Noon.
Bailu Academy.
It was one of the most renowned academies in Southern Yu Prefecture.
It had once produced a fifth-rank Grand Confucian, enjoying nearly a century of glory.
It was widely acclaimed as the foremost academy in Southern Yu.
On ordinary days, quite a few people came to borrow books or meet friends over tea and conversation.
But today, the crowds at Bailu Academy were nothing short of astonishing.
People packed it three layers deep, inside and out. More than half the scholars in the prefectural capital had come.
Man Jiang Hong: Rage-Filled.
In just half a day, this verse had become a celebrated work sought after by every scholar in the city.
And it was spreading so quickly that Man Jiang Hong would likely reach every corner of the prefectural capital before the day was out.
"Master Qi is here! Master Qi is here! Make way, make way!"
"Master Chen is here too! Clear the way, clear the way!"
"Master Liu from Yingtian Academy has come too! Even a personage like him is here. This Xu Qingxiao truly is a great talent!"
As the elderly men arrived, the crowd surged and chatter rose on all sides, especially at the arrival of Master Liu from Yingtian Academy.
His arrival caused an even greater uproar.
The Great Wei Dynasty had Four Great Academies, which its scholars would fight tooth and nail to enter.
Yuelu Academy, Mount Song Academy, White Deer Academy, and Yingtian Academy.
All four had produced Half-Saints. White Deer Academy, in particular, had even produced a sage: Sage Zhu.
Thus, White Deer Academy claimed to be the greatest academy under heaven. Though the claim was disputed, most people accepted it. Having produced a sage was proof enough.
The prefectural capital of Southern Yu had many distinguished Confucian scholars, and the most highly placed among them was Master Liu of Yingtian Academy.
But Master Qi and Master Chen were no ordinary men either.
"Master" was an honorific reserved for men of virtue, though teachers could also be addressed that way.
These three masters had all reached eighth-rank Body Cultivation. Their rank was only one above Xu Qingxiao's, but their standing was entirely different.
In the Martial Dao, each rank was a world apart in fighting strength. Yet Great Wei did not govern by strength alone, and seventh-rank martial artists working under eighth-rank martial artists were everywhere.
But with the Confucian Dao First Rank, each rank was a world apart in standing. Conferred by heaven and earth, those ranks brooked no challenge, and the hierarchy between them was strict.
As the three masters arrived, thousands of scholars and Confucian Cultivators bowed to them almost in unison.
"We pay our respects to the three masters."
The students offered their bows.
The three masters returned slight bows. It was a matter of virtue and manners.
"I never expected Master Liu to come as well. It seems we have a fierce battle ahead."
Walking on the left, Master Qi spoke with a smile toward Master Liu in the middle. He wore an azure Confucian robe.
Master Liu wore plain clothes, his white hair tied with blue cloth. He looked exceedingly frugal.
"Not so, not so. I merely heard that a great talent had appeared in Southern Yu Prefecture and wished to meet him. I have no intention of competing for him."
Master Liu explained his purpose. He had come not to recruit the young man, but to see who this great talent was.
He came from Yingtian Academy, and even if he cherished talent, he could not simply send Xu Qingxiao there.
After all, admission to the Four Great Academies could not be secured through a recommendation. Rank, virtue, refinement, aspirations-far too many things had to be assessed. Even the emperor's sons could only study there as auditors.
To become a true student of an academy, one still had to pass that rigorous selection.
Hearing that Master Liu would not compete for him, a glimmer of delight flashed in Master Qi's and Master Chen's eyes.
Though they stood equal to Master Liu in status, his formidable background was another matter. If he truly extended an olive branch to Xu Qingxiao, they would have little hope of winning.
"To think a great talent should suddenly appear in the prefectural capital of Southern Yu. This Man Jiang Hong stirs the soul and sets the heart surging. It voices the anguish of countless generals, offering counsel without losing its stirring passion. It is far better than anything pedants like us could produce."
Dressed in white robes, Master Chen spoke with heartfelt admiration for the peerless verse, Man Jiang Hong.
Earlier, he had studied it closely for half an incense stick's burning time, reading it dozens of times and showering it with praise.
He had therefore resolved to bring Xu Qingxiao into his academy, whatever it took. If Xu Qingxiao did not disdain him, he was willing to take him as his student.
"Indeed. Had a battle-hardened general written this verse, I would not have been so surprised. Yet its author was a young man. He is loyal to his country. If he can enter the Ministry of War in the future, perhaps we will live to see Great Wei's iron cavalry sweep away the barbarians."
Master Liu nodded, offering exceedingly high praise.
His words surprised the other two masters and left the surrounding scholars stunned.
At Master Liu's level, he rarely praised others, offering guidance far more often. Such praise was enough to show just how excellent Man Jiang Hong truly was.
"Writing reflects the man, and verse conveys his aspirations. Anyone who can compose such a peerless work must harbor grand ambitions. The more you speak, the more eager I become to meet this great talent."
Master Chen sighed in admiration. All three held Xu Qingxiao in high regard.
The three masters then walked shoulder to shoulder into Bailu Academy.
The academy was already packed, and no more visitors were being admitted. Yet when the three masters arrived, its head came out personally to welcome them and made room for them at all costs.
No one in Southern Yu Prefecture dared offend these three masters, not even the Prefectural Lord.
As the three entered, students along the way bowed with clasped hands, scrupulously respectful and not daring to overstep.
The three did not linger, heading straight into the library.
Before coming, they had already learned that Xu Qingxiao was reading at the academy.
Though the academy was full of scholars, the library was very quiet. No noise while reading-that was the rule.
As the three masters entered the library, a figure approached and spoke with great respect.
"Masters, that is Xu Qingxiao. But he is reading and seems completely lost in it. Should I call him?"
The speaker was Wang Ru, his voice lowered.
Quite a few people had indeed disturbed Xu Qingxiao after he came to read at Bailu Academy, but Wang Ru had subsequently stopped them all.
He knew Xu Qingxiao had come to read. How could he concentrate if people interrupted him one after another?
But now that the masters were here, Wang Ru could only steel himself and come speak to them. If they truly had business with Xu Qingxiao, he would have no choice but to interrupt him.
The three masters looked over.
Inside the library.
Through the bookshelves, they could see Xu Qingxiao studying a book intently, his eyes never straying. Now he nodded, now he frowned. Clearly, he had forgotten everything around him.
"No."
Master Liu spoke. He glanced around, then waved everyone back outside.
Master Qi and Master Chen said nothing, following Master Liu out.
Only after they had left did Master Liu speak again.
"Xu Qingxiao loves books as dearly as life itself. With the Prefectural Examination approaching, he has gained fame through a single verse, yet his heart remains untouched by worldly distractions, and he has come to the academy to read. He is a model for us scholars, and this is something all of you must earnestly learn from."
"Pass on my words: unless it is important, do not disturb Xu Qingxiao. We can wait outside."
Master Liu's opinion of Xu Qingxiao had risen even further.
He had composed a verse at a banquet and won fame throughout Southern Yu. An ordinary scholar would likely have been eager to gather friends everywhere to admire his peerless verse, basking in everyone's praise and envy.
Yet Xu Qingxiao had neither gathered his friends nor flaunted his achievement.
Instead, he had settled down to read. That alone made Master Liu see him in a new light.
"With such a disposition, he will become a Grand Confucian at the very least."
"It is clear that this young man, Xu Qingxiao, forgets himself completely when he reads. Within ten years, Great Wei will have another Grand Confucian."
Master Chen and Master Qi spoke in turn, once again raising their estimation of Xu Qingxiao.
Inside the academy, the thousands of scholars marveled again upon hearing those words.
A Grand Confucian.
That was a truly mighty figure, someone who could reach the emperor's ear and address him directly, debate every matter under heaven, and be honored as a distinguished guest both within the court and beyond it.
Even followers of the Immortal Dao in the wider world had to show such a figure deference.
Invested by heaven and earth, with the foundations of a Grand Confucian established.
Xu Qingxiao could become a Grand Confucian within ten years? Was that praise not a little too lavish?
"Masters, we rarely have an opportunity to gather. Why not rest for a while in the pavilion nearby? We can discuss a few matters while waiting for Xu Qingxiao."
Master Liu suddenly made the suggestion, looking toward Master Qi and Master Chen.
"Very well."
"You are too courteous, Master Liu. Please."
Smiling, the two accompanied Master Liu toward Bailu Academy's pavilion.
The scholars watched with both envy and astonishment.
Three masters of Southern Yu Prefecture were all waiting here for a single scholar.
Such a thing was unheard of.
Meanwhile, inside the library.
Xu Qingxiao had indeed forgotten everything around him.
He did not know whether it was because of Aperture Opening, but these intricate classical texts seemed even easier to understand than vernacular writing.
The contents of the books also filled him by turns with delight, confusion, and contemplation.
Now that he had quieted his mind, Xu Qingxiao finally understood the saying that books held houses of gold and beauties with faces like jade.
If one truly settled down to read, one would discover how vast the world was and how far imagination could reach.
Reading truly is fascinating.
Book after book passed through Xu Qingxiao's hands.
He had come prepared to read as many books as he could.
Whatever their subject, he would simply read them.
Time slipped by little by little.
Xu Qingxiao read faster and faster.
The next day.
Xu Qingxiao was still reading.
Yet he knew nothing of what had happened outside.
Great Wei's Capital.
It seemed no different from any other day.
Yet figures hurried between residences throughout the city.
In less than two hours.
The entire Capital erupted with excitement.
Inside a magnificent residence.
A white-haired old man gazed at the peerless verse in his hands, his eyes brimming with excitement.
"Excellent, excellent, excellent! What a line: 'Drive our chariots onward, shatter Cloudlink Mountain's passes.'"
"'With lofty resolve, feast on the invaders' flesh when hungry; laughing and talking, drink the barbarians' blood when thirsty. Then begin anew, reclaim our old mountains and rivers, and pay homage at the imperial gates!'"
"Excellent, excellent, excellent!"
"I never imagined there was still a scholar in this age with such magnificent aspirations."
"What? This verse was written for a general?"
"Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! To think that in my lifetime, someone would write a verse for me! What is this scholar's name? When he comes to the Capital to serve as an official, I must give him a proper helping hand."
His hearty voice rang out.
But at that same moment, more than a dozen such voices arose throughout the Capital.
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