Chapter 577 - 214: Lu Ming Banquet (Part 3)
Chapter 577: Chapter 214: Lu Ming Banquet (Part 3)
Just as the Provincial Governor was giving his customary speech, after everyone had paid their respects to the Saint of Literature and were about to bow to the chief and deputy examiners, a loud commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance of the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office.
This was Xinghuai Prefecture, Sheng Mingchuan’s home turf. For something like this to happen right before the banquet should have been an embarrassment for him. Yet, he remained as still as a mountain, his expression unchanged. He only glanced nonchalantly at Wen Shu beside him. "What’s all the noise about outside?"
Hearing this, all the officials present fell silent and listened for Wen Shu’s explanation.
Seeing this, Wen Shu gave a look to a nearby constable. The constable quickly left and returned, about to lean in and whisper the reason in Wen Shu’s ear.
Gong Yuanxiu, however, spoke up. "It’s happening right under our noses. Is there any need to hide it from us? Or is this something Mr. Sheng intends to handle privately, something the rest of us shouldn’t know about?"
Sheng Mingchuan glanced at Wen Shu. Wen Shu gave a slight nod, then turned, smiled, and cupped his hands in a salute to the crowd. "To be frank with you, my lords and you esteemed scholars, there is a failed student outside the government office shouting that the Provincial Examination was unfair. He is dissatisfied with his failure."
The hall immediately erupted in an uproar. Gong Yuanxiu’s face, in particular, turned ashen.
He had expected to enjoy the spectacle at Sheng Mingchuan’s expense; never had he imagined the trouble was aimed at him.
’Dissatisfied with failing? Isn’t that the same as being dissatisfied with the rankings I decided on?’
’They deliberately set aside fifteen days for failed scholars to cause a scene. Back then, they were all as quiet as mice, but now one decides to show up at the government office. How is this any different from a public slap in the face?’
Gong Yuanxiu’s face was ashen, his beard trembling with rage.
"Nonsense! Utter nonsense! No one came forward before, but now he’s causing a scene at the government office gates. A student like that has no respect for the law. If he managed to become a scholar, then I must be blind."
Xu Shiling frowned and glanced at Gong Yuanxiu. "Mr. Gong, you can’t deny a student’s learning just because his character is flawed. We should bring the man in and question him clearly to find out what’s really going on before passing judgment."
Another magistrate agreed. "While it’s unpleasant for this to happen on such a joyous occasion, clearing things up could prevent a lot of gossip. It might even help enhance the Lord Prefect’s reputation. Mr. Gong, you were the chief examiner. After all your hard work, you surely don’t want this blemish on your record right before you return to the capital to report. If we wait for the student to take his complaint to the Ministry of Rites, it won’t just be a simple matter of you being punished. Even Mr. Xu and Mr. Yuan would be implicated."
"That makes sense."
"Let him in and let him have his say. He claims his paper was judged unfairly. Well, we’re all men of letters here. Let’s see just how skilled he really is."
With things having come to this, what else could Gong Yuanxiu say? He could only reluctantly cup his hands toward Sheng Mingchuan. "I’ll have to trouble you, Lord Prefect. Let the man in."
Then he added arrogantly, "I’d like to see for myself where I was supposedly unfair! To be honest with you all, since becoming the chief examiner, I have worked day and night, filled with trepidation, not daring to be the least bit negligent. And now, at the very end, someone has tried to slander me. My lords, you must all keep your eyes wide open and help me clear my name..."
Just as Gong Yuanxiu was in the middle of his passionate speech, the constables brought in a poor, shabby scholar.
To call him a poor, shabby scholar was no exaggeration at all.
The man’s clothes were ragged, and his hair was a messy bird’s nest. His face was covered in bruises, black and blue. He was cowering and timid. He didn’t look like a man of letters at all; people would have believed he was a beggar from the streets.
This man and Gong Yuanxiu came face to face, and both of them immediately froze.
Immediately after, emotions like shock, panic, and a loss of composure flashed in Gong Yuanxiu’s eyes. Meanwhile, the ragged man, Fan Ju, looked as if he had seen his mortal enemy. He forcefully broke free from the constables’ grip and charged recklessly toward Gong Yuanxiu.
"Mr. Gong, so you are Mr. Gong! That bullshit merchant, so you’re that dog of an examiner, Gong Yuanxiu! You’ve caused me so much suffering! I nearly lost my life!"
Before Gong Yuanxiu could even react, he felt a sharp pain on his face and immediately clutched it as he staggered back.
He knocked over the table behind him. The scholar sitting behind the table scrambled up and ran away to avoid being caught in the fray.
The overturned table tripped Gong Yuanxiu. He stumbled and fell backward, landing heavily on the table. This gave Fan Ju the perfect opportunity. He clenched his fists and rained a flurry of blows down on Gong Yuanxiu!
"You monster! You damn dog of an official! I see it now, you thought I was stupid and used me as your pawn! I almost died! I almost died on the road! This is all your fault! And you call yourself a court official? You’re more like a butcher with a knife!"