Chapter 87

Listen.

The Inspector of Education for Zhejiang, equivalent to the provincial education commissioner, was someone of high rank. Wang Xian couldn’t understand why such a high-ranking official would be so concerned about him, a mere nobody.

Thinking this way showed that he still didn’t understand the literati and cultural circles of the Ming Dynasty. A poet who could receive such high praise from Hu Guang would inevitably be famous throughout the land. However, his status as a clerk was bound to make the literati feel uncomfortable... Just imagine, the best poet of the Ming Dynasty wasn’t a scholar but a lowly, vulgar clerk. How much of a mockery would this be to the scholars of the Ming Dynasty?

At this point, there was only one way to make the literati feel comfortable: to change his blue robe to a green one, transforming him from a clerk to a scholar, which would please everyone. The Inspector of Education, Xu, who facilitated this, would also gain a reputation for having a keen eye for talent and for selecting people without being bound by convention. This was precisely the kind of praise that an Inspector of Education needed... If this matter was handled well, Inspector Xu would benefit greatly.

Inspector Xu, who oversaw the education of the entire province, could do this with just a wave of his hand. If it didn’t work out, there wouldn’t be much loss. After weighing the pros and cons, he decided it was worth it. That’s why he condescended to speak with Wang Xian.

Wang Xian didn’t fully understand Inspector Xu’s calculations, but he knew that the other party must have recognized his ‘poetic talent’... However, he knew himself well. How much could he really accomplish? The reason he was looked at with new eyes was all thanks to Tang Bohu! But there weren’t many famous poems from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and he could remember even fewer. He could bluff his way through for a while, but if he really joined the literary circle, he would be exposed in no time.

He was well aware of the story of Fang Zhongyong, who was a failed穿越者 (time traveler) trying to be a literary copyist. Indeed, one must seize opportunities when they come, but there’s also a saying that ‘opportunities are always for those who are prepared.’ He wasn’t prepared yet, and if he acted rashly, he would likely end up losing more than gaining... Wang Xian didn’t let the sudden good fortune go to his head. He always remembered that County Magistrate Wei was his true support. By clinging to that young and capable leg, he could still achieve what he wanted, albeit more slowly and with more effort, but it would be solid.

Of course, he wasn’t so foolish as to refuse Inspector Xu’s kindness outright. Instead, he found a grand and noble reason to delay his resignation for half a year. Important people often forget things, and in half a year, Inspector Xu would likely forget this matter...

After Inspector Xu left, all the students looked at Wang Xian with incomprehension. One of them, sitting next to him, sighed and said, “What a great opportunity, and you let it slip away...”

“Brother, you are mistaken,” Wang Xian said solemnly, “I am deeply indebted to the County Magistrate and have long resolved to repay him with my life. Although I am not a scholar, I know that the sage said, ‘A man must have a beginning and an end; he cannot abandon his mission halfway or be ungrateful.’”

The students, hearing this, said solemnly, “Zhongde is truly one of us!” In their eyes, this was the highest praise for a clerk...

“I am ashamed. Compared to Brother Wang, I have wasted my studies of the sages,” the student said with respect. “My name is Zhou Yi, and I will certainly visit you more often in the future.”

“I am honored,” Wang Xian said softly, “If Brother Zhou has time, you can visit Fuyang. The beauty of the Fuchun River is unparalleled, and the shad from the Fuchun River will surely satisfy you.”

The students laughed, “Are you only inviting Zhou Yi and not us?”

“Whenever you want to come, I will be ready,” Wang Xian smiled, “I hope you will honor me with your presence, but I’m afraid it might interfere with your studies.”

“We can spare the time,” the students laughed. They realized that the gap between them and the high officials was too great. Unless someone like Wang Xian took the initiative to speak to them, they had no chance of getting close. So they put aside their flattery and began to chat with each other, feeling much more relaxed.

After a pleasant conversation, Zhou Yi whispered, “I wonder how that beaten-up guy is doing?”

“Indeed, they hit him pretty hard,” the others sighed, “I’m worried they might have hurt him badly...”

“Keep it down, don’t let anyone hear,” a timid one quickly stopped them, “Or we might get beaten too...”

As they spoke, Wang Xian stood up, and the others asked, “Where are you going?”

“To check on him,” Wang Xian said, bowing to the group, and then went down the stairs.

“Truly brave...” the students shook their heads, watching his back. This was a place where the big shots of Zhejiang gathered. Without permission, they wouldn’t dare to move around, for fear of making a mistake.

But they were overthinking it. Wang Xian went downstairs and asked around, and someone led him to a cabin. He saw Yu Qian sitting on the bed, one side of his face swollen like a pancake.

“Ice will make it feel better,” Wang Xian saw ice in a copper pot by the bed, took a few pieces, wrapped them in gauze, and applied them to Yu Qian’s face. “They’ve already prepared it for you.”

“Ouch...” Yu Qian hissed, coming back to his senses, and looked at Wang Xian, “Brother Wang.”

“Are you badly hurt?” Wang Xian pulled a chair and sat next to him.

“Not too bad,” Yu Qian said softly, “Just my face is swollen.”

“I can see that,” Wang Xian chuckled, “Are you worried about disfigurement?”

“No,” Yu Qian shook his head, “I never expected Lord Xin Chang to be so domineering.”

“A scholar meeting a soldier, there’s no point in arguing,” Wang Xian smiled, “Just be more careful next time.”

“So you think I was wrong?” Yu Qian said gloomily.

Wang Xian was silent for a moment, then said, “Let’s go, I’ll take you back.”

“Where did I go wrong?” Yu Qian raised his head, one eye wide open, the other squinted, a comical yet serious look.

“What’s right or wrong? As the saying goes, ‘It’s better to break than to bend,’” Wang Xian said calmly, “If you don’t want to bow to power, you must be prepared to be broken, humiliated, or even killed.”

“...” Yu Qian’s expression became even more gloomy, “So it’s wrong to break rather than bend?”

“You need to consider the situation,” Wang Xian was sweating, realizing he was lecturing a national hero! This was serious. If he corrupted a good child, no one would stand up to save the world in the future! Coughing twice, Wang Xian decided not to instill vulgar thoughts into the young man, “In matters of principle, you must bend rather than break.”

“Does that mean in minor matters, you can be flexible?” Yu Qian frowned, “But how do you distinguish between major and minor matters? Can someone who is always flexible in minor matters be relied upon in major matters?”

“Uh...” Wang Xian realized he was overthinking. Yu Qian was destined to change the world; how could he be swayed by a few words? He didn’t respond, stood up, and said, “Let’s go, I’ll take you back.” He had already asked the guards on the ship and was told they could leave at any time.

Yu Qian stood up silently and followed him out of the cabin. Suddenly, he said, “Brother Wang, can I ride back with you?”

“Sure,” Wang Xian knew he was ashamed to face his classmates, nodded, and they boarded a small boat. However, they couldn’t find the boat with the ‘Fuyang Li Family’ lantern.

As the boatman became impatient, Wang Xian suddenly heard a clear, bell-like voice: “Brother, Brother...” He looked in the direction of the voice and saw her and Lin Qing'er waving at him from a fast boat.

He quickly asked the boatman to approach, and Wang Xian and Yu Qian boarded their boat. “What happened?”

“They couldn’t afford to lose...” Lin Qing'er pouted, though she was kicked off the boat, she looked like a proud little peacock, “They were afraid Brother would make them swim back! Li Yu got us a boat and ran away.” She then asked curiously, “Hey, Brother, who is this person? He looks so pitiful...”

“Uh, you’ve met him before,” Wang Xian turned and saw that one side of Yu Qian’s face was badly swollen, making him hard to recognize.

“I am Yu Qian,” Yu Qian covered his face with his sleeve.

“Wow,” Lin Qing'er leaned in, eyes wide, “What happened? Did you fall?”

“Yes...” Yu Qian thought, this wasn’t a lie, right?

“I think you were hit...” Lin Qing'er had a new theory.

“Uh...” Yu Qian didn’t know why he was blushing, “No, I fell.”

“Falling like that must be hard,” Lin Qing'er flattered, “You must be very capable.”

“Go play somewhere else,” Wang Xian kicked the curious child to the side and said to Yu Qian, “Just tell the truth when you get back; there’s no shame in it.”

“Okay,” Yu Qian nodded and didn’t say anything more. Seeing the little girl staring at him, he tried to hide his face in the shadows, not wanting to be seen.

They dropped Yu Qian off at Huagang, and the two bowed to each other. After the boat set off, Lin Qing'er shouted, “Use a warm egg to roll over it; it can reduce swelling and bruising...”

“Thank you,” Yu Qian scratched his head, waved, and stood at the dock for a long time.

The boat sailed toward Wulin Gate, where they could board a night ferry to go home.

As the oars pushed the water and the boat moved forward, the hustle and bustle of the Lantern Festival night gradually faded away, and drowsiness crept in. Lin Qing'er leaned against Wang Xian and fell asleep, while Lin Qing'er leaned on his other side. The night wind was chilly, but being close brought warmth. Lin Qing'er didn’t speak, her head resting on Wang Xian’s shoulder, her eyes filled with a happy smile as she gazed at the distant West Lake.

She suddenly reached out and gently pinched Wang Xian’s side, making him jump.

“Annoying, making me hang out with a bunch of smelly men,” Lin Qing'er’s complaint was more like a coquettish pout.

“Cough, cough,” Wang Xian smiled bitterly, “Actually, Li Yu was right; it was just a matter of getting drunk...”

“It was my fault. After you got on the boat, I realized you were being kind-hearted, trying to let them vent their anger and resolve their grievances,” Lin Qing'er, being a lover, saw Wang Xian’s incompetence as ‘kind-heartedness,’ “I won’t act on my own in the future...”

Wang Xian was sweating, thinking, ‘Clearly, I was played around like a fool, right? I just didn’t want to lose face in front of them...’

“Close your eyes...” Lin Qing'er suddenly said shyly.

Wang Xian thought she was going to kiss him and quickly closed his eyes. But after waiting for a long time, he didn’t feel her kiss. Opening his eyes, he saw her pulling out some snacks from her sleeve...

Seeing him open his eyes, Lin Qing'er said shyly, “I guess you didn’t eat enough on the boat. I, when no one was paying attention, got you some snacks...”

“Almost forgot,” Wang Xian patted his head and pulled out some snacks wrapped in a handkerchief from his chest, “These are from the banquet for the big shots; we’ve never seen them before, try them...”

The moonlight shone on everything, and their shadows merged, reflected on the West Lake...

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