Volume 2 Chapter 31: Unyielding

  (First of all, I'd like to declare that this book is a fantasy novel set in a different time and space, not historical, so some settings may be altered or added. Please don't take it too seriously, and don't try to find real-life counterparts... There's another chapter tonight, please reserve your votes for next week's ranking, thank you!)

  Minghua Academy is located in Jiangzhou South Guo, covering an area of over 10 mu. The upper and lower schools are separated, with the lower school in the south and the upper school in the north, with a high wall in between, basically not connected to each other.

  For such a partition design, Chen Jianchen understood in his heart that it was just like some comprehensive schools on earth, the difference between junior high school and senior high school.

  However, whether it is the lower house or the upper house, the location of the region is not large, and the building is square and regular, making people feel very conform to rules and etiquette at a glance.

  New students report, and there are special personnel in the college to guide and familiarize themselves with the college environment.

  Because Chen Jianchen and Wang Fu were different, as a Linsheng, in the college Chen Jianchen had a single room assigned to live, while Wang Fu could only squeeze into one with another Xiucai.

  After looking at the room, although it's not big, but very simple and clean, Chen Jian felt quite satisfied. He put away his luggage and books, made his bed - this place would become his new home.

  In fact, the time limit for a scholar to enter the Imperial Academy is not fixed. Once you pass the imperial examination and are recorded as a jinshi (a successful candidate), it's considered a perfect graduation; but if you keep taking the exam and never pass, then you can continue studying in the academy forever.

  Provided you have enough money.

  Studying in a government-run school costs quite a bit, not to mention the fixed tuition fees. Daily expenses for accommodation, food, ceremonial money, teacher respect money, book money and so on add up to at least one silver ingot per month.

  Such an expensive fee is unbearable for ordinary people.

  Of course, it's not necessarily for a Xiucai to enter the Imperial Academy; staying at home and studying on one's own is also an option. However, that would also mean giving up on the imperial examination.

  Self-study is really too difficult, and it's even harder to access various imperial examination resources in official schools.

  Chen Jianchen was a Linsheng, so he didn't have to bear various expenses and instead lived a carefree life. However, the status of Linsheng was not permanent, if in that year's imperial examination, his score fell below average, he would be disqualified as Linsheng and become an ordinary student. At that time, with Chen Jianchen's family background, it would be extremely difficult for him to afford various expenses.

  For these problems to be faced, Chen Jianchen secretly remembered them in his heart and has been seeking a solution.

  After settling in, he was about to go out for a stroll when Wang Fu came and said: "Liu Xian, let's go, I invite you to drink at the Zhuangyuan Building."

  The Zhuangyuan Building is the most famous restaurant in Jiangzhou, with a dish of green vegetables costing 50 cents, and the consumption is indeed not low. Since Wang Fu was so enthusiastic, Chen Jianchen had no reason to decline, anyway, it's not officially opened yet, don't have to follow the school rules, just right to go out and take a walk, see the world.

  On the way, Wang Fu complained: "My brother is really unlucky. When drawing lots for rooms, he actually shared a room with an old man. Looking at his appearance, he was at least fifty years old, with a white beard and dry skin all over his face. His language was tasteless and his face was hateful. The days to come will be difficult to spend. I wonder if I should spend ten taels of silver to live in a separate dormitory."

  Chen Jianchen smiled and said: "Fu Tai brother, that's your business, no need to tell me."

  To be honest, Wang Fu has been nagging all day like a resentful wife, and Chen Jianchen's ears are somewhat impatient.

  Wang Fu didn't care and continued talking to himself, like a flowing river that never stopped.

  Chen Jianchen felt depressed and began to practice the "Three Stances of Truth", immersing himself in his own world, and no longer heard anything outside the window.

  "The True Scripture of the Three Principles" is vast and profound, with extraordinary subtlety. It is a method for cultivating the majestic and upright energy. Fortunately, the brush that dispels evil opened its edge, and the power of the true scripture itself directly opened Chen Jianchen's Mud Pellet Palace, as if he had been enlightened by someone, thus passing the most difficult first test. What remained was only to persist in understanding and practicing it constantly.

  Chen Jianchen hopes to cultivate the orthodox energy as soon as possible, at which time he will no longer need a talisman brush, and any pen and ink can be used to write words that contain the orthodox energy.

  That is the real skill that belongs to oneself, without relying on external objects, and no one can take it away.

  The city of Jiangzhou is bustling with excitement, stalls fill the streets, and vendors' cries are overflowing.

  Wang Fu's mouth was talking non-stop, but his eyes were rolling around and around, glancing at the big girls on the street - this guy is still lecherous and hasn't changed his ways.

  Chen Jianchen looked at him with amusement and didn't bother to intervene.

  After a while, the two arrived at Zhuangyuan Building and ordered a table by the window. Wang Fu, familiar with the place, ordered five good dishes and added a pot of fine wine.

  After the dishes and wine were served, they started eating and drinking.

  Wang Fu smiled and asked: "Liu Xian, how is the wine and food here?"

  "Not bad."

  "That's good, from now on I'll often invite Lü Xian to come here and have a drink."

  "Brother Fu Tai, once the academy officially starts, I will focus on studying and won't indulge in food and drink. So this matter cannot be mentioned again."

  Wang Fuyi was stunned and wanted to say a few more words, but facing Chen Jianchen's clear and bright eyes, he couldn't say anything. He knew that Chen Jianchen was serious.

  Chen Jianchen bluntly shut down the conversation, on one hand not wanting to always follow Wang Fu and freeload, giving others something to gossip about. One or two times could be considered "polite", but three or four times would be "impolite". On the other hand, he wanted to seize the time to study "The True Manual of Three Principles", where did he have so much energy to accompany Wang Fu in eating, drinking and having fun?

  Wang Fu is a decent person by nature, and his character is also passable. However, he and Chen Jianchen are after all people from two different worlds, with completely incompatible ideas and aspirations. As the saying goes, "different paths, no collaboration".

  Wang Fugan smiled and said: "It's good that you're studying hard, it seems that I also need to learn from Liuxian..."

  He said so with his mouth, but there was no sincerity at all.

  Chen Jianchen was even more skeptical - before coming to Jiangzhou, Wang Fu had straightforwardly said that after arriving in Jiangzhou, he wanted to go find Zhu Mama and see if there was a way for him to regain his vigor.

  What's so sacred about Zhu Mom?

  However, she was the top courtesan of Jiangzhou's Yi Hong Lou, said to possess a magical skill with her mouth that could revive even salted fish and carve flowers from rotten wood. The implications are not for outsiders to know.

  But as for Wang Fu, Chen Jianchen is now too lazy to care about it, and he can't control it either.

  When words don't match, there's already some chill in the air.

  It's okay if it's awkward, I can focus on eating and drinking.

  Suddenly there was a commotion on the street outside the window, as if someone was arguing, and many people were cheering and making a scene.

  Chen Jianchen curiously poked his head out to take a look, and saw that many people on the street had formed a circle. Inside the circle, a man was pushing a cart selling big yellow pears, but at the front of the cart, a Taoist priest in tattered clothes was begging the man for a pear to eat.