New Skill, Calligraphy and Painting (Seeking Monthly Votes, Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"Haha, Senior Brother Ning, did you hear that? Everyone, everyone, Junior Brother Chu called me a master!" Although Liang Yuan was dressed in a scholar's robe and looked the part, his laughter was... a bit unrefined.

Senior Brother Ning stared at Chu Ming, his lips twitching a few times: "Junior Brother Chu, you didn't happen to hear us talking earlier this afternoon, did you?"

"..." Chu Ming kept his expression neutral. "This afternoon? I am not sure which hour you are referring to, Senior Brother Ning."

"What do you mean, Senior Brother? Can't Junior Brother Chu praise me? Is this painting not good?" Liang Yuan shot Ning Hao a slightly displeased look before turning to Chu Ming with a grin: "Junior Brother Chu, want to learn? I'll teach you."

"Alright." Chu Ming agreed immediately and stepped into the room to fetch brush and ink, leaving both Ning Hao and Liang Yuan momentarily stunned.

He actually wants to learn?

Right now?

"That... Junior Brother Chu, look, it's getting late and the lighting is poor... Wait, Junior Brother Chu, why are you bringing two oil lamps?"

"Senior Brother Liang, how is the lighting now?"

If not for the lack of time and resources, Chu Ming would have even considered building an electric light.

"Junior Brother Chu, do you really want to learn?" Liang Yuan looked at Chu Ming's earnest eyes and asked seriously in return.

"Yes."

"Good." A smile bloomed on Liang Yuan's face. "But I must warn you, Junior Brother Chu, calligraphy and painting require immense talent. Look at Senior Brother Ning—he has incredible talent for poetry and prose, but after studying calligraphy and painting for so long, he can't even draw a shrimp."

"I am different. It only took me a year to master the basics, and just another half-year to be able to copy the landscape paintings of the old master Tang Bai—to a standard that can actually be sold at the art shop!"

Liang Yuan puffed out his chest: "Junior Brother Chu, you must be mentally prepared."

As he spoke, he picked up the brush, ink, and paper, then looked at Ning Hao with a tone of command: "Senior Brother Ning, roll up this landscape painting; I want to demonstrate a thing or two for Junior Brother Chu."

"..." It was one thing for Liang Yuan to boast, but to belittle Ning Hao in the process made the latter feel quite embarrassed: "Roll it up yourself."

Liang Yuan held up both hands: "My hands are full... This painting is worth several taels of silver. Are you sure you don't want to put it away, Senior Brother Ning?"

Ning Hao turned his head instead, his gaze suddenly sharp as he looked at Chu Ming: "Brother Chu, are you interested in poetry and prose? I shall teach you."

"..." Chu Ming nodded.

The two senior brothers were now locked in a rivalry.

"What use is poetry and prose? If it weren't for the exams, I wouldn't study them at all. Unlike my calligraphy and painting, which can be traded for money."

"Calligraphy and painting may earn money, but poetry and prose can cultivate one's character and even be passed down to future generations."

"Everything you mentioned, calligraphy and painting can do too."

"Poetry and prose are mandatory subjects for the county examinations."

"Calligraphy and painting can be sold for money."

"Poetry and prose can improve one's knowledge and talent."

"Calligraphy and painting can be sold for money."

"...Money, money, money! Aside from money, what else do you know, Liang Yuan? Did you come to the academy just for money?"

"Yes. My father said that only by becoming a high-ranking official can one earn more silver."

"..."

"Um, two senior brothers, I can actually learn both." Chu Ming silently rolled up the painting and spoke with a helpless expression.

"You want to learn both?" Liang Yuan's tone shifted: "Do you know why the academy makes us choose three volumes from the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy to focus on?"

"Because of time," Ning Hao added. "We only have so much time each day. If you learn too much, you cannot master anything. If you cannot master it, you are mediocre. The Great Qin Dynasty has no need for the mediocre."

"...Senior Brother is right."

The next morning, Chu Ming rose very early. Having condensed seven strands of blood energy, not only had his physical strength increased, but his mental capacity had also greatly improved; he only needed five hours of sleep to wake up feeling fully refreshed.

He first browsed through the Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy, practiced the Body Forging Technique for a while, and then took out his brush and ink to begin sketching lines on paper.

On the panel:

[Calligraphy and Painting: Initial Mastery]

[Progress: 13/100]

Yesterday, after the rivalry between Senior Brothers Ning and Liang, he had finally learned how to paint and the basics of poetry and prose.

Painting was the [Calligraphy and Painting] skill that appeared on his panel; after attempting three paintings, he had grinded the progress up to 13.

This was the difference between having guidance and fumbling in the dark.

Liang Yuan taught him the techniques, and by the second painting, the [Calligraphy and Painting] skill had appeared.

If he had been fumbling on his own, who knows how long it would have taken to even reach the entry level.

As for the poetry and prose taught by Ning Hao, not even a skill appeared on the panel.

The main reason was that poetry and prose did not count as a single skill; he realized after listening to Ning Hao that he already knew how to compose them.

As long as one had enough ink in their belly and remembered enough verses, they could compose poetry—it was all about flexible application, which was not a difficult task for him.

Taking advantage of the time before the hour, Chu Ming finished two more paintings, bringing his progress to 21.

Just then, a voice came from outside the door: "Junior Brother Chu, shall we go grab some morning porridge? We need to head to the Lecture Hall for class afterward."

"Alright."

Chu Ming stepped out of his room, followed Ning Hao and Liang Yuan to the dining hall for morning porridge, and then proceeded to the Lecture Hall to study poetry.

The so-called classes were not divided by grade or class level like in his past life.

Poetry was a mandatory subject; every morning, an instructor would lecture in the Lecture Hall, selecting poems from Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy for in-depth analysis.

Aside from military strategy, history, politics, and rites were taught using a similar model.

Therefore, the academy was only divided by sections, not by grades or classes; those who understood the material didn't have to attend, but those who hadn't heard it or didn't grasp the poetry had to show up.

The Lecture Hall of the academy was much like the outer hall of the private school in Willow Town, or perhaps similar to the classrooms of his past life, with desks, chairs, and benches, only with a style more steeped in ink and fragrance.

There were thirty people in the Middle Academy, but only about twenty had arrived at the Lecture Hall at this moment. Chu Ming scanned the room and spotted Lu Xian in the back row, head bowed over a book.

Ning Hao and Liang Yuan pointed to a spot in the middle row, slightly toward the front: "The seating represents our ranking." Ning Hao whispered, "Senior Brother Liang Yuan and I are ranked eleventh and twelfth in the Middle Academy, so we sit in those seats."

"As for you, Junior Brother Chu, since you haven't participated in a monthly exam yet, you can only sit in the back."

Chu Ming nodded slightly, preparing to head to the back without much concern.

Ning Hao fell silent for a moment, then whispered again: "Junior Brother Chu, a piece of advice from your senior brother: you arrived many days late and have missed quite a lot. With the monthly exam coming up soon, you should spend your time on Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy. It would be best not to spend too much energy on calligraphy and painting."

"..." Liang Yuan paused, his expression equally solemn as he said, "Junior Brother Chu, the monthly exam is very important. It not only concerns our ranking within the academy but will also affect our future official careers."

"Affect our official careers?" Chu Ming asked, puzzled.

"Yes, the instructors who teach at our Baiyuan Academy are all ranked civil officials and ritual officials of our Baiyuan County. The better you do on the monthly exams, the better the impression you make on the instructors. These instructors are the connections and resources for our future careers."

So that was it.

Chu Ming cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you both for the reminder."

"Mm, go on. When there's free time, this senior brother will help you catch up on poetry and songs to ensure you don't fall behind in the poetry register," Ning Hao said.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ning."

"Also, only bring the volume for the class you are attending; there is no need to lug the entire Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy around," Ning Hao added.

"Understood, thank you, Senior Brother."