Liu Shengying was overjoyed beyond all measure. He had sprinted straight to the main course area to check the posted rankings and carefully read through the list twice — even though he had spotted both names on the very first pass.
Of course, the list wasn’t only their three names. It wouldn’t merit a formal posting just for that. The academy sorted disciples into halls once a month, and the entire academy’s roster was included on the board.
The Siye Academy’s hall assignments were strict: one examination per month, with placements determined by results. Perform well enough this month to enter the First Hall, and fail the next, and your place would be taken by someone else.
What made Liu Shengying so happy was that both he and Li Diudiu had been placed in the First Hall — and among all the junior course examinations, he had ranked second overall, while Li Diudiu placed third.
He was delighted for himself, and delighted for Li Chi on his behalf.
The one in first place was Xu Qinglin — the same person who had always been overshadowed by Tang Pidi in years past.
During the time Tang Pidi had been in the First Hall, Xu Qinglin had eternally placed second. It had made him furious, and he had seethed with indignation. Yet no matter how hard he worked, he always fell just a little short.
After Tang Pidi left the academy, he finally became the top-ranked junior student — but it gave him no satisfaction.
The Xu family of Jizhou was a distinguished clan. When Li Diudiu and Xiahou Zuo had gone to Phoenix Call Mountain that time, they had spotted a carriage bearing the Jingyun crest at the foot of the mountain, and Xiahou Zuo had explained the Xu family’s standing in Jizhou City to Li Diudiu.
The Xu family was among Jizhou’s top-tier clans — at the very least in the top three — and Xu Qinglin was the young man upon whom the entire family had placed all their hopes.
Everyone understood perfectly well that someone who could maintain the top position in the Siye Academy over the long term had nearly certain odds of becoming the Grand Examination’s top scholar in Dachu in the future.
Add to that the resources of the Xu family, and Xu Qinglin’s future prospects were limitless.
And yet he was still not satisfied, because he felt his first-place standing lacked weight. He had never defeated Tang Pidi. There was always that slight deficiency.
When Liu Shengying was checking the board, Xu Qinglin also came over to look. First place was his again, as expected — no emotional response. To him, this was the most natural thing in the world, entirely unworthy of any joy.
Then, out of reflex, he glanced at the names below his own.
Second place: Liu Shengying. Third place: Li Chi.
“Li Chi?”
The name felt vaguely familiar. Xu Qinglin frowned slightly and thought for a moment. He was the kind of young man who seemed utterly flawless in every way — his family’s circumstances were absurdly good, he was handsome, and he carried about him a noble ease that others simply did not possess.
Such a young man was naturally proud. So when he saw the names Li Chi and Liu Shengying on the list, he felt no sense of threat whatsoever.
Especially when he recalled why the name Li Chi seemed familiar — he had heard of this person as a notorious eater, someone who got along well with that lout Xiahou Zuo.
Not even worth a mention.
So Xu Qinglin turned and walked away. He passed right by an excited Liu Shengying without so much as glancing at him — just another passerby as far as he was concerned.
From the moment of his birth, he had started from a far higher point than someone like Liu Shengying, and moreover, he moved faster.
Liu Shengying didn’t even notice the person. He only wanted to hurry and tell Li Chi the news.
Outside the cafeteria, Li Diudiu listened as Liu Shengying finished speaking and felt his own spirits lift — not because he had placed third, but because he could see in Liu Shengying’s eyes a confidence that hadn’t been there before.
“Impressive,” Li Diudiu said, giving Liu Shengying a thumbs-up. “First examination and you placed second. First place is only a matter of time.”
“I can’t take first,” Liu Shengying said as they walked. “First is Xu Qinglin. The gap is too large. You might not have been paying attention, but every single time the rankings are posted, it’s him in first. And the Xu family is one of the most powerful clans in Jizhou City, so…”
Li Diudiu rapped him on the head: “Already giving up?”
Liu Shengying grinned sheepishly: “No, no — I’ll give it a try.”
Li Diudiu gave a satisfied nod: “That’s the attitude. First place isn’t something decreed by the Emperor for a particular person. Anyone with the ability can contest it.”
Liu Shengying, having placed second in the entire academy for the first time, was visibly more confident. He heard Li Diudiu’s words and immediately nodded: “I’ll contest it.”
Xiahou Zuo, as was his habit, walked with his hands clasped behind his head, watching the two small figures ahead of him chat. In this moment, he actually felt that Li Diudiu was a child — talking about the things children ought to talk about.
And not about Wang Heita. Not about Lian Gongming.
But just then he spotted Xu Qinglin walking ahead, and it was apparent that Xu Qinglin had overheard what Li Diudiu had said to Liu Shengying — because he glanced back.
In that glance, Xiahou Zuo saw boundless mockery and boundless contempt.
What an air of superiority that was.
Xiahou Zuo’s mood soured at once. I myself have never put on airs like that. What gives some little piece of trash the right to look at Li Chi and Liu Shengying that way?
He hadn’t even noticed it himself, but he was growing increasingly intolerant of people who looked down on Li Diudiu.
In that very moment, Li Diudiu glanced back at Xiahou Zuo — and Xiahou Zuo, who had been about to let loose a string of curses, immediately shut his mouth.
Because Li Diudiu’s look said plainly: don’t.
Xiahou Zuo shrugged and continued walking along with that same casual, swaggering air.
He served as something like a bodyguard, escorting Li Diudiu to the entrance of the First Hall. Li Diudiu asked if he wanted to come in and attend class. Xiahou Zuo looked at Li Diudiu as though looking at some strange creature — when had he ever attended class?
Just at that moment, they saw Yan Qingzhi approaching, two books tucked under his arm, his expression cool and indifferent.
“Teacher?” Li Diudiu and Liu Shengying said simultaneously, voices tinged with uncertainty.
Yan Qingzhi responded with a dismissive hum through his nose by way of acknowledgment. Xiahou Zuo saw that and couldn’t help laughing. He thought to himself — now that is the definitive face of an academy instructor.
Magnificent.
Yan Qingzhi walked into the main course classroom with an air of having no particular connection to any of them. The classroom was more than twice the size of the one Li Diudiu had previously attended.
The First Hall held sixty disciples, and seating was open — first come, first served — but the central seat in the front row was unclaimed by anyone. That was Xu Qinglin’s place.
The moment Yan Qingzhi entered, everyone already in the room rose to their feet. They bowed respectfully and called out “Teacher,” eyes full of confusion, but decorum had to be maintained.
Yan Qingzhi gave a casual nod. He sat down and said: “Teacher Li has been reassigned to another hall due to other matters. Starting today, I am the instructor for the First Hall. Some of you know me; some of you don’t. My name is Yan Qingzhi.”
After saying this, he looked at Xu Qinglin — with the kind of gratified look a teacher gives a favored student. Xu Qinglin straightened involuntarily in his seat, a faint pleasure crossing his face.
“Take your seats. This time it doesn’t matter. I don’t know what rules Teacher Li had, but I have my own. After the next monthly examination, seats will be arranged according to rankings.”
Yan Qingzhi said his piece and opened his book: “Now, quiet. Anyone who makes noise may show themselves out.”
Outside the door, Xiahou Zuo watched Yan Qingzhi and thought: what are you being so impressive about? No matter how impressive you are, you’re still the person whose bed I took over, and I even drooled on your leg… He stopped himself there, deciding this train of thought was somewhat indecent.
But he was pleased. Because with Yan Qingzhi as the First Hall instructor, Li Diudiu would be taken care of.
Heh.
He walked away well-satisfied.
—
At the Dean’s residence, Gao Xining looked at her grandfather, who had just woken from a hangover, and found the whole thing rather incredible. How could someone like her grandfather have drunk so much? And last night he had even been slightly undignified enough to sing drunkenly.
She felt some reproach toward Yan Qingzhi. Look what one night of drinking had done — it had nearly caused her grandfather to expose his true colors.
She brewed a hangover tea for the Dean and set it within his reach.
“Grandfather, are you alright?”
The Dean sat in his chair feeling as though his head might split open. He recalled that last night Yan Qingzhi had come with wine — at first he had refused, but somehow they had started drinking.
And then, somehow, things had escalated.
“Last night… did I do anything foolish?”
The Dean asked gingerly. He was, after all, asking in front of his granddaughter — he had been rather undignified, and he didn’t know the full extent.
“No, no. Grandfather not only didn’t do anything foolish — he made a remarkably wise decision.”
“Oh?”
Something in Gao Xining’s words snagged at the Dean’s attention. He immediately asked, “What decision?”
“You asked Teacher Yan to go to the First Hall as the primary instructor, and moved Teacher Li elsewhere.”
The Dean’s eyes flew open. He nearly bellowed: “Yan Qingzhi, that scoundrel!”
Gao Xining thought to herself: Grandfather, you were the one draping your arm around Teacher Yan’s shoulders and telling him it was no problem at all — you didn’t seem to think he was a scoundrel then.
She was, of course, on Teacher Yan’s side. With Teacher Yan now instructing the First Hall, wouldn’t that troublesome little fellow have an easier time of it?
In truth, Yan Qingzhi had originally been the First Hall’s instructor. Before Tang Pidi’s enrollment, he had held that post — until a dispute with the Dean led to the Dean, in a rage, reassigning him to serve as caretaker of the Academy’s book collection.
Later, when those four students including Li Diudiu enrolled and there were genuinely no other free instructors available, the Dean had recalled Yan Qingzhi.
This was also why Yan Qingzhi was on good terms with the instructors in the Book Forest Hall — and why Li Diudiu had later been able to go there and read freely. It had stemmed from all of this.
“Is there anything else…”
The Dean asked again.
“Nothing at all,” Gao Xining answered immediately.
The Dean read the look in his granddaughter’s eyes and knew something was off. He pressed further: “Don’t deceive me. What else did that scoundrel Yan Qingzhi get me to agree to?”
“Nothing, really.” Gao Xining said sincerely. “Teacher Yan truly only asked that one thing of Grandfather. Once Grandfather agreed, he said nothing more.”
The Dean let out a long breath. “Well, that’s something. Yan Qingzhi’s temperament may be difficult, but his learning is sound. Instructing the First Hall won’t hinder those disciples. Though… I still have no idea how to explain things to Teacher Li.”
The mere thought gave him a headache.
“It’s fine,” Gao Xining said. “Last night, Grandfather said he would double Teacher Li’s monthly stipend. Teacher Li came by, and he was quite happy. You also told him you wanted him to take charge of overseeing the curriculum — he was even happier.”
The corner of the Dean’s mouth twitched.
“Teacher Li was also here drinking last night, Grandfather. Have you forgotten?”
The Dean strained to remember. Some faint impression lingered, but it was hazy.
“Did I say anything else?”
“You told him Teacher Yan was like you — similar to you the way a son might be.”
The Dean lowered his head and felt his heart ache.
—