“Paying respects to the Grand Tutor.” Zheng Zhi offered a bow that was not quite proper.
Hua Zhi acted as though she had not noticed. “Zheng Zhi once mentioned having traveled to many places.”
“You actually remembered.” Zheng Zhi dropped that air of easy amusement. “What is it you want to say?”
“Four nations are now pressing down on Daqing from all sides. Is Zheng Zhi aware?”
“I have heard.”
Hua Zhi looked at this man of great talent who was nonetheless content to live quietly in the small clan school of the Hua Family. “Daqing today is like a mighty tiger whose sharp claws have been ground away, yet it still guards a fat and coveted prize, drawing every predator to come and try to tear off a piece. Whether the tiger holds onto what it guards in the end — or whether those who covet it divide it up — I cannot say. Would you be willing to lend it your protection?”
Zheng Zhi turned his back to her and walked into the courtyard. “What Daqing lacks now is military commanders. I have no such talent.”
“If you are willing, what about serving as a military advisor? The Crown Prince is a man who values ability — if you are willing to come into service, he would not be stingy with the official posting.”
“I am nothing but a commoner — where would I get the standing to pick and choose?”
Hua Zhi followed close behind. “A commoner is most fitting as a military advisor. No picking and choosing required.”
Zheng Zhi turned to face her. “You pour your heart and soul into this, and they still go on as they always have — those who should be corrupt remain corrupt, those who occupy positions of consequence continue to contribute nothing. Are you at peace with that?”
“This year’s Suojie examinations had a record number of aristocratic family candidates — is that not itself a kind of awakening?” Hua Zhi gestured toward the two classrooms. “The younger ones have nothing to worry about beyond their studies. The young women of the inner quarters sit contentedly embroidering their wedding garments, waiting shyly for what is to come. I hope that for many years ahead they can remain this carefree and unburdened. It is for them that I do all of this — how could I not be at peace?”
Something stirred in her as she spoke. Hua Zhi looked down the other end of the corridor, and there was Zeng Han — who had run off just moments before — now coming back toward her in small, careful steps, both hands cradling a tea cup. Water sloshed over the rim every so often, and each time it did, he slowed himself down a fraction more.
Hua Zhi assumed he was bringing her water and stepped forward to take it — but the small child dropped swiftly to his knees, raising the cup high with both hands. “I want to be Elder Sister’s student.”
This was… a formal request for discipleship?
Hua Zhi felt a slight headache coming on. Having a Crown Prince as a student already kept her stretched beyond her limits. Adding Zeng Han, whose gifts were extraordinary…
Zeng Han and the Crown Prince were not alike — the two of them were on entirely different paths. She could draw on two lifetimes of experience, combined with knowledge far beyond anything this era possessed, to guide the Crown Prince — to shape within him a vision of the world larger than what others could see, to give him a perspective that would surpass that of his peers. But none of that could be applied to Zeng Han.
Zeng Han was suited to apprenticing himself to a deeply learned, traditional scholar of great depth — to study in a measured, solid way, and in time to become a great scholar of the next generation. If her grandfather were here, he would suggest that Grandfather take this student on — not take him as her own. Compared to those who truly possessed profound learning, she was nothing worth speaking of.
She crouched down, intending to help him to his feet. “Xiao Han, you are still very young. At your age, most children have only just started their schooling. There is no need to rush into taking a teacher. When Elder Sister is done with all of this, I will find you a truly excellent teacher.”
Zeng Han shook his head stubbornly and repeated, “I want to be Elder Sister’s student.”
“When Grandfather comes home, would you like to take him as your teacher instead?”
“I only want to be Elder Sister’s student.”
Hua Zhi felt both moved and troubled at the same time. She was genuinely afraid of ruining such a promising child — Xiao Han was the most gifted child she had ever encountered.
“Accept him.” Zheng Zhi stepped forward. “Even if you found him the finest teacher there ever was, with his temperament there is no guarantee he would be willing to take that person on.”
Looking at the child — whose eagerness was clear, yet who pressed his lips tightly together, doing his utmost to hold a composed expression — Hua Zhi let out a quiet sigh. So be it. Why overthink it? Simply teach him well — and besides, the Hua Family was not short of learned people. She could always consult them as needed.
Hua Zhi was not one to be indecisive. Her mind made up, she took the cup and drank it down in one go.
Even for someone as precocious as Zeng Han, in that moment there was no hiding what he felt. Joy lit him up — he gripped the hem of his own jacket tightly in both hands, his face flushed, stealing glances at his teacher again and again. He had a teacher of his own now! From this day forward, he and Elder Sister would no longer be unrelated — and from this day forward, he could claim, as a matter of course, that wherever Teacher went, he would follow!
“Elder Si… Teacher is very busy lately. I must ask you to wait until all of this has settled before I can begin your lessons. Continue to learn from Teacher Mu as before in the meantime. Do not worry yourself over it — all right?”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Glancing at the sky, Hua Zhi laid a hand on his head. “Go back inside. I need to enter the palace.”
“Yes.” Zeng Han broke into a light run and disappeared — but even from his small retreating figure, one could feel the happiness brimming out of him.
“I have agreed.” Hua Zhi turned back.
“What a day of joyful news, one after another.” Zheng Zhi’s eyes lit up with purpose. “You are right — why concern ourselves with those we find lacking? As long as we protect what we wish to protect, that is enough. I too want to test how far all my years of study can take me. Only — where does the Grand Tutor intend to send me?”
“South. Shao Yao will take over from Zheng Yangcheng as the guardian commander of Xinyu Pass. I hope that you, Zheng Zhi, will be there to support her.”
Zheng Zhi let out a soft laugh. Hua Zhi, the great Grand Tutor of the Hua Family, was truly not a selfless and impartial person — even when drawing someone from her own household for an outside post, she arranged for them to serve beside the person she cared most about. Yet such a person was far more real than those who filled their mouths with talk of virtue and righteousness. Even the sages had their partialities — who could truly claim to be free of bias? It was simply that few people were as candid and unguarded about it as she was.
“What about the clan school?”
“Finding a few qualified teachers is no longer as difficult as it once was.” Hua Zhi’s voice was mild and even. “Does Zheng Zhi have anyone to recommend?”
Zheng Zhi considered. “I could manage that. I will recommend two people — whether to use them or not is your decision to make.”
“I am grateful for the trouble.”
Hua Zhi adjusted her sleeves. “I must enter the palace first. This matter also needs to be reported to His Highness. I hope you can set out as soon as possible.”
“I leave in two days.”
Hua Zhi stepped back half a pace and bent into a deep, clasped-hand bow. “Thank you, Zheng Zhi.”
Zheng Zhi would by no means receive her bow — as a man, to be seen less clearly than a woman was already a source of shame enough.
When the Crown Prince learned of this, he gave a small nod. “I was instructed by Zheng Zhi for a time. That man’s learning and character are both exceptional — only he has always been a solitary sort. I would not have expected the Grand Tutor to be able to persuade him. With him there to assist Shao Yao, my heart is considerably more at ease.”
“Shao Yao might not necessarily listen to others, but Zheng Zhi is someone she already knows — they have even gone head-to-head over the sand table a number of times in their leisure. With that existing rapport, he is more or less one of our own already. His counsel she will actually take in.”
“The Grand Tutor has gone to great lengths.”
“It was I who agreed to let her go. I had to find whatever ways I could to keep her safer.”
Hua Zhi looked toward the map hanging on the wall. “What is Your Highness thinking now?”
The Crown Prince walked up to the map, his gaze sweeping across all four directions — north, south, east, west — before coming to rest on Shouyi Pass to the east. “I keep thinking about whether the Chaoli Clan will mount a full frontal assault from the east.”
Hua Zhi walked over and stood beside him, looking at the same place. Shouyi Pass — where her man was. “Among all four border passes, Shouyi Pass is the only one that has a fighting chance.”
Indeed. Only a single Shouyi Pass stood watch day and night against the Chaoli Clan, its drills never once ceasing. The Crown Prince thought privately: if Grandfather were still here, and if the Prince Regent were still presiding over the Seven Lodges Bureau, what would there be to fear even from four nations attacking at once?