Chapter 682
This is a match made in heaven
Chapter 682 This is a match made in heaven
Sima Zhao's intentions are obvious to everyone.
Qin Siyuan chuckled to himself.
His cousin is incredibly mischievous.
They relentlessly pursued Mr. Matsuyama, yet every word they uttered struck a nerve with him.
The teacher, feeling somewhat uneasy since he hadn't finished speaking, glared at Mr. Songshan and said, "You've dumped this on me again! You're just leaving me to cause trouble all by myself! Who brought all these people here?"
Qin Yuan smiled apologetically, "I was just worried that saying too much would lead to mistakes, and I might accidentally expose my secret. It would be terrible if I stayed here with you, sir. If anyone is still stubborn and insists on coming to find me, I will just have to bite the bullet and keep you company."
That reason is also plausible.
In short, Mr. Matsuyama was persuaded.
Qin Yuan then asked, "Sir, you just mentioned the people of Black Wind Stronghold. Do you have some plans in mind? Please speak frankly."
Mr. Songshan said, "Since we've already figured out he's the bandit leader, why not just take him down directly? That way, we can minimize losses and casualties. What do you two think?"
Lord Gu nodded: "I had this plan long ago, but... now that the area in front of Ranxiang Residence is crowded with people, and there are members of the royal family here, and he has his own support, I'm afraid it will be difficult to end a fierce battle. I can only proceed slowly."
Mr. Songshan frowned and asked, "How about we use the government to arrest them?"
Qin Yuan's eyes lit up: "Not bad."
Lord Gu hesitated for a moment: "In front of everyone, we can't just expose his true identity without any evidence. Could it be... could it be that we're going to frame him?"
Qin Siyuan nodded silently after listening.
My brother-in-law is indeed an upright man.
Qin Yuan picked up a pen and wrote a few words on the paper. Mr. Songshan looked at them, clapped his hands, and laughed, "Excellent! I'm afraid he himself will be uncertain at that time! But what if he leaves early?"
Qin Yuan shook her head confidently and said, "No, if he had already given up on fame and fortune, he wouldn't have lingered here. Black Wind Stronghold is full of bandits who fight and kill. Who would talk to him about scholarship? His desire for fame and fortune has not subsided, and he has a high opinion of himself. It is normal for him to have a competitive spirit."
Mr. Songshan nodded: "Since you have already made up your mind, then go ahead and do it."
After the two of them finished speaking, Lord Gu finally spoke up: "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "Of course I do. I'd like to borrow the reputation of the Marquis and the Sixth Master."
This opportunity is perfect for stepping on Master Gu's toes.
As for her husband, he'll inevitably be involved.
Lord Gu was displeased: "We are husband and wife, what's with this talk of borrowing words?"
Mr. Matsuyama laughed.
Qin Yuan said, "You're never afraid that my improper actions or bad intentions will implicate you."
Lord Gu said solemnly, "I know you would never do such a thing. If you were a man, even if we can't be husband and wife, I would still become sworn brothers with you."
These words left the eloquent Qin Yuan speechless.
Mr. Songshan laughed heartily and said, "It is clear that the Marquis is a man of true character. He will devote all his energy to the people and things he has decided on. As the saying goes, 'His words are close to benevolence, and his straightforward nature is hard to change.'"
Qin Siyuan shook his head and said, "No, no, this should be compared to a poem I came across while flipping through Tang poetry the other day: 'Let it rest only when the green hills crumble, when the weight on the water floats, until the Yellow River dries up completely.' That would be more appropriate." Mr. Songshan also shook his head: "You're limiting yourself to romantic love, that's not appropriate."
Qin Siyuan said, "Sir, your previous statement was too heartless."
Qin Yuan's heart pounded, but her face remained calm. She interjected, "How about we use the analogy of 'Clinging firmly to the green hills, its roots firmly planted in the broken rocks. A thousand blows cannot break its strength, it stands firm against the winds from all directions.' Once the Marquis has chosen someone, he treats them with sincerity, and even if he is deceived by a villain for this reason, he will not change his mind. What do you think?"
Mr. Songshan said, "Although it is still not quite right, it is already very close. If the Marquis did not have this kind of mindset, how could he have taken back the northern frontier?"
Qin Siyuan nodded silently.
Lord Gu stood there dumbfounded, thinking to himself: "My lady truly understands me!"
Fate made him marry when he was nearly thirty, because it was waiting for his young wife.
She was not only a wife, but also a confidante.
Not just close friends, but also comrades-in-arms.
This is a match made in heaven.
But Lao Liu said that true friends are never far apart, so why does he feel so far away from Qin Yuan, even though they are so close?
Ultimately, these guys were just too much of a hindrance, like towering mountains standing between him and Qin Yuan.
Before anyone could even feel the chill emanating from Lord Gu, Shen Changle had already huffed and puffed her way up, her round face beaming with a warm smile. She said, "We've discussed it for a while and copied down the essay topics, and they're all here. But… the ladies are all down there talking; they want to hear it too…"
Originally, the courtyard of Ranxiangju was planned, but that place was not enough, so the discussion was changed to the attic.
No matter how many people are there, they can hear it.
But the noble ladies don't want to hear the rigid rules of the book. They'd probably lose most of them as soon as the topic was introduced, let alone the tedious parts like introducing the topic and beginning the discussion.
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "The students are here to listen to lectures on strategy, not to listen to poetry and songs. However, if you are interested, I will say a few words at the end."
Shen Changle felt a little regretful, but finally said, "That's true, after all, things are valued for their rarity."
Qin Yuan gave him a few more instructions, which Shen Changle agreed to one by one. After he left, Mr. Songshan said, "Shen is worried that you might slip."
Qin Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, we are currently riding high and should continue our efforts. If our essays are stumped, wouldn't it be a loss of face and give the Book Sea Pavilion an opportunity to denigrate us?"
Mr. Matsuyama nodded: "Since you see things so clearly, you must have been preparing for a long time. Why not show off your talent today?"
The implication is that if one's poetry, prose, and essays are all extraordinary, then what is the Shuhai Pavilion?
Qin Yuan smiled and shook her head: "Even a centipede with a hundred legs doesn't die easily. The business of writing essays for the Book Sea Pavilion isn't so easy to snatch. Besides, neither of us can be well-versed in all the classics."
In our dynasty, a scholar from a certain region who was proficient in a particular classic text could become famous throughout the world, and this reputation would be passed down from generation to generation among the local scholars.
Today, Putian in Fujian is proficient in the Book of Documents, Changshu in Jiangsu is proficient in the Book of Poetry, Anfu in Jiangxi is proficient in the Spring and Autumn Annals, Yuyao in Zhejiang is proficient in the Book of Rites, and Suzhou is proficient in the Book of Changes.
These places are renowned for their scholars. How can we possibly defeat them?
Qin Siyuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "You don't take the imperial examinations, yet you know everything about it."
Mr. Songshan said, “In that case, what is your strategy for winning? Although I am not lacking in knowledge about strategy, I have not studied the knowledge of the imperial examination, which is the most important subject.”
Failing to grasp the examiner's preferred texts, writing style, career path, character, and stance is like a subordinate who only buries themselves in their work or a scholar who only buries themselves in books, lacking any understanding of human relationships.