"It seems that Mr. Nie has a high status in the Selection Institute and can give guidance to the four great talents on poetry and essays. I will certainly give it more consideration." Fang Yun smiled slightly. There was no need to hold back when dealing with Qing Guan.
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Nie Changju's face. The many scholars present looked at him with a smile. Naturally, he would have to pay a price for wanting to harm Fang Yun. In the future, when people talked about Nie Changju, they would inevitably say that he was the Hanlin who taught Xusheng to write poetry and thought he could decide the ranking of the four great talents. For an ordinary Hanlin, this was already a huge stain.
Nie Changju seemed to have been prepared, and suddenly he said with thunderous words: "I am just a Hanlin, insignificant, but as a minister of Jing State, I naturally don't want to see the first of the four great talents fall into the hands of the literary world! On behalf of the people of Xiangzhou, I implore Fang Xusheng to compete with Hanlin Zhang Longxiang in the Reviewing Army Tower, and win the title of the first of the four great talents, so as to boost the morale of our Xiangzhou people and enhance the prestige of our Great Jing State. At the same time, let my Xiangzhou Reviewing Army Tower become the best tower in the world, surpassing the Yellow Crane Tower!"
After Nie Changju finished speaking, he suddenly half-knelt on the ground.
Many officials were confused, and then they realized that what Nie Changju said before was not important, and what Fang Yun said was not important. Nie Changju just needed to lay the groundwork and then force Fang Yun to compete with Zhang Longxiang in the Reviewing Army Building.
"On behalf of the people of Taihe Prefecture, I earnestly request Fang Xusheng to overpower Zhang Longxiang, let us, the people of Jing, become the first of the four great talents, and let the Xiangzhou Military Review Tower become the best tower in the world!" Yan Wu, the prefect of Taihe Prefecture, half-knelt on one knee after speaking eloquently.
"I am the Left Chief of the Ministry of Rites. I beg you, Saint Fang Xu, to enhance our country's prestige and boost the morale of our people!"
"I beg you to..."
Thunderous sounds like spring thunder rang out from the reviewing tower, spreading throughout the entire Baling City. Millions of people in Baling City could hear them clearly.
Most of the people were so excited that their blood boiled and they cheered at the top of their lungs, especially the tens of thousands of people outside the Reviewing Building, whose cheers shook the sky.
The celebrating officials in the reviewing building kept making rhetorical remarks, staging a drama that was almost an act of insubordination.
They pleaded for the people, and even the governors of the two states could not find an excuse to punish them.
The officials from Xiangzhou Jingguan and Jiangzhou who were present frowned, not knowing what to say. It was obvious that the Qingguan had been prepared, and there might be complex forces such as the Qing Kingdom, the Zong family, or the Lei family behind him.
Everyone knows that once Fang Yun refuses, his popularity in Xiangzhou will plummet, which will have a great impact on his future governance in Xiangzhou. Once Qing State or Zong Lei family suddenly create trouble, Fang Yun will most likely not be able to calm it down.
Dong Wencong sighed softly and looked at the tens of thousands of Baling people outside the city. Success or failure depends on the people's will. Those people probably don't know what happened on the reviewing building, and they really think that those officials who forced Fang Yun to express his position are doing it for the good of Xiangzhou.
Not long after, Wei Dongshan, an elder from Xiangzhou who had just been promoted to Grand Secretary, slowly stood up with the help of a cane. He was over ninety years old, with wrinkles on his face deeper than the bark of an old tree, and his skin was covered with numerous age spots, but his eyes were clear.
As soon as he stood up, all the Xiangzhou officials present stood up.
His disciples or disciples were spread all over Xiangzhou. There were more than a hundred Xiangzhou officials who could be considered Wei Dongshan's disciples, from scholars to Hanlin scholars. As long as he made a call, half of the officials in Xiangzhou would respond.
Wei Dongshan coughed lightly, looked at Fang Yun, and said, "I am ashamed that I should not have come forward to talk about this matter, but I am about to die, and the only wish of this life has not been fulfilled. My selfish desires are overwhelming, so I stand up and say a few words."
Without waiting for Wei Dongshan to explain the reason, Fang Yun recalled this person's information and soon discovered that this Wei Dongshan had led the people of Xiangzhou to compete with the people of Qiguo in the Yellow Crane Tower many times in the past, from the age of thirty to eighty, and he always lost.
But even so, he never stopped helping the Reviewing Tower to fight for the title of the best tower in the world. The whole Xiangzhou only had respect for him, without any ridicule.
Even the people of Qi, who had repeatedly defeated Wei Dongshan, changed from being ridiculed in the beginning to respecting him. There were even many famous people of Qi who wrote poems in the Yellow Crane Tower to praise him instead of mocking him.
Before taking office, Fang Yun had analyzed Wei Dongshan, a typical old fox who did not please the Kingdom of Qing, nor was he completely loyal to the Kingdom of Jing. However, he would never do anything that would harm the interests of both countries. He had always been waiting for a good price, playing both sides, and making himself and his disciples stronger.
Even when the struggle between the two countries was the most intense, he bet on both sides. Now some of his disciples are Jing officials, and some are Qing officials.
On the way to the Reviewing Tower, Dong Wencong said that Wei Dongshan was a banner of Xiangzhou, and if he could be won over, then the power of Qingguan would be reduced by 20 to 30 percent. Dong Wencong tried to win over Wei Dongshan many times, but to no avail.
Fang Yun smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Dongshan, please feel free to speak."
Wei Dongshan raised his head slightly. He was in his twilight years and looked extremely old, but there was still a hint of the pride of a scholar in his eyes.
"Fang Xusheng, if you can surpass the Yellow Crane Tower and make the Yuejun Tower the best tower in the world, then from now on, I will be a running dog under Prince Ji, and my disciples will follow your lead!" Wei Dongshan's voice was not loud, but it was resounding.
"Mr. Mentor!" a Hanlin said in surprise.
"Master!"
"Mr. Wei!"
Screams rang out one after another. It was hard to imagine that Wei Dongshan would say such words.
Dong Wencong, Fang Shouye and others looked at each other and smiled bitterly. Nie Changju was forcing Fang Yun to compete with Zhang Longxiang in literature. Wei Dongshan would never be bribed by the Zong and Lei families, but he did the same thing as Nie Changju, which was equivalent to the two of them working together to put Fang Yun on the fire.
Fang Yun looked at Wei Dongshan with a smile, knowing that the reason this man stood up was simply because of his lifelong obsession and dream, but this man was extremely shrewd and offered a reward that he could not refuse at the moment.
As a virtual saint, he can use any means to govern Xiangzhou, but as the governor-general of Liangjiang in Jingguo and as a person who comes to practice the saintly way, he needs to be skillful and cannot simply use his power to oppress others.
Fang Yun calculated in his mind that if he now occupied 60% of the power in Xiangzhou, after gathering the people from Wei Dongshanmen, he would occupy at least 75% of the power in Xiangzhou. Coupled with the surge in popularity, he would occupy 80% of the power in Xiangzhou.
Nie Changju smiled widely, bowed his hands, and said, "Fang Xusheng, even Elder Wei has come forward. Do you really look down on the scholars of Xiangzhou? Do you look down on the military review building of Xiangzhou?"
Fang Yun smiled and said, "Nie Sizheng, you misunderstood. The reason why I am thinking is not because I look down on the scholars in Xiangzhou, nor do I look down on this military review building. I just look down on you."
Nie Changju's face was filled with shame and anger.
Many scholars secretly rejoiced, and some Jing State officials even laughed out loud, not concealing their mockery.
Fang Yun looked at Wei Dongshan and said, "Old Wei, please sit down and have a rest first. As for the matter of the world's number one building, let me think about it for a few days. How about this, I will give you an answer before the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th?"
"Okay, then before the Mid-Autumn Festival, I will wait for news from Fang Xusheng!" Wei Dongshan bowed to Fang Yun and slowly sat down with the help of the people next to him.
Nie Changju laughed heartily and said with thundering tongue: "Fang Xusheng is truly a hero among men! This number one building in the world depends on you!" After that he laughed a few times before sitting down.
All the people in Baling City cheered wildly, thinking that Fang Yun was going to help the Yuejun Tower win the title of the best tower in the world.
.