"The water is beautiful and the mountains are clear. My eyebrows are far away. I come back and lean against the window of the small pavilion. The spring breeze does not understand the rain in the south of the Yangtze River. I smile and watch the rain alley looking for guests to taste it."
Five days had passed since Su Baiyi left Xinghua Village. Now their carriage finally entered Qiantang City and entered the mountains known for the most luxuriant trees in the south of the Yangtze River - Shili Langyao. Su Baiyi opened the curtain of the carriage and looked at the scenery outside the window. He couldn't help but recite the poem that his master often recited when he was drunk.
"Hearing that Jiangnan is a wine country, travelers on the road are heartbroken. Who knows that there is no drunkenness in Jiangnan, and people smile as they watch the fragrance of the spring breeze spread for ten miles." The short and strong man holding the reins and driving the cart also continued with a smile.
"Oh, you also know this poem, Li Kui." Su Baiyi teased. After five days of getting along, Su Baiyi has become very familiar with the coachman of the academy named Li Kui. Although Li Kui looks cold and serious at first glance, he is kind and warm after getting along for a long time. His apparent coldness is just because his personality is too dull and it is difficult to communicate with others.
But Su Baiyi is the best at communicating with people. Even if there is a piece of wood in front of him, he can chat for three days and three nights. But even so, Li Kui still thinks that Su Baiyi is bragging when he says that his master is Xie Kanhua.
Li Kui took a sip of water from the canteen at his waist. "Being a rickshaw driver is a rough job, and you don't need to know any poetry. But it's different for me. I'm a rickshaw driver in the Ten-Li Langyao Academy. There are three hundred Confucian scholars, nine gentlemen, and a Confucian saint here. I can't lose their face. Here we are."
Li Kui's carriage stopped. Su Baiyi lifted the curtain of the carriage and walked out. He saw an elegant academy standing between the mountains and forests not far away. There was cloud and mist lingering in the middle, and birds were flying through it. It seemed very illusory and vague. Su Baiyi rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he found that nothing had changed.
The mountains here are not very high, so how could there be clouds and mist? And why does this academy seem so close, yet so far away
"Did you figure it out?" Li Kui asked.
"Something's fishy." Su Baiyi murmured.
"This is a formation set up by the gentlemen of the school, called 'far away in the sky, close at hand'. If an ordinary person enters this formation, he will not be able to get out for three days and three nights. Close your eyes." Li Kui grabbed Su Baiyi's sleeve.
Su Baiyi naturally understood that the academy had been isolated from the world for so many years, and there must be some mystery behind it, so he immediately closed his eyes obediently. Then he felt the world spinning, and his feet felt like they hadn't moved a step, but he could vaguely feel that the scenery in front of him began to change rapidly. After about half an incense stick of time had passed, Li Kui said lightly: "We're here."
Su Baiyi opened his eyes and saw many academy disciples in white school uniforms walking hurriedly with books in their hands. He turned around and found the academy gate was tightly closed behind him. He was startled: "We've already come in?"
Li Kui ignored him and walked straight ahead with him: "Now the Confucian sage is traveling, and the gentleman Zhou Zheng is in charge of the academy. I will take you to the other courtyard where the disciples of this generation are taught. Let's meet him first."
"Li Kui, how did you do that just now?" Su Baiyi was still thinking about the wonderful experience just now. "I felt like I didn't move a step, how come I was in this academy when I opened my eyes?"
"The Imperial Academy has its own mysteries. It is a place where all the elegance, knowledge, and morality in the world are gathered together. It is known by the world as "This palace is a place where lofty mountains are admired". It is the most desired place in the hearts of all scholars in the world. If there are two choices before scholars: one is to pass the imperial examination and become an official in the imperial city, and the other is to enter the school and become a gentleman, then most of them will choose the latter. Being an official in the court is temporary wealth and honor, while being a gentleman is enough to pass the glory from generation to generation..." Li Kui said proudly.
Su Baiyi interrupted with a wave of his hand: "Li Kui, you seem to have memorized it by force..."
Li Kui blushed a little: "I am indeed proud of being a member of the academy, but I don't know how to brag to others about my pride, so I asked the girl to help me write this paragraph..."
Su Baiyi followed Li Kui into a separate courtyard. Li Kui looked around the courtyard and found no teachers there, so he asked Su Baiyi to go in and sit down first while he went to find the gentleman Zhou Zheng. After Li Kui left, Su Baiyi looked around the courtyard and saw a group of academy disciples gathered together to discuss something. But unlike the academy disciples he had just seen, these people seemed to have four words written on their backs...
Su Baiyi recited it word by word: "Do not. Do. Evil."
The man in front heard the voice behind him and turned around. He was very tall, half a head taller than Su Baiyi. He was wearing a loose white robe, his eyes drooped, and he looked listless. He played with the toothpick in his mouth and looked down at Su Baiyi: "New here?"
"My name is Su Baiyi, and I come from Xinghua Village." Su Baiyi glanced at the man and felt as if he had seen him somewhere.
"Xinghua Village?" The tall man frowned and turned around and said, "I haven't heard of it, but you, have I seen you?"
The students who were originally standing sparsely around the courtyard gathered around and stood behind the tall man. They all wore the same white robes as the tall man in the lead, which were loose and did not look like students in the school at all. One of them took out the bamboo sword tied to his waist, pointed at the sword on Su Baiyi's waist, and said quietly: "Boss, this guy hasn't taken off his iron yet."
"You're quite courageous. Has no one ever taught you the rules?" The tall man stretched out a finger and scratched his ear. "What's your name?"
"Su Baiyi." Su Baiyi frowned, and he suddenly remembered who this tall man was. This was Feng Zuojun from the academy who appeared in Yelan City that day and fought against the four guards of the four major families!
"I must have seen you before." Feng Zuojun said seriously, "Turn around!"
Su Baiyi laughed dryly: "What do you want to do?"
Feng Zuojun suddenly leaped up and landed behind Su Baiyi. Looking at Su Baiyi's back, he suddenly realized something and shouted, "I remember now. It was you who kidnapped Qing Yi Lang from us that day! I remember your back! How dare you come to the academy!"
Su Baiyi stepped back: "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding."
"My first job as the leader of the Extreme Evil Gang after coming down the mountain was to show off in front of Xie San, but you ruined it. Senior Sister told me not to cause trouble and sent me back to the academy, but I didn't expect you to come to me on your own. Very good, very good."
"What? The Extremely Evil Gang." Su Baiyi was originally very nervous, but this time he couldn't help but burst out laughing, "It is said that the academy is the best in the world in terms of knowledge. This name is too unclassified."
Feng Zuojun was stunned at first, then he flew into a rage: "Boy, you said that the name of our Extreme Evil Gang is ugly!"
"This young man speaks honestly and directly." A voice with a hint of smile suddenly sounded.
All the people in the group of the tall man drew their bamboo swords and looked through Su Baiyi at the door. Su Baiyi turned around curiously and saw a group of men in school uniforms walking to the gate. Unlike the previous group of people who were dressed in ruffians, they were all dressed neatly, but their school uniforms were blood red with a few white cherry blossoms painted on them. The leader had a stern face and cold eyes. He glanced at the tall man, then at Su Baiyi, and said nothing.
"Master Feng, the extremely evil way does not mean the extremely violent way. It certainly does not mean picking up a bamboo sword and hitting people every day." Next to the leading man, a fair-skinned young man waving a folding fan said with a smile. From the sound of his voice, it was the person who had just spoken.
"Lan Yuze, what qualifications do you have to talk to me?" Feng Zuojun carried the bamboo sword on his shoulder, seeming ready to take action at any time.
Su Baiyi carefully examined the folding fan in Lan Yuze's hand and found four words written on it. He frowned and read: "Insult to one's superiors?"
"That's just insubordination." Lan Yuze put away his folding fan, "Sir, are you interested in joining our Blood Cherry Sect?"