that this was actually the most impressive way.

There is a couplet posted outside the gate of the academy.

He is a unique and secluded person with great talent; he flourishes here.

Horizontal banner: Linlu Academy.

Very imposing.

He nodded slightly.

Very good, just like me, be low-key in life and high-profile in work...

There weren't many people passing through the academy's gate, only some Confucian scholars in standard clothes and wearing jade bi occasionally came in and out.

These should be the scholars in the academy. According to Lin Wenruo, all the scholars in the academy would wear jade bi.

Zhao Rong found that there didn't seem to be many people outside the gate.

He looked around, feeling a little surprised.

Isn’t it said that every year countless scholars from the mountains come here to study? There were quite a lot of scholars on the road just now, so why did they disappear as soon as they arrived at the gate of the academy?

Zhao Rong felt something was wrong and looked around.

After much inquiries, I learned that the examination for recruiting disciples for Linlu Academy this year had ended not long ago.

Even the entrance ceremony for new disciples had been held a few days ago.

This once-in-three-years opportunity, although extremely strict, was also the most likely opportunity to enter Linlu Academy. It has passed.

Many failed scholars who were not selected returned home in despair.

Of course, there are also many scholars who are not discouraged and will still stay near Linlu Academy looking for another slim chance, such as... being noticed by a certain teacher in the academy and being recommended to the academy.

The reason why there were no scholars waiting at the main gate was that the gentlemen of Linlu Academy generally did not go through the main gate, but entered and exited from the side door on the north side on a daily basis.

Zhao Rong suddenly realized, is there such a thing?

He followed the general direction, walked around the academy, and soon arrived at a side door.

From a distance, there were crowds of people.

When Zhao Rong got closer, he saw that all he saw were scholars who looked like him, wearing roughly the same clothes but with different expressions, waiting eagerly in front of the side door.

He looked around with interest for a while.

The scenery around the side door is beautiful. It is a quiet place, but there are too many people waiting, so it has lost its elegance and has become very lively.

Opposite the side door was a bamboo forest. Zhao Rong walked under the shade of the trees and did not crowd in front of the door with the large group of scholars in front.

Under the bamboo forest, there were a few scholars standing or sitting around Zhao Rong, and they seemed to be taking a rest.

Zhao Rong glanced at the crowd in front of him who were fighting for something.

So, everyone is waiting for the teacher from the academy to come out, and then everyone will rely on their own abilities?

He raised his eyebrows.

But what's the point of you squeezing forward like this?

Zhao Rong waited leisurely at the back.

Slowly, the sun rose to the zenith and it was approaching noon.

But the wooden door, which was so simple that it didn't even have a couplet, remained closed and did not open.

No one came out of the academy.

But the crowd at the door was very quiet, almost no one was communicating, they were all waiting quietly.

And except for a small number of people who came in groups, most of the scholars seemed to come alone, and they looked at others with more or less coldness and vigilance.

Zhao Rong was not in a hurry either. He stood under the shade of the tree, staring at the wooden door, while taking out some dry food and water and started eating.

It seemed like he was the only one eating lunch on the field.

Many people around noticed him, but most of them just looked at him for a few seconds and then looked away with no expression.

Zhao Rong bit his dry food and took in all of this.

Well, it's already noon, and they haven't replenished their food yet... It seems that Mr. Shuyuan is about to come out. Is the get out of class over? I guess so.

Zhao Rong looked at the people around him who were staring at the wooden door seriously, and thought casually.

At this moment.

Squeak

The wooden door was opened from the inside.

The crowd was instantly excited, and many people in the front changed their expressions and squeezed forward...

Zhao Rong put down the dry food in his hand and stood up to look around.

Just see.

After the wooden door was pushed open completely... no one?

Zhao Rong stood on tiptoe.

Oh, someone.

His eyes barely penetrated the crowns of the crowd and saw a slightly short and thin figure.

It was a little book boy in blue clothes, with red lips and white teeth...

Haha, just a little girl.

Zhao Rong curled his lips. He saw through it at a glance. He had seen this kind of trick many times.

But……

Hey, why are those people at the door retreating when they see this little servant boy?