This was careful instruction indeed. This Philosopher always spoke most when clearing up doubts; at other times, he was usually silent and sparing with words.
"But even if you read and understood all of Ancient Times, no one could forever know what was right." Zhu Wen looked toward the night sky. "Dynasties past and present, Heaven and Earth without feeling—the only thing that never changes may be the moon above."
Pei Ye was somewhat moved, and somewhat at a loss. For a while, silence settled over the Wind-Facing Platform.
"Enough. It's late. You should go," Zhu Wen said solemnly.
The boy was quiet for a moment, then lowered his head and took a dirty, crumpled slip of paper from his sleeve. "Master Zhu, I don't quite understand what you mean, but I thought Brother Wen might have something he wanted to say to you, so I went to see him in prison today. He asked me to pass this to you, saying it was the aspiration he had upheld all his life."
Zhu Wen froze.
Chapter 552: Cold moon (part two)
It was probably the first time Pei Ye had seen such an expression on this Philosopher's face. It was very slight and soon faded, but when his gaze fell on the slip he had accepted, he was indeed silent for three full breaths.
"...Thank you." Zhu Wen nodded.
Neither his voice nor his tone wavered much, but for some reason, Pei Ye felt that the shadow beneath the lamplight had grown a little shorter. The Philosopher, nearing fifty, lowered his head and carefully smoothed the slip flat, folded it, and placed it in the earthenware jar holding the dried flowers.
He wrapped his padded cloak more tightly around himself and bent down to wipe away the ink that had