Top Scholar

Chapter 374 You're forcing me to use my ultimate move, aren't you?
The official stance of the Ming Dynasty was to value prose over poetry. Therefore, Su Lu's statement was perfectly acceptable; on the contrary, it made him appear simple, prudent, and not trying to steal the limelight from Yang Shen.

To put it bluntly, after passing the imperial examination with top honors, whatever he did was right, and whatever he said was correct.

He was self-aware enough to know that his poetry would definitely be outdone by Yang Shen's. Only a fool would make a move knowing he was destined to lose.

Yang Shen was initially eager to try, but the two masters and disciples' back-and-forth banter completely dampened his enthusiasm. If he were to compose a poem now, wouldn't that be considered "neglecting his duties" and "indulging in frivolity" as they claimed?
He then said solemnly, "Grandmaster's reprimand is correct. It was precisely because I was so engrossed in poetry that I neglected my studies. Today I have come to my senses and will give up poetry to focus on my studies and prepare for next year's imperial examination!"

"Alright, alright, then I won't make things difficult for you." Liu Fantai felt awkward. After the two took their leave, he smiled as if nothing had happened and said, "Grandmaster, you truly have a strict teacher who produces outstanding students."

"No wonder the level of these candidates far surpasses that of the past; it turns out my brother deserves much credit," Liu Bing said with a smile to Xiao, the provincial education commissioner.

"You flatter me, senior." Xiao Tixue said modestly with a smile, "It's all thanks to the foundation laid by you, senior."

Liu Bing was Xiao Tixue's predecessor, hence his statement.

These words pleased Liu Bing greatly. He laughed and said, "Ultimately, it's because Sichuan's literary fortunes are flourishing, and we've just happened to be there at the right time."

“Yes, it is the dream of us academic officials to select and nurture talented individuals. I am fortunate to have encountered such a person, so naturally I must set high standards for him.” Xiao Tixue nodded.

"In short, it is truly a blessing for the students of Sichuan to have two successive governors of education." Liu Zhongcheng smiled and raised his cup, saying, "Come, let's toast these two great masters together."

"A toast to the two grandmasters!" Everyone raised their glasses together.

~~
At the banquet, Su Lu had just sat down and hadn't even taken a couple of bites of food when Yang Shen leaned in and whispered, "Were you scared off just now? Afraid of losing to me in poetry, right?"

"..." Su Lu glanced at him, thinking to herself that he had a good eye for people.

Of course, he wouldn't admit it, so he picked up a piece of crystal walnut with his chopsticks and placed it on Yang Shen's plate.

"What?" Yang Shen asked.

"Take a good look at your brain," Su Lu said softly. "You've already forgotten what I said this morning."

"..." Yang Shen's expression froze for a moment before he remembered Su Lu's words: "The top two should set an example and not engage in cutthroat competition that would corrupt the atmosphere."

"Like I said, if you really want to win, then you win," Su Lu said calmly.

"I don't need your calculations!" Yang Shen snorted. "I won't compete with you anymore. I'll ask Brother Jieyuan for a poem. If you can convince me, I promise I'll never compete with you in poetry again!"

“Yes, Brother Jieyuan, compose a poem!” Li Zehui and a few of Yang Shen’s cronies joined in the commotion.

"What are you doing?" The members of Yangjiang Society immediately glared at them! How dare they provoke their beloved godfather like this? If this weren't at the Deer Cry Banquet, they would have overturned the table.

Their commotion attracted the attention of other candidates and officials, who all turned to look.

Su Lu knew he was now outmaneuvered by the Lizhe gang. If he didn't put on a show to intimidate them, he wouldn't be able to lead the troops in the future...

But compared to Yang Shen, his poems were indeed no match.

The teachings of the Sog school emphasize "being pragmatic and seeking truth." Forcing something that is clearly impossible is simply not being practical.

Fortunately, Su Lu still had a few trump cards up his sleeve. He only used half a line when he was pursuing Huang E, precisely to save them for later, more important occasions.

For example, today...

Su Lu raised an eyebrow, intending to shove the poem "Linjiang Xian" in Yang Shen's face with the word "get lost," making him lose both his wife and his army!

Unfortunately, it was a ci poem, not a poetry, and it was too cruel to Yang Shen. It was his only work that has been passed down through the ages...

He sighed and said in a low voice, "Actually, I already had a poem in mind, but it was inappropriate and I was afraid of disturbing your refined enjoyment, so I stopped."

"Oh?" Everyone asked curiously, "What's inappropriate about it?"

"The political situation is so cruel, and the three lords are about to leave Sichuan, yet we're still here feasting and celebrating as if nothing's wrong?" Su Lu then said seriously, "I'm sorry, I really can't write a poem to whitewash the situation, I only have a miscellaneous poem to express my feelings—"

Having said that, he dipped his finger in the wine in his glass and wrote on the table:
"The vast sorrow of parting lingers as the sun sets; my whip points east, and the horizon stretches before me."

Fallen petals are not heartless things; they turn into spring mud to nourish the flowers!

He wrote a sentence, and Cheng Qichong read it aloud.

At first, Cheng Qichong's tone was somewhat playful, but after a couple of lines, his expression became serious. Just as Su Lu finished writing the last stroke of the character 'flower,' Cheng Qichong finished reciting the entire poem.

The clamor seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand, and the Deer Cry Banquet instantly fell silent. From the Grand Chancellor to the newly appointed candidates, everyone was captivated by the overwhelming sorrow of parting and the anxieties about teachers and the affairs of the nation that the poem conveyed...

"The vast sorrow of parting at sunset, my whip pointing east, is the end of the world." Liu Zhongcheng sighed to Liu Bing and Xiao Tixue, "This is the top scholar's concern for us as we return to the capital."

"Yes," Liu Bing and Xiao Tixue nodded emphatically, agreeing wholeheartedly.
"With such loyal and affectionate students, a teacher can have no regrets in life."

“Absolutely right, absolutely right.” The two provincial governors also wholeheartedly agreed.

Some things cannot be said aloud, but everyone knows them. Su Lu's so-called boundless sorrow of parting is not only the sorrow of separation, but also a subtle expression of the sorrow of life and death.

Because 'the sun is setting' is a descriptive phrase, it is clearly using the image of the setting sun to metaphorically represent the dark and turbulent political situation.

Now that Liu Jin holds power, he readily dismisses, imprisons, or even harms officials who dare to resist. These three officials are all upright and incorruptible, contrary to Liu Jin's views. Therefore, Su Lu's "vast sorrow of parting" is actually a fear that this departure will be his last, and he will never see them again.

This is the true meaning of "pointing the whip eastward, one reaches the ends of the earth"...

But what truly elevates the entire poem are the last two lines!
Su Lu was trying to comfort the three gentlemen, saying that even if they encountered hardships like fallen petals, their integrity and upright character would influence the scholars of Shu like spring mud nourishes plants.

The flame of righteousness you left behind will never die out! We, your descendants, will certainly follow your path and let conscience and justice continue in the darkness.

One day, the harsh winter will pass and spring will return to the earth!

"Fallen petals are not heartless things, they turn into spring mud to nourish the flowers..." Xiao Tixue's eyes reddened slightly as he looked at Su Lu, secretly moved.
'This child is responding to my farewell speech in Luzhou! He's genuinely worried about my safety...'

"These last two lines, concealing hope within melancholy and revealing grand vision amidst crisis, are truly timeless masterpieces!" Liu Bing also sincerely praised.

"The top scholar's concluding line, 'protecting the flowers,' breaks the somber mood of the previous two lines, igniting a glimmer of light amidst the sorrow. Just as he said before, 'Liu Jin cannot cover up the whole world, there is still hope for the righteous path,' it reveals a vision beyond his years!" Liu Zhongcheng raised his wine cup, stood up, and slowly poured the wine onto the ground, saying in a hoarse voice:

"Fallen petals are not heartless things, they turn into spring mud to nourish the flowers... What a beautiful poem! In memory of Dai Jijian, Jiang Yushi, and all those righteous people who have sacrificed their lives!"

"Respectfully thank Censor Jiang!" Everyone rose and poured wine in remembrance.

What was originally a rather vulgar official banquet suddenly became noble and pure.

"Quickly copy it down!" Liu Fantai hurriedly whispered the order.

He felt much better now. Although Su Lu's suggestion was a bit awkward, the poem was so weighty that it completely made up for his embarrassment.

"It's already been copied down!" Yan Song wiped away his tears and said hoarsely.

He felt that the poem truly touched his heart, and that he himself was also a piece of 'fallen petals'.

~~
If the adults were like this, the candidates were even more excited.

The members of the Lizhe Society stared in disbelief, their eyes filled with admiration. They had thought Su Lu was merely outstanding in writing, but now they realized that he possessed not only talent, but also unwavering loyalty and integrity!
The scholars from Yangjiang Society straightened their backs and proudly raised their heads. "See that? This is our eldest brother! A model of scholars in Sichuan!"
The other candidates also completely abandoned their spectator mentality. At first, they thought Su Lu was too young to be the leader. But now they no longer thought that way. How could they not admire such a virtuous and patriotic person who cared so much for his country and its people? How could they not follow him wholeheartedly?

The one most deeply shocked was Yang Shen. He sat there staring intently at the writing on the table until the wine stains completely disappeared, then said with a sense of loss:
"This 'out-of-time' poem is exactly the kind of poem that scholars like us should write. I've always prided myself on being a good poet, yet I've never written a single poem like this..."

"I dare not presume to show off my meager skills in front of you, sir!" The more he thought about it, the more ashamed and embarrassed he became. So he stood up, bowed deeply, and said:
"I have learned a lot—a true scholar should not indulge in idle talk about the wind and moon, but should dare to be a pillar in times of crisis and a spark in the darkness!"

Upon hearing this, Su Lu couldn't help but think to himself, "Could this be the prelude to your later lamentations at Zuo Shunmen's place? I'm not going to go along with that!"

At this moment, Liu Bing raised his wine cup and said in a deep and powerful voice, "This poem by the top scholar was not written for the Deer Cry Banquet, but rather a lament for the mountains and rivers! It is by no means out of place, but rather an awareness that a scholar should have!"

Liu Zhongcheng nodded, rose, and raised his cup to Su Lu: "I admire your integrity, Scholar Su. Rest assured, with people like us and people like you, the righteous path will not be extinguished, and the darkness will surely pass!"

"Hongzhi, thank you, your teacher." Xiao Tixue also stood up and raised his glass, and the three bigwigs toasted Su Lu together.

"Take care, gentlemen!" Su Lu also stood up solemnly, raised his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp!

"Haha, good! Today's banquet will surely be remembered in history because of this poem by Jieyuan Lang." Governor Du also happily rose and toasted Su Lu with a cup of wine.

Not to be outdone, Liu Fantai also rose to offer a toast, saying, "This poem will surely inspire scholars throughout the land to continue the fight! On behalf of all those who persevere in the darkness, I toast to Scholar Jie!"

"A toast to all the predecessors who persevered in the darkness!" Su Lu solemnly raised his wine cup, and the other candidates followed suit, raising their cups in a toast as well!
The Deer Cry Banquet for the Sichuan Provincial Examination in the second year of the Zhengde reign has come to a successful conclusion!
P.S. Read the next chapter tomorrow morning...

(End of this chapter)