Yun Ye was utterly amazed by Li Er’s domineering aura. After having his hypocritical facade exposed, Li Er simply tore the veil away completely. The thick horse lance pointed directly at Chu Suiliang’s eyes, threatening that one more word would result in the spear piercing through his brain.
“After Your Majesty’s great victory in the eastern campaign, your arrogant and extravagant spirit has grown even stronger. If you wish to win the hearts of all under heaven, how can a single horse lance accomplish this? The First Emperor of Qin was tyrannical, Emperor Wu of Han was willfully arrogant—must we now add that the Tang Emperor is cruel and vicious? Although the Shandong aristocratic clans are skilled at using literature to undermine the law, they have restrained themselves considerably in recent years. With just a few more years of guidance, they will surely become the backbone pillars of our Great Tang. These families of scholarly tradition devoted to farming and reading—how can they be coerced by military force? Our Great Tang should have entered an era of magnificent civil governance and splendid culture.”
“The excellent verse that Marquis Yun composed on the ship—this humble minister most appreciates the final line: ‘The mortal world has changed hands.’ Indeed, it should be changed. Great Tang’s military might is now at its absolute peak. From the northern deserts to the wastelands, from frozen lands to azure waters, Great Tang’s soldiers are invincible wherever they go. How can the small Shandong aristocratic clans possibly resist our Great Tang’s overwhelming torrent?”
“The literary thought of Yushan Academy advances three times daily. When examining the writings of the ancients, we see nothing but holes and flaws everywhere. The ‘Book of Documents’ is a forgery. Elder Cui, what your Cui family takes most pride in is your understanding of the ‘Book of Documents.’ For over a hundred years, your family’s annotations have been endless, yet you don’t realize you’ve become a great laughingstock. If you continue to work behind closed doors, you’ll only be swept into the pile of old papers by Great Tang’s scholars.”
“Your Majesty, you still underestimate Great Tang’s profound foundation. In these years, we have not only achieved military accomplishments but also civil governance. The magnificent culture of our prosperous age has already arrived. Those who can keep pace with our steps will inevitably flourish; those who cannot keep up with our advancing strides will inevitably decline. This is an unchanging principle throughout the ages.”
“Your Majesty still worries about the Shandong aristocratic clans—isn’t this laughable? Since the mortal world has already changed hands, it’s our turn to be in charge now. Your Majesty, please open your vast ocean-like magnanimous heart and see whether the Shandong aristocratic clans can stir up any waves in Great Tang’s boundlessly deep pool that is as vast as a sea of mist.”
After hearing these words, Li Er withdrew the horse lance from his hand and tossed it to Duan Hong. Raising his wine cup with great laughter, he said: “What excellent rhetoric! What a fine ‘the mortal world has changed hands’! We shall do as you suggest—temporarily restrain our thunderous might and properly observe this magnificent civil governance and splendid culture. All my ministers, drink to victory!”
Yun Ye, who had been waiting for Li Er to kill someone, was dumbstruck. This was what they called the bearing of renowned ministers? On the surface helping the aristocratic clans speak, but in reality whipping the three surname noble families until they were black and blue. Could this be the so-called political technique of “grasping with both hands, both hands must be firm”?
His eyes were truly opened. Li Er himself pressed them with威authority, while Chu Suiliang followed behind to crush them with势势momentum. Old Cui’s mouth trembled like a withered leaf in the wind. Staggering and stumbling, he walked before Yun Ye and said: “Marquis Yun, you have always served at Yushan Academy. Tell me, is the ancient ‘Book of Documents’ truly a forgery? Who created this forgery, and where is the falsification?”
Out of respect for the elderly, Yun Ye left his seat to support Old Cui, inviting him to sit at the banquet table where people were gorging and drinking, making endless noise. Only then did he speak: “Elder Cui, Bu Qi has only achieved some modest accomplishments in the field of mathematics. When it comes to classics like the ‘Book of Documents,’ this junior’s knowledge is truly limited. At Yushan Academy, there is Mr. Li Gang, Mr. Yushan, and especially Mr. Yuanzhang—all are masters in this field. Even Vice Minister Xu is more proficient than this junior. In the path of scholarship, one can never fake it. Not knowing is not knowing—I dare not show off before Elder Cui.”
“However, two years ago I heard that Mr. Jinzhu discovered an ownerless ancient tomb from the Spring and Autumn period. In the ancient tomb he found many bamboo slips, which are said to be the original ancient ‘Book of Documents.’ Now that the Academy has announced that the currently circulating version is a forgery, they must have solid evidence. Otherwise, given Mr. Li Gang’s rigorous scholarly approach, he would never sensationalize like this. Even if His Majesty needed the Academy to tell lies to cooperate, that old gentleman would probably not agree.”
The old man nodded and said: “Li Gang and Yuanzhang are both scholars by training—they would never do such contemptible and sordid things as scheming for petty gains. It seems this old man must make a trip to Yushan. Only by seeing the original can this old man be reconciled.”
Xu Jingzong, sitting to the side, also said to the old man: “Elder Cui, when Yushan Academy was conducting this research, this junior was still the superintendent. Although Mr. Li Gang and Mr. Yuanzhang did not allow this junior to participate—saying that once you become an official, you’re no longer a scholar, and they worried this junior would inject his own interpretations into the research.”
“However, as superintendent, this junior still knows some of the situation. Mr. Jinzhu discovered fragmentary chapters of the ‘Book of Documents’ in the ancient tomb. A total of six types and eight documents were compiled, specifically: three chapters of ‘The Mandate of Fu Yue,’ ‘The Lute Dance of the Duke of Zhou,’ ‘Rui Liangfu’s Admonitions,’ ‘Good Ministers,’ ‘祝祝祝祝Blessings,’ and ‘The Red Swan That Gathered at Tang’s House.'”
“Among the fragments already compiled, the three chapters of ‘The Mandate of Fu Yue’ are completely different from the existing ‘Mandate.’ Mr. Yuanzhang speculates that based on the wording, phrasing, and writing style, the existing ‘Mandate’ should be a forgery from the Eastern Jin period.”
“As you know, our written language has a gradual process of enrichment and elimination. Some vocabulary in the ‘Mandate’ never appeared in ancient times, which is why the Academy declared that the existing ‘Book of Documents’ is a forgery by Jin dynasty scholars.”
“Once ‘The Lute Dance of the Duke of Zhou,’ ‘Rui Liangfu’s Admonitions,’ ‘Good Ministers,’ ‘Blessings,’ and ‘The Red Swan That Gathered at Tang’s House’ are completely finished, the truth about whether the current ‘Book of Documents’ is a forgery will be revealed.”
Old Cui’s face turned pale as he cupped his hands toward Xu Jingzong and said: “I must trouble you two to write a letter to Mr. Li Gang, saying that this old decrepit one will visit Yushan in the near future to pay respects and see the true face of the solitary copy of the ‘Book of Documents.'”
Yun Ye and Xu Jingzong nodded in agreement. After the banquet ended, they would immediately write the letter to inform Mr. Li Gang, and would have people at Yushan make proper reception arrangements, absolutely showing no evasion or concealment toward the old gentleman.
Old Cui left, Old Wang also left. Only the head of the Xie family remained, constantly surrounding Li Er with songs of praise and merit. The old fellow was quite capable at composing poetry—in a short time, three excellent poems praising the Emperor’s eastern campaign were freshly produced, flowery and ornate, extraordinarily magnificent and wealthy. Anyone who could become a literary master never lacked such ink in their belly.
“Do you look down on this kind of person?” Xu Jingzong saw Yun Ye constantly watching the Xie family head and asked thoughtfully.
“No, I never dare to look down on this kind of person. A literary master who flatters and curries favor for the sake of his family—in my view, he is far more admirable than those who stubbornly insist they’re correct with their necks stiffened. Old Xie’s heart must be extremely bitter and sour right now, yet he can still write such magnificent articles. To say he has no talent or learning would make even heaven find it unbearable.”
“Old Xu, for a man to play the fool on Vermillion Bird Avenue for his whole family is not shameful at all. As long as he can go home and feed his parents, wife, and children, he’s a successful man.”
“So you don’t need to always feel that you don’t fit in with the teachers at the Academy. That’s because given their current position, they have the right to be proud. Pull them into the court, and I guarantee that before long they’ll either be demoted or beheaded. They’re all people who talk without considering the consequences. Mr. Li Gang once told me that having you, Xu Jingzong, at the Academy is the Academy’s blessing. So you don’t need to worry—even if you’re reduced to dog shit in the court, when you return to the Academy you can still put on your blue scholar’s robe and teach. That place is your home. No matter how miserably a son fares, where is there a mother who won’t let him through the door?”
These words made Xu Jingzong’s eyes redden. Covering his face, he drained the wine in his cup, then said with a laugh: “Your metaphor is very crude and also inaccurate. Do you think there are no mothers who refuse to let their sons come home? Too absolute! When I was down and out in the past, my own mother refused me at the door. Compared to your metaphor, I prefer the dog shit comparison.”
“The years teaching at the Academy were my most fulfilling years. Even after becoming Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat, I still prefer to return to the Academy on rest days. Just as you said, putting on the blue scholar’s robe, taking a folding fan, looking into the classrooms from outside, listening to the resounding sound of reading—I always feel my heart becoming open and relaxed. At noon, eating a simple lunch, begging a cup of tea from Mr. Yanling, then chatting with him about the firmament—such are life’s beautiful pleasures.”
“We’re both wanderers now, Old Xu. In the end, we must return to the Academy. Once I’ve built my fleet, I’ll bring my whole family back. Although Chang’an is my place of heartbreak, it’s not advisable to stay far away. If I’m too far away, I’ll become rootless duckweed.”
Xu Jingzong sighed for a long while and told Yun Ye many interesting stories about the Academy. Mr. Li Gang had now completely stopped teaching classes. Hipatia hadn’t been at the Academy for a long time and had become a legend. New students who had no chance to see the beautiful foreign teacher all beat their chests in frustration. Some who were good at calligraphy and painting actually drew Hipatia’s likeness on paper, and some even printed it in color pages to sell for profit, only to be caught by Hong Cheng and soundly beaten.
The final topic unknowingly shifted to spices. This bastard Xu Jingzong always had this ability to make you change topics without realizing it. For no other reason than his family had built a huge spice shop in Yuezhou. Previously, relying on connections at the Academy, he could always obtain spices. Now Yun Ye actually had more than ten ships’ worth. Getting some to sell was perfectly reasonable. Having just said everyone was a wanderer, a wealthy wanderer helping a poor ghost wanderer was even more reasonable.
Yun Ye was drinking rather heavily and in a muddle handed over the distribution rights for one shipload of spices to Xu Jingzong. Seeing Xu Jingzong carefully fold a piece of paper and tuck it in his bosom, he finally understood. This fellow accompanied him in feeling sentimental purely for the spices. If wolf-hearted, dog-lunged Xu Jingzong could develop sentiment, that would be the greatest wonder under heaven.
After the great victory, military affairs concluded, and now everyone was seeking benefits for their own families. Liu Hongji quietly told Yun Ye that the best brothel in Youzhou city was the Ten Thousand Flowers Tower. The best courtesan in Ten Thousand Flowers Tower was a young lady called Yiyun. Look at that—what a wonderful name: Yiyun, Yiyun—Marquis Yun, when better to console this beauty than now? If you feel embarrassed, your old brother will accompany you. I’ve had my eye on the madam’s big bottom for quite a while.
Damn old lecher! I call your son brother, yet now for a bit of spice you lower yourself, even using beautiful women to tempt this old master. Having scum like you among the meritorious nobles is a disgrace to everyone.
Regardless, he managed to wheedle away half a shipload of spices from Yun Ye. Having achieved his goal, he no longer mentioned Ten Thousand Flowers Tower. As for that courtesan called Yiyun—she was probably already lying in the old lecher’s bed.