A Poem That Stunned the Gathering
When the prefect of Qingzhou asked his questions, the other officials stopped talking and drinking, and watched with smiles on their faces.
Big is big, small is small, and the Golden Cudgel is both big and small. Xu Qi'an inwardly complained about the fourth-rank official's way of addressing him, but outwardly responded with a smile:
"This humble servant is unworthy of such a title, Your Excellency. The poem was indeed written by this humble servant."
"Oh, it really is him!" The officials looked on in realization.
When they first heard the name Xu Qi'an, they didn't recognize it, but the name sounded familiar. After so much time had passed and they had thought about it repeatedly, they had some guesses about the identity of this strange gong-wielding man.
With the spread of several of Xu Qi'an's masterpieces, although the officialdom and Confucian scholars did not deliberately promote his reputation, those present were all high-ranking officials of a prefecture and had the means to inquire about him.
No wonder the Provincial Governor rushed over immediately upon hearing this name.
"Farewell to the Sheep Pavilion at Layman Ziyang to Qingzhou" has long been known throughout the country. This great Confucian scholar had this famous work as his first official post, which can be said to have given him all the advantages.
And all of this is thanks to the gong in front of us, named Xu Qi'an.
"I've long admired your name; indeed, you are a man of imposing stature, a true dragon among men."
The prefect of Qingzhou burst into laughter, speaking flattering words with an open and aboveboard manner, his skill in praising people was superb.
"You flatter me, you flatter me. You're not only a dragon among men, but also a dragon among women." Xu Qi'an had to admit that if he were in a different position and became the center of attention, the tedious social niceties of officialdom would suddenly become lively and interesting, and he thought how wonderful it would be if it could continue forever.
After finishing his drink, the prefect of Qingzhou glanced at Yang Gong, the provincial governor, who sat in the main seat. This Confucian scholar, a man of exceptional skill and ability, had now toned down his imposing official demeanor and appeared relaxed.
At that moment, the prefect of Qingzhou suddenly remembered the troublesome admonition stele. In fact, writing poems would be the best choice, as they are simple, eye-catching, and thought-provoking.
Poetic talent is rare, so I didn't consider it. But now things are different; Xu Qi'an has arrived.
They arrived at the perfect time.
Xu Qi'an is quite talented in poetry. The Provincial Governor is currently troubled by the inscription, which is giving us a headache as well. Could we ask this talented scholar to help us solve this problem? Hmm, the Provincial Governor may well have had this idea, but as the head of a prefecture, he is reluctant to say it out loud for the sake of his reputation. The Prefect of Qingzhou is quick-witted.
Thinking of this, the prefect smiled and asked, "Does Lord Xu have any other masterpieces in the capital?"
He had only asked casually, and if the other party denied it, he would use this opportunity to put Xu Qi'an in the spotlight, and then, together with the other officials, he would urge him to compose a poem on the spot, and then naturally give him the "topic".
Similar tactics are commonplace at drinking parties; it's just that they're usually used to persuade people to drink, but now they're used to compose poetry—the purpose is different.
"Trying to get my poems for free again?" Xu Qi'an tried to decline by saying "no," but Governor Zhang preemptively took over the conversation, laughing, "You really do have some."
The officials present, including Layman Ziyang, looked on with great interest.
What scholar doesn't love poetry?
Governor Zhang easily regained the focus, took a sip of wine, and laughed, "It's only half a poem, and it's only recently started circulating in the capital. I'm sure none of you have heard of it yet."
"Oh? Only half a song?"
"Your Excellency, please speak quickly; I am all ears."
The officials did not underestimate it because of the half-finished poem; on the contrary, they became even more curious. This half-finished poem must be an excellent work, otherwise how could it circulate in the capital with only half a poem? If it were not good, it would not be worth the governor mentioning it in public.
Yang Gong glanced at Xu Qi'an, then looked back at Governor Zhang.
Governor Zhang put down his cup, cleared his throat, struck a pose, and then looked around at everyone before proclaiming in a loud voice. "Drunk, I know not if the sky is reflected in the water; a boat full of sweet dreams presses down on the Milky Way."
Just then, the dance ended, and the music slowly faded away.
A deathly silence fell over the banquet. The officials savored the half-finished poem, feeling a sense of detachment from worldly affairs, indifferent to fame, fortune, or personal gain.
After a bout of heavy drinking, lying in a covered boat, gazing at the Milky Way overhead, his seven-foot frame pressing down on another Milky Way, a sense of carefree ease arises spontaneously.
Some people swayed their heads, completely absorbed. Others couldn't help but look at the small pond in the courtyard, where clusters of fiery red lotuses grew, but unfortunately, the pond was too small.
The Layman Ziyang clapped his hands and said, "The lofty conception of this poem is the pinnacle of poetry in the last two hundred years of this dynasty. Wonderful! Wonderful!"
He drank three cups of wine in a row, enjoying the wine while composing poetry, feeling extremely pleased.
After finishing his drink, he gazed intently at Xu Qi'an with bright eyes, "Does this poem have a name?"
"Damn it. You've already slept with me once? Don't I have any dignity?" Xu Qi'an almost wanted to spray him with salt water, and said in a deep voice, "Already."
The Layman Ziyang was somewhat disappointed. He nodded, but did not continue speaking, muttering to himself as if he were lost in thought.
Seeing that things were almost settled, the Prefect of Qingzhou raised his wine cup and flattered, "What a coincidence! The Provincial Governor is just about to erect warning steles in front of each government office, but the inscriptions are yet to be finalized. I wonder if Lord Xu would be willing to compose a poem?"
Upon hearing this, almost everyone instinctively looked at Xu Qi'an.
The Layman Ziyang neither agreed nor stopped it, but smiled silently as he looked at the little gong.
"You want my poem with just a glass of wine? I'm not that kind of person, "Xu Qi'an sighed.
"This humble servant accompanied the governor to Yunzhou to investigate a case. Our future is uncertain, and I am filled with anxiety. How could I possibly have the energy or the mood to write poetry? My apologies, gentlemen."
The officials of Qingzhou were immediately disappointed. The prefect of Qingzhou hurriedly said, "Lord Xu's poetic talent is amazing, please don't be modest."
Xu Qi'an shook his head helplessly and drank his wine.
After a moment's thought, the Layman Ziyang removed the jade thumb ring from his thumb and said in a deep voice, "Yunzhou is plagued by bandits, and this journey is indeed dangerous. Ningyan, keep this jade thumb ring safe. I have worn it for many years, nurturing it with my Vast Righteous Qi; it can ward off evil."
Xu Qi'an's gaze immediately fell on the ring, where he vaguely saw a fleeting glimpse of pure energy, and he recalled something Chu Caiwei had once said.
There are three kinds of Law Artifact in the world: one is crafted by the Formation Master of the Bureau of Astronomy; another is naturally formed by fortuitous opportunity; and the last is imbued with the aura of a high-level expert, accumulating over time to acquire a certain degree of supernatural power.
This jade thumb ring is the third type.
"Boss, don't treat me like a human tonight!" Xu Qi'an hurriedly took the poem, carefully put it into his pocket, pondered for a moment, and said, "I don't know why, but suddenly inspiration struck me and I came up with a poem."
Didn't he say he wasn't in the mood to write poetry? The officials looked at him blankly, and after a few seconds, they gradually realized what was going on. Their expressions became strange, but they tacitly understood each other.
The Layman Ziyang's smile remained unchanged, "I am all ears."
Xu Qi'an nodded, having already made his choice. He planned to use the four lines of poetry he had used during the initial aptitude test in the "Questioning the Heart" section.
Because there is no poem more suitable for this occasion than this one. If I remember correctly, this poem is also called "Admonition Stone Inscription," which was used to warn the officials.
He took a sip of wine, and the poem came to mind, his mood seemingly returning to the lofty aspirations he felt when he was at the Gate of Questioning His Heart.
Unable to resist, he stood up, first looking at Yang Gong, the Layman Ziyang, and said softly:
"You eat your food and receive your salary."
Then look at Governor Zhang:
"The people's hard-earned money."
Then, he slowly swept his gaze across the officials present, his voice suddenly becoming stern:
"The common people are easily oppressed."
Finally, he looked up at the sky, as if he were getting excited, and shouted:
"Heaven is not to be trifled with!"
Unbeknownst to them, his voice had incorporated the Buddhist School lion's roar, resounding in the ears of the officials like a morning bell and evening drum, deafening and awe-inspiring.
The sound of wine glasses shattering echoed continuously.
Many officials, looking either guilty or ashamed, seemed to regard a lowly official as a stern superior, barely daring to breathe when facing a lowly clerk with no official rank.
Those few who had a clear conscience stood tall, their hearts filled with excitement.
"What a beautiful poem! What a beautiful poem!"
Layman Ziyang slammed his fist on the table and stood up. This great scholar was somewhat out of control. He didn't seem like a seasoned and capable official, but rather a young scholar just entering officialdom, full of vigor and integrity.
"If I had been able to utter this poem in court back then, venting my pent-up emotions, I wouldn't have been so depressed for a year. Xu Ningyan, Xu Ningyan, you are a true scholar."
In the courtyard, the dancers, enduring the cold wind, blinked their eyes and curiously observed the only young man at the banquet.
This spirit, no wonder he could do something like slashing a silver gong with a knife. This poem must have frightened countless people. Governor Zhang sighed, and seeing the tense atmosphere, he changed the subject:
"The Governor is absolutely right, Ningyan. It's a pity you didn't study back then."
Xu Qi'an hiccuped as he said helplessly, "My second uncle thought I was more suited to martial arts, so he didn't let me continue my studies."
Upon hearing this, the officials were quite indignant, thinking to themselves, "Your second uncle is a worthless son, wasting a potential scholar. If Xu Ningyan were a scholar, the literary world of Great Feng would not be lonely."
The banquet ended late at night, and a slightly tipsy Xu Qi'an went to the pond to pick the bright red lotus flowers.
This lotus variety is extremely peculiar, with only six petals, each of which is full and translucent, a variety he has never seen before.
"This lotus is called the Red Lotus, also known as the Cold Lotus, and it's a lotus unique to Qingzhou." The Layman Ziyang walked over, hands behind his back, and stood to one side.
"It blooms in October and withers by the following spring. The lotus seeds it produces are warm in nature and can be used in medicine."
"I've never seen a lotus that blooms in winter before," Xu Qi'an said with a smile. "Blooming and bearing fruit in the dead of winter, its nature is warm, exactly the opposite of the season. Can't these red lotuses be transplanted to the Central Plains?"
"He won't survive." The Layman Ziyang seemed to be implying something, saying, "The banditry in Yunzhou is unique to Yunzhou; it couldn't last long in any other prefecture. Do you know the root of this problem?"
Isn't this a problem left over from history? Xu Qi'an's heart stirred, and he straightened up and bowed. "Please enlighten me, sir."
He didn't address him as "sir," but rather as "teacher," identifying himself as a student.
P. S.: The chapter comments feature is closed for the next few days, across the entire site. It will be restored on the 5th. Just post your chapter comments as usual; they'll be displayed after the 5th. Sigh, a book without chapter comments is soulless. I'll come back to the chapter comments after the 5th. The main issue is that the helper can't catch bugs anymore. I'll post them first, then review them again and correct the typos myself.