Clearing Their Name

"Whoosh...!"

The breeze of the Qingming season swept across the Golden Kylin Gathering.

The breeze was clear, the clouds pale.

Yet at that moment.

Within the chests and minds of everyone present.

It was as though furious waves surged and wild winds howled!

Grief, indignation, rage, hatred, the will to fight... all those fierce emotions.

Churned like rolling magma, threatening to melt their bodies and souls!

At that moment, everyone was immersed in the imagery of the lyric Gu Chenfeng had recited.

Under the impact of that powerful tide of emotion.

The image of a general who bore countless slanders and misunderstandings, yet still burned with passion, determined to drive back the Barbarian Tribe and reclaim the empire's mountains and rivers.

A patriot devoted to serving his country with unwavering loyalty, became incomparably vivid and profound!

Gu Lingxiao, the "Imperial God of War" whom the upper ranks of the Great Li Dynasty had mocked for years.

At that moment, washed clean by the words of that lyric.

His image became towering and majestic, radiant with a brilliance never seen before.

The prejudice in people's hearts was a mountain.

But at that moment, that mountain was collapsing.

As shock swept through those present, they could not help reflecting.

Everyone in the Imperial Capital's high society said the Imperial God of War did not deserve his title.

All manner of damaging rumors about Gu Lingxiao had spread like wildfire.

Yet however numerous they were, rumors were still rumors.

Not one person present had been to the frontier, nor had anyone witnessed Gu Lingxiao's deeds firsthand.

Yet they had all echoed what others said, slandering and despising in their hearts this general who guarded the frontier.

Thinking carefully, it was true that Gu Lingxiao, the Right Chancellor's son, had gone north to the frontier.

It was also true that during that time, the frontier army had won battle after battle, driven out the Barbarian Tribe's forces, and recovered vast stretches of territory.

It was equally true that Gu Lingxiao had served as General Who Guards the North, defending the Northern Territory for over a decade while peace prevailed along the frontier.

Why had they refused to believe the truth before their eyes?

And instead believed those baseless, absurd rumors?

Thinking more deeply, the Gu Lineage was a towering tree that caught the wind, and already had many enemies.

All this could very well have been slander from political rivals unwilling to see the Gu Lineage grow powerful.

Just like Gu Chenfeng before them.

Throughout the Imperial Capital, people said he was an ignorant, uneducated wastrel.

Only upon seeing him today had they discovered that he brimmed with learning, his poetic talent unrivaled.

Then why could Gu Lingxiao, likewise branded a wastrel back then.

Not be a military genius without equal?

Even if his achievements really had been somewhat inflated, and the title of Imperial God of War exaggerated.

How could a general capable of composing such fiercely stirring verses, so loyal to his sovereign and country.

Murder innocent people to claim military credit, exploit the common folk, and sow chaos along the frontier?

Moreover, the head of the Gu Lineage, Gu Beiwu.

Was a veteran statesman of three reigns, a pillar of the empire, a loyal minister whose devotion no one could question.

His descendants, naturally, should also be loyal and upright.

At that moment, within the hearts of these scholars and men of letters.

An even greater mountain rose out of nowhere.

The Gu Lineage served the country with unwavering loyalty; its entire household was steadfast and true!

The earlier rumors about Gu Lingxiao, General Who Guards the North, must have been smears and suppression by political enemies.

This Imperial God of War had suffered unjust accusations for years, bearing countless curses upon his name.

Yet he remained unswervingly loyal, protecting the country and its people.

He truly was a model for military officers, an exemplar of loyal ministers.

At that moment, as admiration for the Gu Lineage rose in everyone's hearts.

So too did sympathy and deep guilt.

The Gu Lineage had truly suffered an injustice as vast as the heavens!

In mere moments.

The atmosphere at the gathering underwent an earth-shattering change.

As their emotions reversed, the scholars and men of letters present.

Looked at Zhong Yanqi, this great Confucian scholar of their age, with different eyes.

Since the Gu Lineage was a loyal and upright family framed by treacherous villains.

Then what role had this eminent scholar played, repeatedly denouncing the Gu father and son on all manner of occasions, inciting Confucian scholars to attack the Gu Lineage?

What part had he played in all this?

At that moment, Zhong Yanqi stood in the center of the crowd.

His expression was vacant, his eyes lifeless, and every trace of color had long since drained from his face.

After Gu Chenfeng recited that lyric, he had known.

The good name he had built over a lifetime had been destroyed in a single day.

With this lyric alone, regardless of the magnitude of his achievements, Gu Lingxiao would earn a place in history.

He himself, however, would lose every shred of his reputation and never again have the face to represent the Confucian scholarly community!

"Alas...!"

With a long sigh, Zhong Yanqi steadied his swaying body and raised his head to look at Gu Chenfeng on the pavilion steps.

His gaze swept over Gu Chenfeng once more.

As though he were seeing this young man for the first time.

"May I ask, Third Young Master, whether this lyric has a title?"

"My father named it Man Jiang Hong: Northern Expedition!"

"Man Jiang Hong: Northern Expedition!"

After a long while.

Zhong Yanqi clasped his hands and bowed formally to Gu Chenfeng once again, bending all the way to the ground.

"Third Young Master, your talent is extraordinary. This old man falls short of you in ability, and falls even further short in virtue!

After today, I shall lay down my brush, retire, and return to my hometown, to atone for my wrongdoing."

Having said that, Zhong Yanqi turned to leave.

His figure stooped and staggered, as though he had aged more than a decade in an instant.

"Wait!"

Gu Chenfeng suddenly spoke again.

Zhong Yanqi turned back, a bitter smile on his face.

"If you are still dissatisfied, Third Young Master, punish and condemn me as you wish. This old man will accept it all."

At that moment, the renowned Confucian scholar's eyes were dim, and he resembled a walking corpse.

Gu Chenfeng gazed at the old man from afar.

"You misunderstand, sir. I have a few words to offer you."

"Oh... please enlighten me, Third Young Master." Zhong Yanqi solemnly clasped his hands.

"Your learning surpasses mine a hundredfold, sir. Would it not be a loss to the empire if you laid down your brush and returned home?

You must know that generals slay enemies on horseback, while scholars wield their brushes as blades.

Your talent is like a divine weapon. Please do not let that weapon gather dust.

And still less should you let such a sacred instrument be wielded by villains!"

Having finished, Gu Chenfeng likewise clasped his fists and returned the bow.

Upon hearing those words, Zhong Yanqi, who had already sunk into utter despair, suddenly trembled.

His gaze swept through the crowd.

To Zou Tai, the Imperial Academy student who had first spoken out to question Gu Chenfeng.

And to Imperial Uncle Xiao, Zhang You, and the others in the pavilion.

Their eyes betrayed deep unease, and none dared meet his gaze.

A sharp light flickered in Zhong Yanqi's eyes, as though understanding had dawned.

"Thank you for the reminder, Third Young Master!"

Zhong Yanqi gave Gu Chenfeng a long, searching look, then turned to leave once more.

Only now his back was a little straighter, and some of the bearing of a great Confucian scholar had returned to him.

Watching Zhong Yanqi's departing figure disappear into the crowd, Gu Chenfeng finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"I finally won this round!"

Before coming to the Golden Kylin Gathering, Gu Chenfeng had vaguely suspected that something like this would happen.

But he had come anyway.

Rumors harmful to the Gu Lineage were now everywhere in the Imperial Capital.

If allowed to fester, the consequences would surely be grave.

Thus, he had to seize this opportunity to clear the Gu Lineage's name and ease his eldest sister's burdens.

Although he had not expected his opponent to be Zhong Yanqi, a great Confucian scholar of his generation.

Gu Chenfeng had ultimately used that poem and lyric to overwhelm him and clear the Gu Lineage's name!

At the same time, he had also wiped the ass of his bastard of a father at the frontier.

As for Zhong Yanqi, Gu Chenfeng could not say he hated him.

The man was not bad; at most, he was somewhat pedantic and could not tolerate so much as a grain of sand in his eyes.

His attacks on Gu Chenfeng's father were not entirely slander, either.

But he had clearly been used, becoming the "vanguard" in the destruction of the Gu Lineage's reputation.

With the Gu Lineage's very survival at stake, Gu Chenfeng could only trample him underfoot.

"I hope he understood my parting words."

Zhong Yanqi was a great Confucian scholar with immense influence among the learned.

If he could turn against those who had used him, he could cause them no small amount of trouble.

Quickly gathering his scattered thoughts.

Gu Chenfeng clasped his hands toward the scholars and students still gathered outside the pavilion.

"Everyone, I had a little too much to drink today and spoke some arrogant, disrespectful words just now. I hope you will all forgive me!"

He had finished showing off, and his goal had been achieved.

Gu Chenfeng began wrapping things up.

By then, the scholars and men of letters present had already been utterly won over by that poem and lyric.

Their hearts now supported the Gu Lineage, and by extension they found Gu Chenfeng thoroughly agreeable and worthy of admiration.

Seeing Gu Chenfeng apologize to everyone with such humility.

They felt even more flattered and clasped their hands to return his salute.

"You are too courteous, Third Young Master!"

"We misunderstood you, Third Young Master, and spoke ill of your esteemed father. Yet you bear no grudge and remain so magnanimous. You truly put us to shame."

"From now on, whoever dares speak ill of you, your esteemed father, or even the entire Gu Lineage will have to answer to us!"

"Indeed, heaven and earth bear witness to the Gu Lineage's loyalty and integrity. It is beyond dispute!"

With a humble smile on his face, Gu Chenfeng repeatedly clasped his hands in return.

It was easy to foresee.

After today, these scholars and men of letters would become the Gu Lineage's most devoted supporters.

And through their influence, the Gu Lineage's reputation would rise to its peak once more, beyond the power of any rumor to shake.