Chapter 105: You Are Unworthy of Being Scholars!

The three men in the pavilion exchanged glances, then Scholar Zhang suddenly burst into hearty laughter, pointing at Wei Renshi and saying, “Hahaha, it seems your reputation in Fuchang isn’t all that great after all!”

Liu Yuxi also laughed aloud, making Wei Renshi quite embarrassed and helpless.

Wei Renshi sighed, shaking his head helplessly as he said to Cui Huiyuan and the others, “You bunch of bookworms— I really came here to find someone!”

Hearing Wei Renshi use such an informal and bold term like “I,” Scholar Zhang and Liu Yuxi laughed even louder.

At this, even the dullest students in Fuchang County School could tell that the relationship between these three was anything but ordinary.

They looked on with puzzled suspicion at Scholar Zhang, who was laughing uncontrollably inside the pavilion, then at the resigned expression on Wei Renshi’s face, completely baffled.

“Hmm, what you say isn’t wrong. I really don’t recognize him; it seems he truly is a fraud,” Scholar Zhang said with a smile. “Guards! Drag him out at once!”

Wei Renshi rolled his eyes in exasperation, picked up the wine cup from in front of Liu Yuxi, and downed it in one gulp.

“Hey! That’s my wine!” Liu Yuxi quickly snatched the cup back. “You won’t find such fine liquor in Weinan. Drink your fill when you return, but don’t steal mine!”

Though the students were reluctant to believe it, they now knew for sure that Wei Renshi really did know Scholar Zhang—and quite intimately, at that.

The student who had spoken last suddenly turned pale and muttered, “Then… just now outside the gate, when you asked him who he was…”

Hearing this, Wei Renshi immediately understood.

It must have been that the students from Fuchang County School, led by Scholar Fang, had walked to the courtyard gate at the back, missing the earlier conversation of Scholar Zhang. They only heard the line, “Just who exactly are you?” and connected it with Wei Renshi’s earlier mention of looking for Scholar Zhang. Upon hearing Zhang’s question, they concluded Zhang did not know Wei Renshi, so they assumed Wei Renshi was lying again.

Just now, in front of Scholar Wang and the others, Wei Renshi had almost offended Scholar Wang, who was already displeased. Now, seeing that Wei Renshi was indeed lying and not recognized by Scholar Zhang, his anger caused him to speak out abruptly.

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Unexpectedly, they themselves had misheard the conversation.

Scholar Zhang fixed his gaze on them, laughing at first but then shifting to a sneer: “Are you still not sure whether he’s a fraud? Clearly, you just refuse to admit someone is better than you. Insisting he’s a liar is nothing but self-deception! You hold the sacred books of the sages, always speaking of advising the sovereign and aiding the state, benefiting all the people—yet you won’t even admit when you’re outmatched. Do you realize that while you deceive yourselves, this man has made contributions for the Tang, for the people, worthy even of titles and honors? Look at yourselves—full of self-deception and greed. Scholars who fall behind in learning should strive harder, but instead, you slander others with baseless accusations. Hmph! You are truly unworthy of the name scholar!”

The wine had evidently loosened Scholar Zhang’s tongue; Wei Renshi had never seen him speak so sternly before. The students under his rebuke didn’t dare to raise their heads.

Then Scholar Zhang suddenly slammed the table and shouted, “I am powerless! To see a man who benefits the people oppressed by corrupt officials and be unable to help— I am useless! I wanted to cleanse the corruption…”

He was truly drunk, or perhaps venting his frustration and bitterness under the influence. In any case, they could not let him continue.

Wei Renshi and Liu Yuxi hurried over—one to gently restrain his pounding hands on the table, the other to cover his shouting mouth.

The students stood dumbfounded, watching as Scholar Zhang suddenly rose, broke free from both Wei Renshi and Liu Yuxi, leapt down from the steps before the pavilion, and turned to Wei Renshi, bowing deeply: “I, on behalf of all the people, thank you, Lord Wei!”

Wei Renshi’s scalp tingled, and he quickly stepped aside to support Scholar Zhang, while Liu Yuxi hurried to assist.

Meanwhile, the group of students seemed struck by a thunderbolt, standing dumbfounded with wide eyes and gaping mouths, utterly frozen.

But no one paid them any mind. Liu Yuxi called for the guards, and after some effort, they lifted Scholar Zhang and carried him back inside to rest.

Watching Scholar Zhang slowly lie down, Liu Yuxi finally exhaled deeply and asked, “What’s wrong with Scholar Zhang today? He’s drunk before, but I’ve never seen him like this.”

Wei Renshi sighed and told Liu Yuxi about the provincial government's assignment to repair the river embankments.

“What?! Such a thing is happening?!” Liu Yuxi’s face darkened with anger. He slammed the table and said, “This is lawlessness! Outrageous! I must report this fully to the court and impeach him!”

“Then your role as censor becomes pointless,” Wei Renshi shook his head. “Besides, repairing the river embankments isn’t necessarily a bad thing in my eyes. Without this, the credit wouldn’t even come to me.”

“Every year, the Ministry of Revenue allocates funds for dredging rivers and repairing embankments. Yet they pass the task to merchants while embezzling the government funds. If I didn’t know, it would be one thing, but now that I do, even if you give up being a censor, you must report it to the emperor!” Liu Yuxi said solemnly.

“Will reporting it accomplish anything?” Wei Renshi looked at him. “You people don’t know how to endure for the sake of long-term gains. This is a process. Can the Tang’s internal troubles be resolved overnight? It requires groundwork, brewing, and step-by-step progress! You can’t have instant success!”

Liu Yuxi was taken aback: “You mean us?”

“Uh…” Wei Renshi paused, realizing his slip, and quickly changed the subject: “You staying at court allows you to have greater influence. If you get demoted and sent far away, what can you do? Only protect a single county. Besides, if you’re sent away, who will oversee the two major matters in Weinan?”

“Then should I just pretend not to know about these things?” Liu Yuxi’s face flushed with anger.

“Even Scholar Zhang can only vent his frustrations with wine—so what about you?” Wei Renshi said. “For now, it’s better to pretend ignorance. Rest assured, good and evil will be repaid in time. It’s just a matter of sooner or later — no one escapes it.”

“Alas!” Liu Yuxi looked toward Scholar Zhang inside and sighed heavily.

After a moment, he added, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Wei Renshi smiled: “Just produce results in Weinan. If you do well, then I share the credit. I wonder if it might even earn me a noble title.”

“In my opinion, that would be enough,” Liu Yuxi said. “Though the court is now very cautious about granting titles, so it’s hard to say.”

“What if I add this?” Wei Renshi smiled and took out several sheets of paper, placing them before Liu Yuxi.