A deathly silence fell over the Meridian Gate, both inside and out. Hundreds of officials stood as if collectively struck dumb, with only the echoes of that deeply sarcastic poem ringing in their ears.
Only the scholars could truly comprehend the sharp barbs hidden within those verses. The sting was excruciating.
Scholars didn’t fear being insulted or arguing. They often viewed debates as a form of discussing the Dao, taking pride in such exchanges. Those of lower status enjoyed arguing with their superiors. The long-established and renowned relished debates with their peers, even daring to argue with the emperor himself. When the emperor became exasperated, they would point at him, saying, “Look, he’s getting worked up…”
The Giving-Advice Ministers were particularly adept at this.
However, scholars, especially those in high positions, dreaded being criticized for three things:
First, historical records.
Second, essays.
Third, poetry.
These three touched upon what scholars valued most: their reputation – both in life and after death.
“Your bodies and names shall perish together, while the eternal rivers flow on unchanged…” These words cut to the core. No scholar could endure the mockery in this poem; it was too malicious.
At this moment, hundreds of capital officials felt their blood rushing to their faces, acutely sensing the immense insult.
It wasn’t just the poem itself, but also because the one humiliating this group of scholars was a crude warrior.
Only when the tall figure wearing a short cape had walked far away did an official speak with a trembling voice:
“Madman, upstart, uncouth brute… How dare he insult us so! Gentlemen, this cannot be tolerated. We must send troops immediately to execute this scoundrel.”
The speaker was Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief. With all his schemes having failed, his mood had plummeted. He was like a powder keg, and Xu Qi An’s deliberate act of trampling on their dignity at the Meridian Gate made his heart and liver ache with fury.
Yuan Xiong felt that Xu Qi An’s poem was mocking him specifically, intending to nail him to a pillar of shame.
The second to explode was Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War. He furiously stepped forward, shouting:
“Guards! Where are the guards? Stop that scoundrel! He has insulted the court officials – it’s a great disrespect. Stop him for me!!”
Unfortunately, the palace guards only obeyed Emperor Yuan Jing’s orders. Not even princesses or princes had the authority to command them.
Minister Sun’s feelings were rather complex. Anger was unavoidable, but for some reason, he felt relieved that Xu Qi An hadn’t singled anyone out by name.
By nailing everyone to the pillar of shame, the humiliation was somewhat distributed, making it less acute for each individual.
Minister Sun felt there was something off about his mentality, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Despite his extensive literary knowledge, Minister Sun had never read Lu Shuren’s works.
“Duke Wei has truly cultivated a capable subordinate,” said Prime Minister Wang, his mouth twitching as he spoke with heavy sarcasm.
Even the inscrutable Prime Minister Wang had been provoked to anger, demonstrating the devastating impact of this poem.
The officials turned to glare at Wei Yuan, their eyes demanding an explanation.
Wei Yuan seemed to have just come to his senses. He calmly retorted, “What are you all doing? Have you all taken this personally?”
The officials’ expressions froze, feeling as if Wei Yuan’s casual words had turned the tables on them.
“Then… how should this incident be recorded in the historical annals?” a young Hanlin Academy Lecturer asked solemnly.
As soon as he spoke, he found the other officials turning to stare at him, their eyes seeming to say, “Has all that studying addled your brains?”
The Hanlin Academy Lecturer shrank back, saying, “Such a trivial matter isn’t worthy of being recorded in the annals.”
Wei Yuan said indifferently, “The court session has ended. It’s not appropriate for you gentlemen to gather at the Meridian Gate. You should disperse soon.”
With that, he took the lead in leaving. After walking some distance, Wei Yuan could no longer hide the smile tugging at his lips, letting out a gleeful “heh.”
Entering his carriage after leaving the palace gates, Wei Yuan, in high spirits, recounted the events at the Meridian Gate to his adopted son, Nangong Qianrou, who was driving the carriage.
His effeminate adopted son chuckled, “Father, weren’t you also among those officials at the time?”
The smile on Wei Yuan’s face gradually faded.
Outside the Meridian Gate, Princess Huai Qing and Lin An remained where they were, watching the civil and military officials disperse.
“Your bodies and names shall perish together, while the eternal rivers flow on unchanged…” Huai Qing murmured to herself. Her eyes reflected the retreating figures of the officials, but her mind was filled with the image of that tall figure in the night watchman’s uniform, leaving with his sword in hand.
Xu Ning Yan was different from ordinary warriors. He knew how to strike at people’s vulnerabilities, how to retaliate against his enemies with the sharpest attacks, yet without endangering himself.
Using poetry to strike at the heart, hitting the scholars where it hurt most – this was Xu Ning Yan’s unique ability.
“That dog slave is impressive…” Biao Biao murmured.
In her eyes, there was only one scene: the dog slave casually reciting a poem, leaving the civil and military officials in a rage, yet helpless to do anything about it.
In Biao Biao’s heart, this was something even her Imperial Father couldn’t achieve. Although her father could use his power to suppress others, he couldn’t do it as effortlessly as the dog slave had.
Her charming almond eyes sparkled, and she proudly puffed out her chest, barely managing to match Princess Huai Qing’s usual proportions.
In his bedchamber, having finished the morning court session and holding a Daoist scripture, Emperor Yuan Jing silently listened to the old eunuch’s report, learning of everything that had transpired at the Meridian Gate.
“Such boldness,” Emperor Yuan Jing said with a smile, though it was unclear whether it was praise or mockery.
However, the old eunuch could be certain of one thing: upon hearing of this incident and Xu Qi An’s audacious behavior, the emperor showed no intention of punishing him.
He could vaguely guess at the emperor’s thoughts. Xu Qi An’s actions were pushing himself toward the position of a lone minister, following in Wei Yuan’s footsteps.
And a lone minister was often the most reassuring to an emperor.
For a young man with ability, talent, and skill, it was certainly more in line with His Majesty’s wishes for him to be a lone minister rather than to network extensively and form factions.
“Your bodies and names shall perish together, while the eternal rivers flow on unchanged!”
Emperor Yuan Jing laughed heartily, his face full of amusement. “A good poem, indeed a good poem! Our Great Tang Poetry Champion is truly worthy of the title. Old Companion, convey my verbal order to have the Hanlin Academy record this incident in the historical annals. I want to review it personally.”
This was His Majesty’s revenge on those bookworms of the Hanlin Academy… Both poems by the Xu brothers had greatly pleased His Majesty. The old eunuch accepted the order and withdrew.
“Your bodies and names shall perish together, while the eternal rivers flow on unchanged!”
Emperor Yuan Jing recited this verse again, the delight on his face gradually fading, replaced by an increasingly fervent desire for longevity.
During the noon meal, Chu Yuanzhen heard from an old friend about the events that had transpired in the court, including the final scene where Xu Ning Yan, alone with his sword, faced hundreds of officials and mocked them with poetry.
So, this was how the situation was resolved… Using the nobility to counter the civil officials was a good idea, though inherently very difficult. How did Xu Ning Yan and Number Three manage it… Number Three and Xu Ning Yan were indeed brothers, both possessing shockingly brilliant poetic talents.
It was a pity that Number Three’s wings were not yet fully grown, his rank still low, far inferior to his cousin Xu Qi An. Otherwise, Number Three would surely have been among those who entered the tomb that day.
Of course, given the long-standing decline of the Confucian system, Number Three’s low rank was understandable.
Regarding the poem Number Three had composed in court, Chu Yuanzhen offered a word of praise but said no more. It was a good poem, but the last line didn’t quite resonate with him.
However, Xu Ning Yan’s poem mocking the group of officials made Chu Yuanzhen’s blood boil with excitement. He immediately downed three cups of wine.
“I’ve long wanted to berate those who hold office without contributing, but poetry isn’t my forte. Xu Ning Yan truly deserves the title of Great Tang Poetry Champion; his words cut to the bone,” Chu Yuanzhen said with a hearty laugh.
Feeling exhilarated, he had an impulse to seek out Xu Ning Yan immediately, to drink and chat with him, and get thoroughly drunk.
But considering that the other had just resolved his cousin’s exam fraud case and still had some trivial matters to handle, he restrained his impulse.
At the Wang residence…
Wang Simu, who had been closely following this case, learned about the fierce debate in court today and the satirical poem at the Meridian Gate through her channels.
“I knew it. How could someone as talented as Xu Huiyuan possibly cheat on the imperial exams? Hmm, in this matter, his cousin Xu Ning Yan is even more formidable, mediating from behind the scenes, actually getting Duke Cao and Prince Yu to speak up for Xu Huiyuan, and persuading the court nobility to advocate for them.
“These connections are extraordinary. What delights me most is that Wei Yuan didn’t intervene. From start to finish, he remained a bystander. This way, Xu Huiyuan won’t be branded as part of the eunuch faction, which is a far-reaching positive outcome for him.”
Of course, it’s good for me too… Miss Wang smiled charmingly.
The maid Lan’er stood nearby, pretending to listen intently, but her mind was actually in a fog.
“Lan’er, go to the Xu residence again and arrange a meeting with Xu Huiyuan for me… No, that would seem too eager, as if I’m trying to claim credit.” Miss Wang shook her head, dismissing the idea.
She thought to herself, at this moment, staying silent would better showcase my grace and broader perspective. If I rush to claim credit, it might make the Xu family matriarch look down on me.
Between intelligent people, there’s no need to make things too obvious. A tacit understanding is enough.
At the Bureau of Astronomy and Calendar.
As Yang Qianhuan passed by the alchemy room on the seventh floor, he heard his junior disciples discussing what had happened in the morning court. He usually disdained such court affairs and couldn’t be bothered to listen.
But upon hearing the name “Xu Ning Yan,” Yang Qianhuan slowed his steps. His instincts told him that this might be another opportunity to gain knowledge.
“Young Master Xu’s poem was truly satisfying. I think it could be called the greatest satirical poem of all time.”
“You’re exaggerating. But it was indeed very gratifying, especially reciting it in front of all the civil and military officials, blocking them at the Meridian Gate…”
Poem? What poem?
Yang Qianhuan approached silently and asked in a deep voice, “What are you talking about?”
The white-robed alchemists were startled, staring at the back of his head, and complained, “Senior Brother Yang, you always do this. You’re scaring us to death.”
Yang Qianhuan ignored their complaints and pressed on, “What did Xu Ning Yan do this time? Did he single-handedly block all the civil and military officials at the Meridian Gate? What’s this about the greatest satirical poem of all time?”
The white-robed alchemists then recounted the day’s events to Yang Qianhuan.
Yang Qianhuan was thunderstruck. In his mind, a scene unfolded: after the court session, the civil and military officials slowly walked out of the Meridian Gate. Suddenly, they saw a white-robed figure standing with his back to everyone, blocking the path of the officials.
The officials were furious, berating the white-robed cultivator for not knowing his place, and daring to block their way.
The white-robed cultivator ignored the barrage of insults. Suddenly, he began to recite in a long, resonant voice: “Your bodies and names shall perish together, while the eternal rivers flow on unchanged.”
The civil and military officials stood dumbfounded, shocked on the spot.
Thinking of this, Yang Qianhuan felt as if electricity was coursing through his body, trembling uncontrollably. Goosebumps rose on his neck and arms.
“Why? Why does Xu Ning Yan always manage to do one enviable thing after another? Singlehandedly holding off four hundred rebels in Cloud Province, battling with the Buddhist sect in front of countless onlookers… It’s too unfair, too unfair.
“When is the next court session? I, I must go to the Meridian Gate. I must go.”
In the afternoon, at the Imperial Music Bureau.
Xu Qi An and Fu Xiang sat drinking tea together, chatting. He told Fu Xiang about the day’s events at court, including the patriotic poem “Composed” by Xu Xin Nian, as well as his own half-verse at the Meridian Gate.
Fu Xiang was a lover of poetry. She listened with her heart-stirring, especially filled with admiration for Xu Qi An’s feat of facing hundreds of officials alone. Her beautiful eyes brimmed with emotion, as if about to spill tears.
“I have a favor to ask. Please spread the word about today’s events at court,” Xu Qi An said, making his request.
The Imperial Music Bureau was the quickest and most convenient hub for spreading information.
“Then, what reward does Young Master Xu plan to give me?” Fu Xiang, who wouldn’t have refused in the past, gazed directly at Xu Qi An with her clear, autumn-water eyes.
When you like someone, it’s hard to hide. Fu Xiang’s longing for Xu Qi An was palpable.
Half an hour later, Xu Qi An went to see Ming Yan, Xiao Ya, and several other familiar courtesans, asking them to spread the news of today’s court events during their tea gatherings.
Then he rode his mare back to the manor.
The imperial examination fraud case was a fatal blow to Xu Xin Nian’s reputation, especially after the deliberate spread of rumors. The literati and common people in the capital all believed that Xu Xin Nian had cheated to become the top scorer.
This impression would gradually settle over time, and once it became ingrained, even if the court eventually proved Xu Xin Nian’s innocence, it would be difficult to reverse his image quickly.
Moreover, the exam fraud case wasn’t over yet. In five days, the palace examination would take place. Xu Qi An had to guard against Minister Sun and others making desperate moves on the eve of the exam.
For instance, they might incite the students of the Imperial Academy to cause trouble.
If public opinion could be turned around in a short time, then the Imperial Academy students would have no justification and would find it difficult to cause significant trouble.
When everyone knows that Xu Xin Nian was wrongly accused, even if you pretend to ignore it, you won’t gain public approval and support.
In ancient times, whether waging war or plotting, people always emphasized having a righteous cause.
“I’ve used up the favor from Prince Yu, but it’s worth it. Fortunately, Prince Yu has long since lost interest in competing for fame and profit, otherwise, he might not have stood up for me… As for Duke Cao, I haven’t delivered the benefits I promised yet. With the influence of the Duke and the Deputy Commander of the Northern Border King, if I go back on my word, I’ll surely face retaliation…
“The Northern Border King probably doesn’t know about this; it’s likely the Deputy Commander and Duke Cao’s scheme. However, I’m just a minor constable. Even if the Northern Border King finds out, he won’t blame his deputy. Besides, the Buddhist sect’s Vajra Invincibility would tempt even high-ranking martial artists. After all, it can enhance defense, and when cultivated to a profound level, it might even lead to a breakthrough in combat power. He has no reason not to be interested.
“So, I still need to deliver the promised benefits. But, I can write the Nine Yin Manual backward…”
After dusk, at the dinner table in the Xu family home, a joyous atmosphere prevailed. Aunt enthusiastically served dishes to both Xu Xin Nian and Xu Qi An.
It was as if they were both her sons.
Although this attitude wouldn’t last long—in some future instance when her nephew irritated her to no end, Aunt would recall old grudges, and their relationship would return to its original state.
But at this moment, Aunt’s gratitude was as pure as 24-karat gold.
Xu Ling Yue loved this family atmosphere and admired her elder brother even more. Her lively, beautiful eyes remained fixed on Xu Qi An.
“Um, I have something I want to say,” Li Na swallowed her food and looked at Xu Qi An and Second Uncle Xu with an unusually serious expression.
“What is it?” Xu Qi An asked while eating.
Second Uncle Xu raised his wine cup, took a sip, and glanced at the little dark-skinned girl from the Southern Frontier.
Li Na’s small face was serious. She looked at Xu Ling Yin and said, “I want to take Ling Yin as my disciple.”
“Pffft…” Xu Qi An spat out his food.
“Pfft…” Second Uncle Xu spat out his wine.
The whole family was caught off guard.
Xu Xin Nian looked disgusted as he shook off the rice grains on his body, moved a bit further from his elder brother, and then looked at Li Na. “Tell us your reasons.”