Seizing Literary Rank

After seeing Fang Daniu off, Fang Yun felt somewhat worried about the future of the Three Character Classic. He had originally held higher hopes for The Western Wing, yet The Pillow Chronicle had stolen all the limelight.

Though the Three Character Classic was excellent, it was ultimately only an elementary reader. It contained no thrilling grand principles of the Sacred Way, and it would not produce much Literary Qi. The clan school might value it, but those great figures might not. It could take many years before it slowly emerged into prominence.

"I hope Grand Academician Li can promote it. Otherwise, this book will not spread as easily as a popular novel."

Fang Daniu carried the written order Registrar Zhou had given Fang Yun, along with the Three Character Classic, and drove his carriage to the Literary Academy. A minor clerk led him outside Registrar Zhou's room.

After entering, Fang Daniu said, "This humble one greets you, Lord Zhou. By my young master Fang Yun's order, I have delivered a brief letter and a copy of the Three Character Classic for your examination."

"The Three Character Classic?" Though Registrar Zhou did not know what it was, his face lit up. He immediately strode over, snatched the stack of papers, focused his eyes on them, and gave a cold snort.

"Who copied this?"

"My young master ordered this humble one to copy it."

Registrar Zhou then looked over the brief letter and found that it was not in Fang Yun's handwriting either. He was so angered that he laughed.

"You may leave. I will review this book."

"This humble one takes his leave."

Once Fang Daniu had left, Registrar Zhou carefully read the Three Character Classic.

The Three Character Classic compiled by Fang Yun contained only a little over fifteen hundred characters, and Registrar Zhou finished it quickly.

"He is simply a monster! How had I never thought of such a brilliant idea? Three characters to a line, simple antithetical rhymes, yet it explains the simplest principles of the Sacred Way. Historical figures, astronomy, geography—nothing is omitted. It is not profound, yet that makes it perfectly suited for enlightenment. It shares the same ingenious charm as The Western Wing and The Pillow Chronicle. It may not necessarily be promoted throughout an entire kingdom, but spreading it through one prefecture or even one province would not be difficult."

Registrar Zhou read it through again and thought, It is ultimately an elementary reader. Whether it can spread is still uncertain, and its chances of ascending the Sacred Way are slim. Scholars of every kingdom have compiled many elementary readers, yet only The Thousand Character Classic and The Hundred Family Surnames have ascended the Sacred Way. It is said that even those were published only because a Half-Sage personally selected them.

Registrar Zhou picked up Fang Yun's brief letter again and thought, There is more beneath his words. Find someone of great virtue and prestige? I am still far from qualified. And it must be steeped in the Sacred Way? He does understand the rules. My qualifications are insufficient, so only the Academician Lord can annotate it. Hmph. He stole my manuscript of The Pillow Chronicle, so I will leave this laborious task to him.

Registrar Zhou brought the manuscript to Academician's Hall. Without knocking, he pushed the door open. His long face was black as charcoal, and in a voice like someone on the brink of death, he said, "Academician Lord, Fang Yun, the Double-A Honor Sage-front Licentiate, has compiled an elementary reader called the Three Character Classic. He wishes to ask a person of great virtue and prestige to spread the radiance of the Sacred Way. I pondered it left and right, and no one else can bear such a great responsibility. Therefore, I ask that you annotate it line by line, then have it printed for the child scholars of Fang Clan School."

"Leave it there."

The speaker was a middle-aged man in black robes. He looked barely over thirty, but was in truth nearly fifty. His brows were black and dense, like two swords suspended above his eyes. Even when expressionless, he exuded a murderous aura.

He was Li Wenying, the Grand Academician and head of Jiangzhou Prefectural Academy. The Jing Kingdom's Empress Dowager had once called him Lord Swordbrow, a title that fit him perfectly and later spread far and wide.

"Hmph!" Registrar Zhou snorted, set down the manuscript, cupped his hands, and turned to leave.

A faint smile flashed across Li Wenying's face. He reached out for the papers, but after examining them closely, he found that the handwriting belonged neither to Fang Yun nor Registrar Zhou. The smile vanished.

The hearts of men are no longer what they once were. Li Wenying thought as he carefully read the Three Character Classic.

After reading it only once, Li Wenying had memorized all fifteen hundred-plus characters. Then he closed his eyes and pondered in silence.

A moment later, Li Wenying smiled again. This Fang Yun truly is extraordinary. Even Registrar Zhou failed to see his true intent. Fine. He wants me to write annotations and bolster my literary reputation, so I will help him promote this Three Character Classic. Spreading it across the world would be difficult, but spreading it throughout the Jing Kingdom would not. Besides, while this book is useless for the Licentiate examination, it truly is an excellent elementary reader. As for whether it can ascend the Sacred Way, even I cannot say. I will recommend it together with The Pillow Chronicle.

"What a pity it is not in Fang Yun's own hand. The characters he wrote in The Pillow Chronicle possessed great charm and are worth studying. Perhaps they may raise my calligraphy another level."

Just as Li Wenying set down the manuscript, Qiu the Academician's voice sounded from outside. "This subordinate has a matter to report."

"Come in." After speaking, Li Wenying looked toward the doorway.

Qiu the Academician entered with a smile, holding a stack of manuscript pages in both hands. "Academician Lord, you place education above all else, making the scholarly atmosphere of Jiangzhou ever more flourishing. This subordinate has just obtained an elementary reader at least County-Exceeding in quality, called the Three Character Classic. It was written by an Academy Student from the prefectural city. Though its literary flourish is limited, it is most suitable for teaching child scholars."

Li Wenying's sword-like brows twitched slightly before returning to calm. "Bring it for me to see."

"Yes." Qiu the Academician bent at the waist and presented the manuscript with both hands.

Li Wenying flipped through several pages. It was identical to the Three Character Classic he had received earlier.

"Good! Very good. I wish to meet this work's author. Can you bring him here?"

Qiu the Academician's face filled with delight. "He is in the Literary Academy. I will call him over at once."

"Go quickly. I would like to see which talented scholar he is."

"Yes."

Before long, Qiu the Academician returned with Lu Yingnian. Upon entering, Lu Yingnian immediately bent over in a deep salute and said, "Student Lu Yingnian greets the Academician Lord."

Li Wenying smiled faintly and asked, "Did you compose this Three Character Classic?"

Lu Yingnian said, "It was indeed composed by this student. However, during the writing of this Three Character Classic, I also discussed it with the teachers at the clan school. Only after revising the drafts several times was it completed. All the teachers at Fang Clan School deserve part of the credit as well."

"Fang Clan School? I heard Fang Big-Eyes invited Fang Double-A to teach at the clan school. Is that true?"

Lu Yingnian's heartbeat suddenly quickened, and a flicker of shock and suspicion passed through his eyes. Then he said, "Case First Fang is also at the clan school."

Though the two stood two zhang apart, to Li Wenying's ears, Lu Yingnian's heartbeat boomed like war drums.

"Since the Three Character Classic was written by you, then there is no problem. Before you arrived, Fang Yun impersonated the author of the Three Character Classic and presented an identical copy. Do not worry. I will uphold justice for you. I will now send men to arrest Fang Yun, then Appeal for Sage Judgment to determine who the true author is. If Fang Yun confesses beforehand, so be it—I will at most reprimand him a few times. But if he stubbornly refuses to admit his error, then once the truth comes to light, I will certainly strip him of his Literary Rank, bar three clans and nine generations of his family from the Imperial Examination, then exile him to land occupied by the Grass Barbarians, where his life or death will be left to fate. Hm? Why has your face gone pale? Why are you drenched in sweat and trembling in both legs?"

As he spoke, Li Wenying's imposing presence rose step by step. The power of his Literary Qi stirred the air around him, sending the papers and book pages fluttering wildly.

Lu Yingnian felt pain stab through both ears, and his hands would not stop wiping away sweat.

Qiu the Academician, who had long weathered officialdom, understood what was happening after hearing only half of it. The moment Li Wenying finished, he dropped to his knees and cried loudly, "My lord, see clearly! This subordinate does have old ties with the Fang Household, but I truly knew nothing of this! No matter how foolish I might be, I would not dare conspire to covet Fang Yun's work, much less bring him before you! My lord, although this subordinate has taken a little graft in ordinary times, I would never dare involve myself in a matter concerning the deprivation of Literary Rank!"

As Qiu the Academician wept, he cursed Lu Yingnian and Second Madam Fang until they were covered in blood from head to toe. Are these fools unaware that Fang Yun is someone the entire Prefectural Academy is closely watching? Even Liu Zicheng does not dare make a move against him openly. How did these two fools dare directly steal Fang Yun's writing?!

Lu Yingnian was terrified out of his wits. He involuntarily fell to his knees and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy.

"Student admits his error! Student saw that this work was too good and was bewitched by my aunt, so I developed the desire to claim it for myself. I borrowed copies of the Three Character Classic transcribed by other teachers, then copied it anew. I surrender and confess, and am willing to accept punishment. I beg the Academician Lord for mercy. Please preserve my Literary Rank and do not implicate my three clans."

Li Wenying gave a cold laugh. "I only said that if Fang Yun confessed, I would at most scold him a few times. When did I ever say how I would deal with you? Get out, disgrace to the scholarly world!"

The instant Li Wenying spoke, Lu Yingnian was struck as though by an invisible giant hammer. With a bang, he flew backward and crashed to the ground five zhang away, vomiting blood in great mouthfuls.

When a Grand Academician moved his lips and tongue, his words wounded men.

"Someone, strip this ** of his Academy Student robes and throw him into prison. Wait for Sacred Academy personnel to arrive and seize his Literary Rank!"

"Yes!" The soldiers in the courtyard pounced like wolves and tigers, dragging Lu Yingnian outside.

Lu Yingnian's fury assaulted his heart. He groaned a few times, then fainted.

"Who is Lu Yingnian's aunt?" Li Wenying asked.

Qiu the Academician replied, "She is Fang Yuanshi, the principal wife of the Fang Household's Second Young Master. She holds the title of Eighth-Rank Lady. She was the one who brought Lu Yingnian to find this subordinate. Otherwise, how could I have believed that Lu Yingnian could write such an excellent work?"

Li Wenying recalled the struggle between the two branches of the Fang Household. After a brief thought, he said, "As an Imperial Mandate lady invested by the court, she actually encouraged a junior to steal another's writing. This is truly a grave crime. Yet in consideration of the Fang Household's service to the kingdom, she will receive a lenient punishment. Issue the Academician Lord's order: find a residence outside the Fang Household and confine Fang Yuanshi there for three years. She may not leave the residence during those three years. I will petition the court to strip her Imperial Mandate, and she must never receive another title afterward."

"Yes."

Li Wenying looked once more at the two manuscripts on the table and muttered, "Fools!"

Then Li Wenying personally wrote a brief letter explaining the course of events. He had a runner ask Registrar Zhou for Fang Yun's address and deliver the letter.

After receiving the letter, Fang Yun returned to his room, opened it, and read it. Little Fox Nunu was on the table.

After Fang Yun finished reading, he tossed the letter before Nunu and smiled. "What an idiot. Even our Nunu is smarter than him."

Nunu beamed with delight and nodded vigorously.

"This is called courting disaster and being unable to live. Come, Nunu. Go with me to the Fang Household and tell Auntie about this."

"Ying ying ying ying..." Nunu bounced and jumped excitedly. This was the first time Fang Yun had taken her outside.

Fang Yun also called Yang Yuhuan, and together they visited the Fang Household. After telling them what had happened, they left.

Dayuan Prefecture's night scenery was beautiful. Fang Yun held Yang Yuhuan's hand in his right hand and cradled Nunu in his left as they strolled the streets and enjoyed themselves.

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