Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 87 Questioning

Lu Shouye only vaguely understood what he was hearing, but he trusted his son completely.

"Alright, I'm illiterate and can't argue with your grand principles. Anyway, you've made something of yourself, so I'll listen to you."

Lu Chuan smiled and agreed.

The next day, around 1-3 PM, the sky was clear and the air was fresh.

Lu Chuan changed into a blue robe and was escorted all the way to the entrance of the government office by Lu Shouye.

Lu Shouye stood beside the stone lion, watching Lu Chuan go to the government office.

Passing through the lobby and around the screen, the view suddenly opened up before my eyes.

The area is planted with sycamore trees, and when the wind blows, the leaves rustle.

The guide was an elderly man nearing fifty, dressed in a blue silk shirt, who walked silently.

He was not an ordinary yamen runner, but the steward of the prefect's residence.

"The master is currently brewing tea in Qingfeng Hall. He instructed that if Chief Scholar Lu arrives, there is no need for formalities; just invite him in directly."

As the old man spoke, a hint of approval appeared in his eyes.

Having worked in the government office for so many years, this was the first time he had ever seen a farmer's son who wasn't flustered at all.

After passing through a moon gate, a small hall built by the water comes into view, with the words "Qingfeng" (meaning "gentle breeze") written on the plaque in vigorous calligraphy.

The old man stopped at the foot of the steps, bowed and gestured for him to enter, then lowered his voice and reminded him, "Young Master Lu, the master is in a good mood today. Please, just speak your mind."

As you step into Qingfeng Hall, a fragrant aroma of tea wafts over you.

Prefect Zhou was not sitting upright in the courtroom. Instead, he had changed into a loose-fitting moon-white casual robe and was standing by the window, holding a book in his hand, seemingly engrossed in reading.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around, his gaze falling directly on Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan took three steps forward and stopped exactly five feet away from Lord Zhou, which was the most appropriate distance for a junior to pay respects to a senior.

Without the slightest hesitation, he lifted the hem of his blue robe, landed steadily on both knees, and performed a standard kowtow.

"Student Lu Chuan pays his respects to Your Excellency. I thank Your Excellency for taking the time to observe my humble words during the re-examination."

Lu Chuan's use of the word "student" carried great weight.

He is waiting.

If Lord Zhou merely responds with a curt reply, then the two are simply an examiner and examinee conducting official business; if Lord Zhou accepts the greeting and speaks with familiarity, then his status as a tutor has been half-defeated.

A slight smile flickered across Lord Zhou's lips; it was an expression of appreciation.

He picked up the celadon covered bowl on the wooden table and gently stirred the floating tea.

"Lu Chuan, do you know that there are countless candidates taking the imperial examinations across the land, yet I have singled you out here for a talk today?"

Lu Chuan straightened his back, knowing that the real test had begun.

He didn't dare to reply immediately, but instead went over it in a moment of thought.

After a moment, he cautiously spoke:

"In response to your question, teacher, I believe that your selection of me as the first student reflects your high expectations for me."

"High expectations?" Lord Zhou tapped lightly on the table, making a "tap, tap" sound. "Then you'd better explain to me clearly where these expectations lie?"

Lu Chuan raised his eyes.

"The teacher's high hopes are that his students will not be confined to the study of the imperial examinations, but will instead aspire to serve the world and make their own contributions. The teacher's warning is that although being the top scholar in the imperial examinations is an honor, it is also the easiest thing to blind one's eyes."

"If one loses reverence and forgets one's roots in the soil because of this empty fame, then this unpolished jade is ruined. As the Doctrine of the Mean says, 'The superior man is watchful over himself when he is alone.' The higher one's position, the more one should reflect on oneself."

Lord Zhou stopped pointing, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes.

He originally thought that the eleven-year-old child would say some polite words about serving the court, but to his surprise, Lu Chuan understood the underlying meaning directly.

Lord Zhou leaned forward slightly, his voice low:

"Anyone can learn principles from books. But Lu Chuan, you are still too young. Some things cannot be hidden by the beautiful words on paper. Today, I want to teach you some true knowledge that you can't learn in the academy."

He paused, his tone becoming clearer:

"Have you ever considered why yesterday, as a peasant's son, no one paid you any attention on the street, while today, as the top scholar in the prefecture, the innkeeper treats you like a god, and even the roadside constables bow and scrape before you? Is it because your nature, Lu Chuan, has become more noble?"

Lu Chuan was startled. He held his breath and adopted a posture of listening attentively.

Lord Zhou gave a self-deprecating laugh and continued:

"That's not the case. The relationships of closeness and distance, warmth and coldness, honor and disgrace in this world do not originate from people, but from their positions."

"When you have no power in your hands and no reputation in your writing, your good and evil are nothing but weeds in the eyes of others; when you stand in a high position and possess value that others cannot provide, then the whole world is full of smiles and your ears are full of flattery."

"This is the truth of the world: the clash between people is essentially a game of power and bargaining chips."

These words extinguished the illusory warmth of the imperial examination system and laid bare the bloody reality before Lu Chuan.

Lu Chuan lowered his eyes, his heart churning with turmoil.

Of course he understood; in his previous life, in that information-saturated era, this was an unspoken rule in the adult world. But...

He never imagined that a powerful fourth-rank prefect would tear down this fig leaf in such a way.

"Disciple...I have learned a lot." Lu Chuan's voice was slightly hoarse, but every word was clear.

Looking at Lu Chuan's expression, Lord Zhou knew that these words had already taken root in the young man's heart.

He sat back down in the main seat, his tone softening slightly.

"It's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. You are now eleven years old and have topped the imperial examination. Outsiders see you as a child prodigy, a star of literature, but in the eyes of those cunning and powerful people, you are nothing more than a piece of jade of excellent quality waiting to be sold."

They smile at you because you have increasing value; they treat you with courtesy because they want a share of your value.

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

"Remember, the officialdom is like a battlefield. Reputation is your shield, while value is your sword. If you only have reputation but no real value, then you are nothing more than a bargaining chip in someone else's game; if you can provide value that no one else can replace, then you can become the one holding the game."

Lu Chuan took a deep breath. He knew that this was not just instruction, but also a setting for his future direction.

"I understand what you mean, teacher. Your teachings today are to prevent me from becoming obsessed with the empty title of child prodigy and turning into a drifting duckweed in this world."

"If a disciple wishes to stand firm, he does not aspire to look down upon the masses, but only to become a vote under his teacher's command, so that the people of this world may have more value and not be swayed by others."

These words made Lord Zhou pause abruptly as he fiddled with the tea lid.

He had thought his realistic remarks would frighten the eleven-year-old boy. But...

"Good, what a value that is not swayed by others." Lord Zhou put down his teacup and laughed loudly. "Lu Chuan, Lu Chuan, I thought I had thought highly of you, but I didn't expect that I still underestimated you."