Chapter 58

"Excellent!" the unknown Half-Sage praised.

The scholars originally felt that the second half of the couplet, in terms of both language and meaning, was superior to the first half. If it were included in a poem, it would not be inferior to the works of a Prefectural Scholar. Hearing the Half-Sage's approval, it meant that the Half-Sage indirectly acknowledged the excellence of Fang Yun's second half.

Tan Yu and Nie Shi, the two attendants, had been holding their breaths. Upon hearing the Half-Sage's praise for Fang Yun, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Even if Fang Yun did not pass, the Half-Sage would likely show leniency and not deliberately undermine his Literary Palace.

Wei Yuanjun and Liu Zicheng's expressions changed slightly. For a Scholar Candidate to receive praise from a Half-Sage was an unparalleled honor, not much less significant than being a top scholar in the imperial examination.

Those around Liu Zicheng were somewhat panicked. If Fang Yun really passed the Sage Selection, the court would certainly protect him. Opposing him would be no different from committing suicide.

Guan Yaoyuan whispered, "What are you panicking for? This is just the beginning. How can a Sage only give one question? A more difficult one is sure to follow! It's said that someone once answered the first question correctly in the Sage Selection, but was so frustrated by the second question that he fainted. The Sage is fair and would never let such a scoundrel pass!"

Liu Zicheng glanced at Guan Yaoyuan, expressing gratitude, then looked at Fang Yun, his eyes slightly narrowed, his thoughts unknown.

The Half-Sage's voice echoed in the sky again: "I am now standing in the mountains, and I have come up with the second half of the first couplet: 'Fog locks the mountain top, the mountain locks the fog.' This time, I will allow you one hundred breaths to think."

This phrase evoked the image of fog enveloping the mountains, and the mountains containing the fog, more vivid than the first half of the couplet.

Wei Yuanjun exclaimed in surprise, "It's a palindrome!"

Someone immediately wrote "Fog locks the mountain top, the mountain locks the fog" on paper. The seven characters read the same backward, making it a perfect palindrome.

Those who had previously cheered for Fang Yun now frowned. A palindrome was several times more difficult than a repeated character. Even the most agile minds would struggle to come up with a good palindrome, no matter how quick they were.

Wan Xuezheng watched Fang Yun nervously. He was Fang Yun's examiner for the county examination. Since Fang Yun's rise to fame, he had been trying to strengthen their relationship. If Fang Yun succeeded, he could rise with him. If Fang Yun failed, with his experience and connections, he would never rise to prominence, and being a professor at the Prefectural Academy would be his limit.

Fang Yun closed his eyes, as if imagining the scene of fog locking the mountain top.

After forty breaths, Fang Yun suddenly opened his eyes and said, "Fog locks the mountain top, the mountain locks the fog; Heaven connects the water's end, the water connects the sky."

"Excellent!" Wan Xuezheng couldn't help but exclaim, snatching a pen from another official to complete the couplet on the same page.

The students carefully considered it and were sincerely convinced. Even those who were close to Liu Zicheng began to admire Fang Yun, recognizing that answering a palindrome in such a short time was no less challenging than composing a poem.

The upper half of the couplet immediately brought to mind the scene of fog enveloping the mountains. The lower half was also a palindrome, and the scenery was equally vivid, evoking the distant horizon where water meets the sky. The two scenes complemented each other, making the couplet as beautiful as a poem or a painting.

"Very well done!" The Half-Sage's voice was filled with joy.

Liu Zicheng and Wei Yuanjun exchanged glances, both seeing signs of retreat and regret in each other's eyes. This unknown Half-Sage might pay special attention to Fang Yun in the future, and Fang Yun would surely settle scores, with unimaginable consequences.

Wei Yuanjun suddenly bowed deeply toward the Sage Temple and loudly said, "Although Fang Yun is known for his talent, his character is despicable, making him a great villain. If we are to strictly examine him, his poetry, prose, and couplets are not sufficient. We should test his understanding of the Sage's principles! Please, Sage, judge wisely."

At that moment, even the minor officials were angry. The Half-Sage from another country did not want to harm Fang Yun and had already recognized his talent. Wei Yuanjun, as a citizen of Jing, was trying to ruin a talented person from his own country, which was intolerable.

Wan Xuezheng angrily said, "I will impeach you!"

The Half-Sage suddenly snorted coldly, "What a noble and righteous official, loyal and capable, for the human race and for Jing. To fulfill your request, I will personally inform Brother Guanhai."

Wei Yuanjun's face turned ashen, his legs trembling, and he could only stand with the support of a table.

Those around Wei Yuanjun scattered like a receding tide, even Liu Zicheng hurriedly left, as if trying to avoid him.

Fang Yun thought, this was just a Half-Sage reporting to another Half-Sage. Even if Wei Yuanjun had a hundred lives, they wouldn't be enough. Not to mention his patron being the Left Chancellor, even if it were the Left, Right, Assistant, and Literary Chancellors combined, they couldn't match the only Half-Sage in Jing, Chen Guanhai.

"Deserved!" the usually silent Tan Yu said, slowly relaxing his grip on his knife.

Except for a few like Liu Zicheng who were secretly pleased, everyone else looked at Wei Yuanjun with disdain.

The Half-Sage said, "I originally planned to give three couplets. Since you want to test the Sage's principles, I will change the third question. Your Prefectural Examination result was excellent, and ordinary questions won't challenge you. I will test your ability to recite backward. You have one hour to recite the 'Analects' backward, with a maximum of three mistakes."

The entire audience was stunned.

"Recite over ten thousand characters of the 'Analects' backward? What kind of exam is this!"

"I calculated the time. Reading the 'Analects' at a normal speed takes two and a half hours. Reciting backward will be much slower, and he only has one hour?"

"Even a Jinshi can't do it, let alone a Hanlin."

"Indeed, let alone reciting, even reading backward would be impossible in one hour. After all, we understand the normal order, and reciting backward would be very disruptive."

The students, regardless of the Half-Sage's presence, expressed their opinions. This method was too difficult, and no one present could do it.

"Reciting the 'Analects' backward, unprecedented. How can this test the Sage's principles?"

"Are you daring to question a Half-Sage? Shut up!" Wei Yuanjun said.

"Old villain Wei, are you satisfied? If you don't die, I will curse you every day!" Wan Xuezheng's eyes blazed with anger.

A scholar suddenly tore a piece of his robe and said, "Liu Zicheng, I once considered you a friend, partly because of the Left Chancellor, but also because I thought you were someone worth befriending. This time, you and Wei Yuanjun have gone too far. From now on, we are no longer friends!" He then moved away from Liu Zicheng.

Many people looked down on Liu Zicheng even more.

Liu Zicheng remained calm, a faint smile on his lips, inwardly delighted. Ordinary people didn't know, but he had learned from Liu Zhi that "reciting backward" was one of the questions in the "Mountain of Books," which had stumped many, even Jinshi scholars, let alone a mere Scholar Candidate.

Wei Yuanjun sighed in relief, thinking that Fang Yun would certainly fail to recite backward. After failing the Sage Selection, his Literary Palace would shatter, and Fang Yun would no longer be able to take revenge.

Wei Yuanjun no longer paid attention to Fang Yun but thought about how to protect his family after being dismissed from office. He had thought that by suppressing Fang Yun, he would gain the Left Chancellor's trust, but now he had offended two Half-Sages.

Beside him, Gao Minghong sighed, about to advise Fang Yun to give up, but thought it was inappropriate and said in a comforting tone, "Don't listen to them. As long as you are sincere, you can recite backward. Give it a try."

"Alright," Fang Yun nodded and said, "Sage, may I take half an hour to prepare before starting? If I start directly, I fear I won't have enough time."

"Agreed."

Everyone looked at Fang Yun with various strange expressions. Did he really want to try? Did he really think he could recite backward?

Gao Minghong was speechless, wondering if his encouragement had given Fang Yun blind confidence.

Fang Yun closed his eyes, and the "Analects" immediately appeared in the Strange Book World, with the text rearranged in reverse order.

Fang Yun read the reversed "Analects" in the Strange Book World several times, and Wei Yuanjun immediately said, "Time's up."

"Corrupt official!" a young, bloodthirsty scholar could no longer hold back.

"Calling him a dog is an insult to dogs!" someone else said.

Wei Yuanjun's eyes flashed with malice, secretly noting the people who had insulted him.

"Begin," the Half-Sage's voice said.

Fang Yun bowed toward the Sage Temple, closed his eyes again, and the reversed "Analects" appeared before him. He began reciting.

"Also, people know nothing, words know nothing, also stand for nothing, rituals know nothing..."

Fang Yun's recitation was slightly faster than normal reading, smooth and fluent, with no stumbles, and with proper intonation. Those who didn't understand would think he was reciting a particularly profound Sage classic.

After a quarter of an hour, Fang Yun's speed actually increased, and it showed no signs of slowing down. His pronunciation was clear, and there were no incorrect pauses.

Everyone watched in amazement, especially Wei Yuanjun and Liu Zicheng, whose minds were blank, their eyes vacant, unable to comprehend how Fang Yun could do this. Photographic memory was the limit for ordinary geniuses, and a Scholar Candidate who could recite backward was undoubtedly a Sage-like figure.

After a long time, everyone was numb, their minds gradually returning to normal, pondering how Fang Yun could do this.

Liu Zicheng signaled a scholar to interrupt Fang Yun's recitation, causing him to fail.

The scholar gave Liu Zicheng a "do you think I'm stupid?" look and moved away from him.

Liu Zicheng looked at another person, who immediately lowered his head, thinking that no one was foolish. Interrupting Fang Yun at this moment would surely anger the Half-Sage, and shattering the Literary Palace would be the least of the consequences. The Half-Sage might even utter a Sage's word and execute him on the spot.

Seeing no one move, Liu Zicheng could only remain silent.

At first, everyone didn't understand why the Half-Sage was testing this way, but as Fang Yun continued reciting, they gradually understood. Memorizing the Sage classics was the first step, fully understanding them was the second, using them correctly was the third, and the fourth was internalizing them.

Once the Sage classics were internalized, every word would be deeply imprinted in one's heart.

Reciting backward wasn't testing memory but whether the Sage classics had been "internalized."

Realizing this, a few people couldn't help but admire Fang Yun, feeling that he had the aura of a Half-Sage, making them feel that just looking up to him was enough.

Fang Yun, focused and parched, recited the reversed "Analects," unaware that he was being misunderstood as having internalized the "Analects" and being admired by many.

Some side notes and future update times.

These days, I've been updating twice a day, rain or shine. Even when my family set up a blind date for me, I said the new book period was important and directly declined, without lying. I'm not saying anything about readers or such empty words; I just want to write this book well and make it successful.

But I regretted it that day. Why didn't I meet her first?

I can only mock myself as a conscientious writer.

Because my father came back, friends and relatives have invited us to dinner many times, about seven or eight times. I only went twice, and that was because the restaurant was downstairs from my house.

I know it's not good not to go, I know it's not good not to give others face, I know how my relatives and friends will see me, but I really don't have the time.

I'm currently writing offline to avoid distractions. Both editors, authors, and readers have said this book is hard to write, and they've said it more than once. This book is written very slowly, and I'm afraid of problems, so I can't rely on speed.

Besides, two updates a day, six thousand words, is a normal speed, not slow at all.

I've always liked posting two chapters at a time and mentioned in the author's note that after going public, I would post at least two chapters at a time. Why am I now posting one chapter in the morning and one in the evening? I need to explain this.

Qidian has a "Weekly Member Clicks Chart." Readers must log in to their Qidian account, and their account must have at least 500 points for their clicks to count. They must also wait six hours between clicks; clicking more within six hours is useless.

I want a good position on the weekly clicks chart to make the book more successful, so I post two chapters separately.

If it were just this, it would be fine, but to say something that might offend people, some things have been bothering me for a long time. Qidian's charts are full of "outsiders" and "investors."

I, who have no money to invest, can rely on my strength to reach the least problematic recommendation chart, but I'm repeatedly beaten on the weekly clicks chart, and the site does nothing. What can I do? Nothing. Because of this, I complained a few times in the author's group, and my book was blacklisted, forcing me to leave many groups.

If I post two chapters at a time, the weekly clicks will be much fewer. I can't even compete for the top six, let alone the top fifteen.

I've been holding back, but now the book review section has made me unable to hold back.

Because I post two chapters separately, many readers say I "split chapters," meaning the plot is split by chapters.

As a result, some people misunderstood and thought I "stopped updating," accusing me of not only updating twice a day but also stopping. I couldn't hold back.

Before this, several readers accused me of updating once a day. Can't you check the number of chapters I update each day before accusing me?

I was bullied by "investors" on the new author chart, the Dream Cup, and the weekly clicks chart. In the future, I will surely be bullied on the monthly ticket chart. My book's content has been tampered with by peers on the novel forum. I have no way to fight back. Now, in the book review section, can't readers check the update time and number of chapters before accusing me of updating once a day or stopping?

Accusing a book of updating once a day or stopping can lead many people to abandon the book or not read it, which is very damaging. I can't help but be upset.

I even declined a blind date to ensure two updates a day. Can't I guarantee that?

Since readers don't like split chapters, starting tomorrow, I will post two chapters in the evening, between eight and nine o'clock. If there are family matters causing delays, I will apologize and add an extra chapter.

As for the weekly clicks chart, I won't compete anymore. I'm already angry about it, but please continue to help with recommendation votes. The weekly recommendation chart is more credible.

Finally, please, some great authors, don't black me anymore. I haven't named anyone, and I won't argue with you. Thank you.

My Literary Palace is very strong.

Finally, can we not say I split chapters in the book review section? Thank you.

Lastly, there were 66 calls for updates yesterday, and 162 today. What are you trying to do!

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