Fang Yun smiled. "The poets and scholars of past ages were all outstanding. How would I dare claim I could surpass them? This is merely a new office literary gathering."
The people of Xiang Prefecture present were instantly filled with disappointment. But on second thought, it would have seemed far too presumptuous for Fang Yun to try to overshadow the Yellow Crane Tower immediately upon his arrival.
Dong Wencong said in a ringing voice, "There is plenty of time ahead. As long as Void Sage Fang stays in Xiang Prefecture, need we worry that the Military Review Tower cannot rival the Yellow Crane Tower?"
Hearing this, the people of Xiang Prefecture around them all relaxed, and smiles returned to their faces.
Fang Yun shook his head helplessly and climbed the stairs to the city wall.
Atop the wall, lanterns hung high and banquet tables stood arrayed. Officials and scholars rose one after another, addressing him variously as Void Sage Fang, Ji King, or Governor-General.
Fang Yun swept his gaze over them, then walked toward the northern side with a smile. Officials from Jiangzhou stood there beside two tables.
"Everyone, it has been a long time!" Fang Yun smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.
The officials all bowed to Fang Yun with their hands clasped.
Li Wenying, the foremost of Jiangzhou's officials, had gone away to temper himself after becoming a Great Scholar and had yet to return. Apart from the prefectural academy head, Jiangzhou's officials had changed repeatedly.
At present, Jiangzhou's military commander was the Hanlin Academician Chen Xibi, while its prefect was the Hanlin Academician Sai Zhixue, recently transferred from Mi Prefecture. Besides these two high officials, there were several officials of the fourth or fifth rank-office directors, local prefects, or local academy heads. Most were old acquaintances.