Martial Saint through Reading-Chapter 76: Those Words Are Enough

"So, Mr. Shen was forced to come to Baiyuan County to be an Instructor?" Chu Ming took the initiative to ask this time.

Five idioms, more than enough to show the indignation simmering in Shen Yu’s heart.

"..." Shen Yu’s face twitched slightly: "Of all the things to ask, you skip them and hit where it hurts. Are you really sharp, or just pretending?"

"Or maybe you just want to see this old fool make a spectacle of himself?" Though his face showed anger, pouring out his heart seemed to have eased his mood; he wasn’t truly enraged.

"All right, telling you so much is just because you called me a trailblazer. I don’t know whether you meant it, or if it was flattery out of fear I’d scold you."

"But regardless of your reason, the fact you can speak of breaking new ground means you understand the significance of implementing Simplified Texts. That’s why I’ve always wanted to talk to you."

"But don’t worry, since I was demoted to a county Instructor over Simplified Texts, I won’t let you become another me."

"I’m just getting old, and suddenly encountered a... confidant..."

"Sigh..." Shen Yu’s expression grew somewhat desolate, and he sighed, "Enough, let’s return to the Mountain Scripture and Ancient Shell Script."

A confidant?

Chu Ming gazed at this gray-haired old man. Hearing these words, something in his heart stirred quietly.

Shen Yu reached for the "Poetry, Politics, and Military," and, looking at Chu Ming, drew out that sheet of paper.

"Boy, County Magistrate Liuu gave you a Mountain Scripture fragment, not just so you’d get an early taste of Ancient Shell Script. The Mountain Scripture is a secret, known to only a few. Seeing it means you’re already on County Magistrate Liuu’s ship..."

Chu Ming’s expression did not change.

This layer, he had already guessed when he saw the contents on the paper.

"The Five Eyes Map challenge in the gallery was cleverly designed. You were able to draw the Kui Ox from it, which really speaks to your ability for deduction and association."

"Such ability is vital for research into Ancient Shell Script and the Mountain Scripture."

Shen Yu held the paper without even glancing at it, simply keeping it in hand: "I’ve got this ability myself."

At these words, he casually picked up the sheet, a glint of pride in his eyes: "For this fragment of the Mountain Scripture, I deduced its meaning in just three days back then... hmm?"

Mid-sentence, Shen Yu’s gaze sharpened, eyes locked onto the paper.

Upon it, besides the original Ancient Shell Script fragment, every character was annotated with both traditional and simplified characters!

Every single character!

This kid only received the Mountain Scripture fragment this morning—how much time has passed? He’s already decoded every character?

He widened his eyes, reading each character one by one.

There were errors, but not many. The overall meaning changed little.

"You..." Shen Yu looked at Chu Ming in disbelief. "Have you studied Ancient Shell Script before?"

Chu Ming shook his head and asked, "Is the interpretation correct?"

Those annotations—he had inferred them from the shapes and the {Reading} ability’s effect. He couldn’t be certain they were right.

But judging from Instructor Shen’s expression, they might be?

"So you must have gotten the Mountain Scripture long ago and studied it for ages!" Shen Yu said again.

Yet Chu Ming shook his head, replying, "To be honest, Mr. Shen, I really only got this sheet from the gallery today."

"By the way, Mr. Shen, you haven’t told me yet—how did you know I was that Scholar?"

At his words, Shen Yu’s shock hadn’t faded, and now was tinged with a strange smile: "That Disguise Technique was borrowed earlier from Wenlan Hall by Ning Hao and Liang Yuan, and I am in charge at Wenlan Hall."

He paused, then added: "This afternoon, I came to Yunqi Courtyard looking for you and found you all gone, but on the stone table outside spotted some powder that hadn’t been wiped clean."

"Then later I heard the Five Eyes Map was taken down by a Scholar at the gallery, accompanied by a Scholar’s servant and a burly man, exactly those three."

"There are no coincidences in this world, not even the slightest ones."

"Especially since you three matched up in both number and timing. You and Liang Yuan also have some talent in painting. That’s three coincidences."

"But I was only suspicious, until I saw you hid a Mountain Scripture fragment, then I was nearly certain."

Shen Yu examined the decoded characters again, his expression growing more complex. "You truly just saw this piece of Ancient Shell Script?"

Chu Ming nodded.

"How long did the interpretation take—two hours, or one?" Shen Yu asked further.

"..." Chu Ming paused silently.

How long did it take?

Thinking back, it seemed not even fifteen minutes.

He looked at Shen Yu, and answered earnestly, "About one hour?"

"One hour?" Shen Yu’s eyes flashed instantly with fierce light. "Why do you ask back like that? Not even a full hour?!"

"..."

Seeing Chu Ming tacitly confirm, Shen Yu’s emotions grew even more agitated. He strode quickly up to Chu Ming, sizing him up, finally locking his gaze on Chu Ming’s forehead.

"Mr. Shen?"

"Your head’s not even that big—how could you decode Ancient Shell Script in less than an hour?" Shen Yu muttered, then suddenly asked gravely, "How long did I say I needed to decode this fragment?"

"Three days?"

"Three days? I distinctly said three quarters of an hour." Shen Yu put his hands behind his back and strode to the doorway, stopping at the threshold, his voice commanding: "Did you mishear me? Say it again."

"...three quarters of an hour?"

"Mm, that’s better." Shen Yu nodded with satisfaction, about to open the door, but paused.

The room was silent; the atmosphere subtly shifting.

"I told you, I’m only talking with you—it won’t affect your path." Shen Yu’s tone deepened. "One last question: do you truly believe implementing Simplified Texts is trailblazing, or was it flattery?"

Chu Ming looked at Shen Yu’s slightly aged figure, and gave a respectful salute, saying, "Promoting Simplified Texts will surely break the fixed barriers of literature—more suitable than Complex Text as a medium for knowledge."

"But... your noble purpose, sir, may not suit the times. Forced implementation may very likely backfire."

Simplified Texts were optimized from Complex Text, but after all, they differ. For scholars whose thinking has long been entrenched, it amounts to openly challenging and negating all established things.

Relying on one person alone—how could it be successful?

Most people may know the difference between Simplified and Complex Texts, but right and wrong rest on interests. Even if Simplified Texts are right, if it harms themselves, who will act?

Shen Yu is a trailblazer, a pioneer—but at the same time, a sacrifice. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Full of learning, yet relegated to Junior Eighth-Grade Instructor in Baiyuan County—that’s proof enough.

Shen Yu stood at the doorway, silent for a long while, then sighed: "With your words... it’s enough."

He slowly turned around, eyes calm as he gazed at Chu Ming.

Forcibly advancing Simplified Texts, only to have it backfire—how could he not know this truth?

Though his expression looked calm, in his heart he was wrestling with a choice.

He’s gotten old, with only a few years left...

The youth before him is the most talented, most pleasing he’s ever met. He doesn’t wish to implicate Chu Ming for his own sake, yet he hopes Chu Ming can inherit from him...

But what does he have to offer Chu Ming?