Chapter 360: The Literary Heart and Palace (Part Two) [Two-in-One]
Kang Shi: "..."
This "cousin" is completely unacceptable.
How could you insult your own brother like that?
Unexpectedly, Qi Shan was completely oblivious to the fact that he had offended anyone, and instead asked with a smile, "Brother, is what I said wrong?"
Kang Shi was indeed a jinx.
He was just telling the truth.
Kang Shi: "..."
Qi Shan deliberately raised his voice: "Or does Brother think that the chances of a third-rank or lower-ranking official are higher than those of a second-rank or upper-middle-ranking official?"
Kang Shi immediately felt a pair of unfriendly eyes fall on him. He didn't need to look to know who this guy was—Chu Wuhui genuinely treated Lin Feng and Tu Rong as his own children.
What could be more irritating to a father who hopes his daughter will succeed than denying that someone else's child is outstanding?
Kang Shi dared to guarantee that if he agreed to this, Chu Wuhui might make things difficult for him someday.
Gu Chi said, "No, he's not Qi Yuanliang."
Kang Shi: "..."
Qi Shan merely narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.
His gaze lingered on his elder brother for a few moments.
Kang Shi: "..."
Oh!
Qi's gaze was just as unfriendly as Chu Yao's.
Lin Feng, at the center of the conflict, remained unaffected.
Her heart was pounding, as if a little deer was leaping and bounding about, and only patient calming could soothe it. She took a deep breath and tried to control her unruly hands. She silently recited the key points she had already memorized over and over again.
Finally, she somewhat clumsily drew upon her inner energy from her dantian, letting it flow along her abdominal meridians to her arm.
Finally, they gathered in the palm of his hand.
At first, it was just a faint pink color.
As time went on, Lin Feng became increasingly adept at it, and the color of his literary energy gradually deepened, finally settling on a slightly more vibrant peach-pink. The condensed ball of literary energy expanded from the size of a pea to the size of an infant's fist, hovering an inch above his palm.
This process consumed a lot of Lin Feng's energy.
It is even more difficult to refine and solidify the literary style.
Chu Yao's eyes were gentle, with a hint of relief in them.
"It's very good that you could do this well for the first time."
Practice makes perfect.
Lingde is young and lacks practical experience.
Lin Feng was not satisfied with this, and his cheeks puffed out.
She now desperately wants to respond to her lover, to tell him that she is not weak, that she can do what male scholars can do, and even do it better and more appropriately.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to compress the literary energy.
However, this literary aura is not very obedient.
She spent considerable effort to make them conform to her wishes, until the air clumps transformed into a viscous, peach-pink substance, becoming a small—Wenxin monogram. Each person's Wenxin monogram is unique, with a different seal knob design.
The seal knob on this coin is actually a sheaf of wheat.
Light pink ribbons pierce through the holes at the bottom of the wheat ears.
A ruyi knot was also woven in the middle section of the seal.
"My lord, look!"
Shen Tang accepted the translucent and lustrous monogram.
The side is engraved with the four characters "Second Rank, Upper Middle" in seal script, while the bottom is engraved with the same characters "Lin Shi Ling De".
Slightly surprised, Shen Tang smiled and handed the Wenxin Flower to Chu Yao, who appeared calm but kept glancing over.
"A good teacher produces outstanding students."
Chu Yao understood the implication behind those words.
Upon closer inspection, I indeed saw a familiar rank.
Even the usually calm and composed Chu Yao couldn't contain his excitement and said "good" three times in a row. But despite his excitement, he remained rational and instructed Lin Feng to buy various offerings to comfort the spirits of his deceased relatives. Lin Feng nodded emphatically.
The others also came over to watch the fun.
It's rare to see someone with a second-rank official position who possesses such a refined and honest character.
Otherwise, the fact that the small state of Chu had opened three such positions back then wouldn't have attracted so much attention and envy.
Qi Shan asked, "What rank is required for your virtuous conduct?"
Lin Feng looked at him, puzzled: "What grade?"
Qi Shan said, "A second-rank superior literary talent is too conspicuous. Before you grow to the point where you can protect yourself, you should keep a low profile."
Her teacher, Chu Wuhui, is a stark example.
There aren't many literary figures in this world with the ability to "steal the beams and replace the pillars," but you never know when you might stumble upon one. In the eyes of some arrogant people, does a mere orphan girl deserve such a high rank?
It's not impossible that they would resort to violence to seize or rob something.
Wasn't Chu Wuhui's first literary talent, ranked second-class upper, replaced by a seventh-class lower upper?
The crucial point is that this rank 7 (lower-middle grade) was ruined.
That's truly a terrible situation.
Shen Tang said, "Then it's the lowest of the ninth rank."
Qi Shan still needed to consult Lin Feng's opinion.
After all, everyone has a need to subtly show off.
Wealth and honor without returning home are like embroidered robes worn at night—who would know of them? Similarly, if Wenxin's rank is too low, who would know of her extraordinary talent and boundless potential? Not everyone is as fond of the "lowest of the ninth rank" as their lord, without the slightest shame.
Lin Feng said softly, "Yes, I will listen to you, my lord. Even the lowest rank of the ninth grade is fine. Thank you, Registrar."
Qi Shan took over the position of Chief Clerk of He Yin County.
As for other part-time positions, they will not be elaborated upon.
With a flick of her sleeve, Qi Shan completed the disguise.
He handed Wen Xinhua back, saying, "Take it."
Before Lin Feng could even reach out, he was intercepted by Shen Tang.
"My lord?"
"Your hands are still shaking, let me put it on for you. From today onwards, Lingde will have to learn to stand on her own." He smoothed out the pink tassels of Wenxin's monogram and patted her shoulder gently.
Lin Feng blushed and said, "Yes, my lord."
She has an urge to never take off her monogram.
Pat your cheeks.
Cool down your burning hot face with your cool palms.
This also helped cool down her overly excited mind. As reason returned, she suddenly remembered something. However, this question wasn't for Shen Tang.
"Teacher, I have a question."
Chu Yao asked, "What's the doubt?"
"The student just saw a magnificent palace that soared into the clouds... What is that? The notes the teacher gave us earlier didn't mention it..." In order to ensure the smooth formation of the literary mind, Chu Yao collected everyone's experience in forming the literary mind for Lin Feng's reference.
Lin Feng recalled the notes but couldn't find the answer.
"A magnificent palace that soars into the clouds?"
Shen Tang's curiosity was piqued.
Chu Yao: "A grand hall?"
Several other literary figures were also drawn to the attention.
"What kind of grand hall?" Qi Shan asked.
Lin Feng described it in detail.
The key features are the intricately carved latticework of the main hall, the steps leading down to the main hall that are three or four feet high, and the stone bridge leading to the main hall.
That stone bridge was also strange; every step revealed a new scene—the scenery gave people a real sense of being there, captivating her heart.
"The plaque, the plaque doesn't say anything about the hall, only the character 'farm'. That character is so dazzling, it almost blinds people..." Lin Feng's voice gradually lowered as she spoke—she noticed that the gentlemen were very concerned about this "giant hall", and each of them had their brows furrowed.
Chu Yao asked, "Did your father really see it?"
Lin Feng nodded emphatically: "Yes!"
After saying that, he asked again, "Teacher, is there something wrong with this giant hall?"
Chu Yao said, "There's no problem..."
"That's good……"
Lin Feng breathed a long sigh of relief.
She was worried that her literary talent was different from others.
She was relieved to hear that there were no problems.
Chu Yao added, "It sounds like Wen Gong."
"Wen Gong?"
This term was unfamiliar to Lin Feng, and even more unfamiliar to Shen Tang.
She asked, "Wu Hui, what is the Wen Palace?"
Chu Yao patiently explained to her, "The so-called Literary Palace is a hall opened up within the Danfu using literary energy, used to store the learned spiritual words. Scholars usually immerse their minds in the Literary Palace during their daily cultivation, because the literary energy is abundant here, making cultivation twice as effective and deepening their understanding of spiritual words. However, opening the Literary Palace is extremely difficult... so it is impossible for you to see it."
Chu Yao then gave a long explanation.
Shen Tang translated it from Chinese to Chinese.
Simply put, while the path of the scholar doesn't depend on talent and can be obtained through sheer luck or strong willpower, the Literary Heart and Literary Palace can only be acquired through grinding. This thing is a standard requirement for highly skilled and well-established scholars in the Literary Heart realm.
Chu Yao built a literary palace back then.
It was gone before it even got warm.
The new one is still under construction, a real struggle.
The problem is, Lin Feng is still a complete novice.
That little bit of literary talent is nowhere near what a seasoned veteran can offer.
Most importantly—
The Wenxin Wengong Palace has a plaque, but no inscription.
Its size is also that of a normal palace.
It wasn't as terrifying as towering into the clouds.
“Then it might not be the Wen Palace. Lingde also said that the plaque has the character ‘Nong’ written on it. Considering the patterns on the window, is it possible that she saw the Farmer’s Academy?” Shen Tang followed the logic and let her imagination run wild. “Didn’t the Thief Star record the ‘Hundred Schools of Thought’? Coincidentally, the Farmer’s Academy is one of them…”
Fantasy novels all follow this formula.
Chu Yao and a few others could not be determined.
We can only tell Lin Feng to be more careful next time.
Lin Feng was, after all, the first woman besides the lord to unite the literary heart, and there are very few examples to refer to.
Gu Chi asked, "Has the lord met you before?"
Shen Tang shook her head.
Her own memories had been stolen; who would remember the scene when she condensed her literary heart? She had no experience, let alone anything to offer Lin Feng for reference. As long as that thing was harmless to Lin Feng, she would leave it for now and wait until she had discovered and cultivated more female literary heart scholars in the future, perhaps then she could uncover this secret.
All she wants to know right now is how to grind the Wenxin Wengong system...
She wants something this awesome too.
The construction of the Wenxin Wengong (文心文宫) marks the transition from "novice" to "veteran" Wenxin literati, and it's not difficult to accomplish.
The only difficulty lies in the liver.
Because every brick and tile of the Literary Palace is the essence refined from literary energy, the sheer scale of the project is unimaginable. Building the Literary Palace is, in essence, an accumulation of literary energy. The more one grinds, the more literary energy one cultivates, and the faster the construction speed.
"Oh, I see."
Shen Tang, with her peculiar thought process, came up with another idea.
Is Thief Star biased towards scholars?
Chu Yao: "What makes you say that?"
Shen Tang counted on her fingers, one by one: "Look, why are the Path of the Scholar and the Literary Heart Palace exclusive to the Literary Heart Scholar? The Martial Warrior seems to have nothing special except for having a horse and being able to transform into soldiers and armor. Some Literary Heart Word Spirits can even replace them... When you count them like this, the Martial Warrior seems so pathetic..."
The little brat Tu Rong nodded vigorously.
It's really too shabby.
The name "Wenxin Wengong" sounds impressive and grand, and it allows one to immerse their mind in cultivation. The palace can also store various spiritual words.
"puff--"
Qi Shan suppressed his laughter.
Chu Yao glared at him.
Qi Yuanliang is truly a scoundrel who misleads young people.
Aren't you going to teach us these basic things?
Bai Su smiled and said, "It's not that there isn't one. The Martial Courage Hall and the Literary Heart Palace are opposites, and the martial spirit is opposite to the scholar's way. The difference between the two is that one is literary and the other is martial, but there is not much difference."
Shen Tang: "Why does Shao Xuan know all this?"
Qi Shan said, "Because Shao Xuan is a martial artist with great courage."
Gong Shuwu and Zhao Feng, especially Zhao Feng, both wanted to recruit any promising talents they saw. They cherished and valued talent. Since Bai Su had condensed her martial courage, her martial arts cultivation had progressed by leaps and bounds, and Zhao Feng naturally did not keep her secrets.
These are all considered basic knowledge.
Shen Tang felt his fist hardening.
Pointing to himself, he raised his voice: "Am I not one too?"
Qi Shan: "..."
Chu Yao: "..."
Gu Chi: "???"
Kang Shi: "???"
Gong Shuwu slapped his forehead and said, "It seems I've forgotten."
Shen Tang: “(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻”
Gongshu actually said "half a step"!
What kind of people are under her command?!
Qi Shan looked guilty and met Chu Yao's gaze. The two of them turned their faces away in disgust in unison.
Gu Chi could hear them internally shifting blame onto each other.
He took a deep breath: "When did our lord become proficient in both literature and martial arts?"
There is a well-known common sense—
Those who attempt to master both literary and martial arts will find themselves weakened and dying young; the one who survives is a fool.
On the other hand, look at your own lord.
She punched Zhai Xiaofang, kicked Gong Xichou, and when the mood struck, she would even force wild boars to be her mounts. Even if her body wasn't made of steel, it was certainly resilient and durable, far from being so weak as to die at any moment. Therefore, only one possibility remained.
Their master, perhaps, possibly, probably...
Is he an idiot?
Shen Tang: “(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻”
Don't think she can't read the looks in these people's eyes!
What kind of people are under her command?!
Shen Tang gritted her teeth: "My mind is perfectly normal!"
If she really did have her intelligence lowered, how incredibly high must her IQ have been before? Everyone wants to see her fail!
Who wouldn't be annoyed if they had such a subordinate?
Gu Chi and the others also knew when to stop while they were ahead.
It's best to avoid watching your own lord's antics.
After all, she holds grudges.
While enjoying the spectacle, the important business at hand couldn't be neglected. With the participation of courageous warriors like Zhao Feng and his elite troops, the autumn harvest was progressing much faster than usual. In the past, with every household pitching in, the autumn harvest would take almost half a month to complete.
If there is a shortage of manpower, it is normal for it to take more than half a month.
But with these humanoid harvesters, the harvest was over in five or six days. Statistics also began to arrive from various parts of Heyin County.
Along with the land tax collected, which arrived at the administrative center of Fugu, the tax rate was not high this time. Coupled with a good harvest, every household had stored enough food for more than a year. They selected the best grains for planting.
What's left is for eating.
Shen Tang also drank the millet porridge she had grown herself. It was fragrant, soft, and sticky, and smelled delicious, but it wasn't very filling.
When Xu Jie arrived, she was working.
emmm...
The literal meaning.
Xu Jie was driven out of the workshop by the smell.
Left with no other choice, he sent someone to inform Shen Tang.
Shen Tang, who was pounding and softening bamboo, stopped what she was doing, put down the sleeves that were fastened with the shoulder straps, straightened her clothes, and ran out of the workshop. She said, "Wen Zhu is here. Why didn't you have someone inform him?"
The smell inside the workshop was very strong.
Xu Jie was so overwhelmed by the scent emanating from Shen Tang that he took a half-step back.
Realizing he had been impolite, he stood still and bowed.
"Jun Shen."
(*ΦωΦ*)
I've adjusted my mindset.
Hehe, since they wished me a happy April Fool's Day in a sarcastic way, I'll return the favor and wish their master a happy Labor Day next month... Let's focus on improving our updates before dreaming of becoming a contracted superstar.
(End of this chapter)
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