A Handsome Young Man in Green Robes, Like a Jade Tree Before the Wind

Zhu Ying felt deeply unconvinced. He thought to himself, So what if he had a photographic memory? His talent for poetry was this formidable too? Could Wang Chong truly be a perfect man without a single flaw? I refuse to believe he can compose another poem on the same theme!

Though Little Bug possessed the ability to remember everything at a glance, composing poetry required another kind of talent. He had no gift for producing verses at a moment's notice. At Zhu Ying's words, he stood dumbfounded for a long while, sweat beading on his brow, yet still could not come up with a single clever line.

Seeing Wang Chong's dazed expression, Zhu Ying could not bear it. Just as he was about to soften his words and say that he had only been joking—

Fearing that his friend would be angry, Little Bug suddenly recalled an old poem from his father's collection. Good thing Father had a poem praising handsome men. Otherwise, how could I calm Senior Brother Zhu's anger?

After hesitating again and again, he steadied himself and recited, "A handsome young man in green robes, like a jade tree before the wind; composing a thousand poems and rhapsodies by day, loving to flee Zen while drunk."

Zhu Ying was stunned for a long moment. Lowering his head, he saw that he happened to be dressed in green. As though he had seen a ghost or god, he muttered, "So there truly is such a flawless man in this world." His spirits suddenly sank, and he said softly, "Sleep. We still have class tomorrow."

Little Bug let out a breath of relief, removed his clothes, and lay down. Silently reciting those inscriptions in his mind, he soon fell asleep.

But Zhu Ying tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Hearing Wang Chong's faint snores, he lit the lamp again. By its firefly-dim glow, he studied Wang Chong carefully for a while and murmured, "A graceful youth, astonishingly gifted and peerlessly brilliant..."

Zhu Ying pondered for a long time. Suddenly, his face reddened. He blew out the lamp and lay down again, but countless thoughts surged through his mind, coming and going, endlessly unsettled. Only at dawn did he drift into a light sleep.

The next day!

Both Wang Chong and Zhu Ying rose late, with no time for breakfast.

Little Bug got up first. Seeing that the sun was at the wrong height, he hurriedly called out to Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying jolted awake and cried, "Oh no! Hurry and get ready. If we delay even a little longer, we will not make it to class in time."

Little Bug hurriedly dressed. Zhu Ying had slept in his clothes, so he did not need to change, though he still had to wash up a little. Both moved quickly, and in no more than a moment, they rushed out together, hand in hand.

Only after reaching the study hall did Zhu Ying realize that he had been holding Wang Chong's hand all the way. Fortunately, they had run at full speed, and his face was already faintly flushed, so none could see the turmoil in his heart. He hurriedly said, "If Master asks today, say we stayed up late reciting our lessons. Never mention returning late."

"Egret Academy's rules are strict. If they learn that little brother Wang Chong wandered about at night, they might send you home."

Little Bug's expression turned solemn as well. After parting with Zhu Ying, he entered the D-Class Study Hall. Before he had even settled into his seat, he heard the master call, "Wang Chong, come with me."

He thought he was about to be reprimanded, and panic filled his heart. His mother had sent him here to study; if he were expelled for breaking the rules, she would surely be angry.

Little Bug was still wondering how he could get through this.

Song Gonglian led this clever student straight into Dean Xun Fa's study and said, "This is Wang Chong."

Seeing Wang Chong's honest, simple features, Xun Fa took a liking to him and asked, "Have you entered the scholarly ranks?"

Wang Chong had long heard that the dean was a great Confucian scholar of the age, an author of countless books and writings, with disciples and old friends spread throughout the realm, his reputation filling the land. He could not help feeling nervous and answered quietly, "I passed the xiucai examination last year."

Xun Fa was mildly surprised. "Since you already hold the xiucai degree, you should be in Class B. How did you end up in Class D?"

Song Gonglian had not known that Wang Chong already possessed a xiucai degree. Smiling, he said, "I had intended to secure him a place in Class C, but I never expected this child to already hold a xiucai degree. My eyes failed me."

Xun Fa smiled as well. "Will you be taking the provincial examination next year?"

Little Bug hurriedly nodded. "I will indeed take the provincial examination."

Xun Fa said, "Gonglian tells me that you can recite the Collected Annotations on the Six Histories backward and forward. Your diligence cannot be denied. These days, the court selects men primarily through policy questions, but if you wish to pass the provincial examination, you must also work hard on proper essay writing."

Before a great Confucian master such as Xun Fa, Little Bug was extremely nervous. His little face was blank and bewildered, as though he had lost his wits.

After speaking a few more words, Xun Fa could not help but smile. This child's character is good enough, but he is far too quiet and needlessly nervous. He gave a few instructions, kept Song Gonglian behind, and allowed Wang Chong to leave on his own.

The moment Little Bug left Xun Fa's courtyard, he let out a breath of relief and felt his spirits rise slightly. Then he saw Zhu Ying approaching him and saying with a smile, "Let us eat together."

He hurriedly replied, "That would be wonderful."

Zhu Ying chuckled. "Those people yesterday all skipped class and waited outside Master Xiao's room, wanting to take him as their immortal master. After a full day and night, none of them saw him return. They were all disappointed, and today every one of them was punished."

Little Bug found it quite amusing as well, but he was poor with words and could not think of anything appropriate to say. He merely gave a simple-minded smile, not knowing how to play along.

Zhu Ying did not mind. As they chatted idly and arrived at the dining hall, he still took charge, ordering several light dishes for Wang Chong. He himself had only a bowl of plain noodles, which he ate with great refinement.

After lunch, the two returned together to rest.

Zhu Ying still had classes in the afternoon, leaving Wang Chong alone. After reciting for a while in the attic, he could not resist releasing that mass of black cloud.

This mass of black cloud could grow large or small. At its largest, it covered half a mu; when contracted, it was no bigger than a fist and could be tucked into a sleeve.

Little Bug did not know what this thing truly was, what it could do, or what wondrous uses it possessed.

Under the control of that inscription—deep and secluded, vast and unbroken, surging like a dragon awakened by thunder, carrying an unstoppable, majestic force—it could only grow or shrink, be released or retrieved, drift or sway. Faint sounds of wind and thunder seemed to be contained within it.

Little Bug played with the black cloud in the attic for a while. It rolled about obediently, and suddenly a whimsical thought came to him. I wonder whether I can sit on it and soar into the sky like some Old Demon Luo?

He jumped up and sat on the black cloud, only to pass right through it and fall to the ground. His backside hurt terribly, and he was instantly disappointed.

The black cloud, scattered by Wang Chong's bottom, curled around his body with a faintly cool sensation.

Little Bug pressed a hand to the floor and tried to rise, but to his surprise, his whole body became light as air. Amid wisps of cloud and mist curling around him, he floated up.

Terror filled his heart. His limbs flailed wildly, yet while suspended in midair, he turned with lightness and agility, like a monkey swimming through the clouds.

When his feet touched the ground again, Little Bug's soul had yet to settle, but his heart was filled with delight. He could not explain the feeling; he simply felt that this thing should no longer be the Black-Wind Baleful Cloud.

Its method of use was exceedingly strange. It was not meant to be ridden for flight at all. Rather, it resembled a weapon that could be hard or soft and change without form. It could be drawn into every pore of his body, then released to surround him with clouds and mist, making him as nimble as a "flying bird" and allowing him to perform all manner of unbelievable movements in midair.

Have I refined it apart into a new magical treasure?

After playing for a while, Little Bug put away the black cloud and took out the copper ring again. This thing can be thrown to smash people. It is probably not some powerful treasure, or that Daoist would not have thrown it away.

Or perhaps he had simply considered it too worthless and deliberately left it behind as payment for showing him the way.

After several days of practice, Little Bug had become especially adept at controlling it.

However, his mother had kept him under strict discipline since childhood. Even after relaxing for two or three hours and playing with the two treasures for a while, he still remembered that he needed to study.

There were still more than ten volumes of the books issued by the academy that he had not yet memorized. Little Bug did not dare indulge himself too much. He put away the two items, took out his book chest once more, and slowly began reciting the volumes he had not fully mastered.