Press Them All Down!

These two scholars were the same two who had been scolded by Qiu Yan in the tavern earlier that day. They had just received invitations to the literary gathering and were on their way to the banquet when they saw Qiu Yan return, which surprised them.

"Brother Zhang, Qiu Yan beat up the Marshfolk and was summoned by the military governor, but how come nothing happened to him?"

"You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask?"

"This matter is strange, but since you and I are attending a banquet tonight, we'll be able to meet the children of high-ranking military officials. We can inquire about them and obtain some confidential information."

"Indeed, our perspectives are different now, and our networks are much wider; we should make good use of that."

As the two were still talking, they saw the servant in blue robes who had delivered the invitations to them walk towards Qiu Yan's room. Not long after, Qiu Yan came out of the room, clutching an invitation.

"This..."

The two scholars only realized what was happening when Qiu Yan walked past them without even glancing at them.

"They're so arrogant! They didn't even glance at us, they completely disregard us!"

"Brother Liu, please calm down." The scholar surnamed Zhang calmed down. "Although I don't know what method he used to get through and even obtain an invitation to the literary gathering, don't forget what kind of people are at this gathering. Without some real skills, going there will only make him look foolish and become a laughing stock!"

"Yes! Yes!" The scholar surnamed Liu also realized what was happening and laughed. "A Grand Confucian test of knowledge. He'll only make a fool of himself at this literary gathering. We're in for a good show today..."

Literary Star Tower is quite an anomaly in Wuxin City.

As a military garrison, the entire Wuxin City exudes a rugged and bloody Sand Battlefield atmosphere. Even the taverns and inns are simply decorated, emphasizing practicality, with few or no fancy decorations.

But Literary Star Tower is different. It's a multi-story pavilion with a nine-ridged roof, carved tigers in the brackets, a garden in front of the door, and a front hall that faces you. It's luxurious and Great Qi.

This pavilion was reportedly designed and built by craftsmen and artisans from the Imperial City at great expense by the military governor, so that his beloved daughter could experience the refined and elegant style of the Great Rui Dynasty.

At this moment, in Literary Star Tower, young men and women dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses were being led by servants from inside the tower through the main hall and into the upper floor.

These servants were all dressed in bright clothes, clothes that ordinary people could not afford. And these were just the servants. After entering the main room, a beautiful young woman dressed in light gauze came to lead the way. Every smile and frown of hers was captivating.

Besides the boys and young women, several sedan chairs were parked in front of the gate. The women who stepped out of the sedan chairs were all dressed elegantly in short jackets and skirts, with maids attending to them. They were clearly daughters of officials.

These women knew the place well and entered Literary Star Tower just like everyone else.

Not long after, most of the boys, young men, and young ladies had entered, and then a group of scholars dressed in blue robes arrived outside. Compared to the previous group, these scholars' attire seemed rather shabby, but many of them were handsome and refined. They exuded composure and confidence as they walked, and in terms of temperament alone, they were not inferior.

"Brother Gu, today's literary gathering is quite different from the previous ones. Not only will we students be here, but the children of military and civil officials in the city will also be present. This is a great opportunity for us to show our talents."

Fang Ziyan and Gu Yanzhi walked side by side, Fang Ziyan speaking with a radiant expression on his face.

Gu Yanzhi nodded and said, "Brother Fang is right. However, I heard that Mr. Zhao intends to choose a disciple for this literary gathering. Compared to that, everything else is not important."

"Of course." Fang Ziyan nodded in agreement.

Zhao Bingcheng was a master of Shu Learning, with profound knowledge. In addition, he had a large number of disciples. Although it cannot be said that his students were all over the world, many of them held positions in the imperial court. If one became his disciple, one would not have to worry about the imperial Imperial Examinations. During the Provincial Examinations, no matter which examiner it was, they would have to give Zhao Bingcheng some face.

As they spoke, Fang Ziyan and Gu Yanzhi entered the Literary Star Tower, surrounded by a group of Confucian scholars.

When Qiu Yan arrived at the building, servants came to greet him. He handed over the invitation and then left.

Before coming, Qiu Yan changed his clothes, putting on the blue robe that the government had given him after he passed the Xiucai examination. He tied his waist and straightened his collar, which made him look quite neat. This was not because he was vain, but because it was basic etiquette and showed respect for others. If he deliberately wore clothes that were not appropriate when attending a formal banquet, it would not be considered modesty, but rather impolite.

However, even compared to the servants leading the way, his clothes looked shabby. Fortunately, most of the scholars who came here had ordinary plans, so it wasn't too bad.

After passing the main room and crossing the threshold, you'll reach the flower hall.

The spacious hall was draped with curtains, and the occasional burst of cheerful laughter could be heard. The many young men in brocade robes and scholars in blue gowns who had entered earlier were chatting and laughing with a group of beautiful young women.

These were all courtesans in Literary Star Tower.

From deep within the flower hall, the sound of a zither drifted out.

Talented men and beautiful women, elegant and charming, have always been a pleasure for Scholar Forest. The Confucian scholars who came here were all successful Xiucai in the imperial examinations, and there were even a few who had passed the provincial examinations. Of course, they were not to be outdone, and they discussed metaphysics and philosophy with the woman, and composed poems and painted pictures.

"The air in this brothel is too heavy with the scent of rouge, and there's a corrupting influence on one's mind. Spending too much time in such a place inevitably leads to a loss of ambition and moral character."

Shaking his head, Qiu Yan declined the two women who came to greet him. He found a chair, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest. He had come as agreed, at the invitation of Zhao Bingcheng, not the young lady from the Song Household. However, since he was here, he naturally had his own plans.

"Isn't that Qiu Yan?"

Most of the scholars who came to this building stayed at the post station. When they saw Qiu Yan enter, they recognized him immediately and inevitably started talking about him, displaying their wit and making the beautiful woman beside them smile.

"Zhang Sheng, Liu Sheng, you said this afternoon that Qiu Yan offended the Marshfolk prince and was summoned by the military governor. How come he also received an invitation to the literary gathering?"

Soon, people started asking about it.

Zhang Sheng and Liu Sheng were the two scholars who had arrived earlier, one after the other with Qiu Yan. Upon hearing this, they could not answer and could only guess.

"Oh? This Qiu Yan is very famous?"

Listening to the scholars' discussion, the two young men in brocade robes found it amusing and came over to ask them questions.

These two teenagers looked young, but their steps were steady and their eyes were bright as stars, clearly indicating that they were skilled in martial arts and had considerable expertise.

"Young Master Qi, Young Master Yang..."

Upon seeing the two approaching, many scholars hurriedly bowed, including Fang Ziyan and Gu Yanzhi.

These two young gentlemen, one named Qi Xin and the other Yang Dingyuan, were fathers of military governors. Their fathers were both trusted generals, holding high positions and wielding military power, and were not to be trifled with by ordinary people.

The scholars of the Great Rui Dynasty looked down on the military, but that was selective. If the people present were officials of the court, they would naturally not be afraid of military generals. But right now, these scholars had not yet entered officialdom, they only had academic titles, so how could they dare to offend a military general with real power? They even treated the son of a military general with great courtesy.

Immediately, someone told Qi Xin and Yang Dingyuan about Qiu Yan's situation.

"Oh? He was scared off by the test? Could he be an ignorant fool who's taken the Evil Dao? But you said he had a conflict with the Marshfolk and even fought with them, so he shouldn't be a coward. Interesting. Interesting." Qi Xin chuckled and then walked towards Qiu Yan.

"What is Brother Qi doing?" The slightly younger Yang Dingyuan was suspicious, but still followed.

"Is this Brother Qiu?"

Qiu Yan had already sensed that someone was observing him. Hearing Qi Xin's greeting, he was not surprised, opened his eyes, and stood up to return the greeting.

"My name is Qi Xin. I've heard that you had a conflict with that Marshfolk, Little Wang. Marshfolk are ruthless and won't let this go easily. Brother Qiu, you should be extra careful."

"Thank you for your concern, Young Master Qi," Qiu Yan replied politely.

Qi Xin smiled and continued, "Brother Qiu's ability to subdue the Marshfolk's personal guards in one move demonstrates his exceptional skill. He is truly admirable, excelling in both literary and martial arts. However, the Marshfolk is cunning, and there may still be trouble. I heard that Brother Qiu went to the Military Governor's Residence this afternoon; were you reprimanded by the General? But don't worry, my father has some connections with the Military Governor..."

Hearing this, Qiu Yan understood the other party's intention: they wanted to win him over.

"There's a certain undercurrent in Wuxin City, with struggles everywhere. This Qi Xin, despite his young age, is quite cunning. His seemingly casual conversation actually carries a condescending tone, as if he's trying to show me the way."

Qiu Yan had no interest in getting involved in these matters.

Noticing Qiu Yan's lack of enthusiasm, Qi Xin frowned slightly. Yang Dingyuan, standing beside him, couldn't help but speak up, "My elder brother is trying to promote you. I heard your academic achievements aren't that great; you were scared unconscious by a few words from Mr. Zhao. But since you've practiced martial arts, why not try your hand at it? With Brother Qi and my help, you might just be able to achieve something great."

Qiu Yan shook his head upon hearing this, but couldn't help feeling a pang of emotion.

"Reputation is indeed important. It hasn't been long, and the news of me fainting from fright has already spread. People are even advising me to give up my studies and join the army. If this is left unchecked, who knows how far it will develop? Even if I succeed in the Imperial Examinations, people might still use it against me."

As he was thinking, the music from deep within the flower hall suddenly stopped, and then several servants came out and blew out several candles in the flower hall.

The light softened instantly, and then women carrying octagonal lanterns gracefully emerged from behind the curtains and dispersed throughout the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the literary gathering shall now begin. The first activity is guessing lantern riddles."

Upon hearing this, many Confucian scholars rubbed their hands together, eager to try their hand at it.

Fang Ziyan said to Gu Yanzhi, "Brother Gu, this time I'm going to try and see if I can suppress you."

Gu Yanzhi a word and walked directly to a lantern.

The rules for guessing lantern riddles are quite simple: the riddles are written on the lanterns, and the answers are held by the ladies. If you guess correctly, you tear off the riddle and get the slip of paper with the answer. The person who collects the most slips of paper is the winner. This is a well-known entertainment activity in the Great Rui Kingdom.

Soon, many scholars gathered around each lantern, and young men and women in brocade robes also crowded around, eager to try their skills.

Upon seeing this, Qiu Yan immediately had an idea.

"My reputation has been ruined by these Confucian scholars. If I can completely overshadow them tonight, they will have no face to use me against me in the future."

Lost in thought, Qiu Yan apologized to Qi Xin and walked to a lamp, glancing at the riddle on it. (To be continued)

P. S.: Thank you to "I am my own unique firework" and "My favorite Hatsune Miku" for the donations!

Thank you to "Please Forget" for the recommendation vote and urging for more updates!