Chapter 81: Victory and Defeat Are in My Hands

After the news of the Bai Hu Dojo discussion spread, it shocked the entire Jingchu academic world.

Liu Zhao and Director Liu Tan Tan were both famous experts of the time, and the two represented their respective schools, debating publicly.

The result of their victory or defeat would determine the ownership of the Jingzhou official school and was also seen as the best proof of the superiority or inferiority of the *Book of Documents* in modern and ancient texts.

This was a major event in the Confucian forest and a grand event that had been hard to encounter in the Jingzhou academic forum for many years.

Students and scholars from near and far, as well as great Confucian scholars, all packed their bags, prepared their carriages, and rushed to Jingzhou City day and night.

On the day of the discussion, the Bai Hu Dojo was overcrowded!

All three hundred seats arranged in advance were full!

There were countless people standing all around!

The Daoist priests had long retreated to the back temple, closing their doors and not coming out. The dojo was entirely occupied by Confucian scholars, and everywhere there were sounds of bowing, greeting, and discussing learning.

As the protagonist of this discussion, the commandery school had a special wooden shed set up in the south of the central square of the dojo.

Since Liu Zhao entered the seat with several instructors and many disciples, people had been coming to pay their respects, among whom were many of Liu Zhao's old friends and fellow travelers.

Wang Yang was also introduced to the visitors by Liu Zhao tirelessly, exchanging names, greetings, and bowing. Repeating a set of etiquette over and over was not easy. Taking advantage of the gap, Wang Yang looked at the seats of the Prince's Academy opposite, which were also crowded, and Liu Cheng happened to look over while socializing.

Their eyes met, and they smiled at the same time, bowing to each other from afar, very harmoniously.

"His smile is a bit fake." Chen Qingshan said from the side.

Wang Yang was still smiling: "I know."

"You are the same."

"......"

A burst of exclamation suddenly erupted at the entrance, and the crowd retreated to both sides to salute. Three old gentlemen in wide robes and large sleeves, with white hair and beards, walked slowly, with students clearing the way in front and disciples serving behind. Wherever they went, everyone bowed respectfully and gave way, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent.

These were the three judges of today's discussion: Xu Bozhen, Lu Huan, and Shen Linsi.

They were responsible for questioning, setting difficulties, and deciding victory or defeat, known at the time as "Du Jiang."

The names of the three Du Jiang quickly spread throughout the venue. Everyone had long known that today's discussion would definitely have great Confucian scholars presiding, but they never expected that they could invite these three grand masters who were famous in the East of the Yangtze River!!

These three were all famous Confucian scholars of the time, devoting their lives to studying classics, with works as high as their bodies, and students within the seas all respected them. The imperial court had long wanted to invite these three to lecture on classics at the Imperial Academy, but the three of them were summoned repeatedly without responding. Unexpectedly, they all came to Jingzhou today!

Director Liu Tan Tan led the people of the Prince's Academy out of the shed to welcome them.

Liu Zhao's face changed drastically, and he sighed sorrowfully: "The Jingzhou commandery school no longer exists!"

Wang Yang was very puzzled: "Sir, why do you say that?"

"Zhiyan, you don't know, these three all worship the *Ancient Text Book of Documents*, especially Lu Huan, who opened a school on Mount Tiantai to gather disciples, specializing in teaching the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* and refuting the learning of modern texts. Letting them preside over the discussion will definitely favor the Prince's Academy!"

Yu Yuling said angrily: "Sir, we can't endure it anymore! The so-called discussion is just a formality! Instead of accompanying them to act, it's better to take this opportunity to publicly argue with the Prince! Let everyone discuss right and wrong!"

"It's not that simple!" Xie Xinghan, dressed in men's clothing, entered the shed, wearing a white shirt with a cross-collar, covered with a bamboo-leaf green gauze robe, with a refreshing hairstyle on her head, added with a small white jade crown, and a jade hairpin inserted horizontally, looking exactly like a handsome scholar.

Looking closely, one could tell it was a woman dressed as a man, but she sat in a remote place, surrounded by guards, and ordinary people could not get close.

"Junior Xie Han, has met Mr. Liu, Young Master Wang, and Young Master Yu." Xie Xinghan bowed to Liu Zhao and the three of them according to the etiquette of men meeting each other.

"Xie... Niece Xie?! Why are you dressed like this!" Liu Zhao was surprised.

Wang Yang was also stunned, thinking that this little beauty's foundation was truly solid, and she looked so good even in men's clothing.

Yu Yuling bowed respectfully to Xie Xinghan.

"Setting up a curtain alone is too eye-catching, so I changed into men's clothing." Xie Xinghan explained simply, and then said:

"I came to tell you that you must not challenge the Prince of Badong about the Du Jiang.

The Bai Hu Dojo discussion was only officially announced seven days ago. Xu Bozhen lives on Mount Jiuyan, Lu Huan lives in Wu Commandery, and Shen Linsi lectures in Wu Xing; how could they arrive in time?

They must have received the news early and set off in advance!

The idea of the discussion was decided by the Prince of Badong, and the candidates must have been approved by him, which shows that this matter was planned long ago. Even if he didn't plan it himself, he must have acquiesced to it."

Xie Xinghan lowered her voice and said: "You can pretend to have a sudden illness to delay the discussion time. During this period, I will think of a way to see if there is a chance to change the Du Jiang candidates."

Liu Zhao was very embarrassed: "This... this probably won't work... under the public eye, how can one pretend to be sick?"

"Uncle is a moral gentleman, naturally he cannot pretend to be sick in public. But if someone else is asked to pretend, it will definitely be handy." Xie Xinghan said, smiling slightly at Wang Yang.

Wang Yang:???

Yu Yuling still insisted on the suggestion he just made, saying:

"If the Prince of Badong intends to arrange it, even if we can really delay it for a few days, he won't agree to change the Du Jiang! Pushing back and forth, the result is the same. It's better to take advantage of the gathering of Confucian scholars today to lay these things out! The public opinion is surging, and the public anger is hard to offend; the Prince of Badong may not publicly favor the Prince's Academy."

"No!" Xie Xinghan said decisively, "The Prince of Badong is rigid, his likes and dislikes follow his heart, and he is as crazy as thunder. If questioned publicly, it will inevitably anger him, which is harmful and not beneficial!"

Liu Zhao couldn't decide and asked Wang Yang: "Zhiyan, which method do you think is better?"

Wang Yang thought for a while and said: "I think neither is good."

Xie Xinghan looked at Wang Yang: "Then I don't know what wonderful strategy Young Master Wang has?"

"My wonderful strategy is... as usual."

"As usual?" The three of Liu Zhao were all puzzled.

"Discussing learning as usual, the Du Jiang is in people, victory and defeat are in me." Wang Yang waved his folding fan, his sideburns flying.

He had practiced the action of "showing off" with a folding fan many times in the past few days. Now this folding fan skill was already "proficient," and he would never make a fool of himself like he did when demonstrating to Xie Xinghan before.

Sure enough, Wang Yang's words, combined with his actions, made Xie Xinghan and the three of them stunned.

Yu Yuling sighed with envy: "Brother Wang's demeanor is handsome, solemn and elegant, and it complements this fan. By the way, where did you buy this fan? The style is novel, I have never seen it before."

Wang Yang laughed: "This fan is now worth ten thousand coins, not suitable for buying. I'll give you one later."

Yu Yuling was surprised: "Ten thousand coins? Is it that expensive?"

Xie Xinghan said disdainfully: "Listen to him bragging. Even the seven-treasure painted round fan... no, is this the time to discuss fans?!"

She glared at Wang Yang and pulled the topic back:

"This is a discussion, not pure conversation. Victory or defeat is not in you, but in the Du Jiang. Not to mention whether you can really win against Director Liu Tan Tan, even if you can really make Director Liu Tan Tan speechless, the Du Jiang can still use 'eloquence is not enough to be spoken of' as an excuse to announce Director Liu Tan Tan's victory."

Liu Zhao's face was heavy as he intervened: "The dispute of principles, the judgment is in the heart, there is no fixed rule. Especially the distinction between modern and ancient texts, which has been debated for hundreds of years, there is no conclusion at all. Now all three Du Jiang support the *Ancient Text Book of Documents*; this battle truly has no chance of winning."

Wang Yang smiled mysteriously and said leisurely: "That's not necessarily true..." ===== CHAPTER 82 =====