"Indeed... old objects of a certain age often have Dao Rhyme Points."
Gu Yuan's eyes lit up slightly: "For instance, this book records some philosophical knowledge. Its owner frequently turned the pages and pondered over them. Over time, the book naturally became imbued with the owner's insights into the universe and nature, which is the Dao Rhyme. Though there may be few Dao Rhyme Points, they can accumulate into many."
Feigning interest, he flipped through the pages for a moment before putting it down, and then picked up another book.
[Dao Rhyme Points +3!]
Another three Dao Rhyme Points gained!
Gu Yuan was excited inside, but outwardly he placed the book down calmly and picked up another one.
The scholar watched anxiously, with a hint of puzzlement, as Gu Yuan checked each item on the stall.
[Dao Rhyme Points +1!]
[Dao Rhyme Points +3!]
[Dao Rhyme Points +27!]
...
A great harvest!
This trip was not in vain!
Gu Yuan felt satisfied inwardly, then placed the Copper Lamp down.
The surface of this item was covered in green copper rust, and the patterns on it were somewhat blurred, indicating it was an ancient object with some history. Yet, it contained the most Dao Rhyme Points, as many as 27.
The Dao Rhyme Points attained from this item alone were almost enough to upgrade his Mountain Rat.
"May I ask, brother, is there something wrong with these things of mine?"
The scholar's heart was anxious, and he couldn't help but ask.
If it were anyone else, seeing Gu Yuan just looking and not buying, they might have told him to leave already, but the scholar was somewhat timid by nature and dared not say much.
"There is nothing wrong."
Gu Yuan smiled and curiously asked: "I see these things are quite old. Are these perhaps items you have used?"
"My surname is Lin, and my name is Zhou. You can call me Lin Zhou."
The scholar first introduced himself and then explained: "Brother, do not misunderstand. Although these things are old, some were passed down from my grandfather's generation. I have preserved them well, and they are definitely still usable, including these books."
Speaking, he blushed slightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and hesitantly said:
"If you are interested, I can offer you a discount."
"Sorry, I don't intend to buy anything."
Gu Yuan shook his head.
"Not buying anything?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhou was taken aback, then forced a smile and said:
"Haha, no worries, brother, it's okay not to buy anything. Matters like this always emphasize mutual consent..."
Though he tried his best to seem unconcerned, his disappointment was obvious to anyone.
He had been at the stall almost all day and hadn't sold a single item.
If this continued, not only would he face hardship, but he'd also drag the embroiderer into it, which was hard for him to accept.
As Lin Zhou was quietly agonizing, someone handed him a cold, hard object.
"Brother, what is this..."
Looking at a corner of silver in his hand, Lin Zhou couldn't believe it as he gazed at Gu Yuan.
"Although I'm not buying anything, there's something I would like to ask you for help with, Brother Lin."
Gu Yuan smiled.
He could tell Lin Zhou was the honest and straightforward type, a poor scholar with little worldly experience, quite susceptible to deception. If he wanted, he could easily trick him into handing over the items.
But he didn't intend to bully honest people; tricking him wouldn't serve any meaningful purpose.
"What is it?"
Lin Zhou squeezed the silver in his hand, extremely tempted yet cautiously wary, couldn't help but say: "Forgive my straightforwardness, but if it's something that doesn't go against ethical principles, I can agree. If..."
Though lacking in worldly experience, he understood that no pies fall from the sky, and even if they did, he wouldn't be the one to benefit.
"Rest assured, Brother Lin, it's definitely not against ethics."
Seeing Lin Zhou maintaining his moral stance in the face of temptation, Gu Yuan couldn't help but elevate his regard for him, explaining: "I only wish to ask you to teach me reading and writing in the coming days."
Words are the carriers of knowledge and heritage.
A person who can't read, no matter how talented they are, will never achieve great things.
Gu Yuan knew that since he was determined to accomplish something, learning to read and write was his first step; otherwise, even if he acquired cultivation techniques, he'd be lost.
In this life, he was just an ordinary mountain villager, struggling for food, so attending private school was out of the question.
As for literacy, he recognized some words, but not many, thanks to learning from an old scholar at the village entrance in his childhood.
"Teaching you reading and writing?"
Lin Zhou was momentarily stunned, slightly surprised. Then, he reacted and nodded with joy: "Yes, of course, I can!"
Reading and writing was his passion and expertise.
And earning money through one's passion was indeed a wonderful thing!
"Great, my name is Gu Yuan. From tomorrow onwards, barring any accident, I'll come to town to find you."
Gu Yuan posed a question:
"However, reading and writing invariably requires a quiet place. Where should I find you?"
Though the person seemed honest and was unlikely to deceive, people are changeable, always wise to stay cautious.
Once you know where someone lives, it's easier to safeguard against potential deception.
Lin Zhou, not being foolish, began packing his things immediately:
"My yard is small but quiet enough. Please wait a moment, Brother Gu, my home is in the alley of Tianshui Street, just ahead, I'll take you there shortly."
Gu Yuan naturally had no objections.
After confirming Lin Zhou's residence, Gu Yuan was reassured and prepared to return home after bidding farewell.
But as he turned onto another street, his feet suddenly halted, his nostrils flaring as if he was picking up a certain scent.
"Appearing around me repeatedly, clearly targeting me. Do they really think I don't know?"
Gu Yuan's gaze shifted, landing on a man pretending to shop on the roadside, a cold smile forming on his face.
With the talent of the Mountain Rat, "Mouse Scent," his sense of smell became exceptionally keen.
Everyone carries a unique scent, and once Gu Yuan smells it, he remembers it. When a person appears in front of him the second time, he recognizes them immediately.
This man had already appeared around Gu Yuan three times, naturally drawing his attention.
Gu Yuan shifted his gaze to avoid alerting the man, proceeded forward while silently contemplating:
"This is my first time in the county, with little assets on me. Today I've interacted only with Ji'an Hall, Jade Cauldron Tower, Cheng Gang, and Lin Zhou."
"Cheng Gang and Lin Zhou can be excluded, Jade Cauldron Tower's influence is vast and deep, the odds they're interested in someone of my level are minimal. Conversely, at Ji'an Hall, I've already offended that manager named Xu, and he seems to suspect I've other Yellow Spirits."
With this thought, Gu Yuan's eyes shifted slightly, turning cold: "Manager Xu, is it..."