Top Scholar

Chapter 380 See You in Chengdu
On the third day after the results of the Wuxiang examination were announced, the morning light made the vermilion walls of the Shu Prince's Mansion stand out conspicuously.

Beneath the high vermilion walls, Su Lu, wearing a black gauze hat and a blue round-necked dress, sat upright in a sedan chair carried by two men.

Steward Tian and Xiaoyuer followed on either side of the sedan chair, followed by five large carts carrying the ten boxes of precious ancient books.

Yesterday, Su Lu sent a letter requesting an audience with the Prince, hoping to bid farewell and return these priceless treasures.

Last night, Eunuch Qi went to the government office to inform Su Lu that the Prince would be summoning him this morning.

"Good morning, Su Jieyuan." Eunuch Qi was already waiting at the palace gate, personally lifting the sedan curtain for Su Lu.

"Good morning, Eunuch Qi. Thank you for waiting." Su Lu stepped down from the sedan chair, his hand on his official hat. He wasn't quite used to this mode of transportation, but he had to ride in a sedan chair on formal occasions; otherwise, it would be improper.

Eunuch Qi waved his hand with a smile and said, "Not at all, Scholar Su is a distinguished guest valued by the Prince, so we must greet him at the door."

After saying that, he led Su Lu into the Shu Prince's Mansion, through the magnificent front court, and to Songyun Pavilion, located in the inner palace.

Outside the pavilion, flowers and trees flourished, and birds sang sweetly. The King of Shu, dressed in casual clothes, stood smiling under the eaves, waiting for Su Lu.

Su Lu quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Student Su Lu greets Your Highness. May Your Highness live a thousand years."

"Ahem, Scholar Su, no need for formalities." The King of Shu said with a gentle smile, "I heard you are going back, and I am very reluctant to see you go."

"I am also reluctant to part with Your Highness. I am grateful for the care Your Highness and the Empress Dowager have given me on my journey to Chengdu to take the exam," Su Lu said respectfully. "I am also fortunate to have passed the exam thanks to the books in the Prince's collection. I have no way to repay you but to be deeply grateful."

"Scholar Su, there's no need for such formalities. Your success in achieving the highest rank in the provincial examination is due to your own talent and learning. The Prince's residence is merely extending a small token of hospitality." The Prince of Shu coughed twice and said, "We should have held a banquet to celebrate your achievement, but unfortunately, my illness has worsened recently, alas..."

"Your Highness flatters me." Su Lu straightened up and said sincerely, "I once presented you with an ancient prescription. May I ask again... has Your Highness tried it?"

The King of Shu coughed twice and said, "Thank you for your concern, Scholar Su. I have already informed the physicians in my household, so please rest assured."

Su Lu knew that the doctors in the Prince's mansion wouldn't take that prescription seriously. The Prince's library had been of immense help to him, and Su Lu had no way to repay them, so he could only repeatedly emphasize:
"I am quite confident in this method, and I urge Your Highness to give it a try!"

Seeing his persistence, and that even after becoming the top scholar, he still remembered the prescription, the King of Shu finally took it to heart and said, "Alright."

He then instructed Eunuch Qi, "Tell the Medical Institute to prepare the prescription for Artemisia annua from last time. I want to take it."

"Yes, Your Highness," Eunuch Qi replied respectfully.

Su Lu breathed a sigh of relief, then took out a list from his sleeve and presented it with both hands:

"Since I came to Chengdu, all the gifts bestowed upon me by the Prince and the Empress Dowager, from small items like writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones to large items like silk and jade, are listed here. I dare not refuse the gifts from Your Excellency, but I dare not use them either. Now that I am about to return to my hometown, I dare not take these palace items back with me, nor do I dare to entrust them to others. Therefore, I humbly offer them back to the Prince and humbly request that Your Excellency take them back."

The King of Shu smiled nonchalantly and said, "These few items are just a token of my appreciation. It's inconvenient for you to carry them, so I'll have someone deliver them to your home."

“Absolutely not.” Su Lu quickly waved his hand, his tone firm yet respectful, “I am but a commoner, of humble origin, how can I be worthy of using such precious palace items? As the saying goes, ‘One who does not possess the virtue shall not receive the blessing,’ exceeding one’s bounds will bring disaster. I can only leave the favor behind and return the gift.”

He paused for a moment, then continued, “Your Highness, your subjects and I have all respectfully copied down the books you have bestowed upon us. These copies are the best reward for us. As for the originals, please send them back to the Zunjing Pavilion, for that is the best place for them.”

The King of Shu pondered for a moment, then sighed helplessly, "Alright then. Since the scholar insists, I will grant your request."

Su Lu handed the list to Eunuch Qi, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart. He then took out a roll of plain paper from his bosom and presented it to the Prince of Shu with both hands: "Your Highness's kindness is beyond my ability to repay. I have hastily composed a poem to express my feelings. I hope Your Highness will not find it offensive."

"Haha, how could that be? The calligraphy of the top scholar is my... favorite." The King of Shu happily took the plain paper, unfolded it with both hands and read it, immediately finding it pleasing to the eye.

Su Lu's brushstrokes were vigorous and elegant, his composition spacious and naturally graceful, and every move showed the style of a master.

The article combines parallel prose and free verse, its elegant language flowing naturally, expressing genuine and unpretentious gratitude while maintaining a gentlemanly integrity—truly the work of a master.

"The Min and Emei Mountains, verdant and majestic, embody the spirits of Cancong and Yufu; the Jinjiang River, flowing clear and pure, nurtures the rich culture of Sichuan. In the past, I entered Chengdu with my official credentials to attend the grand autumn imperial examinations; today, my name is inscribed on the list of successful candidates, receiving the great favor of the Prince's Palace…"

Then Su Lu described the kindness of the King of Shu in generously lending him books and the Queen's repeated gifts. He emphasized that he was unworthy of the books and returned them all, only respectfully copying the classics as family heirlooms, and finally expressed his gratitude once again.

He even reiterated the prescription for treating malaria in his poem, seemingly genuinely wanting the King of Shu to try it.

After reading through Su Lu's "Ode to the King of Shu," Zhu Binhan sensed Su Lu's sincere gratitude and happily exclaimed, "Excellent! I will certainly treasure this masterpiece of calligraphy by the top scholar!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but I would like to say something else..." Su Lu said softly.

“I know you want me to use that formula, don’t you?” Zhu Binhan interrupted him with a smile.

"Yes." Su Lu nodded and said sincerely, "I am of humble status and poor family and have no way to repay Your Highness. Only by helping Your Highness cure your chronic illness can I feel at ease."

"You are truly a gentleman, Scholar Jieyuan." The King of Shu said with utmost respect, "I assure you, I will definitely use that prescription." As he spoke, he took off the yellow jade pendant from his waist and solemnly handed it to Su Lu, saying, "This was bestowed upon me by the late Emperor, and I am now passing it on to you."

"This is even more unbearable for students..." Su Lu said with a wry smile.

"Don't be so quick to refuse," the Prince of Shu said solemnly. "Liu Jin sees your teacher as a thorn in his side, and you're about to go to the capital again. There's no guarantee that nothing bad will happen to you. Wearing this jade pendant from the late emperor will at least ensure that no one dares to lay a finger on you."

"Then I will borrow Your Highness's treasure for now, and return it to you once all is well." Su Lu then accepted the treasure with both hands, bowed again, and took his leave.

"Go, have a safe journey." The King of Shu smiled and waved goodbye to him.

~~
After bidding farewell to the King of Shu, Su Lu followed Eunuch Qi out of Songyun Pavilion and walked along the magnificent corridors of the royal palace.

The vermilion pillars meander and twist, covered with crimson trumpet vines whose petals cascade like curtains. Outside the corridor, strangely shaped rocks and artificial hills are piled up like screens, and elegant autumn chrysanthemums grow in clusters, vying for beauty and emitting a subtle fragrance. It is truly a place where every step reveals a new and breathtaking view.

As Su Lu admired the beautiful scenery of the Prince's mansion, a melodious zither tune drifted on the breeze. The music was clear and gentle, sometimes plaintive, sometimes lingering and far-reaching. Listening closely, one could even discern a hint of indescribable reluctance in the melody…

As you move forward, the music grows closer, and a clear, beautiful female voice begins to sing softly:

"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...

Upon hearing the lyrics, Su Lu couldn't help but look in the direction of the sound.

His gaze passed over the layers of flowers and trees, landing on the artificial hill and pavilion not far away—beside the stone table, a young girl dressed in a lotus-colored palace dress sat vaguely. Her hair was styled in double buns, and her slender fingers gently plucked and strummed the strings of a zither, playing and singing at the same time.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, the girl paused slightly while playing the zither and looked up at him.

The moment their eyes met, her gaze suddenly brightened, but she lowered her head shyly again, still glancing shyly at Su Lu out of the corner of her eye.

"This is our Princess Yibin," Eunuch Qi introduced softly.

Su Lu straightened his clothes, bowed deeply towards the pavilion, and then continued walking with Eunuch Qi without looking back.

As he walked further and further away, the lingering melody of the piano also faded away in the autumn wind...

~~
After leaving the Prince's Mansion, Su Lu returned to the guild hall to meet his classmates and headed to Wanli Bridge in the southeast of Chengdu.

Wanli Bridge is the starting point for the journey from Chengdu, and it is said that "the journey of ten thousand miles begins at this bridge". An official boat from Luzhou has been waiting on the pier at the bridgehead for a long time.

After bidding farewell to their local classmates who came to see them off, as well as their fellow clansmen from the Dongshan Su family in Xinlian, Su Lu and his group boarded the ship and sailed away from Chengdu, carrying with them more than a month of wonderful memories.

The group of classmates leaned against the railing, watching the city of Chengdu gradually recede into the distance, and couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions.

"When I came here, I was just a scholar, and when I left, I had become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. It's like a dream," Zhu Zigong sighed.

"Yes, I really didn't expect to pass on the first try. I thought I would have to come back several more times," Deng Dengying said with emotion.

"Master Deng, there are still those who haven't passed the exam." Li Qiyu gave a wry smile, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted towards Chengdu, "Chengdu, I will be back!"

“Yes, we’ll have to come back in three years…” Su Dan said softly.

Although he and Qiao Feng did not pass the provincial examination, they were on the supplementary list, thus becoming associate degree holders. They no longer needed to endure the examination process and could be directly admitted to the Imperial Academy.

"What are your plans?" Qiao Feng asked the few who had passed the imperial examinations. "Are you going to take the metropolitan examination next year?"

"Go!" the scholars laughed. "It only happens once every three years; it would be such a pity to miss it."

“Then you won’t be able to stay at home for more than a few days. You’ll have to set off soon,” Qiao Feng said. “It’s four thousand li to the capital. It will take two or three months to get there.”

“Indeed, just thinking about the journey gives me a headache,” Zhu Zihe said with a worry. “My ninth uncle went to the capital to take the imperial examination that year. He was so tired from the journey that he fell ill when he arrived in the capital on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.”

"The headmaster also set off too late." Su Lu recalled vividly, "They didn't set off until the sixteenth of the twelfth lunar month, and they were in too much of a rush on the road."

The scene of seeing the headmaster off in Hejiang is still vivid in my mind. I never imagined that it would be my turn to go to the capital for the imperial examination so soon...

"Zhu Chuanlu is truly a miracle worker! He actually arrived in the capital in just one month!" Everyone exclaimed in astonishment. "Indeed, extraordinary people do extraordinary things; it's unimaginable!"

P.S. I'll read Chapter 3 tomorrow morning...

(End of this chapter)