The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 5 Raise it again

In the village, villagers returned home and hid, closing their doors and windows.

My cousin carried Wen Gu all the way back to his residence, remembering to avoid the low eaves. After entering the house, he put Wen Gu on a chair, then picked up an axe and stood guard at the door nervously.

This series of actions was extremely skillful and had obviously been done more than once.

Previously, "Wen Gu" fell ill and had many inconveniences. Because his cousin was not very smart, he could not remember many things, so "Wen Gu" could only emphasize and remind him again and again.

What can be done and what cannot be done, if you talk about it too much, it will be like a program implanted in his brain, forming a conditioned reflex.

Not only what was happening right now, but also the countless other things that had happened during their escape, all of which were the same for his cousin. He wasn't very smart, and the thing he remembered most vividly was what his parents and uncle had told him: to take care of his younger brother while he was away from home.

In his perception, his eighteen-year-old cousin is still the eight-year-old cousin, with not much difference.

Wen Gu searched his memory, sighed softly, paid attention to the movements outside, and took out the bamboo tube containing the talisman water.

I smelled it and it had a pungent herbal scent, different from mugwort. It must be a secret recipe developed by Taoist Qingyi himself.

So, it would be great if such talents could engage in scientific research!
Wen Gu sprinkled some on his own and his cousin's clothes, while thinking about how to find an opportunity to communicate more with the Taoist priest.

There has been no other unusual movement in the village, which means that nothing serious has happened, and the Taoist priest's mysterious personality has been well established.

We should not fall behind in reviewing the past.

Whether you can continue to get the support of several leaders in the village depends on your own ability.

My cousin, a simple-minded strongman, wasn't considered so important by the village elders. Given the current situation, food and medicinal materials were becoming increasingly scarce. Wen Gu gained an advantage by designing a fortress, but that wasn't enough.

Sitting at the desk, he spread out the drawings and ground the ink and moistened the pen.

In addition to drawing the construction diagram of the dock, you also need to draw a few exploded diagrams and add text.

Drawing is okay, but my writing has not yet returned to the original level of "reviewing the old".

Need to practice more.

The village chief has the four treasures of the study in stock, so you can afford them!

Take out another piece of paper and practice writing for a while.

In Wen Gu's own world, his calligraphy was not very good. Although he had a hobby in this area, due to the war, the conditions were really limited and he did not have enough supplies and time for him to practice calligraphy with peace of mind.

“Calligraphy, the aesthetic art of words!”

Reviewing my own poor handwriting is far from the true meaning of calligraphy.

But by "reviewing the old works", he learned to write well, and after more than ten years of hard study and practice, he achieved some success.

On the first piece of paper I practiced calligraphy, the horizontal, vertical, left, and right strokes were all dancing and waving at the tip of my pen, defying discipline.

But as I gradually became more familiar with it, the muscle memory gained from more than ten years of hard training took over, and my handwriting changed from being rebellious to being obedient.

Starting from the second picture, the handwriting gradually became neater.

By the third piece of paper, the words he wrote already had about 50% to 60% of the skill of "reviewing the old".

I looked through my memory of the famous calligraphy works I had seen before, and then looked at what I had just written.

This calligraphy is still far from the style of a higher-level celebrity, but for those who love ancient culture but cannot get it, it is already a dream-level masterpiece!

He stared at the words on the paper with a fascinated look.

"Beautiful! Wonderful! It's so beautiful!"

Cousin guarding the door:? ?
Looking around, they were the only two people in the room.

Who? Who's good looking?
He looked confused and asked Wen Gu, "Brother, who are you praising?"

"I'm bragging."

Wen Gu glanced over there and said, "No need to guard it. The blade of the hatchet is a bit blunt. Go sharpen it for a while. Don't worry about me. Remember to wear hand guards to avoid getting hurt."

"Oh."

My cousin obediently got up and went to sharpen the knife.

To protect their hands from daily injuries, villagers sewed a variety of gloves to suit their needs. These were crude, but practical. Dipping them in the Taoist priest's potion provided added protection, reducing the risk of infection from the "evil plague" even if a hand was cut.

Wen Gu saw that his cousin had indeed followed the protective steps he was told, and then he returned to the table and continued practicing calligraphy.

Even if people saw these words, they would think they were a little unfamiliar after a long illness.

However, if you write and practice more, you will reach a higher level sooner or later.

I am very serious about reviewing the past and cherish this second life very much.

The ability to write beautifully is due to the muscle memory of this body. If his consciousness returns to his body at any time, without these muscle memories, he will not be able to write such beautiful characters.

Therefore, reviewing old things requires absorbing these muscle memories into consciousness, engraving them into the soul, and making them a "habit" controlled by consciousness so that they can truly be used by oneself.

thank!

Thank you for the "me" in this world!
What he inherited was the experience and knowledge gained from more than ten years of "reviewing the past".

After sharpening his knife, the cousin, while reviewing his old work, asked, "Brother, when are we going to look for Aunt?"

He remembered Wen Gu saying many times that he wanted to go north to live with his aunt. Regardless of whether she was his aunt or not, he just kept calling her that.

Previously, "Wen Gu" said that the season was not suitable for traveling, and they had to wait until the grass and trees withered and turned yellow. Then he fell ill and they had to stay here.

Now that Wen Gu has recovered from his illness, isn't it time to set off? Outside the village, the grass and trees are beginning to turn from green to yellow.

Wen Gu said calmly, "No rush, take some time to recuperate. You need to be stronger before you can continue your journey."

My cousin was confused. He felt that it sounded strange and he didn't understand.

Wen Gu didn't continue to explain. If he said too much, his cousin wouldn't understand and it would expose his true identity.

Ugh……

The temperature outside has obviously started to drop, and it is indeed very close to the time when we originally planned to head north again.

However, with only two of them, they were weak and powerless, and they also lacked professional talents.

Unfortunately, the professional talent he had his eyes on was secluded all day long, refining medicine, and never went out, so he couldn't even communicate with him even if he wanted to.

We have to think of something.

The autumn wind has risen and time waits for no one.

I reviewed and practiced calligraphy for a while, then started drawing pictures and writing annotations.

He glanced at the few remaining sheets of paper, paused for a moment, and picked up his pen to dip it in ink.

Tsk, the village chief still lacks some initiative.

In the afternoon, Xiao Liu the hunter came to deliver the food and saw some new drawings that Wen Gu had produced.

It is illustrated with both text and pictures, and looks very profound!

Just ...

“Are these words too crowded?”

Little Liu the hunter had also been to school and knew some words, but he still felt dizzy when he saw the words of different sizes and densely packed together on the paper.

Wen Gu explained politely, "Supplies are in short supply right now, so we need to use them sparingly."

While speaking, he raised his hand casually and naturally, drawing the attention of Hunter Xiao Liu, who inadvertently looked at the few remaining pieces of paper.

Hunter Xiao Liu nodded in agreement and said, "It's about saving."

He didn't say much, but after delivering the meal he turned around and went to find the village chief:

"Give us more paper! We've found so much good paper and we can't use it. Are we going to keep it for the toilet?"

Village chief! Don't be stingy on this matter!
We don’t want to see so many densely packed words on the drawing. It’s like poking a tadpole’s nest and it hurts our eyes.

So, when delivering food the next day, Hunter Liu brought a stack of new paper.

"The village chief told you not to be frugal. Use it when necessary and use it boldly! Write big and clearly. Brother Wen, what you are doing now is a matter of great importance to the safety of the entire village. Don't be stingy with this little bit of paper!"

Wen Gu agreed.

This is what you said, use it boldly!

Calligraphy requires diligent study and practice, and constant writing. Unfortunately, the living environment today is harsh and conditions are limited.

With a new stack of paper, I can contribute to the village and satisfy my own small needs at the same time. It’s a win-win situation.

After receiving the things, of course the work must be done well.

In the following days, the focus of the review was on the fort.

In today's world, even in times of peace, productivity is limited, information is difficult to obtain, and the collections of scholarly families may not be exhaustive. Born in an era of information explosion and raised in the midst of war, Wen Gu integrates his own memories of the world to localize his experiences and knowledge.

In terms of overall appearance, he also drew a rough comparison picture - the luxurious castle version and the rural village version.

After the general framework is laid, the practical rural version is carefully constructed, and the first draft is ready.

Hunter Xiao Liu was so excited that he found a treasure and quickly took it to find the village chief and several elders.

Several important figures were at the village chief's house. They were sitting around a simple wooden table, looking at the drawings without saying a word.

They also went to the county town and listened to the storytellers in the teahouse who mentioned the fort.

Historically, long ago, at the end of dynasties or in areas where wars were frequent, the gentry and wealthy families would build forts.

The imperial court would also build forts in border areas to defend against foreign enemies.

The villagers living at the bottom of society, with their limited knowledge and meager imagination, are unable to describe what those things are like.

Now, there is material for dreaming.

The village chief pursed his lips and moved his eyes from the deluxe version to the rural version with difficulty.

Their shabby village certainly couldn't compare to the scale of those places. Whether it was the forts of the gentry or the forts built by the imperial court, they were all too far away.

After reviewing the drawings they had made, they could choose the walls that could be built and re-plan the site and defenses within the village.

But... the dream (ambition) and the aspiration (heart) still exist.

The village chief and hunter Lao Liu both looked at the picture of the luxurious fortress again.

The world is in chaos, and every chaotic era lasts for decades or even hundreds of years.

And here, in this surrounding area, only our village has a chance of survival.

Everyone who has fled here must listen to us!

Be optimistic and think long-term. Perhaps one day we can build a village of that size. By then, the identities of people like us will be different...

hiss--

"Ahem!" The village chief finally calmed down and coughed to remind everyone present, "Right now, saving your life is the most important thing."

The villagers were very satisfied with the drawings provided by Wen Gu. They then personally delivered some precious materials to the two Wen brothers and asked Wen Gu if he wanted to move to a bigger house.

Wen Gu thanked him politely and said that the place was big enough for the two brothers to live in.

He also analyzed it from the perspective of the village chief: "There may be some scattered survivors in the surrounding villages and towns. Even if there are not, there may be refugees coming here. If we find someone suitable, the village can absorb them. Those empty houses can be kept so that they can be used when more people come in."

The village chief liked to hear this. In troubled times, their small population was not enough to seek development.

For a moment, the village chief looked at Wen Gu with a more friendly gaze. He also brought some tonic medicine.

As Wen Gu drank his tonic, he pondered: Living here, they're relatively close to several important figures in the village, like the Taoist priest, who he'd been wanting to visit. Any movement in the village could be detected right here.

The empty large houses that the village chief mentioned are a bit far away and the housing conditions are average.

The room I live in now, while small, has everything I need, and I save on pesticides. Whether it's herbal fumigation or spraying chemicals, the amount I use is limited, making the small space perfectly usable, and the remaining waste can be used for other purposes.

There's no need to change rooms. It's so nice to stay here. I won't be staying long anyway.

Because of the drawings provided by Wen Gu, several important figures in the village come here from time to time to chat with Wen Gu.

Wen Gu chatted with them more and learned more about the situation in the village.

Especially that Taoist priest Qingyi.

The Taoist priest was in seclusion again, and as usual, he would not come out for ten days or half a month. But the topic of the Taoist priest was circulated among the villagers every day.

Wen Gu learned that when the Taoist priest first came to the village, he prayed for the villagers and exorcised evil spirits, and even drove out the poisonous insects!

After taking one pill, many people expelled the worms!
No matter how many times this story has been told, the village elders still look horrified when they talk about it.

Wen Gu was very supportive and exclaimed: "The Taoist priest has profound magical powers!"

He guessed that the poisonous insects being expelled should be some common intestinal parasites of this era.

Before the great turmoil, villagers mostly drank raw water and didn't pay much attention to their diet or lifestyle, nor did they have the means to do so. This was how they lived for generations, leading to a high risk of parasitic infections. It was only later, to ward off evil spirits and avoid epidemics, that they began to pay attention.

The cause of this chaos was likely another extremely harmful parasite, one that even the Taoist priest couldn't solve. If he could, he wouldn't be hiding in this remote village; he would have long since found a wealthy family.

But Taoist Qingyi is indeed a capable person.

What a talent!
How many professional skills are there that I don’t know about?
That day, he went to the village chief's house for a small meeting.

The village elders studied the blueprints of the dock for several days, and even those who were illiterate and could not understand the diagrams had a pretty good understanding of it.

In terms of construction and deployment, we need to review past discussions.

Wen Gu did not have enough knowledge about their village and the local topography, so some places needed to be changed.

The villagers have their own way of guarding against wild beasts.

Those evil creatures outside can no longer be considered human. They have no human minds at all. Instead, they are similar to wild beasts in the mountains and can be regarded as extremely threatening beasts.

But at the same time, in troubled times, in addition to guarding against "beasts", we must also guard against people!
The village chief and Hunter Liu summarized some of their questions and shared them with Wen Gu. These two were quite far-sighted, and some of their questions were to the point.

How to build it, where to get the materials, when to start, what is the construction progress with the current labor force in their village, how to guard against evil spirits during construction, how to deal with surviving refugees... and so on, all these need to be taken into consideration.

Several other village elders who attended the meeting thought that they were more familiar with the mountains, rocks and plants around the village, and their suggestions would definitely be more useful. They expressed their opinions one after another, feeling that they were so wise at this moment!

But when I talk too much, my thoughts become confused, I can't sort them out, and I can't remember anything. As I talk, I become quiet again.

worry.

There are so many things to do, what should I do?

Wen Gu didn't show any disdain. He listened carefully and offered a suggestion: "How about making a... three-year plan first?"

In today's world, no one can predict what will happen next.

The timeframe is too short, so there's no need to make so many plans. The timeframe is too long, so it's not appropriate either.

For them, three years is just right.

Review and explain in a simple and clear manner.

The village chief and Hunter Liu agreed.

Seeing this, the other village elders stopped talking and nodded in agreement. Well, they should just listen to the village chief and Hunter Liu. They should just do what they are told.

With a goal, you have a backbone and can know more clearly what to do next.

When people are in trouble, it is easy to get confused and lose their direction.

For those who have made a living from farming for most of their lives, they have strength. As long as they find the right direction, they will feel at ease and have hope.

For a moment, several people present had more agreement with reviewing the past.

The village chief sighed, "You scholars still know more. This fort and this... three-year plan... you've worked so hard."

Wen Gu bowed humbly to them and said, "My two brothers are being taken care of by the village, so I will do my best to help."

Another village elder said happily: "What a small contribution! This is of great use!"

After exchanging a few polite words, when the leaders were in a good mood, he casually mentioned that he wanted to discuss with the Taoist priest how to restrain the evil creatures outside.

The several village elders who had just expressed their appreciation now looked disapproving.

There are two important outsiders in the village, one is a scholar and the other is a Taoist priest.

Everyone in the village was respectful - the scholars knew a lot, and the Taoist priests were even more mysterious.

If I really have to choose between the two, the Taoist priest is more important right now.

Immortal affairs > mortal affairs

An impatient village elder was about to say something.

Wen Gu sighed apologetically, "It's a pity. The Taoist priest is very special and focused on the Dao. He has just finished a ritual and must need to adjust his breathing for a while. I can't disturb him for such a small matter."

He swallowed back his impatient words.

The village elders' expressions eased slightly, and they nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes! We must not disturb the Immortal!"

It’s better to be a scholar like Wen Gu, who doesn’t make things difficult for others.

After Wen Gu had finished his probing, he smiled sympathetically and said nothing, as if to say, "I am very sensible and considerate of the overall situation."

Inner thought: I won’t bother you, but…

You can't blame me if he jumps out on his own.

(End of this chapter)