The Immortal Seeker: Legend of Bronze Mirror
Chapter 107 - 76 Inner Factory_2

Chapter 107: Chapter 76 Inner Factory_2

Alright, this might just be an act.

Regardless, let’s just set aside whether there was an epiphany.

After all, Xu Sanyuan definitely remembered this society member.

After surveying, Xu Qing summoned Yan Shan, "Weizhong, do you know of an elderly Scholar from Wuzhong County who moved to the city recently... Li Feng, Old Scholar Li?"

This trip out had imbued him with the aura of the worldly society, and Xu Sanyuan nearly let slip ’Old Hero Li’ by accident.

This would tarnish the image of the young master Sanyuan.

All thanks to Yan Shan, who had no reason to coin the moniker ’Timely Rain of Jiangning’ for him, calling him ’Brother Gongming’ incessantly, to the point that he started to see himself as a character from Water Margin.

After all, Yan Shan was from a genuine Imperial Examination scholarly family, although his branch was small and had fallen on hard times, they did go to the Jilu Academy to study, and with familial connections, there were some things Xu Qing might not know about, but Yan Shan might well be aware of.

After all, learning the family genealogy and networking chart is also one of the compulsory courses for the children of scholarly families or academy students.

This is a significant advantage for scholarly offspring mingling in officialdom; there’s always a roundabout relationship that can be used as a stepping stone.

For ordinary people without this connection, they wouldn’t even be able to get through the door.

In this day and age, getting people to do things for you, to point you in the right direction, costs a lot of money. As for the success of the matter, that’s another price and it’s even more outrageous.

Yan Shan recalled for a moment, then said: "Could it be Li Anguo, one of the eight great sages of Wuzhong, Mr. Li Feng?"

Upon hearing ’eight great sages,’ Xu Qing thought that it sounded like a literary group debut, obviously a lower quality than his own "one day to be a gentleman of the world."

Listening to the ranking, it didn’t seem much different from the Eight Steeds of Jiangning, perhaps even lower.

After all, among the historical Eight Steeds of Jing Province, there was Liu Jingsheng who commanded troops and horses across nine counties, dominating a region.

For Teacher Zhou to ask him to seek education from this person seemed damaging to Xu Qing’s stature.

Naturally, Xu Qing was just complaining in his mind. Logically speaking, the other side should have some other background.

"Does this person have any relatives or students who have become notable?" Xu Qing asked again.

Such local connections might not even be clear to Magistrate He.

But Yan Shan didn’t know either.

After shaking his head, he asked Xu Qing: "Brother Gongming, since Mr. Li is from my great uncle’s generation, why don’t you come with me to ask him?"

...

...

Mr. Yan was formerly a tutor in the Yan family’s private school, but as he aged and teaching became taxing, Feng Xifeng was recommended to take over his position.

Now that Feng Xifeng has become a Scholar, he went to the Divine Capital to attend next year’s Imperial Examination; Mr. Yan, in his old age, could only begrudgingly hold up until spring to look for a new young tutor.

The old man was pleased to see a young successor visit.

He had only achieved the title of Scholar in his life, but was old and experienced.

Hearing that Xu Qing was the young Scholar of Jiangning Prefecture, he didn’t put on airs and was very polite.

Xu Qing explained his intentions.

Mr. Yan: "So Li Anguo has also come to live in the city."

"Yes."

"My friend Xu, how do you know Li Anguo has a background?"

"A senior mentioned him, asking me to take care of the elderly gentleman here in the city. Being curious, I wanted to inquire about him."

Mr. Yan gave Xu Qing a look that was both smiling yet not.

Xu Qing thought to himself that those who live long indeed tend to become wily; the old fox might have noticed something. But he wasn’t worried; his visit was merely to get an answer, to have an understanding, and even if there was no answer, he would still seek out Li Feng to learn.

Mr. Yan continued: "Li Anguo used to be a tutor for the Fan Family in Wuzhong, though that was almost twenty years ago."

"The Fan Family of Wuzhong, I heard that they haven’t produced a Scholar or a jinshi in nearly twenty years." Yan Shan remarked.

Following Xu Qing had certainly raised his sights.

After finishing his statement, he got hit with his great uncle’s walking stick.

Yan Shan then realized he had spoken out of turn; the old man was only a Scholar himself.

After hitting his grandnephew with the walking stick, the old man continued, "Although the Fan Family hasn’t produced any Scholars or jinshis in recent years, their adopted son Shen Mo was the top scorer of Wan Shou’s thirty-second year. Shen Mo was originally surnamed Fan while following the Fan family. After becoming top scorer, the Fan family revealed his true lineage, allowing him to revert to the surname Shen."

Wan Shou’s thirty-second year, that was fourteen years ago.

And that Li Anguo had been a tutor for the Fan Family; fewer might know such a thing.

With this inquiry, Xu Qing also had a clear picture.

Li Anguo had been a teacher to the top scorer, yet it seemed he was reluctant to flaunt this fact.

Indeed, this kind of relationship, if not flaunted, outsiders would not understand the depth of the relationship between them even if they knew someone had been a teacher to a Top Scholar.

More importantly, as a Hanlin Scholar in the Divine Capital, who would need such a connection unless their family had officials in the capital?

If you’re indeed an official in the capital, you’re already fellow townsmen, naturally forming a group for mutual support.

Xu Qing was puzzled in his heart. Could it be that Shen Mo, the top scorer, was about to become the chief examiner for the provincial examinations in South Zhili?

But as per the long-standing practices of the country, it was impossible to allow someone to administer the provincial examinations in their home province.

"After all, the Court is in the midst of political reform, and if Shen Mo belongs to the Reform Faction, selecting his own folks would be more conducive to factional actions."

Scholars don’t need to enter the Court; on the local level, they wield power on their own.

This is where the saying ’Golden Scholar’ and ’silver jinshi’ comes from.

In terms of local influence, Scholars certainly have more than jinshis serving in the Court.

With the country’s political reform, it would invariably affect the old powers’ interests, so having a new group of Scholars aligned with the Reform Faction locally benefits the advancement of the Reform cause.

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