Insufficient balance

  Early in the morning, Musheng and Wenhao had breakfast and went to Yafeng Academy. When they arrived at Yafeng Academy, Musheng said: "Wenhao, why is the academy so deserted today? Is there something you don't know?"

  Wen Hao also shook his head and said: "I don't know either, I didn't come yesterday, who knows what's going on at the academy?"

  Upon hearing this, Mu Sheng suggested: "I think we should go around and ask someone about the situation." Wen Hao nodded in agreement. Mu Sheng went to the southeast while Wen Hao headed northwest. The two agreed to meet at the entrance of the academy.

  Musheng walked towards the southeast, feeling that the academy was still quite large. Along the winding path, Musheng arrived at a small lake, where willows lined the shore, and several branches swayed in the gentle breeze, slapping against the water's surface, creating ripples that spread far away.

  Suddenly, the sound of a guqin came drifting over, its elegant melody fitting perfectly with the scene. Following the sound, Mu Sheng looked around and saw that in the pavilion on the other side of the lake, a woman in white was sitting and playing the guqin. The woman's beauty was not inferior to that of the eldest miss, so it would be better to go ask her, rather than making a trip for nothing.

  Mo Sheng walked slowly to the pavilion, and the woman seemed to be undisturbed by Mo Sheng's light footsteps, still immersed in her own music.

  Mo Sheng didn't want to interrupt her playing, so he could only wait aside. After a while, the music stopped, but there was still an echo by the lake. The woman turned around and smiled at Mo Sheng, saying: "Young master, do you have something to say?" As she spoke, she curiously sized up the man in front of her, seemingly not having seen him before in the academy.

  Mo Sheng spoke politely: "I'd like to ask Miss something." The woman replied warmly: "Please go ahead, young master."

  "Why is Yafeng Academy so deserted today?"

  "Next month on the fifteenth, the imperial examination will be held, so the academy is starting its holiday from today. I hope all students review well at home to prepare for the exam." The woman slowly said with a gentle smile.

  "Thank you for telling me, I've troubled you enough, goodbye." With that, he left.

  That woman didn't say a word to retain him, and it's not like she would have said anything to a strange man. Even among familiar men who could get her to speak up, there were only a handful in the Mixed Yuan Prefecture. "But that man just now wasn't bad, his gaze was clear and unhazy." Qianqiu thought to herself.

  When Mosheng arrived at the gate of the academy, Wen Hao had not yet arrived. After about a quarter of an hour, he saw Wen Hao coming with his head down, "Judging from his appearance, I guess he didn't ask the way, fortunately, my luck is good."

  Wen Hao walked up, and Mu Sheng asked: "How was it? Did you find anything?" Wen Hao said with a scowl: "Don't mention it, I didn't even see a ghostly shadow. How about your side?"

  "Still not bad, the overall situation is clear." Then Mu Sheng told Wen Hao the reason, and Wen Hao muttered to himself: "I'm done for, I'm done for, this time I'm dead for sure." Then he seemed to have found a lifeline and pulled Mu Sheng, saying: "Mu big brother, you have to help me this time, or else I'll really be dead for sure." After finishing, he looked at Mu Sheng with a pitiful expression.

  "Are you referring to the imperial examination?"

  "Uh-huh," Wen Hao nodded vigorously, and Mu Sheng thought for a moment. With more than a month left before the exam, he figured it was about time, so he said: "I can help you, but you have to listen to me." Wen Hao seemed to regain his spirit upon hearing Mu Sheng's words and said: "Of course."

  "Since that's the case, let's hurry up and prepare then!"

  After returning to the Zhao Mansion, Mu Sheng learned from Wen Hao that the exam was divided into theoretical questions and practical questions. So Mu Sheng asked Wen Hao to prepare nearly ten years of test questions and major events that had occurred in the imperial court over the past two years. After giving the instructions, Wen Hao went off to work on it, while Mu Sheng took a look at the Four Books and Five Classics, as the content of the theoretical questions all came from them.

  After hastily finishing dinner, Shuosheng returned to his room, reading books and highlighting key points while trying to finish today's tasks.

  The next day, Muzi got up very late. Wen Hao's efficiency in handling matters was not bad, and by noon, he had handed over the things he had ordered yesterday to Muzi. Muzi then spent another afternoon refining the theoretical key points.

  Wen Hao was safely in the study room, looking at the key content drawn by Mu Sheng. Through his previous learning experience, Mu Sheng came up with some questions from various aspects of major events in the imperial court, and then answered them from the perspective of Marxist philosophy. Later, he let Wen Hao do his own questions, which combined previous annual examination questions and his own examination experience.

  Musheng, based on the inadequacies shown by Wen Hao, took corresponding suggestions and measures. In the first ten days, Musheng guided Wen Hao every day to help him grasp good learning methods. Later, feeling that Wen Hao was on the right track, Musheng let him review independently.

  It's time for me to do my own thing, so I asked the big sister for a few dozen days off and said I'd be back before the young master's exam. The big sister was curious about Mu Sheng's leave, but she didn't ask any questions. Because she knew that even if she asked, Mu Sheng wouldn't tell her, everyone has their own little secrets, and the big sister agreed to Mu Sheng's request.

  After Mu Sheng left, only Xiao Die asked: "Miss, do you think Mr. Mu's teachings to the young master are effective?" Apparently, Xiao Die had some doubts about Mu Sheng's strange way of preparing for the exam.

  The elder sister said with some helplessness: "I don't know either, but based on my brother's level, there is no hope for this imperial exam. Since that's the case, maybe treating a dead horse as if it were alive will still leave a thread of hope."

  The little butterfly nodded slightly, but her curiosity made her ask: "Miss, you said that Mr. Mu took such a long leave of absence, what will he do?"

  The elder sister looked in the direction where Mu Sheng had left, and said weakly: "I don't know either, he's always been very mysterious. Let's not talk about him for now, go take a look at how Young Master is doing."

  Listening to the big sister's words, Xiaodie happily ran towards the study room. Looking at Xiaodie's delighted expression, the big sister thought: "This little demon girl has long been seen as having ill intentions towards her brother." However, the big sister didn't say anything, some things are better left for them to resolve on their own.

  After leaving the Zhao Manor, Mu Sheng bought several dozen days' worth of dry rations on the street. Then he set off towards Qian Feng Cliff. Upon arriving at Qian Feng Cliff, Mu Sheng found a cave and placed the dry rations inside. He then sat down for a while to adjust his internal energy to its optimal state before starting to practice the martial arts techniques from page twenty-four of the "Mantra of Brahma". When he got tired from practicing, Mu Sheng would eat some dry rations and sit down to recover his internal energy. Once he recovered to his optimal state, he would start practicing again.

  After such a repetitive process for twenty-odd days, the dry rations were also finished, and there were only two days left before the exam at the prefecture. It was time to go back. Moreover, his current internal energy and techniques had made great progress, as long as he didn't encounter top-notch masters, he would have no problem defending himself. After packing up, Musheng went back.

  When he returned to the Zhao residence, Mu Sheng went to the study to take a look at Wen Hao. When he arrived at the study, he only saw Wen Hao looking at the practical questions and answers that Mu Sheng had come up with. "It seems that he has indeed worked hard during this period of time!" Mu Sheng thought to himself.

  Musheng came before Wen Hao and said: "How's your studying going? Do you have confidence now?"

  Wen Hao looked up and saw that it was Mu Sheng, excitedly saying: "Mu brother, you're back! Recently not bad, now dare not say must be okay, but also have seven parts of confidence."

  Musheng listened to Wen Hao's words and said with some comfort: "This is good, don't let the young lady down. I'm disturbing you, study hard." After finishing speaking, he left the study room. For the next two days, Musheng only went to the study room to see Wen Hao, otherwise he was in his own room cultivating his internal energy. Only by constantly improving his internal skills could his external moves be effective, so practicing martial arts should focus on cultivating internal energy and use external moves as a supplement.

  The day of the provincial examination had finally arrived, and everyone in the Zhao Manor got up early. The eldest miss, Qin Bo, Wen Hao, and Mu Sheng were all in the main hall, Wen Hao was both excited and nervous today.

  "Little brother, this time in the imperial examination, you must not disappoint me. I think Father and Mother are watching from heaven and will definitely bless you to do well." When Big Sister mentioned Father and Mother, she looked very sad, and Mu Sheng thought "it seems that everyone has some heart-wrenching past".

  "Master Qin said at this time: "Young master, you must do well on your exam! Your father and mother will be watching from above."

  Musheng saw that both Da Xiaojie and Qin Bo had spoken, so if he didn't say anything, it would be a bit awkward. He walked over to Wen Hao's side, patted his shoulder and said: "Don't be too nervous during the exam, just like doing homework at home, don't bring any burden to the examination room, after finishing an exam, don't compare answers with others, so as not to affect the next exam, no matter what, as long as you do your best, that's enough, even if you didn't do well, I think they won't blame you, don't bring any burden, relax a bit." After finishing speaking, Musheng turned back.

  Wen Hao said emotionally: "I will remember what you all say, sister, don't worry! I will definitely fight for the Zhao family's reputation." After finishing speaking, he walked out of the Zhao mansion calmly.

  After Wen Hao left, Qin Bo said to the eldest sister: "Eldest sister, in a few days, the Wu Fu Chamber of Commerce will be held, and we should also set off."

  The young lady nodded and said, "Then Qin Bo, you make arrangements. I'll set off early tomorrow morning."

  "Big sister, I was thinking of letting Mu Sheng go with you this time, and I won't go. Would big sister agree?"

  The young lady said: "Since you say so, Qin Bo, then it's settled. We'll have to trouble you with the Mixed Yuan City."

  "It should be, it should be." Qin Bo said with a smile.

  Mo Sheng knew he had to go on a long trip with the eldest miss, so he went home and walked around, besides giving some money to the old man, he also told the old man about his situation, that he wouldn't be able to come back and see him for a while. The old man then told Mo Sheng not to worry about him. After chatting with the old man for an afternoon, Mo Sheng didn't return to the Zhao residence until evening.