Chapter 8, New Rankings

I specifically came to express my gratitude to Young Master Lou

"He should at least give it a try," Ma Wei urged while laughing suddenly. "Have you heard the funny thing, Su Di?"

The tower's foundation shook its head, "The title of 'Great General' is too much for him; he will certainly return to the Eastern Capital. The Lou family's foundation lies here; he cannot leave Luoyang."

Zhou Lü did not wait for an invitation, stepping into the courtyard and entering the room. He ordered two servants to set the table with food and drink. He sat down first, extended his hand and said: "Young Master Lou, don't just stand there, come, let us first drink three cups."

Not long after, the sound disappeared, and Zhou Lv thought it had left in disappointment

It is also due to the court's incompetence that such matters are allowed to occur; surprisingly, there is a second list from Fubo Garden.

Do you want to abandon literature for martial arts?" He looked up at the slender figure of Zhou Lu.

The residence of the Lou family is located in the back alley. Although the General's residence has a back door, it will not be opened for him; he must take a detour and enter through the side gate.

Zhou Lvy was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said: "Young Master Lou is truly unapproachable. Is it that you are unwilling to befriend me? We have been classmates for many years, and now that the Yuxue Pavilion has closed, it would be nice for us to sit together and reminisce."

The old servant spoke eloquently, as if he had already witnessed the scene of the general slaying the bandits. Lou Chu listened quietly, soon finished his meal, set down his bowl and chopsticks, and interrupted the old servant, saying, "There is something I need to entrust to you"

In the future, when Zhou Lü comes again, regardless of whether I am present or not, do not open the door for him

I have long said that I do not want your gratitude

The foundation of the building felt dry and parched, and upon hearing the word "wine," he could not help but lower his arms

Then let it be regarded as a friendly exchange, look, I have brought some wine

Louchu felt regret; he liked it here and believed he had learned a great deal, especially from the scholar Wenren.

What are your plans for the future, Young Master Lou?

"When friends meet, what disputes are there?" So it was said, yet Zhou Lü still called in the servant to tidy up, "Let us go to my home, it is quiet there."

Your home is quite nice, and there are no outsiders.

Indeed, students from the Taixue and the Seven Schools have all written articles, and our Yuxue Pavilion is the last group to do so, with five to six hundred articles. The Eastern Palace has compiled a list, and the women have also created a separate list

Well, I will go tomorrow

Yes

Fifty rolls of silk, two pounds of gold, and ten pounds of silver

Haha, it is not the wealthy, but women, all of whom are princesses, noblewomen, and concubines of the royal family, who are short-sighted yet feel entitled to comment on the talents of the world. Don't you find it laughable? I only wish for one thing: that my own writings are never selected, lest my lifetime of reputation be ruined by the hands of women.

The second list

Louchu stood alone in the classroom for a while, feeling lost and dejected. From that moment on, his only identity was that of one of the many sons of the great general.

Wenren Xuejiu left Fubo Garden a step ahead and never returned to Youxue Pavilion. Louchu inquired about him and was told that Wenren Xuejiu had returned home due to illness. As for where his hometown is, no one knows, nor does anyone care.

No problem, I have nothing for you to do either

Is it just a copper coin

Liang, the gentleman, intends to bring down the general before setting out on the expedition

The Ma family prepared ordinary food and drink, and the two chatted while eating. When they spoke of General Lou Wenxiping of Qinzhou, Ma Wei smiled and said: "The General has achieved his wishes; Qinzhou is fertile and its people are prosperous. With an army of one hundred thousand under his command, he can advance to seize the Central Plains or retreat to defend his own territory. To the east, he has an alliance with Bingzhou, making his position as solid as a fortress."

Please speak, young master

"Ridiculous." Lou Chuduan raised a glass of wine, finally understanding what Zhou Lu was seeking.

"Hehe, my father directly pleaded with the general, it has nothing to do with you"

I am doing well; my father has secured me a nominal position as a palace guard, which I am holding temporarily

The two servants following behind held up the food boxes in their hands, and one of them chimed in, "This is a fine wine that has been in my family's collection for many years, just unearthed yesterday"

I haven't heard anything funny in a long time

However, when the sound of knocking at the door echoed from outside, the building's foundation was still very pleased and immediately got up to open the door

Is that so? Then it is just to your liking

The building's foundation also did not know why it had come, so it could only say: "Let's take a look."

The scholar hurriedly left with his belongings

Hehe, it's not that I intend to conceal anything, it's just... anyway, you can't become an official, so knowing more is of no benefit. However, becoming an official is not the only path; as long as you are willing to prepare a response for me, I am willing to offer... 10,000 coins.

This is not a place for conversation; let us find another location

It is said to be "nostalgia," yet both individuals are still young, having not walked closely together in the past, leaving nothing to reminisce about. The building's foundation merely drinks wine, while Zhou Lu keeps talking incessantly

As Lou Chu returned home, the old servant hesitated to speak along the way, ultimately saying nothing at all. This young master, lacking an understanding of human emotions and worldly affairs, did not warrant his servant's concern for his well-being

Don't go, we haven't finished our conversation yet

Zhou Lu led the servant ahead. As soon as they exited the courtyard, Lou Chu inside locked the door and went back to sleep, regardless of how much noise was made outside, he refused to get up

Haha, no matter what, you are still the son of a great general, so how can you be called a 'commoner'? Moreover, this matter must be entrusted to you, as it concerns you.

I will prepare

The old servant departed with satisfaction

Seeing that the host no longer chased away the guests, Zhou Lu rose and personally poured the wine, "That article by Young Master Lou is quite favored by some."

He thought the visitor would be Ma Wei, but what he saw was Zhou Lu's smiling face.

Both neighbors are gossipy individuals; if they spend too much time with you, it is inevitable that they will engage in slanderous talk

There are indeed quite a number of people in the residence, all of whom are friends and relatives who came to bid farewell after hearing the news. Naturally, there are also numerous well-wishes. With a hundred thousand troops going to quell the unrest, victory is undoubtedly assured. Such an easy military achievement is something everyone wishes to share in.

Louchu continues to drink wine

Louchu drank too much alcohol and truly fell asleep, only to be awakened by another knock on the door when the sun had already set in the west

Young Master Zhou of the Dongyang Marquis family

Zhou Lujing raised his glass and then said: "But this person still wishes to meet after reading the article, so I must say something at that time. Therefore, I specifically came to seek assistance from Young Master Lou."

Hmm?

The building's foundation remained silent, while Zhou Lü believed there was an opportunity and hurriedly added: "Twenty thousand coins, and this is just the beginning. Once I become a general and recruit you as my aide, as my strategist—uh, this doesn't violate any restrictions, does it?"

Hey, Donggong Review is just a joke, no one takes it seriously. As for Lord Lou's article, it is truly excellent

The old servant has returned, quite unexpectedly. "Young master, please forgive me, I did not know you would return so early..."

The building's foundation had anticipated this, yet it still refused to sit down, "Young Master Zhou is someone who seeks to be appointed as a general and granted a title; what matters could possibly be requested of a mere commoner?"

Are the wealthy in Luoyang so leisurely

Luo Chu waited for a little over half a day before finally seeing Seventh Brother Luo Shuo. Luo Shuo did not raise his head or open his eyes, sitting behind the table to record names and gifts, gesturing with his hand for the next person to come forward

In a roundabout manner, Zhou Lü mentioned that article again, "'Using the People at the Right Time', how did Young Master Lou come up with this topic?"

Selecting a gift has always been a troublesome matter. The building foundation is not worth much, and there are no rare treasures at home. After searching around, I only found half a bolt of silk, which was a 'gift' received not long ago during the Mid-Autumn Festival. He has not yet had the chance to tailor it into clothing

Of course. Zhou Lü was overjoyed, "I can take out three to five thousand coins right now, and I will give you the rest later. I can write a contract."

Leaving the school, he headed straight for the Ma residence.

In Qinzhou, the court is likely determined to decisively eliminate the bandits over there. In my opinion, the people of Guanzhong are also idle; instead of being good commoners, they insist on becoming rebels. Now they have angered the Son of Heaven, who has dispatched an army of 100,000 and appointed our great general to lead the campaign personally. It is certain that there will be no setbacks, and not a single rebel will escape.

Do not be deceived by my slender appearance; in fact, I could serve as a Confucian general, or at the very least, hold positions such as a long history official or a military advisor. Moreover, I could quickly enlist and achieve military merit, making it possible for me to be granted a noble title in the future. However, I would still need the assistance of your family in this military endeavor

There is no rush, the General will not be able to set out until a month later, and there is no news from Liang Shengzhi's side

No plans

The old servant did not dare to ask further, so he could only comply, tidying up the leftover food, preparing to take it to the kitchen to eat. As he reached the door, he turned around and said, "I won't speak much about Young Master Zhou's matters, but there is one thing I must remind you: all the other young masters have gone to the residence to bid farewell and congratulate the general, you should also pay a visit."

Are you really willing to spend money

Young Master Zhou is truly willing to invest capital

Hehe, no one knows a father better than his son, you are probably right

The gift is meager, better than nothing. The foundation of the building finds a brush and ink, and writes a large character on the silk cloth. After admiring it for a while, feeling that the character is quite good, it then finds an empty box to put the silk cloth in, and writes a name tag. The gift is thus prepared.

The Yuxue Pavilion, which had been established for twenty years, collapsed suddenly. The meeting at Fubo Garden can be considered a form of consolation, as the teachers and students did not even have the opportunity to express their mourning—indeed, very few truly felt sorrow over it. A few scholars returned to their respective homes, the officials in the pavilion were reassigned, and the students were more than happy to be free from their constraints.

Louchu immediately shook his head, "You have the wrong person."

There is nothing to see, it is just like this. Today is the Institute of Induction, tomorrow will be the Seven Schools, and the day after tomorrow, who knows which one it will be. The heavens cannot accommodate us 'elementary scholars'; in the future, only orthodox Taoism will be allowed to be taught. I can no longer continue, but you still have time to change your path. The scholar sighed and immediately reminded, "You must not go out and speak carelessly; I was just saying it casually—well, you won't.

The servant poured the wine, and after sitting down on the floor, I drank three cups in a row. I felt in my heart that this was indeed good wine, yet I was unwilling to admit it aloud. "Young Master Zhou, you come to my door for no reason, but let me make it clear first: I will drink the wine, but if you wish to ask for my help again, do not mention it, to avoid any awkwardness between us"

This meeting is very important to me; a mere sum of money and cloth is of no consequence. However, do not be too greedy, as I have been tight on funds recently

According to the directive, the Institute of Inducement will officially close at the end of October. However, once the news spread, very few people continued to attend classes. When Louchu visited once, a scholar was packing up and asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Ma Wei did not mention the matter of the imperial visit, but Lou Chu understood the urgency of the other party. "If all goes well, the Grand General will meet with me by tomorrow, and by tomorrow evening, I will be able to make contact with the General of the Central Army."

In fact, I have spoken out of turn; the young master must have already made plans and does not need my reminders. Furthermore, it is necessary to prepare some gifts; although they are father and son, one cannot arrive empty-handed

"Why are you here again?" The doorman firmly held the door panel with both hands, preventing the guest from entering

Louchu put down his wine cup, stood up and said: "Thank you, Young Master Zhou, for your generous hospitality. I am full from the food and drink, feeling dizzy and fatigued. I would like to take a short nap, so I won't see you out."

Louchu finally understood, "Who is the person you are referring to?"

Is that so? Where to?

There is no need; my article is not good enough to qualify you for the first class

The old servant returned from the General's residence with dinner, serving the young master as he dined. In an attempt to make amends for his shortcomings during the day, he stood by and flatteringly said: "Young master, you may not have heard yet, but the General is going to lead troops into battle again. Quite a number of people have come to the residence today, it is very lively."

A servant from the Ma family is waiting at the door, inviting Young Master Lou to visit the Ma residence for a gathering

Ma Wei is not at home; he is a very busy person with many friends, and it is unknown whom he has gone to see. Lou Chu can only return home, and the old servant is also absent. Lou Chu reads alone and quickly becomes immersed in the book, disregarding his hunger and thirst.

The next morning, the old servant held the gift and accompanied the master to the General's residence across the alley

Zhou Lü still refused to rise, instead signaling for the two servants to withdraw, and said with a smile: "To be honest, this visit is not merely for casual conversation; I do have a small matter to request."

"Let's skip the small talk; I truly lack the mood for it." The host cupped his hands in farewell.

The old servant watched the young master's figure and shook his head helplessly