Top Scholar

Chapter 474 My Man! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

On the first day of the third lunar month, as soon as the sun climbed over the east city wall, the Da Ci'en Temple on West Chang'an Street became bustling with activity.

Three hundred and fifty newly-formed scholars gathered from all directions at the temple's official hall... This royal temple frequently hosted official rituals, and its spacious and solemn official hall was also a popular venue for various government offices to conduct unofficial activities.

As is customary, the newly appointed successful candidates in the imperial examinations also gathered here to pay their respects to their patron. They arrived at the government hall early and waited, excitedly chatting and laughing, clearly still immersed in the joy of passing the exams.

Moreover, there's a sensational topic related to them...

"Have you heard?" a fellow Shandong native exclaimed excitedly, "Our Huiyuan brother actually clashed with Grand Secretary Jiao the other day!"

"I've heard about it already!" This remark caused a great stir, and the other students immediately chimed in with their own opinions.
"They say that Grand Secretary Jiao blocked the door of our teacher's house and shouted insults, but was beaten up by Brother Huiyuan!"

"Brother Huiyuan is that brave?!" But many more found it hard to believe. "That's Jiao Fang, who can be warded off by ghosts and gods!"

"Nonsense, right? But it's true!" A classmate from Beijing craned his neck, gave a thumbs up, and said, "My second uncle lived right next to Shifuma Hutong, and he saw it with his own eyes that day!"

"What's going on?" Everyone felt that Lord Jing was still the most authoritative, and they all inquired, "That Grand Secretary Jiao is protected by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Brother Huiyuan won't suffer any losses, will he?"

"My second uncle said that not only did our brother Huiyuan not suffer any losses, he also tied Grand Secretary Jiao to a tree, broke off willow branches and whipped him! He even overturned his sedan chair!"

"Really?" The group of students suddenly realized that Lord Jing wasn't so authoritative after all, and many of them asked incredulously:

"Who is Jiao Fang? He's the Second Grand Secretary and Minister of Justice, a favorite of Liu Jin! Even if Brother Huiyuan had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, he wouldn't dare to lay a hand on him. Perhaps it's just hearsay?"

Just then someone shouted, "Brother Huiyuan is here!"

Following the sound, everyone looked and saw Su Huiyuan entering the Great Ci'en Temple, surrounded by a group of Sichuan scholars.

He was dressed in the same style of scholar's round collar, with a slender figure and delicate features. He didn't look like the kind of person who could tie up and beat Jiao Fang, who held immense power in the court.

The other students immediately swarmed around him, asking all at once, "Brother Huiyuan, did you really beat up Grand Secretary Jiao?"

"I heard you pinned him to the ground and beat him."

"Should we tie him to a tree and whip him?"

"Am I Zhang Fei? Why would I be tied to a tree and whipped?" Su Lu said irritably, "Don't listen to their nonsense. I just went to deliver a disciple's thorn to my teacher that day and encountered Minister Jiao blocking the door and shouting insults. I went up to argue with him for a bit, but I didn't even touch him."

"I see." The other students were more likely to accept this explanation, since the rumors were too far-fetched. Brother Huiyuan wasn't even a Jinshi yet, so how could he dare to make a move against the Vice Minister and the Minister of Justice?
The truth is neither as bizarre as they've heard, nor as understated as Su Lu makes it out to be.

Of course, the truth always depends solely on what people are willing to believe. What people believe is the truth...

"You were quite brave back then, Brother Yuan. If I had encountered such a high-ranking official, I wouldn't have been able to speak coherently, let alone dare to go up and argue with him?"

"Yes, what courage!"

"I was forced into this situation," Su Lu said with a wry smile, then said seriously, "At that time, what I was holding in my arms was a thorn from our joint student petition, representing not just me, but all 350 candidates of the Wuchen examination. They were bullying us right at our teacher's doorstep. If I backed down, I would lose face for all of us!"

"Well said, Brother Huiyuan is truly responsible!" The admiration of his fellow students surged like a mighty river. Some had initially thought Su Lu was too young, but now they were all completely convinced by the title "Brother Huiyuan."

As everyone was chatting, a drawn-out voice announced, "The Master has arrived—"

Upon seeing the sedan chairs of the two mentors arrive, the Chinese scholars quickly lined up according to their rankings, straightened their clothes, and waited quietly for the two mentors to ascend their seats.

Two grand master chairs had been set up in the corridor. After Wang Ao and Liang Chu were seated, the students, under the direction of the master of ceremonies, paid the highest respect to their two masters.

"bye……"

Three hundred and fifty Chinese scholars bowed in unison, their robes rustling. The top ten, acting as representatives, said in unison, "Your students pay their respects to your two esteemed masters!"

"I bow again..."

The students bowed even deeper, their tone becoming increasingly respectful: "Thank you, Master, for your impartial review of the papers and for your kindness in promoting us!"

"Three bows..."

His large hat hung low, and his voice boomed: "Your student is fortunate to have received such appreciation; I am deeply grateful!"

"Four bows..."

The students bowed for the fourth time, saying in unison, "If we become officials in the future, we will certainly live up to our teacher's high expectations!"

Wang Ao raised his hand in a gesture of support and said in a deep voice, "Please rise, my esteemed friends. Scholar Liang and I are merely selecting officials impartially; there is no need for such formalities."

"Rise!" The disciples straightened up, and Su Lu, the leader, and Shao Rui, the second, served tea to the host.

Shao Rui, carrying a tray, followed Su Lu to the corridor. Su Lu picked up a cup and respectfully offered it to Wang Ao.
"Your student Su Lu, along with his fellow students, respectfully presents a cup of tea to our esteemed teacher. If it weren't for your favor during this imperial examination, we would not have had the opportunity to be here today!"

Wang Ao took the teacup, took a sip, and looked at the top scholar in front of him and the group of spirited Chinese scholars behind him. His eyes were full of satisfaction as he said, "You all established yourselves on the basis of your true talents and learning. There is no need for thanks."

"Our teacher's kindness is like giving us a second life; we are deeply grateful!" all the students said in unison.

Su Lu offered tea to Liang Chu to express his gratitude, and Liang Chu responded with equal humility. Of course, the students did not take it seriously and once again expressed their eternal gratitude to their teacher.

Su Lu, on behalf of his fellow students, presented a list of gifts. Wang Ao took it and saw that each person had a square handkerchief and an old book.

He couldn't help but feel gratified and said, "That's very good. In the future, you should also refrain from extravagance during festivals. Being diligent and honest in your official duties, loyal to the emperor and loving the country, will be the best way to repay me and Scholar Liang."

"Yes. We will remember our teacher's teachings!" the students replied in unison.

The two masters offered some more encouragement to everyone before departing.

In fact, there should have been a banquet to thank teachers today, but Wang Ao thought that would be too ostentatious, and with the palace examination just around the corner, it was not appropriate to rush to drink celebratory wine.

Therefore, following Wang Ao's suggestion, the banquet to thank teachers was moved to after the palace examination and combined with the celebration banquet for those who had achieved success that year.

But that was already ostentatious enough. After the visit, Su Lu planned to leave the city with his fellow graduates to find Qing, but as soon as they stepped out of the Great Ci'en Temple, they saw Zhu Shou...

~~
Although Zhu Shou's face only flashed behind the carriage curtain, Su Lu still obediently apologized to his classmates and came to the carriage across the street.

Zhang Yong frowned at Su Lu, silently conveying that he was very angry, and then opened the sturdy car door.

Su Lu got into the car without saying a word, sat down next to Zhu Shou, and asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Who upset you?"

"You," Zhu Shou snorted, arms crossed, coldly watching the groups of Chinese scholars leaving the temple gate, and said sarcastically, "Did you gentlemen go to worship Buddha so early in the morning?"

Upon hearing the words "virtuous confidant," Su Lu knew that Zhu Shou had forcefully witnessed the earlier audience.

In a flash, he understood what Zhu Shou was unhappy about, and said nonchalantly, "It's not worshipping Buddha, it's just following custom to thank the examiners who admitted us."

"That's the Emperor's talent selection ceremony!" Zhu Shou suddenly raised his voice, pointing outside and saying, "The Emperor's disciples aren't bowing to the Emperor, but to his ministers? Don't you know you're the Emperor's people?"

“Of course we are the Emperor’s people.” Su Lu nodded without hesitation.

Zhu Shou's anger subsided slightly, and he snorted, "Then you shouldn't have gone to study under any teacher. That's called forming cliques and pursuing personal gain, don't you understand?"

"..." Su Lu shook his head and slowly said, "While our own efforts are important in our studies and exams, we also cannot do without the help of benefactors. We should be grateful to every teacher."

He paused for a moment and then said, "After the palace examination, we should naturally be grateful to the Emperor."

"I doubt many people will be grateful to the Emperor." Zhu Shou snorted again: "Besides the three top scholars, how many people will be grateful to me... the Emperor?"

Logically, Su Lu should have said no. The emperor is both ruler and teacher, so he's naturally closer than a simple teacher. At least that would have gotten him past that hurdle…

However, he was well aware that the teacher's thanks earlier had created a rift between Zhu Shou and Zhu Shou, who ultimately believed that Zhu Shou was still on the side of the civil officials.

The relationship between the emperor and civil officials was, as everyone knows, one of estrangement…

After a moment's thought, Su Lushi exclaimed in shock, "You're right! Even if a scholar today passes the imperial examination and becomes a so-called disciple of the emperor, his gratitude towards the emperor is far less than his gratitude towards his master!"

"Tell me why?" Zhu Shou's face grew even longer, but he no longer crossed his arms as he had at the beginning, indicating that he had let his guard down around Su Lu.

Su Lu then spoke frankly: "It's not that the Chinese candidates are disrespectful to the emperor, but rather that there are layers of difference between them. Whether we can pass the imperial examination and serve the emperor after ten years of hard study depends entirely on the favor of our teachers when they review our papers. This favor of recognition is a real recognition and a kindness that pulls people out of the mire."

"Although the imperial examination was personally administered by the emperor, out of the 350 successful candidates, apart from the top three and the top few in the second class, how many names could the emperor actually recall? For most of the successful candidates, it was just a formality, and they were simply bestowed with the empty title of 'disciple of the emperor'."

Su Lu's words were harsh, but also sincere, which was exactly what Zhu Shou wanted to hear at that moment.

"This is even more true after the imperial examination. The newly appointed scholars are put to use immediately upon being listed, and the vast majority of them have no further interaction with His Majesty, who is high above them, let alone receive any promotion or protection." He then continued:
"On the other hand, consider the mentor. After entering officialdom, one relies entirely on the mentor's guidance to navigate the intricacies of the court and the turmoil of official life; if one encounters trouble or commits a crime, only the mentor will step forward to protect one's interests. From both a moral and logical standpoint, who do you think a newly appointed scholar should be closer to?"

“Fine…” Zhu Shou couldn’t refute, but he was about to explode with frustration: “No wonder the civil officials banded together to oppose me… Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty can’t blame the civil officials entirely. It’s already March, and I heard that Your Majesty hasn’t attended court yet. They can’t even see him. How can the civil officials get close to him?” Su Lu said calmly. “But for the Emperor, whether the civil officials are close to him or not is not important. What is important is how to control these damned guys.”

"Ah, right, right, right!" Zhu Shou instantly forgot his anger and grabbed Su Lu, saying, "Tell me quickly, what should we do?"

P.S. This is a post I'll edit later. Please vote with your monthly tickets!
(End of this chapter)