It is night.
Outside the door of a mansion in North Street.
A burst of voices rang out, filled with anger.
“Master, we are simply wronged, we were beaten up by Xu Qingnian calling for someone for no reason, this is simply a great shame.”
“Yes, this Xu Qingnian doesn’t dare to trouble us openly, but plays dirty tricks behind our backs, he is simply not a son of man.”
“I think this man is just narrow-minded.”
“If we hadn’t written to him, there’s no guarantee that Xu Qingnian wouldn’t be even bolder next time.”
Inside the mansion, the cries of the students rang out, some angrily fighting for their cause, others crying out, with gauze wrapped around their heads.
This group of students from the Tianming School would never have thought in their deaths that they would one day be beaten up.
And so viciously too.
But what they were most angry about was not the beating they received, but the loss of face.
Who were they?
They were scholars.
They were the proud sons of the heavens and drew countless admiring glances when they walked down the road, and they had never been the only ones to accuse others, but this had never happened before.
The Great Wei Dynasty, in particular, respected scholars.
If they had merit they were still not allowed to be tortured.
But the beating he received today was even worse than the torture.
“That’s enough!”
The noise rose and fell on each other, and Wan An Guo’s voice rang out, calming the scene for an instant.
He looked at the crowd, but instead of showing anger, he said extremely calmly.
“You guys should stop talking nonsense.”
“Xu Qingnian has entered the eighth rank of Confucianism, so he is obviously not such a person with an unscrupulous heart, and furthermore he has no grudge against Tianming Academy, and even if he did, he would not be able to instruct the officials to use violence against the scholars.”
“What kind of gentleman can you be if you hate each other out of cynicism and put these wrongs on Xu Qingnian?”
Wan Anguo said so, reprimanding the crowd.
His heart was brighter than a mirror, so how could he not know what this group of literati were thinking about, it was just that they wanted to use this opportunity to get themselves sued, it didn’t matter if the shadow affected Xu Qingnian’s first place in the provincial examination.
It doesn’t matter if it affects Xu Qingnian’s first place in the government exam.
After all, Xu Qingnian was too good, overpowering all the students in Tianming Academy and generating jealousy.
But he would not do that, it was not the way of a gentleman.
Moreover, he did not believe Xu Qingnian was such a person, a Confucian student who could write a superb essay, or a stand-up essay, would never do such a thing.
“Fu Zi, but no matter what, it is a fact that we were beaten up for no reason, even if we take a step back and say that it was not Xu Qingnian who directed us.”
“But it also has something to do with Xu Qingnian.”
Some people were unconvinced and couldn’t help but mutter.
Indeed, whether or not it was Xu Qingnian who directed them, they didn’t dare to be completely sure, but it was always a fact that they were beaten up, right?
“All right.”
“The matter has already been discussed with the old man by the Prefect, and the laws of Great Wei do not allow for provocation.”
“It will be dealt with as it should be dealt with, and justice will be done to you.”
On this point, Wan An Guo was biased towards his student, after all, his student did get beaten up.
And there was another point.
In the Great Wei, the status of a scholar is very high, and an official beating a scholar is a serious crime, and even a light sentence of ten years in prison or a heavy sentence of exile for a thousand miles is required.
Wan Anguo believed that this matter had nothing to do with Xu Qingnian.
It was precisely because he believed it that he became even more furious.
If Xu Qingnian’s shadow was really behind this, he would not be so angry, after all, by using such a tactic, he could see that Xu Qingnian did not have much future.
But without Xu Qingnian’s shadow, this was a violation of the laws of the Great Wei.
To put it in a small way, disrespecting the law.
To put it in a bigger way, it is disrespecting the saints.
There are three, six and nine cla*ses of people, and for the literati, all are inferior but reading is superior.
This is also the meaning of Zhu Sheng, the meaning of every scholar.
A mere official martial artist, who disregards etiquette and injures a scholar, is a serious crime, a great crime in heaven.
Therefore, this matter was definitely dealt with by Wan An Guo in a strict manner, and there was no room for any human kindness.
After all, this was challenging the will of the saints and insulting the scholars.
And it was because of this that he was angry.
However, just at that moment, a voice rang out.
“Master, Xu Qingnian, Li Xin, requests an audience outside.”
As the voice rang out, the mansion was instantly silenced.
“Xu Qingnian is here?”
“What is he doing here? Is he here to see us laugh?”
“He’s not going to plead for those people, is he? Master, if Xu Qingnian is here to plead for mercy, you must not agree to it, we are not convinced!”
“Alright, you guys just cut the crap and let Fu Zi choose.”
They murmured, and a few of those with gauze wrapped around their bodies spoke up even more, still angry.
“Ask him what his visit is about.”
Wan An Guo was somewhat curious and told him to ask what Xu Qingnian had come here for.
Was it to express his apologies, or to say that he was pleading for mercy?
If it was an apology, there was no harm in meeting him.
But if it was a plea for mercy, then there was no need to talk about it.
Even if it was Xu Qingnian, it was still out of the question.
At that moment, the person who informed him left.
After a few moments, he came back quickly.
“Master, Xu Qingnian said that he had come to express his apologies, and at the same time wanted to step in to resolve the matter, saying that he was willing to negotiate peacefully.”
The other party spoke, stating Xu Qingnian’s intention for coming.
“He really has the face?”
“He has the face to settle the matter? How much face does he have, Xu Qingnian?”
“If he, Xu Qingnian, had met with us before, we could have given him some face, but he didn’t even see us, and now that something has happened, he’s coming to reconcile, what a joke.”
“I won’t reconcile.”
“I won’t reconcile either.”
The crowd was unanimous, they would never reconcile, they were already angry with Xu Qingnian.
The Tianming Academy had come to see Xu Qingnian, but after waiting for four or five days, they had not seen him.
They themselves lacked a reason to trouble Xu Qingnian.
Now that they had a reason, it was impossible for them to stop there.
If they didn’t suppress Xu Qingnian’s anger, they really wouldn’t be convinced.
“Silence.”
Wan An Guo spoke again, calming the scene.
He knew that these students of his were carrying a personal vendetta, which was wrong from a gentleman’s point of view, and if there hadn’t been this incident, he would certainly have reprimanded his students.
But when something like this happened, both as their old dean and as a sixth-ranked proper Confucian.
In terms of emotion, he would naturally not take Xu Qingnian’s side.
For reason, insulting a scholar was tantamount to disrespecting a saint, so naturally he could not help Xu Qingnian.
Therefore, Wan An Guo spoke up.
“Let him go back and tell him that this matter has nothing to do with him.”
“Don’t get involved.”
Wan Anguo opened his mouth and said so.
“Yes, Fu Zi.”
The latter left at that moment.
It was only another moment before the man who had informed them came back again.
“Master, Xu Qingnian said he wanted to see you and apologise in person.”
He said so, conveying Xu Qingnian’s meaning.
“Say I’m asleep.”
Wan Anguo shook his head, the more Xu Qingnian was so unrelenting, the more he understood that Xu Qingnian was trying to plead for those people.
After a while, the sound of communication rang out again.
“Husband, he said he is willing to wait until tomorrow.”
This answer surprised Wan An Guo a little.
The crowd didn’t know what to say either.
Wan Anguo pondered, and after a while continued.
“Tell him that this matter is not as simple as hurting someone, but that a scholar has been insulted, so don’t get involved or it will affect his career.”
His attitude was firm.
But the words were also words of caution.
It was a big no-no for a warrior to beat a scholar.
The Great Wei Dynasty revered only Confucianism, and no one was allowed to be sentenced if they had merit.
This is the status of a scholar, but when he is beaten up by a group of officials and constables, a commoner, how can this be?
It is true that, in the smallest sense, it could be a misunderstanding, an apology, some silver, and some kind words, and then it would be over.
But in the grand scheme of things, this is an insult to the scholars and a disrespect to the sages.
To all literati in the world, it is a mortal sin.
You dare to hit me today.
Will you dare to kill me tomorrow?
Misunderstanding is not a reason.
Xu Qingnian is now famous all over the world, especially when the imperial decree is announced and it is known that he, Xu Qingnian, has written an essay of intention.
Others might be able to plead for mercy.
But Xu Qingnian could not ask for mercy, and if he did, he would get into a lot of trouble.
Xu Qingnian might not be able to see through this, but he could.
So it was for Xu Qingnian’s own good that he dissuaded him from getting involved.
“Yes.”
The latter went to inform again.
But he soon came back again.
And still came back with a bitter smile on his face.
“Master, Xu Qingnian said that he wanted to see you, saying that there were some things that would be better said face to face.”
“If you don’t see him, he will stay outside and not leave.”
With this statement, it was a vote on Xu Qingnian’s attitude.
However, Wan An Guo still shook his head.
“You tell him that the results of the House Examination will be out in two days, and the Prefect has already invited me to the banquet, so I will see you then, and if he is still unrelenting outside the door, I will leave tomorrow.”
Wan An Guo was also very resolute.
Not to see is to not see.
For the good of him, Xu Qingnian.
It was also for the good of his own group of students to take out some bad vibes.
One couldn’t really not help one of their own, could one?
At this moment.
Outside the mansion.
Xu Qingnian and Li Xin both waited quietly.
As the door of the mansion opened again and the other party conveyed Wan Anguo’s intention, Xu Qingnian let out a long sigh.
He could see that Wan Anguo was very determined.
If he still stayed here, the other party would indeed leave, and once he did, he would not be able to salvage it.
“Thank you for pa*sing on the message for me, brother.”
“I also hope that elder brother will say a word for Mister Xu.”
“In this case, it was indeed a misunderstanding, I, Xu, am truly sorry, I hope that the brothers of the Tianming Academy, do not be angry.”
Xu Qingnian said, and then turned to leave.
Li Xin followed behind, silent.
To be here pleading in such a low voice, but not even seeing his face, was enough to show the other party’s attitude.
It seemed like things were really going to get ugly.
“Brother Li, can we go to the main prison to take a look at them?”
On the street, Xu Qingnian asked Li Xin.
“Naturally, I can.”
Li Xin nodded his head before continuing.
“However, Brother Xu, you can actually go back first and make a trip to my father and ask him, there might be a way out as well.”
Li Xin said so.
“En, go back later, go and see them first, I need to ask something.”
Xu Qingnian nodded his head.
But he still wanted to go and see Yang Bao and Yang Hu first.
“Good. Brother Xu come with me.”
Li Xin didn’t say anything and led the way ahead.
