Chapter 451: Good

If Qi Shence were the type to lose his temper and abandon his scholarly demeanor, he wouldn't have earned such a distinguished reputation at Shangyin Academy. Members of the Qi family, whether serving as fearless warriors charging into battle in Western Chu or as adaptable civil officials, could effortlessly transform into mild-mannered gentlemen who endure insult with equanimity. This was likely the secret to the Qi family's enduring prosperity in the Western Chu dynasty. Qi Shence, with a face as refined as jade, carried a long sword at his waist. Scholars carrying swords was a common sight at the academy; some even comically carried large axes despite being clearly weak. Shangyin Academy was always lenient about this; as long as no one was harmed with weapons, even carrying all eighteen types of weapons at once wasn't forbidden. However, most Jixia scholars primarily carried swords.

Qi Shence watched the man slowly approach. All the while, the little girl, Yangjiaoya, held a grudge, continuously pelting him with snowballs. The man didn't get angry, letting the solid snowballs break apart on him. As he neared the pavilion, he brushed off the snow, shook his head, and scraped his boots on the edge of a step, as if to make sure everyone knew he was an uncultured rogue. Yangjiaoya continued to grumble. The snow outside the pavilion grew thicker, and she diligently rolled a massive snowball that required both hands to hold, intending to deliver a fatal blow to the despicable ruffian. But she ran too fast, the snowball was too heavy, and her feet slipped on the snowy steps. She stumbled and was about to fall. The white-haired young man, with his back to her, deftly extended a foot back, tipping her on the forehead to stop her forward momentum. Feeling embarrassed in front of her playmates, the girl grabbed his leg and bit down hard. He jumped, turned, and bent down to pinch her ear. The large man and the small girl were locked in a stalemate, testing each other's endurance. They bargained with their eyes: who would let go first? Yangjiaoya, being a little girl who couldn't stand the sharp pain, surrendered first, her eyes welling up with tears. Still, the rogue, who had only grown in age, not virtue, pinched her rosy cheek. The little girl was heartbroken, crying as if her innocence had been defiled by a villain. She only felt a little better after the fox-fur clad woman, with her natural charm, put down her white cat and embraced her.

Qi Shence sighed inwardly, thinking how ridiculous it was for him to contend with such a boorish, rustic fellow. Yet, he still felt some indignation at the man's rude words. Qi Shence calmly asked, "Is slandering someone's reputation with baseless lies the act of a true man?"

Unexpectedly, the scoundrel smiled and immediately retorted, "I could beat five hundred refined gentlemen like you with one hand. So, tell me, am I a true man?"

Although Yangjiaoya, in Yu Youwei's arms, considered this man her mortal enemy for the day, she also bore a grudge against Qi Shence, finding his appearance somewhat pretentious. Her parents, both Jixia scholars, often privately criticized his affected, overly traditional demeanor. Influenced by them, the little girl had already categorized Qi Shence as effeminate. Upon hearing the stranger put Qi Shence in his place, she immediately chuckled and secretly gave a thumbs-up. It was clear: "We may be enemies, but if you truly dare to teach Qi a lesson, this heroine will certainly applaud you."

Qi Shence smiled dismissively, "A common man's rage only leads to bloodshed on the spot for one side or the other. Such impulsive vengeance is useless for affairs of state or the world."

The man continued with his crude, ruffianly language, "It's just the two of us men in this pavilion. I could slap you so hard you'd lose three legs. What's all this talk about strategizing from a thousand miles away?"

Yangjiaoya looked up and quietly asked, "Sister Yu, I've heard of three-legged toads, but how can a man have three legs?"

Yu Youwei rubbed her little head and shook hers without speaking.

Qi Shence subtly brushed a finger over his sword hilt, then smiled warmly, "Can this gentleman truly beat five hundred Qi Shences with one hand?"

The man's face grew serious, and he asked in a deep voice, "Are you Qi Shence?"

Qi Shence, avoiding Yu Youwei's gaze, let a smile play on his lips, finally revealing the innate arrogance of a noble descendant. In front of outsiders, he maintained the gentlemanly demeanor taught by the sages. But facing this blockhead, if he only showed gentleness and humility, he would likely be provoked further. Qi Shence was adept at tailoring his approach. He knew that shallow, half-baked individuals, with a bit of money and power, became arrogant and only bullied the weak. They wouldn't learn until they felt pain. Qi Shence thrived at Shangyin Academy, becoming close friends with many Jixia scholars. Beyond his profound scholarship, the Qi family's continued prosperity, like "wild grass" flourishing even after the fall of Western Chu, was crucial. The foundation of an influential clan lies in its resilience, standing firm through the rise and fall of dynasties. "I pursue my own scholarship, regardless of whether emperors and kings come and go." Emperors and kings still had to show respect to talented commoners. Most of the Spring and Autumn Period's ten great noble families withered because they drew too much attention and because Xu Xiao, that crippled butcher, was too ruthless. The Qi family, a distinguished clan just a step or two below the very top, was much more fortunate. They weren't prominent enough to be targeted but also not insignificant enough to be ignored by the new dynasty. Qi Shence had self-awareness: "You may privately dismiss me, or envy my pretensions, but you would never dare to disregard the Qi family behind me."

Unexpectedly, just as the man seemed to be speaking seriously, he immediately broke character. "Qi Shence, you say? First time I've heard that name. The name's good, but the person isn't."

Yangjiaoya, who had been greatly disappointed, thinking he was another sycophant, couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing this. As if afraid the world wasn't chaotic enough, her small body playfully rolled in Yu Youwei's arms.

Even a clay Buddha has a bit of temper. Qi Shence, having been repeatedly humiliated right in front of the woman he admired, his scholarly dignity utterly disgraced, flicked his sword and sneered, "Whether you've heard of Qi Shence is irrelevant. My sword, Linglong, from the East Yue Sword Pool, has a minor reputation. I wonder if this gentleman has heard of it?"

The man, for once, dropped his flippant demeanor and chuckled softly, "Li Chungang's Wooden Ox, Huang Zhentu's Huang Lu, the Wu Family Sword Tomb's Su Wang, Lu Baijie's Ba Xiu – I've heard of them all. Linglong? I've seen many graceful women, and touched quite a few."

Qi Shence, enraged, laughed in spite and decided against a war of words. He was about to draw Linglong and deal with this arrogant fellow. Just then, the fox-fur clad woman, whom the Jixia scholars respectfully called Ms. Yu, sighed, "Stop playing."

As Qi Shence was bewildered, Yu Youwei, who had always been aloof towards him, softly said, "Young Master Qi, I advise you not to draw your sword, lest you bring shame upon yourself."

This time, it was the condescending Qi Shence who felt as if he faced a formidable enemy. Due to his upbringing, reading people was merely a basic skill for him, honed to perfection even more than his impressive swordsmanship. Ms. Yu, standing behind him, clearly knew his sword skills were undoubtedly among the best of the younger generation at Shangyin Academy, yet she used the phrase "bring shame upon yourself." This hit Qi Shence like a hammer striking a bell, leaving him dizzy and largely dissipating his desire to compete. His immediate priority was to find a graceful way to leave the pavilion – a social "step" which was a hundred times harder to find than the actual pavilion steps near his feet. Fortunately, the white-haired young man smiled, "Neither the man nor the sword is much to behold, but your taste is decent. However, take my advice: stay away from Yu Youwei from now on, and I won't hold this against the Qi family."

Having said that, the man brushed past them, picking up the white cat, Wu Meiniang (who was more famous at Shangyin Academy than the Linglong sword), with two fingers and playfully tossing it out of the pavilion. The sight of the white cat rolling in the white snow stunned onlookers, yet Yu Youwei, who deeply adored her cat, merely gave a resentful glare and uttered no rebuke. Qi Shence had no choice but to find an exit for himself, leaving with a lukewarm remark: "Since you don't even respect the Qi family, then I shall wait and see."

Yangjiaoya stared blankly at the lawless scoundrel, who then sat directly beside Sister Yu and smiled at her: "This heroine of formidable boxing and unparalleled leg techniques, may I humbly request a few words with your sister?"

The little girl tilted her head, thought for a moment, then left Yu Youwei's warm embrace. She waved her small hand with force, like a general commanding troops, and hopped out of the pavilion. "Granted!"

Away from the pavilion, a group of small heads huddled together, whispering. Even the child who had been knocked over by the little heroine's kick bore no grudge, eagerly scurrying over to squat with them. Seeing her annoyed, he feigned ignorance and chuckled. Yangjiaoya glared fiercely, snorted, and turned her head away, a slight smile playing on her lips.

A little girl, who saw Qi Shence as the man she would marry when she grew up, timidly spoke up, "Who was that man? How could he be so rude? Young Master Qi surely didn't want to stoop to his level, otherwise, with Young Master Qi's swordsmanship, one strike would have sent him flying into Buddha's Palm Lake."

Yangjiaoya rolled her eyes and lectured, "Didn't you hear Sister Yu say that Qi Shence drawing his sword would be an act of self-humiliation? You little infatuated fool! I told you long ago that Qi Shence is just a pretty face with no substance. Why do you like him? His poems are just nonsense hyped up by his cronies. Even Master Xu by Lotus Lake once said they weren't worth a penny."

The little girl pouted but dared not refute.

Yangjiaoya, who seemed wise beyond her years, tutted, "Even though that white-haired guy and I are sworn enemies, and I'll beat him up thoroughly one day, I still respect him right now. He declared he wouldn't 'hold it against the Qi family,' not 'against Qi Shence.' Listen, isn't that manly?"

A simple-minded little fatty wondered, "Isn't that the same thing?"

"Your father is so learned, yet he raised such a blockhead who only thinks about snacking all day!" The precocious Yangjiaoya punched him. The little fatty plopped into the snow, his eyes glistening, wanting to cry but not daring to.

After sulking for a long time, the little fatty whined, "I wrote a poem this year too!"

In the ancient and scholarly Shangyin Academy, children of great scholars and literary figures would be ridiculed if they hadn't composed a few poems before the age of ten.

Yangjiaoya curled her lip. "Nonsense! You call that poetry?"

The little fatty wiped his tears and scurried home to complain to his parents.

Yangjiaoya sneered, "See? Just like that Qi Shence. Can't win an argument, can't win a fight, so they run to their elders for help."

The other children exchanged glances, speechless.

Inside the pavilion.

Yu Youwei looked at him, saying nothing.

After their separation at Spring God Lake, Xu Fengnian reunited with Yu Youwei. He pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and, with his very first serious remark, utterly spoiled the mood. He handed the paper to Ms. Yu, a teacher at Shangyin Academy. "An old scholar at Shangyin Academy named Liu Wenbao gave me some names. See if any of them are familiar. I don't entirely trust Liu Wenbao's judgment, but if you recognize any, tell me about them. If their qualities match Liu Wenbao's descriptions, I'll track them down and try a 'courtesy first, then force' approach. Whether they're a 'thousand-li horse,' 'hundred-li donkey,' or 'ten-li dog,' I'll take them to Beiliang first. Since Liu Wenbao recommended them, they're probably all frustrated scholars with some talent who'd be happy to find a post in Beiliang. You can inform the Grand Libationer. If it's too awkward for you, that's fine; I'll approach him myself later."

Yu Youwei asked flatly, "Are you finished?"

Xu Fengnian nodded.

She turned her head and said coldly, "Then His Highness, the Young Master, may leave."

Xu Fengnian remained silent for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then said, "Alright," before quietly rising and walking out of the pavilion.

Snow fell on his shoulders, white, but not as white as his hair.