“This Fang Yun used to be a fool who didn’t know anything. How did he become so powerful today? Such ruthless methods… the case leader must be personally appointed by County Magistrate Cai. I have offended him, which means I have offended County Magistrate Cai.” The boss, Zhen, was in a state of confusion.
Fang Yun arched his hand towards everyone and loudly said, “I used to work at this Jixiang Inn, working hard every month to earn five hundred copper coins. But yesterday, this boss Zhen fired me and didn’t even give me my previous wages. He also shouted at me to beat and kill me. Today, County Magistrate Cai is holding a Child Scholar literary meeting at Jixiang Inn. I went there on time, but Boss Zhen wouldn’t let me in. Although I am a poor scholar, I still have dignity. I will not enter this Jixiang Inn anymore. Tomorrow, I will apologize to the county lord. Everyone, remember Boss Zhen and Jixiang Inn. They only recognize clothes, not people.”
After finishing speaking, Fang Yun walked away.
Boss Zhen hesitated, and saw someone looking down from the second floor. He subconsciously looked up and saw almost all the important people in the county, such as County Magistrate Cai, Wang Yuanjun, and the famous scholar Su.
Especially Su, who was in his fifties, looked at Boss Zhen with an especially cold gaze.
The local gentry wanted to make friends with the most promising Child Scholar. How could the owner of a restaurant drive away the most worthwhile and promising case leader?
Boss Zhen was scared and felt like his bones were freezing. It didn’t matter if he offended County Magistrate Cai, as he would leave after his term ended. But Su had been rooted in Jixian for many years and was a third-generation gentry. The consequences of offending him would be even more serious.
Boss Zhen gritted his teeth and hurriedly caught up with Fang Yun, saying, “Fang Yun, I was blind and didn’t know you were this year’s case leader. Please forgive me for our many years of acquaintance.”
Fang Yun stopped and said, “Boss Zhen, you did nothing wrong. Jixiang Inn is your place, and you have the right not to let me in. Of course, I also have the right not to enter now that you let me in. Goodbye.”
Boss Zhen thought of Su’s gaze and didn’t care about his face. He hurriedly grabbed Fang Yun’s sleeve and begged, “Master Fang, please forgive me. I’m shortsighted and only recognize clothes, not people. I sincerely apologize and will compensate you for your wages.”
A light cough came from the second floor, and County Magistrate Cai said, “If you have something to say, come up and say it. It’s not appropriate to argue on the street!”
After speaking, County Magistrate Cai glared at Boss Zhen and then smiled at Fang Yun.
Fang Yun immediately arched his hand and said, “Since the county lord has spoken, I will obey.” He then walked into Jixiang Inn without hesitation.
Boss Zhen was extremely shocked. He realized that Fang Yun’s intention to leave was fake, and he was actually waiting for County Magistrate Cai’s words. If he had insisted on leaving, it would have been disrespectful to the county lord. Therefore, he deliberately shouted riddles downstairs to attract the attention of County Magistrate Cai and others, and finally tricked his restaurant. It was a two-pronged approach.
“He was pretending before? This kind of scheming is nothing, but it’s too scary to appear in a child!” Boss Zhen suddenly realized that he had no resistance in front of Fang Yun.
The two went upstairs, and at the door of the Tianzi room stood a tall and strong man called The Savage Cow. Fang Yun looked at him a few more times before walking in.
The Tianzi room was very large, with three tables already set up and nearly twenty people sitting inside. They all stood up at this moment.County Magistrate Cai was dressed in casual clothes and even had a smile on his face, but he still had an imposing dignity that made people surrender. It was his talent, his cultivation, and his official position.
“Speak up, what’s going on?” County Magistrate Cai asked with a smile.
Zhen the shopkeeper knelt down with a thump and slapped himself in the face while saying, “Your Honor, everything is the fault of this little one! This little one is despicable and shameless, and I withheld Master Fang’s wages. I was blinded by greed and am willing to compensate.”
“Who allowed you to speak?” County Magistrate Cai said lightly, but his tone made Zhen the shopkeeper’s hair stand on end, and he looked terrified, like a rabbit stared at by a lion or tiger.
No one around them spoke, and almost everyone’s eyes had a hint of ridicule.
Zhen the shopkeeper lowered his head in despair, finally realizing the huge gap between his status and that of a Child Scholar with the Second Class.
Fang Yun first bowed and then truthfully told County Magistrate Cai about his and Zhen the shopkeeper’s situation.
Everyone’s faces were filled with anger, and Su the Presented Scholar said sternly, “I never expected such a beast to come from Ji County! If you only forbade Fang Yun from taking home the discarded vegetables, it would be understandable, but why did you insult him? Fang Yun’s riddle was spot on. You really only recognize clothes and not people! You’re worse than pigs and dogs!”
Zhen the shopkeeper was frightened and trembling all over.
Fang Yun smiled and said, “Today is the Child Scholar’s literary meeting, but it has been delayed by a junior’s private affairs. I’m willing to apologize and drink a cup as punishment. Zhen the shopkeeper, since you have admitted your mistake, I forgive you. You may leave now.”
Zhen the shopkeeper looked up at Fang Yun in confusion. Seeing Fang Yun’s smiling face, he seemed to have really forgiven him, but he knew deep down that this matter would not be so easily resolved.
“What a great attitude! Everyone, please sit down and don’t let that little person ruin our mood. As for the wine, there’s no need to punish him,” County Magistrate Cai said, not hiding his admiration for Fang Yun.
Everyone sat down.
There were three tables in total. The first table was led by County Magistrate Cai and consisted of officials or wealthy families from Ji County. The lowest rank was Talented Scholar, and there was only one seat left for the defendant.
The second table was for this year’s Child Scholars, and the third table was for well-known writers in the county.
There was an Imperial Scholar and three Presented Scholars, all except for the Child Scholars were Talented Scholars.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the literary meeting officially began. First, County Magistrate Cai toasted to All the Saints, then to the Jing Kingdom’s monarch and queen mother, and finally to all the Child Scholars.
The theme of this literary meeting was the county examination. County Magistrate Cai first brought up the first question of the imperial examination, which was where Confucius was in the 27th year of Duke Zhao’s reign.
This was like an Imperial Scholar giving a lecture, and it was helpful for the classics as well. Not only did the Child Scholars listen carefully, but the Talented Scholars and Presented Scholars present also listened carefully to prepare for future examinations.
The Talented Scholars and Presented Scholars who had just learned about the exam question also thought carefully. They all knew that Confucius was in two places in Qi and Lu that year, but since County Magistrate Cai had brought up this question, the answer was naturally not simple.County Magistrate Cai said, “This question is exceptionally obscure. Even a Presented Scholar may not be able to answer it correctly. I was only able to solve it because I have read some books in the capital. Fang Yun, can you tell us how you answered this question?”
Everyone looked at Fang Yun. In the field of scholarship, it is important to know not only the answer but also the reasoning behind it. If Fang Yun cannot explain this question clearly, his reputation as a Child Scholar will be greatly diminished.
Fang Li interrupted, “Zhongyong couldn’t solve it. Please enlighten us with your solution, Fang Yun. Educate this unruly child of mine.”
Fang Zhongyong looked embarrassed and then looked at Fang Yun with an apologetic expression.
Fang Yun nodded slightly, indicating that he understood. He had long realized that although Fang Zhongyong was somewhat arrogant, he had always been reticent and had no bad reputation. On the other hand, his father, Fang Li, had been boasting about his child prodigy son, which many people did not like.
After pondering for a moment, Fang Yun organized his thoughts and said, “At first, I thought the answer to this question was simple and only wrote about the two regions of Qi and Lu. But when I got to the sixth question and saw that it was about the Book of Rites, I was inspired and remembered that Sage Confucius went to the funeral of Ji Zi’s eldest son…”
Fang Yun then used his own words to clarify the train of thought for this question and explained it in the most solid way, without any mistakes.
When Fang Yun finished speaking, many Child Scholars and Accomplished Scholars present were still thinking, while others who had already understood praised him.
Fang Li’s momentum suddenly weakened. As a Child Scholar himself, he knew the difficulty of the question and understood that Fang Yun’s solution was almost perfect.
“Fang Yun is truly talented. I am no match for him,” Fang Zhongyong whispered softly, sounding somewhat melancholy but not resentful.
County Magistrate Cai laughed and said, “Well done, Fang Yun. Although this train of thought is cumbersome, it is most suitable for Child Scholars. If you used my method to solve the question, I would have suspected you of cheating.”
County Magistrate Cai then explained his own solution process. He used several books that were extremely rare and not found in Fang Yun’s Book World. Even Wang Yuanjun, a Presented Scholar, had not read them.
After comparing the two methods, everyone looked at Fang Yun with different eyes. Fang Yun’s method was the correct one.
Next, they continued to discuss some of the questions for “Please Speak as a Saint.” County Magistrate Cai even extended the discussion to “Classics.”
The so-called “Classics” refers to taking a sentence or part of a saint’s classic work as a topic and writing an essay to explain the principles within it.
If “Please Speak as a Saint” is about memorizing the teachings of the saints, then “Classics” is about understanding the teachings of the saints and forming one’s own opinions.
After County Magistrate Cai finished the discussion on “Please Speak as a Saint,” the food was served, and everyone ate and drank for a while before moving on to the topic of poetry.
County Magistrate Cai talked about “Please Speak as a Saint,” so Wang Yuanjun from the Literary Academy was supposed to talk about poetry. However, Fang Li jumped in and said, “My son’s poetry has the ability to win the county, but only received a grade of B. County Magistrate Cai said that Fang Yun’s poetry has the talent to win the state. Can we see his county examination poetry?”
Many people remained silent and secretly looked at Wang Yuanjun.
Wang Yuanjun did not expect Fang Li to be so disrespectful of the rules. To put it strictly, he did not distinguish between high and low, which was a big taboo.Wang Yuanjun said expressionlessly, “I originally wanted to leave Fang Yun’s exam paper in the county cultural institute for future generations to admire, but after I showed his poem to the Grand Academician Li in the state, Li said he wanted to send the original to the state cultural institute. He also said that this poem is not only the number one in the county exam this year, but also the number one poem in the county exam for hundreds of years! Li said that this poem will definitely be published in the next issue of ‘The Path of the Saints’ magazine!”
The room was boiling.
“Did Grand Academician Li really say that? Child Scholar’s poem will receive such treatment in the state cultural institute!”
“The number one poem in the county exam? That’s quite an achievement.”
“If it can be published in ‘The Path of the Saints’, then our county will have another literary monument. Plus, with two top scores, Fang Yun will have two literary monuments.”
“I don’t think anyone from our Ji county has ever been published in ‘The Path of the Saints’, right?”
“Indeed, no one has.”