[Translation] Don't Let The Country Go (不讓江山): Chapter Four: Studying Is Easier

 

Early the next morning, Daoist Changmei brought Li Diudiu to wait outside Zhou Huaili’s residence. Along the way, he repeatedly warned him that if they met the renowned Mister Gao later, he absolutely must not behave rudely. He was to keep all his nonsense to himself and not act recklessly.

Li Diudiu’s expression looked rather gloomy. He did not want to go to any Four Pages Academy. He only wanted to stay with his master.

“Master really doesn’t want me anymore?”

“Don’t want you, don’t want you.”

Daoist Changmei waved his hand dismissively. “It wasn’t easy finding a chance to send you away.”

Li Diudiu asked, “Then will Master leave Jizhou?”

“Well...”

Daoist Changmei thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head. “No, probably not. There’s a Wuwei Temple in Jizhou, and its abbot is also an old friend of mine. After I settle you into the academy, I’ll go attach my name there. You live your good life, and I’ll live mine.”

“Oh...”

Li Diudiu lowered his head. After a long moment, he forced out a smile.

“Master, look, you usually still need me to take care of you. Boiling water, washing your feet, things like that. If I leave, you won’t be used to it.”

“The temple naturally has people to boil water for me. My seniority is high.”

“Master, I can help you read fortunes for people too. Look how well we worked together before—we were flawless.”

“Tricking people isn’t a long-term solution. From now on, I won’t deceive people anymore. And neither should you.”

“Oh...”

“Master, I...”

“Enough already!”

Daoist Changmei’s tone suddenly turned stern. Staring directly into Li Diudiu’s eyes, he said word by word, “Can’t you have a little ambition? If you complete your studies and become capable in the future, wouldn’t it be good to support me then?”

“Huh?”

Just moments earlier his master had been saying he didn’t want him anymore, yet now he was talking about Li Diudiu studying hard and supporting him in the future. Suddenly, Li Diudiu felt somewhat tempted.

“After graduating from Four Pages Academy, is there really a good future ahead?”

“Of course. Mister Gao of Four Pages Academy is considered one of the foremost scholars in all Great Chu. The students he teaches are outstanding talents everywhere. Even Governor Zeng of Jizhou was once his student. Isn’t that impressive? I’m not expecting you to become a governor. As long as you can obtain a respectable identity, that’s enough.”

Daoist Changmei softened his tone.

“Master hopes you can become an upright and honorable man.”

“Okay.”

Li Diudiu nodded vigorously.

“An upright and honorable man.”

An hour later, they arrived at Four Pages Academy.

The moment Zhou Huaili led Li Diudiu through the gates, the boy’s eyes were no longer enough to take everything in. The academy was enormous, full of pavilions and towers, beautiful everywhere he looked. Most importantly, every student there appeared so clean and refined. Dressed in moon-white academy robes, some walked together in groups while others studied beneath trees. Compared to the starving refugees outside the city, this place seemed like a paradise. Li Diudiu even had the illusion that this place did not belong to the mortal world at all.

“Remember this in a moment—don’t lose your nerve. Whatever Mister Gao asks, answer honestly. And don’t speak nonsense. Mister Gao dislikes people without manners.”

As they walked, Zhou Huaili explained, “The others meeting Mister Gao with you today are the eldest grandson of the Jizhou Military Affairs Commissioner, surnamed Sun; the son of the Deputy Magistrate of Jizhou Prefecture, surnamed Liu; and the grandson of the Director of the Water Affairs Bureau, surnamed Zhang. The three of them...”

Zhou Huaili looked at Li Diudiu and sighed.

“Forget it. Just do your best.”

After a few more steps, he asked, “What has your master taught you?”

“Reading and writing, the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, fortune-telling and physiognomy...”

“Enough, enough, stop talking.”

Zhou Huaili looked up to the sky and let out a long sigh.

“What a waste of the ‘Ascending Sparrow Terrace’ calligraphy.”

In a tiny voice, Li Diudiu muttered to himself, “There’s also medicine, acupuncture, swordsmanship... My master is incredible.”

“No matter how incredible your master is, he still has to send you to Four Pages Academy.”

Li Diudiu disliked this man named Zhou Huaili, but his master had said that since the man was helping them, he could not go around making sour faces at him. Still, when Zhou Huaili spoke slightingly of his master, Li Diudiu hated hearing it.

“What if my master had Gao Shaowei’s status?”

He looked at Zhou Huaili.

“Would my master still need to beg others for help? My master may not be inferior to Gao Shaowei at all. He simply wasn’t born into the same circumstances.”

Zhou Huaili abruptly stopped walking. Turning sideways, he glared at Li Diudiu.

“Are you speaking to me? Do you know what your status is?”

Li Diudiu opened his mouth, then endured it silently.

Zhou Huaili pointed toward the academy gate.

“If your master hadn’t helped me back then, do you think I would throw away my own dignity to help you beg for favors? If you’re dissatisfied, you can turn around and get lost. Otherwise, shut your mouth.”

Li Diudiu chose silence. The ten-year-old boy told himself inwardly that one day, if he rose above others, he would make his master proud.

He followed Zhou Huaili deep into the academy grounds until they arrived at a separate courtyard. This was where the world-famous scholar Gao Shaowei lived. Zhou Huaili told Li Diudiu to wait outside while he entered first. Even his voice sounded cold and harsh, as though he were scolding someone.

After entering the study and seeing that the others had not yet arrived, Zhou Huaili relaxed slightly and bowed with a smile.

“Sir, I’ve brought the child.”

“Wait for the others. Once everyone arrives, I’ll examine them together.”

Gao Shaowei stood up and said, “Come, sit and talk first.”

But Zhou Huaili did not sit. Remaining slightly bent at the waist, he said humbly, “Sir, this child is orphaned and rough by nature. He speaks without restraint and lacks proper manners. But he’s clever and has learned many things. If he accidentally offends you later, I ask for your understanding.”

Gao Shaowei glanced at him.

“He truly is the child of an old friend?”

“You could say that.”

Zhou Huaili replied, “Back when I was transferred from Yongqing County to Jizhou, my wife fell gravely ill on the road and nearly died. It was this child’s master who saved her and escorted us all the way here. The boy himself is an orphan picked up by my old friend, who raised him as though he were his own son.”

Gao Shaowei sighed.

“The ‘Ascending Sparrow Terrace’ piece by Master Songming was also gifted to you by that old friend, wasn’t it? Yet for this child’s sake, you brought it here to me.”

Zhou Huaili said, “Sir, the Buddhists say saving one life is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda. There’s spirit in this child’s eyes, and he is hardworking and eager to learn. His master already saved his life once—that alone is like building a seven-story pagoda. But changing a person’s fate? Sir, you are the one who can change his fate. You are the changer of fate for all students of this academy.”

Gao Shaowei pondered for a moment, then nodded.

“If he truly has talent worth cultivating, I won’t care about his origins and will naturally keep him here. If he proves beyond teaching... then so be it. I’ll still keep him at the academy as a servant. Better that than wandering homeless in the wind and rain.”

Zhou Huaili bowed deeply again.

“Many thanks, Sir.”

Not long afterward, the other children from distinguished families also arrived one after another. There were four candidates in total. Li Diudiu was the youngest. The oldest was Sun Rugong, whose family background was the best among them all—after all, his grandfather was a legitimate fourth-rank official. Zhang Xiaolin stood more than half a head taller than Li Diudiu and clearly had practiced martial arts for some time already, appearing sturdy and robust. Liu Shengying was about the same height as Li Diudiu.

The three boys wore splendid clothing, while Li Diudiu’s clothes were covered in patches, though washed spotlessly clean. Even so, compared to the other three, he seemed like someone from a completely different world.

“I’ll ask questions, and you answer. Say whatever comes to mind. Don’t overthink it.”

Gao Shaowei looked over the four boys, then waved his hand.

“Everyone except the four children may leave.”

The others offered encouragement to their children. Zhou Huaili merely glanced at Li Diudiu and spoke a single sentence before walking out.

“Don’t disgrace your master.”

Gao Shaowei sat down and had the four boys stand in a row before him. After thinking briefly, he said:

“First question. If you were traveling alone and encountered injustice on the road, should you intervene or not?”

Zhang Xiaolin answered first.

“Of course you should intervene when you see injustice. If one is born with useful abilities yet doesn’t dare stand up for what’s right, then how could one ever have the courage to fight enemies on the battlefield later?”

Sun Rugong smiled slightly.

“That’s merely the bravery of a brute. Of course injustice should be addressed, but you shouldn’t act rashly. First determine the cause of the matter before deciding whether to intervene. One must use one’s brain.”

Liu Shengying said, “I’m still young. I should return home to tell my family, or report it to the authorities.”

Gao Shaowei turned toward the silent Li Diudiu, waiting for his answer.

After thinking for a moment, Li Diudiu replied:

“If I can handle it, then I’ll intervene. If I can’t, then I won’t.”

Gao Shaowei frowned.

The other three boys all looked at Li Diudiu with disdain. To them, his words were meaningless nonsense.

Shaking his head slightly, Gao Shaowei continued:

“Second question. If I gave each of you one tael of silver right now, but ordered you to buy something worth five taels, would you buy it?”

Sun Rugong answered, “If it’s something Sir wishes to buy, why would Sir need to spend his own money?”

Liu Shengying said, “I would have to return home and ask my parents for more silver.”

Zhang Xiaolin replied, “Forget five taels—even ten taels, I would still buy it.”

Li Diudiu shook his head.

“If Sir were that kind of teacher, why would I need to come to this academy?”

Gao Shaowei frowned again.

“Third question. Which do you think is more important—studying literature or studying martial arts?”

This time, the three boys answered in unison:

“Studying literature is more important.”

Even Zhang Xiaolin, who had practiced martial arts since childhood, did not choose martial arts.

Li Diudiu thought carefully again. His master had said he must not spout nonsense, and Zhou Huaili had said the same, so he seriously considered every question several times before answering.

“Martial arts.”

The other three boys turned to look at him again. This time their faces held not only disdain, but pity as well. This was an academy, yet he claimed martial arts were more important. Only some wild country brat like him could give such a foolish answer.

Two lines were written on the academy’s spirit wall:

Cultivate virtue to establish oneself.
Study literature to govern affairs.

Great Chu ruled the nation through civil administration. People often said that those who studied literature ruled others, while those who studied martial arts were ruled by others. Though Chu had once founded its empire through military strength, that was centuries ago. Civil officials could rise as high as first rank or even above first rank, while military officers, no matter how high they climbed, stopped at proper third rank. Great Chu had not seen a military official above third rank for hundreds of years.

“Since you wish to study martial arts, why did you come to the academy?”

Gao Shaowei asked while looking directly into Li Diudiu’s eyes.

“Because my master wanted me to come.”

Li Diudiu answered honestly.

Gao Shaowei’s brows furrowed deeper and deeper. This child... he found himself disliking him. Just from the single sentence my master wanted me to come, he already wanted the boy sent away immediately.

Still, he asked one more question:

“Why do you believe martial arts are more important?”

Li Diudiu fell silent for a moment before answering:

“They think studying literature is more important because they don’t need martial arts. Whenever they travel, people protect them. I’m different. If I don’t learn martial arts, I can’t protect myself. If I don’t learn martial arts, I can’t protect my master. My master is already very old. Ten years ago, he could carry me on his back. Now he needs a walking stick just to walk.”

Then he added one more sentence:

“As for studying... that part is too easy. Martial arts are a little harder.”

The moment Gao Shaowei’s expression had just begun to soften slightly, his eyes immediately widened again.

“Studying is easy?! Young man, don’t speak so arrogantly!”