After hearing Tian Songshi's words, not only the people from the two fleets were stunned, but even the people from the other small fleets were stunned.
As a great scholar, Tian Songshi's words at this time must have extraordinary significance.
No one answered for a moment. Everyone was trying to figure out Tian Songshi's intention and ignored the Spring and Autumn Annals Wenxin fish in his hand.
After a while, Grand Secretary Lei Mo asked, "Mr. Song Shi, why do you want to participate in the race?"
"I am too stupid to fish in the ocean of learning. After thinking about it, I feel that I would suffer a loss if I don't take advantage of such a great opportunity. So I am going to participate in the competition."
Lei Mo's face lit up, and he said, "The Xuehai race has already begun, and you can't rejoin. However, we can set up a gentleman's race, with only verbal agreements, and not bound by Xuehai. On behalf of the Zong Lei fleet, I promise that as long as Fang Xusheng agrees, you can participate in the race. As long as you choose the winning side, you will definitely get the Wenxin fish you want."
Tian Songshi looked at Fang Yun and smiled, "Xiao Fang County Magistrate, do you agree that I can participate in the race?"
Fang Yun had been practicing fishing and didn't know what Tian Songshi meant. He nodded and said, "Since Mr. Songshi wants to participate, I will naturally agree."
Tian Songshi smiled and said, "Does anyone have any objections?"
No one spoke, because the other party was a great scholar.
The people in Zong Lei's fleet smiled. With the joining of the great scholar, the reputation of the fleet would be greatly improved. What's more, the stupid great scholar was a famous figure in Qi State and had a very high reputation. After the victory, the reputation of the opponent Yun would be dealt a greater blow.
Many people on Fang Yun's fleet sighed inwardly. It was obvious that this stupid scholar was not stupid at all. He had not participated in the race before. He was probably just waiting and watching the situation and waiting for the right price. Now that he saw that Fang Yun was weak, he would definitely choose to join Zong Lei's fleet.
Everyone wants to gain more literary talent. Great scholars are no exception!
In the days to come, the war between humans and monsters will inevitably be protracted. The higher the rank of the scholar, the greater the possibility of participating in the war. Whether it is to protect oneself or to kill monsters, one must acquire a better literary mind.
This is also the reason for the great opening of the ocean of knowledge.
"Okay! Then I will join Fang Yun's fleet and cooperate in the race. I hope both sides will not regret it."
"What!"
The people in the Zong Lei fleet stared with confusion, while the people in the Fang Yun fleet were somewhat puzzled. They all thought that Tian Songshi was going to the Zong Lei fleet, so why didn't he go
You won’t even go to pick up a Wenxin fish for free
A faint smile appeared on Fang Yun's lips, and he thought to himself that a great scholar is a great scholar. Others may not be able to see it, but a great scholar can see the clues.
Fang Yunyi bowed and said, "Welcome Mr. Song Shi to participate in the race. When the race is over, my fleet will naturally give you the Wen Xin you deserve."
"Then thank you, County Magistrate Xiao Fang. I only ask for a middle-grade Spring and Autumn Jixu fish. If you don't have that, I will use this lower-grade Wenxin fish."
"The old gentleman has a noble character and I admire him."
Everyone was even more puzzled. Tian Songshi was a great scholar. He was of great help to the fleet's competition and boosted morale. He was qualified to take even a top-grade Wenxin, but before the end of the competition he said he would only take a middle-grade Wenxin. It was obviously to reassure the people in Fang Yun's fleet and show that he was not greedy.
With his status, once he said something, it was impossible to go back on his word.
The stupid scholar didn't care about others. He stood on the sailboat, parallel to the two university scholars' ships. Although he was old and the boat was small, he had an aura of calming the wind and the sea. As long as he was in the fleet, those typhoons and huge waves seemed nothing to be afraid of.
The people from the Zong and Lei families were panicked and kept whispering to each other, trying to find out the reason.
"What's going on with Tian Songshi? I haven't heard that he is good friends with Fang Yun!"
"There are some frictions between Qi and Qing. Could it be revenge against Qing?"
"Nonsense, Mr. Song Shi has a good reputation. He didn't blame the younger generation for offending him. As long as the Zong and Lei families don't hinder his holy path, he will never show up at this time. After all, he has never been competitive and has always been devoted to studying."
"That's strange, does he think Fang Yun can win?"
"Absolutely impossible! Fang Yun's second poem is about strengthening the hook and has nothing to do with the speed of the boat. The third poem is even more off topic. There is no way he can reach the end of the inland sea. He will definitely lose. Moreover, if Fang Yun really had any signs of winning, wouldn't our dozens of university scholars be able to see it? Although the great scholar is strong, he is not enough to completely surpass dozens of university scholars!"
"Are we too far away from Fang Yun's dragon boat and missed something?"
"For you, the Grand Masters, a few dozen miles is just around the corner."
Several university scholars had come into contact with Tian Songshi and wanted to express their guesses, but in the end they did not say it directly. It was very likely that the stupid scholar was disgusted by the Zong and Lei families.
Lei Mo said: "It's already come to this, there's no need to worry. What we have to do is to face the wind and waves and win the race! No matter if the opponent is a great scholar or a literary master, even if a semi-saint is blocking the way, we should move forward bravely! As scholars, how can we be intimidated by a great scholar! If Fang Yun is our enemy, we will defeat him. If a great scholar is our enemy, we will also defeat him! We want to laugh at the heroes at the end of the sea of learning!"
"Brother Lei, well said!"
"The ocean of learning will surely become the place where Fang Yun fails!"
The morale of Zong Lei's fleet was immediately boosted. The fleet itself was not strengthened, but the waves and winds near the entire fleet suddenly became smaller, causing the fleet's speed to increase again.
With the addition of Tian Songshi, the morale of Fang Yun's fleet was greatly boosted, the wind and waves weakened, and the speed of increase was even greater than that of Zong Lei's fleet.
A young scholar on a sailing ship shouted, "All the masters of the mansions and warships, please work harder. You may not trust your own judgment, but you must trust the judgment of the great scholar! For such a stupid person to become a great scholar, he must have excellent judgment!"
Tian Songshi coughed lightly and said, "You call me stupid in front of me, do you believe I will push you into the sea to feed the fish? I am not stupid, I am wise but foolish!"
Everyone burst into laughter. Although "Stupid Scholar" was just a nickname, no one dared to call him stupid in front of Tian Songshi.
The young scholar blushed and laughed.
Fang Yun smiled and continued fishing in the third echelon.
No one noticed that his dragon boat was slightly faster, the hull of the dragon boat was slightly stronger, and his casting rod was also slightly faster.
All the performance of the dragon boat has been enhanced in extremely subtle ways.
No one could notice it except Fang Yun.
The fleets of Zong and Lei were the first to rush into the inland sea!
Most of the ships in the fleet braved the wind and waves and continued to move forward, but two ships were pushed off course by huge waves.
As for the smaller warships, nearly one-third of them suddenly slowed down and were unable to keep up with the large fleet of ships in front.
There were still some sailboats in Zong Lei's fleet, numbering nearly two thousand, but 90% of the sailboats turned around before entering the inland sea and stayed at the end of the open sea.
The owners of only a hundred or so sailboats were full of confidence and followed the channel ahead to rush into the inland sea.
In the blink of an eye, more than fifty sailboats were swallowed up by the waves, and the remaining ship owners were so frightened that they hurriedly turned around and sailed back.
The waves are higher than the sails of the sailboat!
Finally, all the sailboats of Zong Lei's fleet were left in the open sea.
At the junction of the inner sea and the outer sea, there was a piece of sailboat debris left.
This scene shocked everyone. The road before had been so smooth that many people forgot the horror of the waves.
Sailing vessels are not allowed to explore the inland sea.
Before everyone recovered from their shock, they saw a warship from Zong Lei's fleet hit a huge wave, the entire ship was lifted high into the air, lost its balance, and then fell sideways on the sea, stirring up huge waves and breaking the hull.
"That... is a warship owned by a university scholar, only slightly inferior to a tower ship."
"What a pity, that person probably didn't even catch a single Wenxin fish."
"I can only say that he is too greedy. Without the ability to suppress strong winds and waves, even a warship cannot enter the inland sea."
"That ship was at least ten feet long, and it sank in no time..."
"These people will probably reflect on themselves at the seaside."
The beach, hundreds of miles away from the edge of the inland sea, is the starting point for all scholars to enter the ocean of learning.
There are many intact ships on the seashore, but each ship is firmly locked to the shore by an invisible force.
On each boat stood a lonely-looking scholar.
"The wind and waves are too strong! I thought I could fish at the edge of the inland sea, but... oh..."
"It's all Fang Yun's fault! If we hadn't been racing with him, we would have definitely been fishing at the end of the outer sea and would never have thought of entering the inner sea!"
"Don't be angry, everyone. Our Zong Lei fleet is dozens of miles ahead of them, and the distance is getting wider. Even if Fang Yun's dragon boat has wings, it can't catch up. Fang Yun's fleet has a lot of people. After the race is over, we can at least get a few ordinary Wenxin fish. It will be easy to get a low-grade Wenxin fish."
"I kind of hope that Fang Yun can enter the heart of the sea, get the excellent Wenxin fish, and then lose it to us."
"Sea heart? It is said that there are a lot of common mullet fish there, and you can catch them by just throwing out the hook. However, there are not only mullet fish there, but also sea beasts! They are more terrifying than any wind and waves."
"Yes, you can avoid the wind and waves, but the sea beasts will keep chasing you, forcing you to keep sailing. Want to stop and fish? Absolutely impossible!"
"Zong Lei's fleet will win!"
"Fang Yun will definitely lose!"
Everyone looked into the depths of the ocean.
"Boom..."
Under the dark clouds, the dragon boat broke into the inland sea.
A huge wave as high as two meters came like a wall, lifting the bow of the dragon boat high up, and the whole dragon boat could be overturned at any time.
Fang Yun stood on the dragon head and his body shook violently. His own will and the power of the dragon boat protected him, allowing him to move only half a step before stabilizing himself.
The waves dispersed, and the tall bow of the ship fell heavily and sank into the sea.
"Boom..."
White water splashed up into the sky, and then fell like rain, soaking the entire ship.
Fang Yun's body shook violently again and he was almost blown away, but the invisible force protected him again.
The dragon boat continued to move forward. There were no big waves nearby, but the waves were rising and falling, and the whole boat rose and fell with them.
Fang Yun saw a five-foot-long, medium-quality Wenxin fish and cast his fishing rod quickly. However, the ups and downs of the dragon boat and the surging sea water caused the hook to be two feet away from the fish, and his fishing attempt was a complete failure.
The entire fleet of square ships was rising and falling with the waves, as if sailing on the hills.
"No! The wind and waves in the inland sea are too strong, I'm leaving now!" The owner of a huge ship had to turn the ship around.
Fang Yun grabbed the dragon's horn and looked back. At the junction of the inner sea and the outer sea, there were countless sailboats and a few warships, and even more than ten tower ships!
Less than 5% of the ships enter the inland sea. (To be continued...)