Even One Man's Absence Stirs the Winds

Wen Zhizhen, this talented scholar from Jiangnan, has truly stole the show tonight. Whether he was admiring the lanterns on the road, solving riddles along the way, or participating in the literary gathering at the pavilion, he has been the focus of everyone's attention.

But after hearing what Qi Jiulian and the others said, he shook off their flattery and came over to inquire about Qiu Yan's matter.

You could tell his expression was a little stiff.

This is understandable. Although Wen Zhizhen had always been in Jiangnan, he had heard of Bai Zhaoyuan's name before and knew that he was an outstanding young talent. He had always wanted to compete with him. This time, he came here with the intention of secretly treating him as an opponent and staging a fierce battle.

Therefore, when Wen Zhizhen saw Bai Zhaoyuan's Mind Horse, although he knew that the other party had made great gains in the Scholar Forest, he was not afraid, knowing that he also had his own opportunities in Jiangnan.

It is precisely when you meet a worthy opponent that you can truly demonstrate your abilities.

But at this moment, an unexpected figure appeared, standing alongside Bai Zhaoyuan in the night sky, their Heart Ape Mind Horse!

Judging from the reactions of the academy heads, Wen Zhizhen knew that her limelight all night had been completely overshadowed by this scene in just a few breaths!

How could he tolerate such a thing happening?

"You're going to find Qiu Yan too?" Qi Jiulian frowned and sneered, "Shouldn't a talented man like you stay here, outshining everyone and leaving behind a legendary tale? What are you going to find Qiu Yan for?"

Qi Jiulian became famous at a young age, which inevitably made him arrogant. When he was invited by the Zhang Family Jiannan, he unexpectedly encountered Qiu Yan and suffered repeated setbacks. He was full of hostility towards Qiu Yan, but he was also taught a lesson, which changed his personality quite a bit. Although he still regarded Qiu Yan as an opponent and a target, he also had respect for him deep down.

Calligraphy was his forte, a skill he held above all others. He was defeated in his most prized area, yet he received guidance in return, which propelled him to even greater heights in the art of calligraphy. The intricacies of this experience are truly beyond the Human Path.

In contrast, Wen Zhizhen's arrogant attitude after losing to him tonight aroused Qi Jiulian's rebellious feelings. Especially after comparing him with Qiu Yan, he felt that Wen Zhizhen was far inferior to Qiu Yan in terms of demeanor and had no good feelings towards him at all.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Pang Qianru's voice came from beside him, "Qi Jiulian, speak more politely. Young Master Wen has already outshone everyone tonight, leaving behind a legendary tale."

Wen Zhizhen shook his head and said, "Miss Pang is too kind. I was merely expressing my feelings today. I cannot claim to have outshone everyone here. All of you here are rare talents and national treasures. Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting can cultivate one's character, and poetry and songs can reveal one's Literary Thought. But we study to realize our ambitions. If we really want to determine who is better, we will have to wait until the Metropolitan Examination."

Although Pang Qianru was dressed as a man, her beauty was undeniable; she was a rare beauty. Her arrival naturally attracted attention, and the surrounding scholars would steal glances at her from time to time. Therefore, when she uttered the words "skill surpasses all others," the other scholars heard her clearly.

At this moment, Wen Zhizhen's words made everyone feel happy and greatly increased their goodwill towards her.

"Young Master Wen is too modest, and has a very elegant demeanor." Upon hearing this, Xu Ran looked at Wen Zhizhen's figure, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes shone with admiration.

"Hmph! Hypocritical!" Qi Jiulian sneered. He hadn't achieved much in literature or classical studies; his greatest skill was calligraphy. "You make it sound so nice, but aren't you just using your ability to write a few articles to belittle calligraphy as a minor art? I won't argue with you. Since the Imperial Examinations Metropolitan Examination the only way to determine the winner, why do we need to recommend Qiu Yan? Just wait another half month, and you'll meet Qiu Yan in the Imperial Examinations. You can then exchange ideas and see who's better—wouldn't that be wonderful?"

As he spoke, he lowered his voice and chuckled softly, "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. After seeing that giant ape's shadow, you know Qiu Yan is about to rise to fame, so you want to use him as a stepping stone?"

"I, Wen, am fond of fame, and there's nothing to hide about it," Wen Zhizhen shook his head, adopting the demeanor of an open and honest gentleman. "However, that Young Master Qiu's display of skill before Bai Zhaoyuan was riding his Mind Horse, creating the appearance of a rival, might have been deliberate, to bolster his own prestige."

Pang Qianru also said, "Yes, that makes sense. Qiu Yan didn't make a move earlier or later, but waited until Bai Zhaoyuan's identity was revealed before showing up. Perhaps he wanted to take advantage of the situation. Moreover, judging from his actions in Eastern Capital, he might have been planning to Cultivating Prestige." As she spoke, she glanced at Song Qian.

Qi Jiulian, however, said solemnly, "Cultivating oneself and acquiring knowledge, then practicing the Way throughout the world and gaining fame is a natural thing; but to have knowledge without the heart to seek the truth, and to use one's talent and learning as a tool to gain fame, is deliberate. What is there besides a little empty fame?"

Pang Qianru looked surprised, stared at Qi Jiulian for a moment, and then said, "You actually managed to come up with such a reasoning; I have to look at you in a new light."

The solemn expression on Qi Jiulian's face vanished, and he scratched his head, saying, "Actually, it was my grandfather who said that; I just kept it in mind."

Pang Qianru nodded and smiled, "Void Master's words are meant to encourage you to study, not just to make you obsessed with calligraphy."

Qi Jiulian's face immediately turned ugly.

At this moment, Xu Ran finally couldn't help but speak up, "Where is Qiu Yan, the one you're talking about? Is he very powerful?" As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Ji Zheng.

She heard every word the crowd said. At first, she didn't quite understand, but she quickly remembered that the person Ji Zheng had asked her to find was none other than Qiu Yan.

However, there was one thing Xu Ran couldn't understand. Tonight, Wen Zhizhen had clearly shown her skills, and everyone around her was fawning over Wen Zhizhen as if she were a star. Why then did the people beside her suddenly bring up Qiu Yan, especially Qi Jiulian? His words clearly implied that he was praising Qiu Yan and belittling Wen Zhizhen. How could this please her?

Immediately, Xu Ran stood up for Wen Zhizhen: "Qiu Yan is so talented, how come he didn't even come to the literary gathering? Doesn't he know that this is a rare opportunity? He can receive guidance from many academy masters, exchange his knowledge with others, and listen to Young Master Wen's masterpiece?" As she spoke, she thought of Ji Zheng and fell silent, but the expression of Qi Ingestion on her face did not diminish in the slightest.

In fact, not only Xu Ran, but also many scholars, Confucian scholars and candidates who admired Wen Zhizhen came over after he arrived. They all heard the conversation between Qi Jiulian, Pang Qianru Wen Zhizhen, and they all felt that Qi Jiulian had exaggerated.

"The Qiu Yan you mentioned, could he be the one who debated with He Shuchang in Eastern Capital a while ago? He's eloquent, but he may not have real talent or learning."

"Oh? I've heard of that name too. It's said that he's favored by Junior Chen. To be valued by Junior Chen, he must be someone of high standing. But I've heard that he didn't attend an academy; he's probably the kind of person who studies diligently, only knowing how to exhaust himself with books until his hair turns white."

"No, that's not it. I came from Jiannan. This Qiu Yan is the top scholar in Jiannan. Besides his excellent scholarship, his calligraphy is also amazing. Master Zhang from Yuan Ning cherishes his calligraphy very much and rarely shows it to others. I was fortunate enough to see it once, and it is truly extraordinary. Even compared to the two works by Young Master Wen today, it is not inferior..."

As the crowd discussed this, many were initially indignant, but as they spoke one after another, they began to depict a person of profound learning, amazing calligraphy, and unparalleled eloquence, and the atmosphere gradually became strange.

"So, this Qiu Yan isn't an ordinary person either. Why didn't he come to the literary gathering today?"

Qi Jiulian, who was listening from the side, found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh. Looking at Xu Ran, who looked embarrassed and indignant, he said, "Well? If you're still not satisfied, don't go to Qiu Yan now, lest it affect his exam preparation. When the Imperial Examinations comes, it will be clear who is better."

"Even if Qiu Yan is powerful, what does it have to do with you?" Xu Ran frowned, unable to resist a sarcastic remark, "Didn't you still lose to Young Master Wen?"

Qi Jiulian's face immediately turned bright red. Noticing the gazes of those around him, he felt somewhat embarrassed and could only say, "Qiu Yan once taught me some tips, which I should study carefully. If Qiu Yan surpasses me in this Imperial Examinations, I can study his tips in the future and may not necessarily lose to Wen Zhizhen!"

Xu Ran frowned, about to speak again, when a gentle, refined voice came from the side—

"You seem to know quite a bit about this Qiu Yan. Could you tell us about him?"

The group looked in the direction of the sound and saw the academy masters, who had walked over at some point. The one leading them was a refined-looking man in his forties.

Like Eastern Capital, Prosperity Capital is a place where Great Rui gather, with academies everywhere, Grand Confucian scholars presiding over them, and the Sage Worthies Hall passing down its traditions. However, these academies are located in the capital and have many connections with the court's power. To avoid getting involved, anyone who can be called Grand Confucian scholar will not easily serve as the head of the academy.

Therefore, none of the academy masters present here were Literary Dao geniuses, but most were outstanding individuals who had cultivated Literary Heart and represented the trends of the Prosperity Capital literary world. Their inquiry about Qiu Yan immediately caught the attention of those who were interested.

However, before Qi Jiulian and the others could explain in detail, several exclamations suddenly came from the crowd—

"Chancellor Zhang!"

Suddenly, someone noticed that an old man was being helped up the stairs of the attic. The old man was emaciated, but his eyes were bright. Who else could it be but the Prime Minister Zhang Lian?

"So the rumors were true! A high-ranking official really did come to judge and evaluate the writings!"

The next moment, the scholars present became excited, and some of them, with their minds active, thought of other things after seeing Zhang Lian.

" With the Metropolitan Examination approaching, the high-ranking officials will not easily contact the candidates and scholars unless the chief Metropolitan Examination has been selected..."

Amidst the diverse thoughts of the crowd, the Zhang Lian slowly opened—

"Tell me about Qiu Yan's matter as well." (To be continued. Please search for the novel for better and faster updates!)