Chapter 40: The Heiress of the Bai Family

Half an hour later.

Accompanied by Elder Han and the others, Luo Zijun successfully received his student nameplate for West Lake Academy. His name was engraved on the plate, along with the four bold characters: "Five Pecks of Talent."

This was the symbol of his status. Henceforth, he could move freely in and out of the academy, and access the library, dining halls, lecture rooms, and other facilities. If he encountered trouble outside, he could directly seek assistance from the local authorities. If he were to accidentally commit an offense, the bailiffs would not dare to bind or interrogate him arbitrarily. Furthermore, he would be exempt from taxes on any farmland or shops his family might own. In short, the benefits were numerous.

Elder Han and the others chatted with him for a while longer, offering some final words of advice before hurrying off—presumably to report to the Dean. Yuan Mang, however, remained to personally show him around, taking him to visit the lecture halls, the art studio, and other locations.

"Zijun, you may explore the other areas on your own. With this nameplate, you can enter most parts of the academy. There is no need for you to attend classes today; take this time to familiarize yourself with the grounds, and start attending lectures from tomorrow." Yuan Mang added, "I have a class to attend shortly, so I won't be able to accompany you further."

With these parting instructions, Yuan Mang left as well.

Lost in thought, Luo Zijun wandered aimlessly for a while before consulting the map on a roadside stele and making his way to the library. The library was situated at the easternmost edge of the academy. It was a nine-story structure, the tallest building on campus, and naturally housed an incredibly rich collection of books.

"I hope I can find some useful information in there..." Luo Zijun thought as he climbed the steps.

Just then, a voice filled with surprise called out from behind him: "Oh, Brother Luo!"

Luo Zijun turned to see Zhang Yitian, dressed in loose, flowing Confucian robes, trotting toward him with a look of pleasant surprise. "I heard from Brother Su that you might come to register today, but I never expected to run into you here! What a coincidence!"

Luo Zijun offered a polite smile and cupped his hands in greeting. "Brother Zhang, are you here for some reading as well?"

Zhang Yitian gave a dry laugh and nodded. "Yes, indeed. Reading as well."

"Shall we go in together?"

"Let's."

The two walked side by side up the steps. Zhang Yitian beamed. "I didn't expect Brother Luo to be such a book lover; you came straight to the library on your very first day."

Previously, while in the company of Su Bie and Wang Dafu, he had referred to the young man as "Brother Luo the younger" with a rather lukewarm attitude. But after witnessing the boy's extravagant spending at the Celestial Pavilion that night, and seeing him admitted to the academy under special circumstances today, his demeanor had changed instantly, becoming far more enthusiastic.

"It's my first time here, and I had nowhere else to go, so I thought I'd come to read," Luo Zijun replied casually.

Zhang Yitian glanced at him. He had wanted to ask about what happened at the Celestial Pavilion that night, but seeing that Luo seemed preoccupied, he didn't dare press the matter. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Brother Luo, is something troubling you?"

Luo Zijun hesitated for a moment before looking at him. "Brother Zhang, let me ask you a question."

"Please, go ahead, Brother Luo," Zhang Yitian replied promptly.

"As scholars, how should we respond if we are bullied by others?"

Zhang Yitian was taken aback. "We should naturally seek to reason with them."

"And if reasoning fails?"

"If they dare to resort to force, one should report them to the authorities."

"And if they are wielding a blade and there is no time to report them?"

"This..." Zhang Yitian pondered for a moment. "If they are armed with a blade, they are clearly criminals. We scholars must do our best to pacify them, wait for an opportunity to escape, and then notify the authorities."

"And if you cannot escape and they lunge at you with the blade?"

"..." Zhang Yitian was left speechless. He could only manage, "Brother Luo, you..."

"I was just asking out of curiosity," Luo Zijun said. He hadn't received the answer he wanted and felt a hint of disappointment. "It seems reading is not as useful as martial arts," he sighed.

Zhang Yitian immediately chuckled. "That is not necessarily true. Reading and martial arts each have their merits. Those with a talent for martial arts should naturally practice them, and those with a talent for letters should study. Besides, as scholars, we have a much more comfortable life than martial artists, and at the very least, we avoid many dangers."

As they spoke, they reached the top of the steps and entered the main hall. There were guards at the door, but they did not stop them; clearly, the nameplates the two carried were being sensed by some mechanism.

Zhang Yitian smiled. "It seems you've received your nameplate, Brother Luo. Have you been to the back mountain to have it verified by the Talent Gemstone yet?"

"Not yet."

Zhang Yitian didn't doubt him. "That makes sense. Time is tight; you'll likely have to wait a few days, or until after the Academy Examination next month, when you can go with the other new students. After all, Senior Niu at the back mountain has a difficult temper, and I hear he only allows people to visit once a month. I've never heard of anyone going alone."

The first floor was filled with five rows of bookshelves packed with volumes. Just as Luo Zijun started to look, Zhang Yitian pulled him aside and whispered, "Brother Luo, let's go to the second floor. The first floor only has basic texts for literacy and study; the second floor has the truly interesting books."

Seeing Zhang's mysterious behavior, Luo Zijun felt puzzled. It was just reading—why all the whispering and sneaking around? One would think they were going to steal something.

"There is something even more interesting than books upstairs." Zhang Yitian winked, gave a mysterious smile, and led him up to the second floor.

The second floor was already crowded with students, both male and female. Luo Zijun glanced around and saw that the seats on both sides were almost entirely taken. However, in a corner on the left, two seats remained vacant; several people were standing nearby holding books, but none of them dared to sit there.

Zhang Yitian pointed to the side of a bookshelf. "Brother Luo, if you're looking for a specific book, check the labels on the shelves; it will make your search faster."

Luo Zijun nodded and began his search. "Something about 'Talent'..." or "Stories about ghosts, gods, and spirits..." But after searching for a long time, he couldn't find what he needed.

"'The Hierarchy of Scholars'?" He suddenly spotted a book and pulled it down to flip through it. After a few pages, he realized this, too, was not what he needed; he had already read all the knowledge contained within.

Just then, the noisy chatter in the hall suddenly died down. Luo Zijun, still reading the final page and lost in thought, did not notice until he suddenly realized that the students sitting opposite him, both male and female, were all staring in his direction.

He blinked, puzzled, and touched his face. Was there something on it? Or was it possible that his natural handsomeness, appearing in the library for the first time, had stunned everyone into silence?

"Brother Luo, move aside—quick!" Zhang Yitian, standing not far away, waved his hands and whispered a warning.

Luo Zijun realized something was amiss. He turned around to see a young woman in a pure white dress standing behind him, rising slightly on her tiptoes to reach for a book on the shelf.

Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a glow upon her. Her skin was so pale it shimmered, and a cascade of long, dark hair flowed down her back. The entire girl seemed enveloped in a halo of holy light—pure, serene, and dazzling.

For a moment, Luo Zijun could barely make out her features. He could only see the brilliant sunlight upon her, the snow-white, jade-like skin reflected by that light, and that waterfall of raven-black hair cascading to her waist. Some people are pale in a sickly way, others in a frightening way, but this girl’s pallor was stunning and breathtaking—a beauty of flawless perfection. If the phrase "skin as white as snow" was meant for anyone, it was her.

"What are you staring at! Keep looking and I'll gouge your eyes out!"

Suddenly, a petite girl in a pink dress stepped out from behind the girl in white. She glared with wide eyes, her expression fierce, clutching two small, fair fists. She looked like a tiny, aggressive