Chapter 160: The Youth Already Knows the Taste of Sorrow
As for the children's lack of manners, from the Emperor of Great Sui down to the generals, ministers, and nobles behind him, no one found it improper. Instead, they all wore smiles, finding it quite amusing. This was a clear demonstration of Great Sui's flourishing literary culture.
The group of children who had traveled from afar gathered together, whispering among themselves. Three small green bamboo book boxes were particularly conspicuous. A little girl in a red cotton-padded jacket was the most eye-catching, with an expression of great anxiety. The smallest child, perhaps unfamiliar with the place or frightened by the grand reception the Great Sui Emperor had laid out, began to sob on the spot.
The Great Sui Emperor not only showed no hint of annoyance but actually turned his head to chat casually with the white-haired Minister of Rites.
In the end, the traveling scholars who had journeyed thousands of miles to the Great Sui capital all turned to look toward the end of the street, reluctant to come and pay homage to the Emperor.
Although the Great Sui Emperor was neither urging nor anxious, this delay could not go on forever. One of the three vice-headmasters of the New Mountain Cliff Academy, a great Confucian scholar and a literary luminary of the Great Sui dynasty, had no choice but to apologize to His Majesty, step out of the procession alone, and go remind the children that it was time to enter the academy.
Fortunately, no further mishaps or surprises occurred afterward. Although the children were ignorant of court etiquette, they made up for it with their innocence and charm. They performed the Confucian salutation—bowing with hands clasped—with proper form, which greatly pleased the Great Sui Emperor. He personally bestowed upon each of the five children a "Righteous Qi" jade pendant and a box of gold-dragon ink sticks. Once inside the academy, aside from the mandatory worship of the portrait of the Ultimate Sage Teacher, all the other tedious formalities that would have normally taken half a day were simplified. This came as a great relief to the three who had been on edge—Li Baoping and the others—while Xie Xie and Yu Lu, being more accustomed to such occasions, showed no nervousness at all.
Finally, the vice-headmaster personally led them to their respective dormitories and explained the future teaching arrangements. The five were assigned to different dormitories. Since the academy occupied a vast area, with buildings tiered along the mountain, the entire Eastern Hua Mountain had been allocated to the Mountain Cliff Academy by Great Sui. As a result, some dormitories were not very close to each other.
This academy, which Great Sui had placed great hopes in, had fewer than two hundred students but boasted thirty highly respected and deeply learned teachers.
The Great Sui Minister of Rites concurrently served as the nominal headmaster, but this was merely an honorary title. The actual academic affairs were managed by the chief vice-headmaster, a former teacher at the original Mountain Cliff Academy and one of the distant disciples of the Literary Sage. His name was Mao Xiaodong, and he had a bulbous red nose. At ninety years old, he looked to be only in his fifties or sixties, with a healthy complexion.
This old man did not appear to greet them this time, citing the need to teach in the classroom and not disrupt the students' regular lessons. The Great Sui Emperor naturally had no objection.
It was said that this vice-headmaster carried a rosewood warning ruler at his waist, engraved with the words "Rules" and "Standards." Someone claimed to have seen that on the warning ruler, before the character for "Standards," the small seal script characters for "Do Not Overstep" had been carved by an unknown person.
Great Sui's successful acceptance of the remaining legacy of the Mountain Cliff Academy was unexpected. First and foremost, the Great Li Emperor's willingness to let them go was crucial; otherwise, nothing would have been possible. Whether that emperor of great talent and bold vision felt guilty toward Qi Jingchun or had other plans, the Great Sui court and populace all believed that taking over the academy was a good thing. However, among the original teachers and students of the Mountain Cliff Academy, there were initially over forty people. The fact that they were able to leave Great Li's territory smoothly was largely due to this old man. The journey had not been smooth sailing; on the contrary, it had been fraught with perils.
If before, despite Great Sui's massive investment of manpower, material resources, and funds, the New Mountain Cliff Academy still lacked the presence of its founder Qi Jingchun and did not have enough "orthodox" figures, then it was like everything was ready except the east wind.
From today onward, with the arrival of the five traveling students, it could be said that the east wind had entered Eastern Hua Mountain.
Halfway up Eastern Hua Mountain, there was a Wenzheng Hall. In the center hung a portrait of the Confucian Ultimate Sage Teacher, flanked on left and right by a solemn old man whose name was deliberately concealed and a portrait of Qi Jingchun, the first headmaster of the Mountain Cliff Academy. Inside the hall, an old man with a rosewood warning ruler at his waist respectfully offered three sticks of incense to the three sages. Holding the incense, the old man bowed his head and said silently, "Words carry the Way; the torch is passed from hand to hand."
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The old Mountain Cliff Academy, presided over by Qi Jingchun, had a rule that it provided lodging but not meals.
Therefore, during the Great Li era, many impoverished students from the northern regions who managed to enter the academy would earn their food expenses by copying scriptures.
Now, in the Great Sui Mountain Cliff Academy, this rule had not been abolished, but more flexibility had been introduced. First, the majority of the current students were local Great Sui scions from noble families, as the Great Sui court had chosen to recruit nearby. These people were not short of money. Second, the new academy was generous to its students—the gifts alone, including books, brushes, ink, Confucian robes, and other items, amounted to a considerable fortune.
Li Huai was the youngest in the group. After arriving at his dormitory, since his roommate was still in class and had not returned, the child stood alone in the empty room. Having already cried once at the foot of the mountain, Li Huai suddenly squatted on the ground and sobbed again. He felt he had lost his parents and his friends. Was there any child in the world as pitiful as him? His new clothes were soon soaked with tears and snot.
Finally, Li Huai opened his book box with tears streaming down his face, took out his straw sandals, and put them on, which made him feel a bit better. But then he worried that wearing straw sandals would make others look down on him, so he changed back into his new boots. He repeated this several times. The lonely, helpless child cried again and again, thinking of the boy from the same hometown who had made up his mind but ultimately failed to call out the name "Little Master's Disciple" in time. He thought of all of Chen Ping'an's kindness, over and over again.
Lin Shouyi, after putting away his book box, went out for a walk alone. The handsome, cold-faced boy walked with a firm step. Eventually, he found a tall library building. Since it was newly built, it still exuded a faint scent of wood.
Along the way, he could always hear the familiar sound of reading aloud, much more than he had heard in the small town school back then.
Lin Shouyi took a deep breath and walked toward the library.
He had heard that here, one could read ten thousand volumes without spending a single copper coin.
Suddenly, Lin Shouyi felt a pang of sadness. If that money-grubber had stayed with them, he would definitely read like crazy, wouldn't he? Because that would be equivalent to earning money.
Li Baoping sat in her quiet dormitory, opened her book box, and found the letter her Little Master's Disciple had written to her. The letter said a lot: that he was going home, that he would tell her family she was safe, and that he would assure her eldest brother that she had been obedient and worked hard on the journey. It said that he had drilled a hole in the gold essence copper coin and strung it with red thread, and that she should always wear it around her neck and not lose it. If she ever urgently needed a large sum of money, she could exchange it for silver.
The letter also said that he had prepared a jade hairpin for each of them—her, Lin Shouyi, and Li Huai—as a parting gift. They were engraved with "Baoping," "Shouyi," and "Huaiyin" respectively. He said that on this journey, he hadn't been able to help much, so this was just a small token of his feelings. If they didn't like the look of them, they could just hide them away.
Li Huai had a timid nature, so she should play with him often so he wouldn't get bullied in the academy. Lin Shouyi was aloof, so she should talk with him often to keep their relationship from drifting apart. Yu Lu's fist techniques were very formidable, and Xie Xie was actually a mountain immortal. If a conflict really arose, she must not rush to the front alone; she could ask the two of them for help. There was no need to feel embarrassed. Even if she owed them a favor, her Little Master's Disciple would repay it for her later.
The whetstone called the Dragon-Slaying Platform had been left in her book box. But she must remember that when she used it to sharpen her blade, she should find a place with few people, so as not to frighten her classmates. Also, she should keep the small silver gourd safe...
Finally, the letter said that he, as her Little Master's Disciple, had left without saying goodbye and had not entered the academy with them. He wanted to apologize to them. They had traveled such a long way, yet he had not been able to see things through from start to finish. He had not been a good Little Master's Disciple. He hoped they would all take care, study hard, and become successful in the future. Then he, Chen Ping'an, could brag to others that he knew Li Baoping, knew Li Huai, and knew Lin Shouyi—he knew them all.
The letter was filled with many scattered thoughts, but every character was written with meticulous care, neat and upright—neither clever nor elegant.
Just like the nature and disposition of that boy from Clay Bottle Alley.
Right was right, wrong was wrong. Good things had to be cherished, and no amount of cherishing was too much.
As she read, tears dripped onto the letter paper from the little girl named Li Baoping, like an autumn rain of parting sorrow.
Not too heavy, not too light—just heartbreaking.
The stubborn little girl kept telling herself, "Don't cry, don't cry. If Little Master's Disciple sees this, he'll be heartbroken to death."
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On the wide streets of the Great Sui capital, a boy in white clothes chattered on with a smile: "Since you're so reluctant to part, why did you sneak away like this?"
He was clearly rubbing salt into the wound.
After that long, lingering look back, Chen Ping'an stopped doing so, kept his face stern, and continued walking without turning around.
Cui Chan asked, "As their Little Master's Disciple, aren't you afraid they'll be bullied in the academy? Then there will be no one to back them up."
Chen Ping'an remained silent the entire time.
The Great Sui capital was truly enormous. The two of them barely managed to get out of the city gate before the curfew. Cui Chan had acquired a flask of wine, drinking as he walked, taking only small sips. By the time they left the city, the flask was not yet empty.
A squad of elite cavalry thundered out of the city gate and caught up with the two on the official road. The leader was none other than Gao Xuan, a prince of Great Sui.
This time, he had no grandmasters or immortals escorting him. Gao Xuan dismounted, walked over to Chen Ping'an, and said with a rueful laugh, "You won't even take the reward? Aren't you making me look like an untrustworthy person?"
Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "If possible, look after them for me. Consider that my reward."
Gao Xuan shook his head. "Those are two different things. As for the academy, I won't pretend to be more capable than I am. Even I can't meddle in that, so I won't promise you anything. Rest assured, my father will spare time from his busy schedule to keep an eye on the academy from time to time. So the reward I promised you must be given. If you refuse to accept it, you'll have to take it and then throw it away."
Gao Xuan deliberately put on a fierce expression. "Chen Ping'an, I'm a proper prince of Great Sui. I have to maintain some dignity, don't I?"
Chen Ping'an nodded, reached out his hand, and said, "Give it here."
Gao Xuan burst into laughter, extended a fist, then suddenly opened it and slapped it heavily into Chen Ping'an's palm. "From now on, you are a friend of mine, Gao Xuan! Next time you come to the Great Sui capital, come straight to me."
Chen Ping'an was a little stunned. He withdrew his hand and still nodded. "Alright."
Gao Xuan didn't dawdle. He remounted his horse, and looking down from his height, he leaned over with a bright smile. "The road is long. I've prepared a carriage for you. It should catch up soon. If you really prefer walking, you can sell it for cash. But don't sell it too cheap—it's worth at least seven or eight hundred taels of silver."
Gao Xuan came and went in a hurry, leading his elite cavalry swiftly back into the city. This scene drew the attention of many passersby on the official road.
Chen Ping'an and Cui Chan continued walking. Cui Chan asked, "Can't figure out why a prince would be so polite and enthusiastic to you, Chen Ping'an?"
Chen Ping'an replied, "Can't figure it out, so I won't think too much about it."
Cui Chan wasn't willing to let it go and explained on his own, "Actually, it's not complicated. Because Gao Xuan's position is special—he's close to the center of power. The Huangting Kingdom is a vassal of Great Sui, and they certainly have spies in Great Li. It wouldn't be hard for them to know the general experiences of your study tour. Moreover, the identities of Baoping and the others are more important than you think. So he's happy to show you a bit of friendliness, to cast a long line and catch a big fish. Even if he catches nothing in the end, he won't lose anything."
Cui Chan pursed his lips. "If the Great Li Emperor were the ruler of any other dynasty, and if the Mountain Cliff Academy had any headmaster other than Qi Jingchun, it would be like a rotten branch struck by lightning—it would just rot away where it stood. Of course, Great Sui's courage in taking over the Mountain Cliff Academy is indeed admirable. The Great Li Emperor has mixed feelings about it. You might not believe this, but although the Lu Dynasty, where Yu Lu and Xie Xie came from, was widely recognized as the strongest kingdom in the northern part of Baoping Continent before its fall, the Great Li Emperor's list of true enemies only includes three. The Lu Emperor is not on it. Instead, the Great Sui Emperor Gao, whose national power is slightly inferior, holds a place."
While Cui Chan was divulging these secrets, Chen Ping'an was busy putting on his straw sandals.
This gave Cui Chan a sense of frustration, like casting pearls before swine.
Cui Chan tested the waters by asking, "Teacher, how about braiding a pair of straw sandals for me too? And a small book box would be nice."
Chen Ping'an carefully put away his boots, slung his large bamboo basket onto his back again, and set off. He said flatly, "Wearing straw sandals isn't for fun."
Cui Chan said with a smile, "I think it's quite fun."
Chen Ping'an walked along the side of the official road, looking straight ahead, and asked, "Is studying fun?"
Cui Chan hesitated for a rare moment, then finally tied his wine flask to his waist, bundling it together with the jade pendant, and clasped his hands behind his head. "Studying... I never found it fun, not since I was a child."
They walked a long way. In the twilight, using the last rays of light, Chen Ping'an looked back at the towering walls of the Great Sui capital.
Cui Chan, who had been silent all the way, suddenly burst into laughter. "Haha, I knew you wouldn't be able to resist!"
Chen Ping'an ignored Cui Chan's mockery and asked seriously, "Should I have stayed in the academy for a few days? At least seen Baoping and the others studying before leaving?"
Cui Chan was caught off guard by this sudden question. He thought for a moment, "Leaving early or late—it's all the same."
Cui Chan noticed Chen Ping'an glance at him with an expression of "I asked in vain, and you said in vain," full of disdain.
Cui Chan was genuinely a bit annoyed. He said with a feigned aggrieved look, "I'm sincerely trying to help my teacher solve problems. Is this how you treat me, teacher?"
Chen Ping'an glanced at the wine flask hanging at Cui Chan's waist, quickly averted his eyes, sighed, then quickened his pace, burying his head in the road.
Cui Chan's expression remained unchanged, but he was inwardly shocked. What? Chen Ping'an actually felt like drinking?
Oh. So the youth already knows the taste of sorrow.