95: Explanation to Zhou Wenhai

The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone road, emitting a familiar "rumble" sound.

This sound announced that they had returned to Qingshi County.

Before the carriage had fully come to a halt at the town entrance, a boisterous sound of gongs and drums burst into the carriage.

Su Ming and Xu Qing exchanged a glance, seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.

Xu Qing was the first to lift the carriage curtain, and the scene before him left him stunned.

I do not know when, but many people had gathered at the town entrance; at the front were several men looking like yamen runners, vigorously beating gongs and drums.

A simple yet eye-catching red cloth banner had been hung up, with fresh ink reading: "Congratulations to the two gentlemen of Qingshi Town, Xu Qing and Su Ming, for passing the Bingchen Provincial Examination!"

"The news travels fast!" Xu Qing murmured.

Su Ming's gaze swept over the crowd, seeing many familiar Faces, their expressions overflowing with the joy of reflected glory.

He understood in his heart; the post roads were always swift, and the news of their success in the Provincial Examination had likely reached Qingshi Town before their return journey.

"I see it." Su Ming smiled slightly, his tone still calm. "Brother Xu, you are the yuan of the second rank. You are the protagonist today. Go quickly, do not keep the fellow townsfolk waiting."

Xu Qing nodded, took a deep breath, straightened his back, and got off the carriage.

As soon as he stood firm, he was surrounded by the enthusiastic crowd, with congratulations and praises rising one after another. The village elders stepped forward to hold his hands, their Faces glowing as they spoke of "bringing honor to the family" and "winning glory for the town."

Taking advantage of the fact that everyone's attention was focused on the center of the spotlight, the "yuan of the second rank," Su Ming quietly got off the carriage, gave a low instruction to the driver, and intended to leave silently.

However, someone still noticed him.

Several townspeople who were originally surrounding Xu Qing turned their heads, greeting him with smiles: "Scholar Su... no, Successful Provincial Candidate Su is back!" "Congratulations, Successful Provincial Candidate Su!"

The tone, compared to their eagerness toward Xu Qing, was noticeably flatter, even carrying a hint of imperceptible regret—after all, compared to the third-place "yuan of the second rank," the gap with the seventy-third place was indeed quite significant.

Su Ming did not care about this at all, merely bowing modestly in return: "Thank you, fellow townsfolk. It was just luck, merely luck."

He found Xu Qing nearby and whispered: "Brother Xu, enjoy this glory and have a good reunion with your uncle. I will go pay my respects to Master first and come to congratulate you another day."

Xu Qing saw that Su Ming was determined to leave: "Good! Brother Xu, let us meet another day! Please convey my greetings to Master Zhou!"

Su Ming nodded, turned around, merged into the flow of people on the street, and walked toward the County School.

The street was still the same street; the shops on both sides, the hawking vendors, the children playing—everything was no different from when he left.

His pace was not fast, each step taken with extraordinary steadiness.

"Master, I am ready." He said in his heart.

"Ready?" Lin Yu's lazy voice sounded, with a hint of testing. "Remember, when you go in later, you are a child who failed the exam. Be aggrieved, be afraid, but most importantly, be sincere. The acting must be thorough!"

Lin Yu's soul body changed to a comfortable position inside the ring.

Heh heh, the Oscar-level performance is about to begin. I want to see how this set of modern workplace PUA... no, this "winning by pity" strategy, works against an old slippery official in ancient times.

"Disciple understands." Su Ming replied.

Before long, the familiar black-lacquered gate of the Zhou Residence was before him. Compared to the noise at the town entrance, this place seemed much quieter, but a new pair of red paper couplets had been posted on the lintel, with content like "Poetry and Books Passed Down" and "Fragrant Osmanthus and Orchids," displaying the joy of having a Successful Provincial Candidate in the family.

As soon as Su Ming stepped onto the stairs, the side gate he was familiar with was pulled open from the inside with a creak.

The old gatekeeper poked his head out, and upon seeing it was Su Ming, his originally somewhat cloudy eyes instantly lit up, his Face filled with an unprecedentedly attentive smile, almost rushing out to greet him.

"Oh! Master Su has returned!" The old man bent his waist lower than usual, his tone filled with absolute awe and fawning. "Please come in, please come in! Master has been waiting for you in the study since early morning! He gave orders that once you arrived, you were to be invited in directly!"

This attitude was completely different from the gatekeeper in Su Ming's memory, who was always somewhat formulaically polite.

After passing the examination, even if his ranking was not high, his status in the eyes of these servants had completely changed, from a "promising student" to a true "Master."

Su Ming sneered slightly in his heart, but did not show it on his Face, merely nodding gently: "Thank you, old man."

He walked through the courtyard, noticing that the maids and servants passing by under the corridor all stopped in their tracks, casting curious and respectful gazes at him and whispering greetings of "Good day, Master Su." The entire Zhou Residence was permeated with a subtle and respectful atmosphere caused by his success in the examination.

Su Ming walked through the familiar courtyard and arrived in front of the study he had visited countless times.

He did not knock on the door immediately, but stood quietly for a moment, adjusting his breathing and heartbeat to a slightly hurried and uneasy frequency.

Then, he raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in."

A low and dignified voice came from inside the room.

Su Ming pushed the door open and entered; a scent mixed with the smell of old books and high-quality ink rushed to his Face.

Inside the study, it was as elegant and tidy as ever.

Zhou Wenhai was wearing a dark blue scholar's robe, standing with his back to the door in front of a wide writing desk.

He did not turn around, but focused on wielding the wolf-hair brush in his hand, the tip dancing on the snow-white rice paper.

Su Ming's gaze fell on the paper.

It was the character for "Quiet."

But the final stroke was written with such force it pierced the paper, sharp as a knife, destroying the balance and charm of the entire character, revealing the extreme unrest in the writer's heart.

Zhou Wenhai did not speak; the only sound in the study was the "rustling" of the brush tip across the paper.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was suffocating.

Su Ming just stood there quietly, head bowed, like a prisoner awaiting judgment.

For a long time.

Zhou Wenhai finally finished the last stroke; he placed the brush heavily on the brush washer, emitting a crisp "clang."

He slowly turned around.

His Face had no expression, his gaze landing on Su Ming, as calm as a deep pool of water.

"You have returned."

Three words, devoid of any emotion, yet carrying more pressure than any harsh reprimand.

He did not let Su Ming sit down.

Su Ming knew that the test had begun.

He did not look up, but followed Lin Yu's script, took a step forward, bowed, and performed a ninety-degree salute, bowing low to the ground.

His voice carried a hint of perfectly measured trembling and trepidation.

"Disciple Su Ming has failed Master's high expectations!"

"In the examination hall, I performed poorly, my thoughts were exhausted, and I only achieved seventy-third place, bringing shame to Master and the County School!"

"My heart is filled with extreme trepidation, and I have no Face to Face Master's cultivation! I have come specifically... to beg for Master's punishment!"

The words were spoken with genuine sincerity, and the feelings of regret and shame were evident on his Face.

Zhou Wenhai had not expected Su Ming to pull such a move.

He had originally prepared a bellyful of words: disappointed questioning, reprimands for not living up to expectations, and doubts about why he had concealed his talent.

But now, these words were all firmly blocked in his chest by Su Ming's preemptive, humble apology that lowered his posture to the dust.

As a great Confucian scholar famous for many years, a respected teacher, what more could he say to a student who was already "terrified" to such an extent?

If he were to reprimand him again, wouldn't it make him appear lacking in stature, nitpicking over a ranking?

Zhou Wenhai was stunned.

He looked at Su Ming, who was deeply bowed and dared not even lift his head, and the pent-up frustration in his chest dissipated by more than half without him realizing it.

He sighed heavily, his tone softening involuntarily.

"You... get up first."

He pointed to the chair on the side.

"Sit down and speak."

Su Ming slowly straightened up, his Face still showing shame. He sat on the edge of the chair as instructed, but only sat on half of it, maintaining an appearance of respect and unease.

"Master is brilliant." Su Ming thought to himself.

"Small scene, small scene." Lin Yu hummed a tune triumphantly in the ring. "This is called hitting the snake in its seven inches, manipulating the human heart. He wants Face, so we give him enough Face first. If he still refuses to let it go, then his perspective is just small."

Zhou Wenhai picked up his teacup and took a sip, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"There are many variables in the examination hall. Poor performance is also a common occurrence." His tone had returned to its usual steadiness. "Master... does not blame you."

Su Ming did not respond, nor did he offer a single word of defense for himself.

He knew now was not the time for explanation.

He changed the subject, as if wanting to make up for his "fault" by reporting what he had seen and heard.

"Master, although this trip to the provincial capital was a disappointment in the examination, it was not without gains."

His voice returned to steady and clear.

"Yunshuo Prefecture City is far more prosperous and complex than I imagined. The city is filled with powerful families, merchant groups are entrenched, and various forces are intertwined like an invisible net. When I first arrived, I felt dazzled, like a frog in a well seeing the vast ocean for the first time."

Zhou Wenhai's hand holding the teacup paused, and a hint of interest appeared in his eyes.

This was exactly what he wanted to hear.

Su Ming continued: "In this Provincial Examination, the chief examiner, Vice Minister Wang, served in the Ministry of Rites before retiring and values integrity most of all. I observed that those who stood out at the literary gatherings in the prefecture city and had sharp, outstanding prose mostly ranked highly this time. As for the Jingkui Qian Wenbo, his father is the Prefecture Vice Magistrate, and the top scholar Wei Ziang is the son of the Assistant Prefect. It is evident that while essays are important in the examination, connections and reputation are also indispensable aids."

This analysis exceeded the scope of an ordinary student, carrying a calm, bystander's insight.

Zhou Wenhai's eyebrows raised slightly, and the disappointment in his eyes was completely replaced by surprise.

Su Ming did not pause; he knew the real main event was only just beginning.

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice, as if telling a secret.

"Master, at the Deer Banquet, I sat at the last table. During the banquet, I accidentally overheard two low-ranking officials chatting, and in their conversation, they mentioned that the capital has recently... seemed unsettled."

"Oh?" Zhou Wenhai's eyes instantly became sharp.

"They said... a Marquis's residence in the North City was raided by the Imperial Guard. The cause seems related to a 'Iron Certificate of Merit' left over from the previous dynasty, and it even implicated a certain noble in the palace."

"Iron Certificate of Merit!"

The teacup in Zhou Wenhai's hand shook violently, and a few drops of scalding tea splashed onto the back of his hand, but he seemed unaware.

His Face instantly became incomparably grave.

Su Ming took in his reaction and continued unhurriedly: "My status is low and my words are light; I do not know if this is true, and I dare not discuss state affairs recklessly. I only speculate privately that if this is true, there must be major changes in the capital. With the political situation in turmoil, those of us scholars in the provinces must be even more cautious in our words and deeds."

After speaking, Su Ming lowered his head again, summarizing his statement.

"I am dull-witted. Through this event, I have finally truly understood that the path of the Imperial Examination is far from as simple as just writing essays on paper. It is more about human relationships, the changing times, and the weighing of interests."

"Only until this moment have I slightly grasped the true meaning of the four words 'A gentleman is not a tool' that Master teaches daily. A true scholar cannot just be a 'tool' that writes essays; one must observe in all directions, listen to all sides, know how to hide one's edge and keep to simplicity, and discern the progress and retreat of the political situation."

"This ranking not being prominent is perhaps... not entirely a bad thing. At the very least, it allowed me to see the depth of this pool early on, so I will not rashly step in later and be crushed."

The study fell into a long silence.

Zhou Wenhai stared fixedly at Su Ming, his eyes extremely complex.

There was astonishment, shock, scrutiny; in the end, all emotions transformed into a heartfelt gratification and appreciation.

He had originally thought Su Ming was just a talented youth.

He even worried that this youth would become arrogant due to his talent and eager for quick success.

But he never expected.

A Provincial Examination, a trip to the prefecture city, had actually caused this sixteen-year-old youth to be reborn!

What he saw was no longer a student who cared about the gains and losses of his ranking.

But a quasi-official who possessed a sense of the big picture in the officialdom, understood how to conceal talent to protect himself, and could even sniff out political storms from clues!

The empty title of a top scholar, compared to this Heart-Nature far exceeding his age and this insight into the political situation, what did it count for?

It was simply not worth mentioning!

It was he who was narrow-minded!

It was he who only saw the trees, while this Disciple had already seen the entire forest!

"Haha... Hahaha!"

Zhou Wenhai suddenly laughed aloud, his laughter filled with relief and liberation.

He stood up, personally lifted the teapot from the table, walked to Su Ming, and poured hot, fragrant tea into his teacup, which had been empty the whole time.

This action surprised even Su Ming.

"Sit properly, sit straight!" Zhou Wenhai looked at Su Ming, his tone containing unprecedented gentleness and appreciation. "You... are very good! Very good!"

He pushed the teacup to Su Ming.

"That you could think to this level, Master... is very gratified!"

Zhou Wenhai sat back down, exhaling a long breath, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.

"The ranking is no longer important. With such Heart-Nature and insight, what else could Master ask for? Your future is bound to be limitless!"

Lin Yu, inside the ring, was almost rolling with laughter. Thousands of years of accumulated workplace wisdom, dealing with an ancient intellectual, was simply effortless!

"Done! Finished! See that, Disciple? This is called dimensionality reduction attack! This old man probably already sees you as a future Prime Minister seedling to cultivate!"

Su Ming picked up the teacup, feeling the warmth in his palm, his heart filled with emotions.

Master's strategy was truly unfathomable.

A crisis that could have caused a rift in the teacher-student relationship was thus easily resolved, and his importance in Master's heart had even increased by more than a notch.

The two chatted for a long time.

This time, it was no longer a teacher testing a student, but more like an equal exchange.

Zhou Wenhai asked many details about the customs and scholar ecology of the prefecture city, and Su Ming answered fluently.

Not until the sunset dipped below the horizon, dyeing the window lattice red, did Su Ming rise to take his leave.

"Master, Disciple will take his leave now."

"Go." Zhou Wenhai nodded, his Face full of smiles. "Go home and take a look; it is time to let your parents be happy. Before the Spring Examination in the capital, you still have several months; study well, do not be impatient."

Su Ming bowed and turned to leave.

He walked to the door, his hand just about to touch the door ring.

"Su Ming."

Zhou Wenhai's voice suddenly came from behind.

Su Ming turned back.

He saw Zhou Wenhai standing in the light and shadow of the sunset, his expression becoming serious.

"Before you set off for the capital, come see me one more time."

His voice was not loud, but carried an unquestionable solemnity.

"Master... has something to give you."