Chapter 903 – Golden Scales Academy (Part Three)
More and more outsiders poured into Xiangyang County, turning the already bustling city into a vibrant hub.
After the new year, the weather grew increasingly bright, gradually warming up.
On the streets, you could spot scholars looking weary yet spirited at every corner.
In taverns, tea houses, or eateries, discussions echoed with variations of the same theme.
“Is it true that the Golden Scales Pavilion is opening tomorrow?”
“That’s what the notice outside the county office states.”
“I wonder what the interior of the Golden Scales Pavilion is like? Is it genuinely impressive, or merely for show?”
“With Liu Xi building Wanzhou so splendidly, she must not be exaggerating, right? Let’s go take a look tomorrow.”
Some talked about the Golden Scales Pavilion, others discussed the state of affairs in the world, and some mentioned Jiang Pengji.
She had led Wanzhou to prosperity, with no one able to find fault, yet her actions over the years were met with mixed opinions from the public.
The most discussed points were reduced to two—supporting the lower class and harboring ulterior motives!
There was no need to elaborate on the first point; among her officials and generals, besides Feng Jin, who among them came from a prestigious family?
As for “harboring ulterior motives,” just looking at her issuing recruitment edicts and constructing the Golden Scales Pavilion was enough to say it all.
Amid the eager anticipation of the crowd, on the third of March, the Flower Festival, the Golden Scales Pavilion officially opened.
From the outside, the Golden Scales Pavilion looked no different from an ordinary residence, following the consistent architectural style of Xiangyang County—simple and elegant.
Guo Jing, Feng Ren, and Cheng Cheng presided over the opening ceremony. After a ritual to honor the heavens, they personally pulled down the crimson silk covering the plaque.
The plaque read “Golden Scales Pavilion” in robust and elegant characters that exuded a sense of prestige.
Outside, scholars were physically blocked by soldiers, and a hush fell over the crowd, with countless eyes glued to Guo Jing and the others’ hands.
“Ceremony completed, the pavilion is open!”
Dressed in grand garments, Cheng Cheng and the others wore solemn expressions.
With a creak, the doors of the Golden Scales Pavilion swung open.
At this moment, rows of soldiers moved through the crowd, ushering scholars in an orderly fashion.
“Why can he go in and I can’t?”
The soldier on duty replied, “You lack a token; entry isn’t permitted today.”
“A token? What token?”
The thwarted scholar furrowed his brow deeply, refusing to back down until he received a clear answer.
The soldier explained, “A few days ago, the county office posted a notice: anyone wishing to enter the Golden Scales Pavilion must first register and pass an assessment to receive a token.”
Paper was still quite valuable, and books were even rarer, so it was crucial to prevent encounters with unscrupulous book thieves.
Xu Ke and others slightly adjusted the requirements for entering the Golden Scales Pavilion.
Assessing literary talent was secondary; the primary goal was to gather the information of those attending, so they could apply invisible shackles.
Think you can cause trouble, huh?
Debts must be repaid to their rightful owners, we’ll be sure to track you down!
The frustrated scholar fumed, infuriated that an ordinary commoner would dare to challenge him. Just as he was about to explode, a waiting young man said, “You should just go register; you can come back tomorrow. Don’t waste everyone’s time standing here.”
With that, the young man stepped in front of him and offered his token.
The soldier verified the name and authenticity of the token without delay and let him enter.
“This—”
The earlier scholar angrily flicked his sleeves and stormed off to register, filled with indignation.
Meanwhile, inside, the scholars who had entered voiced their astonishment in a flurry, and when they realized their loss of composure, they looked back at the others who were equally dumbfounded, feeling a sense of balance. It wasn’t that they were uncultured; the scene inside the Golden Scales Pavilion far exceeded expectations.
Although it was named the Golden Scales Pavilion, the interior held more than just a single floor and a pavilion.
Currently, only the main structure, the largest in the Golden Scales Pavilion, was open—A golden scale is but a creature of the pond.
Upon seeing the plaque, people found it peculiar, yet the deeper meaning struck them with grandeur.
Naming the main building of the Golden Scales Pavilion this way was nothing short of perfect.
The main building formed a massive circular shape, covering an area larger than your typical two-courtyard residence, with four large doors, eight small doors, and thirty-six intricately carved wooden windows. Upon opening the front door, abundant natural light flooded inside, with rows of bookshelves lining the circular space. Many shelves were already filled with paper books, each accompanied by placards indicating the categories of books stored within.
The interior architecture was ingeniously designed, with the bookshelves themselves creating various private study rooms, equipped with resting mats, a writing desk, and ink supplies. The most delightful feature was the second floor and dome design, fully utilizing natural light; even without oil lamps, as long as the exterior light was sufficient and the second-floor windows were opened, the interior remained bright.
“This, this—simply—”
Scholars qualified to enter the Golden Scales Pavilion approached in awe; some even became so excited they forgot to speak.
Golden Scales Pavilion!
A name truly befitting!
As everyone calmed their excitement, some were about to step forward to retrieve books from the shelves when they were halted.
Before the people could speak, newcomers explained, “Books in the Golden Scales Pavilion are free to read, but you cannot touch them casually. If you wish to see a particular book, just call for someone to fetch it for you. If you want to borrow or copy, take your token and register over there—here, ink and writing materials are provided at a minimal cost.”
Having just opened their doors, they were wary of damage to books or unauthorized retention.
So, right from the start, strict regulations had to be established.
Once the public grew accustomed to the rules, the lending policies could be appropriately relaxed.
At first, some people were displeased, but considering the high value of paper books, it was understandable that the Golden Scales Pavilion took measures to ensure preservation.
“There are so many books here!”
The steward smiled, “Still, ninety percent of the books remain in the bookshop, yet to be shelved.”
“Still… ninety percent?” Others gasped, momentarily speechless.
“Of course, the first floor still has sixty percent of the shelves empty, and the second floor is completely vacant.”
The crowd was left dumbfounded and began to borrow their desired books, seeking sunny spots to read in peace.
To say they were reading would be an understatement; it was more like gently caressing the pages, as if stroking beloved skin.
The texture was exquisite!
Their reactions were even more effusive than when Xu Ke first laid eyes on bamboo paper.
The first batch to enter the Golden Scales Pavilion numbered around one hundred, almost all of whom were book lovers. They treated the handbound books as if they were precious heirlooms; let alone damaging them, they didn’t even dare to apply the slightest pressure. Observing this scene, the steward of the Golden Scales Pavilion breathed a sigh of relief.
Before long, someone put in a request to copy.
The person looked tense, fearing their request might be denied.
Getting to read for free was already a blessing; how could they expect to be allowed to copy?
To most people, books were not just books; they were priceless treasures, not to be loaned lightly.
The employee in charge of reception smiled warmly, turning to retrieve a set of ink and unused blank bamboo slips for him.
These inks and slips weren’t provided freely, but they were priced at only ten percent of the market rate.
“Th-Thank you very much!”
Before the man left, they expressed their gratitude, clutching the items and returning to their spot to silently read and copy.
Unbeknownst to them, the sun began to set, marking the closing time of the pavilion.
Reluctantly, they returned the books, stepping out of the Golden Scales Pavilion with a lingering sense of satisfaction.
Five stars!
Absolutely a ten-star review!
Word spread in waves, and on its first day of operation, the Golden Scales Pavilion achieved tremendous success!
