Way of Choices: Book I - Youths We Were, Schoolmates
Page 30
After some time had passed, Chen Changsheng emerged from his state of forgetting everything but books and felt that his right arm was somewhat heavy, somewhat limp and numb. He instantly thought of that scene when he woke up from that night of meditation and turned his head. As expected, the girl was once more hugging his arm in sleep.
Her hand was truthfully not hugging his right arm, only lightly grabbing his sleeve. She was also not leaning on his shoulder—because of her small stature, she could only lean against his upper arm. This posture was truthfully not very comfortable, but she slept very soundly and sweetly.
Chen Changsheng gazed at her completely relaxed appearance, at the childishness completely revealed by this relaxation, and began to smile.
For her to be able to sleep so soundly, so sweetly, was naturally because she was very relaxed. She was so relaxed because she trusted him. To have someone's complete trust was an extremely fine feeling, especially to a person like him who had silently advanced through the capital all on his own.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the girl's face.
The normal person did not like the light when sleeping, preferring the dark instead, but this girl was clearly different from the masses. That shadow caused her brow to wrinkle and her nose to also slightly wrinkle. She made two unsatisfied groans. It was possible that she might wake up in the next moment.
Chen Changsheng enjoyed seeing this little girl sleep. Having her sleep disturbed naturally made him very unhappy. He turned to the door of the library, subconsciously arching his brows.
The person that had appeared at the library door was Shuang'er. For some reason, a layer of frost seemed to cover her face, and her gaze was almost frigid.
Shuang'er's mood today was extremely poor because the White Crane had returned once more from the distant south, carrying another letter from the young lady.
Her young lady was not one of those idiots whose brains had been muddled by those idiotic books on womanly virtue, and the Great Zhou Dynasty never placed such baffling requirements on their women as the south did. Shuang'er clearly understood this point, so she was all the more puzzled over the concern her young lady showed for this shameless youth.
Although there was that engagement, there would eventually come a day when that engagement would be torn to shreds, so why was her young lady so concerned about that guy? Well, the young lady had only written in her letter that she wanted to know about any recent developments with regards to that youth, which could hardly be considered concern…but, why did she want to know?
In fact, Shuang'er clearly understood that the young lady did not want that youth to become dust in the river of the capital because of the engagement, and so asked her to inquire on these matters.
She very obediently inquired and knew that Chen Changsheng had now become the first student of the Orthodox Academy in many years. Moreover, based on the attitudes of the master and madam, although that youth might not have any future prospects, there would no problems with keeping his life. In accordance with the young lady's instructions, she had made the journey to the Orthodox Academy to ask him if he still required any assistance, like in terms of money. She had not expected that upon walking into the library, she would actually see such a sight!
Who was this girl? Why would she be embracing that guy? Was this studying? Although the Orthodox Academy was run-down, it was still a place of education! This guy was actually embracing this girl in the library! How scandalous!
Upon seeing this sight, Shuang'er flew into wrathful indignation. You have an engagement with the young lady! Although this engagement most certainly does not count, since you still haven't ended it, your identity is still that of the young lady's fiancé! Or else why would the young lady be concerned over your safety despite being ten thousand li away, even inviting a powerful figure of the palace to come and protect your puny life? Although the young lady might not like you, she still cares deeply for you, yet you consort with some other girl! Truly an adulterous couple!
Shuang'er had originally wanted to say these final four words out loud, but when she saw the childish beauty of the girl, she lost a little of her resolve. Instead, she glared at Chen Changsheng and hatefully yelled, "Pervert!"
With this word, she no longer had the mind to care about Chen Changsheng's situation. With a brush of her sleeve, she turned and angrily departed.
The Orthodox Academy was secluded and uninhabited. Although the grass by the lake was delightful, Lady Shuang'er was rather gloomy and became increasingly unhappy.
After returning to the Divine General of the East's estate, she began to write a letter to her young lady. The matters she had inquired about…especially the scene she saw today, were carefully described. Although she did not embellish, only writing what she had heard and seen, the denouncement in her words could not be concealed.
The White Crane left the capital and flew off to the distant Holy Maiden Peak in the south.
* * *
At dusk, when the setting sun illuminated the strange flowers and unusual grasses on the cliff, the White Crane descended. The girl extended her hand and took down the letter and after briefly looking it over, fell silent for a long time.
The White Crane once more brought up the brush in its mouth, dipped it with the perfect amount of ink, and deposited it perfectly in her hands.
Grasping the brush, the young girl gazed at the snow-white paper for a very long time. Suddenly, she sighed and used the end of the brush to scratch her head, then turned to the White Crane and vexedly said, "I really don't know what to write. Based on how you described him before…that young Daoist shouldn't be this sort of person."
The White Crane could not speak, so it naturally could not help her answer. It lightly touched its neck to her wrist, indicating that she should quickly write.
* * *
'Pervert'? Chen Changsheng had heard the word Shuang'er had said before her departure. He knew that she must have definitely misunderstood something, but he did not care, much less leave the library to chase her down and explain. The engagement with the Divine General's estate had not been torn apart yet, but after all the shameless things they had done, he didn't believe they even had the right to misunderstand him, let alone be angry, but…for some reason, he was actually somewhat angry.
Luoluo woke up and rubbed her eyes. Smelling the scent of makeup, she asked curiously, "Teacher, who came just now?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "A maid from the Divine General of the East's estate."
When she heard 'Divine General of the East's estate,' Luoluo's expression flickered. Just as she was prepared to say something, she suddenly stopped and looked out of the library.
Two men had arrived outside the library.
One of them strode into the library, his two hands behind his back. Entering without invitation, he seemed extremely arrogant.
This person was dressed in the apparel exclusively reserved for the education overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Chen Changsheng noticed that this person's expression was extremely cold, the gaze aimed at him extremely unkind.
"Ridiculous!"
The education overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy glanced at Chen Changsheng then swiftly turned around as if his eyes would be dirtied by looking any longer. It was a stance of extreme contempt.
He looked at the man beside him and harshly rebuked, "The Orthodox Academy is already a ruin; what right does it have to be ranked amongst the Six Ivies? As for this person…a piece of trash that hasn't even succeeded at Purification, what right does he have to attend the Ivy Festival!"
Chapter 36 – Thank You
The overseer had spoken with very harsh and cold words.
Chen Changsheng stood up and gazed silently at this overseer of the Heavenly Dao Academy. Luoluo was very angry, but seeing that Chen Changsheng did not say anything, she could only maintain her silence. As her teacher had not spoken nor given any direction, she believed that as a disciple, she naturally shou
ld not usurp authority by taking a stand.
The visitor had stood at the door of the library and said a few incredibly disrespectful sentences. It seemed to have come out of nowhere, but Chen Changsheng had heard the words 'Ivy Festival' and, connecting it with what Tang Thirty-Six had said last night, understood the reason for this matter.
He had never imagined that the Ivy Festival would have anything to do with him because, just like many others, he had forgotten that the Orthodox Academy was also one of the Six Ivies. However, it was very obvious that not everyone in the world had forgotten this fact, especially after the Orthodox Academy gained a new student in him.
Chen Changsheng shifted his gaze to the middle-aged man dressed in priestly robes standing next to the overseer and realized that he knew him. It was precisely Priest Xin of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. Although they had not met for many days now, the renovation of the Orthodox Academy had been managed by this priest.
Priest Xin sensed his gaze and nodded his head in greeting, but he seemed rather embarrassed.
Priest Xin turned his gaze to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer and advised, "In the past, the Orthodox Academy had no students, so it naturally didn't need to attend. Since it now has a student, it naturally should take part. Both the Imperial Court and the Orthodoxy have approved. Education Overseer Peng, let's just quickly carry out the confirmation process and leave."
In the past few years, the Heavenly Dao Academy had been the most important of the Orthodoxy's schools, its status incredibly significant. This overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy naturally had an extremely lofty status, too high for an ordinary priest of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education like him to contend against. In normal circumstances, if he saw this lordly overseer acting this way, Priest Xin would assuredly have played along, but…he knew more than anyone else that behind this seemingly ordinary and unremarkable youth was an incredibly strong backing which he didn't dare offend. Thus, he could only do his utmost to offend both sides as little as possible.
"You're really sure you want this piece of trash to attend the Ivy Festival?" that Heavenly Dao Academy overseer surnamed Peng said with a cold and gloomy expression.
Priest Xin helplessly replied, "This is a rule; there's nothing I can do either, no?"
"Rules? We have to talk about rules with everything? Then let me talk about rules!" the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer sneered. "Based on the rules of the past, the Ivy Festival imitates the style and structure of the Grand Examination, divided into a test of composition and a test of martial arts. The students from each academy and those students that passed the pre-examination each pick one to attend. It seems to me that this run-down school only has one piece of trash as a student, so how can it participate?"
Priest Xin was speechless. He recalled that the Ivy Festival really did have this sort of rule. It was just that before coming, he was only thinking about how to minimize conflict between Education Overseer Peng and Chen Changsheng, and had completely forgotten about this clause. He couldn't help but grow somewhat worried, thinking, Since this is the case, why didn't you talk about it earlier?
"In order to attend the Ivy Festival, at least two students are required…at present, there's just this one piece of trash. How do you want this official to confirm?"
The overseer had no expression on his face as he spoke, but his voice was brimming with derision. "Your Reverence, did you really believe that this official could not resist the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education's pressure and so made this journey? No, I came just because I wanted to see just how long this joke that is the Orthodox Academy could make me laugh!"
He stood at the door of the library and gazed at the noiseless and tranquil grounds of the Orthodox Academy, repaired but still broken down in a few parts, and coldly sighed, "The Orthodox Academy…back then, it truly had a grand reputation! But now? It's just a dead tomb!
"No matter how much you repair it, it's still just a tomb!"
The overseer's voice grew increasingly cold. "There's been a rumor in the capital recently saying that His Holiness wants to reopen the Orthodox Academy? It's absurd, but even if it were real, you would still have to see if we elders agree to it or not!"
He turned to Chen Changsheng, his eyes blazing with a faint fire as he yelled, "I am telling the world, nonsense is nonsense! The useless Orthodox Academy is just a garden of trash! A piece of trash is a piece of trash! Let no one think that they can make an issue of this matter!"
The Orthodox Academy was deathly still. The weeds behind the building that had not been cleaned up yet were pervaded by a cold and desolate feeling.
Chen Changsheng quietly gazed at this overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy and then suddenly took a step forward.
'Trash'…'joke'…'garden of trash'…'tomb'.
Those words were still drifting about the quiet library.
He did not know why this overseer from the Heavenly Dao Academy held such deep-seated hatred for the Orthodox Academy and for him, but he knew of one fact: he was a student of the Orthodox Academy, the only student. Although he had not lived here for long, this Orthodox Academy was his because he was the only student. Every flower, grass, tree, brick, roof tile, and rock, it was all his. He saw life reappear in this place, he quietly studied in this place; this place was his paradise, not some garden of trash.
He did not like being humiliated by others and liked even less the Orthodox Academy being humiliated.
He thought of those humiliations he received right after entering the capital, thought of the just-departed Shuang'er, and he decided to do something.
"I will attend the Ivy Festival."
He stared at the overseer and said, "I do not know why Sir has such great objections against me and my academy, but if Sir plans to bar me from the Ivy Festival, I can only regretfully tell Sir that Sir will not succeed because Sir's attitude is far too disrespectful."
The Heavenly Dao Academy overseer replied with an indifferent expression, "Attending the Ivy Festival requires two students, or…two pieces of trash. Even if you have the courage to attend, I can only regretfully tell you that you will not succeed, because in the entire continent, there is no one willing to enter the Orthodox Academy, other than an idiot like you."
Priest Xin said nothing, but he knew that the overseer had spoken correctly: no person was willing to enter the Orthodox Academy. Perhaps Chen Changsheng had been exiled to this place by some powerful figures, or perhaps he was bearing some sort of responsibility, but there would not be a second of this sort of person.
The library was very quiet.
Chen Changsheng gazed at the shiny black floorboards in front of him, then suddenly asked, "Do you still insist?"
An immature but firm voice declared, "I insist."
"I can't teach you much of anything."
"Teacher has already taught me a lot."
"If you become a student of the Orthodox Academy, many people might view you with contempt."
"Teacher, I'm very skilled at viewing others with contempt."
"You might…have to suffer all sorts of humiliation and suppression."
"Teacher, no one dares to humiliate me."
This dialogue concluded.
Chen Changsheng smiled and looked to his side, saying, "I still don't know your name."
Luoluo's eyes were extremely bright, her left hand tightly grasping his sleeve. Worried that he would renege, she said, "Teacher, my name is Luoheng."
Chen Changsheng extended his hand to grasp her left hand and then turned to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, declaring, "You see, now we are two people."
Luoluo was somewhat bashful. Leaning against his right arm, she repeated like a parrot learning words, "Yes, two people."
Priest Xin froze.
Wrathful beyond belief, the overseer rebuked, "Ridiculous! When did this shabby place get another student! Just who do you think you are! You think that if you say she's this place's student, she's a student of this place!?"
He wrote Luoluo's name on the register with great dignity and solemnity.
Luoluo raised up the register into the sunlight, swelling her small cheeks and hardily blowing on it, hoping it would dry as quickly as possible.
Under the sunlight, the register was illuminated crystal clear. There were only two names, but two names was enough.
"The register is right here. Whatever name I add is a student of the Orthodox Academy." Chen Changsheng pointed at the register and said to the Heavenly Dao Academy overseer, "Even if you are His Holiness the Pope himself, you cannot change this fact."