Chapter 171: The Girl Like a Willow Branch
Mao Xiaodong appeared in the Quiet Elegance Courtyard, catching sight of a white-robed youth lounging carelessly while humming a tune. He sat cross-legged on a stone stool, facing a chessboard, with both hands spread wide along the edges of the black and white go stone containers. Deep in thought, his fingers lightly tapped the stones, producing a series of crisp, overlapping sounds.
After the tall old man appeared, Cui Dongshan asked softly, "How did it go? Did Li Er, the old man, manage to dismantle the Imperial Palace?"
Mao Xiaodong arrived at the stone table and glanced at the chess game, whose outcome was becoming clear. Not seeing much significance, he stopped dwelling on it and sat down nearby. "You—or rather, the two of you—what exactly are you plotting?"
Without turning his head, Cui Dongshan clicked his tongue. "We've only been at East Mountain for a few days, and you're already worrying about the Great Sui Empire? Oh, Xiaodong, I'm not one to criticize, but changing your allegiances is one thing—abandoning the old for the new this quickly is just unseemly."
Mao Xiaodong slammed his palm onto the stone table.
All the pieces on the chessboard leaped up and hovered in midair, black above and white below, like two overlapping paintings. But no matter how Mao Xiaodong looked at them—horizontally, vertically—he couldn't discern any deeper mystery. With a cold snort, the pieces instantly fell back into their exact positions, not a single one out of place.
Cui Dongshan maintained his strange posture throughout. "The Cliff Academy will be as it is. What's there to worry about? If soldiers come, we send generals; if water comes, we block it with earth. Why fuss over trivial matters? Do you think that if the Great Li Empire annexes the Great Sui, the Cliff Academy will cease to exist? I doubt it. Since the Great Sui couldn't grant you the status of one of the Seventy-Two Academies, when you return to the Great Li, you'll just be living under someone else's roof again. Not much difference, really."
Mao Xiaodong said sternly, "An academy is about its students and its teachers, not the name 'Cliff Academy'! Setting aside the Great Sui scholars within the academy, even those children I brought with me from Great Li are still immature. How can their spirit endure repeated upheavals?"
Cui Dongshan slowly withdrew his hands, though he kept a fistful of stones clenched, grinding them noisily in his palm. He turned to face the enraged Mao Xiaodong.
His expression unchanged, Cui Dongshan smiled. "That sounds grand and righteous, but unfortunately, your knowledge is limited, Mao Xiaodong. You think too shallowly and too short-sightedly."
The tall old man sneered. "Only you, Cui, think deeply and plan far ahead."
Cui Dongshan stood up, the stones still clutched in his hand, and began pacing slowly around the stone stool. Mockingly, he said, "If the temple is gone, the monks remain; if the monks are gone, the scripture remains; if the scripture is gone, the dharma remains; if the dharma is gone, the Buddha remains."
He lifted his head, one hand behind his back, the other gently twisting his wrist as if strolling through a courtyard. "All conditioned dharmas should be seen thus. When you truly understand the meaning of an academy's existence, then the Cliff Academy will have found its invincible ground. As for which family, which surname, which country's territory it sits on, that will no longer matter."
Mao Xiaodong scoffed. "Do you think the Cliff Academy is a school that stands unshaken through wind and rain?"
Cui Dongshan halted. Across the stone table and the chessboard, he stared at the tall old man and retorted, "Why not?"
He took a step forward. "Care to take a walk and see?"
Mao Xiaodong's expression turned grave. He shook his head. "You're talking big because you're not in my shoes."
Cui Dongshan shook his head in turn, clicking his tongue. "You really should meet my Master, Chen Ping'an."
The early winter sun hung high in the sky, its warm light spreading over the tall old man. The old man laughed. "For Qi Jingchun to entrust him with such a heavy responsibility, Chen Ping'an must indeed be something. But you, you're surely a dog that can't change its habit of eating shit—you're scheming something."
Cui Dongshan chuckled and scolded, "Hey, hey, hey, Xiaodong, all your learning has gone to waste—fine, that's your problem. But don't drag me into it."
Mao Xiaodong didn't want to stay and play mind games with this guy. He stood up. "With your piss-p excuse for learning, even a stray dog on the street wouldn't bother to pick it up."
Cui Dongshan laughed heartily. "Jealous, jealous."
Mao Xiaodong strode out of the courtyard, his back to Cui Dongshan. "Li Er's forcible entry into the palace this time was just the right move. Don't push your luck. If any trouble arises from this, I'll hold you responsible. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Cui Dongshan looked at the retreating figure and said awkwardly, "That's not fair, is it? I'm just a puny little Ninth Realm ant—how could I stop what Li Er, the old man, wants to do? If my Master were here, it would be much easier. He's better at reasoning calmly than I am."
Mao Xiaodong turned back, facing the man who was feigning difficulty. "Calmly," he said, "If I could, I'd smash that head of yours to see what's inside."
Cui Dongshan extended a hand, raised his pinky, and feigned coyness. "How disgusting."
Mao Xiaodong turned away with a dark face, looking as if he'd stepped in smelly dog shit.
After Mao Xiaodong left, Cui Dongshan sat back down on the stone stool. His fist, still clutching the stones, hovered over the chessboard, releasing them one by one. In a single breath, he dropped seven or eight white stones onto the board, breaking all the rules of the game. Finally, with empty hands, he squatted on the stool, chin resting on his knees, lost in thought.
Just as Mao Xiaodong had said, there were few in the world who could guess what "Cui Chan" was thinking.
Maybe Qi Jingchun was the only exception.
From the courtyard gate came the subtle, steady sound of footsteps. Xie Xie was returning from class. After putting down her things, she began sweeping the fallen leaves in the courtyard.
As the broom brushed the ground, a gentle breeze rose.
Cui Dongshan murmured, "Both born from humble beginnings, the majestic wind sweeps across, thunder rumbling, rolling stones and felling trees, stripping the forest—though it wanes and fades, its lingering aura remains. The base wind merely passes through mean alleys, stirring dust, blowing dead ashes, murky and foul. Though it may be at its peak, it's still nothing worth mentioning. Xie Xie, which do you think is better—the Great Li or the Great Sui?"
This was the first time Cui Dongshan had asked her a serious question. The girl was flattered but nervous, clutching her broom. Fortunately, she was naturally quick-witted and had long decided that when interacting with this young master, she wouldn't overthink things—overthinking was useless anyway. It was better to be straightforward, say what came to mind, do what needed to be done. At worst, she'd get a beating, but at least she'd avoid making a fool of herself. So she answered, "The Great Sui is suitable for settling down and living a stable life. It's comfortable here. The Great Li is for ambitious people and schemers. It's strong both internally and externally, more powerful, full of life and aggression. Most frighteningly, the Great Li is now gradually gaining control over the mountain forces within its territory, getting closer and closer to being a true sovereign."
Cui Dongshan nodded without saying whether she was right or wrong, but for once, he didn't mock her.
The girl felt reassured. This approach worked! Yu Lu was right—when dealing with this man, you had to force yourself to think short-term, to be short-sighted.
Suddenly, Cui Dongshan asked, "Why haven't you hanged yourself yet? I've been waiting to collect your corpse for ages. Then I'd carry your body down the mountain, weeping sorrowful tears, and accuse Cai Jingshen, that old turtle, of being shameless enough to sneak into the academy and lay his hands on a black-faced girl like you—so ugly she could ward off evil—driving you to suicide out of shame. Then I'd have a good excuse to fight him again and avenge you."
The girl stood frozen.
Cui Dongshan turned his neck. "Since that night, when I publicly claimed you as my disciple, I had to lend you all those magic artifacts. Young Master here is still feeling a bit resentful."
The girl, with a green bamboo flute dangling from her waist, resumed sweeping the courtyard in silence.
Cui Dongshan glanced at her graceful figure and added, "If my grandson Cai Jingshen climbed the mountain at night and broke into your room, he wouldn't really be losing anything."
The girl looked up, staring blankly at Cui Dongshan.
He gazed into her beautiful eyes and said regretfully, "Your eyes are the only thing about you that lives up to the name Xie Lingyue."
Tears welled in the girl's eyes. She lowered her head without a word and continued sweeping.
Cui Dongshan sighed mournfully. With a light wave of his hand, he swept the chessboard and stone containers into the jade seal inside his sleeve—a dimensional storage item. "What sweeping is this? You're sweeping away your young master's mood. Enough, enough. I'm going back to my room to read."
In the empty main room, a large straw mat held a single rush cushion. With a flick of his sleeve, Cui Dongshan pulled a Confucian classic from a small mountain of books piled in the corner. It landed quietly in front of him. Then a "page-turning wind" appeared, circling the elegant, white-robed youth.
The wind began turning the pages.
Cui Dongshan began reading.
At moments like this, the girl Xie Xie would sit quietly by the door, her heart at peace, because only then would that man stop tormenting her. And not only had she never seen anyone read that way—she'd never even heard of anyone who, simply by reading, could conjure such a bizarre and wondrous world.
Today was no different.
After the page-turning wind flipped the first page, Cui Dongshan began reciting in a unique, rhythmic whisper. The words fell like tangible raindrops, landing on the page. Between the lines, a lotus appeared, swaying gracefully, eerily lifelike.
Page by page, time flowed slowly.
Between the lines of text, images emerged of two armies locked in battle. Warriors and soldiers, far tinier than grains of rice, exuded an aura of iron horses and golden spears, maneuvering across the battlefield. Above the page, a yellow haze swirled, like the dust kicked up in a real war.
A woman, no more than an inch tall, gracefully walked out from the page, carrying a flower basket.
A rough-bearded man, bare-chested, appeared, clapping and singing loudly.
An old woman pounded clothes on the page, and if one listened closely, one could indeed hear the intangible, mysterious thumping.
Children, two by two, rode bamboo horses, chasing each other in play.
A skeleton, carrying a sword and wearing a saber, walked among graves and tombs.
A scholar sat upright in solemn dignity, stroking his beard and murmuring, as if pondering over words.
The girl Xie Xie at the door, no matter how much she hated or feared this Grand Preceptor of Great Li in her heart, had to admit that when he was absorbed in reading, the white-robed youth was truly elegant, with a romantic air and incorruptible character.
She couldn't understand one thing: how could such a wicked person exude the aura of a sage when reading?
While Xie Xie was lost in thought, she didn't notice that today, Cui Dongshan, as he reached the final pages, showed signs of something strange in his expression. His eyes burned with fervor, but his face was full of pain and struggle.
It turned out that reading had conjured a scene: three figures appeared on the same page, all with blurred faces, but vastly different in age.
A long-robed old man stood by a great river, staring intently at the water.
Nearby, a withered-looking middle-aged man gazed across the river, deep in thought.
A youth riding a blue ox lifted his head to look at the sky. A book hung from the ox's horn, and the youth was drowsy.
Suddenly, Cui Dongshan spat out a mouthful of blood, and the strange scene on the page vanished without a trace.
The girl stared at him in terror.
He wiped away the blood with an expressionless face and muttered to himself, "It can't be helped. The gap is far too wide."
The girl asked worriedly, "Young Master, are you alright?"
Cui Dongshan covered his heart with one hand and clenched the other fist tightly. With difficulty, he rasped, "Go get that 'Water Painting' I lent you. Quickly."
Xie Xie hurried to her room, fetched an ancient scroll, opened it, and spread it before Cui Dongshan. Then she ran back to her spot by the door.
Cui Dongshan's throat moved. He raised his arm and pressed the back of his hand against his mouth. It was a long while before he lowered it, taking a deep breath. In the world, there were a total of twelve paintings of "Water," each depicting one of the twelve great rivers across four realms. The one before him was "Sky-Borne Water," capturing the wondrous scene of "A single sword cleaves a small cave heaven, the Yellow River's waters descend from the sky."
Back when Cui Chan was still the first disciple of the Sage of Literature, he had played a game of chess with the Lord of White Emperor City amidst the clouds. Though Cui Chan lost, he lost honorably, and that great demon had presented this extraordinarily precious painting as a gift. Cui Chan had always held the demonic lord of White Emperor City in high esteem.
Cui Dongshan held his breath and focused on the water, but in his heart, he thought of mountains.
He recalled that in days gone by, the old Cui Chan had once traveled alone, wearing straw sandals and carrying a bamboo staff, climbing the most rugged mountain paths in the world—paths where climbing was harder than ascending to heaven.
At the thought, the young Cui Dongshan couldn't help but slap his knee and exclaim loudly, "Alas! How perilous, how high!"
Suddenly, he froze.
There on the Water Painting, a small stone cliff appeared out of nowhere. It was unremarkable, but standing atop it was a familiar thin figure—a young boy facing the wind. He stood by the water, hands forming a mudra, gazing into the distance.
The girl Xie Xie saw this and was even more shocked.
How did Chen Ping'an bring his own rocky cliff and secretly run onto this "Water Painting"?
Cui Dongshan had already regained his calm aura. Now he clasped his hands together and said with a cheeky grin, "Master above, please accept your student's bow."
Then he fell backward, rolled a few times sideways, and chanted, "What is gone is gone, yesterday cannot stay. What disturbs my heart is today's many sorrows. Oh sorrows, many sorrows—sorrows be damned!"
The girl sat by the door, couldn't help looking up at the sky. It didn't seem like it was going to thunder. A bit of a shame.
---
A short, sturdy man walked out of the East Mountain Academy, made his way to a nearby secluded house amidst the bustle, and began knocking.
There was no response.
This courtyard had long been rented out. The old man who lived there kept to himself, rarely showing his face. But that night's spectacular battle among immortals had tipped off the observant that a dragon lurked here.
Though the fight had been won by the white-robed youth who called himself the ancestor of the Cui family—his display on the summit of East Mountain had been dazzling, a night-long barrage of magical artifacts—the old, stalwart man's responses had been equally impressive. Any experienced cultivator of sufficient rank would admit that if they had been in the old man's place, facing that youth who threw magic artifacts like rotten cabbage, they wouldn't have lasted until dawn.
The man kicked the door open and strode inside. He saw a gloomy-faced, stalwart old man standing in the courtyard—none other than the Tenth Realm Qi Refiner Cai Jingshen. On the table was a jug of wine and many exquisite appetizers—fine liquor and delicacies. For a mortal-seeming immortal like him, this modest pleasure was barely worth mentioning.
Cai Jingshen had been one of the onlookers at yesterday's battle in the Imperial Palace. Now, seeing this outsider who had reached the Stopping Realm in martial arts, he naturally had no confidence. But lacking confidence didn't mean he would bow and scrape. Unyielding, he asked, "I have no grievance with you. Breaking down my door—what business do you have?"
The moment Li Er saw Cai Jingshen, without a word, he threw a ferocious punch. The caught-off-guard old man was sent crashing into the inner room, spitting blood on the spot. He smashed through the door and the table, collapsing in the corner by the wall beneath the main hall's plaque.
Li Er turned and left.
Cai Jingshen was stunned. Leaning against the wall, he sat up. He had thought at least a few words would be exchanged before fighting—wasn't there supposed to be "one word" before a quarrel? Where was this fellow's sense? Wasn't this just bullying? A dignified Tenth Realm Qi Refiner, the patriarch of the Great Sui's powerful Cai clan, couldn't help cursing, "If you've got the guts, let's fight again!"
Then the man walked back into the courtyard from the now-doorless entrance, stood there, and looked at Cai Jingshen inside.
The old man swallowed. "I was talking to the white-robed youth from that day. Nothing to do with you."
After blurting that out, the old man wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it.
The man had an empty wine flask hanging from his waist. He asked a bizarre question, "How much does that jug of wine on your table cost?"
The white-haired, stalwart old man was bewildered. Then, feeling aggrieved, he thought, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." He answered honestly, "I don't know the exact price, but at least thirty or forty taels of silver."
Li Er thought for a moment. "Then I'll suppress my cultivation to the Eighth Realm, and we'll have another round."
Cai Jingshen was furious now. He was just drinking some wine—how had that provoked this man?
But the old man wasn't one to be pushed around without fighting back. Among the great cultivators of Great Sui, he was known for his hot temper and outstanding combat prowess. He stood up, furious. "Let's fight! What's there to be afraid of, damn it!"
A few moments later, Li Er left the courtyard and returned to the academy.
The old man lay in the yard. While not severely injured, he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.
Staring at the sky, for the first time in his life, he felt so humiliated and bitter. This was no way to live.
My surname is Cai, not "side dish"!
Once he recovered, he would go to the Imperial Palace, request an audience with the emperor, and get the hell away from this cursed East Mountain. Far from the Cliff Academy. He wasn't staying in the Great Sui capital, either.
---
Li Er had said he'd just wander around the academy by himself, so Li Huai went back first. He found Li Baoping and Lin Shouyi already there. The two had just arrived. Li Baoping was chatting with Li Huai's mother. "Auntie, how long are you staying at the academy? Do you want me to take you around the capital? I've carefully studied the geomancy maps of the Great Sui capital. The book towers are hard to find—I flipped through them for ages. I know the routes to wherever you want to go."
The first thing Li Baoping had done upon arriving at the academy was to thoroughly understand its complicated rules and what punishments were given for breaking them. The second thing was to look up the layout of the Great Sui capital, thinking that when her little master Chen Ping'an came to the academy to find her, she could take him sightseeing.
The woman smiled and praised, "Little Baoping is so smart. Our Huai zi is lucky to have you—he doesn't get bullied much."
Li Huai nearly popped his eyes out. On this journey, it was Li Baoping who bullied him the most. Not to mention that with A Liang he had been calling the shots and acting like brothers, even with Chen Ping'an he hadn't suffered any loss.
Besides, the time Li Baoping had thrown his underpants up into a tree back in the hometown school—didn't his mother know? Back then, she had dragged him to Fulu Street, intending to argue with Li Baoping's elders, but when she saw those big stone lions, she didn't dare knock on the Li family's door.
Li Baoping and his mother chatted about this and that, giving Li Huai a headache. The two might as well have been speaking different languages, yet they seemed to get along. One asked, "Baoping, how many rooms does your big mansion on Fulu Street have?" The other answered, "The academy dormitories have lots of rooms—even more than her house..."
His sister Li Liu was annoyed by her brother's nagging, so she agreed to quickly sew a new pair of cloth shoes. She sat quietly by the bed, stitching the sole thread by thread, occasionally tilting her head to bite off the thread. Then she would smile at her mother and brother. If her eyes met Lin Shouyi's, she would nod and smile, and the boy's face would redden, feeling an indescribable shyness.
This was the second time since leaving town that the boy had felt so glad he had chosen to leave the town and travel with Chen Ping'an and Li Baoping—the first time being after drinking A Liang's gourd wine.
When Li Er returned to the lodging, Li Baoping was just leaving. Seeing the man, the girl who had been dashing like the wind abruptly stopped and greeted him with a smile, "Uncle Li!"
The tongue-tied Li Er responded with a series of "eh, eh, eh," feeling very happy. In the old days at the town, he hadn't visited the school often. Back then, Li Huai would complain that his father was embarrassing, so Li Er stopped going. But this little girl in the red dress was the only student who called him Uncle Li.
The little girl sighed, a bit discouraged. Her thoughts were always wild. She apologized seemingly out of nowhere, "Uncle Li, I'm sorry."
Li Er was simple but not stupid. He immediately understood what the red-coated girl meant—she thought she hadn't taken good care of Li Huai. The man quickly shook his head. "Don't say that."
Li Baoping said seriously, "Uncle Li, Li Huai actually studies harder than me now. Master said that diligence can make up for lack of talent, and a great talent matures late. So don't be disappointed in Li Huai. Reading is a lifelong thing—don't rush!"
Having said that, the little girl raised her fist and emphasized, "Don't rush."
Li Er was extremely happy. What a likable little girl. He nodded. "I'm not rushing Li Huai's studies."
But in his heart, he thought, "There's one thing I can do now. As for how far my son will go in the end, that's up to him."
Li Baoping grinned and dashed away.
Like a cheerful goldfinch.
Li Er stood and watched her retreating figure until it disappeared from sight. Then he smiled and turned to walk on.
When he reached the door, he happened to run into Lin Shouyi, who was leaving the house. The boy called out, "Uncle Li," and took his leave.
When it came to others, even Li Liu's father, Lin Shouyi didn't know how to be enthusiastic.
Li Er entered the house. His wife was advising her son: "That little girl is pretty good, but she's too careless. She doesn't seem like the type to take care of others. I think the one named Shi Chunjia is better. Although her family isn't as rich and noble as Li Baoping's, they own a big shop. It's a better match for our family. If Li Huai marries Shi Chunjia, he won't be looked down upon. That girl Shi Chunjia has a lucky face. Her two little braids..."
Li Er chuckled. "I still prefer Miss Li a bit more."
Li Huai said helplessly, "Dad, Mom, have you ever thought about whether she likes me?"
His mother snorted. "How could she not? Those two little girls aren't stupid!"
Li Huai slapped his forehead. "Dear mother, please never say that outside. Otherwise, Li Baoping will beat me to death. Shi Chunjia wouldn't dare hit me, but she's a sly one—she'll hold a grudge forever. She's the most vindictive. Just because I pulled her braid once, she complained to Master Qi ten times. Each time she made it sound so real—'Li Huai didn't finish his homework today, Master hit his palm, and when I laughed at him, he pulled my braid.' 'Li Huai was late today, I kindly admonished him, and he pulled my braid.' 'Li Huai couldn't beat Li Baoping, so he came and pulled my braid.' My god, if Shi Chunjia became my wife, I'd cry myself to death."
His mother teased, "Then what kind of wife do you want?"
Li Huai thought for a moment. "Getting married is too troublesome. I'll pass. When I'm older, if I meet a girl I like, we'll see."
His mother said with a smile, "Then when your mother is bullied by your future wife, whose side will you take?"
Li Huai grinned. "I'll take my wife's side, of course. You have Dad to help you, don't you? Isn't that enough?"
His mother feigned anger. "You ungrateful brat!"
She stood up and reached out to twist his ear, but Li Huai ran around the room.
His mother glanced at the man. "Where did you go?"
Li Er said quietly, "I had to pee. I was looking for the latrine."
His wife's sharp eyes immediately spotted the flask at his waist. She leaned in and sniffed. Enraged, she said, "Does it take that long to pee? Did you fall into the pit? And instead of piss, there's wine in it?"
Li Er was dumbfounded. He turned to his son, begging for rescue.
Li Huai threw fuel on the fire. "Dad probably ran into some flashy little vixen."
"Look at you, guilty as a thief," his wife said, glaring at the nervous man. Rarely, she didn't press further. She sat down beside her daughter, stroking Li Liu's hair, and sighed. "You're all grown up. Your father and I are old."
Li Liu set down the shoe sole and gently held her mother's hand.
Li Huai flattered, "Mom, you old? You look exactly the same as when I was born! If you went out with Li Liu, people might mistake you for sisters."
His mother laughed heartily. "Get out of here. Save those words for your future wife."
Li Liu suddenly said, "Mom, I want to buy a box of rouge."
Although his mother grumbled, calling her daughter a spendthrift, she still got up and took her out.
Only father and son remained in the room. Li Er asked with a smile, "Son, want to have a drink with your dad?"
Li Huai's eyes widened. "Can I drink?"
After half a bowl of wine, Li Huai quickly became dizzy and fell asleep on the table.
Li Er reached out and grasped Li Huai's wrist. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and murmured, "Divine Lord, cleave the mountain and create a cave heaven!"
---
As the woman led Li Liu down the mountain, they passed a white-robed youth under the archway at the foot.
The girl turned back and met the young man's gaze.
This girl, who had always given the impression of a gentle, willow-like fragility, quickly suppressed her smile. To the Grand Preceptor of Great Li, whom she had long heard about from her master back in the town, she made a secret, terrifying warning gesture.
She drew her slender hand across her throat.
Cui Dongshan, who had deliberately come to see her, clicked his tongue in wonder and muttered, "Oddballs appear every year, but this year there are especially many."