Chapter 230 The Strange Scholar
It's already autumn, and in some villages outside Beijing where they planted early, the rice seedlings have already taken root. The scenery along the way is a delightful green, and one can imagine that when the autumn harvest comes, the whole area will be lined with golden rice. Just thinking about it makes me very happy.
"I've lived for seventy years and I've never seen seedlings grow so well, survive so successfully, and sprout so vigorously! This year is sure to be a bumper harvest!"
"The imperial envoys arrived just in time, and they were so approachable. They ate and slept in the village. When we were busy with the planting season, they even came to help! They were wearing official robes and covered in mud, but they just smiled and said it was no problem. My husband and I wanted to invite them to stay for a meal, but then they said they weren't used to farm food."
"You don't understand, do you? It's not that they're not used to farm food, but the promotion team has rules that they can't take a single needle or thread from the people. If they stay at a villager's house, they have to pay for the accommodation and clean up the place when they leave."
"Is this really a rule?"
"Yes! My relative's friend's son's neighbor's cousin works in the promotion team. He said it himself, and everyone can see whether there's such a rule or not. Have you ever seen anyone in the promotion team eat our food or drink our water? No! Their discipline is excellent!"
"In the past, when officials came to the villages, they would not only eat and drink and take bribes, but they would also act arrogantly and bully people. Now, these officials are different from before. If all officials in the future are like these officials in the promotion team, we ordinary people will be blessed!"
"Has everyone noticed? The entire promotion team, regardless of rank, is made up of young people! The team leader is this year's top scholar, and the deputy team leaders are the third and second-ranked scholars! They've really set a good example! In the future, when those older officials die and the top scholar Zhao and the others become even higher-ranking officials, the people of Daliang will only get better and better!"
Zhou Mujiao had been traveling for a day and a night and was resting by the roadside. Her horse was drinking water by the stream when she overheard the people talking about the promotion team.
However, not everyone gave it a positive review.
Some people say, "A new broom sweeps clean. Zhao Zhuangyuan and his ilk are only working so hard because they haven't tasted the sweetness of being high-ranking officials yet. Once they become high-ranking officials, do you think they'll still come to the fields and villages?"
"Exactly! They portray them as so great, as if we'd starve without them! Little do they know that while we're here thanking them every day, they're just using us as stepping stones to climb the ladder! Once they've become high-ranking officials, they'll just throw us aside!"
"Those scholars study hard for ten years, finally passing the imperial examinations and becoming the top scholar. They want to bring honor to their ancestors and improve their family's reputation. If they still have to farm after passing the imperial examinations, why would they bother becoming the top scholar? Wouldn't it be better to just farm? So, the people in the promotion team are only doing these things to climb the social ladder!"
Someone else disagreed, retorting, "Old Li, what you're saying makes no sense. Farmers cultivate the land for a good harvest, merchants sell their goods to make money, scholars study to pass the imperial examinations, so what's wrong with officials working for promotion? Does becoming an official mean they can't have any worldly desires? If they can't climb the ranks, why would they spend ten years studying? Why wouldn't they just farm? If you don't have a harvest, would you continue farming?"
"Exactly! Putting everything else aside, the promotion team is doing practical things that benefit the people and the Great Liang. Can you find any officials in the court who are truly willing to do practical things these days? No! Although Zhao Zhuangyuan and his ilk may become high-ranking officials in the future and then ignore the people, we can't label them as 'bad officials' before they become high-ranking officials and before they ignore the people! Would you be happy if I accused you of murder without any reason?"
A young man who looked like a scholar spoke up: "Our Great Liang has long had hardworking and pragmatic officials, and we should cherish them!"
"Cherish it, cherish it! What do other people's futures have to do with us? Of course we should cherish them!"
The villagers moved on to the next topic. By this time, the horse had drunk its fill of water, and Zhou Mujiao had rested enough. She glanced at the young scholar and continued on her way.
Autumn had arrived, and although the sun no longer dried the road surface as it had in summer, the passing of a caravan of dozens of people still kicked up a cloud of dust. The villagers covered their mouths and noses with their sleeves, but instead of lowering their voices, they raised them considerably.
The young man, who looked like a scholar, stared at the horse team for a while, then smiled with narrowed eyes.
"Hey, Scholar Li, you don't even grow any grain, what are you laughing about?"
"I've seen a benefactor, and I feel like my luck is about to change for the better. Don't you think I should smile?"
"What benefactor? There are only farmers here! Where would a benefactor come from! Get out of here, you've gone mad from all your studying! You see someone and you think they're a benefactor who's come to help you out, you're insane!"
The scholar was not angry. His eyes were clear and his heart was filled with a surge of emotion. He felt that he should do something to change his current situation.
After a night of deep thought, the scholar arrived at Canglan Academy the next day with a bundle on his back. It was already past the autumn enrollment season, and Canglan Academy was not short of students, so he was told to come back after the New Year.
The scholar said, "When Scholar Zhao went to Huilan Academy to study, it wasn't during the enrollment season, yet Huilan Academy still admitted him. And as far as I know, eight out of twenty students from Taohua County entered Huilan Academy in the same way. If Huilan Academy had rejected these people because it wasn't the enrollment season, would we have Scholar Zhao and the grain promotion team today?"
The gatekeeper frowned: "What you say makes a lot of sense, but it's against the rules, and besides—"
"Are you trying to say that besides, I'm not Zhao Yunjing, and it's impossible for me to become the top scholar in the imperial examination? But I've never said that I want to become the second Zhao Yunjing. I want to be like Zhao Yunjing and become number one."
The gatekeeper opened his mouth, and someone inside spoke up: "Uncle Yu, Canglan Academy is not an academy that only accepts top scholars. Our teaching principle at Canglan Academy is to teach without discrimination. As long as someone is sincere in their studies, the academy should not reject them even if they fail the entrance exam. There is only one top scholar in each imperial examination. Does that mean someone who is not the top scholar is useless? My elder brother said that everyone has their own strengths. Even if someone is not talented, knowing more characters and reading more books can broaden their horizons. Moreover, the academy is a place that can turn the rotten into the miraculous."
A young man emerged from behind the door. He was handsome, and although not particularly tall, he was still quite pleasing to the eye. The young man approached the scholar and nodded slightly: "Brother, please wait a moment. I will go back immediately and inform the academy of this matter. Rest assured, as long as you are dedicated to your studies, Canglan Academy will welcome you with open arms."
The scholar's mind stirred: "May I ask your honorable surname, sir?"
"Zhao, Zhao Yunfei, but everyone calls me Chu Liu."
On the sixth day, he went directly to Ning Xian, who happened to be swatting flies in the administration office. Upon hearing about this, he came out to examine the scholar himself.
The scholar was surprised that Ning Xian would come out in person. He was nervous and only calmed down after Chu Liu comforted him.
After a short while, Ning Xian handed the scholar to Chu Liu: "Chu Liu, take your new classmate to the dormitory!"
On the sixth day, he was quite happy and led the way. However, after Ning Xian left, the scholar whispered, "Zhao Yunfei, don't be so nice to me, because I'm here to compete with you for the title of the next top scholar."
"May I have your name?"
“Yu Huaizhi”.
"Yes, I've got it, Huaizhi. For the next two years, I will give it my all, and I hope Brother Yu will do the same."
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