Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 63: Scholar Lu

Lu Chang’sheng spent more than half a month traveling along the Ruilong River, only leaving the Fenghua Building after the Lantern Festival ended and the Heaven-Reaching List was posted.

When he departed, the owner of Fenghua Building personally saw him off, even waiving all his expenses from the past half month.

Lu Chang’sheng tried to decline, but the owner insisted: "Having Scholar Lu choose our Fenghua Building as your lodging is already the greatest recognition for us. If I still take your silver coins, I’m afraid I’ll lose my position!"

The owner appeared genuinely anxious.

The Fenghua Building’s owner was merely a high-ranking shopkeeper hired by the Zhou Family; should he handle things poorly, he could be dismissed at any moment.

Seeing this, Lu Chang’sheng could only accept the silver coins and offer his thanks to the Zhou Family behind the scenes.

Afterward, he headed straight for Jixia Academy, only to arrive and find a line of scholars simultaneously making way for him.

"Scholar Lu!"

"A man of great talent, Scholar Lu!"

······

Cries rang out all around. Every gaze upon Lu Chang’sheng overflowed with genuine respect.

Lu Chang’sheng responded to each, stepping into the center of the crowd.

Just days ago, he’d openly shared his exam essays and essays on governance. This fully cemented his reputation as This Year’s Top Scholar—even several former Advanced Scholars couldn’t help but lavish praise upon his work.

Thus, the title of Top Scholar this year became a scalding hot potato: whoever claimed it, even amid the glory, risked being scorned by scholars the rest of their days.

Of course, that wasn’t the deciding factor. What truly let Lu Chang’sheng take the top seat was the present political climate.

Rebels across the provinces were praying for his failure. Should he fall, the very foundations of Great Yuan could collapse—something no loyal subject of the empire would dare allow.

"Which is to say, for all of Great Yuan’s internal troubles, the situation is still far from hopeless!"

Lu Chang’sheng felt a measure of comfort in his soul.

For now, he was aligned with Great Yuan’s interests. The greater the stability, the safer he would be.

In a short while, several emerged from Jixia Academy—not just junior officials, but a whole group of professors, instructors, and even the academy’s Mountain Master leading them all out.

"So this is Lu Chang’sheng?"

In the crowd, Lu Chang’sheng stood tall and slender, surrounded by devoted scholars.

The Mountain Master’s face bore a warm, approving smile as he addressed him: a true prodigy!

Everyone felt this to be true from the bottom of their hearts.

Ever since Lu Chang’sheng’s name had spread through the Lantern Festival, his age and background were no secret. In officialdom, these might have been regarded as disadvantages, but in reputation, they were a tremendous boon.

The impact of a young Top Scholar simply could not be compared to that of an aged one.

The outpouring of praise from those around him only made the crowd all the more in awe of Lu Chang’sheng.

Meanwhile, the junior official had already made his way up to the Champion Scholar Tower.

Moments later, the Heaven-Reaching List was let down slowly from the pavilion above. Nobody blinked as they skipped over the ninety-nine Advanced Scholars and zeroed in on the first place—

"This Year’s Top Scholar—Lu Chang’sheng!"

······

Lu Chang’sheng suddenly felt a strange sensation at his side. He turned to see Li Nangua gripping his hand tightly, her face alight with excitement.

"Chang’sheng, you really did it!"

"Yes. From now on, the way forward won’t be so hard."

Lu Chang’sheng let out a sigh.

As an Advanced Scholar, even at worst, he now had Ninth Grade official status. In Great Yuan, with its leniency toward officials, even if he broke the law or contradicted the Emperor, he could still keep his head on his shoulders.

"Such a system really does resemble the Great Song of my previous life—strict with the people, lenient with officials. Over time, it must breed corruption, but for me, it’s undeniably a fortune!"

After the announcement, Lu Chang’sheng was ushered up to the Champion Scholar Tower to dine with a gathering of nobles.

This left the prominent families below at the Champion Scholar Pavilion watching on, filled with envy.

Yet among some of them, there was a sharper edge of agitation and unease.

"How could this happen! How could this be!"

Mr. Chen looked up at the half-obscured figures above in the tower, his face pale as death. Zhao Qing, standing beside him, supported him, rubbing his back to steady his breath.

"Master, it’s not your fault. Who could have known Chang’sheng would be so formidable!"

Saying this, Zhao Qing was seized by a wave of regret, so strong she wished she could slap herself a few times.

She had schemed and maneuvered for over ten years, thinking she’d done exceptionally well—never imagining she’d suffer such a disastrous loss at Lu Chang’sheng’s hands.

Gazing at her panicked master, she nursed a secret resentment. If only he hadn’t been so strict, she wouldn’t have acted so cautiously with every step, always afraid to provoke his displeasure.

If she’d just been a little bolder back then, she might have spoken up and arranged for people from their village to be admitted into the academy.

Would things ever have ended up like this?

"What are we going to do now... what are we to do!"

Mr. Chen was utterly lost.

Fortunately, Lu Chang’sheng had delayed by saying he’d ’consider’ things, or else Mr. Chen really would have needed a coffin for himself.

"Let’s discuss when we get home." After waiting a long time, Lin Xiaowen saw that Lu Chang’sheng still hadn’t come down and let out a helpless sigh.

Glancing to the side, he saw that the gentry—arrogant lords on any other day—now looked as lifeless as ghosts, dullness settling on each of their faces.

The glory of This Year’s Advanced Scholar ought to have belonged at least partly to them; instead, by their own hands, they’d pushed it away!

"Such is fate."

Lin Xiaowen felt a sharp pain in his heart. He understood now that reward and risk always travel together. To imagine you could reap great gains for minimal cost—it’s not impossible, but it’s certainly unlikely.

The departure of more than a dozen gentry drew no small amount of attention.

After all, Lu Chang’sheng was This Year’s Top Scholar—his fame and standing rivaled even the lowest-ranked successful candidates at the palace examination.

These prominent families, so dazzling to the common folk, were no more than fragile vases before a man like him—beautiful, but ultimately useless.

Thus, forming ties was only natural.

Upon seeing Lin Xiaowen and the others leave, several people traded subtle smiles.

"So it was them. Lin Xiaowen is getting old—imagine driving off someone like that!"

"Even the Xun Family hasn’t openly come after Scholar Lu. These folks are just too afraid! If you ask me, at the very least, you should clarify the situation before making a move."

······

There was nothing harmonious about relations among the gentry; quite the contrary, competition abounded. Seeing Lin Xiaowen and company slink away, many felt a secret satisfaction.

It wasn’t until dawn the next day that Lu Chang’sheng and Li Nangua finally left the Champion Scholar Tower.

The conversation with the nobles had gone on until late in the night, so they ended up staying there to rest.

The Champion Scholar Tower has its own private courtyards for rest, adjacent to Jixia Academy. Those dining and chatting with Lu Chang’sheng the night before weren’t just from one faction; they included old names like the Zhou Family, and emerging families such as the Qin Family, as well as the Gao Family, the Xun Family—veterans and up-and-comers alike.

For the first time, Lu Chang’sheng had entered the inner echelon of Black Mountain Prefecture, facing these nobles as an equal.

To his surprise, the gathering had been all warmth and conviviality, utterly free of open hostility. Even deep into the night, no one came by in secret, as he had half expected.

On further thought, he began to understand.

"At this point, I am not someone to be manipulated at will. If they want me to pick a side, it’s not something that can be demanded lightly."

Perhaps, over time, they would subtly seek to win him over—so the risks of backlash would be lessened.

"A crowd of sly foxes indeed."

On the way back, Lu Chang’sheng sighed, though his heart finally felt at ease.

The power struggles in Great Yuan clearly hadn’t reached the level of ruthless desperation. That meant he could cultivate his foundation with some peace of mind.

"In a few days, let’s return to the village and see how things are," Lu Chang’sheng said to Li Nangua.

Li Nangua hesitated a while.

Truth be told, she didn’t feel much longing for her relatives back in Zhao Family Village.

But seeing Lu Chang’sheng speak with such quiet determination, she nodded in the end as well.