Magistrate Wu Yuan of Longquan County, accompanied by his trusted Wen Secretary, Fu Yu, departed from the Li family’s opulent residence on Fulu Street. The magistrate, clad in his official robes, walked with a weary air. Suddenly, he paused as a lone golden rooster strutted before him. Bending, he unbuckled his boots, and with a grimace, emptied them of pebbles.

Fu Yu, a secretary of noble lineage, was unfazed by this mundane interruption, though he noted that Fulu Street was now bustling. He hastened to shield the magistrate, murmuring, “That Li Hong had yielded, agreeing to cede land for the Godly Tomb. Why the sudden reversal? Does he not fear being seen as a viper, striking from the shadows?”

Wu Yuan, his face drawn with fatigue, sighed, “Likely, Li Hong’s second son, Li Baozhen, has gained favor in the capital. Perhaps he’s found a patron and sent word forbidding rash actions. Or the eldest son, the recluse, has advised caution. Regardless, we are hampered. Our plans hinged on… Alas, no matter. A ship finds its course. Let us seek solace in drink, and speak of two pots of Peach Blossom Spring. My treat, to be charged to your account, of course.”

Fu Yu, accustomed to his superior’s habit of charging expenses to him, asked with a touch of exasperation, “There’s talk in town that a diviner once foretold great things for the three children of the Li family, calling them dragons ascending. Is there truth in this?”

Wu Yuan, rubbing his pale cheeks, chuckled dismissively. “Do you credit such tales? Every scholar in the capital seeks renown, fabricating grand origins. And even the most prestigious families inflate their claims. Your own Fu lineage boasts of ‘glorious and dazzling’ deeds, yet you know the truth behind them, don’t you, Fu Yu?”

Fu Yu bristled, “Magistrate Wu, are you one to speak ill of the Fu family?”

Wu Yuan’s spirits lifted, and he clapped his friend on the shoulder, “We share trials and tribulations. Our fates are intertwined.”

Fu Yu smiled, “Is it not better to be of like mind and spirit?”

Wu Yuan chuckled, “Cease with the pretension! Hypocrisy is exhausting; a true scoundrel finds joy in his villainy.”

Fu Yu shook his head, “You speak carelessly, Magistrate.”

Wu Yuan sighed, changing the subject, “I long for my wife’s company.”

Fu Yu grinned. “Magistrate, shall we lift the ban on brothels in Longquan County? Wine is meaningless without women.”

Wu Yuan nodded seriously. “Among the vagrant prisoners of the Lu Dynasty are women suited for such a purpose. Rather than perish in the wilds, grant them a choice. Yet, coercion is forbidden. They must choose freely. Fu Yu, forgo your daily duty of shielding me from malcontents and oversee this endeavor.”

Fu Yu stared, taken aback by this sudden commission. “You speak in earnest?” he asked, bewildered.

Wu Yuan adjusted his collar. “What is ‘true’ or ‘false’ in this world? We have opened the hills, soon to be teeming with immortals seeking amusement. To entice them to spend their wealth here, we must offer attractions. What is a humble magistrate like myself, soon to be replaced, to do but rely on your skills, Fu Yu? Those aloof immortals are not moved by earthly beauty, for their eyes are accustomed to the ethereal loveliness of Daoist fairies. It is status, not looks that tempts them. Imagine a fallen princess or a wealthy woman whose family has been ruined, and how tempting that is. And the Lu Dynasty provides many such prisoners.”

Fu Yu, indignant, exclaimed, “The court seeks to create a new Kiln Supervisor, snatching the fruit of your labor! You have spent months navigating sixty hills, coaxing those old foxes. From the county office to the City God’s Pavilion, you’ve overseen site selection and resource procurement, resettling Lu survivors with nary three hours of sleep. And now the court whispers of difficulties caused by the Four Surnames and Ten Clans. I wager these difficulties were orchestrated from within, to ensure your tenure in Longquan County is cut short! ”

Fu Yu, realizing his words were ill-omened, added more softly, “At the very least, I hope you will achieve your goals, or, at worst, a Ministry position.”

Wu Yuan, her lips cracked and dry, made no reply.

Fu Yu chuckled, and Wu Yuan turned, curious. “What amuses you?”

Fu Yu nodded. “Longquan is a small county, yet I prefer it to the capital. Soju, pastries, meat buns in the morning – all within reach. When the mood takes me, I linger in the wine shop, nursing a pint of cheap wine, undisturbed. I desire to make my mark here. Difficulties be damned!”

Wu Yuan nodded. “What is the point of effortless ascent? One must toil for the people. You, the son of a noble house, surprise me with such sentiments.”

They walked on, side by side.

Fu Yu sighed, “Yet good deeds are rarely remembered. History paints competent officials as troublemakers, leaving in disgrace, only to be celebrated a century later in a few paltry poems.”

Wu Yuan shook her head. “Doing good is its own reward. Let your intention be to accomplish something that fills you with pride. Whether the people appreciate it or the court acknowledges it should be of no concern. To dwell on such matters is to invite despair. Confucianism differs from Daoism’s pursuit of transcendence and Buddhism’s promise of future reward… ”

Fu Yu sighed.

Wu Yuan spoke as if to herself, “Daoism values purity, a solitary path. Let the heavens fall, so long as I attain immortality. They do not focus on the past or the future, but on their current existence. Buddhism speaks of hardship in this life leading to bliss in the next. Only Confucianism grapples with the present, trapped between distant and resentful, as if always teetering on the edge. The greater the knowledge, the more one struggles. My husband’s philosophy emphasizes practical application to sweep away corruption and cynicism, yet this invites enemies and exclusion.”

Wu Yuan shook her head. “My husband’s vision is sound, yet extremes are perilous. After a century of prosperity, five hundred years of decline may follow, for scholars, lost in ancient texts, become hypocrites, betraying the true spirit of enlightenment. While now, ‘establishing virtue, rendering service, and speaking with merit’ are esteemed, should learning become mere moral standard, ‘service’ will be debased. Soon scholars will value only the tangible rewards of their knowledge. What a sorry sight that would be.”

Fu Yu’s initial amusement turned to horror. He seized Wu Yuan’s arm, his voice a hushed warning. “Wu Yuan! Speak not of this to your husband! You are neither a Qi cultivator nor a practitioner, and know nothing of the Dao. A stray thought can bring death!”

Wu Yuan patted Fu Yu’s hand, her smile strained. “Fear not. My husband would dismiss my musings as ignorant and shallow.”

Fu Yu released his grip. “Keep these thoughts to yourself. I would not see you meet Song Yuzhang’s fate.” He stopped suddenly, fearful of saying too much.

Wu Yuan changed the subject. “Should I stray from the path, Fu Yu, whatever my station, I charge you to rebuke me, to awaken me from my folly.”

“Fear not. I will deliver a well-deserved punch to the jaw.”

“A second-rank minister is far too low, alas!”

“Not so! When Dali controls half the Baoping Continent, a second-rank minister will carry considerable weight. Fear not, Lord Wu, I will be your trusty companion. Lacking in decisiveness, but skilled in planning, I shall be a minister in the afterlife, serving you in Shang Dynasty!”

The two scholars, now men of office, returned to the government house, their laughter echoing in the street.

In the Li family’s mansion, a scholar in green picked up his book and smiled. “Wu Yuan, you are not wrong, but you underestimate the weight of merit.”

————

The town grew ever more prosperous and clamorous.

Cui Feng, however, continued to daydream in the old Yuan house, sometimes going to the Chen family’s school for a few days, before returning again.

Wu Yuan had officially stepped down as the Chief Official of the Kiln Affairs Office, to be replaced by a young, handsome man from the Cao family in the Shangzhu Kingdom. Yuan, the future father-in-law of Cao family and Wu Yuan, had been released. The famous Dali court has a mortal enemy, and he can fight on various occasions with a disagreement. In the small court where Huang Zi Gongqing met, two powerful Shangzhuguo pointed at each other and scolded each other. It’s common for him to persuade him, and sometimes he was really annoyed, so he asked the two meritorious bosses to go home and argue. Anyway, the two families have been neighbors since their ancestors. It is said that the two children have learned to be separated from each other since childhood. A wall throws all kinds of objects at the neighbor’s house, you throw bricks and I throw mud, and I give you a favor.

Wu Yuan sought his teacher’s counsel. “Master,” he asked, “the Ministry of Personnel is controlled by the Cao family. Will they relegate me to some obscure office in the capital?”

“Nay,” Cui Yan said, still in his chair. “What is the Cao family’s measure? What abilities do they possess?”

Wu Yuan sighed. “Their influence far surpasses mine. And their son is quite capable.”

“When facing such a foe, you show too much humility, Wu Yuan. Furthermore, you were Magistrate of Longquan, and Cao Ji is merely a kiln supervisor. The reopening of the banned dragon kiln is important, of course, but it matters little compared to the duties of an official. That is why I do not think it is that bad.” The young man with a cinnabar mark on his brow gazed at the patio. “Cao desires his son to surpass you, to prove himself worthy of Yuan’s daughter. If you falter, Cao may seize the moment, and Yuan’s family might deny you the marriage. Should you surpass Cao Ji, the Yuan clan will beg you to take her hand.”

Cui Yan glanced at Wu Yuan, “The Emperor will always favor some over others. Reward comes after service. Rely only on your own abilities.”

Wu Yuan smiled. “Hearing your words, Master, my spirits are lifted.”

Cui Yan scoffed. “And what of my troubles, wretch?”

Wu Yuan feigned ignorance.

Cui Yan suddenly asked, “What are your thoughts on the conflict between Ruan Xiu and that outsider?”

Wu Yuan considered the question. “Ruan Xiu acted rashly, but that foolish dandy deserved it. Though she overstepped, she could not be seriously faulted. Moreover, her father’s battle at Lizhu Cave ended all attempts at rule breaking. Like father, like daughter…”

Cui Feng, impatient, unloaded his thoughts. “Magistrate Wu, look deeper! Why would this dandy wander alone, so conveniently stumbling upon Ruan Xiu in Qilong Lane? He knows neither her name nor her place. Is this mere coincidence? The world is filled with fools and rakes, but can such a man practice in such a good way? Or is he being set up?”

The boy spoke jestingly, yet Wu Yuan remained troubled.

The boy began to complain, rubbing his cheeks. “Truly, I am more cursed than that chromogen! Wu Yuan, why not offer your face for a few slaps?”

Wu Yuan declined to be a fool. “I think not, Master.”

The young man exclaimed: “You are my student forever! As a teacher for life, you will be a father for your life, I suppose. When Longquan is settled, return to the capital and resume our discussions regarding the Piyun Mountain academy!”

Wu Yuan nodded, his face unreadable.

The boy waved him away. “Be gone!”

Wu Yuan rose and took his leave.

In the old Yuan house, other than the delicate-faced boy, there was Xia Yulu. For the Yuan family he cleaned, and then the boy was found by Cui Ying to have an excellent mind. And so, Xia Yulu, fourteen, slender as a reed, handsome, and with the presence of a Jade Tree facing the wind, He was an orphan with few attachments, which Cui had hoped for from the start. For reasons known only to himself, Cui Ying rechristened him Yu Lu, a fate the boy accepted without protest.

Yu Lu seemed grateful to escape his previous life of hardship. Cleaning every room, even repairing the roof, he infused the house with life. Only Cui Ying’s shouts silenced him.

Bowls, plates, vases, everything was polished. Each visit from Wu Yuan was greeted by Yu Lu, broom in hand, standing at a respectful distance, patiently awaiting his departure. Then, the cleaning would begin anew. The boy’s cheerfulness puzzled Wu Yuan. Was he mad?

After adapting to his new life, Yu Lu found the house quiet. Thus, one evening, Cui Ying returned home with a girl: a girl with a good frame and a flawless figure. Even the expressionless youth could find beauty in them. At a glance, he was able to determine that she had a soul and that she wanted to be happy, for her eyes were filled with glee.

The girl had once been a slave, but her face gave nothing away. He knew he must show this new arrival what kindness was. With a new sense of hope, the girl asked: “Am I to serve?”

Cui Ying clapped. “We are here.”

Yu Lu, the handsome youth with a perfect physique, stood before Cui Yan.

Cui Yi tilted his head, his gaze settling upon Yu Lu. “Yu Lu, from the start, you were my pawn.”

“As for you, you were the treasure the Empress would have fought to secure, but she has now lost her power. Driven to Changchun Palace, you have fallen into the water tower. You are fortunate to be removed from her clutches. Perhaps with the Empress acting in such a way, you will be given an easier path.”

Cui Yan shifted his gaze to the girl. “What shall your name be? Shall I rename you as well, like Yu Lu?”

The girl spoke softly. “Master, I wish only to be called Xie.”

Cui Yan mused, then laughed. “Ah? Should I then call you Xie Xie? It is an auspicious name. You should thank me.”

The girl did not smile, but there was rage in her eyes.

Cui Yan said softly, “Henceforth, do not call me Cui Yan. Call me Cui Dongshan, or young master, if you will.”

Cui Wei was disheartened. “Yu Lu, Xie, pack your belongings. We depart tomorrow, traveling the south road to Yefu Pass.”

Neither questioned his words.

Cui Yan saw the eager youth. “You, remain here. Study at Chen’s school if you desire. It is your choice.”

The boy, stricken with fear, opened his mouth to beg, only for Cui Hao to turn his furious gaze. “Begone!”

The boy fled.

Cui Xian stood, walked to the small study, and began to write.

He spilled forth thousands of words.

“Too much is not enough. The Dali court reveres literati, allowing charlatans to seize official positions. We must shift this tide, forbidding officials to blindly follow the peddlers in order to obtain a position. We must value the classics, matters of state, and practical application. We must emphasize ‘work’. Even should the Song dynasty fall, and another take the throne, this shall remain. Upon this, you and I will build the path.”

“The Imperial College must be controlled. When the time is right, arrangements will be made to seize complete control.”

……

Cui Xian flung down his pen. “What is the use of writing this? You stand and speak without consequence, while I carry the shame. You live freely in the capital, while I must serve others! Oh, God, why dost thou not strike me down?”

The boy, the cinnabar mark on his brow wet with tears, wept bitterly.