Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 69 The Master's Past

He turned around and said, "You need to let people see you. When it's time to show your talent, you should. You can't give up an opportunity that you should fight for."

His tone was not harsh, but every word he spoke was profound: "If you are always worried about being too sharp, that is nothing more than a scholar's self-comfort."

"The real result will only be that they will be buried in the crowd and forgotten by everyone."

He paused briefly, his tone becoming more serious:

"If a piece of jade is left buried in the soil, no one will dig it out for you."

"If a pearl is always kept inside an oyster, it will only sink with the mud and sand."

"In this world, there is never a shortage of people with some talent; what is lacking are people who can be seen."

At this point, his gaze softened somewhat:

"On the contrary, those born into prominent families can be at ease and keep a low profile because they are already in a high position."

"But you are different."

"If you don't fight, you'll have nothing."

"So you must fight."

......

These words, like the resounding toll of a bell, shattered the last vestige of concern in his heart.

Lu Chuan stood there, stunned. Every word the Master said made him suddenly understand.

He always believed that at his age, it was best to keep his talents hidden.

Conceal your intelligence and your ambition.

But he forgot that he wasn't one of those people who were born in the clouds.

"If you don't fight, you'll have nothing."

These words woke him up.

Lu Chuan took a deep breath and felt completely refreshed.

"The student...has learned a lot."

Lu Chuan slowly took a step back and bowed again.

"Master's golden words have only enlightened me today."

Looking at the young man before him, the Master's lips finally relaxed, revealing a smile of extreme satisfaction.

He reached out and patted Lu Chuan on the shoulder.

"Great! A very apt 'I've learned a lot'!"

The teacher said "good" twice, with tears glistening in his eyes. "Chuan'er, you've already surpassed 99% of the scholars in this county by being able to see this through."

"Those people have studied the classics their whole lives, until their hair turned white and their teeth loosened, yet they still live in their own little world, confined to their own little world."

He pulled Lu Chuan to sit down, poured him a cup of tea, and gazed into the distance, looking back decades.

"Why do you think I've been keeping up with this dilapidated private school, teaching you greenhorns year after year?"

The Master's voice suddenly lowered, carrying a hint of self-mockery.

"More than 30 years ago, I became famous at a young age. I was literate at the age of ten and was known as a child prodigy in my hometown at the age of twelve."

"Back then, I was just as full of vigor as you, thinking that all the fame and fortune in the world were within easy reach."

"But my elders always taught me, 'The tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind.' Scholars should know how to hide and be discreet."

He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile:

"So I listened. During the prefectural examination, I was capable of taking first place, but in order to 'keep a low profile,' I deliberately restrained myself in my writing, only seeking a sure-fire entry."

"And what was the result? The top scorer that year was a classmate whose talent was far inferior to mine, yet who dared to express his true feelings on his exam paper."

"His sharp spirit caught the eye of the prefect, who made an exception and took him under his wing to personally teach him. As for me, although I also passed the exam, I was only in the middle of the list."

Lu Chuan listened attentively from the side.

"Later, I was slow at one step, and slow at every step. In order to play it safe, I was hesitant and timid in the provincial examination, and in the provincial examination, I failed because I had too many concerns."

"By the time I finally decided to fight, the vigor of my youth was long gone, leaving only a sense of weariness and decades of resentment."

"I have already reached a dead end in my life, so I will never allow my most outstanding disciple to repeat my mistakes because of some unfounded concerns."

The Master's voice echoed in the study.

He held the teacup, but never took a sip.

"Chuan'er, do you know where that classmate is now?"

Confucius asked and answered himself: "He is in the capital, serving as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. He has attendants wherever he goes, and his writings are as powerful as wind and rain."

"And I, an old man, stand guard on this small alley in Qingyang County, teaching the 'Elementary Learning' that I have already memorized by heart."

"If I hadn't kept my sharp edge back then, I might be the one sitting in the Ministry of Personnel's main hall today."

He abruptly turned his head, his gaze piercing, and stared at Lu Chuan:

"In this world, there is no such thing as a late bloomer. That's just a fig leaf for losers. Since you have extraordinary talent, you must have the ambition to conquer the world."

"Your age is not a reason to bow your head, but rather the time when you are at your sharpest. You must let all the scholars in the world see that Qingyang Luchuan is not only the top scholar, but also a mountain that they can never climb in their lifetime."

The teacher looked at Lu Chuan; this student had grown quite a bit taller in the past few years.

"Chuan'er, do you know what the imperial examination actually tests?"

Before Lu Chuan could answer, the Master continued, "You think the test is about those few well-known classics like the Four Books and Five Classics? Or those ornate examination poems? You're wrong."

"The imperial examination is like a furnace. It tests whether you can find your own path."

"The test is whether you can maintain your integrity amidst the changing power dynamics in officialdom."

The Master approached slowly, carrying a sense of unreserved trust.

"Chuan'er, everyone says that the imperial examination is like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, but who has ever seen the piles of white bones beneath that dragon gate? For a farmer's son like you who came from the deep mountains, this path is not just difficult, it is terrifying at every step."

It tests whether you can stand tall while earning a few taels of silver a year, whether you can maintain your integrity in the cold eyes of those aristocratic children, and whether you can endure the loneliness in countless dark nights under the lamp.

The master trembled as he reached out and pressed hard on Lu Chuan's shoulder.

"Originally, I thought this was how my life would be, until I met you."

In you, I see a kind of spirituality that I have never even seen before.

Lu Chuan, remember this: if your luck comes your way, hold on tight and never let go.

You should take advantage of Magistrate Shen's influence and the power of Suyang Academy. Take whatever is beneficial to your advancement without hesitation.

Never be like this old man, waiting until his hair turns white, his teeth loosen, and his temples are streaked with gray before sitting by the window, weeping for his worthless, unfulfilled ambitions.

"My life's journey has come to an end, but yours has only just begun."

Go, go to the prefectural capital, go to the capital, go and see for me what it's like up there in the clouds.

Lu Chuan straightened his back, feeling as if a fire was burning in his chest.

"The Master's teachings are engraved in my mind."

Lu Chuan stood up, his eyes resolute. "I always wanted stability, but I forgot that I have nothing. I have nothing left to boast about. In the next prefectural examination, I do not seek stability, but rather uniqueness."