Chapter 743: Beaded Curtains, Iron Armor (Middle)

Three riders took a slightly longer route to Qingludong Academy. The master and his two disciples dismounted at the foot of the mountain, entrusting their horses to the academy’s stablehands for feeding, and then ascended the steps on foot. Although Xu Fengnian was in a hurry to travel, he ascended the mountain slowly. It was on this very mountain path that he had once faced Gao Shulu in a thrilling life-or-death struggle, after which he gained the physique of a Celestial Being. And it was also after that, that Hehe Girl, wearing her ill-fitting sable hat, went to intercept Wang Xianzhi, like a futile attempt to strike a rock with an egg. While resting at a pavilion halfway up the mountain, Xu Fengnian gazed at the mountains and rivers of Youzhou. He inexplicably recalled the scholar from Daxueping who had said, "Please, Old Ancestor, go to your death." Leaning against a freshly lacquered vermilion pavilion pillar, which the academy had repainted at the start of the year, Xu Fengnian murmured to himself, "Xuan Yuan Jingcheng, I sent books to Huishan last year. Perhaps your daughter was suspicious, thinking I wanted to make another deal with her. In truth, I merely hoped to cultivate more talents for the jianghu. Xuan Yuan Qingfeng believes I don't know the tricks Zhao Huangchao played after his dying out-of-body experience. I simply chose not to pursue the matter. If she wishes to become the Martial Arts Alliance Leader as a woman, or the Wang Xianzhi of Huishan's Daxueping, let her. A hundred years from now, the vagrant heroes of the future will probably find the Celestial Phenomenon realm rarer than today's Land Immortals. And there will certainly be no scholars who cultivate a Confucian Sage realm through their studies. You once said, 'An ant tries to shake a mighty tree – admirable, but it overestimates itself.' At the time, I felt nothing. But now, thinking back to Beiliang's predicament, I can't help but feel a deep empathy."

Lu Yunchang, whose bruises hadn't fully faded from his face, whispered, "Master, going to Bishan County was fine, after all, there's Aunt Pei, such an elegant and peerless woman, it wouldn't be good to neglect her. But this Qingludong Mountain, I can hear the sound of people studying from halfway up, and my head already hurts. Master, what do you say you're here for? I'm telling you beforehand, if there isn't a second Aunt Pei, and we're just here to listen to people recite at the academy, I'll truly get angry. At that time, I'll raise my saber, chop, chop, and chop again, cutting down those scholars until they're all sprawling."

Yu Dilong angrily retorted, "Lu Yunchang, haven't you had enough fighting? Do you believe I can punch you to death?"

Lu Yunchang also stamped his foot, looking resentfully at Xu Fengnian, and said with great grievance, "Master, you're favoring Senior Brother! It's one thing to give him Old Monster Wang's secret manual for safekeeping, but you even gave him the saber manual that your grandfather, that old man, poured his life's efforts into! Was I picked up from the roadside and given to a stepmother to raise?"

Xu Fengnian gently tapped Lu Yunchang's forehead with two bent fingers and smiled, "It's not that I'm stingy or favoring Yu Dilong. It's just that those two things aren't suitable for you. When I gain more insights into martial arts and have the chance to compile them into a manual, I will give it only to you, not to Yu Dilong or Wang Sheng."

Lu Yunchang asked in surprise, "Really?"

Xu Fengnian said softly, "Let's continue up the mountain."

Lu Yunchang, strutting behind Xu Fengnian, cast a triumphant glance at Yu Dilong, who rolled his eyes in response.

Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "Have you ever wondered why Buddhist temples are mostly built at the foot of mountains, large Taoist temples are often found on mountaintops, while Confucian academies typically prefer the middle slopes?"

Lu Yunchang replied without hesitation, "Those bald donkeys like incense money, afraid pilgrims get too tired climbing. And those smelly Taoist priests are all seeking immortality and ascension, so naturally, they'd pick a place closest to the immortals, chanting scriptures and flattering them every day so the immortals can hear them. As for what scholars think, it's probably because the mountaintop and foot were already taken, so they had no choice but to build their houses halfway up. Master, doesn't my explanation make a lot of sense?"

Xu Fengnian neither confirmed nor denied, but continued, "Dilong, what are your thoughts?"

Yu Dilong, originally a shepherd boy, had never seen Taoist temples, Buddhist monasteries, or academies in his life. He knew nothing of the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, so he was naturally bewildered. But since his master had asked, the boy had no choice but to rack his brain over the question. He finally began to understand what Lu Yunchang meant by a "headache." Fortunately, his master was understanding and quickly turned to him with a smile, saying, "If you can't figure it out for now, don't worry about it. But when you grow up, and you encounter things where you can choose to think or not to think, try to think more deeply. When you can choose to act or not to act, it wouldn't hurt to try. In a person's lifetime, when their own safety is secure, if they only seek their own peace of mind, disregarding the well-being of others, such a Land Immortal is not worth becoming."

Yu Dilong nodded vigorously and said, "I've noted it."

The trio arrived at the entrance of Qingludong Academy, where there was a rule for martial artists to disarm and remove their blades upon entering. This rule, of course, had been established by Xu Fengnian himself. However, Yu Dilong was unwilling to part with his large battle saber, and Lu Yunchang was reluctant to be separated from his Great Frost long saber, which he affectionately nicknamed "Big-Footed Wife." So, the two had to wait in the open plaza outside the academy. Xu Fengnian unfastened his Beiliang saber from his waist and placed it into a large bamboo basket positioned at either side of the entrance. Inside, there were already six or seven valuable long swords with beautiful sword tassels. Currently, private individuals were forbidden from carrying battle sabers within Beiliang territory; otherwise, they would be thrown into prison by the Brocade-Clad Dragoons without any leniency. Xu Fengnian estimated that if it weren't for this rule, the basket would contain six or seven Beiliang sabers with jeweled hilts. The Liyang Imperial Court did not prohibit academies across the land; Shangyin Academy was the most famous "private school" under heaven. However, the Zhao imperial family did not support them. The founders of these academies were mostly renowned local masters and venerable Confucian scholars; very few local officials serving as governors or magistrates held positions like "Mountain Chief" or "Cave Master." Beiliang, however, was an anomaly. Under Xu Fengnian's personal attention, the dozen or so academies in Beiliang's You, Liang, and Ling prefectures were not only funded and supported by Qingliang Mountain and various local governments, but officials were also forbidden from obstructing or suppressing the academies' criticisms of current affairs. For instance, the Cave Master of this Qingludong Academy was Huang Shang, a local censor who had once been renowned throughout the Liyang court and countryside. Although these academies were a pure land that Xu Fengnian, the Prince of the Northwest, had painstakingly established, the scholars who came to Beiliang didn't adhere to the saying "where there's milk, there's a mother." When the Youzhou war became critical, especially after Wogong and Xiaguang cities successively fell, the academies were the loudest in their criticisms and dissent, which then, to varying degrees, spread to the common populace, causing public sentiment to waver. Not only did meritorious military generals like Yan Wenluan detest this, but even Youzhou Governor Hu Kui and Liangzhou Governor Tian Peifang, who was from a traditional literary background, both expressed their concerns to Deputy Military Commissioner Song Dongming. However, "insightful individuals" in officialdom, such as Military Commissioner Li Gongde, knew full well that the direction of the academies ultimately depended on the Prince of Beiliang's final decision. Of course, most local Beiliang officials felt that these "embroidered pillows" daring to openly embarrass the Prince of Beiliang would likely face dire consequences, especially after Yu Luandao's ten thousand cavalry achieved success outside Hulu Pass, alleviating the Youzhou war situation. At that point, they all felt it was time to "kill the chicken to scare the monkeys" and thoroughly suppress this negative atmosphere.

It was precisely at this time that Xu Fengnian entered Qingludong Academy, filled with the sounds of scholarly recitations. Because he had only met Huang Shang and others at the academy gate, and many of the scholars within were from other regions, no one in this idyllic setting recognized him; they merely took him for a young master from a Beiliang noble family who had come to study. Xu Fengnian entered a study hall. The academy's lectures primarily focused on Confucian classics, with supplementary discussions on history, poetry, and occasional debates on current affairs. Today, a grand Confucian scholar was presiding over a public lecture. The study hall was spacious, with over a hundred futons laid on the floor for the scholars and listeners to sit on. Still, there weren't enough futons, so Xu Fengnian, who entered from the back door, could only find a spot to sit casually in the back. The grand Confucian scholar, whose highest imperial examination rank was merely that of a *juren*, was explaining the art of essay composition. It was somewhat akin to a ninth-rank master lavishly critiquing martial arts grandmasters. However, after listening intently for a while, Xu Fengnian still felt he had benefited greatly, especially from the grand scholar's insightful observations on predicting examination topics. This might help a few more scholars from Liangzhou pass the imperial spring examinations next year in the capital. Regarding the outflow of talented scholars from Beiliang, Xu Xiao, from his time, had turned a blind eye. From Yan Jiexian to Yao Baifeng taking up official posts in the capital, Xu Xiao had never deliberately made things difficult. Xu Fengnian was also pleased with Sun Yin's success. The reason was simple: Li Yishan once used an analogy – even young birds, once grown, will feed their mothers in return, let alone humans? At the time, the young Crown Prince was still puzzled. Li Yishan smiled and said that perhaps only one or two out of ten would feel gratitude towards Beiliang, but that was enough. If all ten were confined to Beiliang, cutting off their path to official careers and fame, then nine out of ten would harbor hatred for Beiliang.

Next, the grand Confucian scholar selected a few less dry topics, allowing over a hundred young scholars to express their opinions. These included His Majesty the Emperor's establishment of the Six Academies, his order for twelve national masters of painting to create portraits of the meritorious officials of the Spring and Autumn Period, and how to view the current Emperor's permission for his own portrait to be enshrined in the Temple of Meritorious Officials and participate in the ancestral rites at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Most importantly, the grand scholar, with a smiling face, asked the scholars to guess whether the old Prince of Beiliang would be among the portraits for the ancestral rites, and if so, which painting master would depict him: one of the "He family's untamed spirit, Liu family's grandeur" renowned He and Liu, or the "Little Yuchi" famed for his paintings of Buddhist figures, deities, and especially the Thousand-Handed Demon-Subduing frescoes, or perhaps Zheng Sixun, who recently presented poems and paintings that earned him the current Emperor's personal inscription of "Zheng Family's Three Masterpieces"?

Inside the study hall, discussions buzzed, creating a lively atmosphere.

Xu Fengnian felt a pang of emotion. After Zhao Zhuan had set a trap for ten thousand Youzhou cavalry in Jibei, and following the "show of force in the Northwest" observed by the Ministry of War in the frontier, he quickly adopted a strategy of combining firmness with flexibility. Whispers circulated outside the palace that His Majesty the Emperor intended to acknowledge a "deficiency of the court" regarding Xu Xiao's posthumous title and to posthumously honor Grand General Xu Xiao. This "deficiency," of course, had been created by the then-Grand Secretary Zhang Julu, while the new monarch Zhao Zhuan and his new dynasty were striving to rectify it. If this were the doing of Zhongshu Ling Qi Yanglong, Xu Fengnian would not be surprised. But if it were Zhao Zhuan's own intention, then it was truly cause for deep concern. Xu Fengnian was not worried about a petty-minded Liyang Emperor; on the contrary, the more unconstrained Zhao Zhuan was, the more perilous Beiliang's situation would become. Zhao Zhuan harbored serious hostility towards Beiliang, or rather, towards Xu Fengnian. The incidents at Jibei and concerning the canal transport had clearly demonstrated this. The more Zhao Zhuan gave to Xu Xiao, the more he would inevitably demand from Xu Fengnian. What was given was superficial; what was demanded was substantial. Yet, this kind of give-and-take appeared very "reasonable" in the eyes of the Liyang court and public.

Xu Fengnian fell into thought, then was suddenly disturbed by a burst of arguing. It turned out that seven or eight scholars from different factions, local and non-local, suddenly started arguing. The debate was about when Xiaguang City had fallen to Beimang and the stability of Hutou City. Both sides agreed on Xiaguang City's fall under the offensive of over 200,000 Youzhou troops, but local Beiliang scholars believed it could have held out for at least another ten days to half a month, while non-local scholars, drawing on the precedent of Wogong and Luanhe, thought Xiaguang City was doomed to fall soon. As for Hutou City, renowned as the strongest fortress in the Northwest, the dispute became even more intense. The former thought holding out for a month would be a great achievement, while the latter almost blindly believed Hutou City could become a second Xiangyang-Fancheng, a "pillar of the Central Plains," and a Beiliang stronghold amidst the torrent of Beimang cavalry. During this, another clear point of contention arose: the two sides hotly debated Xu Fengnian's personal appearance outside Hulu Pass, which had paralyzed Beimang's supply lines. The non-local scholars, subscribing to the saying that a son of a thousand gold pieces does not sit under a crumbling wall, claimed that Xu Fengnian's childish act of endangering himself was driven by a desire to become a hero enshrined in history, a product of an immature mindset. Far from deserving praise, if he were the Emperor, he would be impeached and forced to issue an imperial edict of self-reproach! Beiliang scholars, being less eloquent, often struggled to articulate their arguments effectively. The scholars who had come to Beiliang, being well-read, could always produce interconnected sage-like principles to mock and satirize. In the end, the Beiliang scholars who lost the verbal sparring, true to their native Beiliang roots, almost rolled up their sleeves to reason with those arrogant bastards with their fists. Then, a Shangyin Academy scholar, with a sidelong glance, called them "savages," which poured oil on the fire and completely escalated the situation. For a moment, fists and spit flew around Xu Fengnian, creating quite a commotion. The Beiliang scholars, who initially thought they wouldn't gain anything from a verbal spat, assumed that with their taller and sturdier builds, they wouldn't lose in a physical fight. They never expected that two of the non-local scholars were well-versed in both literary and martial arts.

Xu Fengnian, who had remained seated on the floor but was caught in the crossfire, raised a hand to block a shoe sole and gently pushed it away. Soon after, he had to turn his head to dodge someone's spit, and then steady a scholar who had been hit and stumbled backward.

The scions of Beiliang's military families, who had climbed the mountain to study and had placed their swords in the bamboo basket, inquired briefly, then immediately became enraged. They practically leaped over the heads of many scholars and threw themselves into the fray, instantly turning the tide of the disadvantaged situation.

The grand Confucian scholar, who had once taught scriptures at Shangyin Academy but favored military strategy, did not feel it was beneath his dignity at all. Far from harshly scolding them, he merely smiled and stroked his beard, remaining seated on the floor, offering insightful commentary on the martial arts techniques of both sides.

The non-local scholars who dared to come to Beiliang certainly wouldn't lack spirit and courage. Thus, the fight escalated, and soon someone drew blood. Even so, no one retreated. First, the scions of military families who had come to study, acting as reinforcements for Beiliang, joined the fray. Their intervention quickly resonated with all the Beiliang scholars in the study hall, who rose and rushed towards the "battlefield" at the back of the hall. Soon after, non-local scholars also banded together based on their provincial and regional ties from Liyang, heading to assist. The grand Confucian scholar remained unhurried, watching as fewer and fewer scholars remained seated. Many scholars with small arms and thin legs also rose and charged forward, even if not to fight, then to cheer and rally from the sidelines.

Xu Fengnian intervened to help the locals a few times, but with great discretion, merely blocking some overly aggressive moves. He even discreetly pulled back one scion of a military family by his collar for a few steps, preventing his vicious groin kick.

In the end, the battle at the back of the study hall came to a halt with the signal for retreat. Both sides faced each other menacingly, staring each other down, ready to start the next round at any moment. Xu Fengnian, of course, stood on the side of the local scholars. Beside him, a young rake from a Youzhou military family had blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Grimacing in pain, he turned to Xu Fengnian, who had blocked a punch for him, and said with a smile, "Thanks, buddy. When we go down the mountain later, I'll treat you to some flower wine. I've hated those turtle-sons for a long time... Oh, by the way, my name is Yang Huizhi, from Sheliu Commandery. When you're in the commandery, just mention my name, and I guarantee everything will be smooth for you. Of course, don't commit murder or robbery; even I wouldn't dare do something like that..."

Upon hearing the commotion, Cave Master Huang Shang rushed into the study hall, yelling angrily, "The academy is where scholars cultivate themselves, regulate their families, govern their states, and bring peace to the world! What kind of conduct is this?! If you have the energy to fight, go join the army at Beiliang's frontier!"

Huang Shang ignored the two distinctly divided groups and sighed softly to the composed grand Confucian lecturer, "Xue Ji, you didn't even try to rein them in."

The grand Confucian named Xue Ji smiled, casually pointing to a calligraphy and painting hanging on the wall behind him. "We scholars are not afraid when arguments cannot be reasoned with; we are afraid when there's no reasoning at all. Debating calmly is a way of reasoning, and fighting it out is also a way. It's better than bottling it up and waiting to settle scores later, like 'a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years.' Years later, those high in power in officialdom will lecture their subordinates, the subordinates will bully those without official positions, and those without official positions will only be able to bully the common people. Wouldn't that be truly dreadful? It's better for everyone to finish their fight today, vent their frustrations, and then they can sit down and continue to discuss things. Cave Master, I was just waiting for them to tire themselves out, to calm down, before I offered a bit of guidance and advice. These half-baked scholars in the study hall usually rattle around a lot. They won't learn until they've experienced some setbacks."

Huang Shang was caught between laughter and tears, sighing helplessly, "Old Xue, you truly are something."

From the corner of his eye, Huang Shang suddenly caught sight of a figure, and his heart immediately skipped a beat.

Currently, the official circles in Beiliang were all waiting to see the "show" from the various academies. Huang Shang absolutely supported the participation of literati in political discussions. However, the elderly man was not without concern about the nascent signs of academies "on the mountain" meddling in frontier military affairs, leading to unrest among the populace "down the mountain." Although the Prince of Beiliang had initially promised him and the government not to interfere with academy affairs, and had even declared that academies would never be punished for their words, even sheltering scholars from military conflict and martial artists' insults, Huang Shang still didn't quite believe that the spirited young Prince of Beiliang could truly be a hands-off manager. Moreover, it was indeed the academies that had "caused trouble" first at this time. So, when the Cave Master of Qingludong saw Xu Fengnian appear in the midst of the fray, his heart turned cold. Was Xu Fengnian going to escalate the issue? Were Beiliang's intellectual seeds, not yet rooted, to be abandoned midway?

Huang Shang, true to his unyielding character, became even more resolute the colder his heart grew. He stepped forward a few paces and bluntly asked Xu Fengnian, "Has the Prince of Beiliang come here to condemn us? To close the academy? To forbid Beiliang scholars from studying?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, glanced at the calligraphy, and calmly said, "I originally just wanted to take a look and then leave. But now I'm much more at ease. The calligraphy on the wall reads, 'Matters of a thousand autumns require the most deliberation.'"

Xu Fengnian looked around and smiled, "I hope all you scholars will deliberate thoroughly. Only after careful deliberation will your voices carry weight. Let us encourage each other."

Xu Fengnian turned to face the grand Confucian lecturer and bowed slightly, saying, "This principle was taught by you, venerable sir. Xu Fengnian has learned much."

Xue Ji should have, and indeed intended to, quickly rise and return the bow. But for some reason, at that moment, the old Confucian scholar, who had been frustrated and unrecognized at Shangyin Academy, firmly settled back onto his futon, straightened his back, and silently received the bow.

Long after the young Prince of Beiliang and Cave Master Huang Shang had left the study hall, Xue Ji remained motionless. Finally, the old man lowered his head and touched the ground beyond his futon, murmuring, "Who says that the land of Beiliang only produces military leaders who ride horses in armor, and cannot produce intellectual talents?"

Xue Ji faced the group of young scholars, who had still not fully recovered, raised his hand and pressed it down, his expression filled with spirited determination. "All of you, sit down. Today, as my final lecture, I will discuss how to truly deliberate – the kind of deliberation that we, as scholars, ought to possess!"