Chapter 40 Where is Chen Xiaofu?

The sun was already high in the sky. Despite it being only mid-morning, the June sun had already begun to exert its full power. In the academy’s front plaza, shade was only available near the trees along the perimeter. Those edges were too far from the central stage, making it impossible to see the people clearly, let alone hear the poems the students were expected to compose. Therefore, those who arrived early crowded around the three accessible sides of the stage.

Most of these were women—pretty girls from Green Fish Lane and Moon Reflection Island. They wore thin gauze, with the colors of their bodice linings faintly visible. Initially, their maids held umbrellas for them, but the dense forest of umbrellas blocked the view of those behind them. Naturally, the people in the back were not pleased. Everyone had paid ten silver taels, so being forced to stare at umbrellas was hardly acceptable. Furthermore, there were many regular patrons among the crowd, and their wishes had to be respected. The women gestured for their maids to fold the umbrellas. They fanned themselves, yet fine beads of sweat still clung to their foreheads.

"It was supposed to start at the hour of the dragon, but that hour is almost over. Why haven't they begun?"

"Could it be that Young Master Chen beat up that fan-wielding fellow, and the man’s family has come looking for trouble?"

"Unlikely. Is there any young dandy in Lin'an City we haven't seen? That fan-wielding man looked unfamiliar, and his accent didn't sound like a local's. He seemed more like someone from the Imperial Capital."

"Oh, the Imperial Capital is crawling with officials. Won't Young Master Chen be in deep trouble?"

"How much trouble could it be? Don't forget, Young Master Chen’s father is the Great General of the Open Sun!"

"But what if that fan-wielding man’s family background is even more prestigious than the General’s estate?"

"Even so, there must be reason! We all saw that the fan-wielding man insulted Young Master Chen first, and Chen only retaliated."

"Reason? Sister Qi'er, how much 'reason' is there to be found in this world?"

A young woman dressed in a red gown with a matching red veil spoke up. She lifted her willow-leaf eyebrows slightly and continued: "Take the guests at the pleasure houses, for instance. Do they ever offer 'reason' to the sisters there? They pay the silver, so all the 'reason' belongs to them. We simply have to do as they command. Look at those in the officialdom; they may appear formidable, but that is only before their subordinates. If they were before their own superiors, they would wear an entirely different face. To put it bluntly, their service to their superiors is no different from our service to those men. Therefore, 'reason' is something that belongs solely to those with power and status. This world still revolves around family background. If that fan-wielding man’s status is lower than the General’s estate, then it’s fine, but otherwise, Young Master Chen will likely face a catastrophe before long. Alas... what a pity!"

A girl recognized the veiled woman. "Are you... Hongxiu?"

"Yes, I am."

"You said it was a pity. What is a pity?"

The girl named Hongxiu raised her eyebrows slightly and giggled. "It’s a pity for Young Master Chen’s beautiful face!"

"Hehe, don't tell me you fancy Young Master Chen too, Sister Hongxiu?"

Hongxiu’s cheeks flushed slightly. "I don't believe any of you haven't had similar thoughts about such a handsome lad! If he actually wins today..."

Qi'er asked, "And if he wins, what will you do?"

Hongxiu’s beautiful eyes darted about. "If he truly takes the crown, I... I shall invite him to be my private guest!"

The girls around her widened their eyes in shock. Hongxiu of the Moon-Appreciating Pavilion was the most famous courtesan in Lin'an City. She was only eighteen and one of the few pure entertainers in the pavilion. How many men had squandered fortunes at the Moon-Appreciating Pavilion just to become her intimate companion? Yet, she held herself in high regard; she had been at the pavilion for two years, and no man had yet caught her eye. For her to say such a thing...

The girls were startled for a moment before they felt relieved—Young Master Chen Xiaofu certainly had no chance of winning. Therefore, this must be a joke.

Just then, someone pointed toward the stage. "Look, someone is coming up!"

Everyone’s gaze shifted to the stage. More than a dozen desks were arranged there, each equipped with the four treasures of the study. In the center stood a square table with four chairs, holding the treasures and an hourglass for timing. Dozens of constables were the first to ascend, standing at the four corners of the stage with their hands on their sword hilts. Then, Magistrate Huang of Lin'an City, accompanied by three elderly men, walked onto the stage.

Magistrate Huang stepped forward and announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen... Silence! I invite Magistrate Ge of Lin'an City to say a few words. Let us welcome him!"

Thunderous applause erupted. The portly Magistrate Ge, dressed in his official robes, walked to the front of the stage. He wore a smile, waving his chubby hand to the crowd before pressing it down to signal for quiet. After a moment, as the applause faded, he coughed twice and began, "I heard there was a grand event at the Lin'an Academy today, so I came to take a look. I did not expect it to draw such a crowd... It seems the literary spirit of Lin'an remains robust, which is a good thing."

He cupped his hands toward the north. "Our Empress founded this nation through martial might, but she secures it through literature. This is the best era for scholars. Since arriving, I have learned that the delegation from the Qi Kingdom also arrived at the academy yesterday. It is led by the foremost Confucian scholar in the world, Master Xu himself! The delegation includes the twelve most brilliant young scholars of Qi!"

"This is excellent! Knowledge knows no borders. Such exchanges not only enhance our learning but also foster lasting friendship between our two nations. I have also heard that today’s event was initiated by Young Master Chen of the Flower Stream Villa... He claims he wants to challenge all the students of the Lin'an Academy, as well as the twelve talents of Qi... This caught me by surprise! Young Master Chen’s courage is commendable!"

He wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had intended to say more, but it was simply too hot. Forget it. Let it be. He needed to get back to his estate to cool down.

"Then let the battle begin! Show us your true skills! I hereby declare the challenge officially open!"

Enthusiastic applause erupted once more. Magistrate Ge cupped his hands in thanks, turned to whisper a few words into Magistrate Huang's ear, exchanged a few polite words with Master Xu, and departed. Magistrate Huang was sweltering as well. He looked at Master Xu. "Then... shall we ask Master Xu to set the topic?"

Xu Zizhou thought to himself, have you all forgotten to announce the rules of the competition? He stepped forward and said loudly, "I am Xu Zizhou."

The crowd erupted into a frenzy again! The great scholar's name was legendary, and he had countless students and acquaintances. Although he was a man of Qi, he had studied in Jieqing during his youth. He had authored many poems and essays, many of which were beloved by the courtesans of the pleasure houses and were still sung today. People deeply respected scholars with genuine talent, so their cheers were heartfelt.

Xu Zizhou pressed his hands down until it was quiet again, then continued, "I shall set two topics: one for a poem and one for a lyric. All students may participate! This hourglass represents half an hour. Each student will be given half an hour to compose their response for the poem and the lyric respectively. Every student must come up to the stage to write their work and recite it for all to hear. Then, you will submit them to us for on-site evaluation to ensure fairness and justice in this competition. Now, I invite the challenger, Young Master Chen Xiaofu, to take the stage!"

Everyone stared intently at the stage. Xu Zizhou also turned to look. He was suddenly startled. Chen Xiaofu... where was he?