Sacred Land, Book Mountain

Fang Yun had not expected this uncle of his to be so bold. A Barbarian Marquis was equivalent to a Hanlin Academician, powerful enough to breach a city alone.

"Then this nephew thanks Uncle for relieving my predicament. I was worrying over how I could go to the Prefectural Academy. With your word, I can go to Dayuan Prefecture without worry." Fang Yun immediately rose to thank him.

Fang Shouye laughed heartily. "Our Dayuan Fang Household has finally produced a Sage-front Tongsheng. How could I watch you throw your life away for nothing? Still, though Liu Zicheng would not dare kill you, he would certainly strike at your literary reputation. He ranked among the top ten in the Prefectural Examination that year and has climbed Book Mountain. Both his literary reputation and Literary Qi have much to recommend them. He is also at the Prefectural Academy, so be careful after you enter. So long as he does not use excessive means, it would not be convenient for me to act against him again."

"This nephew understands. But could you tell me more about Book Mountain?" Fang Yun asked curiously.

A look of nostalgia and regret appeared on Fang Shouye's face. "That is a Sacred Land. It not only tempers Literary Guts, but can also grant Literary Hearts. Book Mountain has a total of Nine Mountains, and each of the first three mountains has three pavilions. It is said that passing every three mountains earns one Literary Heart."

"I went there twice. The first time was after I became an Academy Student. Unfortunately, I only reached the Third Pavilion of First Mountain. It was not as though I gained nothing, since my Literary Qi did grow stronger. The second time was after I became a Provincial Graduate. Unfortunately, I stopped before the Second Pavilion of Second Mountain. Still, after becoming a Provincial Graduate, I cultivated my Literary Guts, and my second climb up Book Mountain tempered them. That counted as a gain."

"What exactly is inside Book Mountain?" Fang Yun asked curiously.

Fang Shouye shook his head. "I do not remember. Those who have gone only remember how far they climbed and what they gained. Other than that, they remember nothing. Book Mountain has been continuously empowered by the Sages throughout the ages. It is a place that tests Academy Students and Provincial Graduates. It is said that after entering Book Mountain, there is also a tiny chance of obtaining a Sacred Book. Those are Literary Treasures crafted by the Sages at the cost of their own Literary Qi."

"What a pity." Fang Yun had originally thought he could learn something about Book Mountain from Fang Shouye.

Fang Shouye said, "Remember this: when you climb Book Mountain in the future, you must do everything in your power to climb higher! We are not a Sage Aristocratic Clan. In our entire lives, we can only enter Book Mountain twice, while members of Sage Aristocratic Clans can enter a third time after becoming Metropolitan Graduates. Their future achievements will be far greater than ours. Oh, right—the National Chief also has a third chance to enter Book Mountain."

"National Chief?" Fang Yun vaguely knew of it, but did not understand it well.

"Above the Zhuangyuan is the National Chief, the foremost scholar of the Ten Kingdoms. There is a Zhuangyuan every year, but there may not necessarily be a National Chief. Back then..." Fang Shouye's expression suddenly darkened. He laughed at himself and said, "The title of National Chief is far too difficult to obtain. There is no use speaking of it. What you need to do this year is study properly and take the Academy Student examination next year."

Fang Yun said, "I am planning to take the Academy Student examination this year."

"Oh? Your Appeal to the Sage's Words and poetry may be worthy of note, but you have not yet studied Classic Interpretation, have you? There are less than three months until the Prefectural Examination. Are you confident?"

"I would not say I am confident. I will simply give it a try."

"Very well. By then, you will naturally learn that becoming an Academy Student is not so easy." There was something beneath Fang Shouye's words. He continued, "You do not have any livelihood either. Before you pass as an Academy Student, teach elementary studies at the Dayuan Fang Household's clan school and enlighten the Fang Clan's children. Twenty taels of silver a month. How does that sound?"

"Wouldn't that be too much, Uncle?" Fang Yun asked.

Fang Yusheng remained silent beside them. He was an Academy Student teaching Licentiates at the County Academy, yet he earned only five taels of silver a month. Fang Yun was merely a Licentiate, but he could earn twenty taels just by teaching children. Comparing oneself to others could make one furious.

"A Double-A Honor Case First who shattered Jing Kingdom's precedent is worth that price," Fang Shouye said.

"Then this nephew thanks Uncle. I will strive to settle the affairs here within ten days, then head to the prefectural city." Fang Yun knew this was Fang Shouye's kindness. So long as he served as a teacher at the Fang Clan School, the Liu Household or anyone else would have to consider the consequences before touching him. It was a form of protection in disguise.

"Good. You will not reconsider?" Fang Shouye stood and glanced once more at the two chests of treasures he had failed to give away.

Fang Yun smiled. "As far as I know, although Sage-front Tongsheng are rare, not all of them achieve such great things. Moreover, a Licentiate must grow into a Metropolitan Graduate before accomplishing anything, and that could take twenty or thirty years. Why does Uncle value me so highly?"

Fang Shouye stroked his stubbled chin. "First, your poem 'Year's End' was well written. Cursing Liu Shan gave me great satisfaction. As for the second reason, if you can create a World-Passing war poem or war lyric, let alone a mere twenty thousand taels, even two hundred thousand taels of silver would be worth it."

Only then did Fang Yun understand.

Among poems, lyrics, and essays, only a very small portion possessed Literary Qi.

Among works that possessed Literary Qi, only a very small portion could stir the primordial energy of Heaven and Earth.

Among poems that could stir the primordial energy of Heaven and Earth, only a very small portion were war poems or war lyrics with the power to kill enemies.

And among war poems and war lyrics, only an exceedingly small portion could be taught to others, allowing others to master them and become "World-Passing" war poems or war lyrics.

Jing Kingdom's Half-Sage Chen Guanhai had undergone Saint Enfeoffment over a hundred years ago. He had written countless poems, lyrics, and essays, yet only two of his war poems and war lyrics could be passed down through the world.

A Half-Sage alone could stand against an army of a million, but he could not teach everyone to stand against an army of a million.

"So that was it," Fang Yun said.

Fang Shouye said, "Unfortunately, poetry and lyrics developed too slowly in the past. Because of the Millennium Truce, though the Human Race fought among itself, there was no external threat. The Sages had their minds on the Sacred Way, placing Classic Interpretation first. They even considered Governance of the State Realm a minor path, much less lyrics and rhapsodies. The Half-Sages all wished to take another step forward and become Second Saints or even Saints, becoming a second Sage Kong. Only when the thousand-year pact expired and the Demon Barbarians repeatedly invaded our Human Race's Ten Kingdoms did the Sages realize something was wrong. Half-Sages did not fear Demon Sages, but those below Half-Sages—especially those below Metropolitan Graduates—lacked sufficient power to kill enemies."

Fang Yun knew this part of history and interjected, "Then they discovered that war poems and war lyrics were the key to resisting enemies, so they adjusted the Imperial Examination, and the literary climate of the Ten Kingdoms changed drastically?"

"Exactly. At such a young age, you can already write fine poetry and possess a heart of righteous energy. Those are precisely what our military needs most. As a soldier, I hope you will join the military. But as your uncle, I hope you will follow the Literary Academy path instead and bring a Grand Academician to our Fang Household." Fang Shouye patted Fang Yun's shoulder, turned, and prepared to leave.

Fang Yun immediately said, "Uncle, please wait. I have something to discuss. I plan to open a bookshop to sell my poems and essays, along with some novels. Would Uncle be interested in buying shares?"

"Oh? How much for one share?" Fang Shouye asked.

"Uncle has helped me greatly, so I will ask only one-tenth of the price. One share for one thousand taels," Fang Yun said.

"Do I look like some fool to you? Renting a shop and adding all the other expenses would not even cost five hundred taels a year, and you dare ask one thousand taels for one share?" Fang Shouye's eyes widened.

The others beside them also stared at Fang Yun in surprise. Even Yang Yuhuan found it baffling; the asking price was far too high.

"Then could Uncle lend me one thousand taels? I will return two thousand taels to you before this year's New Year, but you must tell the outside world that the Fang Household has invested in my bookshop," Fang Yun said.

"You really are a crafty little brat." Fang Shouye laughed. Only then did he understand that Fang Yun feared others would obstruct the bookshop, so he wanted to fly the banner of the Dayuan Fang Household. The signboard of a prominent family could block countless arrows shot from the shadows.

Fang Yun did not refute him. Though he did want to borrow the strength of the Dayuan Prefecture Fang Household, he mainly wanted to thank Fang Shouye for protecting him. With the Strange Book World, he believed his bookshop would have wealth rolling in like a surging tide, and his literary reputation would spread swiftly. The latter was what mattered most.

"Then is Uncle willing to lend it to me?" Fang Yun asked.

"No loan! I will pay five thousand taels for five shares! I want half!" Fang Shouye said.

"My apologies, I am only selling one share. No more," Fang Yun said, thinking, No wonder he is an old fox.

"What about three shares?"

"Not for sale!"

"Two shares are not possible either?"

"No." Fang Yun was not polite in the slightest.

"Then one share it is. I want to see what sort of spectacle you can make!" Fang Shouye immediately counted out a one-thousand-tael banknote and placed it on the table. Then he turned and left, while the other two carried away the chests.

After seeing Fang Shouye off, Fang Yun returned to his room, picked up the banknote from the table, and thought that he now had his startup funds.

Yang Yuhuan asked curiously, "Xiao Yun, are you really opening a bookshop? There are many bookshops in the city, but most are old established businesses. A new bookshop will struggle to survive. You still need to study—where will you find the time to run it?"

"With you. You will be the proprietress of the bookshop. Once I teach you to read, write, and do arithmetic, you can help me run it."

A faint blush rose over Yang Yuhuan's fair face. Spring filled her brows and eyes as she said shyly, "Do not talk nonsense! Speak seriously."

Fang Yun said, "I do not have time, but Liang Yuan does. He failed to become a Licentiate this time and can only go manage the rice shop, but he does not like it. If I hire him to help run the bookshop, he will definitely be willing. Managing a bookshop will give him a chance to keep studying and take the Imperial Examination."

"Liang Yuan and his wife are both good people." Yang Yuhuan nodded.

Fang Yun added, "Over the next few days, go around and find an honest, dependable woman to bring to Dayuan Prefecture to help with household chores. I will find a reliable young man in the clan somehow and bring him to Dayuan Prefecture as an attendant as well."

"Mm, I understand. You are about to go to the Temple of Sages, so hurry along," Yang Yuhuan said.

"All right."

As he spoke, Fang Yun placed the one-thousand-tael banknote in Yang Yuhuan's hand. "Put the money away. We will use it to open the bookshop when we reach Dayuan Prefecture."

"Mm." Yang Yuhuan suddenly became excited. In the past, she had earned money to support Fang Yun, so handling the money meant nothing. But now that Fang Yun had come into a large sum and still handed all of it to her, she felt that he truly regarded her as his wife in his heart.

Just as Fang Yun stepped out the front gate, he saw four classmates walking toward him. Ge Xiaomao waved excitedly. "We were just coming to find you."

Fang Yun walked over and headed to the Literary Academy with the four of them.

The four had met at the banquet table yesterday, but it had been so noisy that they had no time to talk. This was their first conversation after the official results were announced, so everyone was excited.

"Fang Yun, I never expected you to hide your light so deeply. You are truly a model for our generation!" Lu Lin praised loudly. Though his Licentiate ranking was lower than Fang Yun's, he was not jealous in the slightest. Instead, he was sincerely happy for his classmate.

"You became a Licentiate too, Lu Lin. Congratulations." Fang Yun smiled.

"You two can stop praising each other. Have you no thought for our feelings?" Ge Xiaomao said, half-jokingly with childishness.

Lu Zhan said instead, "I feel great! Fang Yun, you did brilliantly—you thoroughly crushed Fang Zhongyong's arrogance. What kind of prodigy is he? You are the true prodigy! A Double-A Honor! Even Sage Chen could not accomplish that. Perhaps you might become a Half-Sage one day! I refuse to believe Fang Zhongyong can surpass you."

Though Liang Yuan was happy for Fang Yun, his mood was somewhat low.

Just then, a passerby took the initiative to congratulate Fang Yun. Fang Yun immediately returned the courtesy and thanked him politely.