Chapter 69: Debate: She is the one from Luoxi Mountain.
It was a moonlit night. Taiyi Girls' School and Jisu Garden were located in two different places in Yunjing, but both were brightly lit.
The girls of the Imperial Academy had begun their nighttime readings. A gentle breeze carried the hum of their recitations over the high walls. A curious Imperial College student, holding a lantern, perched on the wall's diamond-shaped window to eavesdrop. After listening for a while, he burst into laughter and exclaimed, "Do you know what they're reading? 'The Great Learning' and 'The Doctrine of the Mean'—I could recite these two books backwards when I was seven!"
Some people said, "Girls from scholarly families should also take the Four Books as a required course of enlightenment. Your Excellency has summoned these illiterate women and dared to threaten to challenge our Imperial College."
The figure in the window winked, "Perhaps the drunkard's real purpose is not to drink, but to talk about war under the guise of leisure, but in fact he wants to add some beautiful women to our lives. Although these girls may be dull, they are all very beautiful."
"On the day of the debate, we must go and join in the fun."
"Brother Wang is known for his sharp wit. Please be gentle and don't scare the ladies into tears."
Everyone was laughing under the diamond-shaped window, waiting to see the joke of Taiyi Girls' School on the eighth day of June.
At this time, Cong Ying was also sitting in front of the lamp with his clothes on. In his left hand was a shelf full of books, some opened and some upside down, which still retained the scent of ink from plants and trees exposed to the sun during the day. In his right hand was a pile of written articles. He wrote fluently, and occasionally stopped to think.
Zi Su helped her light the lamp and grind the ink, reading beside her with great interest. Noticing Cong Ying covering her face with her hands and yawning, she dared to chat with her. "A Ying's writing is both excellent in both form and meaning, and is no less impressive than those of the Jinshi scholars. But why did you suddenly write so much? Are you planning to compile it into a collection?"
"Yes, inspiration happens to flow like a spring tonight."
Cong Ying knew that Zi Su was still connected to the Jin Palace, so she didn't tell her the true purpose of these articles. She advised her, "It's so late, you should go to bed first. I'll write for a while."
Zi Su didn't leave: "I'm also in high spirits, so I can help you grind the ink."
Cong Ying had no choice but to finish writing the paragraph at hand, put down his pen, wash the inkstone, extinguish the branch lamp, and leave the study with Zi Su, and each went back to wash and rest.
But she lay on the couch and couldn't fall asleep for a while. She kept thinking about the debate between Taiyi Women's School and the Imperial College. The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Seeing the bright moonlight shining on the small table by the window, she couldn't help but put on her clothes and get out of bed. She quietly lit a lamp, returned to the study with her hand, and started writing again.
She wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep—
But Shisu had drunk too much tea during the day, so she sat beside Ying while she was writing, drinking one cup after another.
Zi Su couldn't sleep, so she got up and relaxed in the yard, calculating whether the monthly money she had saved was enough to buy a small house in a remote area of Yunjing.
At this time, she saw a faint light coming from the study. She became suspicious and quietly moved over. Through the half-open side window, she saw Cong Ying sitting upright and writing quickly. She was wearing a cloak and her long hair was simply tied up, shining softly in the light.
Zi Su did not disturb her. After looking for a while, she turned around and left silently.
In a blink of an eye, it was time to return to Prince Jin's mansion to collect his monthly allowance. Prince Jin asked about Cong Ying's recent situation and asked Zi Su to report everything in detail.
For Zi Su, who only sought to gain a superficial understanding of books, he could not understand the joy of burning the midnight oil. Naturally, he regarded the fireflies dancing in the dark as an abnormal behavior and reported it to King Jin.
After hearing this, the King of Jin tapped the red sandalwood armchair lightly with his fingers and ordered Zi Su: "Copy all the articles she wrote and don't disturb her."
Zi Su thought of the mountain of papers and took a deep breath. "Huh?"
Since Ying was buried in her writing until midnight every day, if she wanted to copy, she had to get up in the late night to work, and then get up early the next day... Zi Su regretted it so much that she wished she could sew her mouth shut.
Seeing her expression as if she had lost her parents, the King of Jin slammed his jade crutch to the ground and said, "Chen Zhang."
Chen Zhang was the newly appointed personal attendant of the Prince of Jin. Hearing his master's summons, he entered with a wooden box in his hand. He opened it in front of Zi Su and removed the red cloth. Zi Su was instantly dazzled by the white silver ingot.
"Work harder and earn an extra year's wages. Next month you can buy the house and bring your grandmother to Beijing to settle down."
Seeing Zi Su tremblingly extending her hand, King Jin said with a half-smile, "Deliver the goods first, and settle the bill later. The faster you copy, the more you will get."
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In the blink of an eye, it was the second day of June. Wooden platforms were erected on both sides of the Tiannv Canal, and flying planks connected them. The restaurants and teahouses on both sides were crowded with people who came to watch the fun. Among them were children of wealthy families, Hanlin scholars from the court, and invited relatives and dignitaries.
Princess Chun'an's red curtained brocade tent was parked on the round altar on the east bank. On the same side of her was another curtained carriage, in which sat the Prince of Jin.
Among the crowd of onlookers, some were whispering, "Prince Jin has actually come out of the palace. Is he here to see the joke, or to help the princess?"
Someone responded, "Prince Jin is the emperor's heir. If he doesn't show up, everyone will forget about him."
"So, Princess Chun'an wants to oppose Prince Huai and support Prince Jin?"
"Who knows what the big shots are thinking..."
Cong Ying sat upright in the stands, his eyes fixed on the two curtained carriages, his ears quietly listening to the discussions and speculations of the crowd.
Last month, after handing over the collection of essays she'd spent hours writing to Yiyun, she received an invitation from the princess's residence, inviting her to sit in on the debate. Cong Ying, feeling guilty, thought she'd given away something, and the princess had suspected her identity. Later, she discovered this wasn't the case; Princess Chun'an had sent invitations to many people, even Prince Jin and Xie Xuanlan.
Xie Xuanlan did not arrive today when he entered the palace to serve the emperor, but Congying arrived on time, saving her the trouble of finding another way.
After the hour of Mao, a burst of drumming followed, and the princess's attendant emerged, addressing the crowd: "In obedience to the greatness of Heaven and the rites of Earth, the students of the Imperial Academy have diligently pursued their studies and have made significant progress. To honor their literary talent and cultivate a culture of learning, today we are holding a gathering of elegant discussions, following the example of ancient sages. I invite all the gentlemen of the Imperial Academy to attend and join us in this debate."
After he finished speaking, the jade pestle struck the chime, and the clear and resounding sound spread out like waves, and the debate began.
The attendant took out a bow and arrow and shot at the lantern hanging on the Huabiao pillar. The lantern exploded and dropped a banner with the first title: "Nature is the mandate of Heaven, following nature is the Way, and cultivating the Way is teaching."
These are the opening words of The Doctrine of the Mean. As the students of the Imperial College said, many people had already memorized them when they were first taught.
A young girl dressed in Taiyi costume stepped onto the high platform. She was a little nervous, but her speech was relatively fluent. She briefly explained what "sex, Taoism, and religion" were from a mainstream perspective.
As soon as she finished speaking, a young man from the Imperial College jumped onto the stage and said, "Young lady, your views are just the talk of a child imitating others. With so many talented people gathered here today, are you here to listen to your enlightenment?"
The assembled Imperial College students erupted in malicious laughter, and the young woman blushed with shame as she said, "Please advise me, Your Excellency."
The student presented his own viewpoint. It wasn't brilliant, but every word he said contradicted her, making him sound superior. The girl looked anxiously in the direction of Princess Chun'an. She didn't see the princess, but she did see Yiyun standing outside the princess's curtained carriage. Yiyun made a suggestive gesture, and the girl nodded gently, feeling a little relieved.
She spoke again, and the content was completely different. Unlike the student's purely sensational speech, her expression was novel and profound, citing classics. Although her tone was slow, her words were sharp.
There were cheers and applause from the audience, and they threw the silk flowers in their hands to the young girl.
Congying felt slightly relieved, but the Prince of Jin frowned slightly in his curtained carriage. Taiyi's new perspectives were strikingly similar to those in Zisu's copy of Congying's essay. How had Congying's essay ended up in your Lord's hands?
Judging from the audience’s response, the female student of Taiyi won the first question.
Then the attendant shot the lantern, revealing the second question, which was still the familiar excerpt from The Doctrine of the Mean: "Sincerity is the way of Heaven; sincerity is the way of man."
Having suffered a setback at the outset, the Imperial College no longer underestimated its opponent, sending out a renowned student, Xu Lingzhi, to the stage. It was said that he had once presented his collected works to the great Confucian scholars of the time, earning him the acclaim of "a rising star, a rising star with a voice unrivalled in the world". He was indeed quite capable. After listening to the Taiyi student's explanation, he didn't rush to express himself, but instead questioned each of their remarks, his questions probing each point. He even asked, directly in front of Princess Chun'an, "Humbleness, respect, and obedience are the true virtues of women. But now there is a woman who refuses to serve her uncles and aunts, and is unfaithful to her husband. Is this sincerity or hypocrisy?"
Everyone could hear that this question was directed at Princess Chun'an who was sitting at the top.
Taiyi's female student had never prepared for similar questions, and since the matter involved her benefactor, she did not dare to answer casually, and was stumped for a moment.
The audience below the stage were whispering and gradually turned their attention to Princess Chun'an, and began to discuss some court anecdotes that were unrelated to today's topic, such as the fact that Princess Chun'an had not lived with the Xuan family for ten years after her marriage and had no children. The princess's mansion was full of staff, including handsome twins who often accompanied her with fans.
Cong Ying became anxious after hearing this and looked towards Yiyun. Their eyes met and Yiyun nodded, indicating that she should not worry.
Although this question caught people off guard, Congying and Yiyun had discussed this topic before when they were friends, and Yiyun was impressed by Congying's answer at that time.
Yiyun then stepped onto the high platform and answered on his behalf: "The minor relationships between husband and wife are the sincerity of human nature, while the major relationships between ruler and subject are the sincerity of Heaven. Since ancient times, filial piety has been replaced by loyalty, and people have sacrificed their families for the sake of their country, all of which are for the sake of the major relationships, sacrificing minor relationships. The major relationships are even more respected before the minor relationships. Your Excellency is discussing the humble sincerity of women. I would like to ask if there is any difference between this woman and her uncles, aunts, and husbands, rulers, and subjects. How dare you discuss minor relationships in the face of the major relationships?"
Xu Lingzhi's face changed. Of course, he didn't dare to admit that he was talking about Princess Chun'an, so he began to hesitate.
Yiyun's words shocked everyone. Even Gan Jiu, who had always looked down on her, was impressed. "Instead of arguing with them about whether women's ways are inferior or not, why not bring up the relationship between ruler and subject, and use their own spear to attack their shield. Let's see who dares to say that the ruler is less important than the subject."
Prince Jin also found this remark quite interesting. He lifted the curtain with his gold-sprinkled folding fan and looked at the person on the high altar. Seeing that it was Yiyun, he became suspicious: Why is it her?
We only met once on Guikuizhang. This person was clearly Aying's senior sister, so how did she become the princess's aide?
"Chen Zhang," the King of Jin ordered in a low voice, "Go and find out where she came from."
Because of Yiyun's brilliant speech, the second question was still about Taiyi Women's School, which won applause. Except for the people from the Imperial College who voted for Xu Lingzhi, most of the other audience members voted for Taiyi.
Then came the third question, the fourth question...
Many of the Taiyi female students' brilliant remarks coincided with recent writings by Congying. The King of Jin had a photographic memory for Congying's writings and was certain they had memorized them with unwavering concentration, to the point where they could apply them to their own needs.
Chen Zhang returned, kneeling on one knee beside the curtained carriage, and quietly reported to the Prince of Jin, "Your Highness, I have consulted with the Princess's spies, and they say that this Miss Yiyun once corresponded with your Majesty through letters and was known as 'Falling Osmanthus Mountain Man.' She was later recruited by your Majesty and is now your most favored advisor, even surpassing Gan Jiu."
The King of Jin was stunned when he heard this: "What did you just say her nickname was?"
Chen Zhang repeated, "A man from Luoxi Mountain."
"The fallen osmanthus tree transforms into fireflies, illuminating the entire hall...but is this fallen osmanthus tree?"
Chen Zhang thought of the calligraphy hanging in the Guanxi Garden of the Prince of Jin's Mansion and nodded, "Exactly these two words."
This is impossible. Prince Jin thought to himself, "Luoxi is Ah Ying's courtesy name. She is the only one in the world who would use this as her nickname and is worthy of it."
He stared at Congying who was sitting in the audience, but he did not find any resentment or anger on her face after being impersonated. Instead, she looked at Yiyun with a smile, and they nodded to each other in tacit understanding.
Prince Jin couldn't help but feel confused: Could it be that Aying herself gave Yiyun this name? But why did she do that?
More than half the lanterns on the Huabiao pillars had already been shot down. If the Imperial College continued to lose, it would be on the verge of defeat. These complacent students finally panicked and were even a little afraid to fight. Fortunately, Xu Lingzhi was quick-witted and shouted repeatedly, "Go and ask Brother Zhiqing! Go and ask Brother Zhiqing!"
Di Zhiqing, son of the Rongyang Di family, was the younger brother of Di Feishuang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
Both brother and sister were renowned for their erudition and intelligence. The elder sister, Di Feishuang, married the Xie family and inherited her father's legacy as a woman, now holding the helm of the Ministry of Justice. The younger brother, Di Zhiqing, forsaking his family background, passed the imperial examinations three times in a row and now serves as a Langzhong in the Ministry of Revenue's Department of Finance.
Di Zhiqing was invited to come. He was about to refuse when he heard they would be on stage bullying young girls, but seeing how badly the Imperial College had lost, he couldn't bear it. After much urging from Xu Lingzhi and the others, he finally took the stage. His extreme humility betrayed a certain arrogance: "Thank you."
He took the bow and arrow from the attendant, shot the lantern open himself, and continued the topic.
Unlike the self-righteous students at the Imperial College, Di Zhiqing was truly well-versed in poetry and literature. Standing with his hands behind his back, he could quote from the classics and connect the dots between state affairs. His arguments were meticulous and concise, and he quickly won applause and easily won three questions in a row.
The audience in the audience threw silk flowers to Di Zhiqing.
Seeing that the gap between the two sides was narrowing rapidly and there were fewer and fewer questions on the Huabiao pillar, Yiyun became a little anxious. When she was about to face the challenge, she saw Cong Ying in the crowd greeting her.
Yiyun quietly left the altar and walked to Congying's side. Congying whispered, "This person is difficult to deal with. Prepare a set of Taiyi clothing and a Mili for me quickly."
Yiyun was surprised: "You want to go and fight in person?"
Cong Ying nodded: "Princess, please cover my eyes for me."
By the time Cong Ying changed her clothes and went up to the high altar wearing a veil, all the lanterns on the Huabiao pillars had been shot away. Thanks to Di Zhiqing's efforts to turn the tide, the Taiyi Women's School and the Imperial College were actually tied in victory or defeat.
Di Zhiqing smiled and shook his head, looking down on both sides. When he turned around and was about to leave, a clear female voice sounded behind him:
"Could you please leave one more question for us to decide the winner?"
Di Zhiqing turned around and saw a graceful girl wearing a veil. Although he couldn't see her face clearly, he still felt that she was pure and upright. He felt a little pity for her and said to her kindly, "This result is acceptable to both of us. If there is another question, how will the Taiyi Girls' School feel? I'm afraid the young lady will be heartbroken too."
Cong Ying said, "You don't dare."
Di Zhiqing was amused by her provocation. Seeing that she was determined to humiliate herself, he happily accepted the challenge: "Let me make a promise first, the loser is not allowed to cry. I don't want to make a beautiful woman sad."
Cong Ying didn't comment, glanced at the Huabiao column and said, "The Huabiao column is empty. I'll let Di Langjun answer the last question."
It sounds like she is even more arrogant than Di Zhiqing.
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