Xu Nian has a headache today, not an ordinary headache.
You are the deputy director of a dignified academy and have a high status. Although you have no official position or real power, which of the official scribes sent out by your subordinates has no passion?
Over the years, we have accumulated a huge network of relationships.
It's a pity that these are of no use to him now.
As soon as the students sent by the teacher were arranged to enter Tiandiyuan, Xu Nian received news that made him feel like he was facing a formidable enemy.
The battle for the January Literary Saint List of the Dongyue County Branch of Bailu Academy is handled by the ninth tower of Zhushan under his jurisdiction.
It is said that he is the deputy captain, but in fact, the master captain is basically a dragon but not the tail. The person who really manages a tower with more than 300 scribes of Tiandiyuan is the deputy captain.
But this time, Lord Zhanglou came out of seclusion and personally intervened in the battle for the Literary Saint List next month.
"In the December Literary Saints List, Dongyue Branch's poems and essays were only ranked 47th. Although there are still ten days until the December list is completed, it is unlikely that the ranking will improve further."
Qin Xiuman, the manager of the ninth floor, poured a cup of tea for Xu Nian. The tea was filled with sparkling colors and a rich and intoxicating literary atmosphere.
It is the world-famous and fragrant Luochun tea.
Normally, Xu Nian would have tasted it with joy. A cup of fragrant Luochun tea was worth half a month of hard work. But at this time, he had no intention of tasting the tea at all.
Because Qin Xiuman’s words made him feel like he had fallen into an ice cave,
"The General Hospital was furious. Our Zhushan Mountain Master basically had no interest in world affairs. The deputy mountain master personally found me and gave me a death order."
"If we fail to compete in the top 20 on the Literary Saint List in January, the Ninth Tower's resources for the coming year will be reduced by 20%."
Xu Nian held the tea cup and put a little force on his fingers, "Zhanglou, December is the focus of competition among various masters and Wen Zong. Even if we are ranked 47th, we can't all rely on it."
Qin Xiuman shook his head and sighed softly, "There are nine branches in Bailu Academy. Dongyue Branch is the lowest, so it will naturally cause trouble for us."
"I also talked to the deputy mountain master about this, and the deputy mountain master gave me a condition that I had to accept."
"What reason?"
"If you break into the top 20, your resources will increase by 20% next year." Qin Xiuman knocked on the table.
"It's a 40% difference over time. I don't need to tell you how big the difference is. The silver salary is just an added bonus. The key lies in culture and the distribution of prestige in a county."
"The entire Ninth Tower, with its 367 literati students, will be greatly affected."
Xu Nian also sighed, "I understand, how much power can I use to compete for the rankings in that month?"
"From now on until January 5th, when the official competition for the list begins, all the resources of Zhushan are at your disposal, and the completed poems will be reviewed by me and the deputy mountain master." Qin Xiuman replied.
Xu Nian drank all the tea in the cup, then stood up, "Okay, I will check it myself."
Before leaving the room, Xu Nian suddenly stopped and said, "If I fail to win the ranking, will I have to take my official position and leave?"
A word came from behind, "Yes."
Xu Nian walked out of the door with mixed feelings in his heart.
At the level of deputy director, almost no one is willing to leave, because there are too many benefits that can be obtained, which cannot be compared with a simple official position.
First of all, the area covered by the academy can become its own sphere of influence.
Secondly, you will gain more from fame and culture, and you don’t need to work hard to gain officialdom.
Even if you want to upgrade your Wenlu, you can choose an official position in the most fertile place, cooperate with the academy's resources, and upgrade your Wenlu's level in the shortest time, and then return to the academy.
But these can only be obtained on the premise that oneself has not been deposed as deputy leader.
And the so-called taking the official position and leaving is actually deposing.
At most, he can win an idle official position from the fifth rank, and then fend for himself.
Back in the room, Xu Nian sank into his chair, frowned, and was silent for a long time.
When competing for the list in January, there will not be as many Master Wen Zong as there are in December. After all, the Wen Sage List in December is known as the Battle of All Saints.
Wenzong, the master of the entire Jin Dynasty, wanted to take the lead in December and establish his position in the literary world.
This has been a common practice for thousands of years.
December's list of literary saints has therefore become the month with the most fame and literary power. Anyone who is on the list will gain as much as the sum of two months or even three months at other times.
January is the first competition for the Literary Saint List in the new year, so the pressure will not be too great, but the ranking of the top twenty is really a headache.
If you achieve a solid position, you may even have the opportunity to reach a higher level; if you lose, you will stop there, and years of hard work will collapse in one fell swoop.
…
As soon as Li Changan returned to the inn, Liu Linglong rushed up to Li Changan and hugged him. Her big eyes were filled with tears, and she pouted her little mouth and asked, "Brother, why were you out for so long?"
Li Chang'an touched Liu Linglong's little head and explained with a smile, "I went to the academy today. I ordered a lot of specialties there. I'm afraid it will have to be like this every day in the future."
"Ah?" Liu Linglong raised her head, "Then what should I do if I miss my brother?"
"Okay Linglong, Chang An must be tired after a hard day's work. Let him rest for a while and have dinner later." Liu Zhiyin walked out of the west bedroom and said.
His eyes fell on Li Changan, and the concern in his eyes was beyond words.
Li Changan touched Liu Linglong's little head and smiled at Liu Zhiyin, "Sister-in-law..."
Liu Zhiyin smiled, poured a cup of tea for Li Changan, and said softly, "I have already found the Yaren today, but the Yaren said that the houses near the academy are more expensive."
Li Changan took the tea cup and said, "If it exceeds two hundred taels, then first find a safe and secluded house, not too big. When you have money, you can then move to a place near the academy."
"Okay." Liu Zhiyin nodded softly.
Liu Linglong looked at Li Changan and then at Liu Zhiyin, always feeling that there was something strange about the two of them.
Something must have happened to my brother and sister during my absence.
Liu Linglong pouted in annoyance, "I'm so angry, my brother treats me like a child."
I only talk to my sister about everything.
And are my sister and brother too close? When the two of them talk, they don’t even look at me.
Dinner was simple. Li Changan held Liu Linglong's hand and Liu Zhiyin followed beside him, and the three of them walked around the county town together.
The county town is much more lively than Linxian County.
Li Changan bought two packs of candied fruits, one for each of Liu Zhiyin and Liu Linglong.
"When we move into our new home, we will make rock candy for my sister-in-law. This time we can make more flavors." Li Changan said.
Liu Zhiyin nodded, holding the candied fruit in his mouth, but it was sweet in his heart.
This is the agreement between the two of them.
Liu Linglong bumped her little head against Li Changan's chest, "Brother, what kind of rock candy is this? I've never heard of it."
“You’ll cook it for us Linglong to eat in two days, okay?”
"Isn't it delicious?"
"Yeah, it's very sweet."
"Is it sweeter than candied fruit?"
"Sweeter than candied fruit."
"Then I want to eat too." As soon as she heard that there was delicious food, Liu Linglong couldn't stop smiling.
Still a child.
Liu Linglong and Liu Zhiyin are both tall and tall, but have completely different personalities.
Li Changan and Liu Zhiyin looked at each other and saw the smile in each other's eyes.
The three of them walked around and returned to the inn.
"When we settle down here, Uncle Zhang and I will discuss whether we can also open a hotpot restaurant in the county town," Li Changan said.
"Really?" Liu Zhiyin's eyes filled with joy.
"Well, let's go eat hot pot together then." Li Changan said with a smile.
"Brother, I want to sleep with you tonight." After Liu Linglong washed up, she ran into the east bedroom yelling.
But Liu Zhiyin grabbed him and said, "No, the situation was special before, but now it is definitely not possible. You are already a big girl."
"I don't want it. Without my brother, I'm scared. I want to hold my brother to sleep." Liu Linglong cried with a sad face, her big eyes squeezed, trying to squeeze out a tear or two.
But Liu Zhiyin refused to accept this trick and dragged Liu Linglong to the west bedroom, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. My sister is here. You can sleep with her in your arms tonight."
Liu Linglong looked at Li Changan helplessly, turning back three times with each step, holding her mouth in grievance.
Li Changan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so the little girl comforted her, "Linglong, be good. When you settle down, my brother will have something good for you."
"Really?" Liu Linglong's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yeah." Li Changan nodded affirmatively.
Liu Linglong then obediently followed Liu Zhiyin back to the west bedroom.
Li Changan smiled and shook his head. After washing, he lay on the bed and looked at the curtain above his head. He couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
Do you want to try Literary Saint List?
The practice manual says that attacking the Literary Saint List is a very costly battle, no less than a real war.
If I try it rashly, will there be any problems? I'll go to the academy tomorrow and ask.
In addition, I have to start preparing the good things I told my little sister, and my sister-in-law also needs them.
My body has been riddled with diseases for a long time. After awakening to the literary spirit, I can slowly recover with the accumulation of literary energy.
Although my sister-in-law and my younger sister have never been seriously ill, they have suffered a lot and are in need of good health care. The health-preserving medicated bath soup recorded in the practice manual is just right for them...
After thinking about it, Li Changan slowly fell into sleep.