Chapter 8: The Teacher

When Lord Wang saw his former teacher kneel, he hurriedly stood up to help him. However, seeing Xu Xian already supporting the old man, he slowly sat back down. He spoke coolly, "Xu Xian, you have also studied the books of the sages. Do you know what the Five Virtues are?"

"This student knows," Xu Xian replied calmly. "They are Benevolence, Wisdom, Propriety, Righteousness, and Trustworthiness."

"Xu Xian, you engaged in a street brawl and struck with ruthless hands; that is a lack of Benevolence. You had important matters to attend to yet provoked trouble; that is a lack of Wisdom. Your clothes are tattered and you show no respect for your elders; that is a lack of Propriety. You have wasted your teacher's painstaking efforts; that is a lack of Righteousness. You had an appointment but failed to arrive on time; that is a lack of Trustworthiness. The imperial examinations are meant to select talent for the nation. How can we accept a man who lacks Benevolence, Wisdom, Propriety, Righteousness, and Trustworthiness?" Educational Commissioner Wang's words were like knives.

While Xu Xian could have found words to argue back, he knew doing so would only make things worse. After thinking for a long time, he finally sighed. "Thank you for your instruction, My Lord."

Beside him, Scholar Song's eyes turned red. Such a scathing evaluation was equivalent to blocking Xu Xian's path to scholarship forever. Casting all caution aside, he stiffened his neck to defend his student, but Xu Xian pulled him back. Xu Xian shook his head gently, signaling that further words were useless. The old man finally lowered his head in dejection.

At that moment, a pitter-patter sounded at the window. The gloomy sky had finally begun to rain, but the downpour could not dispel the suffocating tension within the pavilion.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Commissioner Wang’s voice was as majestic as a deity's, for he held the power to dictate a man's destiny.

Xu Xian looked at his crestfallen teacher. Ultimately, he felt a sense of injustice in his heart. He raised his head and said, "This student has only one poem left."

"Let's hear it," Commissioner Wang said with curiosity.

"The winds and waves at the riverhead are not the worst; 'tis in the world of men that the path is truly hard to tread." This was Xu Xian’s most sincere feeling today. For that old fishmonger, and for himself, was it not exactly so?

"The winds and waves at the riverhead are not the worst; 'tis in the world of men that the path is truly hard to tread..." Commissioner Wang muttered the lines, his brow furrowing. He pondered for a long time, turning his gaze toward the great river outside the window. The muddy waves were now surging toward the sky. Thinking of that old fishmonger who had likely retreated into those churning waters to escape human calamity, Commissioner Wang suddenly clapped his hands and laughed. "A fine poem! A fine poem indeed!"

These lines touched a chord in his own heart. His family roots were deep, and he had served the country with total devotion, only to be demoted to this post as a mere Educational Commissioner because his memorials did not align with the Emperor's whims. Traveling by water most of the way here, he had seen how the great river could change in an instant—how could it not be dangerous? And yet, the world of men was ten thousand times more treacherous.

"Scholar Song, a gentleman does not take what another loves, but today I wish to take a Disciple. I ask for your permission."

The old man was dazed for a moment before finally reacting. "I leave it entirely to Your Lordship's arrangement."

Commissioner Wang turned back to Xu Xian. "Xu Xian, are you willing to come to my residence to study?"

Xu Xian did not understand his intent and asked, "Did My Lord not say that my actions contravened the Five Virtues?" The old man beside him desperately wanted to cover Xu Xian's mouth; why not just accept such a stroke of luck first?

"Those were merely minor points of benevolence and righteousness," Wang replied. "To pity the suffering of others is Benevolence. To draw a sword to help is Righteousness. To lecture before striking is Propriety. To give before taking is Wisdom. To see a matter through from start to finish is Trustworthiness. I have already heard of your good reputation in your hometown; seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary. You dared to cast aside your future before a high official to help a stranger, and you showed both wisdom and courage by defeating the enemy while protecting yourself. In this world, a heart full of integrity is not enough; one also needs great wisdom and great courage."

With a mere turn of his lips, Commissioner Wang had played fast and loose with his judgment, transforming Xu Xian’s status from the mud to the clouds.

Not to mention the others, even the County Magistrate stood by, dumbfounded. He felt that an official from the capital was truly profound and unpredictable.

What he did not know was that Commissioner Wang had been demoted because the northern borders were restless. The Xiongnu had been raiding for years, and while Wang advocated for war, the court mostly favored peace. Because he persisted in his arguments, he was made an example of—the chicken killed to warn the monkeys—and banished here.

Seeing Xu Xian thrash that ruffian with such reason, restraint, wisdom, and courage had struck a chord with him. He felt the urge to mentor the lad. However, having been steeped in officialdom for decades, he knew that to mentor someone, one must first suppress them. It was both a way to establish dominance and to temper Xu Xian’s arrogance.

As the encounter progressed, Commissioner Wang grew even more surprised. If any other scholar had their path to the imperial exams blocked, it would be no different from being cast into a bottomless abyss. Yet Xu Xian remained unmoved by either favor or humiliation, staying poised and humble while still looking out for his teacher. Such composed grace was rare. Compared to the boy, Wang felt his own dejection over his recent setbacks seemed rather petty.

As for those two lines of poetry, they were stunning. They held a world-weariness that did not seem possible for a youth, but considering the great changes the boy had faced, the lines were perfectly suited to the time and setting. Commissioner Wang could not help but be moved by such a principled and learned youth. Originally, he intended to observe the boy further and wait until the Autumn Triennial Examination to formalize their bond, but he felt he could not be mistaken. He decided to take the boy as his Disciple directly, regardless of the breach in protocol.

In the officialdom of old, the most fundamental relationships were those between disciples and classmates. Those who passed the exams in the same year were classmates, and the chief examiner who selected you was your teacher. One relied on this teacher for protection when first entering the official world. There were exceptions, however; when one encountered someone of extraordinary talent, they might establish the teacher-student bond in advance. When that happened, no matter who officially graded your exams later, your "teacher" remained the original one. Only the highest-ranking figures in the capital dared to act this way.

Though Commissioner Wang was down on his luck, he was confident he would not remain subordinate for long. He was merely being disciplined by the Emperor. Thus, he dared to make such a bold declaration. With these words, while Xu Xian’s future might not be perfectly smooth, he would avoid countless detours that others had to take.

The result was a happy one for all. The banquet began, and Xu Xian stood in attendance by the side. Commissioner Wang naturally had to lecture his new Disciple further, saying things like "study hard" and "do not think you can rely on me." Xu Xian, of course, was respectful and followed every word.

As the wine flowed and the banquet drew to a close, Commissioner Wang looked at the vast tide. Having taken Xu Xian as his Disciple, his gloomy mood had lightened considerably. He drank a few extra cups and, in a state of slight intoxication, ignored the County Magistrate's invitation to stay, insisting on returning to Hangzhou that day. He stood up unsteadily to leave, surrounded by the others like a moon encircled by stars. As he reached the stairs, he seemed to remember something and looked back at Xu Xian. "That poem is incomplete!"

Xu Xian said, "That is a piece this student heard a Taoist Master chant when I was young. It is actually a Ci poem."

"Oh? You didn't write it?"

"It was not written by this student."

"Well, that is for the best. Gaining fame as a youth is not necessarily a good thing. Recite the poem you heard from that Taoist Master for me!"

"Yes, Teacher." Xu Xian cleared his throat and recited loudly:

"After singing 'Yangguan,' tears are not yet dry, Fame and merit are but secondary; for now, eat well. Waters touching the sky send off endless trees, Rain-laden clouds bury half the mountain. Regrets of past and present, a thousand kinds, Should only partings and reunions be called joy and sorrow? The winds and waves at the riverhead are not the worst; 'Tis in the world of men that the path is truly hard to tread."

Commissioner Wang savored the lines, feeling it was a masterpiece for the ages. Its lingering charm was like drinking fine wine. Moreover, the theme of parting in the poem perfectly matched the current scene. He felt even more that Xu Xian possessed great talent but did not flaunt it, lacking the flamboyant arrogance of typical "talented scholars," yet creating something worlds apart from their work. He turned back to the table, poured a cup of leftover wine, and downed it in one gulp. He laughed. "Fine writing can serve as a snack for wine; I should drink another gallon. But alas, I am no match for the alcohol today, so I shall take my leave. Fame and merit are but secondary; for now, eat well. Fame and merit are but secondary; for now, eat well. Hahaha!"

With a hearty laugh, Commissioner Wang made a graceful exit, leaving the others staring at each other. Their gazes, however, shifted involuntarily to Xu Xian.

Looking at the youth before him, the County Magistrate's heart was filled with envy. He had struggled for countless days to become a magistrate, drifting through the currents of officialdom. Though he was like the heavens in the eyes of the commoners, he was truly small fry in the world of officials. Xu Xian had stumbled into an enormous advantage; by the time the boy rose through the ranks, would he even spare a glance for a mere magistrate? The official decided he would have to reconsider his attitude toward this youth in the future.

Scholar Song was both happy for Xu Xian and a little bitter. The Juren degree that he could not achieve in a lifetime would likely pose no difficulty for Xu Xian. Although Commissioner Wang said he would not look after him, even an old scholar knew those were just formal words. If a person were truly so upright that they never helped their own, they could hardly survive in officialdom, let alone look after others.

Xu Xian was still somewhat dazed, thinking only that his life of leisure might become a bit easier. He had unambitious thoughts about showing off to Lady Bai once she arrived. Fundamentally, he was not a saint who wanted to save the world; he was just an ordinary man who wanted to live a peaceful life. However, given his character and the state of the world, such a simple wish was incredibly difficult to achieve.

Li Si, having taken a severe beating, lay at home recovering. The thugs and loafers around him came to visit, saying they would make things difficult for Xu Xian. However, Li Si rejected them all. The chilling words the sinister advisor had spoken two nights ago still made his heart cold: "Do not cause more trouble, or your life will be forfeit." The advisor had vaguely hinted that Xu Xian had been noticed by a great figure from the capital. Li Si knew his own weight; bullying commoners was fine, but some people could crush him like a bedbug.

Because he dropped the matter, his followers looked down on him and gradually drifted away. Having lost his influence, even the common people were no longer as afraid of him as before. Out of options, he found a job and slowly left that path behind to lead an honest life, marrying and having children—but that is a story for later.

Xu Xian continued his plain and simple life, reading, practicing his cultivation, and occasionally doing good deeds. He didn't think he would achieve much through study, and he felt his talent for cultivation was lacking. He never considered himself a hero among men. He only thought about owning a house one day, marrying a gentle and virtuous wife, and being able to eat meat every day.

The unambitious youth Xu Xian simply waited for Lady Bai's arrival, hoping to live the life he envisioned. That was all. But the world is unpredictable; was a seemingly simple goal truly simple? Deep within his soul, a fierce sun burned with roaring flames, accumulating strength, waiting for the moment it would reach the zenith. When it shone upon the world, who could stand against it?