I'm coming clean: I'm the reincarnation of the God of Literature.

The boat docked.

The wharf in Jiangzhou Prefecture was more than ten times larger than the one in Qinghe County.

The merchant ships moored along the riverbank were so numerous that they formed a dense, continuous stretch of land, their masts towering like a forest, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Gu Ang stood at the bow of the boat, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg.

"My goodness..."

"Ci'er, is this the provincial capital? There are so many people!"

The dock was bustling with noise. Bare-chested laborers carrying loads shouted work chants, vendors yelled their wares, and merchants dressed in fine silks and satins gestured wildly.

The air was filled with the smells of sweat, fish, and perfume wafting from somewhere.

This is what prosperity is all about.

Gu Ci stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the scene before him, his heart also stirred with emotion.

In his previous life, he had seen more modern cities than this, but this kind of antique prosperity was a different kind of shock.

"Are you two young masters Gu Ci and Gu Ang?"

A middle-aged man dressed in a blue silk robe strode forward, followed by four strong servants.

This person had fair skin, and when he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, revealing a shrewdness.

Gu Ci cupped his hands in greeting: "That's right."

"Oh, we've been waiting for you two!"

The middle-aged man quickly returned the greeting, his attitude extremely respectful: "I am Zhou, the steward of the Princess's residence. I have been waiting for you here for a long time."

"The princess instructed that you two are honored guests, and that all your food, clothing and other necessities should be arranged by our household upon your arrival in Jiangzhou Prefecture."

As he spoke, he waved behind him.

Four servants immediately stepped forward and nimbly took the luggage from Gu Ang's hands.

Gu Ang was still a little unaccustomed to it and wanted to take it himself, but Manager Zhou stopped him with a smile.

"Young Master Gu, now that we're here, how can we let you do such rough work yourself? That would be a disgrace to our Princess's Mansion."

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Gu Ang scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly, "How could I possibly accept this..."

The group disembarked.

Two horse-drawn carriages were parked outside the dock.

It wasn't the ordinary covered carriage from Qinghe County, but rather a carriage pulled by two tall horses, with the carriage itself made of fine mahogany, carved with flowers, and the curtains were all brocade.

"Gentlemen, please get in the carriage."

Steward Zhou lifted the carriage curtain.

Gu Ci didn't stand on ceremony and climbed into the car using a footstool.

Wang Qingya had already been taken away by the Wang family's servants. Before leaving, she was so reluctant to go that she was finally silenced by Gu Ci's words, "Study hard." She then boarded another carriage, looking back every few steps.

The carriage traveled along the main street of Jiangzhou Prefecture.

Gu Ang lifted the curtains, his eyes darting around, unable to take it all in.

The road is paved entirely with bluestone slabs, so smooth that you can see your reflection in it.

The shops on both sides were quite impressive.

Three-story restaurants are everywhere, their golden signs gleaming in the sunlight.

The people walking on the street were dressed much more smartly than those in Qinghe County.

Even a random passerby is dressed in better materials than Gu Mingzhe did when he was a private tutor.

"Ci'er, look at that! Isn't that a lantern made of glass?"

"And that! That fan is so pretty!"

Gu Ang shouted loudly.

Gu Ci sat in the car, closing his eyes to rest.

"Brother, lower the curtain."

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Don't let people think we're country bumpkins coming to the city."

Gu Ang was taken aback, quickly lowered the curtain, but couldn't resist peeking out through a crack.

"Ci'er, are we really going to live here from now on?"

"Um."

"This place looks expensive," Gu Ang clicked his tongue. "How much does a bowl of noodles cost?"

Gu Ci smiled and said, "That's Li Mubai's business. We just need to stay here."

The carriage passed through the bustling city and turned into a quiet, long street.

The noise here suddenly subsided.

On both sides were grand gates and courtyards, with stone lions crouching at the entrances and illustrious plaques hanging above them.

The carriage finally stopped in front of a mansion.

"Gentlemen, we have arrived."

Manager Zhou called from outside.

Gu Ci got out of the car and looked up.

A plaque hangs above the door, bearing the four characters "Tingtao Yayuan" (Listening to the Waves Elegant Garden).

The calligraphy is elegant and flowing; it's clearly the work of a master calligrapher.

"This is a villa that the princess bought years ago. No one lives here normally, but it is always cleaned."

Manager Zhou led the two inside.

After entering the gate and passing the screen wall, the scene before him once again amazed Gu Ang.

This isn't just a courtyard; it's practically a small garden.

Artificial hills and flowing water, pavilions and towers, are arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner.

The courtyard was filled with bamboo, which rustled in the wind, giving it a scholarly air.

"This place is so elegant!" Gu Ang couldn't help but exclaim.

Steward Zhou introduced with a smile: "This courtyard is divided into two sections, front and back. The front courtyard is for receiving guests, and the back courtyard is for living. There is a library on the east side, which houses the ten thousand volumes of books collected by the princess."

Upon hearing the name "Library," Gu Ci's eyes lit up.

A vast collection of books.

This is the real priceless treasure.

"Mr. Gu, you live in the main courtyard. It's quiet there and suitable for studying."

"Young Master Gu lives in the west wing, which is spacious and has a small training ground."

The allocation was quite thoughtful.

Gu Ang's eyes widened when he heard there was a martial arts training ground.

After settling his luggage, Steward Zhou summoned several maids and servants, assigned them tasks, and then took his leave.

Dinner was prepared by the household chef.

The eight dishes and one soup were so exquisite that one almost hesitated to pick up their chopsticks.

Gu Ang ate with gusto, his mouth greasy, and exclaimed, "Life in the provincial capital is so comfortable!"

Gu Ci, however, ate very little.

He put down his chopsticks and took out a letter.

This was handed to him by the gatekeeper when he first arrived at the mansion.

It was a letter sent from home in Qinghe County.

Upon opening the envelope, familiar handwriting came into view.

Gu Mingzhe's handwriting is neat and tidy, revealing a serious attitude.

"Cier, Ang'er, it is as if we are meeting in person after receiving this letter."

Everything is fine at home, don't worry.

"I am very happy teaching at the county school. Although the students are naughty, they are all willing to learn. Instructor Zhao also takes good care of me."

"Your mother made two new pairs of shoes for you, and will have someone deliver them to you in a few days."

"Qingqing has learned to recite the Three Character Classic these past few days and keeps asking for her older brother."

"Once you arrive in the provincial capital, be careful in everything you do. Remember, the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind. In pursuing knowledge, one must be calm and focused, and not be impetuous."

The letter was short, filled with everyday family matters.

As Gu Ci read, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

My father has changed.

The Gu Mingzhe who used to be frustrated and sighed all day long is gone.

Now, his words exude confidence and steadiness.

"Brother, Father has written a letter."

Gu Ci handed the letter to Gu Ang.

Gu Ang quickly wiped the oil off his hands, took the letter, read it twice, and chuckled foolishly.

"Dad's a teaching assistant at the county school now, he can finally hold his head high!"

"That's right." Gu Ci picked up his teacup. "Our Gu family is on the rise."

After finishing his meal, Gu Ang went to the training ground.

He'd been cooped up on the ship for days and was itching to stretch his muscles.

As soon as I arrived at the training ground, I saw two guards sparring.

The two guards were dressed in short clothes and carried wooden sticks.

Back and forth they went, the sticks flashing in the air.

Snapped!

With a crisp sound, the wooden stick in the hand of one of the guards was knocked away, and he was kicked away by the other party, falling heavily to the ground.

Gu Ang was so fast that he didn't even see it clearly.

"good!"

Gu Ang couldn't help but applaud.

The victorious guard turned around, saw that it was Gu Ang, and quickly clasped his hands in greeting: "Young Master Gu."

"Wow, bro, that's some impressive skill!" Gu Ang leaned closer, his face full of admiration. "How did you do that move? Teach me!"

The guard smiled and said, "This is a basic skill taught in our Princess's residence. Would Young Master Gu like to learn it?"

"I want to! I want to so much!"

Gu Ang clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming.

Having come this far, he has come to understand.

Having brute strength alone is useless.

If I want to make a living in the provincial capital and protect Ci'er, I'll need to have some real skills.

The guards of those wealthy families all had eyes like knives, and they didn't look like people to mess with.

If he encounters someone like Qian Li again, or someone even more ruthless than Qian Li, what kind of man is he if he can't protect his younger brother?

"Brother, may I become your apprentice?" Gu Ang asked earnestly.

The guard was startled: "No, no, no! How could I dare to be the young master's teacher! If the young master wishes to learn, I will teach you!"

"Then it's a deal!" Gu Ang slapped his thigh. "Starting tomorrow, I'll get up early every day to practice with you!"

……

late at night.

The study in the main courtyard was brightly lit.

Gu Ci sat at his desk, flipping through a copy of "Annotations and Commentaries on the Laws and Regulations of the Great Feng Dynasty" that he had taken from the library.

This book is a manuscript by a great Confucian scholar from the previous dynasty, and it is covered with annotations.

This is the real treasure.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

"Brother Gu, are you still awake?"

A familiar voice.

Gu Ci put down his book, got up, and went out to greet him.

Li Mubai stood in the courtyard, holding two jars of wine in his hands, and looked at him with a smile.

The moonlight shone on him, and his white robes were as pure as snow. Wherever he went, he always had the air of a refined gentleman.

"Brother Li!"

Gu Ci was pleasantly surprised.

"I knew you were a night owl."

Li Mubai shook the wine jar in his hand. "I just came out of the house and thought you should have arrived by now, so I came to check on you."

The two entered the study.

Li Mubai didn't stand on ceremony; he broke the mud seal, and the aroma of wine immediately filled the entire room.

"This is a 'Top Scholar' red wine' that my grandfather has kept hidden for twenty years. You're lucky to get it today."

Gu Ci took two teacups and filled them with wine.

"Brother Li, your late-night visit wasn't just for drinking, was it?"

Li Mubai took a big gulp of wine and let out a long breath.

"I can't hide it from you after all."

He put down his wine bowl, his expression turning serious.

"Brother, the waters of Jiangzhou Prefecture run deeper than you think."

Gu Ci listened quietly.

"You got your top honor back, but it was forced upon you by the princess."

"Do you know what's been going on in Jiangzhou Prefecture these past few days?"

"What are you spreading?"

"Rumor has it that you, Gu Ci, rose to your position through nepotism, and that your poem 'Peach Blossoms, Flowing Water, and Mandarin Fish' was actually ghostwritten."

Li Mubai sneered.

"These pedantic scholars are not very capable, but they are the best at gossiping."

Gu Ci was not surprised.

Scholars often look down on each other.

This is the norm in this industry.

Especially for an eight-year-old child like him, suddenly stepping on everyone's heads, it's no wonder that those old scholars and officials who have studied for decades can't feel at ease.

"Let them say what they want." Gu Ci took a sip of wine, the spicy taste going down his throat and making him feel warm all over.

"You're quite open-minded."

Li Mubai sighed and tapped his fingers on the table.

"But it's not just gossip."

"The literary circles of Jiangzhou are divided into factions and cliques."

"The Zhao family, leading the nobility faction, looks down on scholars but wants to appear cultured; my Li family, leading the Confucian classics faction, controls the discourse on academies and the imperial examinations; and then there's that Wang family, who specializes in law and criminal law..."

"You are now labeled as Princess Yong'an."

"Although the princess is of noble status, her influence in the literary world is limited."

Li Mubai lowered his voice.

"Many people are waiting to see you make a fool of yourself."

"Especially the 'Wenchang Meeting' two weeks later."

Gu Ci raised an eyebrow: "The Wenchang Society?"

"right."

Li Mubai explained, "This is the highest-level literary gathering in Jiangzhou Prefecture, held every three years, just three months before the provincial examination."

"All the talented people in the province will come."

"Those who can make a name for themselves at the Wenchang Gathering have basically already stepped one foot into the threshold of becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)."

"It could even be said that the rankings of the Wenchang Assembly were a barometer for the provincial examinations."

At this point, Li Mubai glanced at Gu Ci.

"The Wenchang Society has extremely high entry requirements; one cannot join without the recommendation of a renowned expert."

"Moreover, there are many rules inside."

"When composing poetry, one must pay attention to tonal patterns; when writing articles, one must follow the teacher's lineage; even the seating arrangement is important."

"If you go, you might get thoroughly ripped apart by those old fogies if you're not careful."

"They will test you with all sorts of obscure allusions and try all sorts of tricky questions."

"There's only one goal—to embarrass you."

Li Mubai paused, his eyes sharpening.

"Brother, are you afraid?"

Gu Ci put down his wine bowl and smiled freely.

He didn't say anything, but simply got up and opened the window.

The night breeze blew in, carrying the scent of bamboo from the courtyard.

afraid?

He has lived two lives, and his mind is filled with the cultural treasures of China's five thousand years of history.

Those people want to test their knowledge of classical allusions?

He could recite the entire Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) to them.

Comparing it to poetry?

Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Dongpo—any one of them could easily utterly crush these people.

"Brother Li."

Gu Ci turned around and looked at Li Mubai.

"Since they want to see a joke, then I'll put on a good show for them."

"I'm definitely going to this Wenchang Association."

Li Mubai looked at Gu Ci's youthful yet composed face and suddenly burst into laughter.

"good!"

"I knew you, Gu Ci, weren't someone who backed down from trouble!"

He poured another bowl of wine and held it up to Gu Ci.

"Come on, bottoms up!"

"I'll be your backing at the Wenchang Festival!"