"This is Liuzhou?"
Before the gates of Liuzhou City, whether it was their first time visiting the Central Plains Jiangnan of Jiangnan or a scion of a prominent family from the Jiangnan before, everyone was awestruck by the towering city walls.
"Cousin, was Liuzhou like this before?"
Shen Yu's two cousins stared blankly behind him.
"Of course not," Shen Yu frowned. Even the capital city didn't have such city walls, so how could Liuzhou have them in the past?
This Jiangnan region certainly has something special. Shen Yuan was really lucky to be temporarily assigned to Jiangnan back then!
Shen Yang, standing behind Shen Xue, kept exclaiming in disbelief, wondering how the city wall was fixed and what materials were used. Rammed earth couldn't possibly work, and glutinous rice mortar? That was impossible too; a city wall made with that kind of formula, while sturdy, could never be this high.
Shen Yang frowned at Shen Yu's loud and boisterous tone. He couldn't understand what the youngest kid was saying at all, so he coldly interrupted him, "Shut up. There are so many people around. If you dare to talk nonsense and embarrass the Shen Family again, get back here."
Shen Yu's voice was very soft, but it startled Shen Yang so much that he immediately hid behind Shen Xue, not daring to speak.
Shen Xue lowered her head, not daring to comfort the frightened Shen Yang.
Shen Yu snorted coldly, intending to reprimand him a couple more times, but suddenly heard a group of young men dressed in feathered robes looking curiously in their direction from not far away.
The group of people looked very different from the people of the Central Plains, and Shen Yu recognized them at a glance. They were the Northern Wasteland team that had come with him on the same ship.
" The Central Plains are indeed remarkable. Even such a young child has such knowledge, and even knows about the ancient wall-building method of using glutinous rice and lime."
The leading man stepped forward and bowed, saying, "My Murong Bingyun. May I ask your name, young brother?"
Shen Yang was taken aback. Already terrified by Shen Yu, he glanced at her and hid even further away.
Shen Xue helplessly protected her cousin, then apologized apologetically, "My younger brother is young and a little shy, I hope this young master will understand."
"Oh, it's alright, I was being presumptuous." Murong Bingyun bowed apologetically again, then said, "This young brother's analysis was quite insightful, and upon closer inspection, I'm surprised at how young he is. The Central Plains is a vast and resource-rich land, and the families here are renowned for their profound knowledge. It truly makes one feel ashamed."
"You're too kind, young master." Before Shen Xue could reply, Shen Yu had already moved closer.
He had actually wanted to make contact with the Northern Wasteland team while he was on the ship. He had inquired and learned that the Northern Wasteland team consisted of direct descendants from several long-established families. Although the ancient families of the Ancient Desolation Kingdom could not compare to the families of the Central Plains, their foundation was far stronger than that of the Shen Family.
Moreover, according to rumors, the aristocratic families of the Northern Wasteland yearn for the culture of the Central Plains and often send their daughters to marry into the Central Plains. They also sincerely bring with them some practical magic techniques. Such temptations are naturally not very attractive to those thousand-year-old aristocratic families with a large number of magic techniques, but it is different for the Shen Family.
He noticed it on the ship; several women in the Northern Wasteland team were quite beautiful. If they were to marry into other families with powerful spells as dowry, wouldn't that be better than the families his incompetent mother had chosen?
However, the other party was guarded along the way, with an attitude of "keep away, strangers," which made it difficult for him to approach. Unexpectedly, Shen Yang's nonsense attracted the attention of the young master of the Murong Family, who took the initiative to strike up a conversation.
It finally had some effect.
"And who is this gentleman?" Murong Bingyun asked with a smile.
"My name is Shen Yu. I've brought my younger siblings here for this trip. Greetings, Murong."
"So it's Brother Shen." Murong Bingyun nodded upon hearing this. "I apologize for startling your younger brother by coming over so abruptly."
" Murong, you are too kind. I am young and born out of wedlock, and I have never seen much of the world. Please forgive any Murong I may have displayed."
Born out of wedlock?
Murong Bingyun frowned. Are all illegitimate children this outstanding?
Thinking that the other party didn't seem to dislike his identity as a member of the Northern Desolation Kingdom, he struck up a conversation with them for a few minutes.
"Brother Shen, tell me, which ancient method from the 'The Exploitation of the Works of Nature) section on architecture was used to construct this city? Why can't we see any trace of its origin?"
"This..." Shen Yu was immediately stumped by the question. He hadn't even understood three chapters of the Nine Palace Mathematics, so how could he possibly be reading a classic text on natural science like the Exploitation of the Works of Nature?
He had seen it before; the book was at least three fingers thick, and just looking at it was intimidating. But when he asked later, he found out that all that thickness was just the table of contents? The entire book, the Exploitation of the Works of Nature, could fill a whole bookshelf!
That instantly killed any desire he had for that thing.
He couldn't help but think to himself, "These direct descendants of the Northern Desolation Kingdom are supposed to be from a thousand-year-old aristocratic family, how come they're reading such useless books?"
Murong Yunbing chatted for a few more minutes about the topic of divination, and noticed that the other party's answers were hesitant and stammering. She instantly realized that this guy who claimed to be the leader of the family actually knew absolutely nothing about divination.
He was immediately puzzled. In the Jiangnan examination, arithmetic and physics were given equal weight. How could someone who knew nothing about these subjects be allowed to take the exam?
Or perhaps this person specializes in other academic fields?
Before coming, Murong Yunbing carefully studied the rules. The entrance examination for the Jiangnan Academy was a comprehensive examination, mainly testing arithmetic and physics, and secondarily testing medicine, astrology, divination, feng shui and other esoteric arts. If one had a deep understanding of the latter subjects, it was said that one could also take a separate exam.
With this in mind, he tried to find topics to talk about in various areas. Although he was young, he was tactful in dealing with people under his father's guidance. At such a young age, he was quite good at communicating with people, and he led the conversation naturally without any awkwardness.
Unfortunately, the other party couldn't understand a word.
This made Murong Yunbing even more puzzled.
Seeing the atmosphere growing increasingly awkward, and with the women of the Murong Family eventually completely ignoring her, Shen Yu finally couldn't help but ask, " Murong is also born into a prominent family, so why are you so interested in these useless miscellaneous studies?"
Upon hearing this, all the members of the Murong Family looked over, but their expressions were extremely strange.
Even the usually tactful Murong Yunbing looked at the other man as if he were an idiot, and couldn't help but ask, "Brother Shen, you say this is useless miscellaneous learning?"
"These things are easy for craftsmen to do. How can core disciples like us have the time to deal with them? Murong is so young, yet he has become a candidate for priesthood. He must be exceptionally talented. He shouldn't be obsessed with these things and ruin his future." Shen Yu advised him earnestly, speaking in the tone of an elder brother.
But Murong Yunbing's expression became even stranger upon hearing this. After hesitating for a few moments, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Brother Shen, since you look down on these things, then... what are you doing here?"
Shen Yu chuckled, "Does Brother Murong really think that Jiangnan Academy needs to be supported by a group of craftsmen? With our talents, would the academy possibly miss out?"
Looking at the other party's confident smile, Murong Bingyun remained silent for a few moments before speaking, "Brother Shen, didn't you see the structure of that enormous ship when you came? There are special magical arrays guiding the keel joints, and this city wall, and this..." Murong Yu took out a piece of ice jade and asked, "Brother Shen, do you really think that these things were made by a group of ordinary craftsmen?"
"Just some fancy tricks," Shen Yu waved his hand. "Brother Murong, did you come here to learn these things? Perhaps you're after that legendary technique of Void Formation Drawing?"
Upon hearing this, not only did the Murong Family members look strange, but Shen Xue and the others couldn't help but cover their faces.
Pfft!
Before the Murong Family could say anything, the women queuing not far away couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Shen Yu was immediately annoyed, because he could see that the Murong Family members were looking at him more and more like he was an idiot, and the woman's laughter in the distance directly ignited his nerves.
"I cough cough," the woman rolled her eyes, "I just remembered something happy."
"What's making you happy?"
"Hmm, I'm thinking... Void Formation Drawing "
As soon as he said that, everyone around burst into laughter!
Completely unaware of what had happened, Shen Yu looked at the group of people laughing around him, his anger growing stronger. He glared at them and said angrily, "Did I say something wrong? Which of the noble families who came here isn't after that Void Formation Drawing technique?"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the surrounding disciples became even stranger, and many of them laughed even louder.
Shen Yu was completely bewildered. What were they laughing at?
Did I say something wrong?
"Um, Brother Shen," Murong Bingyun couldn't help but laugh, "Is this the Void Formation Drawing you mentioned?"
As she spoke, the other person made a few gestures in the air with her long, slender, and fair fingers, and then runes flashed in the air, forming a spell array.
Shen Yu stared blankly at the other person's movements. The Three Origins Formation, the most basic magic array, can usually be drawn using white canvas and mercury as stabilizing materials. Although simple, the other person had indeed used it— Void Formation Drawing!
You can do that too?
"Cousin, can't you do it?" Shen Yang asked this time, even though he didn't dare to laugh as loudly as the people around him, he still felt that his cousin was really silly.
"This stuff is covered in Chapter Four of the Fundamentals of Spell Formations. If it was for this, cousin, you really didn't need to make this special trip," Shen Yang said cautiously, looking at the dazed Shen Yu.
Pfft! The people around them broke down in laughter again!