Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 211: It Was I Who Insisted on Placing You at the Bottom of the List
The two poems written by Zhu Ping’an were both originally by Zheng Banqiao. Zhu Ping’an slightly modified the second poem to make it more suitable for himself. In fact, Zheng had written dozens of poems about bamboo, but these two were enough.
If he wrote all of them himself, it would be too shocking! He never liked to show off in the first place! If it weren’t for his deeply suppressed emotions and Guo Ziyu deliberately provoking him, he wouldn’t have written a single poem. He had little interest in fame.
Seeing that it was enough, after writing two poems, Zhu Ping’an put down his brush and said lightly:
“Forgive my poor attempt.”
These three words felt like a slap landing on Guo Ziyu’s face once again. Guo Ziyu looked at Zhu Ping’an in speechless frustration. Hearing him say “Forgive my poor attempt,” Guo Ziyu was full of grievances—what poor attempt? Clearly, I am the one embarrassing myself here!
Before long, some enthusiastic people had copied the two poems multiple times and spread them throughout the entire Luming Banquet, causing waves of applause and admiration.
The poems quickly reached the table of the highest-ranked guests, where the reaction was stronger than that elicited by any other poem that day.
Not even fifteen minutes had passed after writing the poems when Zhu Ping’an heard people around him rising respectfully and greeting someone in unison:
“Chief Examiner Zhang.”
Looking up, he saw an elderly man with white beard and mustache standing in front of him, dressed in an official’s robe, smiling at him.
Before the banquet began, this official had spoken, so Zhu Ping’an immediately recognized him as Chief Examiner Zhang. He quickly stood up, bowed, and saluted:
“Greetings, Chief Examiner Zhang.”
Chief Examiner Zhang looked at Zhu Ping’an, stroking his beard, his expression both gratified and calm. Then, he spoke directly:
“It was I who insisted on placing you at the bottom of the ranking.”
These words caused an uproar. The people around were stunned. Why would the chief examiner deliberately place Zhu Ping’an at the bottom?
Was there a personal grudge?
Had Zhu Ping’an offended the examiner?
What was Zhu Ping’an’s actual ranking supposed to be?
For a moment, everyone was discussing and speculating.
Hearing this, Zhu Ping’an looked up at Chief Examiner Zhang’s open and unreserved expression. Though the examiner did not offer an explanation, Zhu Ping’an understood the meaning behind his gaze.
Damn, this was the kind of treatment that only Zhang Juzheng had received back in the day! And now, he was experiencing it too?!
However, whether he was first or last, Zhu Ping’an did not care. To parody a poem attributed to Cangyang Gyatso:
“First on the list, or last on the list—
my ability remains right here,
neither increasing nor diminishing.”
His true strength would not increase or decrease because of a ranking. Seeing himself at the bottom of the list only motivated him to work even harder, which, in the end, achieved exactly what the examiner intended.
While everyone expected the thirteen-year-old Zhu Ping’an to fly into a rage, slam the table, and lose his temper, they instead heard him express his gratitude without a trace of resentment. With a respectful cupped-hand salute, he said sincerely:
“Thank you for your guidance, my lord. Though I am young, I understand your deep intentions.”
Seeing that Zhu Ping’an was calm and entirely free of resentment, Chief Examiner Zhang was greatly pleased. “When I first read your examination paper, I marveled that it was worthy of the Jieyuan. But when we filled out the draft list and removed the sealed anonymity, I discovered that you were only thirteen. I worried that your edge was too sharp and feared that forcing your growth would ruin your potential. For officialdom to gain one more youth who does nothing but indulge in romantic verse and play with words would be a loss to Great Ming. A blade must be repeatedly honed if it is to become sharp. Yet after seeing your conduct today and reading your line, ‘Every branch and leaf touches our concern,’ I know now that placing you at the bottom was my mistake. Still, I hope you hold great ambitions, guard against arrogance and impatience, and build your learning solidly step by step. Be a Yi Yin or a Xiao He—do not merely become a juren who won fame while still young.”
Yi Yin and Xiao He were both legendary prime ministers, known for their exceptional talents that left a lasting impact on history.
Hearing these words, everyone was astonished at how highly Chief Examiner Zhang evaluated Zhu Ping’an.
“Remain humble and patient, and progress step by step…”
These words felt like a revelation to Zhu Ping’an, instantly lifting the weight off his shoulders.
Hadn’t he just lost his appetite over what he witnessed yesterday? Wasn’t that a mistake too? Trying to achieve everything in one bite would only lead to failure.
He had been acting like an impulsive youth.
The key was to have ambitions, but to advance steadily! To give his best and stay true to his conscience.
The worries on Zhu Ping’an’s face disappeared in an instant, and he suddenly felt enlightened. He bowed deeply to Chief Examiner Zhang and sincerely expressed his gratitude:
“Thank you for your guidance, my lord. I am deeply grateful!”
Seeing Zhu Ping’an’s newfound clarity, Chief Examiner Zhang assumed it was his words of wisdom that had profoundly touched him, unaware that it was actually due to Zhu’s reflections on yesterday’s events.
This made Chief Examiner Zhang even more satisfied.
In that moment, a touching scene unfolded: a senior official cherishing and nurturing a young talent, while the young scholar sincerely respected and appreciated his mentor. In the eyes of the onlookers, this interaction had already become a heartwarming tale of mentorship. Perhaps in the near future, this story would spread even further and become a widely recounted literary anecdote.
“Now I can rest easy. Come, join me at the front and share the banquet,” Chief Examiner Zhang said, stroking his beard as he invited Zhu Ping’an to the foremost table at the Luming Banquet.
The invitation left the onlookers in awe. That gesture alone made it obvious that the young man at the bottom of the list must have written an outstanding examination paper. Had Chief Examiner Zhang not been so intent on tempering a young talent, the Jieyuan might well have borne the surname Zhu.
“Sharing a table today is a privilege for me. In the future, people of my rank might not even qualify to sit with you,” Chief Examiner Zhang joked, stroking his beard.
Though spoken in jest, these words struck the audience like a thunderclap. If even someone of Chief Examiner Zhang’s rank would not be qualified to dine with Zhu Ping’an in the future, just how high would Zhu Ping’an’s status rise?
Why did Chief Examiner Zhang hold this young scholar in such high regard?
Though puzzled, everyone now looked at Zhu Ping’an with increased respect.
“My lord, please don’t joke at my expense,” Zhu Ping’an said with a wry smile as he bowed to Chief Examiner Zhang. “I am well aware of my own abilities. Without your guidance, I might have gone astray.”
Zhu Ping’an couldn’t help but think that Chief Examiner Zhang’s words had once again put him in the spotlight.
Just moments ago, Chief Examiner Zhang had worried about his excessive ambition, so why was he no longer concerned now?!
The real culprit behind all of this was Zhu Ping’an’s two poems about bamboo. As the saying goes, handwriting reflects a person’s character, but poetry reveals even more. His first poem used bamboo as a metaphor for himself—while seemingly describing the plant, it was actually an expression of personal values. Phrases like “biting firmly onto the green mountain,” “rooting deep in rocky crevices,” and “withstanding countless hardships and beatings” conveyed his indomitable spirit and unwavering resilience. The emotions were genuine, and the meaning profound.
The second poem further emphasized that he was not just a scholar indulging in literary elegance, but rather someone from a humble background who truly understood the hardships of the common people.
Moreover, now that Zhu Ping’an had grasped Chief Examiner Zhang’s deeper meaning, the old concerns no longer existed. Thus, Chief Examiner Zhang no longer concealed the great expectations he had for Zhu Ping’an!