Lin Yue Rong appeared before Zhang Fang, dressed elegantly, but Zhang Fang remained unmoved. He even made an excuse about needing to go home to rest, politely declining her advances.
Lin Zheng felt a surge of anger, but he couldn’t vent it on Zhang Fang; instead, he directed his frustration at Lin Yue Rong. “You are truly useless! You can’t even entice a man!”
Lin Yue Rong had been pampered since childhood, and now faced with Lin Zheng’s disdain, coupled with Zhang Fang’s indifferent demeanor towards her, she couldn’t help but shed tears, feeling wronged and bewildered as to why she couldn’t win Zhang Fang’s affection.
This time, Lin Zheng arranged for a carriage to take Zhang Fang home. Despite the lavish gifts from Lin Zheng, Zhang Fang refused to accept them. Once he returned to the village, he asked the Lin family to take the items back in front of the villagers.
“Zhang Sir is back!”
“No, he should be called Scholar Zhang now!”
After Zhang Fang attained his degree, word of his achievement quickly reached Dou County. The Zhang family was overjoyed to hear the news of Zhang Fang passing the examinations. Zhang Lao Tou, usually stingy, generously treated the villagers to a feast.
The villagers shouted back and forth, spreading the news as many rushed to the village entrance to welcome Zhang Fang.
The Zhang family dropped their tasks and hurried to meet him.
Upon seeing that Zhang Fang had lost weight, Zhang Lao Tai felt a deep pang of sympathy, believing that Zhang Fang must have suffered greatly during his time away for the exams.
“Da Lang, why aren’t you hurrying home? Pick the fattest chicken to slaughter! You need to replenish yourself! My poor Scholar Zhang is so thin!”
Zhang Lao Tou shared the same sentiment, worried about how Zhang Fang must have been living outside, and took him home directly to rest.
In his previous letter, Zhang Fang had not mentioned falling ill; he only indicated he was delayed with matters in the capital and would return soon.
Now that he was healthy, there was no need to inform his family about his illness. Despite Zhang Lao Tou and Zhang Lao Tai’s inquiries, Zhang Fang maintained that he was fine, refusing to acknowledge his past sickness.
That evening, the Zhang family gathered for a reunion dinner. Zhang Fang addressed his family, informing them that he was almost certain to study at the National Academy in the capital.
This was excellent news! The Zhang family felt proud. Nonetheless, given that the capital was a thousand miles away, they were naturally concerned about how Zhang Fang would fare there.
Zhang Fang considered bringing his family to the capital, but Zhang Lao Tou outright refused.
He was well aware of his family’s demeanor, fearing they would be a burden to Zhang Fang, and preferred they stay where they were. Moreover, the Zhang family was currently respected in the village and living well; there was no need to leave their homeland to start anew in the capital.
While Zhang Erlang and the others were eager to follow Zhang Fang to the capital, they had no say against their grandfather’s firm stance.
Seeing Zhang Lao Tou’s stubbornness, Zhang Fang felt helpless and had to relent.
The Second Prince had been waiting for an opportunity to meet Zhang Fang but, unbeknownst to him, Zhang Fang had quietly left the prefecture once he regained his health. However, before departing, Zhang Fang left a letter for the Second Prince.
The Second Prince felt that his relationship with Zhang Fang was unique! According to Wang Zhanggui, Zhang Fang had not specially left messages for any other literary fans, making him the only recipient of Zhang Fang’s poetry and letter. This filled the Second Prince with a sense of pride!
With this letter in hand, the Second Prince chose not to search for Zhang Fang in Dou County. He returned to the capital, laden with a bounty of related items.
Just before the Mid-Autumn family banquet, he arrived back in the capital, dressed in a custom outfit for the palace event.
The Emperor, seeing such a uniquely designed attire for the first time, scrutinized the Second Prince for quite a while before initiating casual conversation with him.
The Second Prince relayed all about Zhang Fang, praising him to the skies, which piqued the Emperor’s interest in Zhang Fang.
“Is this person truly so noble?”
A scholar from a peasant background, earning money and showing no greed for luxury, instead donating all his income to help others. He repaired roads and built bridges, and even wished to stay in the village as a teacher after passing the examinations. Truly a rare find!
The Third Prince observed the Second Prince coolly, sensing competitive tension as he watched the Second Prince engage harmoniously with the Emperor.
The Second Prince, unbothered by complex thoughts, continued extolling Zhang Fang’s virtues.
The Emperor listened intently and slowly remarked, “Such an outstanding scholar ought to study at the National Academy.”
After hearing so much about Zhang Fang from the Second Prince, the Emperor was genuinely curious to meet him.
“Father, my son has already recommended Zhang Fang to the National Academy for admission,” the Second Prince happily conveyed this news to the Emperor.
Chapter 29: The Vanity of a Farmer’s Child
The Second Prince was typically uninterested in political affairs, and his sudden recommendation of a scholar to the National Academy raised the Third Prince’s suspicions.
Just then, the Crown Prince arrived and noticed the Second Prince in casual conversation with the Emperor. He raised an eyebrow slightly and bowed to the Emperor, saying, “My son apologizes for the late submission of memorials; please do not blame me, Father!”
The Emperor’s smile slightly waned as he waved at the Crown Prince, calmly responding, “You prioritize state affairs; why would I blame you? Please, take a seat!”
After conversing with the Crown Prince, the Emperor turned back to the Second Prince to continue discussing Zhang Fang: “So, this Zhang Fang will arrive in the capital soon? Such a noble scholar; I truly wish to meet him.”
The Second Prince, feeling a mix of joy and anxiety—unsure if having Zhang Fang meet the Emperor was a good thing—realized he couldn’t directly refuse since the Emperor had already broached the subject. Thus, he responded lightheartedly, “My son is also unaware of when Zhang Lang will head to the capital.”
The Emperor saw through the Second Prince’s nervousness and firmly instructed, “When he arrives, bring him to me.”
He wanted to see whether this scholar from humble beginnings, who had gained fame in just a few months, was indeed as pure and gentle as the rumors suggested.
Once the Crown Prince sat down, he noted the Emperor still engaged in conversation with the Second Prince, and he decided to join in, smiling as he asked, “Father and second brother are discussing that author who wrote the immortal cultivation story, aren’t you?”
This book was immensely popular, and Zhang Fang had become well-known, gaining countless fans. Even the Crown Prince, who generally didn’t indulge in miscellaneous literature, had heard plenty about Zhang Fang from various sources.