Article 547 calls for book donations.
Lord Zhang is a third-rank official in the Court of State Ceremonial, in charge of foreign affairs of the Great Yu Dynasty. He came here because he heard that Grand Tutor Lin had acquired a foreign book and came to borrow it.
He followed the steward into the study, first borrowing the book he had been longing for, before asking, "Grand Tutor, has the Sui'an man arrived in the capital?"
Lin Taifu knew what the old man was thinking at a glance, and said, "Old Zhang, you're probably going to be disappointed this time. Sui'an's nephew, who is also the newly promoted third-ranked scholar, is getting married the day after tomorrow. After the wedding, he will leave the capital and return to his village. You probably won't have a chance to meet Sui'an."
Lord Zhang thought to himself, "That is indeed the case."
Since the people of Sui'an are women, it is indeed not easy for a man like him to meet a woman.
But we must meet him.
After copying down the foreign texts from the Halloween birthday gift, he and several of his men consulted numerous books to determine their exact meaning. Although they already knew that the phrase meant "birthday greeting," they still had to figure out the specific meaning of each word, especially the Assab script. This country had some contact with the Great Yu Dynasty, but the contact was not extensive, and there was very little information available, which led to language barriers and hindered further exchanges between the two countries.
He really wanted to have a detailed conversation with the people of Sui'an about Asab's language; he was sure he would make some unexpected discoveries.
Lord Zhang spoke slowly: "Since the third-ranked scholar is getting married the day after tomorrow, I will shamelessly go and drink a cup of wedding wine."
"Do you have a wedding invitation?" Grand Tutor Lin asked with amusement. "Attending a wedding banquet without an invitation would be considered an intrusion. The Cheng family certainly didn't arrange a seat for you in advance. Wouldn't that make the third-ranked scholar feel anxious and guilty?"
Lord Zhang frowned. It was indeed impolite to leave uninvited; it seemed he would have to find a way to get a wedding invitation.
The wedding is in two days, and there's only a little over a day left. Where am I supposed to get wedding invitations?
"I heard that the top scholar, Lord Fu, is holding a poetry gathering this afternoon, and the third-ranking scholar, Lord Cheng, will also be attending," Lord Lin kindly reminded him. "Old Zhang, why don't you tell the groom-to-be? Surely he'll give you a wedding invitation."
Lord Zhang immediately stood up: "Good idea, I'll go right away."
He grabbed a foreign language book and rushed out.
“This old man…” Lin Taifu shook his head, “At his age, he still attends poetry gatherings for young people and is obsessed with those foreign scribbles.”
Fu Zheli, the eldest son of the Fu family, was already a leading figure among scholars. Now, as the newly appointed top scholar in the imperial examination, he has entered the Hanlin Academy and has a promising future. The poetry gathering he organized attracted all the invited guests, and even those who were not invited found ways to come. The Fu family's villa was filled with scholars and literati, making it extremely lively.
Cheng Zhao stood out among the crowd.
He rarely attended such poetry gatherings and was not familiar with anyone, but because of his status, people kept coming to greet him.
"Now that everyone is here, let's begin composing poems." Fu Zheli smiled and looked at everyone. "The time limit is one incense stick's time. The theme is 'the people,' and there are no restrictions on rhyme. Let's begin now."
A servant came up, lit an incense stick, and placed it into the incense burner.
The literati present immediately began to rack their brains. They had always participated in poetry gatherings with themes of flowers and plants, and this was the first time they had written poems related to "the people".
This question is difficult to answer. You need to have a broad perspective and the main point cannot be biased, otherwise you will definitely be criticized.
For example, when people mention the people, they think of farmers. Can you write about how hard and tiring it is for farmers? If you do, it would be questioning the prosperity of the Great Yu Dynasty.
Therefore, the writing can only be positive, highlighting the importance of the people, their dedication and diligence, and ultimately elevating it to the strength and prosperity of the nation...
By the time the incense stick had burned out, almost everyone present had composed a complete poem. When scholars gathered, their poems were circulated and commented on, and the top three were selected together.
As everyone read through the poems one by one, they discovered that they were all quite similar and conveyed roughly the same meaning.
“Brother Cheng’s poem is quite unique.” Fu Zheli’s gaze fell on a piece of calligraphy with great style. “The first line describes what cotton is, the second line describes the cotton harvest, the third line recalls the bitterness of winter in previous years from the perspective of the people, and the fourth line describes the people’s joy and smiles… This poem uses a small thing to see a big picture, and its theme is excellent. No one without experience could write such a poem. No wonder the Emperor said that Brother Cheng’s poem is the best among this year’s Jinshi… If I weren’t a little less handsome, I would have been the third-ranked scholar.”
He wasn't being modest. Although he had studied in the palace since childhood and enjoyed the best education, in fact, his talent was on par with Cheng Zhao's.
Before the imperial examination, his father told him that the chances of him and Cheng Zhao becoming the top scholar were fifty-fifty.
In the end, he became the first, while Cheng Zhao was only third. This was not because Cheng Zhao's ability only ranked third, but because he came from a poor family. The emperor did not want someone from a poor family to stand out too much and be framed, so he appointed Cheng Zhao as the third-ranked scholar, which was a kind of indirect protection.
After Fu Zheli praised Cheng Zhao, some sycophants naturally followed suit and praised Cheng Zhao as well.
Taking this opportunity, Cheng Zhao began, “As you all know, I come from a poor family, from a village very, very far away. My grandparents were farmers, as were my parents. Everyone in the village relied on the land for their livelihood. It was very difficult for a rural family to support a child’s education. I was able to get ahead because the whole clan raised funds to support me. And in this world, there are many, many people like me who struggle to pursue their education.”
"Now I've finally graduated, but there are still many more children from poor families struggling. They might not be able to afford a piece of ink, a pen, or a book. Gradually, more and more people give up... That's why the ancients said, 'It's difficult for a poor family to produce a successful child...'"
His words resonated with many readers present.
There were three or four scholars, like Cheng Zhao, who came from poor backgrounds. They reached the level of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), became students of the emperor, and became the pride of their families and clans. They became legends in their hometowns. However, when they came to the capital, they realized how insignificant they were. Some of them even dared not mention their backgrounds for fear of being ostracized by this circle.
To their utter surprise, Cheng Zhao so readily admitted his poverty, which made them feel deeply ashamed.
Some people come from relatively well-off families, but after so many years of education and such huge expenses, their parents had to sell their houses and fields, and gradually, their families became destitute. Education is really difficult for these people, and when they recall the hardships of the past, their noses tingle with tears.
“I have suffered before, so I hope that people like me will suffer less,” Cheng Zhao said slowly. “I plan to create a reading pavilion so that poor students will no longer have to worry about expensive books. The current problem is that there is a lack of books. I humbly request that my classmates and colleagues donate books. The poor students who benefit from this will be grateful for your kindness.”
His words immediately silenced the room. The scholars and literati looked at each other, none of them expecting such a turn of events.
Those who could empathize with Cheng Zhao's words basically came from poor families. They had gone through untold hardships to obtain each book, and the pages were filled with bitter tears, so they were simply reluctant to donate it.
The children of the wealthy, unable to comprehend the suffering of impoverished students, and feeling no obligation to help them, remained indifferent.
There was an eerie silence at the scene.
Just then, an old but energetic voice rang out.
"I will donate one hundred copies!"
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