Chapter Forty-One: The Goose "Quill"

“This is your assignment?” Liu Yinian’s tone was icy as he weighed the two sheets of paper in his hand, light as a feather.

“Yes,” Mo Dun replied, as if utterly oblivious to the impending eruption beneath the calm surface.

“I assigned five hundred characters, and you’ve handed in only two sheets! Where’s the rest?” Liu Yinian mocked.

“There is no more. Just these two sheets,” Mo Dun answered serenely, then added, “I’ve finished it all.”

“All finished?” Liu Yinian drew out the words, casting a hostile glare at Mo Dun.

“Five hundred characters in only two sheets—are your characters as tiny as ants?” Liu Yinian’s beard bristled, and his eyes widened.

The Imperial Academy students could not help but snicker. Watching Mo Dun get put in his place brought them great satisfaction. Everyone knew Liu Yinian had deliberately set a trap for Mo Dun this time, assigning a daunting five hundred characters. Each of them had handed in a thick stack of pages, while the Mo family’s scion submitted only two thin sheets—clearly, he had not completed the assignment!

“If I may ask for your guidance, Teacher!” Even a clay statue would have some spirit; Mo Dun raised his voice, unable to contain his irritation.

Liu Yinian trembled with rage, not expecting Mo Dun to remain so obstinate. His trembling finger pointed accusingly. “Very well, I shall properly examine your masterpiece. If you haven’t finished the assignment today, you need never come back!”

The students’ hearts leapt with joy: finally, Mo Dun would no longer be an eyesore.

But Qin Huaiyu and his two companions grew anxious. Their business venture with Mo Dun had only just begun—if he was expelled from the Academy, what would become of their plans?

Kong Huisuo and Xiong Maocai could hardly contain their delight, gloating inwardly.

Liu Yinian, seething, unfolded Mo Dun’s assignment, determined to make an example of him.

But the next instant, he gasped, “Impossible!” He stared, dumbstruck, at the densely packed characters on the page—each one as tiny as an ant.

How could this be? Even with the finest brush, it was impossible to write so small. Each character was no larger than a fingernail, yet perfectly square and neatly aligned on the rice paper.

Even more astonishing, every minuscule character was exquisitely clear, each stroke distinct—a script unlike any ever seen before.

The Academy students waited, expecting Liu Yinian to explode in fury. But time passed, and he remained motionless, eyes glued to the paper.

What was happening? Everyone was baffled.

After a long silence, Liu Yinian slowly placed the paper down on the desk, fixing Mo Dun with a fierce look.

“This really is your assignment?”

“Yes.”

“You wrote this by your own hand?” Liu Yinian pressed.

“Yes,” Mo Dun affirmed, nodding.

“You have indeed completed the assignment!” At these words, Liu Yinian stunned everyone present.

Only two sheets for the entire assignment—how could it be? Each of them had written at least a dozen pages. Qin Huaiyu and his friends were equally astonished, but their eyes soon lit up. If they could learn this method from Mo Dun, finishing future assignments would be effortless!

“Impossible!” Xiong Maocai objected. “My characters are the smallest in the whole Academy, and I needed eleven sheets. Mo Dun only used two—I don’t believe it!”

“Exactly!” the other students chimed in, voicing their doubts.

“Before today, I wouldn’t have believed it either, but the evidence is right before us!” Liu Yinian replied with a wry smile, spreading the sheets for all to see.

The pages were densely filled, every character beautifully formed, as though composing a wondrous symphony—enchanting to all lovers of calligraphy.

“Magnificent script!” someone blurted out in admiration.

But the others glared him down. Though the writing was superb, it was done by their common adversary, Mo Dun—how could anyone praise him and belittle themselves?

“Impossible. Mo Dun’s writing was atrocious just yesterday, and now he produces such flawless script? I don’t believe it’s his work,” Xiong Maocai insisted. According to their wager, if Mo Dun truly wrote such fine characters, he would have lost, and would have to steer clear of Mo Dun in the future.

“I think he cheated,” murmured Kong Huisuo.

“Yes, he must have used a ghostwriter.”

“Mo Dun knew he couldn’t clear this hurdle today, so he found someone else to write for him!”

“A scoundrel like that wants to join the Imperial Academy? We won’t stand for it!”

“Expel this cheater from the Academy!”

One accusation followed another, and the crowd quickly condemned Mo Dun for cheating.

Qin Huaiyu could take no more. He sprang to his feet and roared, “Cheating? Ghostwriting? Then go find someone who can write like this!”

Cheng Chumo and Yuchi Baolin nodded emphatically. With their years of experience finding ghostwriters, they knew it was impossible: a ghostwriter had to match your style precisely, and even then, the risk of exposure was high. Mo Dun was too clever to use such a unique script—that would give him away instantly.

The students fell into an awkward silence. They had never seen such distinctive tiny script—finding a ghostwriter with such handwriting was impossible.

“If you think it’s not his, just have Mo Dun write here and now to prove it,” Kong Huisuo said darkly, still unconvinced that Mo Dun had achieved such improvement overnight.

“Mo Dun, if these are truly your characters, I will vouch for you. But if you dare cheat, not even the Emperor himself could keep you here. Are you willing to write before us and prove your innocence?” Liu Yinian declared, his words sharp. Since he’d already antagonized Mo Dun, he might as well seize this chance to expel him.

Mo Dun cast a cold glance around the room and sneered, “I am willing to prove my innocence.”

“Very well. I have pen and paper here—write now!” Liu Yinian commanded.

Mo Dun glanced at the brush in Liu Yinian’s hand; its tip was fine and upright, clearly a premium writing instrument. But Mo Dun shook his head. “Sir, surely you don’t believe such a brush could produce characters so minuscule?”

“Then fetch your own pen—I’d like to see what it’s like!” Liu Yinian retorted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Before the eyes of all, Mo Dun returned to his seat, took out a porcelain bottle filled with prepared ink, and then produced his own goose quill!

“This is your ‘brush’?” Liu Yinian stared, dumbfounded at the feather in Mo Dun’s hand.

The entire assembly of Academy students was equally stunned.