It's him.... Xu Qi'an suddenly realized and remembered the great scholar who plagiarized his poems.

He didn't know who Yang Gong was, but when it came to Ziyang Ju Shi, it was well-known. Taking advantage of Xu Qi'an forgetting the name of the farewell poem, he forcefully arranged the title after reciting the poem.

He was shameless to the extreme.

Xu Qi'an later used poems to win over the three great scholars of the academy and shamelessly took advantage of them. He was inspired by Ziyang Ju Shi and had no guilt at all.

In the martial world, it's either you take advantage of me or I take advantage of you.

They hired a carriage near the dock, and after Zhang Xunfu got in, he opened the curtain and continued, "Ziyang Ju Shi was the top scholar in the 14th year of Emperor Yuan Jing's reign. The following year, he retired and taught at the academy, spreading knowledge throughout the world."

Xu Qi'an's heart moved. "He retired the following year?"

The top scholar could enter the Hanlin Academy, and the Hanlin Academy's Shu Jishi was also known as the Crown Prince. In other words, the top scholar could compete for the position of Prime Minister.

Retiring the following year was a waste!

"He was caught in the crossfire of the court's political struggles. Although the various factions are currently in intense conflict, they are united when it comes to scholars from the Yunlu Academy." Zhang Xunfu sighed, "After Ziyang Ju Shi became the top scholar, he was thrown into a corner and ignored. He became depressed and spent a year lingering in the official brothel. The following year, he resigned and returned to the academy to teach."

...I've heard about this. He enjoyed it for almost a year. Xu Qi'an envied him sincerely.

Zhang Xunfu didn't explain much about Ziyang Ju Shi's experience of being caught in the crossfire of the court's factions because he had Xu Qi'an, a junior brother from the Yunlu Academy, who understood everything.

The incident of the struggle for national essence two hundred years ago made the royal family both wary and disgusted with the scholars of the Yunlu Academy. As a result, the Cheng family's Yasheng rose to power and established the Guozi Academy, replacing the Yunlu Academy as the talent pool for the court.

It can be said that there were both conflicts of interest and disputes over orthodoxy between the two sides. If it weren't for Emperor Yuan Jing being a balance fanatic, Ziyang Ju Shi would probably still be teaching at the academy.

"Ziyang Ju Shi's talent and ability are first-class in the world. When he first arrived in Qingzhou, he swept through the Prefectural Government Office with thunderous force. Within a month, he dismissed and imprisoned 178 corrupt officials, shaking the entire Qingzhou officialdom." Zhang Xunfu's tone was full of admiration.

Is he being reckless? Although it's common for a new official to make a big move, as a high-ranking official sent from the capital, even if he wants to clean up the Qingzhou officialdom, he should do it step by step... How long has Ziyang Ju Shi been the Prefectural Governor?

Xu Qi'an was puzzled and frowned, "Did the factions in the court tolerate such a big move?"

Zhang Xunfu smiled and said, "During the period of the capital's inspection, the factions in the court were in intense conflict and could no longer cooperate. There was also the restraint of Duke Wei..."

He gave Xu Qi'an a meaningful look, then continued, "Moreover, Ziyang Ju Shi is meticulous. He has obtained all the evidence of guilt and made all the corrupt officials confess... Well, the scholars of the Yunlu Academy are best at reasoning, aren't they?"

The "reasoning" mentioned by the official is probably physics... Xu Qi'an understood and smiled in response to Zhang Xunfu.

After arriving at the official post station in Qingzhou, Zhang Xunfu specially brought Xu Qi'an to visit Ziyang Ju Shi at the Prefectural Government Office.

Xu Qi'an had already understood the reason why Zhang Xunfu took the initiative to chat. This experienced and capable prefect was afraid that Ziyang Ju Shi would not give him face, so he brought Xu Qi'an along.

After all, this prefect was in charge of Yunzhou, not Qingzhou.

With Xu Qi'an accompanying him, Ziyang Ju Shi would definitely give him face and fulfill any requests.

After entering the Prefectural Government Office, the officials led them into the inner hall and served tea.

"The prefect is inspecting the stone stele in the front yard of the major government offices."

The one who received them was the Left Censor of the Prefectural Government Office, a fourth-rank official.

Zhang Xunfu pondered, "Is it the stone stele standing in the front yard?"

The Left Censor nodded with a smile, "The prefect wants to erect a stele to warn the officials of Qingzhou to be honest and benefit the people."

Zhang Xunfu nodded. This was the aftermath of cleaning up the officialdom's atmosphere. "The prefect's intentions are well-intentioned, but why is there not a single word on the stele?"

The Left Censor helplessly said, "The prefect hasn't decided what to engrave on it yet. He has been troubled by this matter recently. He has also asked us to brainstorm and provide inspiration, which has exhausted us."

Ziyang Ju Shi is quite clever, knowing how to organize a writing competition... Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

The Prefectural Government Office is in charge of administrative affairs, equivalent to the high-ranking official in Xu Qi'an's previous life.

The Great Feng is divided into sixteen provinces. Xu Qi'an understood provinces as states, but not every province was a state; there were also many small provinces.

For example, Qingzhou governed more than ten provinces, as well as prefectures and counties.

...

At this time, the Prefectural Governor Yang Gong, accompanied by a group of officials from Qingzhou, entered the Prefectural Government Office. The prefect of the government office respectfully accompanied him.

Yang Gong, dressed in a scarlet robe, stood in front of the stone stele, nodding in satisfaction. "Gentlemen, do you have any suggestions for the inscription on the stele?"

In just a few months, the scholarly and elegant aura on him gradually disappeared, replaced by the authority of governing a region.

"I think we can engrave the deeds of the prefect in purging corrupt officials and promoting a positive atmosphere, to warn future officials." The prefect of Qingzhou made a bow.

Yang Gong was somewhat moved. With this, the inscription would definitely be recorded in the local chronicles of Qingzhou and sung by future generations.

But soon he rejected this suggestion, "The inscription should not be too long, otherwise it will be cumbersome and not eye-catching enough."

"Then let's engrave poems." an official subconsciously suggested.

Then, he realized that everyone present was looking at him with calm gazes...

The official laughed awkwardly and stopped speaking.

For scholars who have read poetry, writing poems is not difficult. Everyone has a few works when they were young, but whether they can enter the realm of great poetry is another matter.

For poems engraved on stone steles, not only do they have to be well-written, but they also have to have a moral lesson. It's not just about writing.

During the discussion, a clerk from the Prefectural Government Office rode a horse to the government office, hurriedly entered, and stood not far away, bowing and saying, "The prefect, a governor has arrived from the capital and has already arrived at the government office."

A governor? Has the governor arrived so soon this year? This year is the year of the capital's inspection. According to custom, the governor should be sent down after the results of the capital's inspection are announced.

This involves the hidden rules of the officialdom. The end of the capital's inspection means that the struggles between the factions have come to an end, and the winners and losers have been determined.

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Only then will the governor be sent down to remove officials from the losing camp.

Yang Gong, who received a letter a few days ago, explained, "He didn't come for Qingzhou, he is going to Yunzhou. He just passed by Qingzhou."

Yunzhou... The officials in Qingzhou looked at each other with understanding expressions.

Yang Gong looked at the clerk and said, "Tell the governor that I have important matters to attend to and cannot meet him. If he has any needs, tell him to find the Left and Right Censors."

Yang Gong was a great scholar from the Yunlu Academy and had no relationship with the officials in the court. If it were only Xu Qi'an here, he would have spoken frankly.

"Yes!" The clerk responded first, then added, "The governor also asked me to pass on a message to you."

Yang Gong and the officials looked at him.

The clerk said, "Xu Qi'an with the bronze gong is accompanying him."

Xu Qi'an with the bronze gong? Who is that? The officials didn't react for a while, but Yang Gong did, because he had always paid attention to the situation in the capital and maintained correspondence with the scholars of the Yunlu Academy.

"Prepare the sedan chair and quickly return to the Prefectural Government Office." Yang Gong's attitude changed 180 degrees, with a sense of urgency and joy in his tone.

"Hurry, prepare the sedan chair."

After speaking, he left the officials behind and walked straight out of the government office.

The officials in Qingzhou looked at each other, bewildered, and watched Yang Gong's back.

"Who is Xu Qi'an with the bronze gong? The name sounds familiar." The prefect of Qingzhou frowned.

"Let's go to the Prefectural Government Office together and receive the governor from the capital."

"That makes sense, let's go."

The officials left the government office together, and sedan chairs were dispatched to the Prefectural Government Office.

...

Xu Qi'an didn't wait long at the Prefectural Government Office before a high-ranking official in a scarlet robe arrived. This person had an ancient and simple appearance, with a goatee popular among middle-aged and elderly men. His eyes were bright and spirited, exuding an aura of authority without anger.

He was an imposing figure.

Embroidered on his chest was a golden rooster... He was a second-rank high-ranking official, and it seemed that the prefectural governor was also a second-rank official.

Xu Qi'an only recognized the attire, not the person, and guessed that this imposing figure in a scarlet robe was the prefectural governor of Qingzhou, the great scholar of the Yunlu Academy, Ziyang Ju Shi, who had plagiarized his farewell poem.

After bowing to Zhang Xunfu, Ziyang Ju Shi turned his gaze to Xu Qi'an, who was dressed in mourning clothes with a bronze gong tied to his chest, and silently scrutinized him.

At this moment, Xu Qi'an was no longer excited. There was a gentle but dignified aura about Ziyang Ju Shi.

...He was the only one with a bronze gong, so he should be Xu Ci's cousin... Looking at their appearances alone, the two brothers had no resemblance at all... Compared to Ci, there was quite a difference... Yang Gong smiled and said, "Are you Xu Ningyan?"

Xu Qi'an quickly bowed, "That's right, sir."

"You don't have to be so restrained in front of me. You can consider yourself a student." Yang Gong's smile widened, "You are indeed a talented person, not inferior to Ci."

Ziyang Ju Shi has a good eye... Xu Qi'an said with joy, "Sir, you flatter me."

After some pleasantries, Yang Gong asked about the recent situation in the capital, although he had learned a lot of inside information through correspondence with the academy.

Visiting with Xu Ningyan was indeed the right decision. Otherwise, the prefectural governor would not have such an attitude towards him... Zhang Xunfu sighed, "The situation in the capital is chaotic, and the factional struggles are still intense..."

After that, he talked about the Sampo case and the Yunzhou case involving the Minister of Works.

Ziyang Ju Shi listened with constant sneers, but he didn't comment much on the court's situation. This was mainly because Zhang Xunfu was not his person. If it were only Xu Qi'an here, he would have spoken his mind.

In the evening, Ziyang Ju Shi hosted a banquet for Zhang Xunfu in the elegant courtyard, and Jiang Lvzhong was also invited to attend. In addition, there were other high-ranking officials from Qingzhou.

The courtyard was brightly lit, with curtains hanging low. The officials sat around the table, enjoying wine and conversation.

A band and dancers hired from the official brothel performed in the cold courtyard, adding to the atmosphere for the officials.

The center of the banquet was the Prefectural Governor Yang Gong and the Governor Zhang Xingying. As for Jiang Lvzhong, although he was skilled in the art of the gong, nightwatchers and civil officials were natural enemies, and no one wanted to talk to him.

Xu Qi'an originally thought that he was the same, enjoying his leisure and not having to deal with the socializing in the officialdom.

Who knew that an official in a scarlet robe with a graceful appearance would raise his cup towards Xu Qi'an and test, "Is this young sir the poet who wrote 'The sparse shadow slants, the water is shallow and clear, and the faint fragrance floats in the moonlit dusk'?"

...

PS: I made a mistake in the previous chapter. Ziyang Ju Shi is the Prefectural Governor, not the prefect. It has been corrected.

PS: At the beginning of the month, there is an activity where voting with monthly tickets can earn Qidian coins. Please pay attention to the "Author's Note" in this chapter for details. I didn't secure a spot in the top ten for monthly tickets last month, so I'm counting on you, my readers, this month.

Also, thank you to the leader of "Life of a Failed Writer," who is also an old member of my harem.