Ling Zhiyan was stunned by Hua Yitang’s audacity. He recognized this Shan Yuanming. The man was a celebrated talent from Suizhou — said to have been composing essays at three, poetry at five, and by fourteen had entered the Suizhou prefectural school. Five years later he passed the qualifying examination and became a tribute scholar, traveling to the Eastern Capital to sit for that year’s imperial examinations. Unfortunately luck had not favored him, and he failed to pass on his first attempt. The Eastern Capital’s Literary Gate, recognizing his talent, specially invited him to join and helped him establish connections so that he could present his writings to influential figures before the next examination — by all accounts his work had been dazzlingly brilliant, impressing the entire court. Moreover, the man was generous and principled, quick to defend others from injustice, and had an outstanding reputation among the Literary Gate’s scholars. Barring any accidents, this year’s top-tier examination results would certainly have a place for him.

Alas — an earth-shattering “accident” had come.

The day the Feng Family Literary Gate’s examination fraud scandal broke, the whole edifice came crashing down. The scholars who had depended on the Literary Gate were caught up in the disaster as well. The Emperor had previously issued a gracious edict declaring that the fraud case should not be used to implicate the Literary Gate’s scholars, lest the hearts of scholars across the land be lost — all Literary Gate scholars were free to disperse, and could return to sit the examinations next year.

These scholars had been on the verge of securing comfortable positions for themselves, and had their dreams shattered in an instant. Naturally they were bitter and resentful. Then, overnight, rumors began to spread that the Literary Gate’s fraud case had been a frame-up against the Feng Family. Whether they had been stirred up by someone or had received some kind of instruction, they grew more extreme the more they stirred — until it had become this.

And Shan Yuanming, who owed the most to the Literary Gate, had distinguished himself in all of this, effectively becoming the ringleader among these scholars. No need to say more — the daily sit-ins at the Court of Judicial Review gate were organized and led by him.

Ling Zhiyan understood well enough that Hua Yitang was clever — but when it came to learning and scholarship… did that person even have any? To so glibly announce his intention to debate a tribute scholar of far-reaching literary fame right there in the street — Ling Zhiyan pressed a hand to his forehead. No wonder Hua Yitang had been so eager to pay him a thousand gold pieces as a reward. The Hua Family’s money was certainly not easily earned.

Led by Shan Yuanming, the scholars burst into loud laughter at Hua Yitang’s words. Mockery flew from all directions:

“A pampered young fool actually dares to debate with us in public! Have all the rich food and wine gone to your head? Has the fat clogged your brain?”

“What unbelievable arrogance!”

“What utter ignorance!”

“You wine-cask and rice-bucket!”

“A laughingstock for the ages!”

“Go — to — absolute — hell —” Hua Yitang cupped his fan to the side of his jaw and dragged out each syllable, his voice as though built-in with an echo, rolling out over every other sound and pressing it all flat. “A bunch of braying donkeys — who can’t tell right from wrong — go — to — absolute — hell —”

“What did you say?!” The scholars erupted in fury.

“How dare you curse at people in the streets with such foul language!”

“What a disgrace to all of civilization!”

Hua Yitang looked up with his most insufferably provoking smile, and his speech suddenly accelerated to a breathtaking pace: “I was sitting in my carriage drinking my tea, enjoying the scenery and humming a tune, traveling along perfectly well, when a pack of vicious-faced brutes charged up without warning and started spewing filth from their mouths — dirtying my tea and ruining my song. If I don’t curse back, would that not be a disgrace to my title as the greatest pampered young master of Yangdu?”

One had to admit — Hua Yitang was truly the undisputed champion of verbal combat in Yangdu. When he cursed, his breath was full, his diction crisp. He rattled off this long string of words in a single breath, and by the time the scholars had recovered their senses, he was already sipping tea to refresh his lips. Alongside him, Mu Xia led the Hua Family servants in a round of vigorous applause.

“Wah —” The onlooking townspeople were deeply excited, and all turned to look at the scholars’ side, waiting eagerly for a comeback.

Ling Zhiyan felt even more unsettled. He squeezed through the gaps in the crowd, anxiously scanning the Hua Family caravan for any sign of Lin Sui’an — thinking that if the worst came to worst, she would surely know how to keep Hua Yitang in check.

But the caravan was remarkably quiet. There was no sign of Lin Sui’an at all.

Ling Zhiyan suddenly had a bad feeling — could Lin Sui’an not even be in the caravan?

“Ling Court Official?” Behind him came a familiar voice. “You also came to watch the excitement?”

Ling Zhiyan spun around abruptly — and there were Lin Sui’an and Jin Ruo, appearing from somewhere behind him. Lin Sui’an was eating a water pear, while Jin Ruo cradled a packet of white sugar cakes with a red stamp from the North Market’s Wang Family Sugar Cakes printed on the paper bag.

Ling Zhiyan: “You two — how did you get here?”

Jin Ruo: “Those pearl horses’ coats reflect too much light.”

Lin Sui’an: “We were afraid of getting tanned.”

Such an absurd explanation — Ling Zhiyan had never heard the like, truly didn’t know how to continue the conversation, and after a brief pause decisively abandoned any attempt at pleasantries and went straight to the point. “Aren’t you going to help Hua Fourth Young Master?”

Lin Sui’an: “Those tribute scholars look frail, with unsteady footing and unstable breathing. None of them seem to have trained in martial arts — they can’t beat Hua Yitang.”

Ling Zhiyan: “…That’s not what I meant —”

“As for trading verbal blows — I willingly admit I am no match for him. Better to let Hua Yitang perform freely.”

“It’s not trading blows, it’s reasoning…”

“Is there a difference?”

“Don’t worry — if Hua Yitang loses the argument, we’ll go up and knock all those scholars out.” Jin Ruo said. “This is what you call — courtesy before force!”

Lin Sui’an felt genuinely gratified. “The young one is teachable indeed.”

Ling Zhiyan: “……”

Would that thousand gold pieces be possible to get back?

“Everyone — everyone, please —” Shan Yuanming raised both hands to signal the scholars to calm themselves. “This man is deliberately trying to provoke us with his crude words. Don’t let yourselves be led astray — we came here to reason out what is just. We must win through logic!”

The scholars realized at once:

“Baiping speaks wisely!”

“This man is truly dangerous!”

“We almost fell into his trap!”

“Baiping’s wisdom is unrivaled!”

Shan Yuanming drew a long breath and fixed his gaze directly on Hua Yitang. “Hua Family’s Fourth Young Master, I know your family background is illustrious and your wealth immeasurable — but justice is the pillar that holds up the world, and cannot be shaken by rank or fortune. For your own selfish ends, you framed the Feng Family’s Literary Gate, plunging scholars across the land into dire suffering and placing the Tang Kingdom’s literary heritage in desperate peril. The nation’s foundations will be destroyed by your hand. In the dead of night, lying awake — can your conscience rest easy?!”

The townspeople around them let out a collective “Ohhh” and all turned in unison to look at Hua Yitang.

Hua Yitang gave a cold laugh. “The Feng Family cheated in the imperial examinations — evidence both material and testimonial is airtight. How did it become a frame-up in your version of events?”

“The Feng Family’s secret school was discovered by the Hua Family. The scroll that leaked the examination questions was also found by the Hua Family. The key evidence all came from the Feng Family’s sworn enemy — how could such evidence not invite suspicion?” Shan Yuanming said. “Moreover, the Feng Family’s Literary Gate is upright and honorable — for decades without interruption, they have provided funding to scholars from humble backgrounds, asking nothing in return, neither repayment nor silver. With such virtue, with such nobility of spirit — why would they ever destroy their own reputation? It can only be that the Hua Family, seeing the Feng Family’s great renown, was consumed by jealousy of the worthy, and acted to frame them!”

“Pfft!” Hua Yitang spit out a mouthful of tea and burst into loud laughter. The laughter rolled on and on, shaking the whole street. “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha —”

Shan Yuanming was overjoyed, and raised his voice: “Everyone — everyone! Do you see?! This man has clearly been exposed for his wickedness and is consumed with shame and guilty rage, lashing out in a frenzy!”

“Go to absolute hell!” Hua Yitang’s laughter ceased abruptly. “What kind of thing is the Feng Family? How dare they be compared to the Hua Family in the same breath?! You say the Feng Family is renowned? Renowned where? In those mung-bean eyes of yours that can see no further than your nose? Open your turtle eyes and see clearly — the Hua Family’s shops span every prefecture and county in the Tang Kingdom. The Hua Family’s merchant caravans have crossed the entire Silk Road. The Hua Family’s trading vessels have sailed across the oceans. The Hua Family’s commercial name is known throughout the world. Ask the people around you — how many have heard of the Feng Family? How many have heard of the Hua Family?!”

The onlooking townspeople nodded vigorously in agreement.

“Hua Fourth Young Master is right — when it comes to being a household name, nothing can compare to the Hua Family!”

“We’re all common folk who can’t even read — why should we care about some Feng Family?”

“Half the shops in the North Market, East Market, and West Market have the Hua Family emblem on them. You see it morning and night whether you want to or not — impossible to forget even if you tried.”

“Hua Family goods are well-made — clothes hold up for years, and they’ll even mend them for free if they start to fall apart.”

“The Hua Family’s felt hats are sturdy and good-looking.”

“I love Hua Family accessories — new styles every month. Especially those recently — their fragrance pouch balls are truly remarkable.”

Hua Yitang: “If I’m not mistaken — the robe you’re wearing, the shoes on your feet, your undershirt, your belt, and the headcloth on your head were all purchased from Hua Family shops, weren’t they?”

Shan Yuanming’s feet shot back two steps. His mouth opened and closed several times without a single word coming out.

Hua Yitang rose to his feet, vaulted down from the carriage with a light, agile movement. He stood a full half-head taller than Shan Yuanming, far more striking in appearance, dressed in robes that made him dazzling to behold, with years of quarrels and confrontations having cultivated in him an imposing presence that commanded all eyes. He planted himself there, the center of all attention, leagues above the rest. “You say I have placed the Tang Kingdom’s literary heritage in desperate peril? I would ask you — do you even know what literary heritage means?!”

Shan Yuanming raised his chin. “Speaking of ‘literature’ — it begins with the written word, extends to poetry, prose, and classical texts, accumulates into the great ancient canons. And ‘heritage’ — the repository of blood, the pathways through which vital essence flows. Therefore ‘literary heritage’ is the lineage of literature itself, the nation’s lifeblood, the carrier of our civilization’s soul, the sign by which the culture-star thrives and flourishes!”

A sweeping and impassioned speech — the scholars who heard it were fired up and stirred to the blood, cheering and applauding enthusiastically. But beyond them, every townsperson watching wore a look of complete bewilderment.

Hua Yitang tapped the corner of his forehead with his fan. “Did everyone understand what he just said?”

The townspeople shook their heads in unison. “Couldn’t follow a word of it.”

Hua Yitang shrugged. “Neither could I. I wonder if this Weeds Hermit could kindly explain it for everyone.”

“Truly an unlearned, uneducated pampered fool,” Shan Yuanming said coldly. “Listen well. Literary heritage is the bloodline of letters — the vein of national fortune!”

Hua Yitang snapped his fan together. “If you had said that from the beginning, I would have understood, wouldn’t I? In other words — what you’re saying is, I kicked over the Feng Family and thereby destroyed the bloodline of letters and severed the vein of national fortune?”

Shan Yuanming paused, seeming to sense something wrong with where this was going, and was just about to speak to correct it — when Hua Yitang suddenly struck first, his voice ringing out: “Everyone here has heard that, haven’t they? This gentleman is saying that the Feng Family is the Tang Kingdom’s national fortune!”

Shan Yuanming’s face drained of color. “I never said any such thing!”

“Oh my, how can the Weeds Hermit claim he did not say what he plainly said? Everyone here heard it perfectly!”

The townspeople chimed in readily:

“Right, right, that’s exactly what we heard.”

“He went on and on, but wasn’t that the gist of it?”

“And to think he’s a man of letters — disowning what he himself just said. Truly laughable.”

Shan Yuanming was sweating with agitation. “That’s not what I meant! Everyone — everyone, this man is twisting my words — it’s pure sophistry — please don’t believe him!”

Hua Yitang’s smile curved at the corners of his lips. He held his gaze on the man, voice unhurried and even. “A mere Feng Family — powerful for no more than ten years — and in your words they’ve become the very foundation of the nation’s fortune. For all anyone knows, you seem to think the Tang Kingdom has already become the Feng Family’s personal domain.”

“Hua Yitang! Those words are treasonous! Outrageous! Do you place the Emperor and the court in your eyes at all?!”

“The ones committing treason are you!” Hua Yitang’s gaze turned suddenly sharp, his voice cutting like a blade. “You accuse me of framing the Feng Family — where is your evidence?!”

Shan Yuanming: “The Hua Family bears a grudge against the Feng Family — this is common knowledge. I was reasoning from that premise —”

“The most egregious absurdity under heaven!” Hua Yitang brought his fan down across Shan Yuanming’s face — the crack of it rang out sharp and bright. Shan Yuanming, a scholar unaccustomed to violence, was completely blindsided by the fact that Hua Yitang would simply strike someone without warning, and stood there in stunned shock with a hand over his face.

“Adjudicating a case requires real, concrete evidence. An inference without any evidence is worth less than dog filth! You come here and spew all this on nothing more than groundless speculation — spreading false rumors, inciting the public, defaming the authorities. You are the true criminal who intends to destroy the foundations of our Tang Kingdom!” Hua Yitang thundered.

“I — when did I ever defame the authorities?! You — you you you — stop making false accusations!”

“This case was led by the Court of Judicial Review in gathering and confirming evidence and conducting interrogations, reviewed and re-examined by the Ministry of Justice, supervised throughout by the Censorate — every procedure complied with Tang law to the letter. How many clerks went without sleep, how many constables traveled thousands of li, how many officials trod on the thinnest of ice — and not so much as a fly in the case files went unscrutinized!” Here, Hua Yitang suddenly raised his voice, the layers of his robes catching the wind and billowing outward, brilliant and resplendent. “All of this — was done to uncover the truth. To give every scholar in the land a truly fair and impartial examination! And that is what is the real foundation of the nation’s fortune!”

The entire street went still. Everyone watched the handsome young man in the sunlight, watched the shimmering of unshed tears in his bright eyes. “You pack of fools — all of this was for you… for the future of every person under heaven!”

Ling Zhiyan was transfixed. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but when Hua Yitang spoke of the hardships endured by the court officials, he had seemed to glance briefly in this direction.

Jin Ruo: “Ha! He won!”

Lin Sui’an clicked her tongue against her back teeth: This pampered young master’s verbal combat skills had leveled up again. First he had knocked down Shan Yuanming’s confidence by playing the fool, escalating step by step, using the charge of treason to send his opponent’s composure into chaos, then pressing down with an avalanche of factual evidence — every sentence incisive, every word striking the core. Even the punctuation had been given its own rhythm. And especially that final closing line — moving through reason to the heart, elevating the whole argument to a higher plane of meaning. Brilliant.

She looked at the scholars. Every one of them wore a face of burning shame, wishing they could find a crack in the ground and disappear into it.

Hua Yitang’s gaze settled steadily on Shan Yuanming. “Search your own conscience — do you truly believe there are flaws in the Feng Family’s case, or is it that the Feng Family’s fall shattered the road to your own rise? Are you here for justice — or for your own gain? Have you actually seen the truth — or are you willfully blind, seeing only what you wish to see?”

Shan Yuanming stumbled back several steps, nearly tripped, and sat down hard on the ground. He was drenched in sweat, trembling all over.

Hua Yitang let out a long, heavy sigh, turned toward the surrounding townspeople, and clasped his hands in a deep bow of apology. “Today’s delay was entirely on account of this one’s business — I am deeply ashamed. As an expression of apology, starting today for ten days, any of those present who visit a Hua Family shop and use the secret phrase ‘Hua Fourth Young Master is mighty’ will receive a twenty percent discount.”

Ling Zhiyan’s jaw dropped.

Jin Ruo was dumbstruck. “Absolutely shameless!”

Lin Sui’an pressed a hand to her forehead in rueful amusement.

The townspeople erupted in excitement, cheering “Hua Fourth Young Master is mighty!” in chorus as they bid the Hua Family caravan a warm farewell and watched it slowly depart.

The scholars stood blankly at the roadside, expressions vacant, eyes dazed — they had no idea what to do next.

After this encounter, there was no chance these scholars would go back to staging sit-ins at the Court of Judicial Review. Ling Zhiyan felt a wave of relief wash through him — and then, suddenly, his heart lurched. He looked sharply at Lin Sui’an.

“Could it be… that the Hua Family caravan made such a conspicuous entrance into the city in order to —”

To help him?

Lin Sui’an smiled. “Since Ling Court Official came all this way, why don’t we have some tea together?”

Side Story 1

An hour earlier.

Hua Yitang had been riding his horse and found his back aching, his seat aching, and everything aching after only half an hour. He gave up and retreated to the carriage for another nap. When he woke, the caravan had already entered the Eastern Capital through the Changxia Gate. Excited, he pushed open the carriage window to look for Lin Sui’an — only to find Lin Sui’an nowhere to be seen. And not just Lin Sui’an — Jin Ruo, Ita, and Fang Ke had all vanished.

“Mu Xia!” Hua Yitang shouted. “Where did Lin Sui’an — ahem — where did everyone go?”

Mu Xia: “Doctor Fang got motion-sick and threw up. Ita drove ahead to take him to the estate to rest. Lin Niangzi and Jin Ruo — went off to play.”

Hua Yitang: “What?”

“That’s right, Fourth Young Master. They not only didn’t tell you — they went off as a pair, side by side, in high spirits, and very happily at that.” Mu Xia, First-Rank Instigator of the Hua Household, said with solemn gravity.

Hua Yitang’s face turned green. Even his hair seemed to turn green. He gripped his fan so hard it cracked.

Just then, the caravan suddenly jolted to a sharp halt. From outside came a shout:

“Is the one approaching the so-called greatest pampered young master of Yangdu — Hua Family’s Fourth Young Master?!”

Hua Yitang ground his back molars together, and let out a cold laugh: Heaven has a road you won’t walk — hell has no gate but you barge right in. You’ve come at exactly the right time.

“To hell with them! Whose blind eyes are so dim they come and bark in the middle of the road?!”

Side Story 2

Three days later, Yangdu, the Hua Family residence.

Imeile came skipping in, holding up two carrier pigeon messages. “All the pearl raw oysters we imported in the first half of the year — seven out of ten lots have already sold! The selling speed is twice last year’s, and prices are thirty percent higher! Word is spreading among the buyers that Hua Family’s Fourth Young Master was buying up pearl jewelry in bulk in Heyue City — and they figured it meant the Hua Family had inside information that pearls were going to rise in price, so they all followed along and started stocking up!”

Hua Yihuan’s hand paused on his account book. “That little troublemaker — and he somehow stumbled into it anyway.”

“There’s more — word has come from the Eastern Capital! Fourth Young Master had an open debate in the streets with a group of tribute scholars on the Central Imperial Avenue.”

Hua Yihuan didn’t even look up. “Did he win the argument?”

“Of course he won.”

“Good.”

“Fourth Young Master set up a discount using a secret phrase — ‘Hua Fourth Young Master is mighty.’ The Eastern Capital reports that a third of the year-end surplus inventory was cleared as a result. Truly an unexpected windfall.”

Hua Yihuan raised an eyebrow. “One — it clears surplus inventory. Two — it builds the name. A single arrow, two birds. Very good. Send the order down: extend the phrase to the whole country, and extend the discount period by another ten days.”

“Yes!”

Note on “Presenting Writings”: Before the imperial examinations, applicants would compile their literary compositions into a scroll and present it before the examination to prominent figures in society, politics, and the literary world — soliciting their recommendations to the chief examiner, who presided over the examinations under the Ministry of Rites — in hopes of improving their chances of passing. (Source: The Study of Tang Dynasty Examination Literature and Its Applicants)