Yunjiang's Finest, Competing on the Same Stage

At the foot of Little Peak Mountain, slender bamboo swayed in rippling waves.

Outside the bamboo grove, a tall young man with an honest, sturdy face was kneeling ramrod-straight on both knees.

His expression was earnest. Though he said not a word, everyone knew what he was begging for.

"The Lin family should have sent someone to the Prefectural City, right? What a pity. A round trip to the Prefectural City takes at least a day. Given Lin Qi's sudden illness, who knows whether he can hold on until evening?"

"Brother Lin Yuan, why put yourself through this? A man has gold beneath his knees..."

"What is wrong with kneeling for one's own blood brother?"

Then came the soft clatter of wheels. Farther away, a blue-cloth carriage passed through a small road in North City and hurried toward them.

The crowd's murmurs abruptly fell quiet. A moment later, someone exclaimed in surprise, "Eh? Who is this?"

Everyone understood the subtle implication in his tone.

That carriage was far too shabby. Of all those present, scarcely any family would use such a humble carriage.

The county school students had gathered on one side of the road, while opposite them stood the younger members of several great clans from counties neighboring Jichuan County.

There had originally been an unspoken hostility between the two groups. Yet the moment that shabby carriage appeared in the distance, a burst of laughter suddenly rang out among the county school students. "I know who has come!"

"Who is it?"

"It is Chen Xu, the White-Clad of Yunjiang, whom Mr. Xiao from the Prefectural City once praised!"

"The White-Clad of Yunjiang? Who is that? Never heard of him."

"Mr. Xiao from the Prefectural City... is he the Mr. Xiao who was expelled from the prefectural academy two years ago after being implicated when his clan's younger members forcibly seized the people's property...?"

"Heh. Cannot say, cannot say."

Chen Xu had once possessed an immense reputation in Jichuan County.

Yet what he was most famous for was being Cursed by Misfortune.

Not only was he unlucky himself, even the prefectural academy teacher who had praised him ended up suffering misfortune as well.

With such cursed luck, no matter how much potential Chen Xu had originally displayed, the county school students gradually became unwilling to associate with him.

And Lin Qi, the only one who had been truly close to him, had now fallen ill for no apparent reason.

"Gasp!" Another startled cry suddenly arose from the county school's side. Someone said in sudden realization, "Brother Lin's illness... could it be, could it also be because of... because of him?"

That sentence was like a thunderclap striking level ground, instantly suppressing all the scattered murmurs outside the bamboo grove.

For a time, the entire scene fell silent. No one spoke.

They merely watched as the blue-cloth carriage drew closer and closer. Just as it was about to stop outside the bamboo grove, the curtain was lifted.

A figure in an indigo cotton robe stepped down from the carriage first. Only then did someone among the county school students sigh. "It is Brother Xu Wenyuan."

Xu Wenyuan had come to the Little Bamboo Grove early that morning and had also attempted to challenge the Star Array. Unfortunately, like many of his fellow county school students, he had been inexplicably sent out without even finding the entrance.

Everyone knew this was because their standards were too poor. They did not even qualify to enter and undergo the assessment.

All of them could not help but feel discouraged. Only Xu Wenyuan gritted his teeth, gathered his resolve, and declared with absolute certainty that he would seek Chen Xu's help.

Now, evidently, Xu Wenyuan had brought Chen Xu here.

The county school students could not help feeling conflicted. They might have mocked Chen Xu's misfortune behind his back countless times, but scarcely anyone dared question his learning.

Especially in mathematics, Chen Xu clearly surpassed those of his generation by miles.

If only—if only he were not so unlucky...

"Look!"

Someone pointed westward.

From another small path beside the Little Bamboo Grove came the sudden thunder of galloping horses.

With only a turn in the road, several fine blue-gray steeds appeared before the crowd in an instant, wrapped in a trail of dust and sweeping up a shrill wind, as though storm clouds had suddenly descended.

Here, Chen Xu had yet to leave the blue-cloth carriage.

There, the several steeds had already raced like wind and lightning across the crossroads in the middle of the path.

"Whoa—"

The riders were all splendidly dressed and brimming with vigor.

Upon the foremost steed, whose four hooves were white as snow, the richly dressed youth who was clearly their leader let out a long laugh. "Cui Yunqi of the Cui Clan of Yunjiang Prefecture, together with my brothers, has come specifically to pay respects to Mr. Zhou!"

Before his words had even faded, his robes fluttered as he leapt from the horse.

Then he clasped his fists elegantly toward the bamboo grove. "Mr. Zhou, my father asked this junior to convey a message. Since our parting that day, has Mr. Zhou remained well? Since Mr. Zhou has returned to Yunjiang, why not visit the Cui Residence? Old friends at Inkstone Cottage are still waiting for Mr. Zhou."

Before he had even finished this sweeping speech, the county school students of Jichuan County and the surrounding students had already been left dumbfounded.

By the time the newcomer finished speaking, the students had forgotten their previous apprehension toward Chen Xu. One after another, they could not help cursing under their breaths, "Shameless!"

This Cui Yunqi had arrived and immediately put on the appearance of having an exceptional connection with Mr. Zhou. What was he trying to do?

Someone said indignantly, "Mr. Zhou will certainly ignore such a man!"

"Yes, exactly..."

The others hurriedly echoed him.

Yet after echoing him, they could not help feeling uneasy. Would Mr. Zhou truly ignore this man?

Several breaths passed. From within the Little Bamboo Grove came only clear, utter stillness. Sure enough, no response came for Cui Yunqi.

Only then did everyone collectively let out a breath of relief. Wonderful. Mr. Zhou truly had principles; he was fair and impartial.

Though Cui Yunqi received no answer, he was not embarrassed. Straightening up, he smiled. "This junior was presumptuous. Since I have come here, how could I seek an audience with Mr. Zhou without first trying the Star Array?"

With that, he strode toward the bamboo grove.

Just as he was about to step directly into it, Xu Wenyuan beside the carriage grew anxious. "Wait!"

Xu Wenyuan shouted, "Cui... Young Master Cui, please wait. Everything has an order of arrival. We were clearly here first, so how can Young Master Cui be the first to challenge the formation?"

He feared that Cui Yunqi would delay Chen Xu, preventing him from challenging the formation and seeking an audience with Mr. Zhou at once.

He had cried out both because his anxiety made the words slip from his mouth and because he had mustered all his courage.

Yet Cui Yunqi, who had been walking before the bamboo grove, unexpectedly turned his head, looking surprised. "What order of arrival? The Star Array is not some mundane thing. If I go in, does that mean no one else can?"

The meaning of those words was that the Star Array could admit multiple people to challenge it at the same time.

And neither the people of Jichuan County nor those from the neighboring counties had known this before.

Or rather, no one had even considered the question. Whenever someone wanted to challenge the formation, they would properly offer their respects outside it first, then line up and go forward one by one to try.

Cui Yunqi's startled remark immediately made Xu Wenyuan's face flush crimson.

His face burned fiercely. No one had slapped him, yet he was so ashamed that he wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

Cui Yunqi smiled. "If you wish to come, brother, simply come. As long as your learning is sufficient, Mr. Zhou is the most approachable elder there is."

Once he said this, the several young riders who had come with Cui Yunqi all burst into laughter as well.

They dismounted in unison and followed after him, saying, "Brother Cui, come, come, come. Let us take in the splendor of this great formation of a famed scholar together."

With that, they raised their feet and entered the bamboo grove ahead in just a few steps.

No one cared whether Xu Wenyuan behind them would follow. As for Chen Xu, who had yet to leave the carriage, no one cared about him even less.