A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

At this moment, not only Wang Xun was astonished, but the group of craftsmen gathered there also looked at Duan Rong and the Buddha head with astonishment.

The tall, thin old carpenter stared blankly at the Buddha head on the ground, his mouth slightly agape.

This old carpenter has been doing this for over forty years. In his opinion, the skill and the smoothness of the details in this stone Buddha head are far superior to any craftsman he has ever seen in the workshop.

"I've been working for forty years, and I've never seen a Buddha head like this before. Every cut is precise. Young man, how did you do that?" After a long while, the old carpenter finally raised his head, his face showing a calm after shock, and asked Duan Rong.

Duan Rong touched his nose, chuckled softly, and replied evasively, "Perhaps I suddenly had an epiphany..."

The old carpenter paused for a moment, then looked intently at the Buddha head on the ground again, as if pondering the meaning behind Duan Rong's words.

Judging from the Buddha head from yesterday, Duan Rong clearly has some skill in stone sculpture, but he is still quite rough in the details.

But today, in just one day, it has become so round and lively...

However, the skill of stone carving and the delicate craftsmanship of polishing are, in the end, the work of water dripping on stone, and cannot be achieved overnight through sudden enlightenment.

The old carpenter looked up again, his eyes still filled with doubt.

Duan Rong could tell that the old man was somewhat stubborn and probably wanted to get to the bottom of things, so he immediately laughed it off and said, "Master, I'm a little tired. I'll go and rest first."

"Oh, okay," Wang Xun replied, lifting his bottom off the stool.

Duan Rong then left the workshop and went back to his room to rest, so as to avoid the craftsmen continuing to question him.

After Duan Rong left, Wang Xun and the craftsmen remained around the Buddha head for a long time, unwilling to leave.

One of the craftsmen said, "Master, look at the quality of this Buddha head. It should pass the Yongning Temple's test without any problem, right?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xun's heart tightened, and he gave the craftsman a cold look. If the man hadn't been so honest, he might have even suspected that he had discovered something.

Wang Xun examined the Buddha head, recalling Duan Rong's words from two days ago at the mountain temple outside the city: "Two months is more than enough."

At the time, he thought it was absurd. But now it seems true. The only question is, how was this achieved?
Wang Xun had been dealing with these stone and wooden sculptures for over twenty years, and he was well-versed in the ins and outs of this trade, and even more aware of the hardships involved. No one in this world could make such great progress in a single day.

"This seems a bit eerie!" Wang Xun looked at the Buddha head and couldn't help but feel suspicious.

From that day forward, Duan Rong would meticulously craft a near-perfect work of art almost every day, including Buddha heads, wood carvings, and various intricately patterned religious ritual implements.

A few days later, both Wang Xun and the craftsmen were completely impressed.

Among the craftsmen, no one said anything so disgusting as to say that Jiang Qingyu was the illegitimate son of the master. Now they all say that Master Jiang was invited by the master to oversee Cunmu Hall.

The stone and wood carvings that Duan Rong finished were not taken out of Cunmu Hall, but were placed on a special shelf by Wang Xun. He instructed the craftsmen to observe and learn from these carvings in their spare time, which would greatly benefit the improvement of their skills.

Over the past few days, Wang Xun no longer had any doubts about Duan Rong's ability to pass the selection and assessment at Yongning Temple. In his view, every single thing Duan Rong made was a treasure, worthy of being passed down through generations.

As for why Duan Rong was so skilled in this area, Wang Xun stopped speculating. After all, he came from a sect and held the Black Pattern Token, so perhaps he came prepared. It was reasonable for him to be so extraordinary.

Now that passing the selection process is no longer an issue, the remaining question is his eligibility to participate in the assessment. In fact, Wang Xun had already considered this matter.

A month has passed in the blink of an eye. This is the time to submit the nominations to Yongning Temple.

Those recommended who pass the examination will be exempt from taxes for three years for the recommended workshop. However, to prevent indiscriminate recommendations, various fees must be paid for each person recommended to participate in the examination, not only at Yongning Temple but also at the government office.

Therefore, unless they are very confident, each workshop will not randomly recommend people.

For four consecutive years, or two consecutive terms, Cunmutang has not submitted any nominations to Yongning Temple.

That day, Wang Xun entered the workshop, where all the craftsmen were at work. Duan Rong was painting a wooden sculpture. Wang Xun glanced at Duan Rong, but then slowly walked behind a craftsman.

The craftsman was only in his early twenties, and his eyes seemed somewhat gloomy. He was carving patterns on a wooden board, holding a carving knife in his hand. He was working very carefully, and a focused light shone through the gloomy background in his eyes.

This man, Zhu Shicheng, had only been working at Cunmutang for four years.

Wang Xun stood behind him for a while, but he seemed too focused on his work to notice Wang Xun at all.

Wang Xun coughed, and only then did Zhu Shicheng pause slightly in his carving knife.

Wang Xun said, "Shicheng!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Shicheng immediately stood up, bowed slightly to the side, and said respectfully, "Master." His eyes held a hint of fear, for he was afraid that there was something wrong with the work he had done, and the seller had returned it.

Such incidents are common at Cunmutang. Sometimes the work is genuinely flawed, and other times the seller is deliberately making things difficult. Regardless of the reason, the person who did the work will be punished.

Wang Xun noticed Zhu Shicheng's unease and chuckled, "Don't be so tense. I wanted you to participate in this year's Yongning Temple selection exam. How about it? Are you confident?"

Zhu Shicheng was taken aback. "Participate in the assessment?!"

He wasn't the only one stunned; all the craftsmen in the workshop were quite puzzled. Zhu Shicheng's skills were indeed among the best in their class, but they were still some distance from qualifying for the assessment.

Moreover, even if they really had to find someone to participate in the selection and assessment at Yongning Temple, without considering Master Jiang, Zhu Shicheng wouldn't be the best among their group.

"Master, do you mean you want me to participate in the selection and assessment for Yongning Temple?" Zhu Shicheng asked somewhat uncertainly.

Wang Xun said, "What? Don't you have confidence in your skills? I've observed you carefully, and your work is quite good. You still have a chance to pass the test."

Zhu Shicheng was overjoyed. He was actually quite obsessed with his craft; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to establish himself at Cunmu Hall in his early twenties.

He knew, of course, that his skill level was somewhat inferior to that of the old carpenter and the other stonemason, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel that they each had their own strengths, not to mention that the two of them were getting on in years.

Anyone who becomes obsessed with a particular skill and dedicates themselves to its study for a long time will inevitably become arrogant. Hence the saying, "Scholars often belittle each other." Unless the difference in skill is so vast that it's impossible to ignore, like Master Jiang.

Zhu Shicheng suppressed the tremor in his heart and said, "Master, what about Master Jiang? With Master Jiang here, how could it be my turn?"

Wang Xun said, "Master Jiang is not a member of my Cunmu Hall. He's only staying here for a while; he'll leave in a month or two."

Zhu Shicheng said, "Oh, I see."

Wang Xun asked, "What? Shicheng, you don't want to go?"

Zhu Shicheng said, "What are you saying? My employer has nurtured me, how could I, Shicheng, be ungrateful?!"

Participating in an assessment costs a considerable amount of money. However, participation offers an opportunity, and passing it means becoming a craftsman within the sect. That's far better than being stuck in this small workshop. Wang Xun said, "That's good. I won't assign you any tasks for this month. Prepare well for the assessment and try to get me a three-year tax reduction."

Zhu Shicheng said, "Don't worry, boss. Shicheng will definitely give it his all!"

Wang Xun nodded and handed the letter of recommendation, stamped with the seal of Cunmutang, to Zhu Shicheng, saying, "This is the letter of recommendation. Go to your Zhu family ancestral hall and get the family genealogy from the clan head. Take the genealogy and the letter of recommendation to the government office to register."

As he spoke, Wang Xun took out a small bag of silver, placed it on top of the letter of recommendation, and gave it to Zhu Shicheng, saying, "This is the money that needs to be paid at the government office for registration. There's also some surplus, so buy some gifts for your clan leader."

Zhu Shicheng gratefully accepted it, his eyes slightly red. His family had fallen on hard times, his parents had died early, and even if he wanted to get the family genealogy from the clan chief, the clan chief had to be willing to pay him any attention.

The owner had this in mind, which is why he gave this explanation.

A warm feeling welled up in Zhu Shicheng's heart. Holding the letter of recommendation and the bag of silver, he choked up and said, "Thank you, sir."

Wang Xun said, "Go ahead. The government will only be open for registration for three days. The sooner you get it done, the sooner you'll have peace of mind."

"Mm," Zhu Shicheng replied, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes. He bowed to Wang Xun and then left the workshop.

All the craftsmen craned their necks to see Zhu Shicheng off, but Duan Rong, throughout the entire process, kept fiddling with the wood carving in his hands and never once looked up.

After Zhu Shicheng left, Wang Xun coughed lightly.

The stunned craftsmen finally snapped out of their daze and began working on their tasks.

Wang Xun then walked out of the workshop. As he passed by Duan Rong, their eyes briefly met, and they remained silent, understanding each other perfectly.

After Wang Xun left, the workshop was in an uproar.

A middle-aged, plump craftsman peeked out and said, "Old Qin, do you think that kid Zhu Shicheng can really pass the test? Forgive my poor eyesight, but I feel like he's a little short of it."

The old Qin was referring to the tall, thin old carpenter. Upon hearing this, he snorted coldly and said, "Don't gossip behind people's backs. Do you understand? Or does the master understand?" As he spoke, he gestured with his chin towards Duan Rong, who was engrossed in his work.

The middle-aged, plump craftsman understood and immediately shut his mouth.

Old Qin turned to look at the empty seat behind him where Zhu Shicheng was sitting, and couldn't help but scoff inwardly. In his opinion, there was absolutely no way Zhu Shicheng would pass the test.

Zhu Shicheng went out in the morning and returned to Cunmutang as dusk fell. Even in the dim light, his joy was still evident.

Wang Xun and Duan Rong were eating in a small room.

Duan Rong usually doesn't come to eat, but he came and sat here today, just to wait for Zhu Shicheng to return.

Sure enough, not long after the two sat down, Zhu Shicheng came in. His eyes lit up, and he greeted them with a beaming smile, "Master! Master Jiang!"

Wang Xun was eating a rolled pancake when he slurped up some soup and said, "You're back! Is everything settled with the registration?"

Zhu Shicheng said, "It's all done, boss! The registration certificate has been retrieved."

"Hmm, let me see," Wang Xun said, putting down the half-eaten wrap and wiping his greasy hands on his clothes.

Zhu Shicheng frowned. Although Wang Xun had wiped his hands, they were still greasy under the light. This registration certificate was his lifeline.

However, the money he paid for the registration and the letter of recommendation were both given to him by Wang Xun. Since Wang Xun wanted to see them, he didn't dare to refuse. He could only smile awkwardly, take the registration certificate out of his inner pocket, and carefully hand it to Wang Xun.

Wang Xun took it, opened the registration certificate, and looked at it under the light.

The document contained a sketch of Zhu Shicheng, along with his name, hometown, and other information. Next to it was the name of the workshop that recommended him, which was naturally Cunmutang.

The inscription is dated the tenth month of the Jia Chen year, from the Protectorate General. Next to it is the Protectorate General's seal.

Duan Rong also leaned over to look. He glanced at Zhu Shicheng's sketch and saw that it did indeed resemble him somewhat.

The so-called "portrait sketching" was done on-site by the painters of the Protectorate. With so many people working on it every day, it was considered good if the portrait was even five-tenths accurate.

Wang Xun was well aware of this situation. In addition, Zhu Shicheng and Duan Rong had similar appearances. Although it was easy to distinguish the two when they stood together, it would be difficult to say who they resembled if a portrait was drawn.

This is why Wang Xun chose Zhu Shicheng, anticipating this situation. Zhu Shicheng was also a craftsman, and craftsmen understand form better than painters.

Duan Rong glanced at the sketched portrait, then lowered his head and continued eating.

After reviewing the registration form, Wang Xun closed it and handed it to Zhu Shicheng.

Zhu Shicheng's eyes were fixed on the registration form in Wang Xun's hand, afraid that something might go wrong. As soon as Wang Xun handed it over, he immediately stepped forward and took it.

Wang Xun said, "You must keep your registration certificate safe. You'll need it to enter Yongning Temple on the day of the assessment."

Zhu Shicheng said, "Don't worry, boss. Even if someone takes my heart and liver out, I won't lose it."

Wang Xun said, "Okay, that's good. Go and eat."

Zhu Shicheng agreed, turned around and left the room, heading towards the cafeteria across the street.

After Zhu Shicheng left, Duan Rong got up and went back to his room to rest without saying a word.

Another month passed in the blink of an eye.

For the past month, Zhu Shicheng hasn't taken on any new orders; he's been preparing for the assessment. As a result, he's lost weight. The more he prepares, the less confident he becomes. Adding to his woes, Old Qin and the other craftsmen have been subtly and overtly mocking and ridiculing him.

He gradually calmed down from his initial fervor.

Zhu Shicheng gradually came to a clearer understanding of himself, realizing that he had virtually no hope of passing the Yongning Temple's assessment.

But if that's the case, why would the employer be willing to spend money to recommend him for the assessment? That's no small sum, more than ten taels of silver!
The owner has been running Cunmutang for over twenty years; what level of craftsmen haven't he seen? How could he possibly misjudge someone like that?
These problems troubled Zhu Shicheng, but with the assessment day just two days away, and having already paid his employer and registered, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

That afternoon, Zhu Shicheng was flipping through the booklet, wanting to familiarize himself with the intricate patterns one last time, when Wang Xun suddenly came in with a cold face and said, "Shicheng, tomorrow is the assessment day. Don't stay in the workshop this afternoon. Come with me, I have a few words to tell you."

After Wang Xun finished speaking, he turned and left the workshop.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Shicheng closed the booklet and followed Wang Xun to the backyard with a gloomy expression. (End of Chapter)