National Division

Chapter 2 Qingyang Temple

A carriage was already parked in front of the gate bearing the plaque "Shen Mansion," and a servant and a coachman had been waiting for some time.

"Greetings, young master." The servant, Ah Xin, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Shen Xian nodded without saying anything more.

The son of a county magistrate was treated quite well; he traveled in fine clothes and on a spirited horse, accompanied by servants.

"Young master, these are seasonal fruits. Don't forget to eat them if you're thirsty," Zhiyun said, handing over a basket covered with a cloth.

Xiuyue continued, "The more fruit you eat, the thirstier you get. This is Lushan Yunwu tea. Young master, please take it with you to drink at the Guanzhong Academy."

Feeling the care and concern of the two maids, Shen Xian felt a warm current flowing through his heart.

"Alright, wait for me at home. I'll be back by evening," Shen Xian said, getting into the carriage.

With a light flick of the whip, the wheels rumbled, rolling over the bluestone road, heading towards the bustling and prosperous market.

Shen Xian lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the streets on both sides. The day's work begins in the morning, and Guhe County, the hub of the North-South Canal, seemed to be awakening as well.

At this moment, the shops on both sides opened their doors, and the breakfast stalls on both sides also opened.

"Candied hawthorn berries~"

"Steamed buns, piping hot steamed buns."

"Sharpening knives and scissors."

Fishermen, woodcutters, farmers, scholars, peddlers, laborers, cart drivers, gentlemen and ladies—it's like a bustling, prosperous scene.

After watching for a while, Shen Xian gradually calmed down, lowered the carriage curtain, and blocked out the noise and commotion outside.

The carriage was filled with the fragrance of orchids, which was refreshing and made one feel refreshed. Shen Xian gently stroked the Taoist scriptures in the book box beside him and thought of the place he was going to—Qingyang Temple, or Qingyang Academy.

Qingyang Temple, as the largest private Taoist academy in Guhe County, was quite famous throughout Anzhou. In addition to its regular lectures, the abbot would also open his lectures to anyone in mid-March, which was considered a major event in Anzhou.

But as I said before, the teachings of Huang-Lao and Zhuang-Zhou are characterized by their use of metaphors and analogies, their convoluted and obscure language, and their profound and mysterious nature. They place great emphasis on comprehension and are not something that just anyone can learn.

But once you master the skills and engage in philosophical discussions, you can rise rapidly through the ranks of officialdom, becoming a high-ranking official.

Yes, this is something my father often says when he's drinking.

Shen Xian's mind was as if in a dream, merging with some trivial things from his memories. Suddenly, the rumbling of the carriage stopped.

"Young master, we've arrived," the servant Ah Xin, sitting on the side of the carriage, reminded him.

Shen Xian snapped out of his daze, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped down. With his handsome appearance bestowed upon him by his parents, Shen Xian now possessed a certain air of elegance and refinement.

In the past, Shen Xian would have practically jumped down, but at Qingyang Temple, he had to be more solemn.

The servant boy carried the book box, the food box, the fruit basket, and the tea.

Meanwhile, Shen Xian was observing the Qingyang Temple.

The Taoist temple has upturned eaves and hooked corners, with green bricks and gray tiles. The threshold is not high, which seems to imply that education should be accessible to all.

"This place is quite quiet." Shen Xian looked around and saw that there weren't many pedestrians.

In fact, this is the southern part of the county town, next to Luoyanpo. It can be said to be built against the slope. It is surrounded by pine and bamboo forests. Under the bright spring sun, the pine trees sway, the bamboo forest rustles, and the green waves are like waves.

"The Taoist philosophy of governing the world through non-action is quite interesting." Shen Xian put aside his thoughts and stepped onto the stairs.

Just then, a hearty laugh came from not far behind: "Muzhi, what a rare guest today."

Shen Xian turned his head and saw that the speaker was a tall and slender young man with a jade pendant hanging from his waist. Beside him was another young man, who was also dressed in exquisite clothes and had an elegant demeanor.

There were many children of prominent figures from the county who came to Qingyang Temple to study, or rather, these people wanted to use Taoism as a stepping stone to advancement.

Following his memories, Shen Xian cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Brother Pei."

The man was Pei Shen, son of Pei Renjing, the county clerk, and following behind him was Zhang Yan, son of a wealthy merchant in the city.

“Muzhi, now that the Daoist has met you, I must say something to you again. This is the etiquette of people in the martial arts world. You and I are Daoist scholars, so a Daoist greeting is sufficient.” Pei Shen smiled, his face exuding a gentle and refined air that made him instantly likable.

Shen Xian nodded, about to offer an explanation.

Just then, a mocking laugh came from afar, saying, "What would Shen Xian know about these things?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian's expression shifted slightly, and he glanced at the person who had entered.

The man was dressed in a strange coarse blue robe, riding in an oxcart. Two maids followed behind him, carrying two gift boxes, and several servants carried books and other items not far behind.

This display of frugality or extravagance is somewhat puzzling.

Following the memories in his mind, Shen Xian learned that the person's name was Liu Yu.

In this era, not everyone was qualified to ride in an oxcart. It was reserved for respected elders or high-ranking officials and nobles who rode in oxcarts to enjoy a leisurely and carefree life and to display the demeanor of a noble young master.

According to the legends in the Taoist scriptures, a sage once rode a blue ox through Hangu Pass.

Shen Xian's eyes flickered slightly as memories of this person's background surfaced in his mind: Liu Yu, the son of the county magistrate of Guhe County.

This is not surprising; it's practically enough to hold a gathering of second-generation leaders at Qingyang Temple. However, his relationship with these second-generation leaders from the county was actually just average. In the past, there weren't any major conflicts, since they were all influential figures in the county, and their fathers had been colleagues, so they gave each other some face.

However, occasional arguments and rivalries are sometimes unavoidable.

This is also why I often skip classes, because I can't get along with these people.

On the contrary, he got along well with people from all walks of life, such as constables, blacksmiths, and doctors, and treated them as brothers.

Because of Shen Xian's father's influence, others also respected this humble young master Shen.

"Brother Pei, it's been a long time." Liu Yu wasn't very respectful to Shen Xian, but he was very polite to Pei Shen, saying respectfully, "Brother Pei, your demeanor is even more impressive than before."

Pei Shen nodded, a smile appearing on his face, and politely asked, "Brother Liu, why are you so late?"

Liu Yu smiled and said, "My father prepared two century-old ginseng roots and told me to take them to the abbot's alchemy room to refine them into pills."

Shen Xian listened from the side, a slight smile playing on his lips.

How could someone arriving by oxcart not be late? Pei Shen is a man of hidden cunning.

However, he also needs elixirs, as he cannot do without them to strengthen his muscles and bones.

Pei Shen glanced at Liu Yu's simple clothes and said, "Brother Liu, you have truly shown your thoughtfulness by abandoning your finery for plain clothes today."

Liu Yu smiled and said, "Brother Pei, ever since the abbot rebuked me for being impetuous and frivolous last month, I have been constantly vigilant and reflecting on my mistakes. I have decided to follow the abbot's example and dress simply and eat vegetarian meals."

Pei Shen smiled faintly, thinking to himself, "Deliberately pretending is even more dishonest."

The abbot was absolutely right.

Besides, everyone knows that the county magistrate's son is greedy for fame and lustful. I wonder which advisor came up with this terrible idea for the county magistrate's second son.

The abbot had already seen that Liu Yu had someone impersonate him to write poems to make a name for himself.

"Brother Pei and Brother Liu, please chat first. I'll go in now." Shen Xian wasn't in the mood to listen to their nonsense. He was more focused on studying his lessons and then going back to deal with his father's homework quiz.

He also wanted to swindle some... well, no, some silver to buy some body-refining pills.

However, he couldn't suddenly become very studious; he needed a pretext, otherwise it would easily arouse his father's suspicion.

This man's father is a county magistrate; if he discovers that his son has been replaced, he will likely arrest him.

But once inside the temple, the idea that he was captivated by the abbot's dignified and otherworldly demeanor, that the resounding grandeur of the Yellow Bell resonated in his ears, that he suddenly realized his mistake and turned over a new leaf, only makes sense now.

At this moment, Pei Shen smiled and said, "It's getting late, let's go into the Guanzhong Academy."

As he spoke, he and his classmate, the young master Zhang, entered the temple together.

Meanwhile, Shen Xian had already entered Qingyang Temple by following his memory. Following his memory, he passed through the vermilion-beamed corridor, stepped through the moon gate, passed through a rustling bamboo forest, and arrived in front of a hall with the words "Liangyi" inscribed on it.

In front of the pavilion was a stone bridge. Two Taoist priests dressed in green robes and wearing Taoist hats stood before the bridge and said, "Servants and food are not allowed to be brought into the hall."

Shen Xian had no choice but to carry the book box on his back himself and have the servant wait outside.

At this moment, the hall was already full of people, about sixty or seventy people, all whispering and talking, and some were reciting books.

They wore all sorts of clothes, and some were dressed simply, their faces clearly showing they came from poor families. "I, however, wore a worn-out robe and tattered clothes among them," seemingly "without any envy or admiration."

These people can enter Guanzhong Academy to study as long as they pay a certain fee.

The master advocates tranquility and inaction, letting things come and go as they please, but in this era, not everyone can take time off work, and studying Taoist scriptures is quite tedious.

Several middle-aged Taoist priests holding whisks seemed to ignore the commotion in the Liangyi Hall.

Two slightly younger Taoist boys came to the incense burner and skillfully changed the incense sticks. After lighting them, the fragrance filled the air, and the originally noisy people in the empty hall seemed to gradually quiet down as the fragrance dissipated.

"After burning incense and bathing, and ringing the Taoist bell three times, the abbot should be coming out soon," Shen Xian thought to himself.

These are all memories of this body.

Although I'm a slacker who often skips classes, I still know these procedures, or rather, I found them quite fun at first.

Yes, I am such a fickle person.

Following her memory, Shen Xian sat down in her seat, took out books with light blue covers, and brought out writing brushes, ink, paper, and other items.

This treatment was, of course, only given to those who had donated money to Qingyang Temple for their studies.

At this moment, Pei Shen, who had been there earlier, also came in from the outer room and took his seat.

Yes, it was quite a coincidence that I sat down right behind a small table next to Shen Xian.

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(End of this chapter)