113 Private School

113 Private School

Zhan Xiaobai and Lady Xu left the tavern and walked to the intermediate inn next door.

Lately, this inn hosted more than ten visiting NPCs every day. Their needs for food, drink, and lodging brought a significant income to the village. Furthermore, players also paid a small fee to store their items here.

Seeing the village chief arrive, the innkeeper’s assistant, Old Vegetable Bean, hurried over from the counter, smiling broadly. "Oh my, Chief, what brings you here today? Please, come in! It’s been a long time since you visited the inn, and I’ve truly missed you." As he spoke, Old Vegetable Bean busied himself cleaning a seat, inviting Zhan Xiaobai to sit in the lounge.

Zhan Xiaobai glanced back at Lady Xu and said to Old Vegetable Bean, "Don't trouble yourself. I’m here to see Lady Xu’s brother. Which room is he in?"

"He’s in Room 9, a superior suite on the second floor. Shall I go fetch him for you?"

"No need, I’ll go myself."

Zhan Xiaobai went upstairs directly and headed toward Room 9. Lady Xu did not follow; she was worried her brother might harbor resentment toward her. Zhan Xiaobai did not force the issue—he had little interest in the personal affairs of NPCs. His only concern was whether this scholarly NPC would be willing to remain in Xiaobai Village.

Zhan Xiaobai arrived at Room 9 and pushed open the partially ajar door. To his surprise, he found three NPCs inside. Beside the dog-headed strategist Gou Buli sat a scholar holding a feather fan and wearing a green robe, and another scholar in a somewhat disheveled green gown.

The presence of two scholars caught Zhan Xiaobai off guard.

The three were chatting animatedly. Gou Buli was gesturing wildly, spitting as he spoke to the other two: "Just at the most critical moment when the government troops were storming Tiger Head Mountain, quick as a flash, I, the Great Strategist Gou Buli, leaped from the formation and roared at the stronghold, 'Listen up, you bandits! Surrender immediately, or once the gates are broken, I will wipe out every last one of you bastards!' That single shout terrified the lot of them; they were trembling so hard they couldn't even hold their weapons. My lord immediately seized the opportunity and ordered the entire army to charge. In an instant, the bandits were routed, leaving their corpses strewn across the fields!"

The two scholars listened to Gou Buli’s boasting with wide-eyed amazement.

At the most exciting part of the tale, the scholar with the feather fan and green robe exclaimed, "Excellent! That roar of yours, Brother Gou, was magnificent! Those damned bandits deserved their fate. What happened next?"

Zhan Xiaobai stepped forward and said with a chuckle, "What happened next, naturally, was the Great Strategist being handsomely rewarded for his meritorious service in suppressing the bandits."

Hearing Zhan Xiaobai’s voice, Gou Buli jumped in surprise and scrambled to his feet. Realizing that Zhan Xiaobai had heard his tall tale, he looked a bit sheepish. "My lord, why are you here? I was just chatting about some trivial matters with these two friends... nothing of consequence."

The two scholars realized who had entered and hurriedly stood to pay their respects.

The scholar with the feather fan bowed and introduced himself: "Forgive our lack of a proper welcome, Chief. I am Zhang Cong, courtesy name Minghui, from Wuwei."

The disheveled scholar added, "Greetings, Chief. I am Xu Yang, courtesy name Gong, from Chang'an."

Zhan Xiaobai nodded and gestured for them to sit. "It is my fault for not welcoming you sooner when you honored our village with your visit."

The two quickly replied, "We wouldn't dare suggest such a thing."

Zhan Xiaobai suddenly asked Gou Buli, "Buli, you were a scholar yourself, weren't you?"

Gou Buli laughed dryly. "My lord truly sees through everything. I was a scholar in the countryside, and after studying for some time, I set out to gain some experience. I met you at Tiger Head Mountain and, well, became your strategist... you know the rest."

Zhan Xiaobai smiled. "Good. Since we are all men of learning, we should have a long talk today." He instructed the inn assistant to prepare wine and food, and spent the time in the suite drinking and chatting with Gou Buli and the two scholars.

He did not mention recruitment immediately, choosing instead to cultivate their rapport. He worried that without a foundation, a direct offer might be rejected. After all, scholars of such high social standing often had more pride than martial generals; saying the wrong thing could easily offend them.

For three consecutive days, Zhan Xiaobai hosted banquets, bringing Gou Buli along to chat with the two scholars until late at night. He knew that as long as they remained in Xiaobai Village, his chances of recruiting them would grow, so he was in no hurry.

By the first day, the relationship between Zhan Xiaobai and the two scholars shifted from "strangers" to "acquaintances." From their conversations, he learned of their backgrounds and attributes.

Zhang Cong, the scholar with the feather fan, was a Level 25 scholar with 8 Prestige.
Skills: 1. Advanced Scholarship—Increases Intelligence and Knowledge. 2. Basic Insight—A chance to perceive a disciple's hidden potential. 3. Role Model—Passive skill. 4. Teacher's Authority—Passive skill.
Zhang Cong was a scholar from Wuwei, frustrated by his lack of success, which led him to seek his fortune elsewhere. He was rigorous and fond of his feather fan and robe. His arrival in Xiaobai Village was accidental; he had intended to stay for only a day or two, but upon meeting the even more unfortunate Xu Yang, he felt a sense of sympathy and wanted to help him out of his predicament.

Xu Yang, the disheveled scholar, was a Level 24 scholar with 7 Prestige.
Skills: 1. Advanced Scholarship—Increases Intelligence and Knowledge. 2. Advanced Tutoring—A chance to successfully train a scholar.
He was Lady Xu's half-brother. Originally hoping to gain fame in Chang'an, he suffered from a lack of connections and was never recruited by the imperial court. Disheartened, he began to wander. Traveling west from Chang'an through Sanpu and Jincheng, he was robbed by horse bandits and eventually drifted to Longyou, where he unexpectedly met Lady Xu in Xiaobai Village. Ashamed of his destitute state, he could not face her and hid his sorrow in wine.

On the second day, the relationship reached "familiarity." Feeling the time was right, Zhan Xiaobai invited them to settle permanently in Xiaobai Village, promising that all food and lodging would be covered by the village and their freedom would not be restricted.

Zhang Cong and Xu Yang hesitated. Although the terms were generous, they did not agree immediately, saying they would consider it.

On the third day, their relationship finally became "intimate," to the point where they were calling each other brothers. Zhan Xiaobai made the offer again, and this time, they agreed. "Since the Chief is so gracious, we shall accept the offer." "Your kindness in our time of need leaves us truly humbled!"

Zhan Xiaobai was overjoyed. Once they settled down, everything else would be easy.

Unexpectedly, two days later, bolstered by Gou Buli’s relentless flattery, Zhang Cong and Xu Yang’s expectations for Zhan Xiaobai’s future grew rapidly. Mistaking him for a legendary hero of Longyou, they impulsively sought him out that very night, pledging their service.

"We have lived off your grain, Chief; it is only right that we pledge our loyalty to you. We hope you will accept us."

Zhan Xiaobai was delighted and immediately accepted.

"System Message: Player Xiaobai has successfully recruited the scholar Zhang Cong. Prestige +8."
"System Message: Player Xiaobai has successfully recruited the scholar Xu Yang. Prestige +7."

The two bowed, formally addressing Zhan Xiaobai as their lord.

Since both scholars had a base prestige of 5, Zhan Xiaobai’s own prestige rose by 15, reaching a total of 45.

Not fully understanding how prestige grew, Zhan Xiaobai asked them about it. Given their knowledge, they explained it clearly.

It was simple: A player's prestige is linked to the prestige of their subordinates. Ordinary players have no prestige, but building a village grants 10 points. (If a player obtains a construction blueprint, NPCs might default them to 10 prestige). With 10 or more prestige, one can transition into the "Renowned Scholar" class. Li Asan had 10 prestige and was a Renowned Scholar. As village chief, Zhan Xiaobai gained 10 points when Li Asan joined him, bringing his total to 20. By recruiting Zhang Cong and Xu Yang, his prestige increased cumulatively.

Only those with high prestige can recruit those with lower or equal prestige. Thus, it is impossible for an unknown player to recruit a famous Three Kingdoms historical general; at most, they could build a friendship and call each other brothers.

If an ordinary player (with no prestige) wants the thrill of leading a standard NPC general, the only way is to cultivate them, taking a militia member or soldier and training them into a general. It is difficult, but the results are not bad—a well-trained one can be as formidable as NPCs like Wang Laohu.

With the two scholars in his service, Zhan Xiaobai immediately ordered the construction of a primary private school, appointing Zhang Cong and Xu Yang as the village elders in charge of education.

The private school was undoubtedly a high-end facility in Xiaobai Village because its attributes were incredibly powerful.

Primary Private School: Teaches literacy and provides subtle cultivation for the "Barbarian" populace. Capacity: 2/10 instructors, 0/50 students.

1. +0–5 Knowledge: Primarily increases the AI intelligence and common sense of NPCs, making them less rigid. It matters little for players, but is required for certain professions, like that of a scholar.
2. +0–3 Wisdom: Essential for Renowned Scholars, Commanders, Strategists, Tacticians, Scholars, Artisans, Alchemists, Daoists, etc. Higher wisdom accelerates skill mastery (1 point = 1% faster mastery). Players only need to spend a little time each day in the school; it takes 5 days to gain 1 point.
3. +0–3 Cultivation.

Once the school opened, many players applied. Zhan Xiaobai did not charge high fees—only 20 copper coins—but implemented a priority system: players with higher contribution scores were admitted first.

Zhan Xiaobai wanted to send the little beggar Le Tian to school to increase his intelligence, but Le Tian refused vehemently, shouting, "My old man wanted to send me to a grand academy once, and I refused! This place is boring! I, Le Tian, am brilliant enough; I don't need to learn!"

Zhan Xiaobai rolled his eyes. "No wonder your old man was so frustrated with you. Fine, if you won't learn, I'll find someone else."

He found the only NPC child in the village and sent him to school. The child was obedient and learned willingly.

Zhang Cong used his "Insight" skill to assess the child and said, "My lord, the child’s potential is average. With careful training, he could become a standard general or strategist. How would you like him trained?"

Zhan Xiaobai nodded. Even if average, the child was moldable. "The village is most in need of administrative talent. Train him in that direction so he can help Old Li with village affairs and lighten his burden."

Zhang Cong complied, and he and Xu Yang began carefully training the child.

Upon learning that Zhan Xiaobai wanted the boy to inherit his duties, Li Asan was deeply moved. "Thank you for your concern, my lord." He then passed on his own skill, "Administration," to the boy.

The village's key NPCs—Tie Dabi, Mu Dalu, the apprentices from the carpenter and blacksmith shops, and Lady Xu—were all sent to the school in turns for intelligence training. The 25 elite militia members also joined, hoping to raise their wisdom so it wouldn't be a hindrance.

While young NPCs could gain up to 3 points of wisdom, adult NPCs could only gain 0–2 points, or sometimes none at all.

As for the dog-headed strategist Gou Buli, he already had high wisdom and was a scholar by trade, so he gained nothing. His skills were sufficient for teaching. Seeing him idle with little else to do, Zhan Xiaobai had him stay at the school to help Zhang Cong and Xu Yang teach the children.

Zhan Xiaobai, Jian Ba, Qiushui, Chunqiu Shaoxia, A Fei, and the key members of Wutong Village all took turns attending the school for three days during their spare time to boost their own intelligence.