Ghosts and Gods

Su Ziji had made up his mind and smiled. "Able in letters and arms, skilled in poetry and qin, chess and painting—everyone wants that, but human strength has its limits!"

"Brother Yu, having such aspirations means your Spirit Observatory is clear and bright. It seems you will surely pass this examination."

"By the way, Brother Zhang has not arrived yet?"

He had assumed Zhang Sheng had already arrived. Yet when he came to Yu Lü's place, he did not see him, hence the question. He was still a little short of experience before reaching Level 7; otherwise, why would he come here so eagerly?

Yu Lü revealed a wry smile. "He arrived early enough, but he could not sit still and just went out. I fear we will have to wait a while before he returns."

As they spoke, the inn's main doors were pushed open. Zhang Sheng came in from outside with his bookboy. Seeing that Su Ziji had arrived, he immediately clapped his hands and laughed. "Brother Su, you have finally arrived! Come, come, this place is far too lively. Let us return to the room for some wine first. There will be time enough to read afterward!"

As he spoke, he led a servant back to the room and set out the wine and dishes he had bought, one by one. Yu Lü repeatedly shook his head. Ever since Zhang Sheng arrived, the reading gathering had become a drinking gathering.

Su Ziji could not help laughing.

This Zhang Sheng truly has a forthright side. Though he is somewhat careless about trifles, he does not make people dislike him. He is somewhat like Fang Xi.

Thinking this, Su Ziji had already eaten, but a little wine would do no harm. He simply took a seat, poured wine for Zhang Sheng and Yu Lü, raised his cup to clink with theirs, and drained it in one gulp.

Yu Lü drank silently. Zhang Sheng felt his face shine with pride, and his tone became warm and familiar. "That is more like it. Come, this time I brought everything you wanted to read."

As he spoke, he gulped down another cup, picked up a book, and began to read. "This was written by my father in the Capital City two years ago. I shall read it for now—Fang City spans over a hundred zhi, its fertile fields yield nearly a thousand boxes; the lacquer garden remembers the official of Zhuang, Yinling lost the land of Chu."

"And there is this: At the city's northern corner, on Yang Hill's winding embankment, pavilions and halls were built. This hall stood amid the waters of the Wan River. There was a gate on either side; entering from the right gate led through a screen gate, within which stood a hall called Hall of Fragrant Distance. Stone steps descended into the water. To the north, one could lean upon the orange tower and feast one's eyes; westward, the mountains appeared and vanished, stretching as far as the eye could see—a scene of utter purity and splendor."

Su Ziji listened. Once it was over, he glanced at [Four Books and Five Classics Level 6 (5355/6000)] and thought, Having gained experience from the Fang Family, the remaining Provincial Graduate essays gave very little experience when read. These three new books only added a little over two hundred experience points—better than nothing!

This showed that Fang Wenshao's literary talent truly ranked first in this county.

After Zhang Sheng read it aloud once, the three began discussing their insights and offering their own interpretations. Even Zhang Sheng grew serious. Both his good friends had become Examination Students; he could not fall too far behind.

"This sentence can actually be understood in such a way?" Yu Lü lowered his head and pondered for a moment. When he looked up again, his gaze at Su Ziji was already filled with disbelief.

"Brother Su, if I did not know that you only met my uncle for the first time a few days ago, I would think you were a student taught by my uncle."

"Your essay last time, and your explanation just now—I have heard them before. They were things my uncle taught in his lectures, yet I never expected to hear them again from you."

"Your improvement lately has been astonishingly fast. It has shocked even me."

Yu Lü felt that Su Ziji had given him rather too many surprises lately.

Not long ago, Su Ziji's essays had still been a notch beneath his own. When Su Ziji newly passed as an Examination Student, Yu Lü had already found it somewhat strange, feeling that they were now evenly matched.

But now, Su Ziji had surpassed him by a measure. Yu Lü felt that he, the County Examination Topper, ought to yield his place.

He had leapt from Level 3 straight to Level 6 and was about to fill Level 7, while Yu Lü was only around Level 5. Naturally, his improvement had been rapid.

Su Ziji said modestly, "My learning is merely ordinary. I was only inspired somewhat after reading Lord Fang's manuscripts."

Zhang Sheng shook his head, equally amazed by Su Ziji's progress. "That is because you have talent. I have read plenty of Fang Family manuscripts too, yet I have never grasped things at a single point like this. I am so envious of you."

Yu Lü sighed with feeling. "In this Prefectural Examination, Brother Su, your chances of passing are very high."

Such words naturally put Su Ziji's heart at ease.

For him, academic honors were the road to advancement, but also the road to survival.

On the surface, his enemies included Boss Zhang and the others. Behind them were the Daoists of Mount Tong Temple, as far as he knew, but whether there were more, he did not know.

Naturally, he neither wished nor dared to wait another three years.

Those who dug up graves and exhumed coffins to seize his ancestral tomb certainly would not be willing to give him three years.

Su Ziji's thoughts turned. He raised his cup to urge a round of drinking before asking, "The Master did not speak of strange forces and disordered gods. Did ghosts and gods truly exist in this world?"

"How could ghosts and gods not exist?" Yu Lü was greatly astonished. "Wang Sunjia asked: 'Rather than currying favor with the god of the inner chamber, it is better to curry favor with the god of the stove.' What did this mean?"

"The Master said: 'Not so. If one offends Heaven, there is nowhere left to pray.'"

"Before fierce winds and sudden thunder, a gentleman ought to stand in awe. When the sage said he did not speak of strange forces and disordered gods, he meant he did not speak of ghosts and gods outside the proper canon. Yet revering Heaven is the first and foremost duty."

Su Ziji smiled bitterly. The meaning was that Wang Sunjia had said that rather than worshipping the god of the inner chamber, a god close to Heaven, it was better to worship the stove god, a household or local god. But the reply was that if one did not revere Heaven and thus offended it, there would be nowhere to pray. That naturally meant gods existed.

He waved his hand and said, "I mean, are matters like what happened to Brother Fang common?"

"Brother Fang's affair? Though not common, such things do happen. Three years ago, Brother Zhang of the Zhang Family suffered something similar. He became muddleheaded, fell bedridden, and often babbled nonsense."

"The Zhang Family invited famous physicians everywhere for diagnosis, but it was of no use. Only after he entered the Prefectural Academy and asked the Master to lift the calamity was it resolved. Yet because of this, he was barred from the Imperial Examinations for three years."

"That is not even the key issue. Though he woke, his intelligence was damaged, and I fear he can no longer become a Provincial Graduate." Yu Lü looked deeply regretful. "I remember when I traveled to study, Brother Zhang once hosted me. His thoughts were truly quick, his intelligence heaven-bestowed, rarely seen in a lifetime. He became a Cultivated Talent at seventeen. I had thought he would surely ride the spring breeze in triumph through the examination halls, but I never expected such a disaster to occur."

Su Ziji still did not understand, so Zhang Sheng explained, "Zhang Yu, speaking of which, is actually of my clan, though we are separated by more than five degrees of kinship."

"His learning was certainly excellent, but he was a little hot-blooded in his youth, relying on his talent and looking down on others. Outraged by Illicit Worship, he blocked the temple entrance and denounced it fiercely. Yet after returning home, he fell ill and never rose again."

"That was why the Fang Family was so nervous this time, and why they were so grateful after the matter was resolved."

"Illicit Worship, denounced fiercely!" Su Ziji's eyelids twitched, and his expression darkened and brightened uncertainly. Only after a long while did he say, "So that was how it was. That Illicit Worship seemed to have been torn down afterward?"

Once this was mentioned, it became a matter from this county. Su Ziji seemed to have heard of it.

"Yes. That god was not of the human kind, but one of the Demon Ghost breed. The Master obtained an official document from the prefect and the cooperation of the county magistrate, then had the temple demolished. Who told it to dare harm someone with academic honors?"

"..." Only then did Su Ziji recall that such a thing had indeed happened. He seemed even to have watched the excitement.

"Let us not speak of this." Yu Lü clearly did not wish to continue the topic.

"Brother Su, the Prefectural Examination is in early June, but if we are going to the prefectural city, we must certainly leave half a month early, perhaps even a full month. Otherwise, if we go too late, even finding an inn will be difficult."

"During the fifth and sixth months, epidemics are also more likely. Going early will let us recuperate, and we can exchange ideas with students from the seven counties under the prefecture. Shutting oneself indoors to build a cart is no good."

"If you wish to watch the chess tournament, you must leave even earlier. We need to set out within the next day or two." Yu Lü was a serious man, and he explained each point one by one.

"Very well. Then tomorrow, we shall set out for the prefectural city." Su Ziji agreed.

Travel in ancient times was hardly convenient. The prefectural city was one hundred and eighty li away; at a pace of thirty li a day, the journey would take a week. It was already early March, so they could leave now.

"Then it is settled."