Confucian and Taoist Cultivation Starting from the Equipment Slot

After the long night ended, Chen Tiansheng also resumed his martial arts training.

Moreover, it seems to be growing stronger and stronger.

This amazed Chen Zhuo.

He thought his father was hopelessly addicted to a beautiful woman and couldn't get out!

However, this is a good thing; the stronger one's father is, the stronger one's backing will be.

His injuries have now fully healed. The force of his punches swept across the withered branches in the backyard, scattering the fallen leaves that had accumulated for over a month all over the yard.

Meanwhile, Chen Tiansheng's stepmother, Xie Yaoyin, remained quietly in the courtyard, watching him practice martial arts.

It is worth mentioning that Chen Tianshen and Chen Tianlang did not return to the Chen family after their trip out during the long night.

Chen Zhuo didn't pay much attention to this. It was just a matter of losing two unruly subordinates, who had probably already returned to the demon territory.

"Qingluo, why are you holding a cat again?"

Chen Zhuo stopped his hurried maid.

His tone was full of doubt.

Didn't he mention that he remembered the cat had been sent away by his stepmother a long time ago?

"This is what the mistress instructed."

Qingluo answered honestly.

Chen Zhuo nodded and waved for him to continue with his work, while he went to the backyard.

"Father, you wanted to see me?"

After Chen Tiansheng finished practicing a set of moves, Chen Zhuo asked softly.

"It wasn't me, it was Yaoyin." Chen Tiansheng shook his head and looked at Xie Yaoyin with deep affection.

Chen Zhuo looked at him with a hint of wariness.

I don't know what kind of mind-altering drug this woman gave her father, making him so confused.

He knew this woman was no ordinary person.

Chen Zhuo had secretly tested him in his spare time.

He was an ordinary person with no literary energy, no trace of martial arts cultivation, and no demonic energy.

"Brother, don't be so resistant! I've worked hard managing the Chen family these past few days, even if I haven't done anything particularly outstanding!"

Chen Zhuo didn't respond; she had indeed done a good job in this regard.

"So what do you want to see me about?" Chen Zhuo asked bluntly.

Xie Yaoyin didn't answer directly, but instead beckoned, "Xiao Nian, come here!"

Xie Nian, who was jumping around catching butterflies, stopped and jogged over.

"Father, Mother, Brother Chen Zhuo."

"Xiao Nian has already grasped the basics of literature. I would like to ask you to take good care of her in the Academy of Arts."

"What?!"

Upon hearing Xie Yaoyin's words, Chen Zhuo looked at Xie Nian in disbelief.

She often pestered him to play, but he usually left her to Qingluo to take care of.

She's so small, yet she's already grasped the arts of literature? She looks only seven or eight years old!

"What's all the fuss about! You're not behaving like a proper older brother at all!" Chen Tiansheng, who was watching from the side, spoke up at this moment.

"What's so strange about that? Don't most geniuses start learning around this time? As for you, you're just an exception."

Chen Zhuo suddenly didn't want to speak. Sure enough, when there are many people around, love can shift.

He hesitated for two seconds before speaking, "I need to ask my master for his opinion on this."

"You don't need to worry about it. I've already spoken to Old Song, and she'll be admitted to the Faculty of Arts in a while!"

"?"

A question mark appeared on Chen Zhuo's forehead.

Why bother contacting him when things have already been decided? Are you just trying to get attention?

Just as Chen Zhuo was about to say something, a golden light came from the horizon, and at the same time, Song Zhiyuan's voice appeared in his ear.

"Come to the Faculty of Arts immediately."

……

When Chen Zhuo stepped into the main hall of the Academy of Arts, almost everyone had arrived.

There was nothing he could do; his cultivation level was low, and he was too far away.

Chen Zhuo glanced around and saw Song Zhiyuan standing in the center of the main hall, with Zhou Wenyuan to his right.

This puzzled Chen Zhuo. Why was the county magistrate here? Had something important happened?

Senior Sister Zhao Xuelang and Second Senior Brother Li Zhao stood on either side.

Gu Qing'e stood half a step behind Song Zhiyuan, still holding a stack of unfinished talismans that she hadn't had time to put down.

Several teachers from the Academy of Literature and officials from the county government were also seated in the hall, and Xu Yi, whom he had met before, was also present.

It appears that almost all the core personnel from the Academy of Literature and the county government were present.

A communication array, about half a person's height, hangs in the center of the main hall, its golden light not yet completely dissipated.

Chen Zhuo stopped beside Gu Qing'e and asked in a low voice about the commotion.

Junior Sister Gu Qing'e glanced at him and said in a low voice:

"The imperial envoy came directly from the capital. My father has been waiting for him since this morning."

As they were talking, the golden light in the center of the text array suddenly shone brightly.

A phantom slowly coalesced within the formation.

He was an elderly man dressed in a vermilion official robe, with a thin face, white hair and beard, and the scholar's seal inlaid on the jade belt at his waist was of a higher grade than anyone else present had ever seen.

His figure was projected from the text array, with faint golden ripples around the edges.

But when their gaze fell upon the people in the hall, everyone unconsciously straightened their posture.

"Welcome to the arrival of Lord Shen Wenduan, the Grand Academician of the Great Zhou Academy of Literature, the Imperial Censor of Literature and Civil Affairs in the Capital, and the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince!" Song Zhiyuan was the first to bow.

Upon hearing this title, Chen Zhuo, though puzzled, felt impressed and followed the others in the hall in bowing.

Shen Wenduan nodded slightly, his voice not loud, but every word rang clearly in the ears of everyone in the hall.

"No need for formalities. I am projecting this message on behalf of the joint decree of the Great Zhou Academy and the Imperial Cabinet to announce several decisions regarding the ancient ruins of Qingshan County. Dean Song, Magistrate Zhou, and fellow colleagues of the Qingshan Academy."

His gaze slowly swept across the hall, pausing briefly in Chen Zhuo's direction before continuing.

"Firstly, during the long night, an ancient literary site was discovered in Qingshan County. According to preliminary verification by the Shengtianfu Academy of Literature, the site contains ancient writing relics, the remains of an ancient energy supply system, and clues to what appears to be pages of a book about heaven and earth."

According to Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the Great Zhou Dynasty's "Regulations for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Heritage", effective immediately, Qingshan County's administrative level has been upgraded from a lower county to an upper county.

The county government's rank was raised from the sixth rank to the sixth rank.

The academy's standards were adjusted accordingly, with five additional teaching positions added, and the annual subsidy for registered students of the xiucai (a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination) and above was increased to three times the original amount.

The area within fifty li of the ruins was designated as a temporary protected zone, jointly managed by the Qingshan County Academy of Literature and the county government, with a special commissioner from the Shengtian Prefecture Academy of Literature overseeing the project.

A hushed discussion broke out in the hall.

Qian Wenbi stood in the instructors' line, his hands clasped in front of him, his knuckles turning white.

He had been a senior scholar for over a decade and taught basic courses at the Academy of Arts for most of his life. Now that the Academy of Arts has been upgraded and the number of teaching positions has increased, it means recognition that has been long overdue for him.

Shen Wenduan paused for a moment, waiting for the murmurs to subside, before continuing.

"Secondly, Qingshan County is located on the border of the Dongshi Region, and during the long night, the county's ability to monitor and respond quickly to demons was exposed as insufficient."

According to the joint decree of the Imperial Cabinet and the Great Zhou Academy of Literature, a branch office of the Astronomical Observatory was established in Qingshan County.

The Imperial Observatory was subordinate to the imperial court and was not under the jurisdiction of the county government or the Academy of Literature. It reported directly to the Imperial Observatory of Shengtian Prefecture.

The Qingshan County Observatory Branch Office is tentatively staffed with twenty people, including one Director and one Deputy Director.

The Director was transferred from the Shengtianfu Observatory to one of the eight active-duty Observatory Guards and was to take office within three days.

The core functions of the Observatory are to monitor the remaining activities of demons during the long night in Qingshan County and within a 50-mile radius, track the impact of the spilled energy of the ruins on the surrounding ecology, and be responsible for perimeter security during the exploration of the ruins.

Additionally, the Qingshan Academy and the county government may recommend suitable candidates to join the Observatory, who will be hired after passing the examination.

Chen Zhuo felt Gu Qing'e gently nudge him with her elbow.

He turned his head to the side, and his junior sister was silently mouthing four words: "Recommended candidate".

Chen Zhuo didn't reply, but he was already making quick calculations in his mind.

The Observatory is a newly established agency with limited staff, but the resources and intelligence it can directly mobilize far exceed the usual allocation of the Academy of Arts.

If Song Zhiyuan were to recommend disciples to join, the two most suitable candidates would be Senior Sister Zhao Xuelang and Junior Sister Gu Qing'e.

The second senior brother, Li Zhao, runs his own talisman workshop and may not be willing to be bound by government officials.

As for himself, he wasn't sure if his master would include him in the calculations.

After all, he is only at the beginner level now, and may not meet the requirements.

Just as I was thinking this, Shen Wenduan continued speaking.

"Thirdly, in order to support the development of the historical sites in Qingshan County and the construction of the county town, the imperial court decided to build the Wendao official road from Shengtian Prefecture to Qingshan County."

The roadbed was reinforced with literary techniques, and a literary energy replenishment station was set up every hundred li to replenish the literary energy of passing scholars and messengers.

The expenses for this official road were 70% funded by the imperial court and 30% raised by Qingshan County itself.

After the road is completed, the travel time from Qingshan County to Shengtian Prefecture will be shortened from more than a month to five days.

Simultaneously, a literary market will be established in the Qingshan County area, which will be uniformly planned and managed by the county government for the trading and circulation of literary items, demon materials, and scriptures.

Transactions within the market area will enjoy a special policy of halved taxation during the post-reconstruction period following the long night.

Fourthly, the Shengtianfu Academy of Literature survey team will arrive in Qingshan County within ten days.

The survey team was led by a survey specialist personally appointed by the head of the Shengtianfu Academy of Literature, and its members included paleographers, heritage engineering experts, and energy system researchers.

After the survey team entered Qingshan County, the Qingshan Academy of Literature and the Observatory jointly ensured the safe and orderly progress of the survey work.

The plan to open the core area of ​​the heritage site must be jointly evaluated by Shengtianfu Academy of Arts and Qingshan Academy of Arts before it can be implemented. No individual or organization may enter the core area of ​​the heritage site without authorization.

As Shen Wenduan finished speaking, his gaze swept across the hall again before landing on Song Zhiyuan.

"Dean Song."

Song Zhiyuan stepped forward.

"Your humble servant is here."

"Mr. Wenxiang asked me to pass on a message to you. He said that the manuscript you left in Shengtian Prefecture has been brought back by the same messenger as last time."

He asked me to tell you, "What you said on the lecture platform at the Imperial Academy back then has now been spoken by the stones of Qingshan County. The rest is up to you."

Song Zhiyuan lowered his head and did not speak.

The light from the window shone on the dean's seal on his shoulder.

When he looked up again, his expression had returned to normal, only his voice was slightly deeper than usual:

"This humble official thanks Mr. Xie Wenxiang. Thank you, Lord Shen."

Shen Wenduan nodded slightly.

His illusory image began to slowly dissipate within the literary array, his last words echoing in the hall:

"Qingshan County is located in a remote area and has been silent for thousands of years. Now the opportunity has arrived. I hope that everyone will work together to live up to the trust placed in us by the imperial court and to make the most of the gifts of this land."

The golden light faded, and the literary array fell silent.

The hall was silent for a moment, then Zhou Wenyuan spoke first, his tone as steady as when he was reviewing official documents:

"The location for the Observatory must be finalized within three days, Dean Song. Let's meet this afternoon to discuss the use of the outer city."

The county government is already drafting the stall allocation plan for Wendao Market, and it will be posted for public comment no later than tomorrow. Anyone with objections can contact the county government's Revenue Department directly. As for the Wendao Official Road...

He suddenly stopped and turned to look at Xu Yi, who was standing by the window.

"The Xu family is the largest stone supplier in Qingshan County. Would you be willing to undertake the supply of stone for the roadbed of the official road?"

Xu Yi unfolded his folding fan, his face expressionless, but the ink on the four characters "Dragon and Phoenix Among Men" on the fan was three times darker than usual.

"Lord Zhou, you are too kind. The Xu family will naturally do our part in matters that benefit the country and the county."

Chen Zhuo stood beside Gu Qing'e, watching as everyone in the hall dispersed.

Qian Wenbi was discussing in hushed tones with a teacher the selection process for the additional teaching positions in the Faculty of Arts.

The eldest sister and the second brother walked out side by side. Zhao Xuelang had an extra copy of the Observatory's organizational chart in his hand, and he was marking it up with a pen as they walked.

Xu Yi turned around from the window, tapped his folding fan twice in his palm, lingered on Chen Zhuo for a moment as if thinking about something, and then left the main hall without looking back.

"Junior Brother," Gu Qing'e's voice came from beside him, carrying a hint of barely suppressed excitement.

"Wen Dao Market, Xin Guan Dao, and Jian Tian Si—Qingshan County is going to be incredibly lively for the next six months."

"You should know that this is a feature only found in Shengtian Prefecture!"

The chattering voice of his junior sister appeared in Chen Zhuo's ears. Chen Zhuo responded with a few words, but his mind was on other things.

"Xiao Si, come here."

The voice of his master, Song Zhiyuan, came to his ears.

His voice also betrayed an barely suppressed excitement.

"Junior Sister, I'm going to Master's study for a bit. Please excuse me." Chen Zhuo interrupted his rambling junior sister.

Gu Qing'e paused for a second, then said excitedly, "I also have something to do there, want to come along?"

Chen Zhuo nodded and did not refuse.

When I arrived at the study, Song Zhiyuan was sitting at his desk, slowly sipping tea.

They seemed to be riding high on a spring breeze, enjoying a triumphant and swift ride.

Upon seeing that it was two people who had arrived, Song Zhiyuan spoke directly:

"Xiao Si, do you know what the adjustment of the Faculty of Arts' specifications means?"

What does that mean? Chen Zhu shook his head.

"This disciple does not know."

Upon hearing Chen Zhuo's answer, Song Zhiyuan didn't keep him in suspense any longer.

"The upgrade of the academy has many impacts, but the only one that is relevant to you is that Qingshan Academy has the power to grant the title of Xiucai (a degree in the imperial examination system)."

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhuo was startled, followed by an overwhelming sense of excitement.

This means that he won't have to travel all the way to Shengtian Prefecture to become a Xiucai; he can complete the advancement right here.

Familiar place, familiar people, and the dean of the Faculty of Arts' mentor.

"According to the law, the Xiucai examination is held twice every three years. Although Qingshan County is a county that has been upgraded, there is a precedent for this."

The first time a scholar takes the imperial examination at the academy, he/she can decide the time himself/herself.

At this point, Song Zhiyuan paused and looked at Chen Zhuo.

"Your literary talent has reached the threshold of becoming a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations) by now."

Chen Zhuo checked the panel and found that he now had 45 points of literary energy.

"Almost."

Song Zhiyuan nodded and took out a scripture from the table.

"This scripture is specifically designed to enhance one's literary talent. Take it and study it carefully, so that you can break through to the minimum standard of literary talent required to become a scholar as soon as possible."

Chen Zhuo reached out and took it.

"Thank you so much, Master!"