Pingyang Prefecture is the core of the Seven Prefectures of the South.

The Celestial South Dao Governor's Office is located in Pingyang City, and the provincial examination that Chen Xu will attend is held in the Imperial Examination Hall in Pingyang City.

For ten days, Chen Xu walked alone in the Lingxi Mountains, seemingly far from the mundane noise, paying no heed to the world outside his window.

But actually, he hasn't neglected the attention to the outside world at all.

The imperial examinations are absolutely not something that can be achieved by working behind closed doors.

County and prefecture examinations might be passed by rote learning, but when it comes to academy examinations, especially at the provincial level, what is tested is far beyond just the content in books.

On the first day of June, Chen Xu initially saw the public opinion battle before the provincial examination.

Now, this public opinion battle is growing more intense.

Take Mo Huaizhang, for example, who recently published a new work, called "The Primer in Stories".

This was compiled by Mo Huaizhang after visiting various places in the Seven Prefectures of the South, collecting real stories from among the people, along with some ancient anecdotes, creating a "storybook" suitable for children to begin their learning.

Though called a storybook, its greater significance lies in education.

It opens with quoting the ancient sage's anecdote "Mencius' Mother Moves Houses" which sets the tone for the entire text.

Such use of classics makes it beyond reproach, it's like unfurling a grand banner right at the start.

Following it are stories like "Carrying Fireflies for Light, Reading in the Snow", mentioning the tales of Che Yin carrying fireflies to illuminate, and Sun Kang reading by the reflection of snow during the Jin Dynasty.

It encourages young pupils, even if from impoverished families, to persist in studying, fighting for their prospects and pathways amidst adversity.

There are also folk tales, like the story of a merchant in Qinglin Prefecture who kept his promise and refused to sell to a buyer offering a high price, showing extraordinary honesty and integrity; this story is called "Mr. Sun Sells Cloth".

And others demonstrating filial piety, like Linchuan Prefecture's "Spring of Celestial Spring" and so forth.

"Spring of Celestial Spring" tells of a daughter-in-law who, due to her mother-in-law's sleeplessness at night, sets off at midnight to climb the Lingxiao Peak outside the city to solve her mother-in-law's insomnia.

It is said the Celestial Spring Mountain has many natural springs, but only the one on the summit has the most spiritual essence.

It wouldn't easily show itself to people and requires sincerity in seeking; one must kneel and worship the rising sun at dawn to possibly encounter the legendary spiritual spring.

It is claimed that drinking from this spring can nourish the spirit, cure diseases, and prolong life.

For three continuous months, the woman climbed the mountain and worshipped, leaving at midnight and returning at dawn, undeterred by wind, frost, rain, or snow.

In climbing the mountain, she wore out ten pairs of embroidered shoes, fell from exhaustion, sustained injuries, and bled.

She was even attacked by wild beasts and strange creatures, yet her filial devotion was enough to repel the beasts.

Her perseverance finally paid off; one morning, she saw the spiritual spring at the summit of Lingxiao Peak.

She collected several gourds of the spring water, and the most miraculous thing was that a pristine carp leaped out from the spring!

Mo Huaizhang commented on this story by saying, "Filial piety moves heavens, the carp leaps at Celestial Spring, isn't it a reward from the universe?"

The stories in "The Primer in Stories" are both simple and easy to understand and possess a certain legendary feel, most importantly, they hold great educational significance.

Mo Huaizhang's choice of words and style is eloquent and refined.

Once this book was released, it was not only popular in Qinglin Prefecture but quickly spread across the Seven Prefectures of the South.

Compared to his earlier compilation at the age of twelve, "The Ten Songs of Enlightenment", this "The Primer in Stories" has far exceeded in conception, language, and popularity.

Among the public, some even commented, "With Mo Huaizhang's ability in book writing, let alone passing as a Scholar or Advanced Scholar, it wouldn't be impossible to become a Great Scholar in the future."

This is a public opinion battle, yet not merely one.

Mo Huaizhang's book was real and solid. Though focused on elementary education, not writing any world-shocking profound pieces for now, such achievements at a young age are already extraordinary.

Apart from Mo Huaizhang, Pingyang's Zhou Qian wrote an article that frustrated an elder Scholar from a rival family, yet later when the elder Scholar's wife and children were pressured by the clan, almost being wiped out, Zhou Qian intervened to mediate and support the wife and children of the elder Scholar.

Afterwards, when Zhou Qian was asked about this matter, he explained, "My dispute with Elder Tong was merely ideological; it was a battle to safeguard the Dao and should not be taken lightly, we should fully express our views to show respect for our opponents.

But apart from the ideological dispute, Elder Tong was also a respectable opponent.

It was unfortunate that Elder Tong did not live long, passing away due to illness.

After his death, his wife and children were bullied by the clan, a Scholar read the sacred books and slayed demons and monsters, but couldn't protect his closest kin after death.

Such a predicament wounds not only Elder Tong's wife and children but also the sincere hearts of scholars around the world.

Having engaged with Elder Tong, being both adversary and friend, is it not right to stand up at this moment?"

These words revealed a broad vision and a towering character.

Previously, he had angered Elder Tong with sharp words leading to death, but now it turned out the gentleman indeed died from illness.

He contributed efforts to help and protect the deceased's family afterwards, aligning with the matter of utmost public concern regarding posthumous affairs, his actions were full of benevolence.

As such, those who criticized him earlier for his sharpness and excessive attack found no grounds for complaint anymore.

Whenever Zhou Qian is mentioned again, who wouldn't praise his benevolence and righteousness?

This reversal was indeed beautiful, gaining a lot of attention.

Besides, Luo Wenhuan didn't have much stir, but he defeated his rivals in divination multiple times, solved a thirty-year-old puzzle in the path of divination, thus gaining some fame.

Song Chengye used his own flesh and blood as a medicine to heal his grandmother, which became a celebrated story that people talk about and praise for a long time.

Additionally, Linchuan Prefecture's Ning Siyu completed "The Celestial South's Water Book".

On the day Ning Siyu finished the last word of "The Celestial South's Water Book" in Pingyang City, a faint cyan smoke drifted across the sky over Pingyang City.

Although the cyan smoke was fleeting and did not truly form nor succeed in ascending to the heavens, its appearance was enough to prove the extraordinariness of "The Celestial South's Water Book".

This "The Celestial South's Water Book" marks the urgency and key points of numerous water bodies within the Seven Prefectures of the South, recording many detailed hydrological data, and providing specific suggestions for bridge and dike construction.

A single "The Celestial South's Water Book" can have a substantial impact on the Seven Prefectures of the South.

The significance of this is vastly different from "The Primer in Stories".

The reason "The Celestial South's Water Book" did not successfully produce cyan smoke might be because it hasn't been practically verified yet or because it's just newly completed, perhaps there are still areas that need refinement.

It's quite normal, but the mere presence of a hint of cyan smoke shows how exceptional it is.

In this way, even though Chen Xu was featured on "Great Li's Splendor Record" due to his achievements, his opponents are indeed strong.

Even the little hedgehog couldn't help but feel worried, thus said, "Brother Chen, maybe… maybe you should write a few more Cyan Smoke Poems? Otherwise, your opponents might have overwhelming momentum."

The hedgehog didn't wish to insinuate that Chen Xu might lose, thus its wording seemed somewhat incomplete.

Chen Xu, however, smiled and said, "Ah Yuan, while Cyan Smoke Poems are exquisite, comparing them to 'The Celestial South's Water Book' isn't on the same level."

It's not that poetry is certainly lower than such practical works, but their nature differs, making them incomparable.

So, what exactly should Chen Xu do, to stand out once again amidst the intense public opinion battle before the exam?

Should he slay more demonic beasts of evil paths?

Or continue to nurture his talents in silence?

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