Xiangcheng attached great importance to the cultural tourism planning from top to bottom this time.
From Ren Qian and the rest at the top, to the children at the bottom, everyone was cooperating to maintain Xiangcheng’s civilized appearance.
No. 1 Middle School of Xiangcheng had also passed down many years from ancient times until now. The huge rock in the center of the campus was the biggest highlight. When the Cultural Tourism Bureau issued this order to No. 1 Middle School, the principal took out 100% of his combat mentality.
He even earnestly persuaded Lu Lingxi, and brought out Bailian as bait.
Right now, Ren Wanxuan had unilaterally said she didn’t want to film, and the principal was truly panicking.
To him, apologizing was Lu Lingxi making a big fuss over a trivial matter.
“Liangti style is most important,” the principal had a very good impression of Bailian. She studied hard no matter where, though others didn’t know, the principal was very clear that her physics grades were receiving a lot of attention from Jiangjing. “But in our school, only Ren Wanxuan is good at it.”
Xiangcheng had a profound cultural history, especially the Bai family.
The most glorious moment of the Great Yong dynasty, like a dazzling firework.
Gorgeous yet fleeting.
It only bloomed in Xiangcheng.
The rock standing in No. 1 Middle School of Xiangcheng was Liangti style. To present it properly in the cultural tourism video, it had to be Liangti style.
Not to mention…
Master Chen also valued Liangti style.
So this role really had to be Ren Wanxuan.
The Ren family had a tight grip on the principal’s weakness.
“Oh,” Bailian’s gaze did not fall on either of them. Her jet-black eyes seemed to be fixed on some point in the void, “Then I can try.”
“What are you trying,” Lu Lingxi blurted out unconsciously, “You and Zhang Shize don’t need to get involved in this matter…”
She stopped halfway, as Lu Lingxi suddenly realized what Bailian meant.
She looked Bailian up and down carefully. The girl’s snowy white shirt was buttoned up properly from bottom to top. The cuffs and collar were embroidered with verdant bamboo. Her black pupils reflected the fragmented sunlight from outside.
Tranquil and serene.
“You know Liangti style too?”
“Mm-hmm.” Bailian nodded.
Lu Lingxi knew Bailian had a good foundation in the Guange style. Though it was good, it was too limited in helping to develop other styles.
But she had never been a teacher who discouraged students, she would not deny a student the opportunity.
“Then let Student Bai try?” Lu Lingxi made a suggestion to the principal.
Calligraphy also wasn’t something one could learn immediately. It required cultivation from a young age, and extremely strong wrist strength. As far as the principal knew, calligraphers ate as much bitterness practicing suspended wrists as those in Shaolin Temple1.
So few could persist in practicing it.
They couldn’t just pick anyone to write the characters to be shown in the promotional video this time. It needed to be presentable caliber.
In the entire school, only Ren Wanxuan had practiced it properly. But to say so directly to Bailian would be too discouraging.
The principal stared straight at Bailian for a while before speaking. “Write me a few characters and let me see first.”
He didn’t even prepare brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, just randomly found a sheet of white paper in the office, and a black pen from Lu Lingxi’s desk for Bailian to write with.
Bailian was not particular about brush or paper, or environment.
She put her coat aside, spread out the blank A4 paper on the desk, and gripped the black pen in her slender yet powerful fingers, writing four characters on it.
Beside her, the principal and Lu Lingxi were still arguing over the possibility of having Zhang Shize apologize.
Bailian put down the pen and put on her uniform again. She looked up at Lu Lingxi and the principal very politely, “Teacher, I’m done.”
“That fast?” The principal was somewhat surprised. After all, he was used to seeing Ren Wanxuan write.
She needed a lot of preparation time, and was also very meticulous when writing. She would redo it over and over if it didn’t turn out well.
Yet Bailian took less than a minute from start to finish?
Lu Lingxi glanced at the principal, then gently said to Bailian, “Alright, you can go back and do your homework first.”
After Bailian left, the principal continued, “Aside from the sword incident, it’s also very normal for Zhang Shize to apologize over this matter. No one can avoid running into issues left and right in life.”
As for the characters Bailian wrote, the principal didn’t look at them.
Mainly because he didn’t think Bailian could write Liangti style.
“Why set aside the sword incident?” Lu Lingxi gave a cold laugh. “I haven’t made trouble for them yet, but you’re the one setting it aside first.”
She turned and went back to her seat.
Seeing the paper Bailian had casually left on the desk, she picked it up and took a look.
“No, why are you so narrow-minded…” The principal still wanted to persuade her.
After talking for a while, he realized Lu Lingxi was ignoring him. Turning back, he discovered Lu Lingxi was holding a sheet of paper and staring at it, actually lost in thought.
The principal went over to take a look. At this look, his previously helpless and troubled expression instantly became shocked.
There were only four characters on the paper—
?Lian Man Imperial Family?
The first words she had introduced herself with.
Even with an ordinary black pen, every character was carved deeply into the paper, the force piercing through. Between the twists and turns, it contained surging vitality. Every character’s sinews and bones could be seen, even through the paper one could feel the momentum of ten thousand horses galloping.
Just what kind of experience was needed to be able to write with such majestic spirit?
Last time when Master Chen came, he had not been very satisfied with Ren Wanxuan’s writing.
At that time, the principal did not understand, but now he finally vaguely understood why Master Chen had looked down on Ren Wanxuan’s writing back then.
Because he had seen better.
Ren Wanxuan’s writing did admittedly lack some actual combat experience.
“Teacher Lu,” the principal took the sheet of paper from Lu Lingxi’s hand, murmuring, “I feel you’re right. This apology might not necessarily be a must. I’ll go contact the photographer right away.”
Having said that, the principal stuffed the paper into his pocket and hurriedly left.
Behind him, Lu Lingxi: “…”
??
No, did she even look at it?
**
Last period in the afternoon.
Homeroom.
Lu Lingxi took the teaching plan and notebook to the classroom. Her gaze landed on Bailian, who had already properly put on her uniform and was doing test papers with her head lowered, like a quiet yet beautiful cat, mysterious aura all over.
Yet also like a prisoner desperately charging out of the fog and predicament.
Lu Lingxi could see through almost every student in the class, the only one she couldn’t see through was Bailian.
She was hardworking and studious, more diligent than any other student in class. Yet at times, she also seemed to be detached from the world, quietly watching everything with the perspective of an onlooker.
“The monthly exam is approaching again next week,” Lu Lingxi placed her notebook on the desk, ignoring some students’ groans. “Half the semester has passed, you need to work hard if you should…” She said, looking at Zhang Shize, “I’m talking about you, Zhang Shize!”
Zhang Shize didn’t expect that with his head already buried in the desk, he could still be called on by Lu Lingxi.
He could only nod dejectedly.
After routinely finishing homeroom business, Lu Lingxi called Bailian out again.
Telling her to go film tomorrow afternoon.
After listening, Bailian slightly nodded. She just needed to know how to write in Liangti style, there was no set person.
She returned to her seat. Zhang Shize still had his head stuck out talking to the person across the aisle. “My parents don’t have high expectations of me either, and I’m not smart. I don’t have big dreams anymore, I feel this is pretty good…”
Zhang Shize’s life motto was, whatever blocked him, he would give up.
He didn’t have big dreams, wasn’t even certain what he wanted to do in the future.
Speaking halfway, he saw Bailian and couldn’t help rubbing his nose. “Do you think I’m useless?”
Bailian picked up her pen and glanced at him. “Why think that way? There are many ways to live, just choose what you like. And…you’re also very capable.”
Most people feel guilty and reflect on relaxing and enjoying themselves, feeling they are idling away time.
But not everything needs meaning. Zhang Shize did this very well, it was pure happiness.
“Really?” Zhang Shize crossed his legs and grinned brightly, then whispered to Bailian, “I was thinking after graduation, go be an extra in crews with Yan Lu.”
Bailian searched her memory for a long time before finding the meaning of “extra”.
As expected of Zhang Shize, his biggest dream was only to be an extra.
You should at least aim to be a director.
**
After school in the afternoon.
Bailian received a message from Mao Kun.
The great Internal Solidifying Essence Ointment2 has appeared. Nowadays, there are too few people using traditional Chinese medicine. As soon as this medicine made its debut in the arena, it became popular throughout the Heshui Street, circulating among a group of mercenaries.
White Vest: ?Sis, a Western doctor wants to find you?
White Vest: ?He’s a foreigner!?
White Vest: ?He’s very curious about Chinese medicine!?
Bailian wouldn’t have cared usually, but hearing the other party was curious about Chinese medicine, she raised a brow.
As she packed up her things, she replied to Mao Kun.
Bailian: ?1?
White Vest: ?Received!?
White Vest: ?Do you have Instagram??
Bailian hadn’t heard of it, so didn’t reply.
Two seconds later, White Vest: ?Ok, got it.?
Another five minutes passed and Bailian received a friend request on WeChat. She tapped to look, the other party’s profile pic was a white-haired, blue-eyed old man.
She added him as a friend.
Lance: ?your plaster is amazing!?
In the past month, Bailian had memorized many English vocabulary words. She could understand this, and converse with others simply in English.
Bailian: ?Thank you?
The two chatted a few sentences. He spoke English while she typed Chinese. She could understand what he said, while he had to get someone to translate what she said. From Bailian’s response speed, Lance could tell she knew English.
So Lance started asking: ?can you speak english??(T/N: written in English.)
Bailian: ?No?
Bailian put away her phone, still looking very calm.
She did know a little foreign language, because she needed to understand other languages and study their material. But for typing and speaking, she only used Chinese.
You don’t understand?
Then it’s not her problem.
Yang Lin was much better today. The bruises on her arm had disappeared. She went to the milk tea shop with Bailian.
She worked there part-time.
Ji He was waiting for Bailian at the entrance of the milk tea shop.
Ming Donghua was not accompanying Ji He today. Waiting with Ji He for Bailian was Chen Ju.
“Ms. Bai.” Chen Ju was on a phone call. Seeing Bailian, he said a sentence to the other side and hung up, though his face was still worried.
Ji He stood up and went to Bailian’s side, clutching her shirt hem.
Bailian hadn’t intended to chat much with Chen Ju, but remembering how he had given Ji Heng cigarettes yesterday, she put down her schoolbag and lazily asked, “Ran into trouble?”
“Mm,” Chen Ju was not guarded against Bailian. He just complained to her, “I’m not doing cultural tourism promotion in Xiangcheng. Many cultural relics need repairs. Yesterday the migrant workers clashed with the police and it blew up hugely online…”
After some media sensationalized it, it became a big deal online.
This matter affected Xiangcheng too negatively—
On one hand, they said the poor mountains birthed unruly commoners, on the other hand, they said the local police bureau was corrupt.
The issue itself was too sensitive.
Chen Ju was wondering if he should impose a full media blackout on this news and prevent reporters from covering it.
Of course, he just wanted to complain to someone right now. He didn’t expect Bailian to give him suggestions.
As Bailian walked towards the library, she quietly listened the whole time. Only after he finished did she look at Chen Ju, “It’s best not to obstruct this matter.”
“Huh?”
Chen Ju looked at Bailian in surprise.
Bailian glanced at him displeased for a moment. Her hazy eyes said, “Don’t obstruct, divert. As the administrator, you want to seal off dissenting voices. For ordinary people, survival is fundamental. Openly and aboveboard investigate… “
She gave Chen Ju suggestions in an orderly manner.
Finally, she lazily pointed a cold, slender finger at Chen Ju’s heart, tilting her head and smiling lightly, “Lawlessness breeds lawlessness. You represent authority, credibility. Don’t let yourself lose the power of discourse because of this.”
Chen Ju rarely discussed such matters with others.
Ming Donghua wouldn’t understand. Ji He didn’t have time to discuss with him…
He absolutely didn’t expect to hear these things from a high school student’s mouth.
It was mind-opening, like clearing away heavy fog.
“I understand now,” Chen Ju regained his composure. Looking at Bailian now, there was a hint of respect more than before, “Thank you Ms. Bai!”
This “Ms. Bai” was more respectful than any previous one.
The library was one bus stop away from school. Because Bailian had to talk to Chen Ju, they walked over.
The two chatted about many things in a scattered manner.
By the time they reached Xiangcheng Library, Chen Ju respectfully saw Bailian off inside. This was the first time Chen Ju had casually chatted with Bailian, yet he was full of shock.
Many of her strategies gave him great realization.
If Bailian wasn’t truly just a high school student, he couldn’t help but wonder—had she been an official before? How else could she have learned such political strategies?
After Bailian entered the library, he took out his phone and called his subordinate, “Have you found any good tobacco yet? Be quick!”
Having instructed that, Chen Ju also opened his chat with Ming Donghua.
He seemed to vaguely see a wide road unfolding before him.
Chen Yongkun: ?Mr. Ming, what does Ms. Bai like to eat??
Chen Yongkun: ?What are her daily hobbies besides the zither??
Chen Yongkun: ?What else does she like to do??
Ming Donghua only sent two words: ?Seeking death??
Chen Ju, still furiously typing: “…”
Damn, so sharp when he shouldn’t be!
When he should be, he’s like a dog!
Really!
Oh well, he should put more effort into Elder Ji first.
Of course, Chen Ju wouldn’t know—
Bailian’s teacher was Liang Zewen, the Imperial Tutor, the first great chancellor through the ages. He taught the way of emperorship, walked the way of all under heaven.
One student he taught became Emperor, how badly could the other one turn out?
Author’s note: There’s a pretty important character introduced in this chapter~
- Shaolin Temple is a well-known Buddhist monastery in China famous for martial arts. It’s in Henan province and has a long history. The monks there practice a martial art called Shaolin Kung Fu, and are known for the intense training undertaken. More information about the Shaolin Temple here. ↩︎
- ??? (gu yuan gao): literally translates to “Solidifying Essence Ointment.” It’s a traditional Chinese medicinal ointment believed to strengthen the body and promote vitality. ↩︎
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