The Immortal Seeker: Legend of Bronze Mirror
Chapter 252 - 128: If Xu Jieyuan Does Not Appear, What About Nai Cangsheng? (Seeking Subscriptions)

Chapter 252: Chapter 128: If Xu Jieyuan Does Not Appear, What About Nai Cangsheng? (Seeking Subscriptions)

Yingtian Prefecture, Imperial Censor’s office, rear estate.

Today, the wind is gentle and the sun is bright, the sky is clear and the air is fresh.

Among the rockeries and flowing waters of the pavilion, Feng Xun’an and Academician Zhou sat facing each other, with Feng Wu responsible for serving the wine.

"Didn’t expect that lad really became Top Scorer," Academician Zhou lamented with a hint of sourness, "It’s really a steal for you."

Feng Xun’an appeared displeased, "It’s just the Top Scorer, and I was ranked second class overall."

Scholars’ affairs, unless the official position is particularly high, generally depend on the ranking in the imperial examinations.

Being Top Scorer is indeed formidable, but being ranked second class overall means one is indisputably the fourth highest in that session’s exam.

Your Top Scorer from South Zhili may claim to be the first among all Top Scorers, but this isn’t "officially recognized" by the Court!

Feng Wu couldn’t help but say, "Dad, when you took the provincial exam, you ranked only fifth."

Originally, from the second to the tenth in the provincial exam, all were called second-best scorers.

"That was also the Five Classics Leader!" Feng Xun’an added.

Academician Zhou laughed, "The essays of the top ten in the provincial exam have been copied, I have seen Xie Quan’s essay, and it’s stronger than yours last time. But he only ranked sixth. So, the fifth-ranked Five Classics Leader doesn’t necessarily mean your true level is fifth, it could be even lower."

Feng Xun’an did not counter, just sighed, "Wen Yuan’s talent is beyond doubt, it’s a pity they were in the same Yijing Room with Xu, leaving him at a disadvantage."

Because the top five in the provincial exam would be the leaders of the Five Classics Room, each taking first place in their respective room.

Xie Quan and Xu Qing being in the same Yijing Room; even if his essay was viewed by the examiners as higher grading than the other four leaders, he could only be ranked sixth.

Academician Zhou nodded gently, "Worldly affairs, good and bad things go hand in hand. With Wen Yuan’s and Shen Mo’s friendship, if he became the Five Classics Leader, it would be too conspicuous and problematic. The current position is just right."

Feng Xun’an, "What’s the matter with Shen Junshan this time? He didn’t host the customary banquet after the provincial exam and went straight back to the capital."

Academician Zhou shook his head, "How would I know, his temper is unpredictable, sometimes hasty, other times indifferent, enough to drive anyone crazy."

Feng Xun’an furrowed his brows, "He left too hastily, now the pressure must have fallen on Xu."

Indeed, with the chief examiner leaving in a hurry, the focus on the Top Scorer naturally intensifies.

No gold is entirely pure, nor is anyone flawless.

Once one is in the public eye, even the smallest flaw can be picked upon.

As the saying goes, a tree that stands out in the forest is likely to be destroyed by the wind; a protruding dyke will break the flow; being above others in virtue incurs public criticism.

Academician Zhou said, "With your father-in-law here, what’s there to fear?"

Feng Xun’an was irritated, "You are leaving soon, becoming a high official elsewhere, just here gloating over my troubles."

Protecting Xu Qing isn’t difficult, but there will surely be those who use Xu Qing and his relationship to make their moves, political matters are not so simple, sometimes conflicts of interest can’t be avoided.

Thus, what Feng Xun’an can protect against are only the evident dangers, the hidden threats remain difficult to defend against.

Academician Zhou, "You have it tough, but I have it tougher. Do you think the affairs in Lingnan are simple? The former Governor left a huge mess; just had dealt with Lotus Sect, now Heshan Dao is seizing the chance to grow stronger. Heshan Dao is even more troublesome than Lotus Sect, mostly comprising barbarians, a slight mistake might incite the Tusi to rebel, risking my life and property."

The Great Yu Dynasty was particularly lenient towards these frontier barbarians; if their resistance was stirred, causing chaos, often the Governor couldn’t escape unscathed.

If Han people rebelled, it’d be straightforward, just dispatch troops to suppress them with potential merits to earn.

Of course, this is also related to the indigenous people hiding in deep mountains. Once insurrection occurs, the military expenses used by the court to quell them are immense.

If these indigenous people came down from the mountains, it would be as easy to govern them as managing Han people.

Therefore, the best method of governing indigenous peoples is through education, integrating them into the civilization of the Central Plains and accepting the Dynasty’s rule.

It is a massive project that needs to last for hundreds of thousands of years, which might even be disrupted due to the rise and fall of Dynasties, forcing efforts to start over.

Additionally, the living conditions in Lingnan are somewhat harsher compared to the Central Plains.

Thus, historically, Central Earth scholars regard serving as an official in Lingnan as no different from exile.

Feng Xun’an, however, indifferent to his uncle-in-law’s difficulties, pouted, "You won’t be stuck in Lingnan forever, will you?"

Academician Zhou coughed, "If you think this is a good position, lend me Xu Qing for a while, take him to Lingnan. After all, staying in South Zhili will inevitably lead to continuous controversies."

"No way!" Feng Xun’an and his daughter objected in unison.

Academician Zhou smiled faintly, "Look at you and your daughter, just mentioning it has you all anxious."

Feng Xun’an scoffed, "I know your scheme, wanting to tie my son-in-law to your Taicang Zhou Clan’s ship, it’s not happening so easily."

He was now straightforward, putting the cards on the table.

Academician Zhou, "Aren’t you trying to pull him into your Dongzhou school faction?"

Feng Xun’an, "I didn’t think that way."

"Your academy’s people definitely think that way."

"Talking with you is really not resonating, Qing’er, see off the guest." Mr. Feng waved his hands and stormed off the pavilion irritated.

Feng Wu held his forehead, headache!

Academician Zhou, however, wasn’t offended, and laughed as he took out a box from his sleeve robe, saying, "This is Three Curves Spiritual Ginseng, consider it a wedding gift from your uncle."

There are nine grades of Spirit Ginseng, with three curves being a rare high-quality.

Ginsengs of six curves or more can even transform and burrow into the ground; even a Martial Arts Grandmaster can hardly capture them by force in the mountains.