'The Ghost Mocks the Scholar' doesn't belong to 'Strange Tales', but it does appear in 'Notes from the Thatched Abode of Close Observations', the "sister volume" to Strange Tales.
'Notes from the Thatched Abode of Close Observations' was written by Ji Xiaolan, a great Confucian scholar of the Qing Dynasty. In the long history of Huaguo civilization, spanning thousands of years, when it comes to supernatural literature, 'Strange Tales' reigns supreme, and 'Notes from the Thatched Abode of Close Observations' is the only other classic that can be considered its equal.
The story 'The Ghost Mocks the Scholar' may appear simple, but the metaphors it contains are shockingly brilliant. Comparing the aura of writing to stars and the moon, not only vivid and lively, but also powerfully expressive. With just a glance, the image lingers, unforgettable. In his previous life, the famous author 'Meng Ru Shen Ji' borrowed this exact story from 'Notes from the Thatched Abode', using the method of reading a student's literary aura to gauge the examinee's level. Soon after, a generation of grand Confucian scholars emerged: Master Wenyuan's aura rose like smoke to the skies, while the child prodigy Fang Yuan's literary aura pierced through the heavens, lighting up the night sky like a brilliant cloud, gorgeous as embroidered brocade, crafting literary masterpieces. As for the protagonist, he elevated his literary aura to the highest possible level, causing the voices of a hundred sages to resonate in unison. From that moment on, the novel 'Yang God' firmly secured its place in literary legend.
If 'Yang God' could achieve all that, then it speaks volumes about 'The Ghost Mocks the Scholar', with its metaphor of literary aura shining like the light of stars and the moon.
After finishing the piece, Huang Yifan even added a short poem at the end of the post, then clicked publish.
…
Sihuo was a veteran member of the 'Supernatural Community Forum'. Back when the forum was first created, he and a few others had brought in massive traffic. But as the forum grew in size, Sihuo gradually faded from public view. Still, he never truly left. Every day, he silently browsed the forum, watching over the Supernatural Community.
Over the years, he had witnessed the rise of supernatural fiction, from being completely ignored to becoming a small but distinct genre. He had seen wave after wave of new authors enter the scene, and he had also watched top-tier authors shine brightly before vanishing without a trace.
That day, like always, Sihuo quietly browsed the forum.
And the first thing that caught his eye was a new post by Fanchen.
He knew who Fanchen was.
A few days ago, Fanchen had publicly challenged everyone on the forum, making a name for himself overnight.
Still, Sihuo didn't fully approve of Fanchen's actions.
Though he acknowledged the talent behind those Strange Tales works, literature has always been intertwined with character. Right now, Fanchen's fame might still be manageable, but in the future, once he becomes more widely known, that impulsiveness would turn into a blemish on his reputation.
Of course, this was only Sihuo's personal thought.
He had seen the situation more clearly than most. Even without an investigation, he knew that Fanchen had been framed by a competitor. The suppression, the false praise meant to destroy him, these were all the handiwork of the same person. Still, despite recognizing this, Sihuo chose not to help either side. The literary path was never smooth. It was better for an author to go through more trials.
Sihuo originally thought that Fanchen would be crushed by the situation. He didn't expect him to strike back directly, turning the fake praise into a real challenge to the whole forum, and even publishing a supernatural piece titled 'Song Dingbo Captures a Ghost'.
Now, seeing this new post by Fanchen, Sihuo continued lurking silently, not intending to get involved.
Whether it was surprise at his talent or concern that this hardline approach might harm his reputation.
At the very least, he wanted to see what this new post contained.
Putting aside everything else, Fanchen's supernatural stories were still quite good.
'Biting a Ghost', 'Ear Dweller', and the even better 'Song Dingbo Captures a Ghost'.
He wondered… had he written another new one this time?
Curious, he clicked the post and began reading carefully.
"Scholars like Zheng Xuan and Kong Anguo emit a literary aura that shoots straight into the sky, shining alongside the stars and moon. Those slightly less talented have a light that reaches several zhang or a few chi, decreasing gradually. Even the weakest still emit a faint glow, like a small oil lamp, illuminating doors and windows."
When he read this line, Sihuo rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Then he exhaled deeply, silently admiring the writer.
There was no doubt, Sihuo was once again stunned by Fanchen's talent.
'A literary aura that shoots into the sky, shining with the stars and moon.'
This guy is truly a heaven-gifted genius.
With a loud slap, Sihuo shot to his feet in astonishment.
In his decades of reading, this was the first time he had seen something like this.
Such a vivid, unprecedented metaphor, it sent shivers across his entire body.
So evocative.
So expressive.
That single sentence not only painted a vivid picture but also elevated the image of the literati to the highest peak.
It was almost mythologizing the writer, yet it came across so natural, so poetic.
A genius indeed. For a moment, Sihuo nearly logged into his account just to heap praise upon him.
But in the end, he held back.
Such a rare genius, though temporarily obstructed by petty people, would inevitably rise to fame one day. The impulsiveness shown by Fanchen in the Supernatural Community was just youthful rashness.
Before he could finish reflecting, Sihuo noticed a poem following the 'The Ghost Mocks the Scholar' piece.
It was an original poem by Fanchen.
In the post, Fanchen had written: "These days in the Supernatural Community, I've felt deeply moved. I'm just a humble nobody, wishing only to write in peace. But even in this mundane city, there's nowhere to find peace. I've faced much criticism recently. Some say my work is meaningless. Then others set traps to smear my name. Later, more people accused me of being arrogant, overbearing, and full of myself. Today, I don't want to explain or argue. I am who I am, say what you will. Here's a poem I wrote recently, a closing note to this whole Supernatural Community episode."
"I possess a pearl of great worth, long sealed away by worldly dust.
But today, the dust is gone, and the light shines forth,
Illuminating the rivers and mountains in bloom."'
Sihuo read the poem aloud.
He admitted, he hadn't recited poetry in years.
Ever since graduating, he'd never read a decent poem.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, and not that he lacked interest.
But the modern city had long since eroded the soil where such poetry could survive.
Still, Sihuo never imagined that in a supernatural forum, of all places, he would come across a poem that made him feel ecstatic.
"Today, the dust is gone, and the light shines forth, illuminating the rivers and mountains in bloom."'
He read it again, and again.
Each time, the feeling deepened.
Especially when he thought of Fanchen's journey, from writing 'Strange Tales' to today, it felt like a perfect reflection of his path.
What a line: "Today, the dust is gone, and the light shines forth, illuminating the rivers and mountains in bloom."'
Good, Good, Good!
Sihuo said "good" three times in a row. Then made a decision:
"If I keep lurking and say nothing, I'll be doing this masterpiece a disservice. In that case, let me give you a favorable wind to ride, enough to wash away all your past defamation."
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