Chapter 38: Seizing the Championship

The four students from the Youli Town Academy were the first to submit their answers. Their task was relatively simple: each had to copy a piece of their master’s previous work, with the only requirement being that none of them could choose the same one.

The four students from the Lushan Town Academy, however, racked their brains. It was only when half the allotted time had passed that they finally submitted their poems.

The eight scrolls were distributed among the judges, and a hushed whispering filled the hall. The eight students felt anxious. Soon, the first rejected poem was announced. Li Jiuzhen cast a sympathetic glance at Wang Gui, who immediately wilted like a vegetable leaf nipped by frost.

Moments later, Li Jiuzhen’s sympathetic gaze shifted to Tang Huai, who instantly became a second wilted leaf. The two brothers-in-misfortune looked utterly dispirited.

The poems from the Youli Town Academy students were decent, but two of them clearly missed the theme, writing instead about the scenery of Daming Prefecture, and they were promptly eliminated.

"County Magistrate, what do you think of this one?"

The chief judge handed a poem to Liu Zhen. Liu Zhen looked at the signature—it was "Song of the Farmer" by Yue Fei.

*The red sun burns like fire,*
*The rice in the wild fields is half-withered and scorched.*
*The farmer’s heart is like boiling soup,*
*While the young masters and nobles wave their fans.*
*...*

Liu Zhen was startled. He quickly covered the poem and whispered to the chief judge, "If Magistrate Li were to see this, we would surely be severely reprimanded. Discard this poem!"

With that, he tore the manuscript to pieces. He glared fiercely at Yue Fei; for a child so young to dare write such scathing social commentary—what would he be like when he grew up? He mused to himself, "What does a child know? This must have been taught by Yao Ding. It seems this man can no longer be employed."

Liu Zhen had originally intended to transfer Yao Ding back to the county school, but after seeing Yue Fei’s poem, he changed his mind. He could not let Yao Ding remain in the county seat to corrupt the students; keeping him in a remote, isolated village would be for the best. He thus dismissed the idea of promoting Yao Ding.

At this moment, County Assistant Ma Fu handed a poem to Li Kui and smiled, "We all feel this poem is excellent and deserves first place. Please take a look, Magistrate Li."

Li Kui glanced at the County Defender and the Registrar, who both nodded in agreement with the Assistant. Li Kui unfolded the scroll to read it carefully. The tune was "Partridge Sky."

*Partridge Sky: Spring in Youli*
*Winter lingers deep in Youli, the plum blossoms yet to break,*
*The lonely branch, thin and clear, endures the frost’s glow.*
*Old peaches and withered plums, left untended,*
*In the snow, the sparse shadows reveal the faint water.*
*A gentle rain passes, early spring returns,*
*The warmth of the sun returns from the heavens.*
*Rooted in talent, thanks to the power of the East Wind,*
*The crimson buds swell overnight.*

This poem was the pride of Lu Yun, the master of the Youli Town Academy, and had been used by his students to vie for the top prize.

Li Kui nodded. "The lines 'Old peaches and withered plums, left untended, in the snow, the sparse shadows reveal the faint water' are well-written and quite interesting. However, the poem as a whole is slightly frivolous, the conception is weak, and while the imagery is sufficient, the underlying philosophy is lacking. It can be ranked second."

Ma Fu and the others stared at each other in bewilderment. Ma Fu asked, "May I ask who Magistrate Li thinks deserves first place?"

Li Kui handed them the poem in his hand. "Take a look at this one by Li Yanqing."

*Visiting Liwen Village*
*Do not laugh at the farmer’s cloudy winter wine,*
*In a bountiful year, guests are welcomed with chicken and pork.*
*The children meeting each other know the day is warm,*
*The attire is simple, the ancient spirit remains.*
*Flutes and drums follow as the Spring Festival approaches,*
*As the sun sets, the drunken old man is helped back to the village.*
*Green branches cover the ground, flowers scattered in disarray,*
*One knows the playful grandchildren have been fighting with grass.*

Ma Fu was left dumbfounded. As others passed it around, the entire hall was stunned. Li Kui stroked his beard and nodded, praising, "To be able to read such a poem full of life and vitality, my trip to Tangyin County has not been in vain."

County Magistrate Liu immediately announced that the Lushan Town Academy had won the debate competition. The four partners from Lushan Town Academy embraced in excitement; they had finally won the ultimate victory in the tournament.

...

The news that the Lushan Town Academy had taken the top prize spread like wildfire, causing a sensation throughout the city. The most excited were the fellow townsfolk living in the county. They had been prepared, and when the news arrived, the sound of firecrackers erupted around the Tang Family Inn, accompanied by the cheers of the people.

Over a dozen servants carried large baskets, and the villagers tossed money into them—wealthy merchants donated several strings of cash, while poor laborers contributed a few dozen coins to show their support. In the end, over a hundred strings of cash were collected as a donation for the academy’s operating expenses.

"They’re here! They’re here!"

Hundreds of villagers crowded around the ox cart as it pulled up to the inn. When the four children emerged, the villagers rushed forward, hoisted them high, and tossed them into the air again and again. Cheers, applause, laughter, and firecrackers filled the inn.

...

The celebration continued, but the four boys were not lucky enough to enjoy it further. After a hearty dinner, they were locked in their room by their master to prepare for tomorrow’s examination.

"Actually, there’s no need to worry too much!" Tang Huai burped, propping his feet up on the table, looking satisfied with himself. "Generally speaking, once you win the tournament, the overall outcome is essentially settled. Unless we have a collective case of diarrhea like the poor kids from Tangbei Township last year, the top prize won't escape our grasp."

"Why?" Li Yanqing asked, puzzled.

"Because the content of the exam is very simple—just rote memorization. We have to recite passages from the *Classic of Filial Piety*, the *Analects*, and the *Mencius*. We’ve already memorized them by heart, so what is there to fear?"

"But some people still can’t memorize them!" Yue Fei glanced at Wang Gui.

"What does that have to do with me!" Wang Gui muttered. "You guys studied five days longer than I did, so naturally, you’re better than me. Even if you beat me to death now, I still couldn't memorize that much."

"It’s fine! It’s fine!" Tang Huai waved his hand dismissively. "In any case, only the scores of three people are counted in the end. Even if old Gui hands in a blank paper, it won’t matter."

"Really?" the three asked in unison.

"Of course it’s true. They didn’t count my score last year, didn't you know?"

Wang Gui cheered, "Off to read!" He threw down his brush and ran to his room to study. He intended to read through it a second time, word for meticulous word.

Tang Huai wanted to follow, but Yue Fei grabbed him. "You stay here and study properly. If you mess up the exam, we really might lose the top prize."

Just then, Li Yanqing saw a waiter peeking in at the door and walked over to ask, "Is there something, brother?"

"Someone is looking for the young master outside. They are waiting in the main hall."

Li Yanqing turned to the others. "You guys start first! I’ll be right back."

Li Yanqing went to the front courtyard and saw a man in a black tunic sitting in the hall. Li Yanqing recognized him instantly as the attendant who had applied medicine to his wounds earlier.

Li Yanqing quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Uncle, why are you here?"

The man was an attendant to Prefect Li Kui. Seeing that Li Yanqing was quite polite, he returned the salute and smiled, "Is your injury feeling better, young master?"

"Thanks to your medicine, it’s no longer a problem."

The man nodded. "My master would like to invite you for a chat. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course! Shall we go now?"

"The carriage is already waiting outside."

Li Yanqing told the waiter to pass a message to his master and friends before boarding the carriage. The carriage slowly left the inn and headed toward the south of Tangyin City.

For the past two days, Li Kui had been staying at the residence of a retired official named Zhou, who had once served as a Vice Minister in the Ministry of Rites. His estate was one of the finest in Tangyin County.

Li Kui had been idling in the study that afternoon, playing chess with his host. At that moment, the attendant reported at the door, "Reporting to the Magistrate, young master Li has arrived."

Li Kui set down his chess piece and smiled. "I met a little prodigy at the Children’s Competition, and I’m quite interested in him. Why don't you join us, Yanei?"

The host, knowing this was merely a polite gesture, made an excuse and excused himself.

A moment later, Li Yanqing was led into the study. He bowed deeply. "Yanqing greets the Magistrate!"

Li Kui waved his hand and smiled. "Be at ease. Let’s sit and talk."

A maid brought in two bowls of tea and several kinds of snacks. Li Yanqing looked around but did not see the young lady, Jiuzhen.

Li Kui understood and stroked his beard, smiling slightly. "My daughter somehow got her hands on a book of vernacular supernatural stories. She’s been obsessed with it for the past two days—this is her second time reading it. She won't even respond when called for dinner. She’s probably still hiding in her room reading."

Li Yanqing apologized, "It must have been a gift from my friend. You saw him that day, Magistrate. I am truly sorry."

"That’s quite alright. It’s a good thing to enjoy reading. Besides, with the ice and snow outside, I’m glad she’s staying in her room—it's just as well."

Li Yanqing smiled. Although this Magistrate Li held a high and powerful position, his tone was gentle and his attitude friendly, making Li Yanqing feel no pressure of official authority, as if he were simply chatting with a kind elder.

Li Kui pondered for a moment and then asked, "Young master is only six, yet you are already well-versed in books and knowledgeable about the past, a prodigy beyond your years. I suspect this is due to your deep family background. May I ask who your father is?"

This was the reason Li Kui was interested in Li Yanqing. What kind of father could raise such a young genius? Talent was, of course, necessary, but family education was equally important. His own daughter was the best example—she had started writing poetry at four.

Li Yanqing hesitated before saying, "My father’s name is Daqi."

"Li Daqi!"

Li Kui felt as though he had heard the name somewhere before. He had only been in Xiangzhou for two years and was not familiar with the Cizhou Imperial Examination case from years ago; he had only occasionally flipped through some files.

Li Yanqing knew some things could not be avoided. As soon as Li Kui had any contact with local officials, he would find out about his father’s past. It was better to say it himself than to let him hear it from others.

Li Yanqing gathered his courage and asked, "Magistrate, have you heard of the Cizhou Imperial Examination case from five years ago?"