Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 170 Kidnapping at the Deer Banquet (First Update)
"Mother, how am I today?"

"Great! Great! My son is wonderful in every way!"

"I will make up for the regret my father had at the Deer Banquet!"

With Ouyang's help, Yan Shifan straightened his clothes, touched the jade pendant at his waist, and looked at his handsome and dashing reflection in the bronze mirror. He was delighted and prepared to go to the banquet.

Attending the Deer Cry Banquet.

The Deer Cry Banquet was a banquet prescribed by the imperial examination system. Originating in the Tang Dynasty and continuing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was held on the day after the results of the provincial examinations were announced. The banquet was for the newly appointed candidates and officials, including those in the inner and outer courts, and the poem "Deer Cry" from the Book of Songs was sung, hence the name.

For Yan Shifan, the Deer Cry Banquet also held a different significance.

He is nineteen years old this year and has passed the imperial examination.

Coincidentally, his father, Yan Song, also passed the imperial examination at the age of nineteen.

However, their living conditions were completely different.

The Yan family was a family of scholars and farmers, but the family's official career had been interrupted for three generations. Yan Shifan's grandfather, Yan Huai, wanted to bring glory to the family, but he failed the imperial examinations repeatedly. So he pinned his hopes on Yan Song. Yan Song was a child prodigy and passed the county-level examination at the age of ten. If Yan Huai had not died of illness and observed three years of mourning, he would have passed the provincial-level examination even earlier.

Even so, Yan Song passed the provincial examination and became a Juren before he came of age. However, the Deer Cry Banquet that followed brought him a great humiliation in his life.

The other successful candidates who went with him were all dressed in fine clothes, wearing hats adorned with red tassels and precious stones, and jade rings around their waists. Only Yan Song was penniless and could only wear some worn-out clothes. In addition, his family was poor and he did not have enough food, so he was also very thin. Therefore, he was described as "looking weak and dressed in tattered clothes".

That same year, he was ridiculed by many, and more importantly, his mentor Li Sui also looked down on him and didn't even glance at him.

That year, I was nineteen. At the Deer Cry Banquet, I stood there like a lackey.

Yan Song did not shy away from this experience; instead, he used it to teach his son, Yan Shifan, the principles of being a good person.

Yan Shifan had completely forgotten the specific reasons behind it, but he remembered very clearly the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of that group of people.

His father is now a renowned leader of the Qingliu faction, and is about to take control of the government. Li Sui is certainly dead, but if his descendants knew that their elders had missed such a great opportunity, they would probably regret it so much that they would have sleepless nights!

Putting aside that fool, just look at the current Deer Cry Banquet. When he himself appears, who wouldn't show him some respect?

With his mother seeing him off, Yan Shifan left the Yan residence, mounted his tall horse, and headed towards the Minglun Hall of the Imperial Examination Hall.

Li Mo, a junior official in the Ministry of Personnel and a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, lived a life of poverty. Since his home was not large enough to accommodate so many students for a banquet, he chose to hold the banquet at the Minglun Hall of the Examination Hall.

Yan Shifan thought he had set off early, but when he arrived at the destination, he found that he was actually late. There were already fifty or sixty candidates waiting outside the examination hall, and many of them were spontaneously walking around and chatting.

There was a saying among the common people of the Ming Dynasty: "A Juren is worth more than a Jinshi (successful candidate in the provincial examination), but it doesn't mean that a Juren was more noble than a Jinshi. Rather, it's because, considering various factors, a Juren was sometimes more cost-effective."

Firstly, although the provincial examination was only a provincial-level examination, it was the most competitive part of the imperial examination system, with an elimination rate even higher than that of the metropolitan examination. In short, the provincial examination selected one out of thirty people, while the metropolitan examination selected one out of ten people. Of course, the situation in Shuntian Prefecture was different from other places, with a ratio of roughly one out of twenty.

After becoming successful candidates in the imperial examinations, they officially entered officialdom, and their social circles changed drastically. Whether it was the promotion from their mentors or the help from their classmates, these were opportunities they had always dreamed of. It can be said that they completely transcended the barriers of class.

Therefore, the quick-witted newly appointed scholars had already begun to socialize, especially when Yan Shifan appeared, their eyes lit up and they all gathered around him.

Despite being ranked last, well-informed people already knew that he was the only son of Vice Minister Yan of the court, and they had to curry favor with him.

Yan Shifan displayed good manners, treating everyone patiently and with a warm smile, but in reality, he didn't value them much.

He was already a member of the highest echelons of the official class, with a father who was about to enter the cabinet. Moreover, he had seen many Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) from Yixin Hui, all of whom were potential talents for the Hanlin Academy. How could a group of Juren (successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations) truly concern him?

However, he particularly enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded by people, and thinking of his father's predicament back then, he felt a sense of pride and triumph.

'My Yan family is no longer the poor family it once was!'

'In the future, in the imperial court, my father and I, the Yan family, will hold even greater power and enjoy boundless glory!'

Just as they were enjoying themselves, a commotion arose not far away.

Haiyue, Hairui, and Lin Daqin have arrived.

Yan Shifan immediately went to meet them, returning to the powerful lineup of the Yixin Society.

Even more people crowded around, and everyone took care of their fellow candidates. When the examination hall opened, they spontaneously entered according to their ranking.

Normally, the seating order is the same as the ranking order, with the top scholar being Lin Daqin, the second-ranked scholar being Haiyue, and so on.

But if that were the case, Yan Shifan would have to sit in a remote corner.

The scholars, being sensible, all politely declined, insisting that he sit in the front row. "No! No! Oh dear! Look at you all..."

Yan Shifan declined repeatedly, but still sat down in the front row, his smugness evident in his glances around.

Once everyone was seated, the chief examiner, Li Mo, entered the hall on time. This thin official, who was nearly forty years old, wore a faded dark blue robe with only a plain cloth belt around his waist, and did not even have a decent jade pendant.

He sat down in the main seat, where only a bowl of sake, a dish of boiled beans in salt water, and a few simple dishes were placed on the table in front of him.

'Is it really necessary? The Deer Cry Banquet must be so austere?'

Upon seeing this, Yan Shifan secretly curled his lip.

Whether it was because the chief examiner was suddenly changed, which almost caused him to fail the exam, or because his father Yan Song had been harshly criticized by his examiner during the provincial examination, Yan Shifan did not have a good impression of this examiner.

However, when Li Mo spoke, the entire hall remained solemn: "Gentlemen, your success today is the culmination of ten years of hard study, but fame and fortune are not the end, but the beginning..."

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear: "My family still uses coarse porcelain bowls to eat from. It's not that we can't change them, but we dare not forget our roots. I hope that no matter what position you hold in the future, you will remember your original intention today!"

Led by Lin Daqin and Hai Yue, all the candidates stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, sir!"

The servants served the dishes, which were indeed simple and lacked any delicacies. Many of the scholars were inevitably disappointed. Some even felt that their tutor seemed to be an unapproachable person and that they should keep a low profile and avoid being ostentatious in their future interactions. The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

When the servants brought in the golden flower wine, and the poem "Deer Cry" was recited during the banquet, Li Mo raised his cup and took the lead in composing a poem to celebrate passing the imperial examination. He then looked at Lin Daqin and said, "I have read thousands of papers, but I have never seen a piece of writing like Lin Jingfu's. His answer to the question is like a dragon spring drawn from its sheath, sharp and cold! The way of Heaven is impartial, and virtue is the only guide. These eight characters are well written. He has transformed the profound meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals into a question on current affairs. Such writing reminds me of the talent of the princes of yesteryear!"

Wang Gong was none other than Wang Yangming. Lin Daqin already had a strong inclination towards the philosophy of mind, and Li Mo himself also liked the philosophy of mind. Naturally, he took a liking to him. Lin Daqin hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying, "I dare not accept such praise from you, sir. I still have many shortcomings. How dare I compare myself to you, sir?"

"Don't underestimate yourself; you are the champion this time!"

Li Mo offered a helping hand, then turned to Hai Yue, his smile unchanged: "Hemingway has yet another writing style. When I first read this article, I thought it was written by a scholar who was over forty and had seen through the ways of the world. I never expected it to be written by an eighteen-year-old boy. The composure and calmness between the lines are truly rare talents for governing the world!"

This evaluation is no less than that of Lin Daqin, only the emphasis is different.

Li Mo valued the academic achievements of the top scholar (jieyuan) and seemed to have a better view of the career prospects of the second-ranked scholar (yayuan), which made many scholars who did not know much about the Yixin Society secretly keep this in mind.

Haiyue stood up and declared, "This student will certainly guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and will never let down the teacher's high expectations!"

"Good! Good!"

In this way, Li Mo commented on each candidate's writing style one by one, and he remembered them all clearly. His encouragement was also very meaningful and impressive.

Those who were initially complacent because of their top rankings quickly became serious and upright.

Those who had been silent because of their low ranking also straightened their backs.

This is the true virtue of a teacher, not merely the official connection between a teacher and students based solely on the traditions of the imperial examinations.

Most candidates were delighted to have met such an examiner, changing their previous impressions.

But when it was Yan Shifan's turn, Li Mo couldn't help but frown.

To be honest, he had originally prepared some words of encouragement for this person who came in last place: "Rankings are only temporary, but knowledge lasts a lifetime. Avoid arrogance and impatience, study diligently, and you may be able to catch up later!"

It wasn't because the other person was the son of Vice Minister Yan, but because it was clear from his writings that he was exceptionally intelligent. However, he was probably too impetuous during the exam and underperformed, which is why he almost failed.

This flaw isn't too serious. After all, the imperial examination determines one's fate, and many seasoned scholars who have taken the exam many times are still extremely nervous. We can't be too harsh on a nineteen-year-old boy.

But now Yan Shifan is clearly last in the rankings, yet he sits in the front row with an air of arrogance, breaking the rules, which makes Li Mo very unhappy. If he is so arrogant after passing the imperial examination, wouldn't he be even more willful if he becomes an official in the future?
'not good! '

Seeing Li Mo's gaze gradually sharpen, Yan Shifan's expression changed slightly. It wasn't that he was afraid of incurring Li Mo's displeasure, but rather worried that Li Mo would publicly rebuke him. The Deer Cry Banquet was unlike any other; if word got out, his reputation among scholars would be ruined: 'I should have known better than to sit so close to the front; it's certainly conspicuous…'

'I might as well go to the restroom first, and then change to a seat further back when I come back, so this person won't embarrass me in public!'

He was quick-witted after all; his eyes darted around, and he simply stood up, bowed, and left the hall first.

Seeing this, Li Mo withdrew his gaze and said no more.

However, no one expected that once they left, they would never see them return.

As the Deer Cry Banquet was about to end, and seeing that the seat was still empty, Li Mo's face darkened. Just as he was about to speak, a servant suddenly rushed in, waving a letter in his hand: "Oh no! Oh no! Young Master Yan has been kidnapped by thieves!"

(End of this chapter)