Chapter 29 (1/2)
Cijiu, Brother Has Been Good To You
Xu Qian glanced at Xu Xinnian who was stone-faced.
“The elders’ offers flatter and surprise but I am a martial artist. I studied little when I was young,” Xu Qian said gingerly, wary of the unknown.
“It doesn’t matter. Learning is a life-long endeavor, it’s never too late to start,” Li Mubai said as he stroked his beard.
Xu Qian was truly baffled by the elders’ recruitment.
He had to figure out what was happening. A glance at his cousin gave him an idea. “That is true. Perhaps I do have some scholarly talent to get your attention. Maybe I’ll even surpass Cijiu.”
At that, Xu Xinnian let out an arrogant huff. “My mentor and Elder Mubai have their eyes on your poetry skills, like Yang Gong’s Farewell To Qingzhou At The Sheep’s Pavilion.”
The outburst took Xu Xinnian by surprise and he averted his gaze in embarrassment.
‘Yang Gong’s Farewell To Qingzhou At The Sheep’s Pavilion? Yang Gong? Ah, I think I understand.’ The information divulged by Xu Xinnian was exactly what Xu Qian needed to complete the puzzle.
He knew what the two established Confucian scholars wanted from him.
A poem was useful to spread one’s name and leave one’s legacy. For example, Wang Lun—a good friend of the great poet, Li Bai—had his name immortalized in Li Bai’s poem which was passed down the centuries.
Evidently, kissing *ss was a useful skill to have.
The ancient people had it down to an art—the man went down in history.
In the modern day, people kissed their dogs and girlfriends, and what did they get in return?
The ancient people knew their priorities.
The White Deer Academy was losing ground in the courts. Reduced court appointments meant there was a low chance the scholars would be written into the history books. Hence, Xu Qian’s poetry was more vital than ever.
‘These elders…’ Xu Qian pursed his lips. He was not happy to learn that the elders only wanted him for the poems and not his stellar character.
The eager smiles on their faces did not falter.
Xu Qian said after a moment’s thought, “Thank you for the offer. I am committed to learning and it would be impolite for me to refuse. Recently, inspiration visited me and I wrote a few good poems. I’ll drop by the White Deer Academy to visit both of you once I’ve settled the matter at hand.”
‘Both of you…’ Xu Qian was definitely a more tactful person than Xu Xinnian. Li Mubai breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
Zhang Zhen had the advantage of having Xu Xinnian as his student. Li Mubai was worried he would not stand a chance in recruiting Xu Qian.
Xu Qian’s response was beautifully phrased.
“If that is so, we shall retire to the White Deer Academy and wait for your visit,” Zhang Zhen said. Then, he turned to Xu Xinnian.
“Cijiu, you should do some mental cultivation. You have spent a year in enlightenment and it’s about time for your breakthrough. Copy the sage’s quotes three hundred times and hand them to me ten days later.”
Xu Xinnian was crestfallen.
“A step, a mile,” Zhang Zhen intoned. He turned around and disappeared.
Li Mubai showed off his skill. He drew a circle around himself with his toes and shot Xu Qian a smile. “Within the circle is the entrance of the gates.”
Li Mubai vanished when the sentence ended.
Xu Qian was amazed.
“Cijiu, what ranks are the two elders at?”
Xu Xinnian was still trapped in his despair so Xu Pingzhi answered instead, “I believe Little Nian said it’s the fifth-ranked Confucianism, virtue.”
Xu Pingzhi happily shared the scene he witnessed outside the city gates with his nephew.
‘As long as I believe the things I said, the world will bend to my will?’ Xu Qian was shocked.
Finally, Xu Xinnian escaped his gloomy thoughts and glowered at Xu Qian who had set him up. “The virtue state allows one to dictate rules that govern others through verbal expressions. The core skill is to influence the world with one’s words, hence the skill is also known as literary chaos. Of course, not any fifth-ranked Confucian can achieve the results shown by the two elders.”
The two martial artists listened attentively. Xu Pingzhi lamented, “Every discipline has mystical powers. Only martial arts rely on brute strength and courage.”
‘Which is why it’s a crude discipline.’ The Confucian scholar kept his judgment to himself, knowing the two older men could easily beat him up.
Xu Xinnian felt the burning gaze of his cousin.
“Brother…” Xu Qian said.
“What?”
“I’ve always been good to you.”
“Before you say that, you should look into your heart.”
“I have but one wish.”
“Go on.”
“In the future, when you achieve the virtue rank, promise me this.”
“What is it?”