Commoner Hero

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“Rest assured, Your Honor. I will handle this immediately. As long as Su Qi’an remains in Lingbei County, I will risk my life to ensure his safety,” Wang Xiaowei said with utmost seriousness.

“Good. You may go. I have high expectations for this year’s county exams,” Fang Jingzhi replied.

Meanwhile, in a room a few doors down, Marquis Xie burst into laughter. He held a copy of the transcribed poems in his hand. While most people were in awe of the Moonview poems, Marquis Xie was more captivated by the six lines Su Qi’an had written earlier, which exuded a youthful spirit.

These six lines, seemingly casual and incomplete, stirred a sense of passion in Marquis Xie. Particularly the line, “Laughing heartily as I step out the door, how could I be a mere commoner?” resonated deeply with him, embodying a carefree attitude that aligned with his own temperament.

With the release of the six lines of youthful spirit and the four lines of the Moonview poems, Su Qi’an’s reputation had skyrocketed throughout Lingbei County. Every street and alley buzzed with discussions about this talented scholar. It was said that any one of Su Qi’an’s poems from the Moonview Pavilion could fetch hundreds of taels of silver. The original manuscript of the Moonview poems, now considered legendary, was rumored to be selling for a thousand taels on the black market—a fact Su Qi’an was unaware of. If he had known, he would have been utterly shocked.

Marquis Xie laughed heartily. “Haha, this Su Qi’an continues to surprise us. I’ve truly stumbled upon a treasure this time. Tong Zhan, tell me, after the incident at the Moonview Pavilion, how many people has Su Qi’an offended?”

“Most of them are manageable, but the biggest threats are Wei Yun and Song Wen. The powerful families led by these two will likely not let Su Qi’an off easily.”

Marquis Xie chuckled. “So what if he’s offended them? If I had Su Qi’an’s talent, I’d probably act even more boldly.”

“Then, Your Lordship, what should we do next?”

“Wait and observe. It’s not yet my turn to intervene. By now, Fang Jingzhi has probably already sent people to protect Su Qi’an. With Fang Jingzhi’s influence, Su Qi’an’s life is at least secure for now. Let’s wait and see how the county exams unfold.”

As the entire county buzzed with discussions about Su Qi’an, at the other end of the main road, in a luxurious inn reserved for officials, Wei Yun was venting his frustrations to a middle-aged man in a blue official robe seated behind a desk.

Every few sentences, Wei Yun

After Wei Yun had ranted for nearly half an hour, the man finally spoke softly. “In terms of poetry, Wei Yun, you are indeed no match for this Su Qi’an. The weight of these poems is such that even across the entire prefecture, it would be difficult to find a scholar who surpasses him.”

“One must admit, Su Qi’an is truly a prodigious talent.”

Hearing this, Wei Yun’s expression changed. He quickly interjected, “But, Uncle, even if Su Qi’an is talented, his arrogant nature is unacceptable. At the Moonview Pavilion, he completely disregarded the Wei family. If we don’t teach him a lesson, where will the Wei family’s dignity be?”

Wei Zhentang raised his eyelids slightly and glanced at Wei Yun, his voice cold. ”Xiao Yun, don’t try to play tricks in front of your uncle. What happened at the Moonview Pavilion couldn’t escape my notice.”

At this, Wei Yun, who was usually bold and unrestrained, immediately fell silent, like a mouse encountering a cat. Wei Zhentang was his uncle, but he was also the Assistant Magistrate of Chuandu County, a powerful sixth-rank official who held significant sway in the Wei family. With over twenty years of experience in governance, he exuded an intimidating aura that even Wei Yun feared.

After a moment of silence, Wei Zhentang placed the poem aside and continued, ”Su Qi’an is exceptionally talented and should have been someone we sought to recruit. However, given the conflict between you two, it’s unlikely he’ll ever join the Wei family.”

"Xiao Yun, regarding Su Qi’an, you need not concern yourself further. Focus on preparing for the county exams in three days. Leave this matter to me. I will handle it appropriately.”

Hearing this, Wei Yun’s face lit up with excitement. He had feared that his uncle, out of admiration for Su Qi’an’s talent, might let the matter slide. But Wei Zhentang’s words were a clear indication that he would take action. With this assurance, Wei Yun felt as though a weight had been lifted from his chest.

After exchanging a few more words with Wei Zhentang, Wei Yun tactfully excused himself and left the room.

Once the door closed, Wei Zhentang’s eyes flickered with contemplation. After a moment, he seemed to reach a decision. He picked up his brush and quickly wrote something on a piece of paper. Shortly after, he sealed the letter and clapped his hands. A shadowy figure appeared out of nowhere.

Wei Zhentang handed the letter to the figure, who swiftly disappeared, as if he had never been there.

With this done, Wei Zhentang leaned back in his chair and murmured, “Since the Wei family cannot have this prodigy, no one else shall. Offending the Wei family is not something that can be easily forgiven.”

Meanwhile, outside, the buzz surrounding Su Qi’an continued to grow. Every street and alley was abuzz with discussions about him. Even his past as a child prodigy was dug up and scrutinized.

However, this time, the public opinion was overwhelmingly positive. People speculated that Su Qi’an had deliberately kept a low profile all these years, only to emerge with a stunning display of talent. Some even claimed that his near-death experience by the river was a sign that the God of Literature had taken pity on him and bestowed him with extraordinary abilities, making him the reincarnation of a literary star.

While such rumors would have been dismissed in Dongshan Village, here in Lingbei County, they spread like wildfire. Among the scholars, officials, and powerful families, Su Qi’an’s name became a hot topic. His fame spread rapidly to neighboring counties.

Soon, a crowd of admirers gathered outside the inn where Su Qi’an was staying. Their fervor was so intense that it gave Su Qi’an a taste of what it felt like to be a celebrity. Everywhere he went, he was followed by a throng of passionate fans.

At one point, Su Qi’an tried to open the window, only to be met with a deafening roar from the crowd below. The noise was so overwhelming that it nearly shook the inn. If it hadn’t been for Wang Xiaowei and his men maintaining order, the crowd might have stormed the building.

Witnessing this, Su Qi’an couldn’t help but sigh. “It seems I’ll have to be more discreet with my poetry in the future.”

Thanks to Fang Jingzhi’s arrangements, Su Qi’an spent the next three days in relative peace, undisturbed despite the occasional noise from outside. During this time, he focused on his studies and reviewed the information gathered by Shouhou, his trusted informant.

After reading the report, Su Qi’an set it aside, his eyes narrowing in thought. As he had expected, Wei Yun had been busy during these three days. Apart from targeting Su Qi’an, Wei Yun had issued a ban order against all scholars from Lingbei County, vowing to exclude them from the list of successful candidates in the upcoming county exams.

This “ban” wasn’t a physical attack but rather an academic one. Wei Yun planned to rally scholars from the other six counties in Chuandu to suppress the Lingbei County scholars during the exams.

Wei Yun’s ambition was grand, and if he succeeded, it would indeed be a testament to his influence. However, Su Qi’an was unfazed. While he carried modern sensibilities, he had also inherited the original Su Qi’an’s scholarly prowess. Having passed the imperial exams over a decade ago and being hailed as a prodigy, Su Qi’an had his own pride as a scholar.

Whether it was an open challenge or a covert scheme, Su Qi’an was ready to face it all. As a scholar, he had his own dignity to uphold.

As the much-anticipated county exams finally began, the streets were filled with scholars making their way to the examination hall. The main roads had been cleared days in advance, with soldiers and officials maintaining order to prevent any disturbances.

Su Qi’an left the inn early, accompanied by several scholars from Lingbei County. They exchanged greetings before blending into the crowd.

Despite Wei Yun’s ban order targeting not just Su Qi’an but all Lingbei County scholars, the plan backfired. Instead of dividing the scholars, it united them. The Lingbei County scholars, inspired by Su Qi’an’s talent and the support of influential figures like Liu Laoxiansheng and Qin Huai, chose to stand together against the powerful families.

This unity was a testament to Su Qi’an’s growing influence and the respect he commanded. With the backing of the county magistrate and the admiration of his peers, Su Qi’an was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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