Father and Daughter at Odds

"...Once you enter society, you'll discover that school is the fairest place of all. Society is full of unfairness: people compare family backgrounds and personal connections, even bribe their superiors with money, claim your achievements as their own, and use all sorts of means to disrupt fair competition.

"But at school, no matter who your parents are or whether your family has money, if you score a hundred points, those hundred points are yours. No one can take ten points off your score and add them to their own. So, students, cherish your chance to compete fairly at school. You'll never have another chance like it!"

When Murong Qing's father finished, scattered applause rang out in the assembly hall. Clearly, the students did not agree much with his speech, having no firsthand experience of what he described.

The poor students felt an even deeper resistance to it, because accepting his words would be the same as admitting they were lazybones, rather than telling themselves, as they often did, "It's not that I'm bad at studying. I just don't have a talent for it."

Si Ming, who was sitting nearby, felt an impulse to applaud. The earlier part of the speech hadn't struck a chord with him-how could a top student understand the troubles of a poor student? But the final passage resonated with him.

He had never understood why he missed school life, always assuming that his feelings were making his memories seem better than they were. Now he finally understood that what he truly missed was the atmosphere of fair competition. That was what had made school life truly wonderful.

Chapter 41: Father and Daughter at Odds

After hearing Murong Qing's father's speech, which showed no sympathy for the weak, Si Ming had assumed he would be an extremely difficult person to get along with. But once they actually met, he discovered otherwise.

"Student Si Ming, as a father, I would like to thank you. If you hadn't risked your life to save her, I'm afraid I would have had to see my black-haired child off with my white hair."

Murong Zhe was actually in the prime of his life and had no white hair at all, but Si Ming knew it was a figure of speech and didn't take it literally. He hurriedly demurred, saying that he had happened to be there and had acted on impulse, rather than out of any real bravery.

Those modest words were very much to Murong Zhe's liking, and his gaze toward Si Ming gained a measure of appreciation. At the same time, he glared at Murong Qing, seemingly reproaching her for being so impolite as not to thank the person who had saved her life.

Murong Qing rose with a hint of reluctance. It wasn't that she didn't want to thank Si Ming, but her father's scolding manner easily stirred up a rebellious streak. Someone a little more willful would most likely have talked back on the spot.

Si Ming hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. "Student Murong has thanked me plenty of times already. My ears are practically growing calluses from hearing it. Please spare me from now on, or I'll be too embarrassed to be your classmate."

Murong Zhe accepted this explanation and nodded. Then he looked at the child on his other side, who was about five or six years old. "Wu'er, do you know what you should say to your benefactor?"

The child was Murong Qing's younger brother, Murong Wu. He was somewhat thin and frail, and despite being named "Wu," he had rather delicate features. Like Murong Zhe, he hadn't cut his hair short, instead tying it in a child's topknot. If he had been wearing a skirt instead of trousers, he would surely have been mistaken for a cute little girl.

"Big brother, I'll never forget that you saved my life. When Wu'er grows up, I'll repay you even if I have to be your ox or your horse."

It was the first time anyone had called Si Ming big brother, and that clear, sweet child's voice was even more melodious than a lark's. He drew a sharp breath inwardly and repeated to himself, He's a boy, he's a boy, he's a boy.

After banishing those distracting thoughts, he looked at him with clear eyes and said, "There's no need to be an ox or a horse. If you grow up healthy and become someone who contributes to the country and society, that will be the best way to repay me."

One side offered heartfelt thanks, while the other didn't put on the airs of a benefactor, and the thank-you meal continued in a very friendly atmosphere.

During their conversation, Si Ming learned that Murong Zhe was a disciple of the Confucian School. This came as a great surprise to him, as he had recently been cramming up on the Mohist School. Although citizens of Su State had the right to choose their school freely and weren't required to follow Mohist teachings, Mohist thought remained dominant. According to statistics, at least ninety-five percent of citizens were Mohist disciples. In such an atmosphere, studying the teachings of the Confucian School, the Mohist School's mortal enemy, was a considerable challenge.

The Mohist School preached universal love and equality; the Confucian School preached an ordered hierarchy. The Mohist School advocated simple burials and short mourning periods; the Confucian School held that the dead came first. The Mohist School rejected fate; the Confucian School taught that heaven and humanity influenced each other. The Mohist School sought to distinguish truth from falsehood concerning ghosts and gods; the Confucian School did not speak of strange phenomena, feats of strength, disorder, or spirits.

When the Confucian School spoke of Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang, it praised their virtue and ability, hoping the Son of Heaven would be a benevolent and wise ruler. When the Mohist School spoke of Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang, it praised the system of government they had maintained—the abdication system-hoping that a benevolent and wise ruler would become the Son of Heaven.

If it had been the Daoist School, the Agricultural School, the Diplomatic School, or even the Military School, which likewise had unfriendly relations with the Mohist School, Si Ming wouldn't have been surprised. Only the Confucian School was out of the question. The two couldn't even piss into the same pot. This wasn't a conflict of interests but of ideals, leaving no room even for compromise or negotiation. It was hard for them not to be sworn enemies.

After further conversation, however, Si Ming learned that Murong Zhe was not originally from Su State. He came from Li State, which had been founded by the Confucian School, and had immigrated to Su State several years ago. That made his status as a disciple much easier to understand.

The Mohist School had always thirsted for talent and paid no mind to differences between schools. It was also common knowledge that the Confucian School excelled at education and study. Leaving everything else aside, Confucian students were indeed first among all nations in examination results, a position that had stood unshaken for a thousand years. Even the Mohist School could only compete with other countries for second place.

Confucian disciples seemed naturally gifted at scholarly pursuits. Whatever the court tested in its civil service examinations, they studied. If the court tested the eight-legged essays used to keep the people ignorant, they found ingenious ways to make something of essays devoid of progressive thought. If the court tested modern scientific knowledge, they could likewise delve into its principles and overtake those who had started before them.

As a result, poaching Confucian teachers was common throughout the world. Every country did it.

"Oh, you took first place in your grade on the final exam? Impressive. Keep it up. If you're willing to attend First High next year, I'll transfer you into the key class."

Murong Zhe praised Si Ming with great appreciation and made him a personal promise.

In the eyes of Legalist disciples, those words would undoubtedly have been an abuse of authority for personal gain, enough to make them turn red with indignation. But to the Confucian School, it was merely an ordinary exchange of favors, an elder giving a younger person a helping hand. As the saying went, "recruit talent without being bound by convention." Since he personally gained nothing from it, it naturally didn't count as abusing his authority for personal gain.

Si Ming could see that Murong Qing's father was indeed the same on the inside as he was on the outside. When he said he favored top students, he really did give them more consideration.

It was hard to say whether his outlook was right or wrong. To accuse him of "discriminating against those beneath him" would clearly be unfair. A person couldn't change their origins, but their grades could be changed through later effort. By paying no heed to people's family backgrounds or origins, Murong Zhe was already better than the vast majority of people in the world who judged others by appearances. Yet calling him fair, impartial, and evenhanded toward everyone didn't seem quite right either.

Murong Qing could no longer hold back. "Father, I've taken first place in my grade four times. How come I've never heard you praise me once?"

Murong Zhe frowned. "I've never approved of girls showing their sharp edges too openly. While I wouldn't go so far as to agree that 'a woman without talent is virtuous,' being competitive is never a good thing for a woman. If you don't change your thinking now, you'll suffer for it in the future."

Murong Qing retorted, "What age are we living in, Father? And you still cling to the idea that men are worth more than women?"

"This has nothing to do with favoring men over women. Everyone has things they're good at and things they're not. Instead of doing what women are good at, you go and snatch men's work. A hen crowing at dawn—is that proper? For example, you're willing to learn painting, and I fully support you in that."

"How is studying for exams a hen crowing at dawn? If I'm clearly more capable than others, should I deliberately get a few questions wrong and score lower than them? There's no such principle in the world! Whatever men can do, women can do too!"

Murong Zhe said impatiently, "Stay away from the woman who says things like that. She's unhappy with her own life and can't stand seeing others happy, so she deliberately says such things to harm people. It's just like those disreputable women who love to preach a promiscuous lifestyle. Once they've sullied themselves, they can't stand seeing others remain clean."

Murong Qing sprang to her feet. "Is that the same thing?" she demanded angrily.

Murong Zhe's face instantly darkened. "What, are you going to pound the table at your father? You've already lost all respect for your elders and forgotten everything I taught you. Once your wings are fully grown, won't you overturn heaven itself?"

"Heaven and earth may be vast, but reason is greater than both! Father, you're being unreasonable, yet you blame your daughter for disrespecting her elders. Is that what you taught me?"

The presence of a martial arts expert radiated from Murong Zhe. "You want to talk reason? Fine. Then tell me, what does it mean for the ruler to be a ruler, the minister a minister, the father a father, and the son a son?"

Murong Qing's face turned slightly pale, but her resolve did not waver. "Father, I haven't heard that saying of yours, but I have heard another: 'If a ruler regards his ministers as his hands and feet, they will regard him as their heart and belly. If he regards them as dogs and horses, they will regard him as a stranger. If he regards them as dirt and weeds, they will regard him as a bandit and an enemy.'"

Murong Zhe was so furious that he laughed. "Good, good, good! So are you going to regard me as your heart and belly, a stranger, or an enemy?"

As the quarrel between father and daughter was about to escalate, Si Ming watched, dumbstruck. An argument between educated people was fearsome indeed. They quoted the classics and reeled off one lofty principle after another. Without a deep store of knowledge, one wasn't even qualified to open one's mouth. He wanted to break up the argument, but feared that if he spoke, both sides would look down on him.

Si Ming thought for a moment, then hurriedly gathered True Qi in secret, pinched up a drop of soup, and flicked it at Murong Wu's forehead.

The tender little boy with the pretty face was startled. He turned and saw Si Ming making faces at him, and it was as if he had just woken from a dream. He hurriedly pleaded in his soft, sweet voice, "Father, Sister, please don't quarrel, all right?"

Murong Qing glanced at her younger brother, who was looking at her pitifully, and calmed down a little. But she shared her father's stubborn temper. Since she didn't believe she was wrong, she would never apologize. She turned and ran out.

Si Ming sighed and said to Murong Zhe, "Uncle, I'll go check on her, in case something happens."

Murong Zhe was undoubtedly far better than his daughter at mastering his temper. In that short time, his expression had already returned to normal. Full of apology, he said, "I'm sorry you had to see that, young nephew. I expect my daughter doesn't want to see me right now, so I'm sorry to trouble you to look after her."