Chapter Three Hundred and Twenty-One Literary Controversy
In the eyes of a mature politician, if there was no favoritism from a big shot like Wang Tingxiang, Qin Dewei and Li Kaixian would definitely lose in the lawsuit.
Qin Dewei was a scholar from out of town, and Li Kaixian was a Qingliu official. This was an insurmountable status gap.
If both parties insist on their own opinions and there is no third-party strong witness, of course Qingliu officials will have stronger credibility in a legal sense. After all, Qingliu officials represent the face of the court.
If Qin Dewei had not been a scholar, this case would not even have been tried.
Even if it were Hai Rui who judged it decades later, there would be a high probability that Li Kaixian would win the case, but Qin Dewei would have to kowtow more and pay less.
So no matter how boastful Qin Dewei was, Xia Yan just turned a deaf ear and continued to arrange his funeral arrangements exactly as he had lost the lawsuit.
"As the saying goes, taking a step back to compete in the Metropolitan Procuratorate will easily drag Wang Tingxiang into troubled waters. This is not cost-effective.
So just admit defeat at the Metropolitan Procuratorate, you will be severely punished, and then you will become a tragic figure that attracts attention. Besides, you still have the reputation of a righteous person.
Then change the scene, and I will arrange a literary opportunity for you, a righteous man, to face the other eight talented people. This is the time for you to show your talents."
Young people tend to get sleepy easily. Qin Dewei yawned and said nonchalantly: "Why are you doing this? Why don't you just fuck him during the trial tomorrow?"
Although only Li Kai came first, I can hit eight people with just one slap. Sir, you just need to make sure that Li Kai arrives first.
The last time I tried the case for the first time at the Criminal Department, Li Kaixian didn't come over, so I didn't take it seriously..."
Master Xia turned a deaf ear and continued talking about his arrangements.
Even after Qin Dewei was stripped of his crown and punished as a green robe, he had already considered how to restore his fame and honor, trying not to delay his preparations for the provincial examination in the 13th year of Jiajing next year!
If the Minister of Rites can't even arrange this, why are you still messing around in the court?
Qin Dewei and Xia Yan just talked like this, each talking about his own things, until late at night before returning to their residence in Wugong Hutong, and then fell asleep.
Sure enough, the next day the Metropolitan Procuratorate came to visit and invited Qin Dewei to come to court.
When he arrived at the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Qin Dewei went straight to the back hall to find Wang Tingxiang. He was then informed that Wang Zongxian had complained of illness today and did not come to sit in court to see what was going on.
Qin Dewei thought about it for a few times and couldn't help laughing. He guessed that Wang Tingxiang felt that he could not help himself and was too shy to see others, so he simply stopped coming.
Because of Li Kaixian's status, the official appointed by the Metropolitan Procuratorate to preside over the trial was not the censor, but a fourth-rank Zuoqiandu censor, whose surname was Lan and Hongying.
Furthermore, the interrogation of officials by the Metropolitan Procuratorate is different from that of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, and the summoned officials must be present.
Qin Dewei did not find Wang Tingxiang, so he was led to the court. After waiting for another half an hour, Li Kaixian also appeared.
Then Zuo Qianxian and Lan Hongying went to the court, and other clerks took the case files and placed them on the public case.
Lan Qianxian coughed and started.
But Qin Dewei said first: "In order to seek justice, I would like to invite some undisturbed censors to come here to listen!"
Lan Qianxian scolded: "Nothing!"
Qin Dewei responded: "I am not a prisoner now! If you don't invite everyone to listen, I will leave immediately! Sir, you can decide whatever you want!"
Lan Qianxian thought about it for a moment, cursed a few times secretly, and then sent someone to greet him in each courtyard.
If you don't agree to Qin Dewei's condition, it will appear as if you have a ghost in your heart. Just let others see it, and it won't change anything anyway.
There were a lot of thirteen censors in the Metropolitan Procuratorate, so there were seven or eight censors who had nothing to do for the time being, standing in the courtyard watching the fun.
The basic situation is still the same. Qin Dewei hit Li Kaixian, which was witnessed by many people and was undoubtedly confirmed.
Then Qin Dewei claimed that Li Kaixian had insulted his parents, and Li Kaixian claimed that it was because of the dispute in the literary world. Both sides had witnesses, but they were both invalid.
Li Kaixian sneered a few times and added: "At that time, when I was talking about the retro school, I said a few unpleasant words, and I became angry and waved my hands at him!
As you all know, our Eight Talented Scholars from Jiajing have always been at odds with the Xiu Xiu sect, so this son has a grudge in his heart and will act out in anger to hurt others."
Qin Dewei said to Lan Qianxian: "I will never take action because of the dispute in the literary world. Please let me have a few words with Chief Li on the spot."
These are all reasonable requests. Lan Qianxian waved his hand to indicate that it was okay. It would be best if both parties could come up with the result on their own.
Then Qin Dewei turned around and glanced at the censors who were watching, and said loudly: "I am Qin Dewei. This person next to me is Li Kaixian, the head of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Today we will tell you about...the dispute in the literary world."
Qin Dewei asked Li Kaixian again: "You said it was a dispute in the literary world at that time, what did you say?"
Li Kaixian was certainly prepared: "I said that the grammar of the retro style was stiff and deliberate, and then I commented a few words on Wang Zongxian's writing as being too heroic and artificial."
Everyone could hear that Li Kaixian deliberately pointed out Wang Tingxiang here, and he had ulterior motives.
On the one hand, he ran against Wang Tingxiang, and on the other hand, he secretly pointed out that Qin Dewei and Wang Tingxiang were closely related.
"Yes! You did say that at the time." Qin Dewei actually agreed with Li Kaixian's words.
Everyone couldn't help but secretly speculate that Qin Dewei really didn't want to win?
Then I heard Qin Dewei say: "Then what did I say at that time?"
Li Kaixian continued to "state" the situation at that time: "You questioned that you eight talented people can only return to the ancient school, so what are your own literary opinions?"
Oh, it seems that Li Kaixian is really prepared? Qin Dewei remained calm and then asked: "Then how can you answer it?"
Li Kaixian said: "I say, what we Jiajing Eight Talents advocate is literature in the Wei and Jin Dynasties and poetry in the early Tang Dynasty!"
Qin Dewei laughed and said: "You don't have much to say, it's just a slogan!
The retro school says that literature must be based on the Qin and Han Dynasties, and poetry must be based on the prosperous Tang Dynasty! You have a literature of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and poetry of the early Tang Dynasty!
I think you are deliberately making a parody of the retro style! It’s extremely ridiculous!”
Li Kaixian was not without talent, so he immediately said: "That's what you said at the time!
Then I said that what we Eight Talents advocate is to express our feelings directly, pay attention to true temperament, use natural grammar, and do not deliberately seek retro forms!
Then I used Wang Zongxian's article as an example and made a few comments, and then you had nothing to say and became angry."
Qin Dewei: "..."
What does it mean to have nothing to say? How much do you look down on him, Qin Dewei?
Lan Qianxian took a picture of the public case and asked Qin Dewei: "Is this really the case at that time?"
Qin Dewei responded quickly: "Li Kaixian is talking nonsense! It is absolutely impossible for me to have nothing to say! There is even a lot to say!"
Then Qin Dewei enumerated: "Among the Eight Talents of Jiajing, Ren Han's grammar was more odd and policemanlike, Xiong Guo's grammar was more simple and ancient, and Tang Shunzhi's grammar was more clear and smooth!
Chen Shu's grammar is more refined, Wang Shenzhong's grammar is more tortuous, Zhao Shichun's grammar is more vigorous, and Lu Gao's grammar is more elegant!"
Wucao! Li Kaixian was surprised. He didn't expect Qin Dewei to know their eight talents so well.
But he was also a little confused, why did the words sound so good?
The reputation of the Eight Talents of Jiajing has been widely circulated in the capital for two or three years. They are currently the most popular group in the literary world of the capital, but this is the first time for everyone to hear such a precise and capable summary.
I have never heard this kind of excellent comment from anyone else, and it is probably Qin Dewei's own original creation.
Immediately, a good censor thought something was wrong and asked loudly: "Why are there only seven? What about Li Kaixian?"
Qin Dewei replied without looking back: "Li Kaixian has no grammar at all! No comment! I don't know how he got into the Eight Talents."
Pfft! People who are not well-educated can't help but laugh out loud.
Li Kaixian was immediately furious, but then he thought of something and had to hold it back for the sake of the overall situation.
The busy censor continued to ask Qin Dewei with great interest: "Aren't you arguing in the literary world? Why do you always give compliments?"
Qin Dewei continued to answer: "What I want to say is that the grammatical styles of the eight talented scholars in Jiajing are not uniform, and each is full of strange things. How can they form a school?
Can Li Kaixian's empty slogans and propositions just now be confirmed in the grammar of all the Eight Talents?
Therefore, the so-called Eight Talents of Jiajing are opposing for the sake of opposition, and they are trying to gain fame and reputation by joining the ancient sects, and they are only seeking fame and fortune!"
Then Qin Dewei pointed at Li Kaixian and scolded: "You, Li Kaixian, can't even make up lies, but you actually think that I have nothing to say! Not only does it insult my personality, but it also insults my IQ!"
Li Kaixian felt that he could not continue the matter any longer. Even if he could win the lawsuit, he would be completely blackmailed by Qin Dewei.
If these eight talented people want to enter the Hanlin Academy, they must not lose their face! Black and red will definitely not do it!
Thinking of this, Li Kaixian immediately said to Lan Qianxian: "Qin Dewei didn't say this at that time, he only started beating people!"
Qin Dewei also said to Lan Qianxian: "These words were said to Wang Zongxian, Xia Dazongbo and others this morning, which proves that these views have long been held in the lower abdomen.
So why didn't I express my opinion at that time and had to vent my anger by beating people?"
Lan Qianxian frowned again. Compared with trying this kind of case, the dispute in the literary world sounds more interesting.
But there is no way, he has also been entrusted, how to judge is destined to have a result.
Li Kaixian then justified himself to Lan Qianxian: "Because I criticized Wang Zongxian's article, Qin Dewei became angry. It has nothing to do with what he said before."
This sounds logically reasonable, since no one has any witnesses anyway.
Lan Qianxian was about to say something, but Qin Dewei couldn't help but laugh a few times and said wildly: "Who doesn't know how to criticize others? Why would I get angry about it?"
Then he turned to the censors who were watching the excitement and asked: "Do you want to hear my criticism of the Eight Talents of Jiajing?"
The officials were also literati and were very interested in the gossip of the literary world. They all shouted, "I'm all ears!"
At this time, Lan Qianxian realized that it might have been a mistake to let others attend. Qin Dewei seemed to have been using the censors who were attending to stir up the atmosphere and seize the right to speak.
Qin Dewei said loudly: "Ren Han's flaw lies in his elegance and hollowness, Xiong Guo's flaw lies in his weirdness and stinginess, and Tang Shun's flaw lies in his weakness and lack of energy!
Chen Shu's shortcoming is that he is obscure and difficult, Zhao Shichun's shortcoming is that he is loose and scattered, Wang Shenzhong's shortcoming is that he is entangled and verbose, and Lu Gao's shortcoming is that he is rigid and rigid!"
Wucao! Everyone was shocked. This young man named Qin Dewei is indeed a genius prodigy rumored in Nanjing. He can really beat eight with one!
And it's not just a random comment. It can be summarized and refined at such a high level, and whether it's praise or criticism, it's all to the point. It's absolutely impossible without profound skills.
It is easy to comment on one or two at the same time, and seven or eight at the same time, and each has its own merits without repetition. It is not impossible for a strong person to do it.
The censor who was not afraid of trouble asked again: "Why do you think there are only seven defects? Where is Li Kaixian?"
Qin Dewei replied without looking back: "Li Kaixian has all the seven flaws mentioned just now! I don't know how he got into the Eight Talents!"
"Hahahaha!" Many people couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere inside and outside the courtroom was filled with joy.
Everyone heard the greeting today and came to watch the fun with nothing to do. The trip was definitely worthwhile and rewarding.
Just this evaluation of the popular figure Eight Talents can be used as a source of conversation.
Li Kaixian was angry again. Is Qin Dewei here to file a lawsuit today, or is he here for black people?
And he really couldn't understand why Qin Dewei had such a detailed understanding of the Eight Talents of Jiajing!
Qin Dewei turned to Li Kaixian again and said doubtfully: "So I'm confused, it's just that you have so many flaws, who can have no flaws?
But your level is not high either. I was greatly disappointed by the Wang Shenzhong I met last time. Why do you dare to start a sect? Who gave you the courage?"
Li Kaixian's anger escalated again, but for the sake of the overall situation, he had to endure it. He only said to Lan Qianxian: "That's it for now, please judge!"
Qin Dewei said with a smile: "Actually, I have just composed another poem, and I am about to give it to Mr. Li, or help me take it back to you Eight Talents."
Li Kaixian didn't want to hear it at all, but he couldn't stop Qin Dewei's mouth.
Just listen to Qin Dewei chanting loudly: "The big show of decorating the mountains and forests, the arty little famous people. The shortcut to the south is to walk with one's head down, and the talented man makes a false statement and tries his best to praise."
The poems and books of Daji are said to be works, and the bells and cauldrons of the rope camp are moistened with haze. A few cranes in the clouds fly to and from the prime minister's office."
The censors who were watching the excitement were instantly stunned. There is something special about this poem, and the political metaphor is so obvious.
Especially the sentence "Flying back and forth to the prime minister's office" is so simple, tsk tsk, as for the "Zhongnan shortcut" refers to entering the Imperial Academy, right?
"Death, little thief!" Li Kaixian finally couldn't hold himself back and went berserk, punching Qin Dewei.
How can I endure such a poem? It’s unbearable, there’s no need to endure it anymore!
Qin Dewei was on guard and quickly swayed to dodge, but because of his short stature, Li Kaixian only knocked off the Confucian scarf on Qin Dewei's head with one punch.
Qin Dewei pressed his messy bun, hid in the crowd, and shouted to Lan Qianshi:
"Master Lan, you have seen it with your own eyes! If Li Kaixian and I really have a literary dispute, who will be the one to take action after the quarrel!
I will never say anything bad to Li Kaixian, let alone get angry over it and take action! So Li Kaixian’s speech is all nonsense!"
Lan Qianxian was stunned as he picked up his pen. What kind of sentence is this?
Many censors were watching here in full public view. No one would believe that Li Kaixian could provoke Qin Dewei into action through a dispute in the literary world!