Chapter 9: Fame and Success
Su Lin could not have imagined that his few brief words would enable County Magistrate Xu to have the capability to aspire to the rank of Grand Scholar. However, it is a source of regret for Su Lin that the holy power and momentum within County Magistrate Xu ultimately remained stuck at that point, unable to break through to the rank of Grand Scholar no matter what.
Li Ting shook his head while laughing and said, which only made Xu Lingxiao more curious. What is so remarkable about Su Lin? At the age of fifteen or sixteen, he has not even obtained the status of a child scholar. Could it be that he has more potential than me, an eighteen-year-old xiucai?
"What right does a mere child, who is not even a scholar, have to be so highly regarded by the esteemed uncle of the county magistrate?"
After speaking, Li Ting looked at the dazed Xu Lingxiao, sighed, shook his head, and walked into the county office
"I won't say anything... If I do, I fear it might discourage your literary aspirations. In the future, if your literary achievements do not progress further, you might blame me, and that would be quite unjust for me," Li Ting declined.
No! No! Xu Xiucai, you are mistaken. Su Lin's background is even less distinguished than yours; he is the legitimate son of a Su surname scholar from this county. Although he is from the Su family of Jianzhou, he is a collateral branch and does not receive much attention from the main family. However, I fear that after today, the Su family of Jian'an Prefecture will be eager to acknowledge this kinship.
Then I truly said, today the official seal of the magistrate of Xuxian suddenly shone with great brilliance, indicating that there was a child in the county who had enlightened thoughts surpassing those of the Hanlin Academy. Thus, he invited me to search around together, and in the end, we found the Su residence
It is not a pity. Su Lin, I have already gained enough. Not to mention your remarks today, which have saved me at least three years of arduous study and have allowed me to touch upon the threshold of a grand scholar. Your enlightening words in this county alone count as a significant achievement for me as the county magistrate. Truly, the words of a sage that enlighten the mind have never been seen in our Wu State, and I do not know how many honors I might receive by reporting this matter. However, it is certainly enough for me to be promoted to the level of a prefect.
Upon hearing these words, Xu Lingxiao felt as if a thunderclap had struck in his mind, filled entirely with the four golden characters "Holy Words Enlightenment," leaving no other thoughts. He kept murmuring, "Impossible! Impossible!"
With a long sigh, Magistrate Xu finally opened his eyes. There was no joy in his gaze from the growth of his cultivation; instead, he looked at Su Lin with a face full of regret and said, "Su Lin, your path of non-attachment is profoundly intricate and truly a fundamental principle of life. However, it is not something that everyone can practice and comprehend. I have been entrenched in my ways for too long, deeply rooted; even if I understand the true meaning of non-attachment at this moment, I am still unable to free myself from it."
Magistrate Xu smiled as he stroked his chin and said, "Such a fortunate event as a pie falling from the sky has unexpectedly happened to me, Xu Wenliang, this time."
Upon hearing Su Lin's remarks, Magistrate Xu's face immediately tensed up, his heart raced, and a flurry of sparks of thought erupted in his mind.
Oh? Master Li, I truly wish to know what is so remarkable about this person. Could it be that he is a descendant of a family of sages? Even if he possesses such a distinguished lineage, it does not guarantee his future achievements. For us scholars and Confucian gentlemen, our own thoughts and insights are the true wealth that cannot be taken away. Xu Lingxiao wore a face of disdain and contempt, believing that County Magistrate Li Ting implied that Su Lin's family background was likely quite significant.
The title of merit mentioned by Magistrate Xu was well known to Su Lin. In the Tianren Continent, the nine nations select their officials through the imperial examination system. As long as one passes the lowest level of the examination, the Tongsheng degree, they are automatically registered on the merit list of their respective countries
Ah! It is indeed so...
Indeed, it is the words of the sage that enlighten, yet it is not merely the words of a semi-saint. Su Lin derives his enlightenment from a saying of Confucius: 'A gentleman is not a vessel.' This is truly the enlightening words of a sage!
I am honored to seek your guidance, County Magistrate Xu. Confucius stated that one should not merely be a vessel, but rather become a person who wields the vessel. A gentleman must cultivate his own path, adhering to it consistently, rather than being fixated on a specific talent alone, and that is all there is to it
County Magistrate Xu had only served for less than two years, yet Fengle County enjoyed favorable weather and was free from natural disasters and human harm. In just one year, he handled no fewer than a thousand administrative matters, yet he had accumulated less than a thousand points of merit. However, now, simply because of the enlightenment brought about by Su Lin under his jurisdiction, he could be credited with at least ten thousand points of merit for nurturing talent. Is this not akin to a pie falling from the sky?
"Scholar Xu, this individual is by no means an ordinary person; his future achievements will undoubtedly far surpass ours by millions of times!" replied County Magistrate Li Ting
The purpose of the merit list is quite simple: it records the contributions made by each scholar to the state, counted by merit points. Each level of official position requires the corresponding merit to be held in order to serve. There are also numerous ways to obtain merit, including scholars receiving different ranks of academic degrees, each of which comes with corresponding merit rewards
A child scholar earns one point of merit, a xiucai earns ten points, a juren earns one hundred points, and so forth. A county magistrate must have at least one thousand points of merit to qualify for the position, while a prefect requires over ten thousand points.
I said, Master Li, please do not beat around the bush with me. What exactly is the background of Su Lin? Just come straight to the point and explain it to me clearly!
It is merely the words of the Hanlin Academy that enlighten the mind. I, Xu Lingxiao, also enlighten the mind with the words of the Hanlin Academy, and moreover, I achieved this at the age of nine, five or six years earlier than Su Lin. What is so remarkable about that?
Xu Scholar, you may not have heard clearly. The county magistrate's official seal, shining brightly, indicates that there are children of exceptional talent in the county, surpassing even the rank of Hanlin. However, it is not limited to just Hanlin. If it were merely the words of a Hanlin or a great scholar, would County Magistrate Xu, with his degree as a Jinshi, extend such a warm invitation to Su Lin?
Not a vessel! Not a vessel! It turns out I am meant to become a person of substance, to forge my own path. Since childhood, I have studied the Confucian and Daoist teachings, with my elders insisting that I become a person of worth. Approaching forty, I have attained the rank of a county official through the imperial examination. In the end, I realize I have been walking a path laid out by others. In my family, I am a tool in the hands of my elders. In the state, I am a tool in the hands of the sovereign. So it is... so it is. In the end, I realize I have been walking a path laid out by others. In my family, I am a tool in the hands of my elders. In the state, I am a tool in the hands of the sovereign. So it is... so it is.
In Fengle County, Magistrate Xu invited Su Lin to take the seat of honor and, with a respectful demeanor, inquired: "Su Lin, I have been reciting the Analects since I was four years old, and for nearly forty years, I have also pondered over the phrase 'a gentleman is not a vessel,' yet I have never grasped its true meaning. Now, you interpret the way of Confucius regarding 'not being a vessel' in relation to wisdom in diagrams and books. Even as a Jinshi with a literary title, I must shamelessly seek your guidance. What exactly does the 'not being a vessel' of Confucius mean?"
Su Lin, standing nearby, could clearly feel the divine power emanating from County Magistrate Xu continuously increasing, until it seemed to reach a critical point. Unable to contain his surprise, Su Lin exclaimed: "Is County Magistrate Xu about to break through to the rank of Grand Scholar?"
It is a pity, Magistrate Xu, that just a moment ago you were on the verge of breaking through the bottleneck of the Jinshi degree and achieving the rank of Grand Scholar.
"No! Lord Li, if you do not speak clearly, I will not let you go," Xu Lingxiao exclaimed, gripping the arm of County Magistrate Li Ting. "I am not afraid of being struck; just say it!"
Xu Lingxiao, unwilling to accept the situation, grasped County Magistrate Li Ting's arm and inquired, "Lord Li, who is this person? How could he be treated with the same courtesy as my uncle?"
Li Ting smiled, but Xu Lingxiao had already come to a sudden realization and exclaimed, "Could it be that... Su Lin is actually the one who attained enlightenment through the Sacred Words? A genius who achieved enlightenment with the words of a Half-Saint?"
Xu Wenliang, a county magistrate with the title of Jinshi, surprisingly sought knowledge from Su Lin, a Confucian scholar who had not even attained the status of a Tongsheng. If this were to spread, it would likely provoke laughter from others. However, if those who laughed were to hear Su Lin articulate his views on the "Way of the Unworthy," they would certainly refrain from laughing a single word further.