Tenth Rank of the Confucian Dao.
Literary talent granted entry into the ranks.
Reading, writing essays, comprehending the Dao.
Xu Qingxiao could understand all three.
But none of these were what Xu Qingxiao wanted to ask about.
"Sir, if you cultivate the Confucian Dao far enough, can you turn your lips into spears and your tongue into swords, speak lotuses into bloom, make your words become law, and slay thousands of troops with a single essay?"
Xu Qingxiao asked.
His words immediately drew a hearty laugh from Zhou Ling.
"Where did you hear that? How could the Confucian Dao be so overwhelmingly powerful? Lips like spears, tongues like swords, lotuses blooming from your mouth, words becoming law!"
"If it had such power, everyone in the world would cultivate the Confucian Dao."
Zhou Ling laughed.
After all, Xu Qingxiao's description was far too exaggerated.
"It doesn't work like that? Then what is the Confucian Dao for?"
Xu Qingxiao grew curious.
He had genuinely thought it involved towering literary talent and poems that could safeguard a nation. To think that wasn't the case!
After all, this world had immortals and Buddhas.
"No, no."
"The Confucian Dao cultivates the self and nurtures one's character, governs nations and brings peace to the world. It can nourish Righteous Haoran Qi and extend your lifespan, but fighting and killing are beyond it. Safeguarding a nation with a single poem is pure fantasy."
Zhou Ling waved a hand.
Then he continued speaking.
"Then may I ask, sir, if the Confucian Dao can only cultivate the self and nurture one's character, what should one do when encountering Demonic Evils?"
Xu Qingxiao continued asking.
At this, Zhou Ling spoke with a measure of confidence.
"Confucian scholars cultivate Righteous Haoran Qi and sometimes strengthen their bodies and bones as well, so they possess some strength. Of course, in terms of fighting ability, a First Rank Grand Confucian cannot defeat a fourth-rank martial artist. But facing Demonic Evils is another matter."
"My young friend Qingxiao, I may not have entered the ranks yet, but I have nourished some Righteous Haoran Qi. Didn't a fugitive come to our county a few days ago? They say he cultivated an Unorthodox Art and belonged to an evil path."
"If he stood before me, he wouldn't be able to come within thirty feet of me."
Zhou Ling was very confident, especially when discussing evil beings.
"He couldn't come within thirty feet?"
Xu Qingxiao was a little surprised.
He had seen how powerful the fugitive from Southern Yu Prefecture was. Zhou Ling looked like an ordinary man, and if Xu Qingxiao wished, he could kill him with a single punch.
So Xu Qingxiao was somewhat skeptical.
Seemingly sensing Xu Qingxiao's doubts, Zhou Ling continued.
"Righteous Haoran Qi is the supreme yang energy of heaven and earth. It can inherently suppress all demons."
"Mine is nothing special. Someone capable of giving Literary Qi physical form could suppress and slay demons with a single sentence. Of course, that only works on Demonic Evils."
Zhou Ling spoke very earnestly, even invoking great masters of the Confucian Dao to bolster his own standing.
Xu Qingxiao nodded. Though he did not entirely believe Zhou Ling's words, he agreed with the principle.
Scholars served heaven and earth, cultivated themselves and their character, and gathered Righteous Haoran Qi. Wasn't such supremely unyielding, supremely yang energy precisely what demons and followers of evil paths feared?
"Then, sir, let me ask you another question. Have you heard of a literary palace?"
Xu Qingxiao did not mention the Heaven and Earth Literary Palace by its full name, merely saying "literary palace."
At those words, Zhou Ling grew thoughtful.
"A literary palace?"
He murmured the words, then shook his head after a while. "It sounds faintly familiar, but I can't remember. Still, I'll look through my references. Perhaps I can find something."
Zhou Ling's answer filled Xu Qingxiao with delight, though his expression remained calm.
"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, sir."
Xu Qingxiao replied.
"It's a small matter, but you'll have to wait while I look. I can't guarantee I'll find anything."
Zhou Ling smiled.
Soon, the woman who had been sweeping outside earlier-Zhou Ling's wife-brought over several plates of hot food and spoke with a smile.
"Sir, I've made a few simple dishes. Have a taste."
Zhou Ling's wife set the dishes on the table and warmly invited Xu Qingxiao to eat.
"No, please, there's no need. I've already troubled you and your husband. How could I trouble you to cook for me too? And please don't call me sir. Just call me Qingxiao."
Xu Qingxiao spoke. Being called "sir" over and over was a little more than he could bear.
"It's no trouble, just a simple meal. If you truly don't consider us strangers, stay and eat."
She spoke with a cheerful smile.
Zhou Ling nodded too. "It's fine. It's mealtime anyway. We can talk while we eat."
Since both of them had put it that way,
Xu Qingxiao could only oblige.
The meal lasted two hours, most of which Xu Qingxiao spent listening to Zhou Ling discuss the Confucian Dao.
Zhou Ling was a licentiate, so naturally he understood the Confucian Dao. He knew nothing of its deeper intricacies, however, which was understandable.
They talked until early evening. Although Zhou Ling and his wife urged him to stay for another meal, Xu Qingxiao did not have such a thick skin.
He had only just met them. Shamelessly cadging two meals would weigh on his conscience.
As he was leaving,
Zhou Ling took several dozen books from his study and handed the thick stack to Xu Qingxiao.
"My young friend Qingxiao, these are works by Grand Confucians. Read them carefully and try to understand them. Perhaps they'll help you gather literary talent and enter the ranks. Even if you don't, reading more in your daily life and cultivating yourself and your character is a good thing."
"There's no hurry to return them. Finish reading them first."
Zhou Ling loved reading. Seeing Xu Qingxiao take an interest in it naturally made him fond of the young man, so he gathered a selection from his collection to lend him.
"Thank you, sir."
Xu Qingxiao accepted the books, his voice full of gratitude.
"Think nothing of it. As a scholar, I have a duty to impart the Dao and teach others. If you become a true scholar someday, my young friend Qingxiao, that will be a fine thing for me as well."
Zhou Ling smiled.
Though these were polite words, they were also reasonable. As a Master who imparted the Dao and taught others, he could receive Literary Qi if one of his pupils became a scholar someday.
If someone became a Grand Confucian, the benefits to him would be immense. Of course, the chances were exceedingly slim.
Xu Qingxiao bid Zhou Ling farewell.
His heart was filled with gratitude.
The people of the county were quite good, kindhearted and simple.
Carrying the books, Xu Qingxiao headed home.
After watching Xu Qingxiao leave,
Zhou Ling's wife came over and spoke.
"He's a good fellow, very polite. Not like those other constables with their loutish ways."
"Perhaps he really will become a scholar someday."
She praised Xu Qingxiao.
"Yes, young people with that kind of drive are rare in our county these days."
"But whether he can become a scholar depends on his comprehension. How could everyone be as outstanding as your husband?"
Zhou Ling spoke confidently.
"Look at you, so pleased with yourself. You haven't even entered the ranks, yet you think you're so outstanding. Who knows? He might enter the ranks tomorrow."
Zhou Ling's wife laughed and chided him.
"Enter the ranks tomorrow? My dear, young Qingxiao seems promising, but entering the ranks in a single day? You're insulting all these years of effort I've put in. If Qingxiao can enter the ranks in one day, I'll do all the household chores from now on."
Zhou Ling was rather indignant.
But his wife ignored him and went about her other tasks.
And so, half an hour later,
Xu Qingxiao returned home.
At that moment, however, a fellow constable stood outside his door.
"Brother Qingxiao."
Seeing Xu Qingxiao, the man immediately approached and called out.
"What is it?"
Xu Qingxiao was a little curious.
"Nothing serious. The county magistrate just wants you to rest properly and recuperate. He's given you a month off, but you have to report to the county office every day."
He explained the matter to Xu Qingxiao.
"Report in?"
Xu Qingxiao immediately understood what that meant.
It seemed County Magistrate Li still had doubts about him, but that was reasonable. After all, who could guarantee that he truly had not cultivated an Unorthodox Art?
A dying man had suddenly recovered. Who would believe it?
"All right, that's no problem."
Xu Qingxiao nodded and agreed with a smile.
"Yes, Brother Qingxiao, don't take it to heart. The county magistrate is really just trying to keep people from gossiping. Those men sent down from Southern Yu Prefecture are all ruthless and cold-blooded. They look down on us completely."
"To avoid unnecessary disputes, you'll have to put up with a little unfair treatment."
He continued, comforting Xu Qingxiao.
"I understand. Go back and tell the county magistrate that it doesn't matter if I suffer some unfair treatment. What matters is that our county office mustn't suffer, and neither must the magistrate."
Xu Qingxiao nodded naturally.
"All right. You really are clever, Brother Qingxiao. Here, these are the medicinal herbs the office prepared for you. They're all for replenishing your blood and nourishing your body."
"And here are ten taels of silver as compensation from the office."
Hearing Xu Qingxiao's response, the man broke into a smile and handed him a bag of silver.
Ten taels of silver weighed over half a catty and felt heavy in his hand.
A constable's monthly pay was one tael of silver.
The Great Wei Dynasty's economic system was fairly stable. Its smallest currency was the copper coin. One tael of silver equaled a thousand copper coins, and one copper coin could buy two flatbreads.
That was equivalent to roughly two thousand yuan in his previous life.
A constable was essentially a temporary worker, so one tael of silver was about right. Upon becoming a permanent employee, the monthly pay rose to two taels, with some additional benefits during holidays. It was a decent arrangement.
The office had compensated him with ten taels of silver in one go, equivalent to a year's pay. That was fairly generous, though the compensation would have been greater if he had died.
"My thanks to the county magistrate."
Naturally, Xu Qingxiao accepted the silver he had earned through such hardship. This was his own blood-and-sweat money.
The colleague who had brought the message left.
Xu Qingxiao pushed open his door, put the books inside, then closed the door and began reading by lamplight.
The sky gradually darkened.
Xu Qingxiao took out the first book.
[Sacred Words]
The book was not especially thick, but neither was it thin. Xu Qingxiao opened the first page, which listed its author.
"Literary Sage"
Its compiler.
"Yan Beidou"
Through his conversation with Zhou Ling that day, Xu Qingxiao had learned who the Literary Sage was: the first person between heaven and earth to attain sagehood through Confucianism.
A sage of the Confucian Dao.
Essentially all scholars had to read his books to establish their own convictions and understand their own paths.
The Literary Sage had no name. More precisely, even if he had one, no one could address him by it directly. They had to use the honorific "Literary Sage."
Scholars were respected figures, both in Great Wei and throughout the world.
Unfortunately, reading required talent. Not everyone could study, after all. Moreover, in times of peace, ordinary people had ample food and clothing, plenty to eat and drink, and abundant entertainment.
Listening to songs in pleasure houses, gambling, playing cuju-they could even cultivate immortality and seek the Dao. Few could quiet their hearts and read.
That was why Zhou Ling had been so happy when Xu Qingxiao came to him of his own accord to ask questions.
He turned to the book's second page, revealing the preface.
[A human life lasts but a hundred years; the life of grass and trees, but an instant. Life is bitterly short. What should one pursue?]
[If wealth and power, they cannot fulfill one's aspirations; if beauty, it cannot bring true joy; if gluttonous feasting, it cannot satisfy the heart.]
As he read the simple preface, Xu Qingxiao's mind gradually settled.
He turned page after page.
He read every word carefully and earnestly tried to understand every sentence.
And so, a full four hours passed.
It was late at night.
Xu Qingxiao finished reading the first essay in the first volume of Sacred Words.
Its tens of thousands of flowing words each contained a truth, and every word gave Xu Qingxiao an indescribable feeling.
At that very instant,
The literary palace in his mind abruptly trembled.
At the same time, a majestic voice rang out.
"A human life lasts but a hundred years; the life of grass and trees, but an instant. Life is bitterly short-what can one accomplish?"
"Should one pursue wealth and power, they cannot satisfy the spirit; should one pursue beauty, it cannot bring true delight; should one pursue gluttonous feasts, they cannot fulfill the heart."
A majestic voice rang out.
As though purest wisdom had been poured over his head, it awakened Xu Qingxiao's understanding.
In an instant.
Xu Qingxiao passed out.
Before you continue