Since ancient times, Chinese people have emphasized that if one’s name is not proper, one’s words will not be smooth. Master Yang felt that scholarly culture was flourishing greatly in Shu, so naturally he had to bring a group of people to a relatively large city to show off—euphemistically called “traveling to study.”
Incidentally, he wanted to let the world see that Shu truly deserved to be called a land of natural treasures and abundant resources, and that the talented people it produced were individually first-rate.
Indeed, even if you were selling cucumbers, you had to let everyone know your cucumbers were the best tasting—only then would people buy them. If you just piled a cartload there listlessly without hawking your wares, who would know you were selling melons? Those who didn’t know would think you were drying melon strips.
Master Yang’s sales performance was poor. In Chang’an city he was jointly suppressed by numerous super powerful aristocratic families. You’d just say one of your disciples was an unparalleled talent of statecraft, and immediately some fellow claiming to be a stable hand from the Cui family would jump out to debate scriptures with your disciple. This guy clearly had calluses on his fingers from being worn by writing brushes, yet stubbornly insisted he was a crude person. His citations and quotations were impeccable—as soon as he opened his mouth, he could discuss those several classic texts thoroughly, leaving the Shu disciples speechless.
In Master Yang’s judgment, without raising horses for three hundred years, this guy couldn’t have such knowledge.
How frustrating! In Chang’an city, apart from preserving some face for Master Yang’s ancestors, the remaining disciples either lost to stable hands or were defeated by stewards. Most infuriating was an old fellow who claimed to be the gatekeeper of the Lu family—his face covered in pockmarks, yet blessed with a silver tongue. From “The Master said” to “The Odes say,” he spoke eloquently for more than an hour without any sign of stopping. People kept coming forward to ask for instruction, and the old fellow refused none, opening an impromptu classroom on the spot. This was completely disregarding the talented scholars of Shu!
Old Master Yang gave a bitter smile and threw his head back to gulp down a large mouthful of wine.
Was this how one drank Yun family wine? Half a jin in one gulp? Yun Ye eagerly anticipated the old master’s subsequent reaction.
Master Yushan couldn’t stop him in time, and then heard a series of heart-wrenching coughs coming from the old master’s mouth. Master Yushan hastily patted Old Yang’s back, which finally revived him. Unexpectedly, the first words Old Master said upon recovering were: “Good wine!”
This was completely beyond Yun Ye’s expectations. With just those words, this person was absolutely a veteran of the alcohol battlefield.
“Lu Zi’an has gone too far!” Master Yuanzhang, who hadn’t spoken for a long time, suddenly shouted loudly.
He startled the entire dining hall into silence. The old master usually spoke little and was rigid in his ways, but he was the best teacher. All the disciples at the academy held Master Yuanzhang in extreme respect. His words rarely came, but whenever they did, they absolutely hit the mark.
After a moment’s thought, Li Gang flew into a rage: “That pockmarked old man must be Lu Shou, Lu Zi’an! A generation’s grandmaster actually being so shameless—this old man is ashamed to be associated with such a person!”
“That means those so-called stable hands and stewards were probably either renowned scholars or great Confucians.” Master Lishi still wore his usual indifferent expression.
Yang Shou was stunned for a long while, then suddenly laughed heartily: “Haha! My Shu disciples didn’t lose unfairly! Yanling, to be able to debate the ‘Gan-Shi Star Classic’ with a generation’s master of the Book of Changes for half an hour in public means you need not feel sad or ashamed. This old man is proud of you! What a fine Shandong aristocratic family! What a fine Lu Shou, Lu Zi’an!”
Yanling was an elegant-looking middle-aged man sitting alone, drinking by himself.
Yun Ye’s eyes lit up. An expert in astronomy! Not bringing him back to the academy—wouldn’t that be a waste of heaven’s gifts? Could something Marquis Yun had set his eyes on escape from his grasp?
Li Tai, sitting beside him, quietly nudged Yun Ye. “Brother Ye, have you taken a fancy to this person? Should I help?”
Yun Ye nodded his head like a pecking chicken: “I haven’t just set my eyes on one person—I want them all! If you help me bring them back to the academy, I’ll personally cook barbecue for you. Name your conditions.”
Li Tai nodded with restraint, picked up his wine cup, and walked before Yang Shou. His cup contained only grape wine—Yun Ye wouldn’t let him drink strong liquor.
“This humble prince Li Tai pays respects to Master Yang.”
Seeing Yang Shou’s surprise, Li Gang said with a smile: “Master Yang, this is His Majesty’s fourth son, named Tai. Last year he was enfeoffed as Prince of Yue.”
Yang Shou hastily rose to pay grand respects to the prince. Li Tai played the Confucian set smoothly and skillfully, completely without Yun Ye’s pained expression. His chubby body performed the cupped-hand salute with actually several parts elegance.
His father had always favored this clever fourth son. From childhood he’d engaged learned and erudite Confucians to enlighten him, and he lived up to expectations, having some knowledge of all the hundred schools of thought. When Li’er was pleased, he enfeoffed him as Prince of Yue and granted him the position of Grand Governor of Yangzhou, supervising sixteen provinces including Chang, Hai, Run, Chu, Shu, Lu, Hao, Shou, She, Su, Hang, Xuan, Dong, Mu, Nan, and He. You should know that Li Ke had only been granted eight provinces.
“Master Yang has come from afar. Tai is situated at the academy and was unable to host a welcoming banquet for you, Master. Please do not take offense.”
“Prince of Yue flatters me. Yang Shou traveled thousands of li to come here, yet in Chang’an met with complete defeat. I truly have no face to receive the favor of nobles.”
“I heard from my teacher that your failure this time, Master, was not due to insufficient learning or inadequate cultivation, but because you everywhere matched inferior horses against others’ superior horses—how could you not be defeated? Know shame and then be brave—just try again. Why take it to heart?” Li Tai’s performance completely exceeded Yun Ye’s expectations. This fellow completely had meat that wasn’t in the folds. Usually he only saw his innocent childlike side—when had he seen him face others in the capacity of Prince of Yue? Damn, these words were spoken with both magnanimity and heroic spirit. Thinking back, he himself really didn’t have this ability.
“This old man is already sixty years old. This trip out of Shu should be my last in this life. The roads in Shu are dangerous, and I deeply fear dying on the road with my bones unable to be buried in my ancestral land. I could only come hastily and return hastily. But I pity these talented youths of Shu—with ambitions they cannot extend, with talents they cannot display, I fear they will decay together with grass and trees like this old man.” Old Yang Shou spoke these words mournfully yet tactfully.
Isn’t this just planning to promote Shu’s talented people? Come to me! My academy is precisely worried about having only five teachers and being unable to expand. Not wanting these above-standard talented people would be strange. Yun Ye tried hard not to let himself laugh, putting on an inscrutable expression.
“Master, those words are wrong. How could Shu’s outstanding talents worry about having no place to establish merit and career? Our Great Tang’s Gewu Institute has just been established, precisely at a time when large numbers of talented people are needed. The Institute’s Director, Marquis Yun, is right here. How could there be no recommender?”
He understood Li Tai’s thoughts. Right now he hadn’t yet erupted with an extreme desire for the imperial throne. Li’er’s favoritism toward him hadn’t yet reached the point of replacing the Crown Prince. He didn’t know if in two or three years, when he developed thoughts of competing for succession, looking back at having traded over a dozen Shu elite figures for one barbecue meal, whether he would bang his head against a wall.
Li Gang applauded happily and laughed heartily, saying to Yang Shou: “This old man has the added position of Headmaster of Yushan Academy. At my advanced age, and with the other three old friends also increasingly overburdened, as long as you worthy talents join Yushan Academy and teach for a few years, this old man guarantees you will all have good prospects.”
What a good person! Yun Ye had already forgotten about the four old masters tricking him. These words coming from the old gentleman saved so much trouble. Yun Ye deeply hoped these several old masters could trick him for a few more years. Not having to stand at the forefront of the storm—what a delightful thing!
“Rice is expensive in the capital. For all of you to reside long in the capital still requires Marquis Yun’s assistance.” Master Yushan had long regarded the Shu famous scholars as part of the academy and was already striving early for benefits for his fellow provincials.
Before Yang Shou could speak, Yun Ye rushed to say: “Teaching and educating people, researching scholarship—these are the masters’ affairs. As for recommendations for official positions when the time comes, and other miscellaneous matters, leave them to this Marquis. I definitely won’t disappoint you all. Just a dozen or so people, not to mention each is a worthy talent—when the time comes, people will probably fight tooth and nail to snatch them up. Among my uncles, not one will be polite with this youngster. When that time comes, please save me, Master Li.”
Yun Ye’s words were spoken cleverly, drawing roaring laughter.
The Shu people also each opened their hearts. The Sichuan people’s bold yet delicate character was displayed fully.
In the entire hall, only Yun Ye was singing jubilantly in his heart.
“The horse bone is set!”