They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 53 Eight Words

Chen Guangrui's gaze locked onto a certain angle for a moment, seemingly indifferent.

Although Crown Prince Li Shimin's gaze did not linger on Chen Guangrui, it was more somber than any other gaze.

He subtly averted his gaze, as if Chen Guangrui's almost "disrespectful" behavior was merely a trivial interlude on the sidelines. But this silent pressure had already solidified within the arena.

"Sun Fujia." Li Shimin's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the slightly tense atmosphere.

The former top scholar, Sun Fujia, was standing respectfully at the back of the line of officials when he heard the summons. He jumped in surprise, almost staggering as he rushed forward, and bowed deeply.
"Your subject is here!"

Everyone held their breath and watched, including the scholars who had just put down their pens and were feeling uneasy. They wondered what His Highness intended by summoning Sun Fujia.

"The task assigned to you,"

Li Shimin's voice was unreadable; he casually pointed to the scribe holding a thick stack of files beside him.

"Any progress? The missing items are of great importance and must be found as soon as possible." He emphasized "the missing items" without directly pointing out that they were the lost documents from the palace.

Sun Fujia's forehead instantly broke out in a thin layer of sweat. He quickly glanced at Fang Xuanling, whose eyes were calm and unwavering, offering no hints.

He could only grit his teeth, bend his back even lower, and say urgently, almost as if making a vow,
"Your Highness! Your humble servant... Your humble servant has not dared to slacken in the slightest! For days I have been supervising the officials, checking documents, and verifying catalogs... I have... I have made progress! Please rest assured, Your Highness, Your humble servant... Your humble servant will do everything in my power to investigate thoroughly! If this villain is not brought to justice, Your humble servant... Your humble servant will have no face to face Your Highness!"

He spoke quickly and urgently, his words full of expressions of loyalty and hard work, but he was vague about what the so-called "trace" actually referred to, and he placed the whole reason for the thorough investigation on "His Highness's" expectations.

Li Shimin closed his eyes slightly, seemingly not caring much about his promise, and also seemingly dissatisfied with his efficiency.

His gaze shifted, sweeping over the newly appointed scholars with their varied expressions, before settling back on Sun Fujia. His tone was calm and even: "Enough. Official business is important, but there's no need to spoil the mood at this moment."

He paused, his tone slightly raised, "Today, by the Qujiang Pool, we have the perfect opportunity to gather. The newly appointed scholars have passed the imperial examinations, and talented individuals have come together. You were the top scholar in the past, and your talent is certainly remarkable. I suggest that you also give an impromptu performance? It would be good for the new top scholar to witness the literary heritage of our Great Tang Dynasty, and for the officials of Fang and Du to give their opinions and see whether the newcomer's vigor is soaring or the seasoned and profound."

The atmosphere in the room instantly became awkward after these words were spoken.

This is hardly a "critique"; it's clearly pushing the new and old top scholars onto a stage for a public showdown! And in front of the Crown Prince and a host of important officials! The criticism is directed at Chen Guangrui's earlier "disrespect."

Chen Guangrui chuckled inwardly. This Crown Prince truly didn't miss any opportunity to give him a warning.

To have Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji evaluate Sun Fujia's poems? That's too blatant. Fang Xuanling and others were using Sun Fujia, the "investigator pioneer," to press Wei Zheng's case step by step.

Let them evaluate your "gun," and the result is obvious. Not to mention, Li Shimin himself was also seething with anger. This competitive intention was practically obvious.

His face remained calm and expressionless, as if he didn't care at all. Let them compete then; he wasn't even there for this question in the first place.

Upon hearing this, Sun Fujia was taken aback at first, then a suppressed excitement and determination flashed in his eyes.

This was a chance to shine before the Emperor, especially now that the investigation was going so poorly—a rare opportunity to turn things around! He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic caused by the setbacks in the investigation, and solemnly bowed, saying, "Your subject... obeys!"

On both sides, eunuchs had already presented the Four Treasures of the Study.

Sun Fujia pondered deeply, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and although he tried his best to remain calm, the fingers gripping the brush turned slightly white from the force, revealing his inner turmoil.

He stared at the painting of a lone boat on the waves on the table, trying his best to hide the anxiety from the recent investigation and the excitement of being entrusted with an important task behind his facade of praising the emperor.

For a moment, the soft sound of writing filled the room again. The newly appointed scholars, who had already completed their poems, were now experiencing different emotions.

Those who had prepared for the exam remained relatively calm, their brushstrokes slow yet steady, each word carefully considered. A ruddy-faced scholar stroked his beard, and after a moment, picked up his brush and wrote with a confident air.

Several scholars who were clearly improvising were much more embarrassed. A tall, thin man gripped his pen, his eyes darting nervously across the paper, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, hesitant to make his first stroke. He glanced at the others several times, then quickly lowered his head in embarrassment, appearing restless. Another, shorter, stouter scholar was even more nervous; his hand trembled slightly as he wrote a few characters, seemingly dissatisfied, his face flushing with anxiety.

Soon, people began to stop writing. Eunuchs moved among them, collecting the completed poems and presenting them to the Crown Prince.

The poems on the paper were all different:

"The wind is fierce and the waves are high, threatening to capsize the boat, but the boatman struggles to stem the tide. He fights with all his might to move forward, unafraid of the deep waves."

"Turbid waves surge high, the river wind is fierce, and the small boat bobs up and down as light as a grain of millet. When will I meet a skilled hand to cross the river and steadily sail towards a smooth road?"

"The water is vast and the waves are surging, the oarsman is in such a hurry..." He only wrote two lines of this poem before stopping.

As the crowd's gazes swept over the work, some nodded secretly, some frowned slightly, and others felt ashamed of their own work, their eyes darting around uncertainly.

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, and others who were standing in front of the hall also nodded slightly and exchanged brief comments in hushed tones.

At this moment, Sun Fujia, who had just encountered this question, truly lived up to his reputation as the first top scholar of the Tang Dynasty. A flash of inspiration struck him; his tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and he solemnly began to write. A moment later, he put down his pen, respectfully held up the poem with both hands, his voice carrying a deliberately adjusted calmness and a hint of barely perceptible flattery.

"Your humble work is complete. Please give your comments and feedback, Your Highness and the other officials."

The eunuch immediately stepped forward, took the poem, and presented it to Li Shimin. Li Shimin lowered his eyes to look at it.
The river is wide, the winds and waves swirl, the light boat floats on the imperial enterprise. All the people, like a single helmsman, steadily cross the river towards the heavens. Virtue and grace are as vast as a river, how could the empire capsize? With a wise ruler and upright ministers, the four seas are at peace!

The first two lines of the poem state the theme and describe the scenery, while the last six lines are straightforward and try their best to flatter the poet.

He forcibly compares the turbulent river to the thriving "imperial enterprise," and subtly transforms the lonely boatman into the "helmsman" who unites the will of the people. Moreover, when everyone is worried about the "capsizing of the boat," he turns his pen to ask, "How can the country be capsized by a boat?"

This was an answer on behalf of the Crown Prince, proclaiming "It's impossible for the boat to capsize!" in the most obsequious tone! The concluding sentence even attributed the credit to the "wise ruler and upright ministers" and the "harmonious relationship between the ruler and his ministers," not only flattering him but also subtly complimenting the important ministers present.

All of this "talent" was used for flattery; he was indeed "mature," and while he was certainly proper and upright, he also exuded an air of scheming.

Li Shimin looked at the poem manuscript with no expression on his face. Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji and others exchanged glances and nodded slightly.

This poem is written with "great discipline" and is very well done. At the very least, it perfectly suits their current need to suppress Chen Guangrui.

"Yes, Sun Qing has put in a lot of effort."

Li Shimin offered a noncommittal comment, but his gaze was precisely fixed on Chen Guangrui, who had been in the center of the room and almost unintentionally ignored by everyone. That atmosphere of deliberate neglect almost solidified into a tangible reality.

"Chen Guangrui".

Li Shimin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable penetrating power, hitting the nail on the head.
"Where is your masterpiece? Let me see what kind of exquisite writing you produced in such a short time?"

All eyes were once again focused on Chen Guangrui. Many looked at him with mockery, disdain, or anticipation of a good show. Li Jing, watching from the rear, was both anxious and angry, wishing he could step in and write for him.

Chen Guangrui remained calm. He hadn't been "pondering for a long time" at all; he had been observing and confirming certain things. But now, he had found more anomalies in that target.

He held up the paper, calmly facing the scrutiny of the Crown Prince and all the ministers and scholars.

There were indeed only a few words on the paper, one line horizontally and one vertically. The ink wasn't neat, but it carried a strange strength and penetrating power:

Water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn it.

(End of this chapter)