There were countless people surnamed Huang under heaven, but Li Congyun could not think of any famous scholars with that surname offhand. Naturally, it was even less likely that he would connect the man to the Mountain God.
Still, the calligraphy in his hands had all but overwhelmed his interest in sightseeing. Facing the students around him, Li Congyun deployed his mighty homework tactic.
"We aren't just here to admire the scenery. You will each write an essay on Broad South Mountain in autumn, and it will count toward your academy assessment!"
"Huh?" "You never mentioned that on the way here!"
"Oh, come on, I thought we were just here to have fun..."
"Wonderful! My assessment is saved!"
Some rejoiced while others fretted, gathering in twos and threes to discuss it. They still had scenery to admire, but now other concerns weighed on their minds.
"Yi A Bao, come here!"
Li Congyun called A Bao over, then led him aside. Two other students tried to follow, only to be frightened back by a glare from their teacher.
In a corner of the ridge, Li Congyun leaned against a rock and carefully unrolled the calligraphy bit by bit, as though afraid too much force would tear it, while too little would let the wind carry it away.
As the freshly inked characters appeared before his eyes, Li Congyun's heartbeat began to quicken involuntarily again.
"So this was the poem my Granduncle wrote! 'Awaiting Heaven's Rain,' by the renowned Northern Yan scholar Bai Xiaojie!"
Southern Yan had naturally always styled itself "Great Yan," but here in Great Yong, the Great Yan of the northern and southern capital periods clearly stood on entirely different levels.
At the moment, however, Li Congyun had no interest in testing Yi A Bao's learning. He could barely