Chapter 128 Make A Fool of Oneself

Guan Suyi had previously announced in the Bodhi Garden that she would withdraw the apology to Master Lu on behalf of her grandfather and father, naturally this was passed on to the person himself. As one of the host of the literary gathering, Lu Fengming could not wait to sweep her out of the door, but because of the prestige of the Guan family, he had to endure it.

Old Master Guan and Guan Father apologized again and again, swallowing their breathspeak humbly or submissively, and were ridiculed by him for a while before he finally put the matter to rest. This scene was naturally seen by the people attending, creating the impression that the Guan family’s daughter was arrogant and domineering, unkind and rude.

How could Guan Suyi not expect Lu Fengming would seize her words and deeds to suppress her grandfather and father? However, not fight back was only temporary, and when the truth was revealed, Guan family’s benevolence and open-mindedness would surely spread far and wide. She couldn’t care less about what other people say about her, but she cared very much about what other people say about the Guan family. She cupped her hands in salute to her grandfather and father from a distance, then walked to an empty seat and sat there.

Lu Fengming put down the teacup heavily and sneered, “Without virtue and ill-mannered, actually still have face to show up here!”

Old Master Guan stroked his beard and said, “The child is still young, and she is still a girl. Master Lu is a person of virtue and prestige, so why bother to stoop to her level?”

Lu Fengming picked up the brush and said as he wrote, “It is precisely because of the young age that it should be taught better. The Guan family has educated people from generation to generation, and has produced literary giants of the world. Could it be that you don’t you know how revered the word ‘teacher’ is? Humiliating a teacher is like humiliating a father, which is a rebellious act!” In just a quarter of an hour, an article “The Teacher” had been freshly released, with elaborate ideas and bold language, which denounced the current frivolous style and the unhealthy trend of “ashamed to learn from teachers“, “humiliated the teachers“, it was passed on to all the people present to read, which attracted voices of admiration.

Old Master Guan and Guan Father smiled lightly, as steady as Mount Tai, and did not get angry or even scolded their beloved daughter on the spot, on the contrary waited quietly for this article to spread to the audience, which could be said to be full of grace.

Lu Fengming closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, lightly twisting the Buddhist beads, which was also the style of an expert. As his direct disciple, Zhao Wangshu was sitting on the futon behind him. His heart was touched by this article that was full of vigor and profound meaning. He felt that his mother had done the right thing, it was more promising to worship under Master Lu. Guan Suyi was clearly harming him before.

The article finally reached to the outermost periphery, and the student sitting beside Guan Suyi planned to hold it in front of Master Lu, but listened to her slowly said, “I haven’t read it yet.”

“You want to see too?” The student was stunned by her brazenness. If it were a different person, she would have fled in shame at this moment, to ashamed to show one’s face. But she was still sitting in the gathering place calmly, without any change on her face, even more, still want to look at the article, as if the whole thing had nothing to do with her? How did she do it? Afraid even a ruffian didn’t have this ability.

“Show her! Let her learn properly!” Lu Fengming ordered.

The student immediately handed over the article and glared at her with disdain. After Guan Suyi took over the article, another person slowly came to the courtyard, and he also attracted everyone’s attention, just because he was tall, with wide eyebrows and deep eyes, and black-blue eyes, much like the legendary Emperor Sheng Yuan in the white dragon fish suit. But no one dared to come forward to talk, lest they commit a taboo, so they could only pretend not to know.

The man casually pulled a futon, sat next to that Guan shi woman, and then leaned over to read the manuscript with her, his behavior was very natural. In an instant the place was quieten down, but Master Xuan Guang, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up, “The time has come, all students can write articles on the collection of classics and history. Although I am not talented, I would like to discuss one or two with everyone, or help thinking the literature’s way or the learning confusion.”

This was the mock battle before the imperial examination, which was very helpful to test the depth of oneself or others, and could also get the guidance of famous teachers, which was a great benefit. All the students were overjoyed, one after another took up their brush to write down their own view. Even the women who had little knowledge of literature and calligraphy were interested and asked the monks for the four treasures of the study, very eager to try.

Xu Yayan was composing while writing, she was already confident.

Emperor Sheng Yuan came very close to read the manuscript, shook his head and said, “This Lu Fengming has some talent, it’s a pity.”

“If he’s not drunk, his brain is still not bad.” Guan Suyi handed over the manuscript and chuckled, “Just wait, I invite you to watch a good show.”

Emperor Sheng Yuan loved her cunning appearance, and said indulgently, “Although Madam’s temperament is big, it also dispelled quickly. Right now, you’re not angry with me anymore, aren’t you? Sure enough, I still like this side of Madam the most.” At the end, without waiting for Madam to retort back, he sat back in his original position and looked around the place. He then saw a group of young servants carrying fruits, refreshments, drinks, side dishes, and other things, and placed them on the table one by one for the esteemed guests to enjoy, and finally retreated to the side, ready to be dispatched at any time.

Because the emperor was here, the high-level people did not dare to be sloppy, and when the students finished writing their articles, they had to write one as a model. Among them, Xu Guangzhi and Lu Fengming were the most urgent. Both have the idea of entering the officialdom, and both attached great importance to fame and fortune.

Lu Fengming had previously written an article “The Teacher”, and the manuscript was now in the hands of the emperor. While he was proud of it, he inevitably wanted to make another one that was even more outstanding. However, he expressed his thoughts by drinking alcohol, and at this time, he had no energy left, and gradually became restless.

He wanted to drink to stir up his minds, but he was afraid that he could not hold back his addiction and get drunk, showing his ugliness and revealed his true self. He hesitated, but smelled the faint aroma coming from the jug. Wow, it’s actually fruit wine! How can fruit wine be intoxicating? With his tolerance from drinking thousand cups of wine, he could drink ten jars without any problem.

Thinking like this, he completely relaxed his mind, poured down a cup and took a closer look. The color was light green and clear, the smell was light and fragrant, and it had the charm of a hundred fruits, it was undoubtedly a fruit wine. He took a small sip, the taste was sweet but not greasy, and it was warm and smooth in the throat, which was the favorite of women nowadays, so he drank it all. One cup was not enough, then drank another cup. After drinking four cups, he closed his eyes and mulled over the article.

However, the effect of the wine began to surge at this time. At first, it was just a fever, then in a short while he was already out of his mind and  didn’t realize his surrounding. In the daze, someone sang with a sultry voice in his ear, making him feel that he was in the pleasure house right now, and in an instant he abandon all restraint.

He casually grabbed to his side and found a “pleasure house’s woman”, he then he fondle over while shaking his head and humming. “Beat the drum hard and beat the gongs slow, stop the gongs and stop the drums to sing a song, all kinds of gossip also sing a song, listen to me sing eighteen touches. Reach out to touch sister’s face, dark clouds fly for half a day, reach out to touch the front of sister’s head, the heaven is full and addicting. Reach out to touch sister Maowan, spread out the middle and wide, reach out to touch sister’s little eyes, black and black eyes staring in vain. Reach out to touch sister’s little nose pin, far far away the heated breath out of the hut, reach out to touch sister’s little mouth, the baby smiles slightly…” <Note>First of all I beg for forgiveness to all Chinese speaker out there for butchering this song so badly. Second, this is come from a song called Shiba Mo or Eighteen Touches, which is an erotic folk song describing the human body in a frank yet literal way, it has been banned in many places Unexpectedly kept touching the body from top to bottom, and went straight to touch that shameful place.

The one who was held in his arms was originally a thin and weak boy servant, but while struggling he pushed Master Xu next to him, who was then hugged and kissed by Lu Fengming, completely got entangled. The boy servant quickly fished away the wine jug, then took out another jug hidden in his wide sleeves and threw it under the table, pretended to be knocked over, and then quietly hide.

Everyone was staring at Master Lu and Master Xu, and naturally they would not pay attention to a servant. This scene was truly incredible, one could see that Master Lu was a frequent guest at the pleasure house, with adept movement, vulgar manner, and the words that leave his mouth were still that foul language. With the help of everyone, Xu Guangzhi managed to break free, but then he heard Lu Fengming change to another obscene song. While singing he called to the brothel madam to find him a few more sisters, it seemed that he drunk to much and thought that the Bodhi Garden as brothel.

The whole place was silent, and then there was a big uproar. The highly respected image that Lu Fengming had created before was completely destroyed in an instant. Master Xuan Guang hurriedly asked several monks to take Lu Fengming away, and then folded his hands together and recited Buddha’s name. His normally calm and indifferent face was slightly distorted, showing that he was very angry.

Amid the uproar, a majestic voice came through, “The court has just revised the law, and those who serve as officials should value both public and private morality. If they are caught visiting prostitutes, they will be dismissed from their posts and will never be hired back. I heard that Master Lu has both integrity and talent, but this kind of integrity and talent is really an eye-opener! They all say that fairness is in the hearts of the people, let me say that only a few people have clear eyes and bright heart, and the rest are just following the trend, playing up to those in power. The fact the the literary gathering invited such a follower of wine and women to preside over it, and then regarded them as models and pursued them greatly, it shows that the Wei Kingdom’s literary style has tended to be decadent and sloppy, truly disappointing.”

Hearing the lamentation of the tall man, everyone in the room was blushing and ashamed. Then they went to see the magnanimous and open-minded Emperor Teacher and Chief of Ceremonies, and only then they understood what true self-cultivation was. No wonder Guan Suyi didn’t want to apologize to Master Lu, no wonder even her grandfather and father’s apologies were resolutely withdrawn on their behalf, afraid that she was extremely disdainful of Master Lu’s character. However, even if she was scolded by the whole people of Yanjing, apart from refusing to apologize, she did not say any negative things about Master Lu. This recuperation, this virtue, indeed too magnanimous.

Lu Fengming, who had repeatedly attacked Madam, was denounce into the mud. Emperor Sheng Yuan cupped his hands to Madam and said warmly, “Madam has been wronged,” and bowed to the two Mount Tai, “I don’t care to watch this kind of farce, there are still important things at home, so I will take my leave, the two master, please.”

“Master Huo, please take care, let us send you on your road.” Since the emperor was unwilling to oppress others with his honorable position, Old Master Guan and Guan Father naturally would not break it. The rest of the people hurriedly stood up, ready to pay their respects.

However, Guan Suyi walked to the wall full of poems written by the students, randomly picked up a large brush from someone’s desk, dipped it in a thick ink, and wrote the words “Mingde WeixinPerfect virtue is fragrant and pure“.

“The fragrance of good governance, it felt by the gods. The millet is not fragrant, the virtue is fragrant (Mingde Weixin)from the book Shangshu - Junchen, it means the fragrance of the highest politic can move the gods, the degree to which the gods are moved is not determined by the number of sacrifices, but by the level of virtue.” She put down the brush, walked slowly to Emperor Sheng Yuan, and cupped her hands in all directions, “Talent have high and low, people have noble and lowly, the only thing that does not distinguish between high and low, noble and lowly, and always be fragrant, and always be remembered, is only virtue. Today, at the literary gathering, Guan Suyi has been taught by everyone, and I have also accepted it in my heart.” After the words fell, she accompanied her grandfather and father, and slowly sent the emperor away.

There was a deafening silence all over the place, and everyone felt regret and introspected themselves, then looked at the four big characters, and they couldn’t help but gasp. If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they would never have imagine that such a powerful and imposing writing came from a woman’s hand. They could even vaguely heard the sound of cracking wall and split rubble, as if the hard wall could no longer bear its weight, and seemed about to collapse. And the hairpin flower small script of Second Miss Xu, who was said to be the best in the world, suddenly became pitiful and ridiculous.

Master Xuan Guang felt as if he had obtained a great treasure, he quickly instructed the monks, “Hurry up, hurry up and print these four characters! No one is allowed to write on this wall again in the future!”

Previous     TOC     Next