[Accumulated Likes: 967] [Accumulated Likes: 971] [Accumulated Likes: 977]
Chen Xu and Wang Mochuan sat facing each other, chatting idly as the atmosphere gradually grew relaxed and familiar.
Yet half of Chen Xu's attention remained fixed on the Cauldron Scripture. He simply could not stop himself from watching the Like count.
With each word of praise from Wang Mochuan, he was now only a little over twenty Likes away from accumulating a thousand!
"Brother Chen, I also came with a rough suggestion in mind." Wang Mochuan set down his bowl of porridge and continued, "You have taken the Courtyard Examination for several years, yet there were always all manner of accidents. Perhaps you should not attribute it all to some illusory notion of fate.
The ways of the world were ever-changing; there was nothing strange about a temporary setback. If Brother Chen does not mind, why not stay at my home for a while?
My family has a three-courtyard residence and several dozen servants. We cannot be called immensely wealthy, but with stewards and servant girls managing the household affairs, you would not need to spend much thought on your daily needs.
Brother Chen need only focus on preparing for the examination and recuperating from your leg injury. When the time comes, you can travel with our caravan to the Prefectural City. Would that not be perfect?"
Wang Mochuan had finally revealed his true purpose in coming to see Chen Xu. As expected, he had come to show goodwill!
Not only had he come to show goodwill—judging by his invitation for Chen Xu to stay at his home, he had plainly come to invest in Chen Xu.
Before Chen Xu could answer, Wang Mochuan asked with concern, "By the way, Brother Chen, how is your leg injury recovering? Should I help you seek out a famous physician?"
Chen Xu paused. The last person who had said he would help him seek out a famous physician, Lin Qi, was now lying inside a coffin.
Of course, Lin Qi's ill intentions did not mean Wang Mochuan harbored the same ill intentions.
Before the other party showed any sign of abnormality, Chen Xu could not casually interpret another person's goodwill as malice.
He merely declined politely. "How could I trouble Brother Wang so? I am used to quiet solitude, and lately I have become somewhat obsessed with the way of the kitchen. How could I have the face to move into Brother Wang's home?
However, if Brother Wang has the time, you may often visit my home instead. I am worried that there is no one to share my cooking with, so I hope Brother Wang will come often to taste and judge it."
Wang Mochuan could not help falling silent. A moment later, he laughed. "I can see it now—Brother Chen, you truly are obsessed with the way of the kitchen! But your leg..."
"My leg injury has improved greatly. It will heal completely before long. Thank you for your concern, Brother Wang."
"Very well, you have your own path. But since your leg injury can heal, you should still make a trip to the County Academy as soon as possible.
Several teachers are tallying the students who will be going to the Prefectural City for the examinations this year. They need to stand guarantor and sign their names for everyone. Do not arrive too late and get left out."
Wang Mochuan's reminder came at exactly the right time, and Chen Xu hurriedly thanked him.
After that, the two chatted casually for a few more sentences. They spoke of Lin Qi's death and sighed regretfully over it; they spoke of the possible subjects on this year's prefectural and Courtyard Examinations, and Wang Mochuan casually gave Chen Xu several pointers on matters requiring attention during the examinations.
Wang Mochuan had already earned the rank of Xiucai Scholar. By rights, he only needed to wait to take the provincial examination that autumn, and had no need to pay much attention to the prefectural and Courtyard Examinations.
But it so happened that one branch of Wang Mochuan's direct lineage resided in the Prefectural City, and a young master from that branch would be taking the Xiucai Scholar examination that year—
This young master had been frail since childhood and always required people to worry over him a little more. The direct branch hoped that Wang Mochuan could personally make a trip to the Prefectural City during the spring examinations, accompany and guide the young master for several days, and help him pass the Xiucai Scholar examination smoothly.
Wang Mochuan therefore said, "It so happens that Governor Guo was transferred at the beginning of the year. This Governor Su, who has newly arrived in our Jiangnan Circuit, once attended lectures under Great Confucian Master Yanqing and has a particular fondness for the study of numbers.
I have heard that Governor Su advocates governing the nation through practical affairs and is an unmistakable pragmatist. If this year's Courtyard Examination questions are set by Governor Su..."
At this point, Wang Mochuan lowered his voice slightly. "I fear the proportion of questions on the study of numbers may increase. Brother Chen, you are quite gifted in this field. If you can offer my younger clansman a few pointers when the time comes, the books in his household may all be read by you as you please.
As for the private tutor of the clan school, we may attend his lectures together as well. Helping each other would benefit us both. What does Brother Chen think?"
Only upon hearing this did Chen Xu finally understand why Wang Mochuan had so explicitly come to show him goodwill.
It must have been what happened yesterday, when he entered the Star Array, that had stirred Wang Mochuan.
Though in everyone's eyes Chen Xu, like Cui Yunqi and the others, had not passed the array's trial, Chen Xu had at least walked into it!
Being able to walk in already put him countless leagues above the mediocre masses.
Chen Xu did not directly refuse Wang Mochuan. Instead, he asked, "Brother Wang, there is something I do not understand. Reading nourished Qi, but how exactly does one nourish it? The teachers at our County Academy have never clearly explained how to cultivate Qi in class.
To be ashamed, before I personally saw the Star Array yesterday, I did not know that there were truly experts in this world capable of moving mountains and carrying seas, like figures from myth.
Are there immortals and gods in our imperial court as well?"
To put it bluntly, Chen Xu's origins were simply too humble.
Though he had passed the Child Scholar examination through bitter study and attended the County Academy, compared with descendants of Great Clans like Wang Mochuan, he seemed like a blank sheet of paper in certain respects.
People clearly breathed the same air, yet that air was plainly filled with boundless barriers.
Chen Xu had discussed many things with Mr. Zhou on the mountain yesterday, but what Mr. Zhou spoke of was all too vast, making it difficult to put into practice at times.
Wang Mochuan was stunned by Chen Xu's question. Then he raised two fingers together and said, "I have only just entered the path of Qi Cultivation myself."
Having said that, he lightly traced those two fingers across the table before him.
He did not seem to make any conspicuous movement, yet as his fingers moved, a clear cloud pattern was carved directly into one corner of the table!
Chen Xu sensed carefully and could detect what seemed to be a wondrous current of Qi flowing and surging from Wang Mochuan's dantian.
This perception and sensing were the ability of Microscopic Vision, gained at the second level of Wood Chopping.
Had it not been for Microscopic Vision, and had Wang Mochuan not deliberately demonstrated it now, Chen Xu would never have noticed through ordinary interaction that Wang Mochuan possessed such "tremendous strength."
After drawing the cloud pattern, Wang Mochuan gently exhaled. "Ashamedly, my learning is shallow. This is all I can do. Once this Qi disperses, I am merely a frail scholar without the strength to truss a chicken."
You called that a frail scholar?
Chen Xu could now carve wood with his bare hands using only his Vital Blood, but he relied on physical strength. It was still different from Wang Mochuan's pure "use of Qi."
He was very curious. Wang Mochuan did not keep him guessing and explained further, "As long as scholars read, they can naturally cultivate a strand of Righteous Qi. Yet ordinary scholars have no secret method. They may cultivate Qi, but cannot retain it, and it is exceedingly difficult for them to wield it on their own initiative.
Unless they attain the rank of Juren Scholar or above and receive a method from the court, or their ancestors belonged to the scholar-official class and their Lineage possesses a legacy."
So that was it. Secret-method legacies were a form of class monopoly.
Just then, several messages flashed across Chen Xu's Cauldron Scripture in quick succession: [Accumulated Likes: 999]
[Accumulated Likes: 1000] [You have accumulated 1000 Likes. The God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll has been unlocked. Would you like to claim it?]
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