The next day, the weather was fair and bright.
The Cui Family estate north of Ting Prefecture was already packed with people. At a glance, there was a sea of heads, shoulder pressed against shoulder.
At any other time, such a scene would surely have been filled with noise and clamor. Yet the Cui Family estate was exceptionally quiet. Though everyone was trying to push forward and the Order was somewhat lacking, no major disturbance had broken out.
"Good heavens, there really are a great many people here to hear Scholar Qiu lecture."
"Isn't that so? I came early this morning, thinking I could claim a seat near the front. Who would have thought I would nearly fail even to get through the main gate?"
"You've had it pretty good. There were quite a few people gathered outside that gate. I nearly did not get in myself. What was even more fortunate was that after I crossed the threshold, someone outside tried to stir up trouble amid the confusion. Soldiers immediately came and seized him, as though they had anticipated it long ago! Isn't that strange? Then they took advantage of the moment to speak up, brought the situation under control, and intimidated everyone present..."
"What is there to be surprised about? Think about who is lecturing here today. That is Scholar Qiu, the Confucianism Sage of War! He ranged across north and south, drove back the Hu invaders in the north, pacified Five Marshes in the south, and with five thousand troops was about to quell the White Lotus Rebellion. A man like him could devise plans within his command tent and secure victory a thousand miles away. Even the hundreds of thousands of White Lotus rebel troops could not escape the Scholar's calculations. How could ordinary people in