Chapter 56: Facing a Choice

Time flies like an arrow, and five years passed in the blink of an eye. The year had now reached the sixth year of the Zhenghe era, and Li Yanqing had grown into a twelve-year-old boy.

Li Yanqing had spent five years at the Lushan Academy. This coming spring, he, along with Yue Fei, Wang Gui, and the others, would take the county academy examinations and prepare to go to Tangyin County to study.

However, their master, Yao Ding, was beginning to feel a bit troubled. With the profound knowledge Li Yanqing had accumulated, he was already well-equipped to go straight to the prefectural examinations. If he passed, Li Yanqing would become the youngest Juren in the history of Xiangzhou.

Yet, Yao Ding also felt that Li Yanqing needed a few more years of tempering; passing the prefectural examinations at too early an age would do him no good.

After pondering this for several days, Yao Ding ultimately decided to ask Li Yanqing for his own opinion.

Yao Ding's room was as simple and unadorned as before, with almost no changes. The couplet on studying that Li Yanqing had written for him back then still hung on the wall, though the paper had been replaced with fresh sheets several times.

However, Yao Ding had grown older. His hair and beard were completely white, and his back was slightly humped. Now sixty years old, his energy was far inferior to before; he spoke very slowly, and his breath was slightly weak. Only his gaze remained as stern as ever.

"My opinion is the same as before: I want you to spend two more years studying at the county academy and one year at the prefectural academy, and take the prefectural examinations three years from now. However, your father hopes that you will take the prefectural examinations this year. I think it is best to let you decide for yourself."

Li Yanqing was silent for a moment before saying, "I am only concerned that if I, a student, take the prefectural examinations too early, the county authorities might not recommend me."

Yao Ding chuckled, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes deepening, and a rare gentleness appeared in his aged gaze.

"You need not worry about that. With your reputation in the county, how could the county not recommend you? Besides, the current County Magistrate is preoccupied with military affairs and pays little attention to matters like the imperial examinations. If the county truly refuses to recommend you, I can find a few Juren to jointly vouch for you, and you will still be able to take the prefectural examinations. Qualification is not an issue; the crucial thing is your own will."

Naturally, Li Yanqing did not want to waste time lingering in the county academy. Knowing that only ten years remained until the Jingkang Incident, and having prepared nothing yet, he felt a certain sense of urgency in his heart. However, with nearly a year left before the prefectural examinations, impatience was of no use.

After pondering for a moment, Li Yanqing said, "The prefectural examinations will not be held until the end of the year, leaving nearly a year's time. This student might as well take the county academy examinations, study at the county academy for a year, and take the prefectural examinations at the end of the year. That way, it will also be a proper explanation to the county academy. What does Master think?"

Seeing that Li Yanqing's attitude was resolute, and although he was asking for his opinion, he had actually already made up his mind, Yao Ding no longer pressed him.

"That is fine too. Actually, that was precisely my thought—to spend two years at the county academy before taking the examinations. But a year or two makes little difference. Let it be settled this way!"

"This student understands!"

Yao Ding then casually picked up a book from the table written by Li Yanqing, titled *The Great Sage Subdues Demons: Retrieving the Jade Rabbit in Tianzhu*, and asked with a smile, "The final volume should be written by now, shouldn't it? Can you let your old master be the first to read it?"

Over the past five years, Li Yanqing had successively written twenty-nine volumes of *The Great Sage Subdues Demons*, and the final volume, *Retrieving the True Scriptures in Tianzhu*, was about to be released. Yao Ding had accidentally discovered the manuscript of *The Great Sage Subdues Demons* two years ago during a home visit, and that was how he learned that the renowned Xiaoxiaoxiangzi of Lushan was actually his beloved disciple.

After giving Li Yanqing a stern reprimand out of anger, Yao Ding dug out all the volumes of *The Great Sage Subdues Demons* that he had confiscated at the academy over the years and read them carefully. As a result, he too became a loyal reader of Li Yanqing's work, and using his privilege as master, he always snatched Li Yanqing's manuscripts to read them ahead of everyone else.

Li Yanqing hurriedly replied, "It is already written. This student will bring it to Master tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is too late, make it today! Go back at noon and fetch the manuscript." Yao Ding's eyes flashed with a mischievous, childlike gleam.

***

Left with no other choice, Li Yanqing could only agree. Yao Ding waved his hand and said, "Go on, go on! I have to go give a lecture."

Li Yanqing rose, bowed respectfully, and left his master's room.

Just as he reached the entrance of the study hall, someone grabbed him tightly around the waist from behind. Li Yanqing knew instantly that it could be no one other than Wang Gui. Taking advantage of Wang Gui's unspent momentum, Li Yanqing used a clever burst of strength to fling him aside. Wang Gui staggered and nearly tumbled to the ground, while Tang Huai stood nearby shaking a folding fan and laughing heartily. "It's a pity old Li used a bit too little strength, otherwise old Gui would have been eating dirt!"

Wang Gui muttered indignantly, "I wasn't using my full strength, alright? Would someone like me, Wang Gui, resort to a sneak attack from behind?"

"Alright, alright! I admit that Master Wang is invincible. Are you satisfied now?" Li Yanqing said with a beaming smile.

"Not satisfied, unless you promise to spar with me with swords at noon."

Li Yanqing scratched his head. "I have to go home at noon; Master wants to read the manuscript!"

Wang Gui's eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his hand. "I call dibs on second place!"

Tang Huai also urged anxiously, "Give it to me as soon as old Gui finishes reading it."

Naturally, Wang Gui and Tang Huai had also learned of Li Yanqing's secret. Consequently, under the relentless pestering of these two scoundrels, Li Yanqing had no choice but to reluctantly agree to their unreasonable demands: before Zhu Bajie attained immortality and became a celestial, he had been the fierce cavalry general of the Xiqi State named Wang Gui, while Sha Seng's secular surname was Tang, making him Tang Huai, the young master of the Tang Family Manor by the Flowing Sands River.

Even Master Yao Ding had once hinted to Li Yanqing that since Tripitaka had undergone nine lifetimes of spiritual cultivation, could one of those lifetimes happen to share the surname Yao?

This left Li Yanqing utterly speechless, forcing him to specially write an extra volume in the series, *The Great Sage Subdues Demons: Past Lives and Present*, dedicated to recounting the stories of Tripitaka, Bajie, and Sha Seng before their reincarnations. As a result, Wang Gui and Tang Huai also became famous figures, though they strictly kept their promise and never leaked Li Yanqing's secret to anyone else.

Of course, there was a bit of selfish motivation in this as well; they still wanted to continue playing other roles in the book and absolutely could not let foul-mouthed brats like Li Er and Li San steal their parts.

Just as they were arguing vehemently, Yue Fei walked out of the study hall at a brisk pace, pulled Li Yanqing aside, and asked urgently, "What was decided?"

Yue Fei, Tang Huai, and Wang Gui were all taking the county academy exams this year, and naturally, they hoped Li Yanqing would continue to study with them at the county academy. At that moment, Wang Gui and Tang Huai also crowded around, eager to know Li Yanqing's decision.

Li Yanqing said, "Master and I have already agreed. I will first take the county academy examinations, study at the county academy for a year, and go to Xiangzhou at the end of the year to take the prefectural examinations."

Yue Fei pondered for a moment and said, "Master has prepared me to take the Imperial University route. I might as well spend only one year at the county academy as well. At the end of the year, I will go to Xiangzhou with you; I will take the prefectural academy examinations, and you will take the prefectural examinations."

Wang Gui immediately panicked. "Then what about old Tang and me?"

Li Yanqing and Yue Fei exchanged glances, both wearing helpless expressions. These two fellows were naturally inclined toward martial arts; especially Wang Gui, who was infatuated with practicing martial arts while his academic studies were relatively weak. Given their current levels, let alone passing the Juren examinations, they couldn't even pass the prefectural academy exams.

Li Yanqing smiled and said, "Anyway, there is still a year left. We can decide at the end of the year! Who knows, maybe everyone will go together by then."

"Let's all go together! Let's all go together!"

Wang Gui hardened his resolve and declared, "Starting from today, I, Wang Gui, am going to... hang my head by the hair and pierce my thigh with an awl, study diligently, and take the imperial examinations a year from now to make the honor roll!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Yao Ding's cold voice came from nearby, "I have heard those words from you at least ten times."

The four of them shrank their necks in fright and scampered into the study hall.

***

Compared to before, the Lushan Town Academy had undergone tremendous changes. The most obvious change was the sharp surge in the number of students. After winning the championship at the county's Children's Association competition five years ago, the Lushan Academy had stimulated many families of slightly better means, who successively sent their children to study at the academy. Even from neighboring Weinian Town and Zhangji Town, quite a few wealthy families sent their children to the Lushan Academy to become disciples of Yao Ding.

It was precisely this surge in numbers that prompted the academy to build several more rooms on the north side of the playground to serve as study halls, while also adding two new masters. One was surnamed Zhou, a native of Lushan Town and a Juren by background, responsible for teaching the intermediate study hall.

The other was Li Yanqing's paternal uncle, Li Daguang. Li Wengui had ultimately stripped him of his position as the ancestral hall keeper, but Li Wenyu had arranged for him to teach at the academy instead, specializing in teaching the primary study hall. Although he was not a Juren, he had taken the prefectural examinations for over a dozen years, which was more than enough to teach six- and seven-year-old children how to read.

The second major change was the shift in the academic ethos, which was also related to the new County Magistrate. Three years ago, County Magistrate Liu Zhen had managed the schools so well that he was promoted to Assistant Prefect of Ci Prefecture. The new County Magistrate was surnamed Jiang, with the given name Dadao, and the nickname "Jiang the Great Saber."

This Great Saber Magistrate owed his position to the connections of Imperial Commander Tong Guan. A man of military background, in Tong Guan's words, Tangyin was an important county on the northern frontier that had long grown weak in literary pursuits; it would be better to employ military men to govern it, thereby reviving the martial spirit and resisting the Liao barbarians. Under the banner of such noble righteousness, the current Emperor had specially approved Tong Guan's request. Jiang Dadao shed his armor, donned official civil robes, and assumed office.

Jiang Dadao lived up to his name, acting with swift and decisive resolution. On his very first day in office, he changed the Children's Association competition from a literary exam to a martial exam. Although this met with a boycott from all the academies, Jiang Dadao refused to compromise and simply cancelled the Children's Association competition outright.

Rough as he was, Jiang Dadao was not stupid. The Children's Association was the political achievement of the former magistrate, and no matter how well he performed in it, it would have nothing to do with him. Pursuing a martial path, Jiang Dadao forcibly instituted martial arts classes in the county academy and all local academies, setting aside an afternoon every two years—or rather, every two days—to practice martial arts, resulting in a flourishing martial spirit throughout Tangyin County.

In just a few short years, the simple literary ethos of Tangyin County was completely swept away. The students were all physically robust and proficient in saber techniques, yet at last year's prefectural examinations, they were completely wiped out, with not a single scholar from the county academy passing the Juren examination.

With Tangyin County's strong martial spirit, the Lushan Town Academy was also heavily impacted. Students came to school wearing sabers and carrying swords. Although Yao Ding resisted, helpless against the new county academy regulations that made martial skills a mandatory testing subject, he ultimately had to submit to the broader environment so that his students could qualify to enter the county academy.

Coupled with Li Daguang's eager attempts to curry favor with the magistrate by encouraging students to bring weapons to school, Yao Ding, advanced in age, simply washed his hands of the matter and devoted himself entirely to nurturing his few beloved disciples.

In contrast, the four members of Li Yanqing's group were the most restrained. Neither Li Yanqing nor Yue Fei ever brought weapons to school. Only Wang Gui, who was infatuated with martial arts, had somehow managed to acquire an extremely sharp short treasured sword, which he wore on his person from morning till night, strutting around the academy in a show of bravado.

Tang Huai, on the other hand, favored a novel approach. He possessed a Japanese folding fan that a relative had spent ten guan of cash to buy in the capital. He held it in his hand all day long, constantly unfolding the fan to recite poetry and verse, striking the pose of a romantic literati. It was said that this style was quite popular in the capital.

Just as the four of them stepped into the study hall, Li Er came running in frantically and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Latest news! The Eighty Thousand Imperial Army Instructor from Bianjing is coming!"