Fang Yun didn't expect that his uncle was so bold. The Man Hou was equivalent to a university scholar. He was powerful enough to break through the city alone.
"Then I, your nephew, would like to thank you for helping me out. I was worried that I could not go to the academy of literature. With your words, I can go to Dayuan Prefecture with peace of mind." Fang Yun immediately stood up to express his gratitude.
Fang Shouye laughed and said, "Our Dayuan Fang family finally produced a Saint-level student. How can I watch you die in vain? However, although Liu Zicheng dare not kill you, he will definitely hurt your literary reputation. He ranked in the top ten in the provincial examination that year, and he has been to the Book Mountain. His literary reputation and talent are quite commendable. He is also in the Provincial Academy of Literature. You should be careful when you enter the Provincial Academy of Literature. As long as he does not use extreme means, I can't attack him again."
"Nephew understands. But can you tell me more about Shushan?" Fang Yun asked curiously.
Fang Shouye showed a look of nostalgia and regret, and said: "That is a holy place. Not only can you practice 'literary courage', but you can also gain 'literary heart'. There are nine mountains in Shushan, and the first three mountains have three pavilions on each mountain. It is said that after passing three mountains, you can gain a literary heart."
"I've been there twice. The first time I went there after I passed the imperial examination, but unfortunately I only climbed to the third pavilion on the first hill. I can't say I gained nothing, after all, my talent was enhanced. The second time I went there after I passed the imperial examination, but unfortunately I stopped at the second pavilion on the second hill. However, after passing the imperial examination, I practiced my literary courage, and the second time I climbed the Book Mountain tempered my literary courage, which can be considered a gain."
"What's inside that mountain of books?" Fang Yun asked curiously.
Fang Shouye shook his head and said, "I don't remember. People who have been there only remember where they reached and what they got. Other than that, they don't remember anything else. The Book Mountain has been blessed by the saints of all generations. It is a place where scholars and candidates are tested. It is said that after entering the Book Mountain, there is a very small chance of getting the 'Holy Book', which is a treasure made by the saints at the cost of their own talents."
"That's a pity." Fang Yun originally thought that he could learn more about Shushan from Fang Shouye.
Fang Shouye said: "Remember, when you go to the Book Mountain in the future, you must do your best to climb up! We are not from the Saints Family, and we can only enter the Book Mountain twice in our lifetime. People from the Saints Family can enter it for the third time after passing the imperial examination, and their future achievements will be much greater than ours. Oh, by the way, the 'State Chief' also has the opportunity to enter the Book Mountain for the third time."
"Head of state?" Fang Yun knew vaguely, but didn't quite understand.
"Above the top scholar is the head of the country, the head of the literati of the ten countries. There are top scholars every year, but the head of the country is not always. Back then..." Fang Shouye's face suddenly dimmed, and he laughed at himself, "The title of the head of the country is too rare, it's useless to talk about it. What you have to do this year is to study hard and take the exam for the scholar next year."
Fang Yun said: "I plan to take the exam for the scholar this year."
"Oh? Your words of prayer and poetry may be good, but you haven't learned the meaning of the scriptures yet? There are less than three months before the examination. Do you have confidence?"
"I can't say I'm confident, but I'll give it a try."
"That's fine. By then you'll know that it's not that easy to pass the exam to become a scholar." Fang Shouye said with a hint of meaning, "You don't have much to do for a living. Before you pass the exam to become a scholar, you can teach elementary school in the clan school of the Fang family in Dayuan and enlighten the children of the Fang family. How about twenty taels of silver a month?"
"Uncle, isn't it too much for you to give?" Fang Yun asked.
Fang Yusheng on the side remained silent. He was a scholar, teaching students in the county academy, and earned only five taels of silver a month. Fang Yun was just a student, but he could earn twenty taels just by teaching children. It was really frustrating to compare with him.
"The first place in the Jing Kingdom's unprecedented double-A case is worth this price." Fang Shouye said.
"Then I, your nephew, thanks my uncle. I will try to finish the affairs here within ten days and then go to the provincial capital." Fang Yun knew that this was Fang Shouye's good intention. As long as he was a teacher in the Fang clan school, the Liu family or others would have to consider the consequences if they wanted to touch him. This was a disguised protection for him.
"Okay, will you consider it again?" Fang Shouye said as he stood up and took another look at the two boxes of treasures that could not be given away.
Fang Yun smiled and said, "As far as I know, although there are few virtuous students, not everyone can achieve such high achievements. Moreover, it may take 20 to 30 years for a virtuous student to grow up to become a Jinshi and make great achievements. Why does my uncle think so highly of me?"
Fang Shouye stroked his unshaven chin with his hand and said, "First, your poem 'Year End' is well written. It makes me feel very happy to scold Liu Shan. As for the second, if you can write a war poem or war lyrics that will be passed down through the ages, let alone 20,000 taels of silver, it would be worth 200,000 taels of silver."
Only then did Fang Yun understand.
Among poems and essays, only a small part is talented.
Among the talented poems and essays, only a small part can arouse the vital energy of heaven and earth.
Among the poems and lyrics that can mobilize the vitality of heaven and earth, only a small part of them are war poems and lyrics that have the effect of killing the enemy.
Among the war poems and war lyrics, only a very small part can be passed on to others and mastered by others, becoming "handed down from generation to generation" war poems and war lyrics.
Chen Guanhai, the semi-saint of Jing State, has been canonized for more than a hundred years. He wrote countless poems and essays, but only two of his war poems and lyrics have been handed down.
A semi-saint can defeat a million soldiers alone, but he cannot teach everyone to defeat a million soldiers.
"So that's how it is." Fang Yun said.
Fang Shouye said, "Unfortunately, poetry developed too slowly in the past. Because of the thousand-year agreement of non-war, although the human race was fighting internally, there was no crisis outside. The minds of the saints were still on the 'holy way', focusing on the classics, and even thought that governing a country was a minor way, not to mention poetry. The semi-saints wanted to go further and become sub-saints or even saints, to become the second Confucius. It was not until the thousand-year agreement expired and the monsters repeatedly invaded the ten countries of our human race that the saints realized that things were not going well. The semi-saints were not afraid of the monster saints, but those below the semi-saints, especially those below the Jinshi level, lacked sufficient power to kill the enemy."
Fang Yun knew this history and said, "So they found that war poems and lyrics were the key to defending against the enemy, so they adjusted the imperial examinations, and that's why the literary style of the Ten Kingdoms changed drastically?"
"That's right. You can write good poems at a young age, and you have a righteous heart, which are what my military needs most. As a soldier, I hope you will join our military, but as your uncle, I hope you will go to the Academy of Arts and add a great scholar to my Fang family." Fang Shouye patted Fang Yun on the shoulder and turned to leave.
Fang Yun immediately said, "Uncle, please stay. I have something to discuss with you. I am planning to open a bookstore to sell my poems and some novels. I wonder if you are interested in investing in it?"
"Oh? How much is one share?" Fang Shouye asked.
"Uncle has helped me a lot, so I only want one-tenth of the price, one thousand taels per share." Fang Yun said.
"Do you think I'm a sucker? Renting a store plus various expenses doesn't cost more than five hundred taels a year, and you dare to ask for one thousand taels for one share?" Fang Shouye said with wide eyes.
The people around looked at Fang Yun in surprise. Even Yang Yuhuan felt puzzled. The price was too high.
"Then uncle, can you lend me one thousand taels? I will pay you back two thousand taels before the New Year this year, but you have to tell the outside world that the Fang family has invested in my bookstore." Fang Yun said.
"You are such a thief." Fang Shouye laughed. Only then did he understand that Fang Yun was afraid that the bookstore would be obstructed by others, so he had to use the name of the Dayuan Fang family. The brand of a famous family could block countless hidden arrows.
Fang Yun did not refute. Although he wanted to rely on the power of the Fang family in Dayuan Prefecture, he mainly wanted to thank Fang Shouye for his maintenance. With the world of strange books, he believed that his bookstore would make a lot of money and his literary reputation would spread quickly. The latter was the most important thing.
"Then uncle is willing to lend it to me?" Fang Yun asked.
"No! I'll pay you five thousand taels to buy five shares! I want half of them!" Fang Shouye said.
"Sorry, I'll only sell one share, no more." Fang Yun thought to himself, he is indeed an old fox.
"What about three stocks?"
“Not for sale!”
"Even two shares are not okay?"
"No." Fang Yun was not polite at all.
"Then one share. I want to see what you can do!" Fang Shouye immediately took out a silver note worth one thousand taels, put it on the table, then turned and left. The other two took the box away.
Fang Yun took Fang Shouye away, went back to the house and picked up the banknote on the table, thinking that he had the start-up capital.
Yang Yuhuan asked curiously, "Xiaoyun, are you really going to open a bookstore? There are many bookstores in the city, but most of them are old brands. It is difficult for new bookstores to survive. You have to study, so how can you have time to run a business?"
"Yes, you are the owner of the bookstore. Once I teach you how to read and do arithmetic, you can help me run the bookstore."
Yang Yuhuan's fair face flushed slightly, her eyes were full of spring, and she said shyly, "Don't talk nonsense! Let's talk business."
Fang Yun said, "I don't have time, but Liang Yuan does. He didn't pass the exam this time, so he can only run a rice shop, but he doesn't like it. If I hire him to help me run the bookstore, he will definitely like it. After all, if he is in charge of the bookstore, he will have the opportunity to study and take the imperial examination."
"Liang Yuan and his wife are both good." Yang Yuhuan nodded.
Fang Yun added: "Go around these few days and find an honest and reliable woman to bring to Dayuan Mansion to help with housework. I will try to find a reliable young man in the clan and bring him to Dayuan Mansion as a permanent attendant."
"Yes, I know. We are going to the holy temple soon, so you should go quickly." Yang Yuhuan said.
"good."
Fang Yun put a thousand taels of silver in Yang Yuhuan's hand and said, "Put the money away and use it when you open a bookstore in Dayuan Mansion."
"Yeah." Yang Yuhuan suddenly became excited. In the past, she earned money to support Fang Yun and she didn't care about the money. But now Fang Yun has a lot of money and gives it all to her. This makes her feel that Fang Yun really treats her as his wife.
Fang Yun had just walked out of the door when he saw four classmates walking towards him. Ge Xiaomao excitedly stretched out his hand and greeted them: "We were just looking for you."
Fang Yun walked over and went to the College of Literature with the four others.
The four of us met at the dinner table yesterday, but it was too noisy to have time to talk. Now is the first time we have talked after the official announcement of the results, so everyone is very excited.
"Fang Yun, I didn't expect you to be such a talented person. You are truly a role model for us!" Lu Lin praised loudly. Although his ranking as a student was lower than Fang Yun's, he did not feel jealous at all. Instead, he was happy for his classmate from the bottom of his heart.
"Lu Lin, you are also a student, congratulations." Fang Yun said with a smile.
"You two should stop flattering us. Don't you consider our feelings?" Ge Xiaomao said childishly, half-jokingly.
Lu Zhan said, "I feel very good! Fang Yun, you are great. You have completely defeated Fang Zhongyong's arrogance. He is not a child prodigy. You are the child prodigy! Double armor, even Chen Sheng couldn't do it. Maybe you can become a half-saint in the future! I don't believe that Fang Zhongyong can compare to him."
Although Liang Yuan was happy for Fang Yun, he was still a little depressed.
At this time, a passerby took the initiative to congratulate Fang Yun, and Fang Yun immediately returned the greeting politely.