Year's End

At first, the licentiates were somewhat unconvinced, but when they heard that Fang Yun had been recommended to Sacred Way by Li Grand Academician, the resentment in their bellies immediately turned into admiration. The younger licentiates in particular even showed faint signs of worship.

On the Saint Origin Continent, being published in Sacred Way was the highest standard for poetry, lyrics, and prose. Those works might be disputed, but few questioned their qualifications, because only Grand Academicians held the power to recommend them. Then the power of the Hall of All Sages would eliminate them, unaffected by anyone's will—not even a Half-Sage's. Finally, the Sacred Academy would decide when they were published and where they were placed.

Fang Zhongyong looked at Fang Yun with envy, but soon felt awkward. After thinking carefully, he suddenly understood. Wasn't the way he looked at Fang Yun exactly how others had once looked at him, the child prodigy?

Fang Li saw his son's expression and was so angry he could not speak. He had painstakingly fought for honor for his son, yet his son had actually betrayed him!

Fang Li grew even more displeased. It would have been one thing if someone else had taken Case First, but it had been snatched away by someone with the same surname. Then the title of foremost among all Fang clans in Dayuan Prefecture would not fall to his son.

Just as Fang Li was about to speak, Academy Director Wang said, "Not two Literary Archways. Three."

"Where would the third one come from?"

"Fang Yun is a Sage-front Tongsheng." Although the Literary Academy had posted the rankings, it had not noted Sage-front, so very few people knew.

The entire hall erupted in uproar.

In the past century, Jing Kingdom had produced only two Sage-front Tongsheng. Fang Yun was the third.

Fang Li suddenly clamped his mouth shut, not daring to utter another word. He knew that if he continued provoking Fang Yun, he would become the second Zhen Shopkeeper.

The crowd buzzed with excited discussion. For a time, many people toasted Fang Yun. Fortunately, the wine was weak, so drinking more did no harm.

After everyone had finished discussing it, County Magistrate Cai said to Academy Director Wang, "Fang Yun's Spring Dawn is the finale of this Literary Assembly, so we shall discuss it later. Fang Yun, before writing Spring Dawn, did you write half a poem?"

Seeing County Magistrate Cai take out a wrinkled sheet of paper, Fang Yun said, "I did, but that poem was suspected of recklessly discussing court affairs, so I did not finish it."

"When fine poetry, lyrics, or prose are written within the Literary Academy, those of higher Literary Rank can sense it. Though you wrote only half this poem, it still stirred Literary Qi and may perhaps reach the prefecture. You are now a Licentiate and possess both scholarly honors and Literary Rank. Discussing court affairs is your duty. Can you continue and finish this poem? Otherwise, it would be far too regrettable."

The expressions of everyone in the room became even more splendid. Many Academy Students struggled their entire lives to produce a poem that could leave the county, yet Fang Yun could casually write one that reached the prefecture—and was willing to leave it unfinished?

Fang Zhongyong immediately felt ashamed. He had grown proud merely for writing a county-exceeding poem. Compared with Fang Yun, he was far behind.

Fang Yun said, "Last year, my fellow student and good friend Lu Lin and I discussed the war. I was filled with grief and indignation, always wanting to say something for the soldiers who had fallen in battle. But Words of the Lowly carry little weight, so I did not dare say much. Since I now have Literary Rank, I will finish this poem."

That poem, Year's End, criticized court officials for doing nothing. Fang Yun had lacked scholarly honors before and could not write it, but now that he possessed scholarly honors and Literary Rank, writing such a poem would instead make it easier to enhance his literary reputation.

Literary Rank, official position, and literary reputation were all exceedingly important.

Everything had long been prepared at the Literary Assembly. Fang Yun rose, took the wrinkled sheet of paper, walked behind a nearby desk, and began grinding ink.

Fang Yun pondered for a moment, then took up his brush and completed the five-character regulated verse, Year's End.

At year's end, far from home, I remained a traveler;

At the border's edge, soldiers still went to war.

Smoke and dust assailed Snow Ridge;

Drums and horns shook River City.

Under Heaven, blood flowed day after day;

At court, who would ask for the banner?

To save these times, how could I fear death?

In loneliness, my valiant heart trembled.

After Fang Yun finished writing, he recited it once more. The entire hall fell silent. Some sighed mournfully, some said nothing, while others trembled in fear.

As Fang Yun wrote the poem, he vaguely understood County Magistrate Cai's intentions.

Because Year's End was suspected of criticizing Left Prime Minister Liu Shan.

The Millennium Non-War Pact established by Sage Kong and the Demon Barbarians had long since lapsed, and now the Demon Barbarians were stirring restlessly.

Last winter, the Wolf Barbarians marched south. By convention, Jing Kingdom should have sent out all its forces and dealt the invading enemy a crushing blow. Yet Left Prime Minister Liu Shan used every sort of excuse to oppose war, losing the best opportunity to fight. The Wolf Barbarians won a great victory, while Jing Kingdom lost one Grand Academician, two Hanlin Academicians, four Metropolitan Graduates, and twenty thousand soldiers. Several hundred thousand border civilians were taken captive, shaking the realm.

Yet Liu Shan not only refused to admit guilt, but even claimed that the casualties would have been greater had they gone to war earlier.

After the war, the officials were furious and demanded an expedition against the Wolf Barbarians. But Liu Shan favored peace over war, demoted many officials who advocated battle, then sent people to negotiate with the Wolf Barbarians. In the end, three prefectures of land were ceded, along with ten million taels of silver and vast amounts of cloth and minerals.

Jing Kingdom's vitality was gravely damaged.

Later, rumors spread that because Jing Kingdom's ruler was only three years old and the Empress Dowager governed in his stead, should one battle bring success, the Empress Dowager's prestige would surely soar. That would be exceedingly disadvantageous to Liu Shan, who wished to become the powerful chancellor. Thus, Liu Shan first delayed under the pretext of insufficient provisions, then secretly sabotaged matters from within.

Although Fang Yun did not feel deeply attached to Jing Kingdom, he utterly loathed Liu Shan's conduct of sacrificing hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, even ceding land to seek peace, all for the struggle over power and profit.

Furthermore, Fang Yun had always hated Liu Zicheng. Since he could disgust the Liu Household a little, writing this poem was a duty he could not refuse.

After finishing, Fang Yun declared loudly, "The rise and fall of the realm is the responsibility of every common man! We scholars should discuss warfare on the battlefield and fight bathed in blood. How can we fear war?"

Everyone immediately widened their eyes. Not only was Fang Yun's poetry excellent, his words were also incisive and novel. Those eight characters carried immense weight and could make people ponder them again and again.

County Magistrate Cai slapped the table and shouted, "What a 'the rise and fall of the realm is the responsibility of every common man'! With those words from you, my Double-A Honor was not bestowed in vain! A toast to 'the rise and fall of the realm is the responsibility of every common man'! A toast to Fang Yun, who does not fear war!"

After County Magistrate Cai spoke, he raised his cup. Though everyone feared Liu Shan's power, their hot blood had not cooled. They responded with a roar and raised their cups to Fang Yun.

The young licentiates and Academy Students in particular were extraordinarily excited, nearly treating Fang Yun as a hero.

Shame appeared on Fang Li's face. He gave up all thoughts of making trouble for Fang Yun and completely understood that, on the strength of those eight words alone—"the rise and fall of the realm is the responsibility of every common man"—he would forever be unable to compare with Fang Yun.

Academy Director Wang nodded. "I never expected this abandoned fragment of a poem to conceal such circumstances. Please, Your Excellency, examine whether this poem has reached the prefecture. If it has, I will report everything from this Literary Assembly to Li Grand Academician as well, so this poem may also appear in Sacred Way."

"Good!"

Fang Yun handed the paper to County Magistrate Cai. County Magistrate Cai held his Official Seal above the page, and orange Literary Qi two and a half feet high shot straight upward.

One foot meant County-Exceeding, two feet meant Prefecture-Reaching, and three feet meant State-Ringing.

"It truly is a prefecture-reaching poem. If it can be promoted through Sacred Way, it will surely ring through the state! Truly the foremost Licentiate of Ji County!" Su Provincial Graduate said with a smile.

"The so-called Sacred Way encompasses Enlightening the Myriad People, loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and propriety—and even more, resisting foreign enemies. This poem perfectly accords with the Sacred Way and will certainly appear in Sacred Way!" County Magistrate Cai declared, hammering the matter home.

Afterward, Academy Director Wang recited Spring Dawn and explained the wonders of the poem, drawing praise from everyone.

The younger people did not feel much from Spring Dawn, but those slightly older fell silent after hearing it, repeatedly contemplating that line.

How many petals fell with the flowers?

At this point, everyone was wholeheartedly convinced by Fang Yun.

Assistant Magistrate Liu, standing nearby, said, "Fang Yun composed another poem for County Magistrate Cai today, which Constable Lu heard. That poem is also exceedingly marvelous. Fang Yun, why not write it here at the Literary Assembly and formally present it to County Magistrate Cai?"

County Magistrate Cai said, "It is merely a poem. There is no need to make such a grand fuss and waste everyone's time. There is no need to write it."

Academy Director Wang smiled. "That will not do. I am very curious about this poem and must see it."

Fang Yun knew that County Magistrate Cai was merely being modest, so he said, "Then this student will make a fool of himself."

As he spoke, Fang Yun once again went to the nearby desk, took up his brush, and wrote the poem Gifting Cai He, reciting it as he wrote.

By the trees beside the Cai family's ink-washing pond,

Every blossom opened with faint ink stains;

Do not ask people to praise their fine colors,

Leave only pure fragrance to fill the universe!

When Fang Yun finished reciting, Su Provincial Graduate said delightedly, "This Fang Yun is simply a rare genius! The first two lines of this poem are ordinary, but the latter two rise like a strange peak thrusting upward, and the poem's meaning soars. The entire poem immediately reveals an extraordinary realm. Your Excellency has always been noble and practical, never wasting the people's wealth and labor for empty fame. A flower of pure fragrance matched with a person of righteous qi—they complement each other perfectly! Fine poem! There is no need to test it with the Official Seal; it is at least a county-exceeding poem!"

"Su Provincial Graduate overpraises me. I merely did what was within my duty." Cai He was modest and respectful, without the slightest pride.

"Only one whose pure fragrance fills the universe can write such a poem; only one whose pure fragrance fills the universe can receive such a poem as a gift." After Academy Director Wang spoke, he looked at Fang Yun with a somewhat different gaze.

At first, Fang Yun did not understand. Only after pondering for a while did he realize that Academy Director Wang also wanted to receive such a fine poem.

Everyone praised him in succession. Like Academy Director Wang, many looked at Fang Yun with blazing eyes.

They all knew themselves well. It would be difficult for them to write poetry or prose that would leave their names in history, but if their own names appeared in a work that would endure through the ages, they would not trade it even for a hundred thousand taels of silver.

Seeing that the atmosphere was turning strange, County Magistrate Cai immediately changed the subject and continued discussing poetry and prose, saving Fang Yun from his pressing predicament.

At nine that night, the Literary Assembly ended. The fifty-something Su Provincial Graduate invited Fang Yun into his carriage and sent him home.

Su Provincial Graduate had maintained himself extremely well. At first glance, he looked only a little over forty. He had once served as Ji County's eighth-rank assistant magistrate, equivalent to the county magistrate's deputy. Two of his three sons were Academy Students, both studying abroad.

The Su Household was a prestigious clan for three generations and firmly held the position of Ji County's foremost family.

Fang Yun had thought that Su Provincial Graduate would discuss poetry and essays with him. Who would have imagined that, once they were settled in the carriage, Su Provincial Graduate would ask, "Young Master Fang, have you ever been betrothed?"

Fang Yun did not know whether to laugh or cry. So Su Provincial Graduate wanted to take him as a son-in-law.

"I have not been betrothed, but I have already resolved to marry Sister Yuhuan."

Su Provincial Graduate said carelessly, "Though Yang Yuhuan's beauty surpasses all Jiangzhou, she is merely a child bride. For you to take her as a concubine would already be a heaven-sent blessing for her. You are now Double-A Honor Case First and a Sage-front Tongsheng. You should marry a woman of matching family status, well-read and sensible, as your principal wife."

Fang Yun said sternly, "I do not covet her beauty. We have stayed together for years, relying on each other for survival. Without her, I could never have become what I am today! I, Fang Yun, swear that none but Sister Yuhuan shall hold the position of principal wife! If I made Sister Yuhuan a concubine, would I not become a beast?"

This book updates twice in succession between eight and nine each evening, with occasional bursts of extra updates.

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