Chapter 41 (1/2)

Xia Fen

wanted to go to Bailu acadeood

abilities, rather to learn how to swear at people, better yet trade insults

with the `delicate and frail` bookwor

this, would react?

Bailu

academy was considered to be the i in

Dayan Not only do they take in the children of influential families and

officials, at the same time the children of the imperial household also came to

study, moreover every year they would choose two children of poor and humble

background fro academies in the country, to study there free

Bailu acadeenerations, it

was also the centre of training for backup officials The poor and humble

children vied to study there even if their heads split open, with delusions of

a carp leaping through the dragon’s gate, and make friends with the

influential officials’ children of the court in advance, hoping to someday

rapidly go up in the world And so the children of the influential families and

officials, would also during their ti find like-minded `close

friends`, for as they stare at the most

respected position in the world, investing blood, sweat and tears for it

To people

with aspirations, the previous dynasty of Dayan were the adults’ battlefield, Bailu

acadeenerations

The only

difference was, the previous dynasty did not have women officials, yet the

academy still accepted female students

Xia Fen only

started studying at six and a half years old, later than everyone else by one

and a half years Xia Ling Mei and General Xia usually taught him, common

reading and instructions simply wasn’t a problem, his martial arts was even

, therefore after Xia Fen reported his name, he was directly

stuck into the second years hall

Even though

Kong Xian and Wu Sheng were Xia Fen’s bodyguards on the face of things, they

were a lot older than Xia Fen But even Kong Xian and Wu Sheng had official

positions, when they reached Beiding City they directly reported to the

Ministry of War, naturally they couldn’t go and study with Xia Fen Only every

day after school, they would come to the Xia residence and practice martial

artshim some battlefield common sense

Xia Ling

Mei once again frouards picked two children,

intending to provide Xia Fen with bodyguards and at the same time study partners

Auards were allowed to marry and have

children, so uards Each

family had different circumstances, naturally the way to nurture talent was

also different The shadow guards in the Xia family were also separated into

e of instructing their talents

and uards had their adulthood ceremony they

would turn to their teacher to be in charge of theirhusbands or wives on their students’ behalf

Looking at

the Xia faest had the power to choose, if the shadow

guards wanted to control their own e, then they could only become the

top three auards From fourth place on the students were

entirely matched up by their teachers, unable to object From the first day the

shadow guards were chosen to enter the fa they learnt was

to unconditionally couards

would arrange to get married the first year of their adulthood, within a year

the fenant, if their child’s structure was

good they uards, perhaps become public

bodyguards, those who structure’s weren’t as good would be arranged to learn

other skills, afterwards they would be sent to live in the businesses and farms

of the Xia fanito would

be sent to be a spy in another country Ast these there were also weak and

inept people unable to support the beaten to the dust

in nuer be found

Born at the

same time, each fate was different

Xia Fen was

young, the general servants of the Xia fae had already

earlier on been assigned to the other young generations of the Xia family, even

if there were people left over, they were simply those chosen to be left over

by others

Xia Ling

Mei spoiled Xia Fen, and knowing his `grand ambitions`, therefore she was

especially cautious in selecting a study partner and bodyguard Xia Fen did not

understand poetry, Xia Ling Mei decided as such as before, choose a little

tactician good at giving advice, like Kong Xian; then choose a modest and loyal

si shi+,

like Wu Sheng One literate and oneeach

other

These kind

of children were difficult to find, Xia Ling Mei nearly became crossed-eyed

Xia Fen rarely looked down upon hishis own chest he said:

“Watch me”

The very

small six years old child stood in front of a crowd of unevenly matched with

different heights young children, directly saying: “All of you trade insults, the

one who finishes last will be my military counsellor” Afterwards he ran to the

ry looking sers who

was tanned almost like a crow under the sun he said: “All of you spar each

other, the one who fights to the end and re will eat meat with

this youngwas

not uncoeneral

with me”

As a

result, the left side of the school, saliva and cooled eyes flew; the right

side round, beads of blood and sweat mixed

Finally,

Xia Fen’s military counsellor was one who looked short and fat, when he smiled

he looked like the boy sitting under the Guanyin, ast the literary shadow

guards he was ranked nineteenth Xia Fen asked hi

master ivings they

started cursing I watched, waiting for the until they were

tired and exhausted their words, then I found the one as proud to be the

last and started cursing hio talked too

y, so he became mute, I won”

Xia Fen

kicked the chubby kid with one foot: “You treacherous person” The chubby child

fell to the ground rolling a few ti, dizzily he

asked: “Young master you want to curse me? I am the final winner, if you don’t

keep your word your teeth will fall out” Aiyo, he unexpectedly even threatened