Specimen

Liu Acheng put on his Futou and raised a hand, inviting Xi Jiabin to lead the way.

The latter looked the Northern Chu Noble, who was not much older than himself, up and down, nodded, and went inside. After passing through a side courtyard, they entered a spacious chamber that must have been made by joining at least three rooms.

The atmosphere inside was strange... Besides a middle-aged man lying on a couch against the wall, there was a woman and two little boys with their hair tied in childish tufts. The man merely groaned and sighed, while the woman wiped away tears beside him. One child was seven or eight, the other four or five, and both had clearly caught the adults' mood, looking frightened and uneasy.

There was naturally no shortage of maidservants and Slave Retainers, but none dared enter. Five or six stood outside the door.

The smell in the room was wrong, too.

It was not that something might have been left uncleaned, er, but that someone was clearly decocting medicine in a small adjoining room by the window, behind a curtained doorway.

"This is my mother." After entering, Xi Chao first bowed to the woman, then turned back to introduce her to Liu Acheng.

Liu Acheng dared not be remiss and promptly bowed. "My respects, Aunt."

Xi Chao seemed about to speak, then stopped. In the end, he said nothing more, merely pointing at his own father on the couch before his startled mother could open her mouth. "Hurry up and talk some sense into him."

"My respects, Lord Xi." Liu Acheng cupped his hands and bowed again, then went straight to the point. "Lord Xi, your method of using talismans is utterly wrong! At the very least, your practice is not diligent enough!"

The man on the couch had merely been lying there groaning. At these words, despite his wax-yellow complexion, he struggled straight up and turned to look. Seeing the newcomer in a crimson Futou, he was greatly astonished. "Who are you? Have you entered the Precious Register at such a young age?"

Xi Chao had moved behind his mother by then. His face visibly darkened at those words, and he immediately cast a cold look across the room at the two speakers, but said nothing.

"Lord Xi, I came from the north and have no connection to the Way of the Celestial Masters," Liu Acheng continued, his hands still cupped. "But I traveled south alongside Master Lu Song, a son of the Lu clan, which leads the northern Daoist community. I therefore know many of the northern Daoists' rules and rites, and know that your cultivation is not diligent enough."

The man on the bed was Xi Yin, head of the Xi Family. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. He slowly lay back down, took a few breaths, and spoke at last. "I see. But at your age, and without entering the Precious Register, how would you know what diligence means? Besides, differences between northern and southern schools are perfectly normal. We have enlightened Daoist masters in the south, too..."

After saying all this in one breath, he was plainly distressed and short of air, and had to stop arguing.

Liu Acheng patiently waited until this point before refuting him. "How mistaken you are, Lord Xi! Daoist teachings have an orderly lineage. Take the Way of the Celestial Masters: it began in Hanzhong. When Emperor Wu of Wei and the First Sovereign Liu fought over Hanzhong, Zhang Lu moved to Yecheng and Luoyang, and the Daoist teachings spread widely through the north. Their transmission to all four corners of the realm originated in the north. Besides, some things are clearly recorded there. If the south has used them incorrectly, then it has used them incorrectly. How can you call that a difference between northern and southern schools?"

Xi Yin knitted his brows and began struggling to say something more.

Just then, a monk came in from the adjoining room with a bowl of medicine. Xi Chao took it directly from him and held it to his father's lips before he could speak.

Left with no choice, Xi Yin drank a few mouthfuls.

"Let us begin with something harmless, but also the clearest example of an error endlessly repeated in the south: this crimson color..." Seizing the opportunity, Liu Acheng pointed at the cloth on his head and continued. "My northern friend, Master Lu Song, comes from a family that has transmitted Daoist teachings for generations in Qingji. He explained it very clearly. Crimson was adopted because, when Daoist teachings were spreading at the end of the Han, the Way of Great Peace was the most powerful. Yet it proclaimed, 'The azure heaven is dead; the yellow heaven shall rise,' defying heaven and bringing about the Yellow Turban Rebellion. The Way of the Celestial Masters arose later and had always worked in harmony with the court, following heaven's will. Naturally, it needed to distinguish itself, so it adopted crimson... But once the tradition reached the south, these southern Daoists had long since lost track of its lineage and origins. They simply guessed at random: some said it stood for cinnabar, others that it represented the blood of the heart..."

"Those are not even the worst. Some actually say that the Way of the Celestial Masters spread here from Jingzhou, passing through the Wuling Red-Headed Barbarians, and that was why crimson became part of the tradition." Xi Yin could not help pressing down the medicine bowl and interjecting, though he glanced at his son. "So it marks the distinction between crimson that follows heaven and yellow that defies it?"

"Yes. All northern Daoists should know this, yet in the south it has become muddled." Liu Acheng spoke with absolute conviction. "Actually, this matter is not too serious. Crimson has only been used for a few generations, and no great adept who has attained the Dao has yet established the relevant rites. But other matters, particularly omissions in the already established zhai jiao rituals, are quite unacceptable."

"What omissions are there in the zhai jiao rituals?" Xi Yin asked eagerly.

"The chief omission is music..." Liu Acheng remained utterly certain. "Since ancient times, no one has ever heard of ritual without music. Confucianism and Daoism harmonize while retaining their differences; there is no reason for them to clash. Every kind of zhai jiao ritual in the north has its own prescribed music, and Daoists must chant the scriptures to communicate with the spirits. Yet here, that rite is entirely absent... I can only guess that, during the migration south, no accomplished adept versed in Daoist musical principles came with them."

"Then do you know this ritual music?" Xi Yin pushed away the medicine bowl his son offered again, still impatient for an answer.

"I only remember a few tunes, but my friend Lu Song is currently staying under Master Du Ming's patronage. He knows them..." Liu Acheng said without blushing or missing a heartbeat. "Unfortunately, he has already become an official in the Langya Commandery Household Office, so I fear he cannot easily leave."

"What does that matter? Besides, how can someone from such an eminent northern Daoist lineage serve as a mere secular clerk?" Xi Yin said dismissively. "I shall write a letter to Daohe (Yuan Zhi), then speak to Master Du Ming and have them release him... As for those immortal melodies, can you perform them now?"

"I left my flute at your family's other residence, Lord Xi," Liu Acheng hastily declined. "Once you have recovered, I shall try playing a tune or two for you. For now, let us discuss the shortcomings in your practice."

"Go on." Xi Yin became considerably more serious.

"Lord Xi, after Jiabin told me you had swallowed talismans whole, I thought about it all the way here. I nearly cracked my head thinking, but still could not understand why you would swallow them raw." Liu Acheng truly looked bewildered. "Talismans communicate with the spirits. Since ancient times, people have burned petitions to offer them to heaven and lit incense to reach the divine... In the north, talismans have always been burned and taken with clean water. The Way of the Celestial Masters holds that rice has wondrous healing properties, so some take them with rice porridge... These are not sacrificial meat, and even sacrificial meat is cooked!"

Xi Yin stared blankly for a long while before giving a cry and falling back, his hand pressed to his forehead. "That makes sense, that makes sense... Burning petitions to offer them to heaven, lighting incense to reach the divine-even the sacrificial meat offered to heaven, earth, and the ancestors is cooked... White rice is pure, a natural boundary. Master Du Ming said that himself. Burned talismans should indeed be taken with rice porridge!"

"Master Xu, a direct disciple of Master Du Ming, happens to be at the other residence. Have him write you a talisman to dispel illness. Once you improve a little and return there, Lord Xi, we can burn it for you to take," Liu Acheng said quickly.

"That would work." Xi Yin actually agreed without reservation.

Liu Acheng was about to say more when Xi Chao put down the bowl, came straight over, and dragged him outside by his sleeve. Only after they reached the outermost courtyard did he challenge him. "This is your method?"

"Yes." For the second time that day, Liu Acheng spread both hands. "Look, Jiabin, a talisman makes such a big wad. How much harm does swallowing it do? How little remains once it is burned to ash? Besides, in his present condition, Xi Linhai needs extra rice porridge to nourish his body. Two birds with one stone. Even if you worry the ash will taste astringent, we can simply add a little vinegar to the porridge, use some fine tea, or even medicinal herbs to nourish him..."

"That is not what I mean," Xi Chao said impatiently. "I mean, does your method not merely treat the symptoms rather than the root? Not only does it fail to address the root, you are leading him even deeper into his obsession with Daoism, and trying to find your northern friend Lu Song a position in Kuaiji. What is that supposed to be?"

"Actually, if we go strictly by what you said earlier, Jiabin, getting your father to burn the talismans to ash before taking them would already fulfill my promise, even if it only treated the symptoms. Even what I said about Lu Song could be justified as a way of winning your father's trust." Liu Acheng stood with his hands lowered, wearing the ghost of a smile. "But you and I felt like old friends at first sight. How could I not do my utmost for both you and your father? Think carefully, Jiabin. Have I truly made no effort to address the root?"

Xi Chao was about to flare up when he suddenly froze. "You want to use that Lu Song from the northern Daoist community to address the root?!"

"Jiabin, hear me out." Liu Acheng raised a hand and explained earnestly. "Even after something like this, your father remains firmly devoted to Daoism. His obsession has plainly reached a point where no outsider can shake it. Trying to persuade him to abandon his faith now would be as ridiculous as building a dike to stop the Zhejiang River. When Yu the Great tamed the floods, he could only channel them, not block them! So we should find a way to replace those inferior local Daoists around him, who only swindle money and harm people, with a young Daoist from the north who has no roots or backing here, wants to establish himself, and is willing to listen to us. If we guide your father away from harming his body and wasting his money, would that not count as treating the root?"

"The money does not matter. I only hope he stops harming himself and making my mother grieve." Xi Chao sighed.

"That depends on you, Jiabin," Liu Acheng said solemnly. "Once Lu Song arrives, you need only promise him prospects beyond those of a secular clerk, and he will certainly obey your every word... If you want your father to listen to more music and cultivate his temperament, have Lu Song perform more rituals for him, with music. If you want your father healthy and strong, have him urge your father to eat more rice porridge and climb Immortal Mountain more often. If you want your father to get along better with your mother, spend more time with your younger brothers, or even leave seclusion to take office, you can have these Daoists tell him that, too... Why insist on stuffing horse dung into their mouths? What is too rigid breaks easily; what is handled patiently may succeed. That is the principle."

Xi Chao pressed a hand to his forehead, looking almost flustered. "He is my own father, after all. How can I manipulate him like this? And those rituals and explanations of yours-were they all invented?"

"Of course they were... But as I said, how far you wish to take this depends entirely on you, Jiabin." Liu Acheng smiled. "If you have no wish to make your father do anything, persuading him today to eat more rice porridge with paper ash already counts as success. Leave the rest to fate."

Xi Jiabin's face darkened, and he paced back and forth through the temple courtyard. Before he could make up his mind, a child suddenly came running over-the older boy who had been beside Xi Yin's couch earlier. He shouted from afar, "Elder brother, elder brother! Father says you should let this northern guest come back! He still wants to ask about the essentials of northern Daoism!"

Xi Chao flew into a rage, then forcibly swallowed it. He merely waved his hand stiffly and ordered, "I know. Go tell Father I will bring him over shortly!"

Only after the child left did Xi Chao turn back and point at Liu Acheng. "We can bring that Lu Song here first and discuss the rest afterward!"

"Can I get meals at your house now?" Liu Acheng asked earnestly.

Xi Chao merely waved impatiently for him to follow him back and continue fooling his father.

Leaving aside the rest of that day, by the next day Liu Acheng, back at the Xi Family Estate, finally did get to eat at the Xi Family's table. There was even rarely seen white rice, along with fish, meat, and soup seasoned with fermented paste... Nor was that all. He had his own room, new clothes, and even a small horse, which Xi Jiabin had provided so Liu Acheng could learn to ride.

In short, things were looking up.

Of course, Master Xu also got his fill, then was asked to leave after drawing a few talismans, before Xi Yin returned home. When Liu Acheng escorted him back, he could see that the experience had thoroughly battered him and would remain unforgettable for the rest of his life. He would probably never dare come lightly to the Xi Family to swindle money again.

Over the next few days, however, Liu Acheng, who in theory should have begun his glorious career as a Study Attendant, never managed to follow Xi Chao in any studies. Instead, after returning, Xi Yin kept this new Young Retainer at his side all day, taking him to gatherings and rituals from time to time... To be honest, Xi Yin's household was, after all, a genuine aristocratic great house, particularly one whose members had probably known poverty in childhood. Its atmosphere was somewhat different from that in Master Du Ming's hall.

Liu Acheng had no intention of avoiding it, either. He was simply bored.

In fact, after the middle of the twelfth month had passed, Liu Acheng, now settled in the Xi household, had only two modest wishes. First, he hoped Lu Song, the genuine inheritor of northern Daoist traditions, would hurry over and free him from Xi Yin's assorted Daoist rituals. Second, after writing two letters, he had become painfully aware of how poor his handwriting was. Back in Jingkou, when he practiced copying Liu Rengong's and Liu Jili's writing with charcoal on little wooden boards, he had thought little of it. Here in Kuaiji, where everyone seemed to be a calligrapher, he truly felt embarrassed.

If nothing else, the look Xi Chao gave him the first time he saw him writing to Lu Song would stay with Liu Acheng for the rest of his life. It was even more memorable than Xi Yin's expression when this fellow played "Only Mom Is Good in the World."

"Come." Xi Jiabin entered from outside, interrupting Liu Acheng as he earnestly practiced copying characters. "Prepare to travel. It is a long journey, two or three days."

"Where are we going?" Liu Acheng was puzzled. "Is your father visiting another spirit medium?"

"No." Xi Chao looked at Liu Acheng's writing and frowned slightly. "The New Year is approaching. My uncle by marriage, Wang Jiang Province, has invited our whole family to a gathering in Shanyin. It is a good chance to introduce you to Kuaiji's celebrated scholars... If you really cannot manage it, just write the characters larger. Larger characters will look much better..."

"Writing them larger will do?" Liu Acheng perked up at this, then suddenly felt a pang of alarm and immediately drew a talisman with his brush. "Which Wang Jiang Province? Surely you are not going to make me write in front of him? Will he think it looks good if I write it larger?"

(Emperor Gao, the Great Ancestor) then arrived in Kuaiji. Within a few short months, his reputation soared like a magpie taking flight, and he became renowned among the celebrated scholars South of the Yangtze.

-Old Book of Qi, volume one, "Basic Annals of Emperor Gao, the Great Ancestor," part one.