Chapter 1026: Zhuge Yuan Extra 1: Rise

Chapter 1026: Zhuge Yuan Side Story 1: Departure

The weathered wooden boat sliced through the emerald, painting-like water like a pair of shears.

Seeing that his destination was near, Zhuge Yuan, sitting in the boat’s cabin, could no longer contain his curiosity and anticipation; he hoisted his book basket and ran to the bow to peer ahead.

"Young lad, steady now. If you fall in, I’m the one who’ll have to jump in to fish you out," the old boatman said with a chuckle as he worked the pole.

"Old sir, are we not there yet?" Zhuge Yuan asked, unable to suppress his impatience.

"Don't be hasty. We’ll reach Baixia City in less than half an hour once we pass the narrow gorge. You’ll see it just around that bend. The scale-shrimp cakes of Baixia are legendary, though those shrimp only appear during the Awakening of Insects. I’m afraid you’ve missed your chance for a taste this time."

Standing at the bow, Zhuge Yuan felt a pang of regret upon hearing there was still half an hour to go. He sat down, his white shoe tips dangling over the water, leaving a trail of ripples behind.

He stretched his arms above his shoulders, letting out a long yawn. "Heh, no matter. I am going to Baixia to pursue my studies; I shall surely taste them come next year’s Awakening of Insects."

"Pursue studies? In Baixia City? Could it be the Minglun Hall?" The old man’s face was suddenly etched with surprise.

Zhuge Yuan nodded immediately. "Yes! It is Minglun Hall. My master said it is the place of Senior Wang Changxu."

"Oh my, oh my, truly remarkable, truly remarkable, tsk, tsk, tsk."

Hearing the awe in the man’s voice, Zhuge Yuan smiled and bowed to him. "You are too kind, old sir. Might I ask, is this Minglun Hall very famous in Baixia City?"

The old man’s eyes widened. "Goodness, it’s not just famous in Baixia; it’s renowned throughout the entire Great Qi! You’ve managed to get yourself admitted, yet you don’t even know what kind of place Minglun Hall is?"

"Er..." Zhuge Yuan felt awkward, unsure how to respond. He could hardly admit he had just emerged from the mountains.

The old man, however, didn't dwell on it and began to explain. "That Minglun Hall is a place of profound learning. Anyone who manages to get in doesn't even need to take the imperial examinations; they can go straight into officialdom upon graduating!"

"Though, I’ve heard that many who enter Minglun Hall lose the desire to become officials, and only a select few choose to step into the court."

"Oh? Then may I ask, old sir, what do those who do not enter the court do while staying at Minglun Hall?" Zhuge Yuan could not help but feel curious about the place his master had recommended.

"They pursue scholarship!" the old man said, his face filled with pride.

"Scholarship? May I ask what kind of scholarship?"

Zhuge Yuan’s question stumped the old man. "How would I know? I’m no scholar. Look, that’s Baixia City ahead. Once you reach Minglun Hall, you can ask the people inside yourself."

As Zhuge Yuan turned his head, he saw a magnificent ancient city gradually emerging from behind the shelter of the steep cliffs.

The first thing to greet his eyes was the wharf, where passenger and cargo ships of all sizes jostled and maneuvered with difficulty, accompanied by a constant chorus of shouts.

Zhuge Yuan’s gaze drifted upward from the wharf; the massive moss-covered walls, draped in vines, blended seamlessly with the surrounding green mountains and clear waters. Coupled with the day’s light mist, it looked like a scene from a painting.

As they drew closer, Zhuge Yuan noticed more details: the towering watchtowers atop the walls, the antique carved beast heads along the ramparts, and the banners fluttering in the wind.

"Wow, so this is Baixia City!" Zhuge Yuan exclaimed. From the time he was old enough to remember until now, this was the first time he had seen such a grand city.

Once he stepped onto the wharf, he shouldered his bamboo basket and ran toward the ever-growing city walls.

Passing through the gate, a scene of bustling prosperity unfolded before him. The streets were thronged with people, and beyond the shops on either side, small vendors were scattered haphazardly along the roadside.

For Zhuge Yuan, who had never seen so many people, his eyes could barely take it all in.

As he observed, he gradually began to understand the true nature of things he had only read about in books.

The drifting scent of incense drew Zhuge Yuan to look into a shrine inside a building to his left. A statue of a snake-headed deity clad in white jade armor stood behind the swirling smoke, appearing exceptionally mysterious.

In front of the statue sat a black-lacquered spirit tablet, inscribed with seven bold, cursive characters: "The Seat of Great General Yuli."

Two elderly women were kneeling before the tablet, muttering prayers while shaking bamboo sticks inside a cylinder.

"Hmm, the people of Baixia still believe in this? The books said no one believed in it anymore. The Master was right indeed; truly, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

Zhuge Yuan continued walking, stopping occasionally to watch things that caught his interest. The splendor of the outside world made him regret not coming out years earlier.

Walking and watching, by the time Zhuge Yuan regained his senses, he found that the sun hanging in the sky was already halfway behind the city walls.

"Oh no, oh no, I’ve forgotten my main business." Zhuge Yuan dumped the lotus-leaf-wrapped fried tofu into his mouth, chewing as he ran toward Minglun Hall.

Having wandered for most of the day, he had actually found out where Minglun Hall was long ago, but he had thought he had time and decided to play first.

He had never expected time to pass so quickly.

Dusk descended, and the walls of Baixia City grew dim under the setting sun’s afterglow. Zhuge Yuan finally arrived before Minglun Hall just before the light faded completely.

At the very moment the creaking gates were about to slam shut, Zhuge Yuan’s hand slammed against the round copper studs of the door. "Wait!"

When the gatekeeper opened the door in confusion, he saw a handsome young man leaning on his knees, gasping for air.

"Come back tomorrow. The time has passed," the gatekeeper said firmly, moving to close the door again.

"Kind sir, please don't! The curfew is almost upon us. My master and Wang Changxu of Minglun Hall were old friends; please, show some leniency."

As he spoke, Zhuge Yuan hurriedly took the letter his master had given him from his basket and handed it over.

The gatekeeper took the letter, glanced at it hesitantly, and then scrutinized Zhuge Yuan.

"Wait here." With a bang, the gate shut tight once more.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, Zhuge Yuan let out a long breath. He looked up at the massive plaque of Minglun Hall above him and whispered to himself, "Am I truly to pursue my studies in this place?"

Checking to see that no one was around, he peeked through a crack in the door.

Beyond the crack lay a magnificent complex of buildings; the well-arranged eaves, pillars, and walls were clearly visible. Sword-bamboo was planted all around, rustling as the evening breeze blew through.

"Ahem!"

The soft cough behind him startled Zhuge Yuan. He turned quickly to see an old man in black and white robes, his hair tied up, staring at him with furrowed brows.

Truth be told, the man looked quite ordinary—not even as striking as the old boatman—but his eyes were filled with such piercing light that one dared not meet his gaze.

"Lad, your master and Senior Wang Changxu were old friends?"

"Hmm?" A bewildered Zhuge Yuan glanced at the closed gate, then at the old man, and quickly stood straight to offer a bow.

Before Zhuge Yuan could speak, the man’s next words left him speechless: "Senior Wang Changxu passed away a hundred years ago. Is your master truly an old friend of his?"