Chapter 620 - 347: Sir Has Great Talent
Chapter 620: Chapter 347: Sir Has Great Talent
The scholars, who previously had rather arrogant demeanors, all bowed one by one when they saw Chen Yi approaching.
The continuous greetings of "Mr. Qingzhou" spread outward, drawing the attention of the commoners watching from afar.
"That’s Mr. Qingzhou of our Guiyun Academy. I heard his Calligraphy Dao has reached some incredible Realm. He’s highly revered by those scholars."
"The Perfection Realm of Calligraphy Dao! Those who don’t know can go take a look outside the Hundred Herbs Hall in the West Market. That plaque was written by Mr. Qingzhou himself."
"I had the fortune to see it. The lingering Mental Realm within it is so profound that it makes one’s vision blur."
"Look at those scholars. They were acting so high and mighty before, as if looking down on us, but upon seeing Mr. Qingzhou, don’t they still have to bow obediently?"
"What? Is your kid good at studying?"
"I sure hope he is..."
Although the Great Wei Dynasty opened the path of imperial examinations to broadly recruit talent, only a minority of people could afford to study. Therefore, the ordinary commoners among the onlookers naturally envied the Scholars who came to participate in the Annual Examination.
However, when they saw these Scholars bowing to Chen Yi, their feelings became somewhat complicated. Envy was there, but it was overshadowed by a sense of an invisible chasm. When someone is slightly better than you, hard work might allow you to catch up, but when they far surpass you, all that is left is a deep sense of powerlessness.
Naturally, Chen Yi couldn’t have guessed these thoughts. He returned the bows one by one and stood at the very back of the line, waiting to enter the examination venue.
Ma Guan, Tang Ye, and a few others hurried over to greet him.
Ma Guan was visibly relieved. "Sir, you’re finally here. I thought you missed the hour."
Tang Ye chimed in, "Yes, sir. Brother Heming and I were just discussing going to the Xiao Mansion to find you."
Chen Yi looked at the two of them. Seeing that they were wearing the identical long gowns denoting their status as scholars, he chuckled and pointed at his own attire. "Today, I am just like you—a scholar participating in the Annual Examination. How can you neglect yourselves to go find an opponent?"
Ma Guan and Tang Ye exchanged a glance, both offering somewhat sheepish smiles.
Having studied Calligraphy Dao under Chen Yi for some time, they were fairly familiar with his temperament and knew he did not stick to trivial formalities. But they were different. Respecting one’s teacher and revering the Dao was the first lesson a scholar learned upon beginning their education. This principle only grew stronger over time and was deeply ingrained in their minds.
This was especially true for Ma Guan, also known by his courtesy name, Heming. By studying under Chen Yi, not only had he achieved success in his Calligraphy Dao, but he had also become Chen Yi’s assistant in teaching Calligraphy Dao, earning the high regard of Mr. Yue Ming and others. Even if he failed to place highly in the imperial examinations in the future, he could still become an Instructor at the academy by relying on his Minor Achievement Calligraphy Dao. This was what he was most grateful to Chen Yi for.
Furthermore, through his frequent interactions with Chen Yi, he had constantly been influenced by him and learned things not found in historical classics—such as the ways of the world, quick-wittedness, and cleverness. Many of Chen Yi’s words and actions seemed to deviate from the teachings of ancient sages at first glance, but upon later reflection, they always yielded rich insights for Ma Guan.
He thought, "Sir is truly a great talent."
Tang Ye, on the other hand, didn’t think that deeply. Being younger, he was simply filled with pure admiration for Chen Yi. Every time he returned home from the academy, he would recount Chen Yi’s words and deeds to anyone who would listen.
For instance, when Mr. Qingzhou taught the principles of Calligraphy Dao today, he said, "Simply put, Calligraphy Dao is writing characters. The emphasis is on the character itself, not the act of writing.
"You must comprehend its meaning and integrate it with your own body.
"What is a character?
"Draw from your own body up close, and from external objects afar. Observe yourself, observe the rotation of heaven and earth, examine all living things, and draw their forms..."
When Tang Ye recounted this passage, his father, Tang Zixing, the Inspector General of Shu State, happened to overhear. After pondering for a long time, he commented, "Mr. Qingzhou must be someone who has grasped the supreme principles of the rotation of heaven and earth. Ye, you must learn from him with an open mind—not just in Calligraphy Dao, but in other aspects as well..."
Tang Ye similarly idolized Tang Zixing and had once seen his father as his ultimate goal, so he naturally committed this admonition to memory.
At this moment, seeing Chen Yi refer to them as opponents, the two simply treated it as a joke. He had to be kidding. While they might not know the exact depths of Chen Yi’s knowledge, they were very clear about their own limitations. Let alone taking first place in the Annual Examination, just being able to write a coherent and logical essay would already place them among the most outstanding performers of their peers.
"Sir, your words make me ashamed," Ma Guan said.
Tang Ye echoed, "I am ashamed, too."
Chen Yi chuckled and said a few more words, no longer teasing the two. He then looked toward the people standing outside the examination venue’s entrance not far away.
Chen Yunfan and Li Huai’gu from the Governor’s Office were leading personnel to inspect the exam baskets of the Scholars participating in the Annual Examination. Mr. Zhuo Ying and other teachers from Guiyun Academy stood on the other side, offering a few words of encouragement whenever they saw students from their academy. Additionally, there were County Magistrates and Scholar-Officials from various counties. Most of them had come to observe the performance of the Scholars under their jurisdiction so they could adjust their focus for the coming year’s Prefecture Examination and County Examination.
Inside the examination venue, on a platform directly facing the main gates, Ma Shuhan sat upright in a Grandmaster’s Chair, calmly sizing up the Scholars outside.
Ma Shuhan was around fifty years old and ordinary-looking, with a broad, protruding forehead and a rather thin figure that made his Official Robe appear loose and baggy. As he observed the crowd, he conversed with the two deputy examiners beside him.
"The Annual Examination will last for two days. I hope you all stay alert and absolutely do not give any scoundrels an opportunity to exploit the situation," he said.
"Please rest assured, Lord Academic Administrator..." one of the deputy examiners replied.
As the chief examiner, Ma Shuhan was in overall charge, while the two deputy examiners split duties—one internal, one external. The external deputy was responsible for patrolling the exam venue to prevent cheating, while the internal deputy was tasked with discussing the exam topics with Ma Shuhan and grading the outstanding papers.
Chen Yi observed for a moment. Hearing faint snippets of their conversation, he retracted his gaze and silently moved forward with the line.
A few days ago, when Liu Hong was still alive, he had constantly conspired with Ma Shuhan regarding the Annual Examination. Their goal was likely to use the changes in the Annual Examination’s rules to rope in the major Noble Families and Clans of Shu State, while subsequently suppressing Scholars of Lower Class origin and from certain rival families. The fact that Ma Shuhan hadn’t been taken away by the White Tiger Guard proved that whatever he and Liu Hong were plotting did not involve treason or colluding with the enemy.