In no time after Liu Xianyang arrived in Nibing Alley, a rare guest visited the narrow lane: Zhao Yao, a scholar in a green robe with an elegant bearing, who bore a striking resemblance to the schoolteacher, Qi Jingchun.

Zhao Yao was the eldest grandson of one of the four major families in the town. Unlike the idle and dissolute sons of wealthy families like Lu Zhengchun, Zhao Yao, who also came from a rich background, had an excellent reputation. Many of the town’s elderly and widowed had benefited from the young man’s kindness. To say that this was a calculated move, “a renowned scholar cultivating his reputation in the countryside,” would be overestimating Zhao Yao’s ambition and judging a gentleman by the standards of a petty person. After all, since the age of ten, the boy had possessed such a kind and benevolent nature, year after year, without the slightest slackening. Even the old folks who had watched him grow up on Fulu Street would give him a thumbs-up, and would invariably bring up Zhao Yao as an example when scolding their own children. This led to Zhao Yao having few close friends among his peers.

Lu Zhengchun and his gang were free-spirited and disliked associating with a bookworm who was always spouting classical phrases. Imagine everyone eagerly going to climb over a wall to peep at a pretty widow, only to have someone beside them chanting about how improper it was! In short, young Zhao Yao preferred to socialize with people outside of Fulu Street in recent years. He had walked through almost every alley, large and small, except for Nibing Alley, because Song Jixin lived there—a peer who often made Zhao Yao feel inferior.

However, if he were to truly consider someone a friend, Zhao Yao would probably only acknowledge Song Jixin, his fellow chess player. Even though he had consistently lost to Song Jixin over the years, though he yearned to win and win, Zhao Yao actually admired Song Jixin’s exceptional talent deep down. However, Zhao Yao felt somewhat dejected because his intuition told him that, although Song Jixin would laugh and joke with him and be close in daily interactions, he never seemed to regard Zhao Yao as a true friend or confidant.

Although Zhao Yao had never visited Song Jixin’s home before, as soon as he saw a certain residence, he knew that it must be Song Jixin’s house. The reason was the couplet posted at the entrance, which had many characters and was clearly written by Song Jixin. The rationale was simple: the style was too varied. It could almost be said that no two characters were the same. For example, the characters for “御风” (Yù Fēng, Riding the Wind) were written in one breath, freely and casually, with a great sense of floating. The character “渊” (Yuān, Abyss), with its water radical, was particularly profound and meaningful. The character “奇” (Qí, Strange) had a powerful aura, like thunder! The character “国” (Guó, Nation), on the other hand, was written with perfect balance and uprightness, as if a sage were sitting in solemn dignity, without the slightest flaw.

Standing at the entrance to the courtyard, Zhao Yao almost forgot to knock. Leaning forward, he stared at the characters in a daze, feeling lost. He felt as if he was losing the courage to knock. It was precisely because he diligently practiced calligraphy and copied numerous works that he was even more aware of the great strength, heavy weight, and vibrant spirit contained within those characters.

Downcast, Zhao Yao took out a money pouch, bent down, and placed it at the entrance, intending to leave without saying goodbye.

At that moment, the courtyard door suddenly opened. Zhao Yao looked up and saw Song Jixin, seemingly about to leave with his maid, Zhigui. They were laughing and chatting merrily.

Feigning surprise, Song Jixin teased, “Zhao Yao, what great ceremony is this? What is your purpose?”

Zhao Yao awkwardly picked up the money pouch, just about to explain the reason, when Song Jixin snatched the embroidered bag away with a smile. “Oh, Zhao Yao has come to our door bearing gifts! We’ll accept, we’ll accept! But let’s make it clear in advance, I’m from a poor family and have no gifts that would catch Brother Zhao’s eye. To receive without giving is impolite.”

Zhao Yao forced a smile. “Consider this bag of charm coins as my farewell gift. There’s no need for a return gift.”

Song Jixin turned to his maid and exchanged a knowing smile. He handed her the money pouch. “See? I told you Zhao Yao is the most courteous scholar in town, didn’t I?”

The girl took the money pouch and held it to her chest, her eyes crinkling with joy. She inclined her body slightly in a wanfu (a traditional Chinese greeting). “Thank you, Zhao Gongzi. My young master says that those who accumulate good deeds will have blessings, and those who do good will have a field of fortune. I wish you a meteoric rise to success and a bright future.”

Zhao Yao quickly returned the bow, saying, “Thank you for your kind words, Zhigui Guniang.”

Scratching the back of his head, Song Jixin yawned. “Aren’t you two tired?”

Zhigui smiled. “If I could get a bag of money every time, I wouldn’t be tired even if I gave ten thousand wanfus.”

Zhao Yao felt a little embarrassed. “I’m afraid I’ll disappoint Zhigui Guniang.”

Song Jixin waved his hand. “Let’s go, let’s go drinking!”

Zhao Yao looked troubled. Song Jixin goaded him, “You’re just a straw bag! If reading only fills your head with rigid rules and not a bit of the elegance of a renowned scholar, what good is it?”

Zhao Yao asked tentatively, “A little drink to lift the spirits?”

Song Jixin rolled his eyes. “Dead drunk!”

Just as Zhao Yao was about to speak, Song Jixin put his arm around his neck and dragged him away.

As the maid, Zhigui, was locking the door, the four-legged snake tried to sneak out, but she kicked it back into the courtyard.

As she passed the house next door, she quietly tiptoed and glanced sideways. She saw Liu Xianyang’s tall figure. He noticed her too and immediately smiled brightly. Just as Liu Xianyang was about to greet her, she had already turned away and walked away quickly.

The town had a tavern, but it was small and quite expensive. However, Zhao Yao was, after all, a member of the Zhao family, and he had a good reputation. The notoriously tightfisted tavern owner didn’t know what had gotten into him today, but he puffed out his chest and said he wouldn’t take a penny. It was an honor for his tavern to have two scholars grace his humble establishment with their presence. The two masters should be the ones giving him money. Song Jixin immediately grinned and held out his hand, demanding money on the spot. The owner, feeling embarrassed, made excuses, saying he would have some good wine sent to Song Gongzi tomorrow. Zhao Yao wished he could dig a hole and hide. The owner knew the eccentric nature of the young master of Nibing Alley, so he wasn’t really angry. He personally found a quiet window seat for the three of them on the second floor.

Song Jixin and Zhao Yao didn’t talk much, and Song Jixin didn’t try to get Zhao Yao drunk, which made Zhao Yao, who was prepared for the worst, feel even more strange.

From the tavern window on the second floor, they could see the plaque on the twelve-legged memorial arch: “当仁不让” (Dāng Rén Bú Ràng – Not Yielding to Benevolence).

Song Jixin asked, “Is Qi Xiansheng really not leaving town with you?”

Zhao Yao nodded. “Xiansheng temporarily changed his plans. He said he wanted to stay at the school and teach the second to last chapter, *Knowing Propriety*.”

Song Jixin sighed, “So Qi Xiansheng is going to teach us a great principle, imparting it from the Confucian Sage to the world, telling us that in the beginning, there was no law. The Sage taught the people with propriety, and the rulers of that time all revered etiquette, believing that going against reason and propriety would lead to punishment. Thus, there was law. Propriety and Law, Propriety first, then Law…”

Zhao Yao, already slightly drunk, slurred his words, asking, “Do you think that’s right? Why doesn’t Xiansheng simply teach the last chapter, *Respecting Propriety*?”

Song Jixin gave an irrelevant answer. “Before leaving town, like mountain goblins and water ghosts, gods and monsters, believe and they exist, don’t believe and they don’t. As for how Qi Xiansheng teaches and how students listen, let’s just leave it to fate.”

The maid, Zhigui, also drank a cup of wine, her lovely face flushed. She never looked at the towering memorial arch.

The twelve-legged memorial arch had stone pillars, the bases of which were the nine mythical creatures born from the dragon, as well as the White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermillion Bird.

The townspeople had lived here for generations and were long accustomed to it.

Zhao Yao couldn’t help but burp. He swayed as he stood up, saying, “A farewell to you, I hope we meet again.”

Song Jixin thought for a moment and stood up as well, smiling slightly. “We will definitely meet again, Zhao Yao. Don’t worry about having no friends on the road ahead.”

With his vision blurred, Zhao Yao bit his tongue and said sincerely, “Song Jixin, you should leave town soon too. The world will recognize you. You can definitely do it!”

Song Jixin clearly didn’t take it seriously, waving his hand. “Go, go. Drunken rambling is unbecoming of a scholar.”

After leaving the tavern, Zhao Yao and Song Jixin parted ways. Before leaving, Zhao Yao, perhaps emboldened by alcohol, asked, “Song Jixin, do you want to go take a look at the magistrate’s residence, I can persuade the gatekeeper…”

Song Jixin coldly spat out a word through gritted teeth, “Get lost!”

Zhao Yao left dejectedly.

The maid, Zhigui, watching his retreating figure, whispered, “Young Master, he meant well.”

Song Jixin sneered, “How many good intentions from good people in this world end up doing bad things and bearing evil fruit?”

She thought about it, and it seemed to be a rather dull and uninteresting truth, so she didn’t insist anymore.

Zhao Yao’s ancestral home on Fulu Street was in the north of the town, while Nibing Alley was in the west, where the poor people huddled. As Song Jixin and the maid walked side by side past the memorial arch, she looked up at the plaque “气冲斗牛” (Qì Chōng Dǒu Niú – Spirit Reaching the Heavens), which seemed like an aging old man.

The girl, whose real name was Wang Zhu, smiled without showing her teeth.

After Zhao Yao returned to his ancestral home in Fulu Street, a servant told him that the old matriarch was waiting for him in the study and that he had to go immediately, without a moment’s delay. The scholar in green robes, smelling of alcohol, immediately felt a headache and reluctantly headed to the study.

The Zhao family was low-key and unassuming in the town, with wealth hidden rather than flaunted, unlike the Lu family, who liked to proclaim themselves as a family of scholars. The study was also very antique.

The old woman, holding a cane, was standing by a desk, stroking the surface. Her weathered face was filled with sad reminiscence.

Smelling the strong scent of alcohol from her eldest grandson outside the door, the old woman wasn’t angry. She smiled and beckoned. “Yao’er, come in, what are you standing at the door for? What’s wrong with a man drinking a little wine? It’s not like drinking horse piss, nothing to be ashamed of!”

Zhao Yao crossed the threshold with a wry smile, respectfully greeting the old matriarch. The old woman said impatiently, “Reading too much has its downsides. All the rules and regulations make a scholar go around in circles for their whole life. It’s really annoying. Take your grandfather for example. He was excellent in everything, except when he talked to me about great principles, going on and on. It was really annoying. Especially his manner and expression, tsk tsk, especially deserving of a beating. I just couldn’t win against him. It made me want to smash him with my cane…”

The old woman suddenly amused herself, laughing loudly. “I almost forgot, I didn’t need a cane back then.”

She asked with a smile, “Did you drink with that Song kid?”

Zhao Yao said helplessly, “Grandma, how many times have I told you, Song Jixin is very talented, with high comprehension. He learns everything quickly.”

The old woman scoffed. “Him? He’s the smartest of the smart, but your grandfather foresaw it long ago, saying that the little thing would ruin the family’s reputation. Do you want to know what your grandfather said?”

Zhao Yao quickly replied, “Grandson doesn’t want to know!”

The old woman didn’t care whether her precious grandson wanted to hear it or not, saying to herself, “Your grandfather said, ‘At a young age, he’s so scheming. Unfortunately, he will ruin his ancestors’ reputation.’

Then she pointed at Zhao Yao. “Your grandfather also said, ‘Gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, and yielding. At first, nothing seems special, but he is the one who will cultivate the vitality of his descendants!'”

After the old woman finished speaking, she smiled. “That old fool was sour his whole life, finally saying something nice to hear at the end.”

Just as Zhao Yao, feeling confused, was about to speak, he heard his grandma sighing with emotion, “I’m old, I’m old!”

The boy had to take back his words, smiling as he stepped forward to take the old woman’s arm. “Grandma will live as long as the mountains, still very young.”

The old woman stretched out her withered hand, patting the back of her precious grandson’s hand. “Better than your grandfather, reading and not just babbling about stupid principles, but also knowing how to say nice things to people.”

The boy smiled. “Grandfather was truly learned. Qi Xiansheng also said that grandfather had a way of learning and a deep understanding of the character ‘义’ (Yì, Righteousness).”

The old woman immediately revealed her fox tail, unable to hide her smugness, but pretending to be cold. “Of course, who do you think chose that man!”

Zhao Yao pursed his lips, holding back a smile.

The old woman led Zhao Yao to a chair behind the desk. The boy noticed that there was a wooden carving of a reclining dragon on the desk, lifelike. However, for some reason, after careful observation, he discovered that this green wooden dragon had no eyes.

The old woman picked up a brush already dipped in ink, a brand new small conical brush made from an old locust branch, and held it with both hands, handing it to her eldest grandson.

As Zhao Yao took the brush, feeling confused, his shoulder suddenly felt heavy. It turned out that his grandma had placed her hand on his shoulder. He sat down in the seat that only the Zhao family head could sit in.

The old woman took a step back, incredibly solemn. “Zhao Yao, be seated! Today, you will represent the ancestors of the Zhao family and dot the eyes of the dragon!”

—

Broken and dilapidated clay statues of gods lay scattered on the overgrown ground, neglected and uncared for.

This had been the case for thousands of years, and clay statues would constantly fall into this place. The townspeople were not only accustomed to many things, but upon seeing these statues, they also no longer had much respect.

Old people would occasionally grumble a few words, telling their children not to play here, but the children still liked to come here to play hide-and-seek, catch crickets, and so on. Perhaps when these children grew up and became old, they would say the same thing to their children, “Don’t play here.” Generation after generation, it had been like this, with no storms and no waves, ordinary and unremarkable.

Here, there were fallen heads, broken torsos, and separated hands, as if they had been reluctantly pieced together, barely maintaining their original appearance, but only that much dignity remained.

A boy in straw sandals ran here in a hurry from Nibing Alley. He clenched three offering coins tightly in his hand. After arriving here, he went around and around, muttering to himself. Then, he skillfully found a statue, squatted down, looked around, and saw no one. Only then did he quietly put the copper coins into the broken crack of the statue.

After getting up, he went to find the second and third statues, doing the same.

Before leaving, the boy stood alone in the lush green grass, put his hands together, and bowed his head, silently reciting, “May you break into peace, may you break into peace, and may you bless my parents not to suffer in their next life… If possible, please tell my parents that I am doing well now, so don’t worry…”