Zhenli Offers a Strategy

Zhenli Offers a Strategy

"Another one trying to take shortcuts!"

When Zhu Anshi saw the self-recommendation card handed over by an Academy attendant, it was as if he'd encountered something especially loathsome. He didn't even reach out to take it.

Nearly forty, he possessed both seniority and learning. He had risen through the proper path by relying on his own talent, so he was especially repulsed by people like Zhang Yu who sought advancement through self-recommendation.

Liu Guang smiled, took the card, and dismissed the somewhat embarrassed attendant. Holding the recommendation letter, he carefully read it through and said, "You can't tell where he came from from this."

Zhu Anshi looked as though he'd expected as much. "People of improper origins are always like this."

A self-recommendation card should have listed one's teacher and lineage, where one had studied in the past, and what achievements one had made in one's field of specialization. Yet aside from the four most basic details—name, native place, age, and specialty—this recommendation letter contained nothing else. This indicated that the visitor had likely attended only a private school, perhaps even learned through some wild, unofficial path.

Liu Guang said, "I think this visitor may not be so simple."

He passed the card to Xin Yao beside him. This female instructor, graceful in bearing and lovely in appearance, accepted it and looked it over. She adjusted the glasses perched on her delicate jade-like nose and said flatly, "His background isn't important. We only need to debate him."

Liu Guang looked at Zhu Anshi. "Exactly. Since the Academy assigned the three of us to handle this matter, we only need concern ourselves with scholarly matters. There's no need to meddle in anything else."

Zhu Anshi said solemnly, "I won't let someone like this pass." He glanced at the card. "Let him wait first."

After entering Taiyang Academy, Zhang Yu was led by an Academy attendant into a reception hall and seated there. The Academy didn't make things difficult for him in this regard, even serving him a cup of hot tea.

As he waited, he considered that he had studied Ancient Natural History. Unless something unexpected happened, the Academy ought to arrange instructors from the same specialty to debate him.

But this field required long years of accumulation. Those who had achieved something in it were mostly advanced in age and held lofty status within the Academy. People like that cherished their standing and wouldn't come debate him. If handled poorly, it might even seem like they were suppressing a junior. Thus, those he would most likely face this time were instructors from the younger generation.

That was rather advantageous for him.

Verbal Resonance itself was merely a technique, not some extraordinary ability. Against older scholars with abundant experience, its effect was limited.

Their knowledge was usually complete, and they possessed profound understanding and insight into people and the world. Their hearts were not easily shaken. Like that black-clad Academy official outside the gate earlier: even if he had been affected at first, he recovered immediately after adjusting himself.

Most younger instructors, on the other hand, still had a sentimental side. They were ambitious and more receptive to new ideas and theories, but they were also more easily swayed by outside influences. Once their emotions gained the upper hand, they would lose their rational judgment.

Yet though he waited there, no one from the Academy came for a long time. Even after his tea had gone cold, no one came to replace it. It was as though they had forgotten him.

Zhang Yu didn't mind. This was a common tactic, meant to wear down his edge. The very act revealed an oppositional mood, which instead made it easier for him to grasp the other side's mindset.

He sat there regulating his breathing and calming his qi. He also carried medicinal pills with him, so even if he had to remain here for several days and nights in a row, it wouldn't matter. In truth, they wouldn't go that far, because the Academy still cared about its face. And if they drove him away like this, wouldn't spreading the word outside make it seem as though the Academy feared him?

Sure enough, after only half a day, an attendant came to invite him in and explained several matters he needed to pay attention to.

He carefully remembered them. Even minor details couldn't be overlooked. If possible, he had to avoid making mistakes.

Following the attendant, he walked along a curved corridor at one side and entered a sizable circular building.

He had done his homework before coming. This should be Zhenli Hall, a place specifically used by young students for debates and lectures. It was divided into a front hall and a rear hall, low in front and high in back. Between them ran a slope that began at ground level and gradually rose upward, allowing visitors to proceed directly into the circular hall within.

The attendant stopped before the hall and said, "Sir, just proceed inside."

After thanking him, Zhang Yu walked inward along the slope, but he soon noticed something wrong.

The spatial layout here was unique. Anyone entering from outside had to face the gazes cast down from on high by those inside the hall, and under the solemn, grave atmosphere surrounding them, they would feel immense pressure.

As a result, whether intentionally or not, those standing within the inner hall would naturally develop a feeling of looking down from above.

This kind of top-down conversation wasn't what he wanted.

If the other side placed themselves too high, not only would they be less willing to heed others' opinions, it would also hinder his plans afterward. He had to find a way to break their current psychological advantage!

A thought turned through his mind. After taking a few more steps, he stopped.

Within Zhenli Hall, Zhu Anshi was seated at the highest position in the center. His expression was stern, and his hair was combed without a single strand out of place. Liu Guang and Xin Yao sat at positions to his left and right respectively, their expressions comparatively natural and calm.

Yet when Zhang Yu stepped onto the slope, they had seen his nearly flawless appearance from afar and were inwardly shaken. They couldn't help recalling the portraits of immortals hanging throughout the Academy.

Just then, the three saw Zhang Yu suddenly stop moving. Surprised, they initially thought he had lost his nerve, but they soon realized that wasn't the case. They saw Zhang Yu press his palms together, left covering right, and bow deeply toward the entrance of Zhenli Hall.

The three had become Academy instructors because their learning was genuine. From Zhang Yu's position and movements, they recognized this as the Inquiry Rite, an ancient Celestial Xia ceremony.

In ancient times, when worthies paid mutual respects, a visitor would stand beneath the gate and bow to show reverence and admiration, waiting for the host to return the salute before entering. Later, it became a rite for scholarly visits.

Though this etiquette was rarely used now, few people had even heard of it. But since Zhang Yu had performed it, they had no choice but to respond. As instructors of Ancient Natural History, if others mocked them for not even understanding an ancient Celestial Xia rite, what right would they have to remain seated here?

Thus, all three hurriedly rose and returned his salute.

However, Zhang Yu's movements didn't end there. After the Inquiry Rite, he straightened his body and continued forward in long strides. Upon reaching the entrance, he bowed once more. Then he walked farther in, directly to the center of the hall, spread his wide sleeves, joined his hands, and bowed again!

These several bows were solemn and dignified, carrying both authority and respect. Coupled with the way he had walked forward, pausing with every step as the jade ornaments at his waist chimed, the three suddenly felt the magnificent spirit of Celestial Xia rushing toward them!

For one instant, they felt that the man before them wasn't a student who had come to recommend himself, but a renowned scholar paying a scholarly visit.

They could tell this too was an Ancient Xia rite. Left with no alternative, they could only leave their seats, descend to a place level with Zhang Yu's gaze, and return the salute with solemn expressions.

Once these rites had been performed, the relationship between both sides underwent a subtle change. Originally, the three had been the examiners. Now, however, they appeared to stand as equals.

At this moment, Zhu Anshi realized Zhang Yu wasn't simple. He put away his contempt and even began reflecting on whether he had allowed his first impression to prejudice him.

Returning to his original seat, he thought for a moment and asked, "Master Zhang, may I ask who your teacher was?"

Zhang Yu answered frankly, "My teacher called himself Tao Sheng." He truly had been the teacher who instructed Zhang Yu in scholarship, teaching him the most fundamental knowledge, writing, and rites. Without him, Zhang Yu's later studies would certainly have been far more difficult.

None of the three had heard that name. But since the other party understood ancient Celestial Xia rites, he was very likely descended from one of those criminal officials who had arrived with the Protectorate Office army in the earliest days, and thus used an alias.

Seeing he could learn nothing here, Zhu Anshi asked again, "Master Zhang, you have met us today with the rites of ancient worthies. Could it be that you wish to expound Ancient Xia Classics?"

Zhang Yu raised his head. He knew the crucial moment had arrived.

Ancient Natural History encompassed an extremely broad range. Everyone had things they excelled at and things they didn't. The three before him certainly possessed areas where they surpassed him, but they also certainly had areas where they fell short of him.

But scholarship was sometimes a matter of who held the right to speak.

If the Academy was determined not to let him pass in order to protect its reputation, they wouldn't need to refute him at all. They only needed to prove that what he had learned was utterly worthless and had no practical value to the Protectorate Office.

For example, the Ancient Xia Classics Zhu Anshi had mentioned had long been sealed away in old chambers, covered in tangled webs of dust and cobwebs. Few people still studied them. Even if Zhang Yu could offer some lofty arguments, he would win no more than a few cheers. It wouldn't make the Academy break precedent for him.

But sometimes, he didn't necessarily need to follow the path others had laid out for him.

He looked toward the three above and said, "No. I didn't come here to expound scholarship before you. I have come to present a policy proposal concerning the safety of the Protectorate Office!"

Zhu Anshi's brows instantly furrowed at those words. The trace of respect for Zhang Yu that had just arisen in his heart vanished without a trace. Even Liu Guang and Xin Yao were somewhat surprised.

What was a policy proposal? Put simply, it was offering beneficial views on the affairs of government before the Metropolitan Hall.

But how could such matters be understood merely by reading a few scholarly texts?

Even students and instructors who left Taiyang Academy couldn't directly take office in the Protectorate Office's Governance Office without experience. They first had to serve several years as administrative officials in local townships and cities, undergo a round of training and tempering, and only then would they be assigned suitable positions.

What could a young man who had never entered official service possibly know about policy proposals? And what could he use to discuss them?

Liu Guang sensed an innate power in Zhang Yu's voice that inspired belief, so he said to Zhu Anshi and Xin Yao, "Master Zhang's voice is bright and his qi grand. Perhaps he truly has some high strategy beneficial to the Protectorate Office. I would like to hear it."

Xin Yao stared unblinkingly at Zhang Yu, adjusted her glasses, and said, "Agreed."

Though Zhu Anshi didn't believe this young man possessed the ability to point out the rivers and mountains, that forceful voice made him feel there was no harm in listening. He cupped his hands and said, "Master Zhang, then please enlighten us. What is this policy proposal?"

Wishing everyone peace and health for the Dragon Boat Festival!

Wishing all students taking the college entrance examinations every success!