Chapter 10: The Palace Examination Ruined (10)
With the students' diligent care, Zhu Qingchen recovered from his illness in just a few days.
He carried his school box and returned to the academy to teach.
As soon as I entered the door, I ran into Prince Jing.
Perhaps it was because he did not please the old school official, Prince Jing's face did not look very good.
Zhu Qingchen ignored him and went straight to Wenyuan Palace.
While having lunch with the old school officials at noon, Zhu Qingchen listened to them talking about recent events.
The old scholar who allowed Prince Jing to enter the palace snorted coldly and said indifferently: "He made a solemn promise before he came, saying that he used to ride horses and hunt and felt that he wasted his time, and now he wants to study and learn reason, so I let him come."
"After he came here, it would be fine if he just wrote bad articles, but he has evil intentions and brought in his hunting and feasting habits. Today he wants to go to Guanchao Tower to drink, and tomorrow he wants to go out of the city to have fun. He can't live in peace."
"I would lecture him, but he would come up with ten or a hundred fallacies and heresies waiting for me. One moment he would say something about being a famous scholar, and the next he would say he was tired of studying and needed a break."
Zhu Qingchen ate his food while listening to the gossip carefully and nodded: "Yeah, then what?"
The old scholar blew his beard and said, "Then I told him that if he were Li Bai alive, I would not be able to teach him, let alone control him. Instead, I would kneel down and worship him as my teacher."
"But he is not like that, and neither are my students. They are just average people, sailing against the current. If they don't move forward, they will fall behind. If they study hard and write essays, they will be lucky if they don't fall behind."
"If you don't have the talent of a famous scholar, don't try to imitate the style of a famous scholar, and don't encourage others to harm others and yourself."
Zhu Qingchen couldn't help laughing and nodded vigorously: "You are right!"
The old scholar's words were much more powerful than his, and he even used the words "harming others and yourself". No wonder Prince Jing looked so unhappy.
The old academic officer relaxed his expression and said, "Fortunately, my students are smart enough to know the pros and cons and were not instigated by him."
Zhu Qingchen continued to flatter: "You really teach well!"
The old student laughed and said, "You are a good teacher and have foresight. I heard that the first person King Jing approached was you, but you refused it long ago?"
"Yes." Zhu Qingchen asked, "But how did you know about this?"
The old scholar said calmly, "When he first came to me, he told me that you are narrow-minded and arrogant, and are far inferior to me in terms of gentleness and kindness."
Another student officer looked up and said, "That's what he told me too."
"I also."
Zhu Qingchen frowned:?
Is this person mentally ill?
In order to flatter the old academic official, you step on him hard?
Still narrow-minded, he is the one who is narrow-minded, right?
Zhu Qingchen put down his chopsticks, feeling so disgusted by Prince Jing that he could hardly eat anymore.
The old scholar asked, "Why don't you eat it? You obviously saw through his evil intentions long ago, so you rejected him. We didn't take his words to heart, and you don't have to take them to heart either."
Zhu Qingchen shook his head: "I can't eat anymore."
"Eat quickly, eat more, eat more to grow taller."
"Oh well."
Zhu Qingchen reluctantly picked up the chopsticks again.
The old scholar smiled and said, "Look at our little Zhu, he is so carefree from head to toe. He was pouting just now, but he became happy again after eating something."
Zhu Qingchen raised his head: "Are you praising me?"
"Why not? Eat more."
After lunch, the old students pressed the corners of their lips with a handkerchief, untied the gauze covering their beards, took out a small comb, and combed their beards.
Old school officials should always maintain their image and show off.
Zhu Qingchen held his face, sat in his seat waiting for them, and watched them smile foolishly.
"What are you laughing at? When you grow a beard, you will do the same."
"I thought of my old teacher."
The old school officials smiled and patted his head.
*
In a blink of an eye, the New Year is approaching.
It is strange that the emperor, who always loved banquets, actually issued an edict saying that the palace banquet on New Year's Eve this year was cancelled.
The emperor said that it was very cold in winter and with ministers coming and going, it was inevitable that they would catch a cold.
Therefore, the palace banquet was cancelled, and instead, imperial meals were awarded from the palace and sent to the homes of court officials.
Zhu Qingchen was very happy. He had just recovered from an illness, didn't like watching dancing, and was too lazy to move. It was so comfortable for him to just stay at home and eat!
Thank you, Your Majesty!
When Zhu Qingchen received the order and expressed his gratitude, he bent down quickly, looking very pious.
When the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict returned to report, the emperor was leaning on the couch with his hands clasped together, his eyes closed, listening to the musician playing the piano.
The eunuch reported back, "Master Xu was a little confused and asked the reason. After learning that it was the emperor's sympathy, he thanked the emperor. Master Gao was the same." "Master Zhu didn't ask the reason. He was very happy when he received the order and thanked the emperor. He put his hands together and bowed, bending down and almost fell forward. It was the students next to him who helped him up, otherwise he would have fallen to the ground."
The emperor laughed, opened his eyes slightly, and said, "Say it again."
The eunuch paused for a moment, suspecting that he had misheard. Then, realizing what he had heard, he quickly said, "Master Zhu was so happy that he clasped his hands together and bowed, and almost fell forward."
The emperor raised his hand, supported his forehead, and laughed softly again.
At this moment, the annoying system electronic sound was heard in the air again.
"Host, please control your emotions."
The emperor cleared his throat and tried to lower the corners of his mouth, but it seemed he couldn't do it.
Why is Zhu Qingqing so funny?
Isn't it just that the New Year's Eve palace banquet was cancelled? Are you so happy? I almost fell down.
It’s funny just thinking about it.
"Host, please control your emotions..."
"Shut up, am I not in control?"
The emperor's mouth twitched.
*
On the day of the Little New Year's Eve, everyone in the academy gathered together and had a simple meal.
The candles were bright, there was a charcoal basin lit in the hall, the fire was roaring, and it was very warm.
Zhu Qingchen sat in the main seat with the old school officials and accepted the students' New Year greetings.
"I wish Master Xu, Master Gao, and the other old masters good health and a long life."
"I wish you good health... and a long life of 100 years."
Zhu Qingchen always felt that something was wrong, from head to toe, as if he was being congratulated on his eightieth birthday.
But he is only twenty years old this year!
The oldest white-bearded scholar who sat in the middle supported the table, raised his wine glass, and stood up.
"I wish all students to grow one year older, better than the old year, stay healthy and happy, have more ideas and improve their writing skills."
"May the students who will take the spring exam next year pass the exam with honors. I would like to offer a glass of wine to the students of Daqi, who will be the future pillars of the imperial court."
Zhu Qingchen also stood up, his brows curved, he pushed the wine glass forward, and then drank it all in one gulp.
The old school officials were not comfortable drinking too much, so they just drank a few glasses and stopped there. The students did not dare to toast them too much.
Zhu Qingchen was not so lucky. He was the youngest among the school officials, and the students all came to him with wine glasses raised.
Zhu Qingchen drank two or three cups reluctantly, still wanting to save some space for food, so he quickly waved his hand: "No more, no more."
The students laughed and said, "Master, you only drank Senior Brother Liu's cup. Do you think we are not as smart as Senior Brother Liu?"
"no……"
"Then the master must not be partial."
Zhu Qingchen paused and changed his words: "You are indeed not as smart as An'er, nor as hardworking as An'er. The Master does not say that he dislikes you, but in his heart... he feels a little bit..."
Students:?
While they were distracted, Zhu Qingchen quickly hid behind the old school officials and said, "No more drinking. I want to eat some food."
The students tried to pull him away but were pushed away by the senior school officials.
"Go away, go away, you have no respect for your elders. Can you just grab the master and pull him around?"
The students all dispersed with smiles on their faces, running to find their classmates to exchange poems and drink together.
Zhu Qingchen squeezed in among the old school officials, put down his wine glass and started eating.
The old school officials were also happy. They ate their food, chatted casually, and laughed happily.
"After the New Year comes the spring exam. On the first day of the first lunar month, the threshold of Dajue Temple will be trampled once again."
"Lao Gao, you still dare to say that? Who was squatting at the gate of Dajue Temple three years ago, waiting for the door to open and burn the first incense?"
"In the end, it was Old Xu's student who won the top prize that year. Fortunately, we stopped you, otherwise you would have smashed the temple."
"That temple doesn't allow that!" Senior Scholar Gao blushed. "Besides, didn't I know you would stop me? I didn't even get on the carriage before you dragged me away. Did I hit a piece of the roof?"
Zhu Qingchen ate his food, raised his head and looked at them in confusion.
What are they talking about?
Senior Scholar Gao patted the back of his hand and said to him seriously, "Xiaozhu, you don't know what I mean. It's about the Dajue Temple outside the city. I don't know who said that if you burn the first incense at the Dajue Temple on the first day of the first lunar month, you will be blessed with the top scorer in the imperial examination."
"I've tried them all, they're all fake, they're scams, don't believe them, don't go. They must have been made up by the incense vendors in front of the temple to scare people."
Zhu Qingchen nodded seriously: "Okay, I'll remember it."
The other school officials laughed and said, "Xiao Zhu, he must have lied to you. He doesn't want you to go and doesn't want you to compete with him, little fool."
Senior Academic Officer Gao hurriedly stopped them: "What are you talking about? Am I that kind of person? Would I lie to Xiao Zhu? I was just afraid that Xiao Zhu would be cheated like me."
Zhu Qingchen did not listen to the other students. He put down his chopsticks, held the hand of Senior Student Gao, and looked at him very seriously: "Senior Student Gao, then we have a deal. Neither of us will go to burn incense."
Senior Scholar Gao patted the back of his hand and gave him a firm look: "Good boy, we agreed that none of us will go. Whoever goes to burn incense will be sorry to the ancestor."
"Um."
The two men nodded vigorously, clasped their hands, raised their glasses, and formed an alliance amid the complicated and confused expressions of the other students.
The alliance of “Refusing to Burn Incense at Dajue Temple” was established!
*
After the New Year’s Eve, the academy was closed for holiday.
The students all went home to celebrate the New Year, and Zhu Qingchen also rested at home.
After lying in the room for two days, Zhu Qingchen felt like he was about to melt, so he set up a stall in front of the school gate and wrote Spring Festival couplets for the people.
His students also sent him New Year gifts.
Liu An gave a rubbing of an ancient broken stele, and Pei Xuan gave a whole donkey cart of fresh fruits.
Zhu Qingchen patted Liu An's shoulder with his left hand and Pei Xuan's shoulder with his right hand: "You are all my good children."
At the same time, we have both material food and spiritual food.
Liu An smiled, and Pei Xuan lowered his head with an embarrassed smile on his face: "Master, thank you for the compliment."
Zhu Qingchen put his arm around their shoulders and said, "Come and help me write the Spring Festival couplets."
“…”
There were too many people asking for Spring Festival couplets, and Zhu Qingchen couldn’t handle it alone, so he decided to ask a few students to help.
As a result, the two students' handwriting was despised by the onlookers.
Liu An's calligraphy is too chilly, not suitable for the New Year, but suitable for Qingming Festival.
Pei Xuan's handwriting is too ancient and unsophisticated, not suitable for the New Year, but suitable for writing on tombstones.
They are a perfect match.
The people also enthusiastically suggested that after a few months, during the Qingming Festival, they should go out together to sell calligraphy, one writing elegiac couplets and the other writing tombstones, and maybe they could make some money.
Liu An was furious. He rolled up his sleeves and wanted to argue with him, but Pei Xuan stopped him: "Senior Brother Liu, forget it."
Zhu Qingchen smiled and instructed the two of them to go grind ink and cut paper.
He heard people say: "Master Zhu's calligraphy is better."
Zhu Qingchen cleared his throat, straightened his body silently, and raised the hand holding the pen a little higher.
It has to be me! Confidence!
The next second, they continued, "I wish that Master's handwriting is round and plump, just like others, and it brings blessings to look at."
Zhu Qingchen looked down at the thick clothes and cloak he was wearing.
Isn't he just wearing a little more clothes?
Is it necessary to say that about him? And he is chubby?
Seeing that he was angry, the people laughed and said, "It's even more like him."!
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