From Joy of Life, the Tian Gang is reversed

Chapter 206 First Encounter with Yu Xuanji

The Jing'an Prince's Mansion has recently become very popular, attracting widespread attention.

The princes of the Liyang Dynasty were always the focus of attention, and any slight movement could cause a big commotion, let alone the emergence of a child prodigy, who was also the crown prince!

A genius in calligraphy and painting, he created the Eight Methods of Sketching. By using sketching techniques and appropriate color combinations, he could vividly depict all things in the world, especially portraits, which, through the Eight Methods of Sketching, looked exactly like real people.

As several of Zhao Xun's portrait sketches circulated, people marveled at them while harboring various thoughts.

Those who feared nothing more than peace and quiet couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, while those who hoped for stability in the current situation secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Regardless of what others thought, no one objected to Zhao Xun's exceptional admission to the academy after passing the examination. No one could deny that the Eight Methods of Sketching had indeed created a new school of painting, and the lifelike quality of the drawings indicated that this style was destined to spread widely, as there was a great demand for it.

"This is the Shangyin Academy. You came here once half a year ago, but that was just the front hall, nothing special." Bian Jiang looked at his newly accepted disciple with a smile, quite satisfied.

As a scholar of the Imperial Academy renowned for his calligraphy and painting, Bian Jiang had felt that his skills in these fields had reached a bottleneck in recent years, and he had been struggling to break through. However, after seeing Zhao Xun's paintings, it was as if a light had flashed before his eyes, and his thoughts were suddenly enlightened...

Therefore, he accepted Zhao Xun as his disciple without hesitation. Although he was called a disciple, he did not actually regard Zhao Xun as such. No one knew better than a master of calligraphy and painting how difficult it was to create a school of thought and form a system.

Zhao Xun achieved this before he was even ten years old, which can only mean one thing: he was a prodigy in the field of calligraphy and painting.

Taking him as a disciple was merely a formality to enter the academy; more than anything, he regarded Zhao Xun as a fellow Daoist, and his attitude towards him was exceptionally kind.

The Shangyin Academy isn't as mystical as outsiders imagine. Its teaching model is quite free, mainly relying on master-apprentice instruction, which is what's known as the assessment. Every three years, countless students flock to the Shangyin Academy, choosing their strongest or most interesting subject to take the assessment. Qualified scholars within the academy then select students: those skilled in classical texts are chosen by scholars specializing in classical texts, while those skilled in military strategy are chosen by scholars specializing in military strategy. Once selected, one can enter the Shangyin Academy and become a student. However, each scholar who comes to select students has a different personality, and their requirements are not only high but also quite bizarre. Moreover, not everyone is willing to take on students. Therefore, to outsiders, the admission requirements for the Shangyin Academy seem very strict.

This isn't about being strict; it's about not having any fixed rules.

After becoming a student of Shangyin Academy, you initially learn from your teacher. When your teacher deems you ready to graduate, you can leave Shangyin Academy and receive the title of Shangyin Scholar.

Of course, Shangyin Academy is a place that values ​​academic freedom, and teachers cannot accompany you and teach you every day. Otherwise, wouldn't taking on a student mean being tied to the student's side all the time?

The academic atmosphere here is very free. If you have any questions, you can ask your own teachers, check relevant classics and works at the Yuewen Pavilion, or consult other scholars.

Every so often, different schools of thought would hold gatherings, where they would lecture, give speeches, explain their theories, and even debate.

Considering that people are different, some are eloquent while others are not, in addition to debate and speech, one can also promote one's theories and views by writing policy essays. There are special policy essays published in the academy, with one issue almost every month. Many scholars who are not good at speaking have made a name for themselves in this way.

The academy has accommodations specifically for students from all over the country. Of course, it is not mandatory for every student to live there. Some students who are favored by their teachers can live in courtyards exclusively for scholars.

Some students, though not necessarily favored by their teachers, wished to live closer to them, so they could find accommodation nearby or even build their own homes.

Mount Wuxiang is very large. At first, the academy only occupied a small area. Later, as more and more people came, many different buildings were added. As long as it does not affect the overall layout of the academy or others, and you have enough strength, you can add your own buildings to the academy.

For example, the future Xu Weixiong occupied Dayi Lake and turned a boating paradise into a private landscape, which is quite good.

As the heir of the Prince of Jing'an and with the approval of the academy, he could naturally find a satisfactory place to settle down in Wuxiang Mountain, such as Dayi Lake.

Zhao Xun intended to settle down by Dayi Lake, where he might be able to have a gossip session with Xu Weixiong and see if she looked like the character in the original novel. So, Dayi Lake was the first place he went to.

But after going there, I gave up on the idea. It was cold and windy.

The lake surface was bare, with a few small islands scattered around, offering little to see.

It seems that I really don't have much in common with Xu Weixiong.

After leaving Dayi Lake, Bian Jiang led Zhao Xun to wander around Wuxiang Mountain. Zhao Xun wanted to find a place with mountains and water, and to live in the mountains. Such a place was hard to find, but it wasn't impossible, after all, the Wuxiang Mountain range was very large.

However, most of the places near the academy have already been occupied, so if one wants to find a place to build a new residence, it would probably have to be in a place far away from the academy. Zhao Xun, however, did not care about this.

Bian Jiang was also in high spirits, leading Zhao Xun on a tour, discussing painting along the way, until they saw a valley in the distance. Zhao Xun stopped and stared intently at the valley. There, clouds and mist swirled, and a stream could be vaguely seen winding down from the mountains, like a jade ribbon inlaid among the verdant peaks.

Bian Jiang followed Zhao Xun's gaze and was slightly taken aback. He then said, "Your Highness has a good eye. The scenery there is indeed superb. However, someone already lives there. It is a senior brother who is famous for his poetry. However, he has been depressed and his health is not very good in recent years."

Zhao Xun's heart stirred, and he quickened his pace toward the valley. Seeing this, Bian Jiang could not stop him and could only follow behind, continuing to introduce as they walked: "That senior brother's surname is Yu. He is from Western Chu. After his homeland was destroyed, he fled back to Shangyin Academy with his daughter. He has never been able to get out of the depression in his heart, and his health is very bad. He has been relying on his daughter for survival ever since."

Zhao Xun paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected to encounter an important character from the original story here, Yu Xuanji, also known as the "Milk Turtle Fish Young Wei" in the hearts of the lewd readers. Well, she should be very young now.

Having confirmed his suspicions, he quickened his pace and entered the valley. Looking up, he saw a clear stream flowing down from the mountains. The water was crystal clear, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the surface like scattered gold. Several old peach trees grew crookedly by the stream, their branches covered in green vines. Beneath the trees was a lush bamboo grove, from which wisps of smoke rose faintly, carrying a faint medicinal aroma.

"What a wonderful place!" Zhao Xun murmured to himself, a strange glint in his eyes.

This was his ideal place to live, though there were people there, but...

The old one is about to die, isn't he?
The old man died, and the young man was adopted. Doesn't this place belong to him now?

No problem!
Bian Jiang, unaware of Zhao Xun's sordid thoughts, led him through the bamboo grove to a thatched cottage. Though simple, the cottage was impeccably clean, and several paintings and calligraphies hung on the walls, their strokes vigorous and their meaning profound. Zhao Xun approached for a closer look and discovered a deep sorrow permeating the poems and paintings, as if the authors harbored unresolved anxieties.

"Brother Yu!" Bian Jiang called out loudly.

A coughing sound came from inside the room, followed by a thin figure walking out. The person was pale and emaciated, with a strong smell of Chinese medicine on his body, but his eyes were bright and piercing, though they revealed a deep weariness.

"So it's Senior Brother Yulei! And this is... "

When he saw Bian Jiang bring over a child who looked eight or nine years old, Senior Brother Yu was somewhat surprised.

Bian Jiang introduced with a smile, "This is Zhao Xun, the heir of the Jing'an Prince's Mansion. He is a genius in calligraphy and painting and has just been admitted to the academy through special admission. He has become my student. He is here today and I was taking him to find a place to stay. I saw that the scenery in this valley is beautiful and came to pay him a visit."

"Oh, so you are the heir of Prince Jing'an." Senior Brother Yu's expression faltered slightly, and he awkwardly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Father, the medicine is ready." At this moment, a clear voice came from behind the house. Looking in the direction of the voice, a little girl with two small buns was squatting by a small stove, brewing medicine. The medicine was steaming. Her fair and jade-like face had a few streaks of charcoal black. Her eyes were bright as stars, full of spirit, but there was also a trace of depression in them.

This is Yu Xuanji.

(End of this chapter)