Chapter 40

Hearing the three young men from the countryside challenge Lin Yanzhao,

the scholar surnamed Huang snapped his folding fan and pointed at Hou Zhongshu and Zhang Haoyuan, saying, "It's one thing to be impolite, but to spout nonsense is another. Even if you recite the Thousand Character Classic with all your might, do you think the great master will appreciate you?"

Zhang Haoyuan sneered, "Coincidentally, that's exactly the case."

Hou Zhongshu added, "If you don't believe me, go ask him!" He pointed at Zhou Zongcheng.

"Brother Zhou, is that so?" The scholar surnamed Huang turned around, a bit disbelieving.

Zhou Zongcheng, though reluctant to admit it, could not lie in front of everyone and said, "Brother Huang, this boy is just lucky. If I had studied the Thousand Character Classic for three years, I could recite it beautifully too. To be honest, this boy probably hasn't even started studying the classics yet. What does he hope to achieve in the imperial exams?"

The scholar surnamed Huang, who was initially embarrassed, relaxed upon hearing Zhou Zongcheng's words and said, "I see. It's not much of an achievement. The Thousand Character Classic is just something we read casually during our early education. The Four Books and Five Classics are the main focus. Do you know that we all started studying the classics at eight or nine years old?"

The other scholars chimed in, "That's right. In remote villages, there probably isn't even anyone who knows the classics, no wonder they can only recite the Thousand Character Classic beautifully."

The crowd seemed to regain their confidence and laughed heartily.

Hou Zhongshu and Zhang Haoyuan, who had not even started studying the classics, felt a bit embarrassed. Zhang Haoyuan had only started reading the Four Books at twelve.

The scholar surnamed Huang, noticing the expressions on Hou and Zhang's faces, felt a sense of satisfaction.

The scholars began to mock them loudly, drawing the attention of passersby.

A twenty-year-old scholar walked in and asked, "Brother Huang, Brother Zhou, why are you arguing?"

The scholars all bowed and greeted him, "It's Brother Weng."

The scholar surnamed Huang stepped forward and said, "Brother Weng, it's a pleasure to meet you. How did we end up here? Oh, I almost forgot, you are also from Hongtang."

Lin Yanzhao looked at the scholar, who was not yet twenty but had a mature demeanor and a somewhat melancholic expression.

Zhou Zongcheng said, "Brother Weng, you came just in time. In your absence, we were merely teaching a lesson to a few young men from your village who haven't even studied the classics but talk big."

The scholar surnamed Huang, introducing Lin Yanzhao and the others with a proud face, said, "Look, Brother Weng Zhengchun is also from your village Hongtang. He studied the Book of Songs and the Book of Rites at seven and switched to the Book of Documents at eleven. As for the Four Books, he has long since lost interest in reading them."

When Lin Yanzhao heard the name Weng Zhengchun, he was taken aback and re-evaluated the young man with a melancholic gaze. Weng Zhengchun, from Hongtang, it must be him.

This was the first historical figure Lin Yanzhao had encountered since his穿越 (time travel). He knew that during the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing and Wanli periods, Fuzhou Prefecture produced only two national top scholars. One was the current Sacrificial Wine Master of the Nanjing Imperial Academy, Gong Yongqing, and the other was the top scholar Weng Zhengchun, who would win the imperial examination in twenty years.

Of course, a top scholar is a top scholar. The learning progress of this top scholar left Lin Yanzhao speechless. Weng Zhengchun studied the Book of Songs and the Book of Rites at seven and switched to the Book of Documents at eleven.

This means that Weng Zhengchun not only completed the Four Books but also mastered three of the Five Classics: the Book of Songs, the Book of Rites, and the Book of Documents. In the Four Books and Five Classics, the Four Books are mandatory, while the Five Classics are elective. In the child examination, one only needs to master one of the Five Classics, but he had studied three.

Lin Yanzhao couldn't help but feel unbalanced. The top scholar had studied three of the Five Classics by the age of eleven, while he had only started reading the Four Books at twelve. The gap was not just a little.

When the scholar surnamed Huang mentioned him, Weng Zhengchun humbly said, "Brother Huang, you flatter me. Reading ten thousand books is not as good as thoroughly studying one. If I could focus on one classic, I wouldn't have failed the prefectural examination twice and still not be a child scholar."

Failed the prefectural examination twice! Not even a child scholar! My goodness.

The others took Weng Zhengchun's words as modesty, but Lin Yanzhao's face turned grim. He knew the imperial examinations were difficult, but not this difficult. This future top scholar from the same hometown had failed the prefectural examination twice before the age of twenty.

Lin Yanzhao's mood soured. Seeing these people still making noise, he felt annoyed. This is your fault!

"Brother Weng, you're too modest. We have only studied the classics for a few years, far behind you, but we are still much better than some country boys."

Lin Yanzhao glanced at them and said, "Are you here to show off in Hongtang?"

Lin Yanzhao had been silent, and his sudden words left them speechless.

"You're young and don't know better, that's fine. I don't blame you, but why drag us into it? Starting to read at eight or nine is impressive, but do you even deserve to call yourselves scholars? Do you think you can highlight your erudition by belittling us? Elevating yourselves by degrading others, very impressive? Feeling inferior and finding confidence in others, very dignified?"

As he spoke, Lin Yanzhao pointed at Zhou Zongcheng and the others and shouted, "Do you know who you are? Coming to our Hongtang to cause trouble, I'll count to three, and you better get out, or we'll beat you up!"

Lin Yanzhao's outburst left the scholars, including Weng Zhengchun, speechless. The onlookers clapped, as the restaurant was frequented by the common people of Hongtang, who were united against the intruders.

"Good job!"

"Get out!"

"Get out!"

Everyone was on Lin Yanzhao's side. Zhou Zongcheng pointed at Lin Yanzhao, stammering, "You, you, you."

Zhou Zongcheng and the scholar surnamed Huang were fuming.

The scholar surnamed Huang pointed at Lin Yanzhao and said, "Fine, you have guts, just wait and see!"

"One!" Lin Yanzhao raised his first finger, and dock workers gathered around, all big and burly.

The scholar surnamed Huang and Zhou Zongcheng were so scared they almost wet their pants and, disregarding their scholarly dignity, fled.

A man said, "A true man can bend and stretch, let's go!"

The group immediately ran away, and the crowd burst into laughter.

Hou Zhongshu and Zhang Haoyuan clapped, and Hou Zhongshu patted Lin Yanzhao's shoulder, saying, "Yanzhao, your words were excellent."

"Feeling inferior and finding confidence in others, well said." Zhang Haoyuan clapped and laughed.

Lin Yanzhao smiled and bowed to the crowd, "Thank you all for your support!"

"Young man, no need to be so polite!"

"You scolded them well, we feel relieved too!"

"Outsiders don't know, but our Hongtang has produced many top scholars and imperial scholars!"

The locals chatted, and Weng Zhengchun said to Lin Yanzhao, "My classmates were indeed rude. I apologize on their behalf!"

"Brother Weng, no need to say that," Lin Yanzhao moved a chair, "Their actions have nothing to do with you. Since we met by chance, why don't we sit down and have a bowl of clam soup?"

"Ah." Weng Zhengchun hesitated.

Lin Yanzhao smiled, "Brother Weng, we can't afford the Xingyi Building, but we can afford a bowl of clam soup for a coin!"

Lin Yanzhao's words made Weng Zhengchun smile, and he said, "Brother Lin, you are very straightforward. I should be the one to treat you."

Weng Zhengchun sat down, and Zhang Haoyuan called to the boss, "Boss, add a pair of chopsticks, another bowl of clam soup, three oyster cakes, and two slices of radish cake!"

"Sure." The boss called out and brought the clam soup, oyster cakes, and radish cakes, adding a bowl of clam meat soup.

Everyone laughed, "Perfect, perfect. Oyster cakes and radish cakes are spicy, and a bowl of clam meat soup is just right to balance it out."

The four of them ate and chatted, and Lin Yanzhao took the opportunity to seek advice from Weng Zhengchun.

After comparing their studies, Lin Yanzhao realized he was far behind Weng Zhengchun, understanding the gap between himself and the top students in the prefecture. However, Lin Yanzhao's broad knowledge, accumulated over hundreds of years, was far superior to the ancients. After Weng Zhengchun explained a point, Lin Yanzhao could often apply it to other areas, and many of his insights were very beneficial to Weng Zhengchun.

Weng Zhengchun, impressed, said, "Brother Lin, though you have only recently started studying the classics, you have such profound insights. Given time, you will surely achieve great things. Fortunately, you are young. If you had started reading four or five years earlier, you would be my rival in the next child examination."

Hearing Weng Zhengchun's words, Hou Zhongshu and Zhang Haoyuan were unconvinced, but Lin Yanzhao thought, this is the evaluation of a top scholar.

However, Lin Yanzhao asked, "Brother Weng, if I start studying the classics now, do I have a chance to take the county examination in two years?"

Weng Zhengchun replied, "Brother Lin, you are too impatient. I studied the classics for six years before taking the child examination, and many other students studied for over a decade before taking it. Of course, if you want to try your luck, I have no objections, but wouldn't it be more stable to wait a few more years? Why rush?"

Lin Yanzhao nodded and said, "Brother Weng, you are right."

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