Chapter 73
He's no big deal.
"what?"
Lu Jing was startled and stared wide-eyed at Xu Xian.
"Junior Tutor? You went to teach at the Confucian school? When did you become a Junior Tutor at the Confucian school? How come I didn't know?"
Xu Xian looked up at the young scholar before him and smiled slightly.
"I recognize you. You came with Master Meng, didn't you? You contributed a lot in that battle outside Quzhou City. What was your name again? Wei Qingwen?"
The young Confucian scholar's face lit up with joy.
"It is indeed me. I did not expect that the young master would still remember me. If it were not for the young master and Master Meng turning the tide in that battle, we would probably have been buried in Jincheng Prefecture long ago."
"After returning to the academy, Master Meng specifically mentioned this matter during the morning class, saying that the Junior Tutor's ability to withstand the armored soldiers with his body honed through physical training is a model for us all."
Lu Jing raised his hand and waved it.
"No, hold your emotions... Tell me, how did Old Xu become a Junior Tutor? Did he really convert to Confucianism? Isn't he still a centurion in the Inspection Department?"
Xu Xian smiled, took a sip of his wine.
"No, not at all. By chance, I had a fight with three generations of sages at the Stele of Goodness in Zhengxin Academy. The sages couldn't win the argument, so they admitted defeat and even called me a fellow Daoist."
"Later, the students at the academy started calling me Junior Master. I didn't want to, but they insisted on it, and I couldn't do anything about it. It's because I'm too outstanding..."
Wei Qingwen carefully corrected him from the side.
"It wasn't an argument, it was a debate. In the 'Two Sages' Question and Answer Stele, the Junior Master debated with the Sage about the evil nature of human nature. The Sage personally addressed the Junior Master as a fellow Daoist and had the Junior Master's words engraved on the back of the Stele of Goodness."
"The Stele of Goodness at Zhengxin Academy has two sides, one representing good and the other representing evil. Together they are called the Stele of Questions and Answers between the Two Saints, which is revered by everyone in the academy."
The scholar in the blue robe at the next table stood up, snapped his folding fan shut with a clear, resonant voice, and...
"Senior Brother Wei, I thought the young master you praised so highly was some kind of talented young man, but I never expected him to be such a vulgar martial artist who drinks and jokes in brothels."
"Zhengxin Academy has been established for hundreds of years, and the names of three generations of sages are admired throughout the world. Now, to treat a crude and vulgar warrior as an honored guest is a disgrace to Zhengxin Academy and an insult to the reputation of three generations of sages."
Wei Qingwen turned around to explain, but Xu Xian raised his hand to stop him.
This book is first published on 101kanshu.com, a website with a vast library of books. 101kanshu.com offers you a free reading experience with error-free and orderly chapters.
He put down his wine cup and looked at the scholar in the blue robe.
"Whose pants weren't buttoned up properly, and you're showing them? You're so vulgar, always spouting nonsense. Who do you think you are?"
Xu Xian sneered.
"Confucianism emphasizes benevolence and propriety. Benevolence means loving others, and propriety means respecting others. You start by calling someone a boorish brute. Where is your benevolence? Where is your propriety? Is this how the sages taught you to treat others? Have you wasted all the time reading those classic texts?"
Wei Qingwen was taken aback. "Young Master, what do you mean by 'your pants aren't fastened properly'?"
Yang Xu picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and glanced sideways at the scholar in blue robes. "It means he's just a nobody."
Lu Jing coughed twice, suppressing a laugh as he put on a stern face and began to lecture.
"Xiao Yang, don't talk like that. Even though we're rough people, we should still be polite. This person is a scholar. What if he gets angry if you talk to him like that?"
The scholar in the blue robe, his face flushed red from Xu Xian's blunt insults and Yang Xu and Lu Jing's coordinated mockery, suddenly stepped out from behind the table and stood in the center of the hall, speaking loudly.
"How dare the Junior Tutor of Zhengxin Academy be so rude! A mere martial artist tries to feign refinement; as a Junior Tutor, he should be more mindful of his status! Instead of studying the classics of the sages, he treats the decadent music of lowly courtesans as treasures..."
"His arm around a woman's shoulder, spewing vulgarities, truly disgraces the academy's reputation! I think the 'Two Sages' Dialogue Stele' of Zhengxin Academy is nothing but a hollow name; what kind of sage would recognize a warrior as a fellow Daoist!"
Several Confucian scholars who had come with him echoed his sentiments.
In an instant, everyone's eyes in Taibai Tower were focused on Xu Xian's table, some watching the spectacle, others gloating.
Wei Qingwen was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He looked at Xu Xian and then at the scholar in blue robes, wanting to speak but was pulled back by his fellow disciples.
The courtesan on stage, who was about to sing the next song, was so frightened that she hugged her pipa and shrank behind a pillar.
The madam stood at the kitchen doorway, holding a plate of side dishes, her smile frozen on her face.
Su Qingqing had somehow reached the second-floor railing and looked down at the dispute in the hall. Her clear, spring-like eyes lingered on Xu Xian for a moment before moving to the blue-robed scholar whose face was flushed.
"This is outrageous!"
Lu Jing suddenly stood up, his sleeves already rolled up to his elbows.
Yang Xu slammed his empty wine glass heavily on the table, but Xu Xian reached out to stop the two of them, stood up and looked coldly at the scholar in blue.
"You call me a boorish brute for coming to a brothel to listen to music? I accept that. But may I ask, what are you here for? Are you here to lecture the girls on the Four Books and Five Classics, or to correct their essays?"
The scholar in the blue robe was taken aback, his face flushing slightly. The other scholars who had come with him exchanged glances.
He cleared his throat and raised his head.
"We have heard that Taibai Tower is a place of elegance and refinement in Jingguo, so we came here to see it. We have come here tonight because of its reputation. We are not comparable to you, a military man who only knows how to drink and make noise and regards the decadent music of lowly geishas as the standard."
"Your talk about elegance sounds nice, but in the end, aren't we all just here to listen to music? You think listening to music is elegant, but I think it's vulgar. Did you set this rule, or did a sage set it?"
"What you consider highbrow, I don't find elegant; what this Miss Su considers common, I don't find lowly. She earns her living through her own abilities; she doesn't steal, rob, cheat, or harm anyone. What gives you the right to call her a lowly courtesan?"
"How much silver do you earn in a month? How much silver does she earn in a month? In the end, the money you all spent at Taibai Tower tonight might not even be more than what she earns."
The scholar, enraged and humiliated, gritted his teeth.
"That's just sophistry! You've said so much, but let me ask you, throughout the entire history of poetry and literature, is there a single poem or essay that praises a courtesan?"
"The works of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi—three sages of the Three Dynasties—did they contain a single mention of courtesans? Isn't that enough to show that even the sages of the past approved of courtesans frequenting brothels and being considered unrefined?"
The scholar raised his chin, his tone becoming increasingly aggressive.
Xu Xian narrowed his eyes slightly and remained silent for several breaths.
Seeing that he didn't respond, the scholar became even more smug.
"Can't say it, can you? If you can't say it, then don't call yourself the Junior Teacher of Confucianism. Although Zhengxin Academy and Yuelu Academy belong to different academic lineages, they are both Confucian. If outsiders knew that we Confucianists had someone like you as a teacher, we would probably be a laughing stock!"
The madam, having swayed over at some point, shoved the plate into the hands of a servant boy, then leaned close to Xu Xian and chuckled.
"Master Xu, what's going on? Why are you arguing with people? These are students from Yuelu Academy, here to attend the book fair. Is there some misunderstanding...?"
Xu Xian looked at the Confucian scholar and spoke in a deep voice.
"I didn't want this title in the first place... Junior Tutor, it was something that Dean Zhou imposed on me. Logically speaking, I am neither a Confucian disciple nor have I ever studied at the academy for a single day, so this title really doesn't matter to me."
"But Zhengxin Academy has been kind to me. Master Meng and Dean Zhou saved my life twice. Outside Quzhou City, four of the academy's senior brothers and sisters died and six were injured in order to protect me on my way back to the capital. Master Meng also did a great job."
"If I let people trample on the academy's reputation here today, how will I ever face Dean Zhou again?"
"Boss, bring me paper and pen..."
As he spoke, Xu Xian pointed at the Confucian scholar, "You said that none of the ancient sages, poets, or writers wrote a single poem about courtesans? Well, let me tell you, from today onwards, we will!"
Yang Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, twirling the empty wine glass in his hand, and curled the corner of his mouth downwards.
"Tsk...pretending again."
Lu Jing's eyes lit up. The poem he had snatched from Taibai Tower last time was intercepted by Mo Feichang. He was determined to get his hands on it this time!
The guests in the lobby gathered around, and even people leaned out of the second-floor corridor to look down.
The scholar in the blue robe sneered and stood aside with his classmates, waiting to see what kind of tricks this warrior could come up with.
Lu Jing was startled and stared wide-eyed at Xu Xian.
"Junior Tutor? You went to teach at the Confucian school? When did you become a Junior Tutor at the Confucian school? How come I didn't know?"
Xu Xian looked up at the young scholar before him and smiled slightly.
"I recognize you. You came with Master Meng, didn't you? You contributed a lot in that battle outside Quzhou City. What was your name again? Wei Qingwen?"
The young Confucian scholar's face lit up with joy.
"It is indeed me. I did not expect that the young master would still remember me. If it were not for the young master and Master Meng turning the tide in that battle, we would probably have been buried in Jincheng Prefecture long ago."
"After returning to the academy, Master Meng specifically mentioned this matter during the morning class, saying that the Junior Tutor's ability to withstand the armored soldiers with his body honed through physical training is a model for us all."
Lu Jing raised his hand and waved it.
"No, hold your emotions... Tell me, how did Old Xu become a Junior Tutor? Did he really convert to Confucianism? Isn't he still a centurion in the Inspection Department?"
Xu Xian smiled, took a sip of his wine.
"No, not at all. By chance, I had a fight with three generations of sages at the Stele of Goodness in Zhengxin Academy. The sages couldn't win the argument, so they admitted defeat and even called me a fellow Daoist."
"Later, the students at the academy started calling me Junior Master. I didn't want to, but they insisted on it, and I couldn't do anything about it. It's because I'm too outstanding..."
Wei Qingwen carefully corrected him from the side.
"It wasn't an argument, it was a debate. In the 'Two Sages' Question and Answer Stele, the Junior Master debated with the Sage about the evil nature of human nature. The Sage personally addressed the Junior Master as a fellow Daoist and had the Junior Master's words engraved on the back of the Stele of Goodness."
"The Stele of Goodness at Zhengxin Academy has two sides, one representing good and the other representing evil. Together they are called the Stele of Questions and Answers between the Two Saints, which is revered by everyone in the academy."
The scholar in the blue robe at the next table stood up, snapped his folding fan shut with a clear, resonant voice, and...
"Senior Brother Wei, I thought the young master you praised so highly was some kind of talented young man, but I never expected him to be such a vulgar martial artist who drinks and jokes in brothels."
"Zhengxin Academy has been established for hundreds of years, and the names of three generations of sages are admired throughout the world. Now, to treat a crude and vulgar warrior as an honored guest is a disgrace to Zhengxin Academy and an insult to the reputation of three generations of sages."
Wei Qingwen turned around to explain, but Xu Xian raised his hand to stop him.
This book is first published on 101kanshu.com, a website with a vast library of books. 101kanshu.com offers you a free reading experience with error-free and orderly chapters.
He put down his wine cup and looked at the scholar in the blue robe.
"Whose pants weren't buttoned up properly, and you're showing them? You're so vulgar, always spouting nonsense. Who do you think you are?"
Xu Xian sneered.
"Confucianism emphasizes benevolence and propriety. Benevolence means loving others, and propriety means respecting others. You start by calling someone a boorish brute. Where is your benevolence? Where is your propriety? Is this how the sages taught you to treat others? Have you wasted all the time reading those classic texts?"
Wei Qingwen was taken aback. "Young Master, what do you mean by 'your pants aren't fastened properly'?"
Yang Xu picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and glanced sideways at the scholar in blue robes. "It means he's just a nobody."
Lu Jing coughed twice, suppressing a laugh as he put on a stern face and began to lecture.
"Xiao Yang, don't talk like that. Even though we're rough people, we should still be polite. This person is a scholar. What if he gets angry if you talk to him like that?"
The scholar in the blue robe, his face flushed red from Xu Xian's blunt insults and Yang Xu and Lu Jing's coordinated mockery, suddenly stepped out from behind the table and stood in the center of the hall, speaking loudly.
"How dare the Junior Tutor of Zhengxin Academy be so rude! A mere martial artist tries to feign refinement; as a Junior Tutor, he should be more mindful of his status! Instead of studying the classics of the sages, he treats the decadent music of lowly courtesans as treasures..."
"His arm around a woman's shoulder, spewing vulgarities, truly disgraces the academy's reputation! I think the 'Two Sages' Dialogue Stele' of Zhengxin Academy is nothing but a hollow name; what kind of sage would recognize a warrior as a fellow Daoist!"
Several Confucian scholars who had come with him echoed his sentiments.
In an instant, everyone's eyes in Taibai Tower were focused on Xu Xian's table, some watching the spectacle, others gloating.
Wei Qingwen was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He looked at Xu Xian and then at the scholar in blue robes, wanting to speak but was pulled back by his fellow disciples.
The courtesan on stage, who was about to sing the next song, was so frightened that she hugged her pipa and shrank behind a pillar.
The madam stood at the kitchen doorway, holding a plate of side dishes, her smile frozen on her face.
Su Qingqing had somehow reached the second-floor railing and looked down at the dispute in the hall. Her clear, spring-like eyes lingered on Xu Xian for a moment before moving to the blue-robed scholar whose face was flushed.
"This is outrageous!"
Lu Jing suddenly stood up, his sleeves already rolled up to his elbows.
Yang Xu slammed his empty wine glass heavily on the table, but Xu Xian reached out to stop the two of them, stood up and looked coldly at the scholar in blue.
"You call me a boorish brute for coming to a brothel to listen to music? I accept that. But may I ask, what are you here for? Are you here to lecture the girls on the Four Books and Five Classics, or to correct their essays?"
The scholar in the blue robe was taken aback, his face flushing slightly. The other scholars who had come with him exchanged glances.
He cleared his throat and raised his head.
"We have heard that Taibai Tower is a place of elegance and refinement in Jingguo, so we came here to see it. We have come here tonight because of its reputation. We are not comparable to you, a military man who only knows how to drink and make noise and regards the decadent music of lowly geishas as the standard."
"Your talk about elegance sounds nice, but in the end, aren't we all just here to listen to music? You think listening to music is elegant, but I think it's vulgar. Did you set this rule, or did a sage set it?"
"What you consider highbrow, I don't find elegant; what this Miss Su considers common, I don't find lowly. She earns her living through her own abilities; she doesn't steal, rob, cheat, or harm anyone. What gives you the right to call her a lowly courtesan?"
"How much silver do you earn in a month? How much silver does she earn in a month? In the end, the money you all spent at Taibai Tower tonight might not even be more than what she earns."
The scholar, enraged and humiliated, gritted his teeth.
"That's just sophistry! You've said so much, but let me ask you, throughout the entire history of poetry and literature, is there a single poem or essay that praises a courtesan?"
"The works of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi—three sages of the Three Dynasties—did they contain a single mention of courtesans? Isn't that enough to show that even the sages of the past approved of courtesans frequenting brothels and being considered unrefined?"
The scholar raised his chin, his tone becoming increasingly aggressive.
Xu Xian narrowed his eyes slightly and remained silent for several breaths.
Seeing that he didn't respond, the scholar became even more smug.
"Can't say it, can you? If you can't say it, then don't call yourself the Junior Teacher of Confucianism. Although Zhengxin Academy and Yuelu Academy belong to different academic lineages, they are both Confucian. If outsiders knew that we Confucianists had someone like you as a teacher, we would probably be a laughing stock!"
The madam, having swayed over at some point, shoved the plate into the hands of a servant boy, then leaned close to Xu Xian and chuckled.
"Master Xu, what's going on? Why are you arguing with people? These are students from Yuelu Academy, here to attend the book fair. Is there some misunderstanding...?"
Xu Xian looked at the Confucian scholar and spoke in a deep voice.
"I didn't want this title in the first place... Junior Tutor, it was something that Dean Zhou imposed on me. Logically speaking, I am neither a Confucian disciple nor have I ever studied at the academy for a single day, so this title really doesn't matter to me."
"But Zhengxin Academy has been kind to me. Master Meng and Dean Zhou saved my life twice. Outside Quzhou City, four of the academy's senior brothers and sisters died and six were injured in order to protect me on my way back to the capital. Master Meng also did a great job."
"If I let people trample on the academy's reputation here today, how will I ever face Dean Zhou again?"
"Boss, bring me paper and pen..."
As he spoke, Xu Xian pointed at the Confucian scholar, "You said that none of the ancient sages, poets, or writers wrote a single poem about courtesans? Well, let me tell you, from today onwards, we will!"
Yang Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, twirling the empty wine glass in his hand, and curled the corner of his mouth downwards.
"Tsk...pretending again."
Lu Jing's eyes lit up. The poem he had snatched from Taibai Tower last time was intercepted by Mo Feichang. He was determined to get his hands on it this time!
The guests in the lobby gathered around, and even people leaned out of the second-floor corridor to look down.
The scholar in the blue robe sneered and stood aside with his classmates, waiting to see what kind of tricks this warrior could come up with.