Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 451 It's good that I don't want to be an official.
The academy's enrollment is still ongoing, and it has admitted several more students with some reputation.

“Instructor Xu, did you discover so many talented people when you passed through Jianye on your study tour?”

Professor Gu looked at the list in his hand with some emotion.

Almost half of these come from Jianye and the surrounding areas, which is quite rare.

It's important to know that the academy's admission standards are linked to its benefits.

No tuition fees, no miscellaneous fees, room and board, clothes, stationery, and instruction from many influential figures, as well as extensive connections throughout the court.

Such treatment is absolutely unparalleled in Jiangnan, surpassing even the Bailu and Jintian Academies.

Only academies like Chongqi, sponsored by powerful families, dared to do this, which is why they could attract students from poor families all over the world to compete for places.

It's considered incredibly lucky for a place to produce even one student, but Jianye is a bit different this year.

Xu Xuan looked thoughtfully at the newcomer's fortune and background.

Shang Yancai was talented but short-sighted; he could only make out a rough outline of a human figure in a short distance.

This is commonly known as being so nearsighted that you can't tell male from female at five meters away, and can't distinguish between humans and animals at ten meters away.

This person had a past relationship with Master Mao; a year ago, the master had arrested his wife.

It's still the same old story of a scholar and a fairy, a tale of talented men and beautiful women. The difference is that Shang Yancai truly doesn't know his wife's beauty; he can only smell the peach blossom fragrance on her body.

Later, his friends discovered that the Peach Leaf Spirit was not human, so they invited a Taoist priest to exorcise the demon.

They eventually discovered they were truly in love, and after clearing up the misunderstanding, they went home together.

Master Mao told this story with considerable joy, after all, it's better to tear down a temple than to break up a marriage.

My eyesight had returned to normal by the time I registered today, which gave me the courage to enroll at Chongqi School.

As for how he recovered, he was a student from Jianye, and he recovered on the day he slew the dragon.

There was more than one Shang Yancai.

Liu Sheng, at the age of thirty, went to the academy and subsequently developed madness. He would curse and insult anyone he met, and no one wanted to associate with him.

The archetype of the arrogant scholar in ancient times: relying on his talent, he was always dissatisfied with everyone, and in the end, he became quite despised by both gods and ghosts.

On a casual visit to a distant relative, I lost my way on the way back and encountered a blind old man sitting at the foot of a mountain. There I was amused by ghosts and spirits. Then the heavens, the clouds, the sun, the mountains, the rivers, and the people all became clearly visible again, as if I were just beginning to wake from a dream.

He encountered ghosts and was teased by them when he went out. He lost his mind and became dazed and confused, as if he were sleepwalking.

He suddenly regained his senses some time ago. He even became more gentle and modest, which is why the villagers call him that.

Several other scholars were in the same situation, which confirmed one thing for Xu Xuan.

A murderous intent arose from the ground; dragons and snakes rose from the land.

On the day Jianye slew the dragon, in addition to thwarting Bai Lian's conspiracy and killing the Changsha chancellor, many people also received the legacy of the five dynasties' dragon energy, indirectly promoting the evolution of the world's situation.

Therefore, I bear some responsibility for the chaos in Jiangnan.

Xu, who was slow to realize the situation, was having a headache.

If it were an old woman in the mountains or an ignorant child who received the blessing, that would be one thing, but their impact on the world would be minimal.

But scholars are the elite of this era, and if they get the opportunity, there are too many things they can change.

Having not examined his own karma for a long time, the person suddenly felt dizzy when he looked at himself.

There was truly no light at all, and the power of causal radiation expanded once again.

All things in the universe live and cycle on their own. Xu only flapped his wings a few times, and the world reacted with a storm-like response.

Is this the Xu Xuan effect?
The person involved seemed to be forcing a smile.

"Master Xu, you look a little pale," Xie Yu walked over, interrupting the source of EMO's self-pity, and offered a concerned greeting. It turned out that the first round of skills assessment had ended, and it was time to move on to the second round of selection.

In the second round, several professors will personally assess the students, hoping to recruit some students with special talents for further training.

Ji Rui and Ning Caichen's progress in their respective fields is truly enviable; who wouldn't want an outstanding successor to emerge from their own lineage?

Everyone dies eventually, but one's thoughts and knowledge can be passed down as a kind of immortality.

Professor Sheng wanted to train a group of law graduates, and the other professors thought the same way.

Xie Yu came to ask Xu Xuan if he needed to take on some more specific students.

At that moment, Xu happened to have a thought and came up with a very suitable topic for Li.

"Observe the heavens to understand the changes of time; observe human affairs to transform the world."

Li's reply was also excellent.

"Civilization is characterized by the brilliance of human culture. The order of the Five Classics and the Five Rites are splendid and each has its proper place, hence the term 'human culture.' Changes refer to the alternation of the four seasons and the changing of the seasons. Transformation refers to the transformation of the old into the new. Establishment refers to the formation of customs over time. The sun and moon, the stars, the four seasons, and the six qi—their forms are clearly visible, and their qi and qi are intricately intertwined, all of which are embodying culture and are worthy of observation."

In almost an hour, he wrote over a thousand words, expounding his views on astronomy and humanities.

After reading it, Xu Xuan almost thought he had met someone from his hometown.

Previously, Confucian classics were used to interpret the sun, moon, and stars; later, knowledge of natural geography and the study of things was used to analyze changes in the seasons.

He saw in it the rudiments of rigorous natural science.

The choice of words is very sophisticated, using endlessly varied language to describe specific details.

Don't underestimate this point. By abandoning romantic and illusory words, the power in the text becomes very cold and direct, which is a bold departure from mainstream studies.

It's clear that they've already developed their own system.

The text also reveals a kind of reckless ambition in the young man who doesn't want to be an official but only wants to study geography and hydrology.

Of course, his father being the governor of Qingzhou was also a major reason; only a young master like him could be so unconcerned about the opportunity to enter officialdom.

When Xu Xuan asked the question, the other party gave a very positive answer about their philosophy.

He stated directly that he did not come to Chongqi to study for the autumn imperial examination; he could become an official anytime he wanted.

I came to Chongqi because the waterways in Jiangnan are complex and there are many legends associated with them. I wanted to come to the academy to learn about them.

"The student's ambition is to write a book that records the mountains, rivers, and cultural stories during his lifetime."

Xu Xuan was overjoyed upon hearing this, saying, "Good, good, it's good that you don't want to be an official."

You students are destined to be working stiffs.

As time goes by and the world changes, many waterways have undergone new changes in the course of history, and it is time to make corrections.

Measuring the terrain and waterways can enhance the power of water bodies and bring good fortune.

This is a good thing that we're worried about not having anyone to do.

Of course, the first step is to win over this arrogant young man; otherwise, why would he work so diligently?

So Xu, the tactical master, started talking about Taihu Lake.

"I only have a superficial understanding of mountains, rivers, and waterways, since I am usually responsible for teaching at the academy."

"Taihu Lake is the closest, so let's test your knowledge of Taihu Lake."

Li is quite confident, after all, Taihu Lake is one of the five lakes and rivers, how could someone as passionate about mountains and rivers as him not know this?

He recited the information with his head held high; his memory is truly remarkable.

(End of this chapter)