Chapter 37 (1/2)

On Learning

Jingzhao City was bustling with activity as the day began. Stalls were set up along the busy streets and Xu Qian found warm food in one that was two streets away from the Changle County Courts.

The vendor was a dark-skinned, thin, middle-aged man. He wore a black apron and smiled courteously at every customer.

His cooking satisfied Xu Qian. The only gripe Xu Qian had was the locals’ preference for sugar. Sweetened soybean was one thing, but even their soft bean curd was cooked with sugar.

Nevertheless, Xu Qian was an understanding man. After all, he was in a foreign land. He got the man to hold the sugar and added soy sauce, lard, onion flakes, and minced garlic to his bowl.

He also bought four breadsticks, six meat buns, two steamed buns, a bowl of porridge, and three side dishes.

When he was done, he asked for the bill.

“Sir, it is my honor to have you visit my stall. I won’t take your payment.” The vendor had noted the official uniform Xu Qian was wearing.

He glanced at the number of empty dishes on Xu Qian’s table and felt his heart ache.

“Are you sure?”

The vendor gulped—the food Xu Qian ate was at least a four-person portion. He operated a small business in the city and did not want trouble. Hence, he insisted on covering the official’s food bill.

‘I won’t take his money. I won’t…’

“It’s fine. Keep your money. It’s on the house.” The vendor had obviously gone through a similar experience in the past.

“Okay. Let me sit here and digest for a moment. Don’t bother me.” Xu Qian waved away the vendor.

The vendor scurried away obediently.

‘The Dafeng Dynasty lasted centuries. If corruption isn’t weeded out from the government, the people’s lives will never improve.’ Xu Qian watched the vendor busy himself with the stall’s operation and thought of the pitiful look in his eyes.

‘Even since the ancient times, the common folk’s hardships are never taken into account by the people at the top.’

Xu Qian took out ten copper coins and placed them on the table before leaving.

Once he was gone, the vendor came to clear the dishes.

‘What an unlucky day!’

However, the vendor was shocked to find a stack of copper coins at the table. Not only did the constable pay for the food, he even gave extra.

The vendor rushed into the streets but the man in uniform had disappeared into the crowd.

He gasped in confusion as his throat went dry.

In all these years, he had never encountered a low-level official who paid for his meals.

…

When the morning roll call was complete, Xu Qian went to Magistrate Zhu to ask for a leave of absence. The county magistrate readily agreed.

Xu Qian returned to the Xu manor and entered Xu Xinnian’s chamber. The two brothers nodded knowingly at each other. Xu Xinnian had prepared an ivory Confucian robe with gray cloud prints.

Xu Qian noticed the green robe Xu Xinnian was wearing and asked, “Yours looks much better. Let’s switch.”

Xu Xinnian chuckled coldly. ‘You wish.’

The scholar’s robe looked odd on the martial artist. His muscles made parts of the robe bulge awkwardly.

A scholar was meant to look graceful with billowing sleeves.

The two brothers left the Xu manor and spent three silver taels on two horses. Together, they rode out of Jingzhao City.

Their destination took them 60 miles out of the city, up Mount Qingyun where the famous White Deer Academy was located.

The mountain had another name but it was long since forgotten. Ever since the White Deer Academy was built, a chorus of cultures and worldly ideas filled the area.

Thus, the mountain was named Mount

Qingyun

.

They rode their horses hard and two hours later, the mountain appeared beyond the horizon. Xu Qian squinted and saw the distant silhouette of the academy building.

“Cijiu, I’m curious.” Xu Qian had to raise his voice to be heard.

He slowed his horse and waited for his cousin to do the same. Their horses went from a gallop to a canter.

“Do you think The Great Sage achieved first rank?”

The disciplines and paths of this world fascinated him but he could never get a hold of a complete guide.

Xu Xinnian lifted his chin and said, “You think I can answer that?”

‘Just say you can’t then. Quit it with the snobbish looks.’ Xu Qian rolled his eyes and asked, “Do you know how long he lived?”

He nodded. “Eighty-two good years.”