On the tenth day of the first lunar month, the Saint Apricot Literary Assembly officially began.
From dawn onward, scholars streamed in from all directions to the outskirts of Xiang Prefectural Academy. Passing through the gate formed by the Heaven-and-Earth Shell, they entered the venue one after another.
The Heaven-and-Earth Shell had perfectly replicated the Literary Academy's surroundings, but expanded the area dozens of times over.
At the very center of Literary Academy Square stood a perfectly square apricot grove. At its heart, white mist billowed.
Everyone knew that within the white mist lay the legendary Little Apricot Altar, formed by the two Sacred Apricots after Fang Yun's lectures.
North of the apricot grove stood the solemn Temple of Sages, with no seats arranged in the open space between them.
South of the apricot grove was the main gate of the Literary Academy, and the open plaza between them was filled with seats.
The seats closest to the grove consisted of uniformly arranged round tables, surrounded by finely crafted redwood grandmaster chairs. These were reserved for monarchs, Great Scholars, and Grand Academicians from every nation.
Beyond them were no round tables, only many ordinary chairs. These were the seats for Hanlin Academicians and Metropolitan Graduates from every nation.
Farther back stood rows of brand-new long wooden benches, temporarily manufactured in vast quantities by Grand Academicians of the Craftsmen School. Any scholar could sit there.
Non-scholars were forbidden from entering the Saint Apricot Literary Assembly. This was even stricter than the previous Mid-Autumn Literary Gathering.
The Great Scholars and Grand Academicians had not yet arrived, but many scholars already occupied the other areas, from Licentiates to Hanlin Academicians.
Scholars from every region had arrived together and sat side by side, laying out food and wine, discussing books and essays, chatting about