Chapter 37: The Talent of a Young Scholar

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“Brother Wang, what are you doing?”

Scholar Wang suddenly picked up his brush, preparing to rewrite the rankings. Scholar Cui was alarmed and rushed to stop him.

“Since you know who he is, Brother Cui, you must understand why I cannot select him,” Scholar Wang said, reflecting yet still more worried about the matter of military men.

“Brother Wang, please, don’t. The rankings have already been set; changing them now would break the rules,” Scholar Cui insisted, determined not to let him alter the list at this stage.

“But he’s a military man…”

“Enough. Go, announce the rankings.”

Before Scholar Wang could change anything, Scholar Cui promptly sent a clerk to make the rankings public.

The clerk obeyed, took the list, and went out to post it.

“Brother Cui…”

Scholar Wang rose, wanting to retrieve the list, but Scholar Cui stopped him immediately, “Brother Wang, Brother Wang.”

“The rankings have been announced; they cannot be altered.”

“But—but he’s a military man.”

“He’s merely a student; what does it matter?”

“Brother Cui, you don’t know. If he were just a military man, it wouldn’t be so bad. But this Shen Shi is infamous in Jinhua as a profligate—rumored to be the most ignorant and idle man in the city.”

Upon hearing this, Scholar Cui nearly choked on his tea.

He pointed at the papers on the table, “Such scholarship, such writing—if this is ignorance, then Jinhua must be overflowing with talent.”

“I’ve long heard that local authorities suppress military men too harshly. If even a student like this is excluded, what kind of talent can possibly be selected?”

Scholar Cui was irritated. Jinhua rarely produced scholars, and now that one had finally appeared, he was determined to defend him at all costs. Besides, he wanted to see how this student’s calligraphy would develop.

In officialdom, there are always those adept at conducting themselves and playing the game, but there are just as many of Scholar Cui’s ilk. Once they dig in their heels, they can easily outmaneuver the smooth operators.

But the list had already been finalized. The clerks copied the names onto a sheet of red paper, covered it with yellow paper, and posted it outside. No matter what Scholar Wang said now, it was too late.

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Moreover, Scholar Wang bore little malice toward Shen Shi. His objections were merely a reflection of his ability to navigate society, shaped by the Song Dynasty’s reverence for scholars and disdain for the military. He was simply one of countless ordinary people molded by circumstance.

Outside, as soon as the yellow list was posted, the crowd erupted in excitement. Shen Shi, upon seeing his own name, opened his eyes wide, and a surge of talent descended upon him from the heavens.

As the talent entered his eyes, Shen Shi realized it had come from the land that had nurtured him—not vast, about the size of his village’s fields. The talent earned by a student was limited.

Yet even this modest influx gave Shen Shi a newfound clarity of hearing and vision, a deeper understanding of the principles of the world. He felt as if he had awakened from a long slumber. Even the flow of spiritual energy within him became smoother, enhancing his control over it.

No wonder scholars often act so superior—this sensation truly makes one feel “clear-headed while others are drunk,” a sense of being above the masses.

“Impossible! Impossible! How could Shen Shi have passed as a student, and even come first?”

As Shen Shi absorbed the talent and basked in happiness, a shrill voice, as though mourning, rang out.

Turning, Shen Shi laughed—it was the Qian brothers. These two were nothing if not persistent, refusing to leave and sticking it out.

Elsewhere, those who knew Shen Shi—or even those who didn’t—cheered loudly, congratulating him.

“Congratulations, Brother Shen!”

“Brother Shen, you’ve truly hidden your talents well!”

Everyone offered their congratulations. Now that Shen Shi had succeeded, he had one foot in the circle. Classmates, contemporaries, colleagues—apart from the last, Shen Shi had already traversed half the path.

Especially since Shen Shi had taken the top spot, “colleague” was not a certainty, but his chances were better than most. He was undeniably a scholar.

As for the Qian brothers, looking as bereft as orphans, they did not lack sympathy. Yet now that Shen Shi had succeeded and befriended Kong Xueli, their connection paled compared to others eager to be close to Shen Shi.

“Well, well! My virtuous brother is truly talented—I knew you would succeed!” Kong Xueli was delighted. As for the grieving Qian brothers, he simply ignored them.

“Hmph! It’s only the student exam—what’s there to be so proud of? Let’s go, brother!”

They had come hoping to witness Shen Shi’s failure and despair, but reality proved otherwise. Qian Shengju, sour and resentful, said no more and left with his brother.

Just as the Qian brothers were about to depart, Gongsun Ce’s name appeared as well. His rank was not high, but he had passed.

“Haha, splendid! Everyone succeeded—we are all scholars now!” Kong Xueli laughed heartily.

The Qian brothers felt the laughter was directed at them.

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“What are you staring at? Hurry up and help us away!” The Qian brothers angrily ordered their servants.

“Yes, yes, Young Master, Second Young Master.”

“Boom—good!”

But today seemed determined to thwart them. No sooner had the brothers turned to leave than another chorus of cheers startled them.

“What’s happened now?” Qian Shengwen asked angrily.

“Yes, Second Young Master, I’ll go find out right away.”

A servant rushed off and quickly returned, “Reporting to Young Master and Second Young Master: Jinfu Temple is hosting a poetry gathering to celebrate this year’s examination.”

“Another poetry gathering? These people…”

“Brother, stop! Have you forgotten what Young Master Liu told us?” Qian Shengwen interrupted his brother.

As the saying goes, literature has its own path, and the military its own way. Much like modern tutoring centers that prepare students for exams, the Song Dynasty had institutions teaching how to become scholars. The Liu family was among them; many aspiring scholars sought their guidance, including the Qian brothers.

Their instruction was effective—after attending a few poetry gatherings and gaining some reputation, the brothers passed the student exam.

Thus, they attached great importance to poetry gatherings. With injuries, they might not be able to attend, prompting Qian Shengwen’s frustration.

“But brother, with these injuries, how can we participate?” Qian Shengwen refrained from cursing and asked.

“All we can do now is try to recover as best we can,” Qian Shengju replied, at a loss for a better solution.

Madame Qian cared deeply for her sons. Upon hearing of the matter, she promptly donated a large sum to Jinfu Temple.

Whether a monk was greedy or simply unprepared, the “poetry gathering” was delayed by half a month, to coincide with the flower viewing festival.

With no poetry gathering, Shen Shi, Gongsun Ce, and their companions celebrated at a tavern, then returned home to share the good news.