CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 113: CONTEST

Zhang Yin officially left Diligence Academy on June 30, which was also the day Lin Xuji opened the podium to lecture on "Ling Xian."

At the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, those who went away to escape the heat had just returned to the Capital City with the imperial entourage the day before.

Tang Xiaobai arrived at Huntian Academy early with her brother and found that many people were already there. She even saw Xue Shaoqin, a fan of "Ling Xian," who seemed to have arrived much earlier and occupied a front-row seat, eagerly staring at the empty podium, looking very expectant.

When the sun had risen to the treetops, Lin Xuji appeared.

Dressed in white with hemp shoes, his demeanor was unrestrained, and he looked much younger than expected.

He ascended the high platform, sat cross-legged, with a slight smile on his lips. His voice was clear and resonated with a certain ethereal charm.

Actually, given Lin Xuji’s age and the prevalence of "Ling Xian," it shouldn’t have attracted such a large audience.

Most people, just like her, were there to watch the commotion.

After Lin Xuji submitted a petition beyond his rank, he promptly resigned from his official position, and after resigning, he decisively founded Huntian Academy, giving off a sense of rebelling against his master and establishing a new sect.

Many people were drawn by this event, curious to see what kind of person Lin Xuji was.

Earlier, Tang Xiaobai paid attention to the discussions around her; the opinions were mixed. Some scorned him for betraying his superior’s cultivation, while others appreciated his rebellious spirit.

Anyway, the subject matter was full of intrigue.

Tang Xiaobai privately believed that the Young Crown Prince played this move brilliantly.

Last time, she heard her brother say that although Lin Xuji held a lowly position, he was no simple character; otherwise, how could he secure a spot at the Observatory, which was personally overseen by the emperor? He even had the opportunity to submit a memorial.

Lin Xuji’s grandfather once served as the Assistant Minister of Rites under the former emperor and, together with the then Minister of Rites, Mr. Zhang Ximeng, conducted imperial examinations. Although not as renowned as Mr. Ximeng, he had countless students under him.

This time, Lin Xuji opened a private academy, focusing on "Huntian School," but he also secretly invited old friends and acquaintances of the Lin family to give lectures.

According to Tang Ziqian’s speculation, Zhang Yin’s departure from Diligence Academy might have been due to an invitation from Lin Xuji—

"... When the sage has no thoughts, thereby giving rise to thoughts, thus ’Ling Xian’ flourishes..."

The young man on stage spoke unhurriedly and eloquently.

For this astronomy lecture, Tang Xiaobai specifically retrieved a dusty copy of "Ling Xian" from her family’s Book Collection Pavilion and studied it with Ah Xiao.

"Ling Xian" is an astronomical work authored by the former Chief Historian Zhang Pingzi; its wording was too archaic for her. Fortunately, Ah Xiao helped translate, allowing her to understand its meaning.

What Lin Xuji is doing now is essentially translation and explanation.

Having specialized knowledge, Lin Xuji’s explanations were both detailed and clear. Tang Xiaobai, who initially came for the spectacle, gradually became captivated by his lecture.

It seemed that many people there shared her initial mindset, as there were murmurs at first, but after a quarter of an hour, it grew increasingly quiet.

After another quarter of an hour, Lin Xuji’s voice was almost the only sound heard.

The book "Ling Xian" first discusses the genesis of heaven and earth, the origin of the universe, and then describes the evolution of the sun, moon, stars, and constellations.

When Lin Xuji spoke about the arrangement of the stars, there was a sudden commotion on the outskirts.

Tang Xiaobai’s spirits lifted immediately.

The challengers had arrived!

On the stage, Lin Xuji also paused, looked up into the distance with a slight smile, as if he was fully prepared.

"Did Zhang Pingzi, when writing ’Ling Xian,’ ever imagine it would be used to indulge the masses one day?" A voice from the back laughed coldly, full of provocation.

"The people from the Observatory?" asked Tang Xiaobai.

Tang Ziqian glanced over and replied with a smile, "It’s the other three Spirit Platform Lang from the Observatory."

There are four Spirit Platform Lang at the Observatory, each responsible for observing celestial phenomena from different directions.

With one defecting from the Observatory, it’s fitting for the remaining three to come and counter it.

Instantly, everyone was excited and instinctively parted way for the three, leading directly to the podium.

After all, everyone came for this drama.

It wasn’t about bullying with numbers or overpowering; Lin Xuji’s lecture today carried a provocative tone, while it was the Observatory that was forced to respond.

This made it all the more thrilling.

Lin Xuji watched the three approach with a smile and leisurely said, "When Envoy Zhang wrote ’Ling Xian,’ he did so to pass on his teachings to future generations so that people could know how to choose auspicious and avoid inauspicious events and not be easily deceived. My actions also respect the will of the predecessors. Is that what you mean by indulging the masses?"

"Ha! I’m just afraid someone’s skills are lacking, misleading the students!" Not wishing to waste words, the other party directly threw down a challenge.

Lin Xuji looked up at the sun now in mid-sky and said, "We, with our lacking skills, have misled more than others’ students—"

After a pause, he stood up, took a bamboo arrow from the attendant’s hand, and descended from the high platform.

When he arrived before the three, he smiled, bent down, and placed the bamboo arrow into the ground.

"Three months ago, the Observatory predicted a solar eclipse on the first of July. Since the three of you are experts in celestial phenomena, do you know where the shadow of the arrow will fall during the eclipse?" As he spoke, he held out a pen with a smile.

The one in the center frowned at him, took the pen, pondered for a moment, and then drew a line on the ground.

Standing up, he handed the pen back to Lin Xuji, "Your move."

The one on the left sneered, "Master Lin might as well save the trouble and trace over it!"

Lin Xuji chuckled, tossed the pen aside, leaned over, and pulled the arrow from the ground.

"Lin Xuji!" The one on the left’s face changed color, "What do you mean?"

Lin Xuji smiled calmly, "Tomorrow, there will be no solar eclipse in the Capital City—"

...

"Aren’t they all from the Observatory? Don’t they use the same calendar calculations? How can there be such a big discrepancy in their results?" On the way home, Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but ask.

She originally thought they were comparing precision, but the difference turned out to be so large.

Losing a precision contest is one thing, but getting even the occurrence of a solar eclipse wrong—regardless of which side loses—is a devastating blow.

Yet Lin Xuji seemed so confident, not at all like someone without assurance!

So why is there such a large discrepancy in the results?

"How would I know?" Tang Ziqian glanced lazily at his sister’s little driver, "No one told me either!"

The little driver focused on controlling the carriage, not looking sideways.

Tang Xiaobai thought for a moment and whispered, "I think it’s because the current calendar calculations have flaws!"

The little driver finally lifted his eyes, smiled slightly, and said, "Second Miss is quite right."

Tang Ziqian clicked his tongue at this.

The Crown Prince is being too flattering; he can’t stand to watch.

Tang Xiaobai was still unsure, "The flaw is that big? Aren’t calendars made by very capable people? Errors I can understand, but getting the occurrence completely wrong?"

Tang Ziqian smiled and shook his head, "Why think so much? We’ll find out tomorrow, won’t we?"

...

A solar eclipse represents the loss of virtue of the emperor, a warning from the heavens.

On the first of July, due to the Observatory’s prediction of a solar eclipse, the emperor dressed simply, fasted, and observed the court in a side hall.

And most of the citizens in the Capital City gathered at Huntian Academy to observe the shadow of that arrow.

After the arrow was removed by Lin Xuji the previous day, some curious onlookers found the original spot and reinserted a bamboo stick there. People gathered around it, waiting for the eclipse to happen.

At three quarters into the hour of the Serpent, the shadow of the sun was directly over the shadow of the arrow.

Soon after, it deviated, and gradually moved farther away...

In the twelfth year of Taixing, on the first of July, there was no solar eclipse.