Chapter 44: There Will Be Times When the Wind Breaks the Waves
“Isn’t this the Number One Scholar?” Ye Ning was stunned.
The visitor was his old acquaintance, Cai Xianggao.
“Please, no more talk of the Number One Scholar. No title can surpass true talent, and the talents of Lord Ye are something I deeply admire.” Cai Xianggao forced a bitter smile.
In the past, he indeed took pride in being the Number One Scholar and developed some arrogance because of it.
But on that day at the Spring Wind Pavilion literary competition, he was utterly defeated by Ye Ning.
Since then, his arrogance had completely vanished, and he had become much more humble.
For him, this was a good thing.
“Then I’ll call you Brother Cai.”
Ye Ning cupped his hands and asked, “Brother Cai, what brings you to the Censorate?”
Upon hearing this, Cai Xianggao gave a desolate smile and said, “His Majesty has decreed that I am appointed as the Deputy Director of the Censorate. I have come to assume my post.”
As he said this, the word “despair” was practically written on his face.
Indeed, being the newly crowned Number One Scholar was the proudest moment of his life, but he had been assigned to the Censorate.
How could he accept this?
The Censorate was practically a half-abandoned office, and it was said that the people there were merely useless loafers.
Going from being the Number One Scholar to the Censorate, the disparity was enough to drive someone to despair.
The fact that Cai Xianggao could still speak well showed he had a good mindset.
“How did you end up here too? Did you offend His Majesty?”
Ye Ning’s eyes were full of pity.
Brother Cai’s situation was indeed quite tragic.
Ye Ning now understood what the Censorate was all about. Anyone with even a bit of ambition would never come to such a place.
“I have only met His Majesty twice, once during the palace examination and once at the banquet. How could I have offended him?”
Cai Xianggao looked lost, covering his face in pain.
“Brother Ye, to be honest, I am in such despair that I wish to resign and return home to become a schoolteacher.”
This was a sign of his deep disappointment with the officialdom.
Ye Ning guessed that Cai Xianggao wasn’t this desperate before, but after personally seeing the Censorate, he became completely disheartened.
“The officialdom is truly dark.” Cai Xianggao was numb.
He thought he was on his way to the pinnacle of life, only to be exiled to the Censorate. Such highs and lows were indeed overwhelming.
“The foolish emperor! Seeing a worthy minister but not using him properly. A Number One Scholar should at least be given a post in one of the six ministries, if not as a scholar! How can such talent be wasted?” Ye Ning cursed.
That foolish emperor truly deserved the scolding. He never did anything right.
What Ye Ning didn’t know was that the reason Cai Xianggao was assigned there was because of him.
Ji Mingyue was worried that Ye Ning would lose his spirit and waste away at the Censorate, so he sent Cai Xianggao over.
Two talented people together would at least have some common language.
Cai Xianggao didn’t know this. If he did, he wouldn’t be touched but would probably want to fight Ye Ning.
“Brother Ye, don’t speak ill of His Majesty because of me. Both rain and sunshine are blessings from the sovereign, and as subjects, we have no choice…”
Cai Xianggao sighed deeply and said, “It’s just a pity that we both have high aspirations but no way to serve the country.”
Ye Ning completely disagreed with this.
He chuckled and said, “Who says the Censorate can’t serve the country?”
Pointing to the tightly shut doors, Cai Xianggao said despairingly, “Brother Ye, you can’t even get through the door. How can you serve the country? The people here are already wasted. I only worry that in a few years, we’ll be as wasted as them…”
Death was not the most frightening thing.
The most frightening thing was living like a walking corpse.
Cai Xianggao had similar feelings.
However, Ye Ning coldly laughed.
“Brother Cai, why be so hopeless? Solutions always outnumber difficulties. Even in the Censorate, we can accomplish great things. Temporary hardships will only trouble us for a few days. As the saying goes, ‘There will be times when the wind breaks the waves, and I will sail my ship to the seas!’
“Just watch.
“If the Censorate never opens its doors, as long as I get in, I’ll definitely stir things up!”
Ye Ning was resolute about this.
He had to stir things up.
He had to!
If he didn’t, how could he make a mess?
No matter how neglected the Censorate was, it still had the authority for justice, cases, and supervision.
With these powers, he could definitely make something happen!
“There will be times when the wind breaks the waves, and I will sail my ship to the seas…”
Cai Xianggao’s literary spirit surged.
A wave of heroic and impassioned feelings emanated from the poem, making him feel it deeply.
His entire spirit was uplifted.
Such was the power of poetry.
“Great poem!” Cai Xianggao was shaken by the poem.
Just one line could make his literary spirit surge and rejuvenate his spirit. If the whole poem were completed, it might become a national treasure!
Brother Ye’s talent had reached the level of composing poems offhandedly?
Cai Xianggao was shocked and full of admiration.
Finally, he stepped back half a step, bowed, and said, “Brother Ye’s ambition is admirable. I am enlightened. Tomorrow, the Censorate will surely open. We’ll then watch Brother Ye’s performance!”
In Cai Xianggao’s mind, Ye Ning’s status had risen infinitely.
Someone who could write such a free-spirited verse must have a strong and optimistic inner world.
Brother Ye, with such talent, wasn’t afraid of being buried.
Why should I be afraid?
There’s no doubt, I’ll follow Brother Ye!
Ye Ning didn’t know that his casual poetry had earned him a loyal follower. His mind was elsewhere.
“You just said the Censorate will definitely open tomorrow?”
Cai Xianggao confirmed, “Of course, tomorrow is the public hearing day. Commoners with grievances can come to the Censorate and strike the drum of appeal.
“This rule is written in the Great Zhou Code, and the people in the Censorate dare not defy it. If they don’t open the doors, it would be breaking the law.
“So, the doors will definitely open tomorrow.”
Public hearing day?
Interesting.
Ye Ning thought for a moment and said, “Brother Cai, help me with something. Spread the word to the people, telling them that if they have grievances, they can come to the Censorate to find me tomorrow!”