Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 94 Packing

"If you can't get over it... Chuan'er, even if you have Lord Zhou's appreciation, you will ultimately be just a retainer who depends on the powerful. Once his favor is gone, you will instantly fall back into the mud."

"This is the invisible yet unfathomable chasm between the scholars and the common people."

"You think that once you've won first place in the provincial examination, you're free from all worries? You're wrong, terribly wrong."

"The title of top scorer in the prefectural examination only gives you a slight head start over others. But in this Great Qian Dynasty, as long as you haven't passed the provincial examination, you will remain an unknown commoner."

"You must remember that half-step lead. If you slack off even slightly, you will be trampled into mincemeat by thousands of students behind you in an instant."

Master Zhao walked up to Lu Chuan and patted him heavily on the shoulder.

"Look at those old scholars with white hair outside. When they were ten years old, they might not have been any less intelligent or less diligent than you."

"But why do they have to endure the scorn and hardship of studying in this city at their age? It's because they can't get past the provincial examination. That hurdle is so high that you can see the clouds, and so deep that it can bury half a person's life."

"I don't want to see an old scholar named Lu with a weathered face in this inn in Yingnan Prefecture ten or twenty years from now."

Master Shen's speech slowed down, but every word he uttered was incisive:

"If you leap over it, the carp is transformed from mortal to immortal, forever separated by the difference between heaven and earth. But if you can't leap over it..."

"If you can't get over it, you'll only be a plaything in this arena of fame and fortune, manipulated by the powerful and wealthy."

"When your spiritual energy is exhausted, and when you grow old, no one in this world will remember that you were once the most glorious and outstanding scholar in the prefecture."

"Like Zhong Yong of the previous dynasty."

Lu Chuan put away his earlier confident eloquence, bowed his head and stood respectfully, listening to his mentor's teachings.

Lu Chuan felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

Indeed, things had been going smoothly for him lately, and the prefect's favor had given him the vague illusion that all the exam questions in the world were nothing special.

The Master's words were like a bucket of ice water poured over his heart.

Lu Chuan stepped back, straightened his clothes, and once again gave Master Shen a deep bow.

Lu Chuan broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.

I originally thought that victory was assured during this period.

Only after being given a wake-up call by his mentor did he realize that he had indeed become somewhat complacent during this period.

"I will never forget the kindness of my teacher's sharp rebuke. It was Lu Chuan who was too arrogant and forgot the difference between the gentry and commoners."

"In the next few days, I will put aside all distractions and study the original meaning of the sages again. I will never dare to call myself a child prodigy, but only seek a heart that yearns for learning."

Upon seeing this, Master Zhao smiled with satisfaction.

He helped Lu Chuan up and drank the last sip of rice wine in his cup.

"I am relieved that you can listen to my advice. The prosperity of Yingnan Prefecture is illusory; only your academic achievements are real."

After the banquet, most of the candles in the private room had burned out.

Master Shen got up, straightened his long gown, and prepared to let Lu Chuan go back to rest early.

Although the dishes on the table were exquisite, the master and apprentice were so engrossed in their conversation that most of the succulent sweet and sour carp and half a braised pork knuckle remained untouched, and several delicate vegetarian dishes were also almost completely untouched.

Lu Chuan summoned the waiter who was guarding the corridor.

"Waiter, could you please take a few oil paper packets and carefully pack these leftover dishes?" Lu Chuan took out two copper coins from his pocket and handed them over.

The waiter, who had been bowing and scraping, suddenly froze. He looked up in disbelief and glanced around the private room instinctively.

"Chief Lu, this...this isn't quite appropriate, is it?" The waiter lowered his voice and advised with an awkward smile, "Everyone who frequents these private rooms on the second floor is someone of importance. Everyone values ​​appearances. If word gets out that you're taking away leftovers, it might damage your reputation and make others laugh at you...laugh at your stinginess."

Upon hearing this, Master Zhao, who was sitting to the side, did not get angry. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, stroked his beard, and a smile flashed in his eyes.

He turned his head and teased, "Chuan'er, did you hear that? This waiter is really worried about you."

Lu Chuan understood the questioning tone in the Master's words, so he simply lifted his robe and sat back down in his chair.

He readily took the brand-new oil paper package from the younger brother's hand, his movements swift and decisive, without any hesitation.

"Master, you're making fun of your student."

Lu Chuan smiled and shook his head. "Sages taught us to study in order to cultivate ourselves and manage our families, to seek the true meaning of knowledge and the demeanor of dealing with the world. These are in our bones, not in this fancy table of food."

"If this dignity is obtained through waste and squandering, then this face is too thin and too fake."

"The students came from the fields of Qingyang County. Every grain of rice and every vegetable they ate was the result of the villagers' blood and sweat, which they dug out of the soil."

"My father still worked hard at the docks for my sake, and we had to be extremely careful with every penny we had."

"The leftover fish may be scraps to others, but to me, it is a precious gift that I cannot afford to waste."

"In this world, only those who forget their roots truly lose their value, while those who can maintain their true nature and understand the hardships of life are those who haven't been bookish."

The waiter was speechless after hearing these words and instantly felt ashamed of himself.

Master Zhao burst into hearty laughter, pointed at Lu Chuan, and said to the waiter:

"See that? This is a true gentleman, naturally elegant and unconventional. Go ahead and put on an act."

The waiter responded promptly and quickly packed the food neatly.

When Lu Chuan pushed open the door carrying a food basket, a light was still on inside.

Lu Shouye squatted down beside the wooden table, holding an abacus, and was fiddling with it by the light of the lamp.

There was a sheet of paper spread out on the table, filled with records of the room and board bills, food expenses, and the cost of buying paper and ink for Lu Chuan.

Hearing the door open, Lu Shouye quickly hid the abacus in his clothes and stood up.

"Chuan'er is back? Did you see the teacher off?" Lu Shouye rubbed his hands together, his eyes revealing his exhaustion, but he still looked concerned.

Lu Chuan nodded, quickly stepped forward, and gently placed the food basket he was carrying on the table: "Sent it off. Father, why aren't you asleep yet? Are you calculating accounts again?"

"Hey, I'm just worried about the expenses in the city. I'm calculating whether the remaining money will be enough for your future exams." Lu Shouye smiled, his gaze falling on the food basket. "This is..."

Lu Chuan lifted the lid, and an enticing aroma of sweet and sour fish and braised pork hock filled the room.

He deftly took out the oil paper package and spread out the fish and meat that hadn't been touched much.

"Father, look. This is what's left over from tonight's feast. It's all good stuff, and it's still warm."

"Please try this. You can't find this chef's skill in Qingyang County," Lu Chuan said, handing over a pair of clean bamboo chopsticks.

Lu Shouye was so frightened by these large dishes that he had never seen before that he waved his hands repeatedly.

"No, that won't do. You're at a crucial time; you need to eat more."

"Put it away quickly, heat it up and eat it yourself tomorrow morning. Studying is mentally taxing, don't waste it."