A League of Nobleman Episode 17 Recap
> A League of Nobleman Recap
At Jinghu Lake in the suburbs of Ning'an City, scholars Xu Lu, Qin Han, and Wang Cheng were drinking on a boat, frustrated by the unfairness of the upcoming Imperial Examination. They spoke bitterly of how wealth and connections, like those of Attendant Official Wang's nephew who brazenly booked a pavilion, would secure places for the privileged while leaving poor scholars with no future.
Suddenly, the sound of a Xun was heard, and a boat emerged from the fog, blocking their path. A man on the boat introduced himself as Mr. Jinghu, claiming he could read minds, know the past, and foretell the future, offering to help them achieve their desires. While skeptical, calling him a crook, Wang Cheng decided to test him and boarded the boat.
Mr. Jinghu presented a water vessel, instructing Wang Cheng to calm his mind and stare into it, saying that all causalities were contained within. Following that night, rumors about Mr. Jinghu spread rapidly among the scholars. It was said his brief encounter and guidance had greatly inspired Wang Cheng, who the very next day wrote several articles and submitted them to Sixian Bookstore.
As the bookstore's publication, "Anecdotes of the Capital City", is a key read for Attendant Official Mr. Han, Wang Cheng was quickly noticed and soon accepted by Mr. Han as a disciple, signaling his sudden rise. Scholars also gossiped that Mr. Jinghu had similarly seen through the desires of the other two men present that night, guiding and helping them towards their goals. Meanwhile, political discussions centered on the appointment of the chief examiner for the Imperial Examination.
Both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty had favored candidates, but their inability to agree led to the unexpected selection of Lan Jue, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who had not taken sides. Scholars like Ma Lian found Assistant Minister Lan Jue unyielding, stating he refused all gifts and attempts at bribery.
Lan Jue himself was surprised by the appointment, reflecting that while others saw him as merely benefiting from the struggle, he suspected His Majesty had deeper motives, compelling him to proceed with extreme caution and strive for thoroughness. It was also known that for this exam, a total of four questions were prepared, set by Assistant Minister Lan Jue and three other senior officials, and sealed under the supervision of two monitoring officials.
Zhang Ping returned to the capital, much to the delight of Chen Chou, who had been eagerly awaiting his arrival and praying for his return. Chen Chou excitedly recounted the stories of Mr. Jinghu, describing him as a "godlike" figure who appeared shortly after Zhang Ping's departure.
Chen Chou noted that Mr. Jinghu's purported abilities—reading minds and foretelling the future—and his use of a water vessel reminded him strongly of Zhang Ping's own techniques, prompting Zhang Ping to consider if Mr. Jinghu knew Water Illusion. Lan Jue was also investigating Mr. Jinghu; his subordinate Xudong had been sent to search the area around Jinghu Lake, but no trace was found.
Lan Jue found this mysterious, believing Mr. Jinghu's apparent use of Water Illusion must link him to the Moluo Clan, especially after the Moluo avenger had already died in Xuanyi Mansion. He hoped finding Mr. Jinghu might reveal more. Chen Chou brought Zhang Ping to speak with Xu Lu, one of the scholars who had met Mr. Jinghu.
Xu Lu was initially hesitant, fearing trouble from the widespread rumors and the stir they had caused, but agreed to talk after Chen Chou's assurance. Xu Lu recounted how Mr. Jinghu accurately knew he was searching for the lost "Notes on Four Books by Xue Ru" and advised him to do good deeds to gain blessings.
Following this advice, Xu Lu helped beggars and migrants, and one beggar gave him an old box containing the very book he sought, an event Xu Lu found miraculous and believed was divine intervention. Zhang Ping showed Xu Lu a water vessel, which Xu Lu confirmed was identical to the one Mr. Jinghu used, noting Zhang Ping had made it after hearing Xu Lu's description.
Xu Lu described how Mr. Jinghu poured water into it and told him to stare, a method exactly matching Zhang Ping's technique. Xu Lu remembered feeling a sense of peace and being in a "wonderland" during the experience. Zhang Ping acknowledged the resemblance to Water Illusion in the style and application process but reiterated that, according to his knowledge, Water Illusion cannot truly predict the future, finding the coincidence of the beggar and the book too convenient.
He suspected a connection to the Moluo Clan given the use of the water vessel but felt Mr. Jinghu had hidden intentions. He also puzzled over how Mr. Jinghu's boat could appear and disappear on Jinghu Lake, an enclosed body of water with no external connection. Chen Chou playfully suggested Mr. Jinghu might be a mythical creature, like a crane transformed, naturally appearing and disappearing mystically.
Later, Zhang Ping visited the vicinity of Lan Jue's residence and left food for stray cats he had previously cared for. Lan Jue later came out to feed the cats, found them already fed, and correctly inferred Zhang Ping's visit. That night, many scholars, including Chen Chou, gathered at Jinghu Lake, hoping for an encounter with Mr. Jinghu. The sound of Xun was heard again, and numerous paper cranes appeared floating on the lake.
Scholars eagerly collected them, finding a message written on each: "Exam Hall autumn exam, something will be wrong with Guiyou." The cryptic warning left them confused and anxious, wondering what "Guiyou" and "ghost" meant. The following day, scholars discussed the mysterious message. Chen Chou worried about the potential impact on Lan Jue, the chief examiner.
The drawing of seat numbers for the exam began, supervised by officials from the Ministry of Rites, Shao Zhi and Ji Wen, who explained the process emphasized fairness using a Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches arrangement for seating. As candidates drew their lots, Zhang Ping drew "Renshen," noting its proximity to "Guiyou." Many scholars expressed their dread of drawing the number tied to the prophecy. To their surprise, Chen Zishang drew the lot for "Guiyou."
Other scholars immediately linked this to Mr. Jinghu's prediction, warning Chen Zishang and advising him to burn papers with symbols for luck to ward off bad fortune. Chen Zishang appeared visibly panicked by the outcome and quickly left the drawing area, attracting scorn from some scholars who mocked his reaction and his meager means. Chen Chou defended Chen Zishang, explaining he only earns money by writing letters for others.
Zhang Ping observed Chen Zishang's unusually strong reaction to drawing the number. The three-day Imperial Examination began, with the gates of the exam hall set to close at the hour of巳时 (around 9 o'clock). Zhang Ping was seated, but the seat marked "Guiyou" remained empty, leading scholars to wonder if Chen Zishang had been scared away by the prophecy.
Lan Jue and the other officials involved in setting questions came to the exam hall, preparing to draw the question for the day. Lan Jue confirmed that heightened patrols and checks around the hall had found nothing suspicious. As they were about to begin the drawing, the sound of Xun echoed again, and paper cranes rained down into the exam hall. Scholars rushed to collect them, reading the poem inscribed on each.
They understood the initial lines, "Common people may come out on top. Traveling the same journey can clear one's mind," to refer to the exam as a path for commoners. However, the lines "If there is not enough gold inlaid with jade. The borderland can't be ruled and the people will be disappointed" sparked outrage.
Interpreting "gold inlaid with jade" as a reference to Lan Jue's name ("Jue" meaning jade), they concluded the poem was accusing him of corruption, implying the exam was fixed for the wealthy and would disappoint the people without sufficient funds. The candidates erupted in protest, demanding answers and claiming the exam was riddled with cheating and leaked questions.
Lan Jue attempted to calm the crowd, forcefully denying the accusations and emphasizing that the four question setters were chosen by His Majesty and the entire process was strictly supervised by the Ministry of Rites and monitored by officials, making cheating impossible. He warned against disrupting the order, stating violators would be punished according to the law. Despite his denial, the scholars pointed to the poem's words, accusing him directly.
Lan Jue conferred briefly with the other officials (Grand Tutor Liu, Grand Tutor Wang, and Minister Dou) in an inner hall. Searches were made, but no source for the Xun sound or the kite that carried the cranes could be found.
Lan Jue suggested requesting assistance from Assistant Minister Wang Yan of the Ministry of Justice, but Grand Tutor Wang Taiwei, one of the question setters and Wang Yan's father, objected, stating that his son must adhere to rules preventing involvement in cases concerning relatives or superiors, which applied to the exam's question setters.
Grand Tutor Liu Xian, also present, agreed, advising that the only way to reassure the agitated examinees was for Lan Jue to resign as chief examiner and for someone else to be chosen. Lan Jue refused to step down, arguing that doing so would confirm the culprit's accusations and achieve their goal. Amidst the escalating chaos, some scholars suddenly accused Zhang Ping of collaborating with Lan Jue in the supposed cheating, demanding his expulsion from the exam hall.
Chen Chou vehemently defended Zhang Ping against the accusations, which were fueled by Zhang Ping's earlier actions near the Guiyou seat. Zhang Ping denied the accusations. To settle the suspicions and demonstrate impartiality, Lan Jue publicly read Zhang Ping's official personal profile record. The profile confirmed Zhang Ping was from Lijiadian in Xichuan County and had no family for three generations, being the sole member of his household, proving he had no familial ties to Lan Jue.
Despite this, the scholars remained unconvinced. To further address their doubts and preserve the exam's integrity, Lan Jue announced he would resign as chief examiner and undergo investigation at the Court of Judicial Review. He also stated that if the question he had set was the one drawn for the exam, it would be invalidated, and another drawn. He instructed Shao Zhi and Ji Wen to temporarily oversee the Ministry of Rites' responsibilities for the exam.
