Li Gang’s face was iron-blue with rage as he said loudly, “Knights-errant use martial arts to break the law, while scholars use literature to disrupt order. Ever since the Former Han executed the likes of Ji Meng and Guo Jie, not only have wandering knights-errant not disappeared from the world, they’ve become even more rampant. Responding to violence with violence is not truly our choice. Now knights-errant run wild everywhere, taking pride in death at every turn, killing people on the streets as if it were commonplace. If these corrupt practices aren’t eliminated, they will surely bring calamity to the realm.”
Yun Ye huddled in the corner, having just finished getting scolded. Now was not the time to provoke the old man.
“A young man’s thinking—you indulge knights-errant in their reckless behavior, treating the court’s laws like child’s play. Foolish, so foolish!” Master Yuanzhang was also quite angry. Xinyue stood behind the old man soothing him while sneaking glances at Yun Ye with a light laugh.
Li Tai wore an expression of schadenfreude, sitting in his chair playing with the glass beads in his hand. Li Ke’s soul had drifted to the ninth heaven as he rolled his eyes looking at the ceiling. Yuchi the Big Fool wore an excited expression, opening and closing his hands eagerly, wishing he could compete with a knight-errant right now.
A large circle of people had gathered in the Academy’s dining hall, all curiously listening to others recount yesterday’s amusing incident involving Yun Ye.
Liu Xian said to Yun Ye, “A mere petty thief—what is there to fear? Let me make a trip to Chang’an, and I’ll surely capture him easily. Whether to kill or dismember him afterward will be entirely up to Marquis Yun’s wishes.”
He had misunderstood, thinking Yun Ye was worried about being assassinated. Little did he know that Yun Ye was filled with curiosity about knights-errant. Think about it—a hundred years later, there would be Kong Kong’er, Jing Jing’er, Nie Yinniang, and Hongxian. Which one of them didn’t set the imagination wandering? He hoped that after Xi Tong figured out the truth, he would come to his home for a visit and have a good chat about the world of knights-errant. Although his hope that Xi Tong was a peerless master had been shattered—seeing him beaten black and blue by a group of people had been somewhat disappointing—this disappointment still couldn’t extinguish the blazing flame in his heart that yearned for the world of martial arts heroes.
Xi Tong didn’t come. Instead, the Ministry of Works sent a Vice Director. This person definitely had a good temperament. His official rank was countless levels higher than that inspector’s, and naturally his bearing was countless levels higher too. He assigned two craftsmen to eat, sleep, and work together with the kiln workers. He himself changed into casual clothes and rode leisurely to the Academy in an ox cart. At the Academy he got along with everyone—even Huang Shu who was sweeping the floor, he asked a question that excited Huang Shu for quite a while.
Walking with Yun Ye one in front and one behind, he always maintained a half-step distance. His words were warm and appropriate, and his actions were crisp and efficient. Sending two good craftsmen was absolutely better than sending a hundred officials.
He praised the Academy’s management system and even wrote it down with his brush. He praised the vitality of the Academy’s students and watched a soccer match with great interest. During this time, he even had a meal at the Academy, enthusiastically joining Yun Ye in carrying a tray to the cafeteria to get food, and took the opportunity to give high praise to the kitchen’s efficiency. He absolutely wouldn’t drink alcohol, but with a smile he tucked a small bottle of wine into his bosom, saying that after work, he would savor the Yun household’s fine wine by himself.
He’d been at the Academy only two days and had already gotten familiar with everyone. Occasionally he attended a few of the old masters’ classes, occasionally discussed with Yun Ye matters regarding calendar formulation. One could see he was an extremely learned person with unique insights into astronomy and calendrical systems. Some things even Yun Ye didn’t know clearly, yet he could cite records from ancient texts, explaining origins and consequences thoroughly.
What a good man! Yun Ye didn’t dare relax for a moment. He accompanied him every day, afraid that suddenly something would go wrong somewhere without any room for remedy.
He looked down on Chang’an officials, but this one was definitely an exception, because he had a name that would echo through the ages: Xu Jingzong!
The great schemer of the ages—Zhangsun Wuji had fallen into his hands. Now not yet thirty years old, he was already renowned in Chang’an for his erudition. A super-elite who came from the Imperial Academy, he had an extraordinary sense for various historical records. He could dig up from dusty old papers all kinds of historical facts useful to himself or others, including in the future arranging for Li Zhi to marry his own father’s woman so seamlessly that historians couldn’t find a single moral flaw and could only roar a few words from their mouths.
Yun Ye felt that being a treacherous minister was more than twice as difficult as being a loyal one. Take the person before him, for example—in private virtue he could be called exemplary, and in official capacity he could be called a capable administrator. In just two days he had thoroughly investigated the Academy’s inner workings.
Watching him stand in front of the crane whispering to Li Tai, Yun Ye knew that Li Tai’s pulley device hadn’t escaped Xu Jingzong’s clutches either.
The only person he had no way with was Sun Simiao. Old Sun gave him no face whatsoever. Forget about entering his medicine room—he wouldn’t even let Xu Jingzong enter his living quarters. No reason given, just no entry allowed. Nothing anyone said would work.
Watching the smiling Xu Jingzong depart, Yun Ye asked Old Sun, “Daoist Master, why do you treat him so coldly?”
“Young man, you must be very careful of this person. This old Daoist senses he’s not a good person. I can’t say why—I just dislike him from the bottom of my heart. The last time I had this feeling about someone, it was a truly terrifying demon. I worry this is the second one.” Sun Simiao was deeply concerned.
Yun Ye gave Old Sun an enthusiastic thumbs up. He couldn’t help but admire him. Even Li Gang said this person would be a pillar minister of the Great Tang in the future with boundless prospects, and told Yun Ye to get closer to this fellow. Only Old Sun issued a warning.
Getting close to this fellow would be like putting a poisonous snake in one’s bosom to play kissing games. He killed his own comrades more viciously than he killed enemies. Although historical TV dramas were all nonsense, absolutely not a single drama listed him as a good person. Even in the most absurd plots, protagonists were extremely cautious around him.
One couldn’t be too careful with this person. It was better not to offend someone so powerful he could turn his hand to make clouds and overturn it to make rain—he was Li Er’s true confidant.
The brief three days passed quickly for Xu Jingzong. He was filled with curiosity about the Academy. Many things caught his eye and seemed to trigger understanding, yet he didn’t know what he was understanding. So he started his Academy journey all over again from the beginning.
Yuchi the Big Fool and Duan Meng had been engaged on the hillside for three days already. As referee, Yun Ye was also mentally and physically exhausted. One stubbornly defended without emerging, while the other besieged the city without attacking. The small flags representing military forces had already been thrown all over the ground. If two armies had actually engaged in battle, corpses would be strewn everywhere by now.
Standing in the city, Yuchi looked like a giant, constantly adjusting his deployment. The white wooden blocks representing provisions were almost depleted. He even waved his arms and stamped his feet cursing, hoping to anger Duan Meng into attacking the city.
Duan Meng wasn’t having an easy time either. Only one green flag representing cavalry remained, and only two red flags representing infantry were left. Still, he remained immovable as a mountain.
Thunder rumbled in the sky and a mountain wind rose, dust flying everywhere blinding the eyes. In an instant, heavy rain poured down. The two red-eyed commanders still refused to give up. That they could play a sandbox game to this extent—Yun Ye couldn’t help but be deeply impressed.
A big foot flew over and kicked Yuchi the Big Fool head over heels, then another kick sent Duan Meng flying. The owner of the feet was Liu Xian.
He cursed the two idiots, grabbed Yuchi and said, “You damn well occupy the advantage of the city fortifications—massively consuming his strength wasn’t wrong. Now that your forces have the advantage, don’t you know to come out for a decisive battle? Still here shouting and yelling—moron!”
He then lifted Duan Meng by the foot, flung him into the shed and scolded, “You’re also a stupid pig! Clearly knowing the city cannot be taken and will only consume military strength, couldn’t you bypass the city? Are you damn well fighting a war or coming here to vent your rage? If this were in the military, I would have already chopped you two idiots into seventeen or eighteen pieces! Would I keep you around consuming provisions?”
It was the first time seeing Liu Xian lose his temper. Previously everyone had thought he was just a submissive watchdog. Who knew he could suddenly display the majesty of a lion?
“General Liu’s heroic spirit is undiminished from years past!” It was Xu Jingzong speaking. These past two days he’d been appearing and disappearing like a ghost, impossible to figure out, and no one knew what he intended to do.
“The Vice Director is familiar with General Liu’s past? Usually he never mentions it.” Yun Ye asked with a smile.
“Then this humble one spoke out of turn. General Liu apparently doesn’t like to mention past events. One shouldn’t speak ill of others behind their backs. How shameful, how shameful. Does Marquis Yun have time today? This official must leave tomorrow. I’ve prepared some modest wine and would like to invite Marquis Yun for a conversation. Would Marquis Yun grace me with his presence?”
“Since the Vice Director invites me, how could Yun Ye refuse? However, you are the guest—how could I let you spend money? Why not let me, the host, play host, and you and I can get thoroughly drunk together—how about that?” Yun Ye didn’t want to let him occupy the home field. This person had a habit of taking advantage—one had to be careful.
“In that case, I’ll impose on your hospitality. These six days at the Academy have been a real eye-opener for me. Not only is everything novel everywhere, even the various implements are things I’ve never heard of. The innovative teaching methods leave me amazed. Marquis Yun truly deserves to have learned from famous masters—most enviable.” Xu Jingzong’s plump face never lacked a smile, but his clear-eyed gaze made one feel his smile was just facial muscles moving—merely a symbol representing nothing else.
Right there in the dining hall, with a few simple dishes, Yun Ye and Xu Jingzong sat facing each other like two refined gentlemen engaged in lofty discourse.
After three rounds of wine and five courses of dishes, Xu Jingzong set down his chopsticks and suddenly asked, “Why is Marquis Yun so deeply guarded against me? Has this humble one’s behavior been somehow improper, causing Marquis Yun to misunderstand? If that’s truly the case, I sincerely apologize.”
What did this mean? The famous schemer was starting to be frank? What a joke! History clearly recorded that Xu Jingzong being frank was about as likely as a sow climbing a tree.
“Not at all, not at all. The Vice Director’s reputation is distinguished—Yun Ye has long heard of it. With you gracing the Academy this time, Yun Ye was deeply afraid the hospitality would be inadequate. How could there be any defensiveness? The Vice Director jests.” Yun Ye was determined not to bare his heart to him. Let’s see what you can do. Even if you’re sent by Li Er to investigate the Academy, my heart is clear—who cares what you’re up to?
“So that’s how it is—I was overthinking. I misspoke. I’ll punish myself with three cups—please forgive me, Marquis Yun.” The man was still bold. Three cups of wine went down in quick succession, making him appear even more heroic. Laughing heartily, he said, “I was worried my learning was too shallow to catch Marquis Yun’s eye. So Marquis Yun does regard me favorably. With that being the case, I can rest easy about entering the Academy to teach according to His Majesty’s decree.”
“Damn it, I’ve been tricked! This really is a night owl entering the house—nothing good comes of it!”
Yun Ye cursed inwardly with great resentment!