Ten Years of Bitter Study, Lost in a Single Day

The Han Residence, within the Inner City of Eastern Capital.

In the study, Han Yi, who had once served as prime minister, was practicing calligraphy. Although he was over sixty years old, the old prime minister was still vigorous. His white beard stood up like thorns, and he wore a dark cloak. He was tall and strong, and his hand, which looked more like that of someone holding a knife, was holding a pen, giving people the feeling that his talents were being wasted.

The pen tip touched the paper, and the characters it wrote possessed a stern, impartial, and unyielding spirit. As the strokes increased, the atmosphere in the study gradually became solemn, and the characters on the paper took shape one by one, revealing that it was writing a line from the section on "fame and fortune."

If you place a small piece of wood atop a high mountain, you will find yourself overlooking a ravine a thousand feet deep.

The story goes that if you place a one-foot-long log on a high mountain, you can look down into a deep ravine.

The meaning of this sentence is not that the wood is tall, but that it is in a high position, implying that it is taking advantage of a high position.

"Oh?"

Han Yi, who was writing, suddenly let out a sigh, his eyelids twitched, and the pen in his hand paused slightly. He could not finish writing a line of words, and the strokes stopped on the word "brook".

"Father, what's wrong?" Standing in front of the desk was a middle-aged man, also tall and imposing, exuding an air of nobility and surrounded by an aura of dominance cultivated over a long period of time.

This person is Han Zhuo, Han Yi's second son.

"It's nothing." Han Yi put down his pen and turned to look at his son. "I heard that Ju Yu recommended a young man to you to test your knowledge. I wonder how it went?"

Han Zhuo shook his head and said, "Ju Yu was deceived by that scholar. He met him yesterday and tested his knowledge..." He shook his head again. "Who knew that the other party was completely ignorant and an incompetent scoundrel. When he left, he was utterly rude and flustered, unable to calm down. I don't know how Ju Yu was fooled by him."

"Ju Yu is my student, and I know his character well. He never does anything without being sure of success," Han Yi smiled faintly. "Since he recommended that scholar to you, he must have his reasons. You might as well bring him back into your household and examine him again; you might find something useful."

"This..." Han Zhuo was not convinced by these words, but he dared not disobey his father. So he could only nod in agreement.

Han Yi waved his hand and said, "Alright, it's not easy for you to come back. Go back now. I'll have someone send this calligraphy to you after it's finished."

"Yes." Han Zhuo nodded in acceptance, bowed, and left respectfully.

Only Han Yi remained in the study. He glanced at the unfinished calligraphy, then shook his head and called out, "Wu Ying!"

As the voice faded, the door was pushed open again, and an old servant walked in, bowing his head and saying, "Master."

"Call Wei'er over. I have something to ask her."

The old servant nodded and left. Not long after, a young girl in a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) pushed open the door and entered. She walked lightly, as if she were walking on air, and arrived in front of Han Yi in the blink of an eye.

"Grandpa, did you call me?" The girl looked at Han Yi with a smile on her face.

Han Yi nodded and smiled slightly, "I asked you to come here because I need to ask you some questions."

"Oh? Grandpa has something to ask me?" The girl's clear black and white eyes flickered slightly. "Hmm, let me guess first. Hmm, I guess it's related to Father's plans? Is it or isn't it?"

Han Yi nodded. "That's right, it's related to this matter. I heard that he gave the Literary Ancestor Paperweight and the Northern Abyss Jade Basin to Prince Yan, but they were used to steal his Literary Thought. However, someone told me that the items are now in the hands of others?"

"Grandpa also knows Qiu Yan?" The girl looked surprised, then said, "Father gave the Paperweight and Jade Basin to that Prince Yan because he thought he had some ambition and was worth cultivating. He never expected that this person would not follow the right path. It is only right that his treasures were taken away. I have already reported this to Father."

Han Yi waved his hand and said, "You don't need to tell me what your father has done. As long as he doesn't break the law, I won't interfere. But if he does violate the law, don't blame me for putting family members first."

The girl said coquettishly, "I knew you would say that, but I made a promise to my father that I would explain the whole story to you."

Han Yi did not react.

The girl didn't seem to care, and simply said, "Father's characterization of that Prince Yan this time was intended to take advantage of the situation. However, he didn't expect that Prince Yan, who usually appears to be a high mountain, is actually just a mound."

The girl took two steps forward, her face showing grievance. "Giving him the Literary Ancestor Paperweight was meant to help him settle his mind and refine his knowledge, but he used it to steal his Literary Thought; giving him the Northern Abyss Jade Basin was meant to help him immerse himself in the Sage Spirit, and although Father has set a good example for him, he doesn't want him to be blinded by greed. That Northern Abyss Jade Basin can prevent the mind from entering the soul, but who knew he would also use it to strip away his Literary Thought, letting the sacred artifact become tarnished."

"Alright, I understand." Han Yi nodded, not saying anything more.

Seeing this, the girl also looked like she had accomplished something great, and changed the subject. "Yes, I knew Grandpa loved me the most. By the way, did you mention Qiu Yan earlier?"

"I don't know this Qiu Yan you're talking about. You're the one who came up with that name yourself," Han Yi shook his head. "However, if Qiu Yan is the one who obtained the Paperweight and the Jade Basin, then it means he's an extraordinary person, someone who can accomplish great things. If you know him well, you can invite him. I'd like to meet him."

"Grandpa wants to see Qiu Yan?" The girl's eyes darted around, her face full of curiosity. "You even praised him? I wonder what he did to warrant Grandpa's attention?"

"He just did what he was supposed to do, but in this world, there aren't many people who know what they should do anymore, which makes him all the more remarkable." Han Yi said, shaking his head. "Do you have any connection with this person?"

"Yes! Yes!" The girl's face immediately lit up with a smile. "Grandpa, just wait for my news."

On one side, Han Yi was talking with his granddaughter, while on the other side, Han Zhuo returned to his private courtyard after leaving the study. He was restless and thought things through, and finally summoned his trusted servant Han Fu.

"Second Master, you were looking for me?" Han Fu rushed over, his eyes lowered.

Han Zhuo didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Where is that scholar who visited me before?"

"Huh? Second Master, are you talking about that good-for-nothing swindler?" Han Fu was taken aback, looking slightly uneasy. "What do you want with him? That man has no manners. I had him thrown out long ago."

"You kicked him out?" Han Zhuo frowned slightly. "Go and find him. I have some questions for him."

"This..." Han Fu hesitated slightly, but still agreed and bowed as he withdrew.

After leaving the room, Han Fu was also somewhat unsettled.

"Why does Second Master want to see that scholar again? This is troublesome. I need to threaten him first, so he won't reveal what happened before."

It turned out that the scholar had embarrassed himself when he met Han Zhuo, and Han Fu, seeing this, insulted him. These people, as servants, usually bowed and scraped to their masters, but they also had their moments of abusing their power. They especially liked to show off their own power by insulting others. The scholar had achieved some academic success, and insulting such a person made Han Fu particularly happy.

To everyone's surprise, the scholar, though disheveled, left behind the saying, "Thirty years Hedong, thirty years Hexi," which made Han Fu uneasy. How long had it been, and things were about to change?

As he pondered, Han Fu suddenly chuckled, "I must be out of my mind. That scholar is utterly unlearned. Even if he sees Second Master again, the outcome will be the same. What is there to worry about?"

With this thought in mind, he felt much more at ease. He beckoned School of Names over and instructed him, "Find two men to go to the street and look for Zhang Sheng. The Second Master wants to see him again."

The servant obeyed and left.

At the same time, Zhang Yingchao "Zhang Sheng" mentioned by Han Fu, was in a tavern, drinking alone with several fellow sufferers.

The Eastern Capital bustling, yet it has some small taverns that are affordable even for ordinary families.

"Brother Zhang, you'd better leave quickly. The Han Family has considerable influence in Eastern Capital. If you offend their wicked servant, you'll inevitably incur their wrath. As the saying goes, it's easier to see the Yama King than to deal with his underlings. These kinds of servants are the most Yazi."

"Indeed, we've come to the wrong place this time, Eastern Capital."

"Alas, who would have thought such a thing could happen? Ten years of hard study, all gone in a single day."

Several Confucian scholars sat around a table, sighing and lamenting. Each of them had a look of utter despair on their face, exuding an aura of grief and loss.

Snap!

Suddenly, the scholar inside slammed his hand on the table, his face full of resentment. "It must be because he was arrested and imprisoned in Xuankou Town. We formed our bond there, and judging by the time, it was after we passed Xuankou Pass we lost all our knowledge... this..."

This man had delicate features and exuded an air of scholarly refinement, but at this moment he appeared somewhat disheveled, with bloodshot eyes.

Human Path, "Brother Zhang, who would believe this if we told others? Even we ourselves find it unbelievable."

The handsome scholar was none other than Zhang Sheng and Zhang Yingchao, who had previously visited the Han Residence but returned humiliated.

"We were so confident in our academic achievements, but now, although we can read, we can't remember a single word of the classics, we can't even read them in sentences, and we can't write anything coherent, let alone pass the imperial Metropolitan Examinations in the future..."

As they spoke, some of the scholars even shed tears.

"My poor wife, she sewed shoes and mended clothes to support my studies. After finally passing the imperial examination, I used all my savings to come to the Eastern Capital to study. I wanted to repay her with a life of wealth and honor, but who would have thought that this would end up like this?"

His words brought tears to the eyes of others.

"My elderly mother is ill..."

"My father works tirelessly from dawn till dusk every day..."

"My brother and sister-in-law..."

Before the previous dynasty, the Imperial Examinations was not popular. Instead, the Nine-Rank System was in place. The upper ranks were not for people from poor families, and the lower ranks were not for people from noble families. People's ranks were judged only by their family background, not by their talents. Therefore, the poor remained poor their whole lives, while the rich and noble lived long and prosperous lives.

With the Imperial Examinations, Human Path was transformed.

Since the establishment of the Imperial Examinations, it has gradually improved. Children from ordinary families, as long as they are willing to study hard and have a bit of luck, can also succeed in the Imperial Examinations and change the fate of their family and even their clan.

The Imperial Examinations was truly a revolutionary event, embodying the People's Wishes.

This group of scholars, for example, held this in mind, but unexpectedly, disaster struck.

As everyone was speaking sadly, a voice suddenly came from the side—

Which one is Zhang Yingchao?

ps:

Thank you "Little Grass's Pride" for the monthly pass and the reward!

Thank you "Difenda" for the monthly vote!