Top Scholar

Chapter 365 The Top Scholar

On the shore of Guihu Lake, in Guiyuan Guixiang Pavilion.

As the plaque announcing good news drew near, its golden light faded, revealing the red paper with black characters on it.

The messenger loudly proclaimed: "Congratulations to Master Yang Shen of Xindu for achieving second place in the Sichuan provincial examination! His name has been featured in the imperial newspapers..."

After the good news was announced, the atmosphere in the waterside pavilion was as cold as an ice cave.

The source of the chill was none other than Mr. Yang, the second-highest scorer in high school…

"Congratulations, Master Yang. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." The messenger was so frightened that he didn't dare ask for the congratulatory money.

Yang Shen turned his head away and looked at the lake without saying a word.

"Alright." Yang Dun came to the rescue, showing Yang Shen the reward, and then said gently, "Uncle Fu, take a few officials to the old house to announce the good news."

"Yes." Butler Yang Fu quickly led the messenger away. "Gentlemen, please follow me."

"Ah, I'll take my leave now."

After the messenger left, Cheng Qichong kicked over a small table and said angrily on Yang Shen's behalf, "There's definitely something fishy going on! It's probably because Liu Bing is afraid of offending Liu Jin and doesn't dare to appoint Brother Xiu's top scholar!"

"What you're saying..." Xia Bangmo shook his head and said, "My senior brother is a disciple of Master Yangming, isn't he more conspicuous than Brother Xiuxian?"

"Indeed." Everyone nodded in agreement. The identity of 'Old Eight's' disciple was definitely more sensitive than that of Yang Shen.

"Maybe the top scholar isn't that Su Hongzhi after all..." Cheng Qichong muttered.

"Impossible." Yang Shen shook his head decisively. "Looking across Sichuan, there is only one person who can defeat me, and that is Su Hongzhi. There will be no second person!"

"Then how did he beat Brother Xiuxian?" Seeing that Yang Shen didn't appreciate it, Cheng Qichong felt a little embarrassed.

"Could it be that his writing is even more divine than Xiu's?"

“It’s possible.” Yang Shen looked at the lake and sighed, “I’m not upset because I lost to him, but because I didn’t beat him.”

"..." The members of the Lizhe Society looked at each other, wondering what kind of nonsense this was.
“Brother, you said before that losing would be incredibly embarrassing…” Yang Dun pointed out Yang Shen’s self-contradiction in a more hurtful way.

"..." Yang Shen turned around and gave Yang Dun a resentful look, then pretended to jump into the lake.

The crowd quickly pulled him back.

"Okay, okay, I promise I won't say anything more." Yang Dun had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender and said, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. We'll win next time."

"That's more like it." Yang Shen gestured for everyone to release him, straightened his clothes, and said, "I'll let him win this round first, and I'll win it back in the spring imperial examination!"

"That's the right way to think! Getting fat first doesn't mean you're fat, but getting fat later will break the bed!" Yang Dun really didn't dare to say anything discouraging.

But it still sounds a bit strange.
~~
Luzhou Public Office.

There are ten seats in the main room. Two chairs face south, and four chairs are placed on the east and west sides, representing the order of seniority.

The nine scholars who had passed the imperial examinations sat in nine chairs, leaving one chair in the main seat empty.

As everyone knows, this was reserved for Xiao Sanyuan.

But no matter how long they waited, the person bringing the good news never came...

Two cups of tea had passed since Zhu Zi and the messenger who brought the good news left, but there was still no movement outside the door.

The older generation couldn't help but wonder, "Could it be that he failed the 'Little Three Scholars' exam?"

"Don't talk nonsense, old friend!" the scholars admonished. "Our eldest brother is as steady as Mount Tai!"

"Yes, yes." The scholars no longer dared to act like seniors and obediently replied, "This junior has misspoke."

"Hmm..." The new candidates were actually anxious, but they had to maintain the dignity of their masters and couldn't show it.

Just as they were getting impatient and about to lose their composure, they suddenly heard music playing outside.

"It seems they're here!" Zhu Zihe, true to his quick-witted nature, was the first to hear it.

"Really?" Everyone pricked up their ears to listen carefully, and sure enough, they could hear the music getting closer and closer, and they could tell that it was the "Victory Song" being played!
"That's right, that's right, they're here!" The crowd could no longer contain themselves and surged to the entrance of the government office to look around.

Sure enough, a large group of people came with music and fanfare, and the banner at the front that read "Top Scholar in the Imperial Examination" was so bright in the sunlight that it made people dizzy.

"Haha, I told you so!" The young scholars were overjoyed and quickly shouted:
"Go and inform our senior brother immediately!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Li Qiyu quickly ran towards the east courtyard. His adoptive father had become a top scholar, and he seemed especially willing to fulfill his filial duties.

~~
Su Lu was still in the copying room in the east courtyard.

He had already gone out to congratulate his brothers when they passed the imperial examination, and then returned.

Well, it's not that I was too nervous waiting outside...

To calm himself down, he sat upright at the table, neatly stacked a pile of copied manuscripts, took a thick sheet of porcelain blue paper to make the back cover and front cover, and fixed them with a clip.

Then he stood up, held the book with one hand and began to tap the holes in the book with a thin iron awl in the other. The holes had to be small, straight, and few; too many would damage the book's core.

He was completely absorbed in his work when the door was suddenly pushed open, startling him so much that he nearly tripped and bit the doorkeeper...

"What are you doing? So hasty!" Su Lu glared at Li Qiyu. "Stop doing it, stop doing it, the messenger is here with good news!" Li Qiyu pulled him towards the door.

"Don't touch me, I'm holding an awl." Su Lu pushed his hand away and said, "Let me finish piercing this eye first. I can't give up halfway through."

Li Qiyu dared not touch him again, and could only watch as he finished piercing the eye.

"Dad, you've passed the imperial examination with top honors!" he exclaimed impatiently. "Come on, everyone's waiting for you!"

"Damn it, why didn't you say so earlier!" Upon hearing this, Su Lu slammed the awl into the cabinet, rushed out in three strides, and almost tripped over the threshold as he went out...

When Su Lu arrived at the front hall, the courtyard of the government office was already filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the apricot-yellow "Top Scholar in the Imperial Examination" banner was fluttering in the wind!

"May I ask which one of you is Brother Su Xianlu from Luzhou?!" This time, it was not a clerk who brought the good news, but an official in the rank of seventh grade.

"Here he is! Here he is!" A group of scholars and officials hurriedly pushed Su Lu to the front, proudly saying, "This is Su Hongzhi from Luzhou!"

The official who made the report then cupped his hands in congratulations:

"Congratulations, Brother Su! You've achieved the top rank in the Sichuan provincial examination! Congratulations on your outstanding achievement; may you one day attain the highest honors in all three categories!"

"Thank you, sir. I'm very grateful for your help." Su Lu quickly bowed in return.

“Hey, now that you’re a master, we’re like brothers, so there’s no need to call me ‘sir’ anymore.” The seventh-rank official was handsome and amiable. “My surname is Yan, and my given name is Weizhong. I’m a few years older than you, so just call me Brother Weizhong.”

Su Lu then respectfully complied, saying, "Yes, Brother Weizhong. My courtesy name is Hongzhi."

"I know, I know." Brother Weizhong smiled and waved, and eight guards carried up the huge victory report framed in a redwood vertical plaque—

"Good news! Official reports confirm your esteemed father, Su Huilu, has achieved the top rank of Jieyuan (the highest scorer) in the Sichuan provincial examination of the Dingmao year, thanks to the guidance of Liu, the Hanlin Academician and chief examiner!"

The victory report was written on a double layer of apricot-yellow silk satin, with gold-threaded dragon patterns embroidered along the edges, and the top stamped with the vermilion seal of the provincial governor!

"Congratulations, Scholar Su! Congratulations, Scholar Su!" The officials and soldiers who came to announce the good news kowtowed to Su Lu, hoping to share in the joy of the newly appointed scholar.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother!"

Congratulations on becoming the top scholar!

The congratulations came like a tidal wave, overwhelming Su Lu, who could not keep up and could only bow repeatedly.

"Thank you very much!"

Yan Weizhong then presented the plaque inscribed with "Top Scholar in the Imperial Examination" that Du Fantai had given him, and Su Lu quickly thanked him again.

At this moment, Steward Tian leaned over and whispered a few words in his ear. Su Lu nodded slightly and then smiled at Yan Weizhong, saying, "It's already noon. The office has prepared some wine and dishes. Brother Weizhong, if you don't mind, please have a couple of bites here?"

"I was just about to ask the top scholar for a drink to share in the joy." Yan Weizhong didn't stand on ceremony and entered the hall side by side with Su Lu.

A row of eight-immortal tables were set up in the hall. Chef Hu had been busy preparing the celebration banquet since morning, and had prepared eight tables of abalone and shark fin dishes with three soups and five kinds of meat!
After Su Lu invited Yan Weizhong to take his seat, the other scholars and candidates took their seats according to their social status.

"Come on, let's toast our top scholar, our dear senior brother!" Zhu Zihe, as the second-ranked scholar, now had a say and raised his glass to propose the toast.

"To the top scholar!" Everyone immediately stood up and raised their glasses, but Su Lu waved his hand and said seriously, "The first cup of wine is for everyone. Regardless of the ranking, whether you pass or not, everyone has tried their best. You can drink this cup with your heads held high!"

"Yes!" the crowd responded loudly, raised their glasses high, and drank them down in one gulp.

Especially for those senior scholars who had failed the imperial examinations, seeing the younger generation suddenly become their seniors was initially quite unpleasant. But the cup of wine offered by the top scholar greatly eased their unease and made them feel much more at ease.

"What a grand vision this top scholar has!" Yoshizawa and the other senior figures all gave him a thumbs up. "He truly deserves to be called the literary leader of Luzhou!"

"Hahaha, my senior brother is going to be the literary leader of Sichuan now!" Bai Yunshan and the others laughed loudly.

"Don't flatter me to death." Su Lu waved his hand and laughed, "A top scholar is nothing more than a successful candidate in the provincial examinations. To say he's the leader of the literary world is laughable!"

"Hahaha!" With Su Lu's brief guidance, the atmosphere of the celebration banquet was both lively and harmonious, making everyone at the table feel very comfortable.

After Su Lu sat down, Yan Weizhong raised his glass and exclaimed, "I never expected that Brother Hongzhi is not only a good writer, but also a first-rate person!"

"Brother Weizhong, you flatter me. You are the one who brings a breath of fresh air." Su Lu lightly clinked glasses with him, took a sip of wine, and asked, "Brother Weizhong, does your accent sound like you're from Jiangxi?"

“That’s right.” Yan Weizhong nodded and smiled, “I’m from Fenyi, Jiangxi.”

"Pfft..." Su Lu almost spat a mouthful of wine in his face, and asked with wide eyes, "May I ask Brother Weizhong's name?"

"My name is Song," Yan Weizhong replied, then asked, "Does my brother Hongzhi know me?"

"Of course I know him." Su Lu nodded, cleared his throat, and said, "My headmaster at Taiping Academy is Zhu Yushan."

Yushan was the pseudonym Zhu Liu gave himself after passing the imperial examination.

"So that's how it is!" Yan Song exclaimed in realization. "So, my virtuous brother is Brother Dejia's outstanding student!"

He then smiled at Bai Yunshan and the others beside him and said, "You all surely know that Brother Dejia was a second-class scholar in the last imperial examination. But do you know that I am the second-ranked person in the second class?"

"Huh?!" Everyone stood up in surprise and bowed again. How did the second-ranked student from the second tier end up working as a clerk in the Sichuan Provincial Administration Commission?

But then I thought, the first-place winner of the second class is going to the Ganpusi in Qiongzhou.

This is all too normal in this world.

(End of this chapter)