Academy shows off its power(2)

In the presence of the young ladies from various families, observing a servant with a pleasing appearance stepping onto the stage, there arose a sense of curiosity in their hearts.

Lin Wan Rong, during his time as a manager overseeing dozens of subordinates, was accustomed to speaking confidently every day. How could he fear such a small occasion? As he ascended the stage, his gaze swept around, and with a faint smile, he spoke, "Ladies, greetings to you all. My name is Lin San, a humble servant of the Xiao family. You may all call me San Ge."

The audience, curious, looked at him. Luo Ning noticed his calm expression and warm smile, thinking, "Is this person naturally fearless? The young ladies, facing the gaze of many, were neither afraid nor hesitant. In their hearts, there was a mix of comfort and confusion.

Lin Wan Rong smiled at Xiao Yu Ruo and said, "Our young lady has visited many places in the surrounding provinces of Jiangsu numerous times, but unfortunately, she cannot share her travel experiences with all of you. Why, you may ask? Because she is the head of the Xiao family, tirelessly working for the family's livelihood. While the landscapes of famous mountains and rivers are breathtaking, she, burdened by heavy responsibilities, rarely has the time to appreciate them, as her duties demand her constant presence on the road."

Lin Wan Rong's voice was deep, and Xiao Yu Ruo bit her lip, restraining the tears that were about to fall. The hall fell into a hushed silence. Most of the attendees were women, and Lin Wan Rong's few words stirred their deep sympathies. Reflecting on Miss Xiao's situation, they couldn't help but admire her, a young lady shouldering such immense responsibilities. In comparison, the self-proclaimed top literary genius of Jinling, Houxue Bai, who boasted about his travels, seemed shallow.

Luo Ning smiled to herself; this cunning businessman indeed had some skill. With just a few sentences, he didn't utter a single negative word about Young Master Hou, easily outshining him.

"Missing out on the scenery of famous mountains is indeed regrettable for our young lady, but it is the blessing of every member of the Xiao family. It is due to her hard work that the Xiao family is well-managed, allowing everyone to wear beautiful silk and use this extraordinary perfume. Missing out on one view, yet supporting an entire realm. The young lady's regrets cannot be truly considered regrets. She is a typical representative of diligent and persevering women in our great Dahu. Who says women are inferior to men? I believe that women can bear half the sky."

Applause erupted fervently. Lin Wan Rong's flattery might have been a bit too explicit, but it struck a chord with all the young ladies present, especially in a time when women's status was extremely low. Lin Wan Rong's statement, "women can bear half the sky," was something no man dared to say. Yet, here he was, saying it outright, and the young ladies were moved.

After finishing, Lin Wan Rong, covered in cold sweat, felt goosebumps all over. While he was used to complimenting others, praising women's virtues in this era was quite a challenge.

Fortunately, with his thick skin, he had already surpassed most people. He gathered the enthusiastic gazes of the young ladies below, giving them a slight smile and waving his hand.

Miss Yu Ruo, watching the confident figure, had a slightly red face, thinking, "You've praised me beyond measure. What nonsense about women bearing half the sky! Can your words be trusted?"

On the other hand, Houxue Bai and Yu Wen Po, the two literary talents, had pale faces, finding this servant's behavior outrageous. His promotion of women's rights contradicted traditional values.

Seeing the excited atmosphere below, Lin Wan Rong felt pleased. In this era, these young ladies were too easy to deceive, much more so than in his time.

"Speaking of mountain excursions, it is actually a favorite pastime of idlers, such as myself." Lin Wan Rong changed the subject, casually taking a swipe at Hou Yue Bai. "If it weren't for your father being a magistrate, what mountain excursions have you undertaken? You spend your days writing trivial poems."

The people in the room, hearing his self-mockery, smiled kindly.

"When I was young, my father took me to many places. He once said something I remember to this day. He said, 'Humans are the most ignorant because they never know their own ignorance.' I couldn't understand it back then, but when I finally grasped it, he was no longer around." Lin Wan Rong pretended to wipe away a few tears.

Luo Ning's lips curled up with a hint of a smile. Lin Ge, by nature, was skilled at playing with words. This speech, humorous and profound, even if it was insincere, was more sophisticated than Hou Yue Bai's straightforward truths.

In this room filled with young ladies, they had never seen a servant so

 brave, witty, and eloquent before. In front of so many people, he showed no signs of fear, spoke with humor, and even addressed profound topics. It was far beyond their imagination. Even Miss Wan Ying, who usually supported Hou Yue Bai, had to admit that this servant's words were captivating and intriguing.

"Actually, Dahu is vast, and the world is vast. There are many things we haven't seen or even thought of in this world. Let's talk about Dahu. Everyone knows about Huangshan, Taishan, and Wuyi, but have you ever thought about what lies beyond these mountains?" Lin Wan Rong sighed, continuing, "In the far west of Dahu, there is a peak named Mount Everest, standing tall with perennial snow, reaching three feet into the clouds. It is the highest peak in the world, admired by people worldwide. To the north of Dahu, there are the Tianshan Mountains and the Snow Sea Tianchi. That Tianchi is the legendary Yaochi, covered in snow year-round and abundant with snow lotus. 'The bright moon rises from Tianshan, vast clouds between the vast sky. Thousands of miles of long winds, blowing through Yumen Pass.' This describes the beauty of Tianshan. To the south of Dahu, stretching for thousands of miles, lies the southern sea. Commonly known as Hainan. On Hainan Island, there are the End of the Earth and the Edge of the Sea, Wuzhishan, and Wanquan River, connecting to the vast ocean. On the eastern coast of Dahu, with a maritime territory of thousands of miles, abundant resources, facing small lands like Goryeo, Shuqiu, and Dongying, it is the throat of our maritime route in Dahu."

Lin Wan Rong completed his speech, feeling immensely satisfied. Without giving these young ladies some strong medicine, they wouldn't realize the vastness of the world. Huangshan, Taishan, Wuyi—those were nothing compared to the exotic places he described. The hall fell into a profound silence.

Hou Yue Bai's face turned unsightly. He had thought his knowledge was extensive, but before this servant, he felt insignificant. Putting aside the geographical complexity of Dahu, Lin Wan Rong's vivid description of the world beyond was even more overwhelming.

"Lin San, have you visited all these places you mentioned?" A curious voice sounded, and Lin Wan Rong looked to find Miss Wan Ying, who had a favorable opinion of Hou Yue Bai. There was a hint of astonishment in her eyes, seemingly fascinated by these places.

"I have been to Tianshan, Hainan Island, and the East China Sea. As for Mount Everest, I also wish to climb it. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability," Lin Wan Rong said jokingly. These were all places he had visited in his past life, and the memories were still fresh.

"Life is short. If one intends to visit all these places, it might take more than one lifetime," Miss Wan Ying murmured to herself.

"Life's length is not the issue; the key is to believe that we are always on the road!" Lin Wan Rong exclaimed loudly.

The young ladies were moved and puzzled. How could this villain know so much? Had he truly been to those places?

Seeing the confused and bewildered looks below, including the wise Luo Ning, Lin Wan Rong couldn't help but sigh. Slowly, he said, "While everyone's attention is on Dahu, has anyone considered that the world is much larger? Does this world have only Dahu?"

The answer is negative. We are just in a small corner of this world, situated in a place called Asia. It is connected to other continents through vast oceans and land. Europe, America, Africa—each place has its own civilization and countries. Europe, with its strong character, boasting figures like Napoleon, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Roman emperors, the Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution. They have fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. Africa, mysterious and vast, with the endless Sahara Desert and ancient cannibal tribes. They have dark skin and shining eyes. America, with wild and enchanting landscapes, the mysterious Amazon rainforest, countless indigenous people, and bloody massacres. They have brown skin, creating an endless allure. Chinese civilization, Babylonian civilization, Maya civilization—countless civilizations have flourished in our world. Countless languages have risen in our world. However, we confine ourselves, lacking the courage to explore, closing ourselves off, and suffering for centuries."

Silence!

Absolute silence!

Lin Wan Rong's words were like a powerful bomb, leaving everyone dizzy. This was a hundred times more complex than the geographical information about Dahu. Blonde hair and blue eyes, dark skin, brown skin—were there really people like that? It was hard to believe. The people in the room felt their brains weren't enough to comprehend.

"Lin Ge, are what you said true about those people with blond hair and blue eyes? Are they really Europeans? And where is Europe?" Luo Ning continued to ask. She wanted to ask what others were also curious about.

This topic had been discussed with Qing Xuan before. Qing Xuan, with a York tutor, understood it immediately. However, Luo Ning was not as fortunate. Lin Wan Rong nodded, "Most of them are Europeans, and Europe is far away from us. With our current shipbuilding level, we may not be able to reach Europe. But the British Isles, France, Spain, and Portugal in Europe are highly developed. If we are not vigilant, Dahu may suffer in the future."

Hou Yue Bai, hearing this, snorted, "They are just employing some odd techniques, nothing compared to the wealth and talent of our great Heavenly Kingdom, where each era produces countless scholars and talents. China's treasures and brilliant people are beyond compare."

Lin Wan Rong, angered by these ignorant words, retorted, "What do you mean by odd techniques? Young Master Hou, are you dismissing the achievements of countless predecessors in our Huaxia? With your meager knowledge, like a firefly's light, how can it compare to the brilliance of the moon? You're off by ten thousand miles. You're overestimating yourself."

Lin Wan Rong's words shocked everyone, and the young ladies below looked at the extraordinary servant with incredulous eyes. He dared to belittle the number one literary talent in Jinling? This was going to be interesting.