Martial Saint through Reading-Chapter 43: Baiyuan Academy
Chu Ming walked along the small path, occasionally bumping into junior examinees about his age.
After about half a quarter of an hour, he finally saw the door Yann Cong had mentioned.
At the entrance was a small garden, decorated with artificial hills and waterside pavilions, plus several dark-colored gazebo linked by a long corridor.
The junior examinees were either reading and reciting, bobbing their heads, or discussing quietly, and some were paired up, playing chess.
Chu Ming held "Poetry, Politics, and Military," just about to cross the Middle Courtyard’s gate, when a junior examinee put down his book in the gazebo and walked towards him.
"Brother Chu?"
The voice sounded familiar.
Chu Ming turned his head and looked: "Luu Xian?"
The visitor was indeed Luu Xian, who ranked second at Liuu Town Academy’s exam, the son of a private tutor, and who had copied out two segments of "Poetry, Politics, and Military."
Originally, Luu Xian shouldn’t have been able to enter the Middle Courtyard, but somehow his father Luu Hong managed it, and Lord of the Classics Feng Yuan made an exception for Luu Xian.
"Brother Chu, just arrived to register?"
Luu Xian eyed Chu Ming’s bundle and the thick "Poetry, Politics, and Military" in his arms, his expression shifting a bit.
"Yeah," Chu Ming saw someone he knew...well, not really knew, but he smiled, "Brother Luu, could you show me where to register?"
"Of course," Luu Xian didn’t hesitate, pointing to the pavilion, "Brother Chu, wait for me a moment, I’ll just put down my book."
"Okay."
Chu Ming moved towards the Middle Courtyard’s main gate, and Luu Xian soon followed.
The Middle Courtyard’s overall style was similar to the Lower Academy, just with fewer junior examinees.
Luu Xian guided Chu Ming to a separate residence, pulled out the identity token that Feng Yuan had given him, confirmed his status, and registered smoothly as a student.
After that, the two arrived at the Middle Courtyard’s equivalent of an ’dormitory area.’
"Brother Chu, at Baiyuan Academy’s Middle Courtyard, there’s no lodging fee—this is where we’ll be living."
"Normally, each small courtyard has two or three rooms, and since you arrived late, you probably won’t get a sun-facing room."
Luu Xian was very enthusiastic, leading Chu Ming to a small courtyard called ’Yunqi Courtyard,’ "Brother Chu, this is your new home from now on."
He cleared his throat, tidied his attire, knocked on the door, and called, "Senior Brother Ningx, Senior Brother Liang, are you there?"
After knocking, he glanced at Chu Ming, a hint of envy flashing across his face: "Lord Feng is really good to you, Brother Chu—even arranged your courtyard for you. Unlike me, whose courtyard was assigned at random; wherever’s empty, fill it."
"Brother Chu, this Yunqi Courtyard is one of the better courtyards of Baiyuan Academy’s Middle Courtyard; Senior Brother Ningx and Senior Brother Liang are both knowledgeable—strong contenders for next promotion to the Upper Academy."
Just then, the small courtyard’s door swung open, and a fair-skinned youth in pale robes stood at the entrance: "What’s the matter?"
"Um, Senior Brother Ningx, this is Chu Ming, top scorer at Liuu Town Academy, just here to register..." Luu Xian knew Ning Hao, but Ning Hao didn’t seem to know him.
"So you’re Chu Ming?" Ning Hao pushed the already half-open courtyard door wide, his gaze intense on Chu Ming: "Senior Brother Xu told me—come in."
Senior Brother Xu? The one who follows Feng Yuan—Xu He?
Chu Ming wore a smile: "Thank you, Senior Brother Ningx."
He cradled "Poetry, Politics, and Military," stepped into the courtyard.
Luu Xian lingered at the door, a bit awkward, "Brother Chu, I still need to study, so I won’t come in. I live at Songfeng Courtyard."
"Brother Chu, Senior Brother Ningx—farewell."
"Thank you for showing me the way, Brother Luu." Chu Ming replied courteously, as Ning Hao remained expressionless, slowly closing the door and pointing west: "The west room is yours."
"Alright."
The courtyard’s door faced south, and there were rooms on the east, west, and north sides.
Just as Chu Ming was about to enter his room, the east door swung open—a disheveled, messy-clothed youth, with ink smudged on his face, poked his head out: "The one Senior Brother Xu mentioned?"
He didn’t greet Chu Ming, only looked to Ning Hao for confirmation.
"Mm, Chu Ming." Ning Hao wrinkled his nose in mild distaste, "Liang Yuan, how many days since your last bath?"
"..." The youth called Liang Yuan acted as if he hadn’t heard, wrapped his sleeve, wiped his face, and calmly replied, "Just last night."
"Your last night—is that last night, or the night before last’s last night?" Ning Hao followed up.
"..." Chu Ming paused for a moment.
Liang Yuan wiped a few more times, found it still wouldn’t clean, so finally strode out of the room—bringing a weird odor with him, ink mixed with other smells, honestly...
Chu Ming kept his distance, but his sharp sensing caught it instantly.
Apparently, heightened perception wasn’t always a blessing. As for this Senior Brother Liang, there’s no way he’s bathed in just three days.
Liang Yuan walked to the middle of the yard, grabbed the teapot on the stone table, and chugged, "Senior Brother Ningx, you missed... glug... two more yesterdays."
"..." Chu Ming edged toward his room; he couldn’t take it.
Ning Hao heard this, his brows furrowed, eyes falling to the teapot, speaking plainly: "Then this pot of tea suits you. The tea inside has been here three days longer than your two yesterdays."
The courtyard went suddenly quiet.
And next moment—
"Pff...!" Liang Yuan’s face darkened, "Ugh, ugh, ugh! Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
"You didn’t ask."
"You think I have to ask for that?"
"You do." Ning Hao’s face was still calm; he leaned aside and looked at Chu Ming: "Junior Brother Chu, this is your Senior Brother Liang Yuan."
"Senior Brother Liang." Chu Ming hugged his books, yearning to get inside and breathe fresh air.
Opened the door, entered, shut the door.
"Phew..."
Liang Yuan eyed Chu Ming’s back, shook his robe, "Senior Brother Ningx, this new junior looks nothing like Senior Brother Xu, his clothes aren’t top-grade either—how come he gets assigned alone to Yunqi Courtyard?"
Yunqi Courtyard wasn’t the best at Baiyuan Academy, but it was pretty high up. The quality of a courtyard was a sign of one’s learning, status, and background.
Ordinary courtyards were assigned at random; places like Yunqi Courtyard symbolized academy status.
Ning Hao stared at the west room where Chu Ming had gone: "Not sure—Senior Brother Xu He just said a Chu Ming would be moving in, told us to clear out some space."
"By the way, you’ve been holed up in your room for days—did you finish that painting?"
At this, Liang Yuan immediately flashed a different kind of smile—the smug kind you see on geniuses.
"Of course I finished it, just as you were opening the courtyard door."
"Let me see." Ning Hao went to the east room but stopped at the door, "You bring it out. The smell inside is too much."
"...Wait up." Liang Yuan rushed inside, cradled a painting scroll, and came out confidently.
It was a landscape ink painting; the ink wasn’t quite dry yet.
"Senior Brother, how is it?" Liang Yuan spread the painting on the stone table in the courtyard.
Ning Hao inspected it; his steady face betrayed a hint of surprise: "Junior, your imitation of Mr. Tang Bai’s style has quite the flair—you could get a fair bit of silver for this."
"Heh, obviously! With my skill now, one painting pays for a good meal for us both—no need to rely on family handouts." Liang Yuan lifted his chin slightly.
"What about tonight, Immortal Brew Tower?" Ning Hao suggested.
"...Not tonight, the painting’s not sold yet. Wait a few days, we’ll head to the Calligraphy and Painting Workshop, sell it, then get ourselves a feast."
"Deal..." Ning Hao paused, turned towards the west room, "Maybe we should bring along the new junior brother?"
Liang Yuan thought for a bit: "Sure, good chance to get to know him. If Senior Brother Xu He arranged it, this Chu Ming must be something special."
