Li Zhijie knew about the three-year agreement between Bai Qingyan and Yun Poxing.

“Then let us hope that after three years… the Jin Emperor will allow Your Grace to lead troops, willing to sacrifice soldiers and generals to fight Xiliang again, merely to avenge your Bai family’s private grievance. I won’t delay Your Grace’s journey further. Farewell.” Li Zhijie nodded slightly to Bai Qingyan, then turned away, his expression immediately darkening.

Chun Tao lowered the carriage curtain, inwardly criticizing how this Xiliang Flame King seemed to enjoy stirring up trouble, when she heard Li Tianfu’s voice from the nearby carriage.

“Bai Qingyan… if I don’t die on my return to Xiliang, someday I will make you pay this blood debt in blood.”

Riding on horseback between the two carriages and the Xiliang guards, Bai Jinzhi heard every word.

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Li Tianfu’s carriage. Hearing eldest sister say “let’s go” without any concern, she spurred her horse and departed first.

Outside Old Master Guan Yongchong’s secluded dwelling in the An Yushan forest, Bai Qingyan waited quietly.

After the young attendant went in to report to Old Master Guan Yongchong, he hurried out to invite Bai Qingyan: “My old master requests Your Grace to enter.”

“Thank you!” Bai Qingyan nodded to the young attendant and brought only Bai Jinzhi inside. They passed through the bamboo forest path toward the small pavilion built over the water.

Old Master Guan Yongchong and Old Master Cui Shiyan sat side by side, with a white-robed young attendant kneeling nearby, fanning the charcoal fire to brew tea.

Though this wasn’t Bai Jinzhi’s first time meeting the two great scholars, she felt somewhat constrained due to her inner reverence.

Seeing Bai Qingyan kneel and bow, Bai Jinzhi quickly followed with three prostrations.

Old Master Guan Yongchong looked at Bai Qingyan with a smile and nodded: “Good child! Please rise!”

Bai Qingyan stood and bowed deeply again: “Qingyan brings Fourth Sister to visit Teacher.”

“Please sit…” Old Master Guan Yongchong looked at his only female disciple, his heart filled with joy.

Bai Qingyan complied, sitting formally with Bai Jinzhi facing Old Masters Guan Yongchong and Cui Shiyan.

“Tomorrow is Teacher’s birthday. As I am in mourning, it’s inconvenient to attend the feast tomorrow, so I’ve come early today to visit Teacher. I wish teachers were like Wei Wu, still strong and healthy at a hundred years.” (Note 1: Wei Wu refers to Duke Ling of Wei, known for his longevity and vigor)

Old Master Guan Yongchong’s kindly features smiled as he nodded, gazing at the woman in white robes sitting across from him, her eyes resilient and steady. He seemed to faintly see his old friend’s character in her, and his heart was moved, his eyes growing moist.

“That day, your grandfather brought you to my bamboo grove dwelling, asking me to teach you literature. I knew then… your grandfather’s expectations for you were profound.” Old Master Guan Yongchong’s tone was slow and measured, like earnest instruction. “Your grandfather died protecting the people of Great Jin. The Bai family’s noble aspirations should be inherited by you. With your abilities… support wise and sagely rulers, strengthen the nation and expand territory, unify… and save the common people of the world.”

Bai Qingyan’s lips trembled as she bowed toward her teacher: “This student has one question I don’t understand. Please teach me, Teacher.”

“Both Cui and I are here today – please speak freely,” Old Master Guan Yongchong said.

“That day, this student dreamed of Grandfather. Grandfather asked this student: Why do people live? This student didn’t understand – why do people live? I’ve been puzzled for a long time, so I ask the Teacher to resolve my confusion.”

For the first time, Old Master Guan Yongchong saw a clouded, misty look in the eyes of his most accomplished disciple.

Why do people live?

Old Master Guan Yongchong looked toward Cui Shiyan, seeing Cui Shiyan’s piercing gaze fixed deeply on the slightly bewildered Bai Qingyan.

“Human existence begins with desire – the desire for warmth and sustenance… for bodily survival, carnal desire… for reproducing offspring. Then comes the pursuit of power, influence, wealth, or beauty! These are what ordinary people seek in their lifetime,” Old Master Cui Shiyan spoke with ringing authority.

“But the children of great families, living one lifetime, should transcend common desires. They live… for the inheritance of character and virtue, for the unwavering family spirit, for dignity, for faith, for aspirations, for promises, for kinfolk they cannot fail even unto death. To great families, these things are all more precious than life itself. The great families that can stand for centuries without falling are those where generation after generation shares the same heart, willing to die generously for these things.”

Having come from a great family himself, Old Master Cui Shiyan understood better than Old Master Guan Yongchong what great families did to continue their inheritance.

Bai Qingyan’s hands, resting on her knees, tightened slightly as she lowered her eyes to hide her reddened eyes.

For promises…

So even in dreams, because of his promise, Grandfather wanted her to protect the Great Jin realm.

The Emperor was unrighteous, but Grandfather valued his word and could not be disloyal.

For kinfolk, they cannot fail even unto death…

So Grandfather never had the heart to abandon the Shouyang Bai clan.

She closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing the surge of bitter emotion in her heart.

But she was not Grandfather.

She had never made promises to the imperial family. Her only kinfolk were the Capital Bai family.

Old Master Cui’s words were meant to enlighten her.

Old Master Cui must already know about the Shouyang Bai clan causing trouble in the capital.

Old Master Cui was a great scholar. To him… There was no discrimination in teaching. He believed she shouldn’t abandon the kinfolk of the Shouyang clan, but should guide and enlighten them onto the right path.

But she didn’t have so much time and energy to waste on wolf-hearted, dog-lunged people. Living in this dusty world, her tolerance was far from as broad as Old Master Cui’s.

Bai Qingyan solemnly bowed to the two great scholars: “Your words have opened this student’s eyes completely.”

“Enough, enough! Please rise!”

Old Master Cui Shiyan was always serious, but Old Master Guan Yongchong pitied his disciple and didn’t want to continue this heavy topic. He changed the subject: “Have you set the date for returning to Shouyang?”

The young attendant served tea. Bai Qingyan nodded her thanks and answered respectfully: “The first day of next month. If I can return to the capital someday, I will certainly come to visit Teacher.”

“You will!” Old Master Cui Shiyan’s expression was serious.

Bai Qingyan nodded to Old Master Cui.

Coming out of Old Master Guan’s bamboo grove dwelling, Bai Jinzhi glanced at the young attendant who had seen them to the door before turning back, her mood becoming much heavier. As she walked down the steps with Bai Qingyan, she asked: “Eldest sister, did Old Master Cui specifically mention kinfolk because he knows about the Shouyang clan matter?”

She nodded: “Let’s go…”

“Old Master Cui doesn’t even know what those clan people have done – speaking without understanding the difficulty…” Bai Jinzhi muttered quietly. “How can he compare to Old Master Guan?”

She turned back to look at Bai Jinzhi, whose mouth was pouted high, and said softly: “Old Master Cui is a great scholar. His tolerance differs from that us ordinary people. Old Master Cui has his Confucian character and faith – repaying evil with virtue, being a good teacher, teaching without discrimination. This is the bearing of a great scholar.”

Bai Jinzhi knew she had spoken inappropriately and awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, cupping her hands to Bai Qingyan: “Little Four spoke out of turn.”

She reached out to pat Bai Jinzhi’s head: “All who are called great scholars certainly have vast and profound learning. But to be worthy of being called a great scholar of the current age requires not only high virtue, respected status, and broad knowledge, but also the character to cultivate others with virtue. That Old Master Cui has become a literary giant revered by scholars throughout the world, a model of Confucian learning, surely has the reasons that established his current reputation.”