Chapter 86 Scholar’s Spirit

Outside the Lianchang Palace, Li He finally caught up to Wei Renshi, who had been hurrying away. Grabbing his arm, Li He called out, “Renshi, why are you leaving?”

“Why stay, then—wait for the New Year?” Wei Renshi glanced back at Li He.

“Your poem is truly a fine piece. If I didn’t know you so well, even I would have doubted it was your own work.” Li He said earnestly, “It’s no wonder others might misunderstand. Don’t be upset.”

Wei Renshi thought to himself: Those verses weren’t mine to begin with, so why would I be angry over this? I’m not annoyed by their suspicion—I’m just afraid I won’t be able to keep up the pretense much longer!

“Changji, you shouldn’t have chased after me. You need to stay behind and compose impromptu poems later on—that’s the only way to cement your reputation for talent.” Wei Renshi replied, “Though you’re already known as a prodigy, people need to see it with their own eyes. Today, professors from the county school and students from nearby districts are all here. If you impress them by composing well on the spot, your reputation will be firmly established. The professors, and even Zhang Ji himself, will surely favor you. Go back quickly.”

“Then come with me,” Li He urged, holding onto Wei Renshi.

Wei Renshi shook his head. “I never truly wished to take the imperial examination. You go on—don’t pull me into this.”

“I know your ambitions run high. It must sting to be publicly doubted. But think about it—such misunderstandings are only natural. Isn’t it all the more reason to stay and prove yourself with your poetry?” Li He insisted, not letting go.

“But I’ve already stormed out. Turning back now would be humiliating,” Wei Renshi replied. “You go on. I’ll wander about nearby, and when you’re done, let’s meet at the palace gate.”

Li He looked at him, then released his grip. “Very well. It’s rare for us to visit Lianchang Palace—why not take the chance to look around?”

“Trust me—go back inside. You can visit Lianchang Palace any time,” said Wei Renshi.

“Composing poetry is meant to be shared with friends,” Li He smiled. “I hardly know anyone in there. Staying would bring me no joy. What does it matter if a few professors fail to favor me? What have I to fear?”

Wei Renshi was taken aback, then burst out laughing. He clapped Li He on the shoulder. “Good brother! Then let’s go—let’s tour the palace together.”

Within Lianchang Palace, the pavilions and halls had long since fallen into disrepair. Founded in the early years of the Sui dynasty and abandoned during Emperor Suzong’s reign in the Tang, this imperial retreat had witnessed nearly a century and a half of history. Now, wild grass grew rampant within, and only the elegant yet weathered towers and gazebos remained, hinting at its former splendor.

“All things pass…” Wei Renshi shook his head. He saw not just a palace in decline, but the echo of rise and fall through the ages.

“Why brood, Renshi? We are the ones to shape the winds and clouds of our era,” Li He, seeing his friend’s frequent sighs, stretched out his arms and declared with a smile, “One day, when we serve our sovereign and restore order, bring peace to the land, perhaps Lianchang Palace will once again welcome dragons and phoenixes!”

Wei Renshi looked at Li He’s spirited demeanor and couldn’t help but laugh. “Ah, to be young scholars in our prime—brimming with the vigor of youth; gesturing grandly, wielding words as weapons, caring nothing for the lords and nobles of old!”

“Yes! Care nothing for the lords and nobles of old!” Li He threw back his head in laughter. “As Li Taibai once said: ‘Are we mere weeds and brush?’”

Their unrestrained laughter echoed through the dilapidated galleries, sending dust swirling in the sunlight.

The two wandered through Lianchang Palace for half the day. By early afternoon, students from the poetry gathering began to emerge.

The poetry event offered no meal, so afterward, the scholars strolled about the palace, seeking places to sit—alone or in small groups—spreading out mats and unpacking their food, making a pleasant occasion of it.

Li He and Wei Renshi, too, found a spot to rest and eat their lunch. Most students had simple fare, but some had brought sumptuous meals, even with servants to heat dishes on the spot.

“Well, look who it is—our little swindlers!” Suddenly, a grating voice rang out, as a group of students approached and stopped beside Wei Renshi and Li He.

“Who are you calling a swindler?” Wei Renshi retorted casually.

“I’m calling you a swindler!” the student shot back.

Wei Renshi blinked—this one wasn’t sticking to the usual script.

The leader continued, “You two are young—if your poems weren’t good, it wouldn’t matter. But why have someone else write them for you, then pass them off as your own? At your age, to so disgrace the literary path—how will you ever amount to anything? To present ghostwritten verses at a poetry gathering, angling for praise from the chief scholar and Master Zhang—that’s sheer audacity!”

Li He rose and said, “Senior, you wrong us. Though we’re younger than you, we’ve read our share of the classics. We would never stoop to such deceit.”

Wei Renshi, however, remained seated, unconcerned. He smiled at Li He, “Changji, sit and eat. If a dog bites you, do you bite it back? What would that make you?”

“You!” The student’s eyes bulged as he stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves, clearly intending to start a fight.

Suddenly, a cheerful voice called out, “Huaiyuan! Long time no see!” A young man in white strode over, smiling. “No need for this, Huaiyuan. You’re too old to be picking fights with two young lads.”

As he spoke, he pulled the angry student back. “Li Changji of Changgul—I’ve heard of your reputation as a prodigy. And this is… Wei Renshi, who composed two more poems on the spot, both matching Master Zhang’s themes and both excellent. Are you saying Master Zhang colluded with him in advance? Let’s not accuse our juniors so hastily.”

“Don’t play the saint,” the first student snapped. “I don’t believe two greenhorns could write such poems.”

“Come now, Huaiyuan—perhaps what truly irks you is not that they wrote the poems, but that you could not?” the newcomer teased.

The other glared. “Miao Yuanqi, you’re asking for trouble!”

“Easy, Huaiyuan—so many people watching,” Miao Yuanqi said with a laugh. “If you lose your temper and word gets to the county school, it won’t reflect well on you.”

With a cold snort, the student glared, then stormed off.

Once he was gone, Miao Yuanqi turned to Li He and Wei Renshi with a smile. “No need to worry, juniors. Eat in peace. Cui Huaiyuan isn’t foolish—he won’t dare touch you here.”

Without waiting for a reply, he and his group moved on.

As they disappeared into the crowd, another student caught up with Miao Yuanqi and asked, “Yuanqi, why did you speak up for those two? Don’t you also think their poems were ghostwritten?”

“What if they truly are prodigies?” Miao Yuanqi replied with a smile. “Besides, with so many witnesses, would you really confront them? That would only make us look petty. Gossip spreads fast—whether their work is genuine or not, we’d all come off badly. And if they did hire a ghostwriter of such talent, their connections must be formidable. It would be foolish not to befriend them.”

The others nodded in sudden understanding. “Brother Yuanqi, your wisdom is unmatched!”