The encouraging words still echoed in his ears as Zhu Sihuan, in a daze, stepped into the Wenchang Pavilion.
The once bustling and lively literary hall was now eerily quiet.
All eyes were fixed on the center, where a young man in a green robe sat, exuding an air of authority and standing upright with a solemn expression.
The hard work he had put in over the past six months had finally paid off. Although the reputation of Young Master Qingzhu was questionable, his achievements were undeniable. His poems and ancient verses were so skillful that everyone who saw them couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
People of that time were prone to prejudice, and even with malicious instigators stirring up trouble, some students still firmly believed in and were loyal to and protected the Young Master Qingzhu.
Qi Huai and An Jun stood on either side of him, while Jiang Sheng and Wen Zhiyun stood close behind him.
Having spent more than half a year immersed in officialdom, the young man, besides being spirited, had also become more composed. When he put on an authoritative air, he resembled the adults he had met.
No, he's already an adult.
A sixth-rank compiler.
Zhu Sihuan walked over in a daze, and someone called out, drawing everyone's attention once again.
Xu Mo, who was sitting upright, raised his head and called out softly, "Brother Zhu has arrived."
It was as if they had never been enemies, as if they were still the same as before, still genuinely communicating and admiring each other despite being on opposing sides.
"Brother Xu... Brother Xu," Zhu Sihuan managed to squeeze out the words, "Are you alright?"
Qi Huai snorted coldly from the side and remained silent.
If it were Zhao Yuan, he would probably have already started berating her.
The four of them were the first friends they met. Although they had deep feelings for each other and other thoughts mixed in, they were all spirited young men and still had some sincerity towards each other.
Zhu Sihuan, in particular, formed a deep friendship with Zhu Zhi and the Tao family girl. Although they could not be too close due to the Zhu family's status, they still tried their best to help each other.
Zhu Zhi's death was partly orchestrated by Zhu Sihuan.
That two hundred taels of silver represented an even more fervent affection.
How did things get to this point?
How could they possibly turn against each other?
Zhu Sihuan's mind became increasingly muddled. He remembered the cold question from the head of the family, the admonishing tone of his father-in-law and mother-in-law, and even his wife, Tao, asking with tears in her eyes, "What exactly do you want? You are a member of the Zhu family."
Born into the Zhu family, one can only serve the Zhu family and be a lackey of the Fang family.
The divide between powerful families is deeper than one might imagine.
He was too naive before, always thinking that he could make friends in private and that collateral relatives could sit firmly in a high position. But he married a girl from the Tao family and became a bridge between the Tao and Zhu families.
He can't escape it.
"I'm fine." Xu Mo sat at the front of the long table, his handsome face revealing no emotion. "But Brother Zhu, I can tell you're not feeling well."
After exchanging pleasantries, the two acted just like ordinary friends.
"I'm fine, there's nothing wrong with me," Zhu Sihuan replied reluctantly.
Qi Huai rolled his eyes from the side, "Of course you're great. The name of Young Master Si Huan was originally meant to be used to promote your marriage. Now that you have a beautiful wife in your arms and have nothing to worry about, you've overturned the boat that brought you here in the first place."
The students next to him listened intently, their expressions serious, holding their breath as they heard the gossip.
“Yes, but I…” Zhu Sihuan hardened his heart, “but I was just telling the truth.”
The ghostwriting did happen, and he was helpless to ruin his reputation; he was also traumatized.
It's equivalent to losing 800 of your own resources and injuring 1000 of the enemy's.
Although the reputation of Young Master Sihuan has gradually faded in the past two years, it is still a good name. He has been able to thrive in the Wenchang Pavilion because of this name. Now, if he rashly destroys it, he will only be met with countless sneers.
Students fairly despise anyone who cheats or has someone else write their work for them, and fairly condemn those who are all talk and no action.
"So, Brother Zhu, you spoke such truths just to destroy me?" Xu Mo stood up, his expression calm. "It was a task given to you by the Zhu family, wasn't it? Since you've already said it, why not tell the world everything in detail?"
He turned around and told the students present a poignant love story.
The male protagonist is from a minor branch of a prominent family. He lacks the talent to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, so the girl he loves can only marry the wicked eldest son of the main branch, simply because he is a scholar.
The young man was already resentful, but then he discovered that the wicked eldest son of the main branch of the family was keeping a concubine outside the marriage. He felt even more sorry for his beloved girl and couldn't bear to see her fall into the swamp.
The first step was to sow discord about the existence of a mistress; the second step was to beg a friend to write poems on her behalf. Once enough fame had been established, the girl's family was finally moved and granted the marriage.
Xu Mo spoke calmly and with a clear, cool voice, telling his story at a leisurely pace, making the arduous tales deeply moving and captivating countless students.
Those with strong emotions might even shed tears, for the couple who finally found happiness together, and for the young man who strived for universal love.
Is there anything wrong with striving for what you want?
If there is any wrongdoing, it is that he resorted to any means necessary, using a ghostwriter to gain fame that did not belong to him.
But if veiled in a poignant love story, it reaches new heights in the hearts of writers who yearn for romance and beauty.
"He wrote it all for the sake of his beloved girl. With a husband like that, what more could a woman ask for!" someone exclaimed passionately. "The girl in this story is so lucky. Is she doing well?"
Xu Mo did not answer, but turned to look at Zhu Sihuan, who was already in tears.
“Good, she is good.” The boy in the story raised his head, and tears finally streamed down his face. “She said that while being a scholar is important, a husband who understands and cares for her is even more important. Although a branch family is not as valuable as the main branch, it can still provide her with a safe haven.”
If it weren't for their deep affection, how could he have been so heartless as to betray his friend just because of a word from his wife?
If he weren't afraid of losing it, how could he have made one mistake after another?
“Brother Xu, I am willing to confess everything. It was I who asked you to write it for me, and it was I who kicked you when you were down.” Zhu Sihuan gritted his teeth. “I don’t want to say anything about helplessness. I can only tell the world that the poem that made me famous was indeed written by Young Master Qingzhu.”
Rather than kicking someone when they're down, his words sounded more like a clarification.
He took all the blame upon himself, hoping to extricate Xu Mo from the mire.
At least, it was written by his own hand, wasn't it?
A stir broke out in the crowd again, with murmurs rising and falling.
"Although this young master Si Huan had someone else write it, his deep affection moved heaven and earth, so it is understandable."
"If a poem could win back my beloved girl, I would definitely kowtow and offer incense to Young Master Qingzhu."
"Since it is confirmed that it was written by Young Master Qingzhu, does that mean that his poems were written by his own hand and that there was no other person who wrote them?"
"That's right, that's right. It seems that Young Master Qingzhu is really amazing. He exchanged a poem for a couple to stay together."
It wasn't a curse, it wasn't contempt, it wasn't disgust, and it wasn't malicious.
The overwhelming emotions left Zhu Sihuan stunned in place.
How could this happen?
He looked up and met the smile in Xu Mo's eyes.
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