Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 149 Rarely seeing prosperity, one is not disturbed by it.

Chen Xu and Xu Wenyuan each received their respective scholar's seals.

Faced with the clerk's question, Chen Xu casually retorted, "Mr. Shuyun's literary gathering? We haven't received an invitation, so it wouldn't be right for us to go uninvited, would it?"

The minor official chuckled and said, "You gentlemen were not originally in the prefectural city, so you were unaware of this matter. There is an unwritten rule at Qihe Mountain."

All literary gatherings held on Qihe Mountain are by default not requiring invitations.

Whether one is a scholar, a commoner in the marketplace, or a farmer in the countryside, anyone who is confident that they can answer the questions and answers on the Hundred Tales Stele at the foot of Qihe Mountain can go up the mountain.

The Monument of a Hundred Tales?
This is something new again.

Xu Wenyuan had been somewhat absent-minded these past two days because of Fang Ji's death, but after hearing the clerk's words, he couldn't help but become curious.

He hurriedly asked, "The Hundred Tales Stele? What is that?"

The official said, "It's nothing special. It's said that hundreds of years ago, a hermit raised cranes as his wife on Qihe Mountain. Because he was afraid that he would become too detached from the world and become ignorant of worldly affairs, he erected a monument with a hundred stories at the foot of the mountain."

People passing by the foot of the mountain, if they have a good story, they can tell it to the Hundred Tales Stele.

If one can tell an interesting story, one can obtain a wisp of clear light from the Hundred Tales Stele, and this clear light will not dissipate for six hours.

If you go up the mountain with the light of the clear sky to find the hermit who holds the crane, the hermit will give you rice, food, money and other gifts.

Therefore, in the legends of Yunjiang Prefecture, the Hundred Heroes Stele is also called the Hundred Virtues Stele, and it has saved countless lives.

At this point, the clerk chuckled and said, "But it's just a legend, nobody knows if it's true or not. In any case, the hermit of Baohe Mountain on Qihe Mountain is long gone."

There are no cranes on Qihe Mountain.

But the Hyakumonogatari Monument is real; you guys can go and see it, it's quite interesting.

From then on, an unwritten rule was added to our Yunjiang Prefecture: whoever holds a literary gathering on Qihe Mountain must set up a food stall.

If people come up the mountain, it is common practice to provide them with rice, grain, and other supplies.

Our Mr. Shuyun, though a refined and elegant man, was also extremely particular about food, never tiring of the finest and most exquisite dishes.

To hell with literary gatherings; you can go empty-handed, but you must bring a wealth of knowledge and poetry.

If you don't have a wealth of knowledge, then you must be good at appreciating fine food.

If neither of those is available, hehe, bring some delicious food up; if Mr. Shuyun is pleased, he might just recommend the person directly to our Lord!

At this point, the clerk seemed to realize he had spoken out of turn, and quickly exclaimed "Ouch!" while lightly clapping his hands on his mouth.

He coughed a few times to clear his throat, then hurriedly said, "Of course, you two are both very talented, and you have the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)."

Especially Mr. Chen, there are few in our prefecture who do not know of your poetic talent.

If you were to go up the mountain and compose a poem, or solve the riddle of that ancient inkstone, you would not only be granted an audience with the Prefect, but would also be a guest of honor at his table… Oh dear!”

The clerk slapped his mouth again, hurriedly pretending to tidy up the files in his hand, and chuckled as he said:

"Oh dear, I've been exceptionally busy lately, and I don't know why, but I've inexplicably started talking more. Sigh, why are these case files getting more and more chaotic? Ugh, what a hassle, such a hassle."

What's there to not understand?
It means that the person has said everything they wanted to say.

Chen Xu and Xu Wenyuan immediately bid farewell to the minor official and said no more.

The two men, each carrying their own official seals, walked out of the side gate of the government office and onto the long street. Listening to the bustling crowd, Xu Wenyuan suddenly said:

“Brother Chen, there will surely be many people attending the grand gathering at Qihe Mountain tomorrow. It will be a scene of unprecedented liveliness and elegance, but I am surprisingly not keen to go in and take a look.”

His voice was tinged with melancholy. Chen Xu didn't respond immediately, but remained silent for a moment before saying, "Brother Xu, is it that you don't want to go, and therefore you won't go? Or is it that although you don't want to go, you still have to go?"

Xu Wenyuan gazed down the long street and said in a low voice:
"I... Brother Chen, do you know that before coming to the prefectural city this time, I didn't even know that scholars in this world could achieve such literary brilliance when they read to a high level?"

It can use words as law, and can summon thunder and suppress evil spirits with every gesture.

I came from the countryside. Before, I only knew that studying could change the family's social standing, save my family from the hardship of working day and night, and allow me to avoid bowing and scraping to anyone of even a little status.

Therefore, I resolved to study hard. I started at the village school and studied day and night with the old scholar in our village.

I studied diligently, even resorting to extreme measures like hanging my head from the rafters and pricking my thigh with an awl, and finally passed the preliminary examination for the county school. My diligence caught the eye of the county school teacher, and I was able to enter the county school.

At that time, I was full of ambition, thinking that I would eventually overcome all obstacles.

From a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations) to a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations), and finally to a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest-level imperial examinations)!
But only now, after experiencing all that has happened recently, do I realize how naive my previous ambitions were.

Passing the imperial examination at the county level was already incredibly difficult, perhaps it had exhausted all the efforts of my entire life.

As for passing the imperial examination…

Xu Wenyuan smiled wryly as he and Chen Xu walked slowly down the long street, taking in the vibrant human scenes on both sides of the street.

But Xu Wenyuan's tone carried an indescribable detachment.

He said, "The more I pass the county-level exam and get to this point, the more I realize how difficult it is to pass the provincial-level exam."

I am neither like the scions of noble families who can cultivate their inner spirit in advance, nor do I understand what literary talent is, let alone write profound poems and essays. I do not possess the extraordinary literary talent that Brother Chen has.

Brother Chen, I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

For a poor and mediocre person like me, is passing the county-level imperial examination the limit?

Since I have no potential to go any further, I might as well keep my mind focused and concentrate on the fundamentals. A wise person focuses on the essentials, and when the essentials are established, the path will naturally follow.

By rarely seeing extravagance, one will not be disturbed by it.

At this point, Xu Wenyuan paused slightly, turned to look at Chen Xu, and asked for his opinion.

He was actually seeking affirmation from Chen Xu.

In fact, Xu Wenyuan and Chen Xu have very similar backgrounds.

Even before the appearance of the Culinary Scripture, Chen Xu's situation was not as good as Xu Wenyuan's.

This isn't a question of talent or lack thereof; rather, in this world where gods, immortals, demons, and ghosts coexist, without strength, even with some talent, one is often nothing more than a piece of fish on a chopping board.

Of all those who rise from the bottom of society, how many truly ascend to the highest heavens?
Xu Wenyuan's lack of attachment to fame and fortune and his willingness to retire gracefully at the height of his career also demonstrate immense courage.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Xu said, "Brother Xu, tomorrow when I go to Qihe Mountain and see the Hundred Tales Stele, I will tell the Hundred Tales Stele about how you gave up the current bustling and prosperous world, kept your mind focused, and devoted yourself to the Dao."

Do you agree that the Hundred Tales Monument can be described as an interesting and exciting story?

Xu Wenyuan was stunned; he never expected Chen Xu to give him such a strange answer.

However, Chen Xu's response at this moment was clearly many times more comforting than countless words of solace.

Xu Wenyuan was at a loss. He even felt a lump in his throat and hurriedly said, "Brother Chen, this, this... it's not that I don't agree, but what kind of story is this?"
"Don't let the world laugh at me if I say this, or I'll harm Brother Chen. Me...Is this what you call pursuing the fundamentals and the Way?"

[By slowly and deliberately cultivating the material, you touched the student's heart and obtained a three-inch piece of the spiritual material, the Formless Lotus Root.]

[Unlocking new spiritual materials rewards you with +300 Firework Points.]

(End of this chapter)