The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 90 The Prime of Life
Where the sword flashed, the snow shadows were mottled.

But as I watched, I felt that the old man dancing with his sword was like a lone crane in the sea and sky, with melancholy and loneliness hidden beneath his sharp sword moves.

Wen Gu waited quietly under the corridor until the other party sheathed his sword before walking over.

He bowed respectfully and said, "This student, Wen Gu, pays his respects to Master Wuyuan!"

Old Master Hong, whose pen name is "Wuyuan," also used this pen name when stamping the Wen Gu painting.

The old man handed the sword in his hand to the servant beside him and looked up to examine Wen Gu.

Too young, too frail.

"Go inside first."

Don't let yourself get sick from the cold.

Wen Gu took the book box from Tie Tou and followed Old Master Hong into the study, while Cheng Zhi and Tie Tou stayed in the outer hall and would return in a while.

The courtyard wasn't large; it was partitioned off by Old Master Hong himself. According to information Wen Gu gathered, the old man had some conflicts with his family and was living here with his old servant and two attendants.

With limited housing options available nowadays, people can't move far even if they want to, so they can only simply partition off a courtyard.

At this moment, only Old Master Hong and Wen Gu were in the study.

There was a brazier inside the house.

The 60-year-old man, dressed in simple exercise clothes, had a ruddy complexion and some beads of sweat on his forehead.

A twenty-year-old youth, dressed in a heavy cloak, with an elegant demeanor, a typical pale-faced scholar.

Grandpa Hong wiped his sweat, looked at Wen Gu again, and his brows furrowed more and more.

"In addition to studying calligraphy and painting, you should also practice swordsmanship with me!"

As he spoke, he took out a sword that he had prepared in advance.

Wen Gu placed the cloak aside and respectfully accepted the sword with both hands.

The sword was not finely crafted, but it looked quite elegant overall.

The sword is engraved with patterns resembling layered mountains, and the blade also bears the inscription "Cen Tai".

Different mosses share the same peak; friendship is as deep as mosses and peaks.

It implies shared will and common goals.

The academy that Mr. Hong founded was called "Cen Tai Academy".

This sword is standard issue for teachers and students of Centai Academy.

Before the chaos of war, scholars' swords were more symbolic, and nine out of ten never drew their sheaths.

Mr. Hong loved swords, and Cen Tai Academy forged many swords to distribute to the teachers and students of the academy.

Teachers and students carry swords to purify their minds.

These mass-produced swords are similar in nature to school badges.

The world has changed; the symbolic has finally become the practical.

When the world descended into chaos, the teachers and students of Cen Tai Academy evacuated, using their swords as weapons. But it is unknown how many survived.

This is probably a major worry for Mr. Hong.

The old man had no intention of formally accepting apprentices, but Wen Gu followed him to learn calligraphy and painting, thus becoming an ordinary student at Cen Tai Academy.

Students can officially wear the "school badge".

Perhaps because it had been nurtured in the academy, the sword carried a scent of ink.

"A true scholar is one who can bring peace to the world with his pen and conquer it on horseback. Especially in such chaotic times, we should emulate the sages of the past and possess both literary and martial talents!"

"Students, please remember this!"

Seeing that Wen Gu showed no sign of reluctance, Old Master Hong was quite satisfied. Indeed, Wen Gu had traveled from south to north, risking his life alongside the surviving people; his understanding of this would only be deeper.

Old Master Hong then went on to discuss some of the academy's rules and regulations.

After all, it's a chaotic time, and the old rules and regulations are not all suitable for the current situation. The rules and regulations mentioned above have been revised.

Thinking of Wen Gu's status and influence in Xinzhou, Grandpa Hong said, "Perhaps there are more classmates who survived. If we meet again in the future and there are no conflicts, we can help each other."

In chaotic times, people's hearts are unpredictable, and self-preservation is the prerequisite. Mr. Hong only hopes that alumni can help each other when there is no threat of harm.

Wen Gu readily agreed as well.

Hey classmate, how about we organize an alumni reunion?

If I can meet him, I definitely will...

After Grandpa Hong calmed down, he began to teach painting techniques.

He had already observed his brush control ability by reviewing his previous paintings some time ago.

First, solidify the foundation, then restructure the training.

When it came to teaching painting techniques, the old man only talked about that. He didn't mention anything else when reviewing the material, and I followed along diligently to learn.

Until a break.

The old man asked Wen Gu about some things that happened on his journey north, and Wen Gu talked about them, focusing on Cheng Zhi and He Xiaodi.

Seeing the old man looking down thoughtfully, Wen Gu glanced at some paintings in the study.

The drawing skills are excellent, the technique is skillful, and the content presented is also clear.

The old man's mind is not at peace!
The room was quiet and peaceful, with the scent of ink wafting through the air.

A soft sigh was heard, and Wen Gu asked, "Sir, have you ever considered establishing a branch of Cen Tai Academy in Xinzhou City?"

Mr. Hong snapped out of his daze, his gaze sweeping over him sharp.

Wen Gu continued in a calm voice, "The knowledge gained in the academy in the past cannot meet the survival needs of a chaotic world. Now, with the plague raging and people's hearts in turmoil, ignorance breeds fear." Old Master Hong's gaze seemed to carry immense weight.

Under such gazes, Wen Gu remained calm, his gaze returning the look even more sincere, as if he were simply expressing his feelings:

"Many Confucian scholars are not incompetent, but they have not yet adapted to the strange world they live in and are at a loss. If they have the assistance of academies to guide them, they will have more options for survival."

Let's take Cheng Zhi and He Xiaodi as examples again.

Of course, it wasn't explicitly stated that Cheng Zhi had an abnormal memory; it was only said that he was good at memorizing.

After receiving targeted training, these two individuals now work as clerks, assisting with the workshop's management, and they are doing their jobs very well.

I can use my skills to earn money to support my family and contribute to the stability of this place.

The living examples are right before our eyes.

"If the academy can be established, it will not only impart knowledge, but also preserve the flame of knowledge!"

Grandpa Hong was deeply moved.

He took to heart what Wen Gu said.

Not every Confucian scholar knew how to deal with epidemics or how to manage the people under the influence of plague.

Upon closer examination, it is indeed possible to add new subjects and promote a new education system based on the needs and demands of a chaotic world, thus creating more opportunities for students who are confused.

Wen Gu didn't continue speaking and quietly drank his tea.

Old Master Hong had run an academy before, and he was able to quickly grasp the key points and extract the core elements of what I had just mentioned.

If the Zhao family expands its territory in the future, it will definitely need a large number of technical and management talents.

Even scions of prominent families might not have the ability to handle the current situation. If there were a place for them to further their studies, I believe they would be willing to support it.

There will certainly be opponents, but the Zhao family will definitely support them!
Although the imperial examination system has been suspended, after so many years of implementation, those in power are well aware of its importance and cannot employ only people from aristocratic families.

Under the threat of absolute force, who will support it? Who will oppose it?

The academy project may not be implemented now, but it will be implemented in the future.

If Old Master Hong doesn't take action, the Zhao family will. It's only a matter of time before they start to consolidate their rule.

Old Master Hong pondered without uttering a word, but his mind was in turmoil.

After a while, Wen Gu thought the other party would talk about running an academy, but to his surprise, the old man stood up abruptly and spoke in a booming voice:

"Come on, let's practice our swordsmanship!"

Wen Gu: "..."

OK.

But when Old Master Hong took his sword to the courtyard, he became so engrossed in wielding it that he forgot about everyone else and was clearly lost in thought.

The swordplay was still fierce, but upon closer inspection, it was much more open-minded than before, like a trapped beast spreading its wings, or clouds breaking through the blue sky.

Wen Gu held the "school badge" and observed from the side.

Judging from Mr. Hong's reaction, he must have had the idea of ​​starting a school, but he suppressed it for various reasons. His family may not have supported it either, so he was rather passive.

The revisiting of this topic today has reaffirmed the old man's resolve.

very good!
Let's get excited!

When Wen Gu first received the information, he knew that although the old man didn't talk much, he wasn't a peaceful person!
You're still going strong despite your age!
You have so much energy! You can tell at a glance that you're capable of running the academy!
Because the old gentleman was distracted and not focused on teaching, the review session for the first day was not long. However, the amount of information exchanged was quite substantial.

Back to Jingxingfang.

Cheng Zhi and the others noticed that the neighborhood head was in a good mood and had even brought back a sword.

"What is this?" Cheng Zhi asked.

"Identity verification".

Wen Gu recounted the unique features of Cen Tai Academy.

He Xiaodi didn't go with him today and didn't see the old man dancing with his sword in the snow. He only knew that the old man was about sixty years old, had been a high-ranking official, and later resigned to run an academy.

Sixty years old!

In their small hometown, how many people don't even live to be sixty? It's hard to imagine a sixty-year-old practicing swordplay in the freezing cold, struggling to even walk.
He Xiaodi couldn't help but gasp: "The old man is so old..."

“That’s not right!” Wen Gu said. “Ask Cheng Zhi. The old man is so strong; he could chop the three of us in half with a sword!”

Cheng Zhi nodded vigorously: "I could chop ten of them like me! I'm even better at it than I am at chopping wood!"

Wen Gu didn't tell them about the branch campus of the academy, since it hadn't been finalized yet and it wasn't appropriate to make it public.

Satisfied, he looked at his newly acquired "school badge" and wiped the snow water off the characters "Cen Tai".

Thinking to myself: Fellow surviving alumni, junior, let's review and join the alumni group today!

The old man's ability to act is probably similar to his temperament; he is a decisive person and will not disappoint.

The Xinzhou branch of Centai Academy will soon appear in the city.

Sixty years old? How old is that?

He is famous, prestigious, senior, and ambitious.

He's in his prime!

With that powerful physique, he can serve as dean for at least another twenty years!
The timing is perfect.

The Zhao family's warehouse is full of supplies, and since they're just sitting there, why not allocate some of them to establish an academy?

And those talented people who, for various reasons, cannot leave Xinzhou City, instead of wasting their lives at home lamenting the passing of spring and wasting their youth, should do their part.

Everyone, get out and work!

(End of this chapter)