SEHE Chapter 77

Teaching Class 

“Three strikes should’ve been enough. Chasing me all the way here to fight—aren’t you going a bit too far?” Xu Du’s eyes already flashed with a hint of fear.

“I am your teacher.” Pei Yanci waved the Book of Changes in his hand.

A commotion arose from within the lecture hall.

“You?” The moment Xu Du spoke, mockery barely surfacing at the corners of his eyes, he thought of something and reluctantly lowered his head. “Fine, whatever.”

Pei Yanci looked around. Aside from the student who had brought him lunch at noon, the twenty-some people kneeling below were all familiar faces.

He had seen them all by the lake at midday.

Except for Xu Du, who was the most seriously injured, everyone else bore injuries to varying degrees. Their faces contorted in pain with every movement, though it didn’t show on their faces.

A gentle breeze blew, and the half-rolled bamboo blinds under the black-tiled eaves swayed with the wind, casting shifting diagonal shadows.

Pei Yanci yawned. This kind of summer afternoon was best suited for lazily lying on a bamboo rocking chair under a pavilion and sleeping.

The people below pretended to kneel properly, secretly exchanging glances, waiting to see what kind of performance he could put on.

They say new officials light three fires upon taking office. Pei Yanci thought this eternal truth applied to teaching as well. You had to be harsh from the start, establish authority, give these people a show of force, and let them see his capabilities. Being born a servant didn’t mean having no learning.

(TL: 新官上任三把火 

Literally: “When a new official takes office, he lights three fires.”

Figuratively: When someone starts a new position (especially one with authority), they take strong or drastic actions right away to establish power, set rules, or show competence.)

Before opening the book, Pei Yanci gave a general introduction. “The Changes are in accordance with heaven and earth, and therefore can encompass the ways of heaven and earth. Looking upward to observe the celestial phenomena, looking downward to examine the patterns of earth, thus understanding the principles of darkness and light…”

“Therefore, Confucianism esteems the Book of Changes as the foremost of all classics because it can ‘deduce the way of heaven to illuminate human affairs.’ It contains the way of heaven and earth, the way of impermanence, and the way of human relations. Understanding the myriad things of heaven and earth and the natural order, one can naturally understand the order of human affairs…”

A student observing the class asked. “Teacher, if we reverse it—if we use the Book of Changes to comprehend human affairs, can we work backward to deduce the ways of heaven and earth’s rotation?”

“That’s the principle, but many people spend their entire lives unable to fathom human ethics and relationships. If you can penetrate even a bit of heaven and earth’s surface, that’s already remarkable.”

Pei Yanci spoke eloquently with that student. His understanding of the Book of Changes wasn’t as deep as those old scholars who had devoted their lives to studying it, but it was enough for him to use in governing and managing state affairs.

The more he answered that student’s questions, the more he felt this person had a nimble mind—not the rigid thinking of a bookworm, yet not impetuous either. Clear and organized, neither servile nor overbearing—a promising seedling.

Nodding with satisfaction, he turned back, only to find the twenty or so people around him had long stopped listening to their conversation.

Xu Du and several others were sprawled on the low long tables, snoring loudly in sleep. The rest didn’t dare make a fuss, but from their expressions, their minds had long wandered away, or they were absently playing with small trinkets in their hands.

Qiu Xiu was counting the brand-new hairs on a writing brush. Sensing Pei Yanci’s gaze, he quickly nudged Xu Du beside him.

Xu Du jolted all over and opened his eyes groggily. “Class dismissed?”

“Teacher Pei is watching you,” he whispered a reminder.

“So sleepy?” Pei Yanci rolled the book in his hand into a scroll, tapping it unhurriedly against his palm. “Not in pain anymore?”

Xu Du’s expression became stern. He quickly swallowed the words at his lips and sat up straight. “I’m listening.”

“Understand it?”

He shook his head.

Pei Yanci shifted his gaze to the entire lecture hall. All the students shook their heads.

New officials light three fires—this fire was apparently lit for the blind to see.

This is why he hated fools.

And even more hated fools clustered together as military officers.

Pei Yanci sighed, tossed his lesson notes to the observing student, told him he could leave and to come find him at Gewu Hall if he had questions. The rest could stay in their seats and do whatever they wanted.

“Thank you, teacher!” They were all teenagers. Hearing they didn’t have to study, they immediately cheered.

Pei Yanci couldn’t be bothered to manage them. He propped up his feet and rested on his own.

Xu Du felt this person couldn’t teach and couldn’t control people. Thinking about this, he felt he’d given this person a headache, which made him immensely pleased with himself.

Pei Yanci had no good feelings toward this group of unlearned sons of officials and nobles. He announced dismissal early—out of sight, out of mind, and he could return home earlier too.

As soon as he entered the main gate, he smelled the scent of sandalwood wafting from the courtyard.

Wushu was holding lacquer paint and pigments, painting a wooden puppet’s face—the facial features and skin of the theater’s puppets were all painted by him. Madam Wu was doing embroidery nearby. Although Pei Yanci gave the mother and son ample silver to live on each month, she couldn’t stay idle and always wanted to earn a bit more.

Seeing him arrive, Wushu jerked his chin toward the room next to the main house.

That was precisely the room where Wang Lingche had slept last night.

He still hadn’t left?

Pei Yanci found it rather strange. Just as he was about to approach, a lady emerged from that room, tear tracks on her face, secretly dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

When she ran into him head-on, the lady examined him with a composed yet proud expression, confirmed his general identity, then forced a smile and pressed a silver ingot into his hands. “During this time, I’m entrusting Che’er to Pei Daren’s care.”

“Madam, you’re too kind.” Pei Yanci didn’t accept it. “Young Master Wang and His Highness the Crown Prince are good friends, which makes him my good friend too. I’m merely helping His Highness look after Young Master Wang.”

Hearing him mention Gu Jiuqing, Madam Wang felt considerably more at ease, though she couldn’t help wondering if she’d seen this person before.

“If Madam and the Lord Guijing have time in the future, you’re both welcome to visit my residence.”

The more they interact, the deeper the friendship grows, right?

“Such kindness is hard to refuse. We’ll have to trouble Pei Daren in the future.” Madam Wang looked at his young yet mature demeanor and couldn’t help remembering Wang Lingche had been like this when he was a teenager. She couldn’t help sighing. “Children are all debt collectors. I finally arranged a good marriage for my daughter, but my son isn’t grateful—he even runs away from home. If this gets out, people will laugh at us.”

“Shouldn’t there be better candidates among the Zheng family’s sons?”

“An older man will be more caring. Should I choose the younger one, so she has to be both wife and mother? Haven’t I managed the household enough in my husband’s family?”

Without realizing it, she’d said too much. Madam Wang felt somewhat embarrassed and changed the subject. “But speaking of which, this matter was indeed hasty and inconsiderate. However, His Highness the Crown Prince couldn’t possibly harm us—the marriage alliance has only benefits and no drawbacks. If Pei Daren has time, please help us persuade Lingche. My son, he’s good in every way, just sometimes too stubborn and gets stuck in ruts. I’m nearly driven to death by him. Why is he so inconsiderate? At a time like this, he should be helping us persuade his sister.”

Pei Yanci perfunctorily saw her off, thought for a moment, then knocked on the door of the adjacent room.

The door wasn’t locked and opened with a push.

The setting sun illuminated the dim room. Incense curled from the burner on the table. Wang Lingche sat sideways with an open Buddhist scripture before him, the prayer beads from his wrist slipped off and rolling continuously between his fingertips. His eyes were peacefully closed, his slender, soft lips tinted by the sunset from the doorway, slightly parting and closing.

His appearance was handsome, with a thick scholarly air that blended with the Buddhist incense to form a unique atmosphere of tranquil elegance. At this moment, this quality was also mixed with a layer of gray melancholy from his thin, lonely frame, making him seem even more fragile and delicate.

Pei Yanci unconsciously lightened his footsteps.

Walking to stand before him, only then could he see the left side not facing the door—his forehead was scraped, a trace of blood mixed with ink-black ink trickling down his face, dripping onto his smoke-purple silk robe, staining a patch on his chest.

Not far away, an inkstone lay forlornly on the ground, one corner chipped off, stained with blood.

“Did Madam Wang hit you?”

The parting and closing lips pressed together. After a long while, a soft “Mm” sounded in the air.

Wouldn’t have guessed it—that dignified, virtuous-looking lady could also lose her temper.

“Yesterday they exchanged birth dates.” Wang Lingche’s prayer beads spun faster. “My mother told me to go home. His Highness the Crown Prince promoted me and told me to go to the Crown Prince’s Mansion to express gratitude.”

“You feel your promotion was exchanged for your sister’s marriage?”

Wang Lingche’s upper body swayed and he buried his face in Pei Yanci’s flat, supple abdomen.

Pei Yanci pondered that there were few officials in the Eastern Palace who could be moved. Even if Hu Min was away claiming illness, the large and small affairs of the Zuo Chunfang were usually managed by Qin Xiong.

When he had that conversation with Qin Xiong in secret, he thought that if he left the Crown Prince’s Mansion and the Eastern Palace, it would be difficult for him to know Gu Jiuqing’s movements. Having Qin Xiong inside meant at least Gu Jiuqing wouldn’t escape his control.

He hadn’t expected Gu Jiuqing had already contacted the Wang family behind his back.

Wang Lingche—he needed this person too.

His fingers touched the head in his embrace. He helped the person sit up straight, his fingertips wiping away the blood on his forehead.

Wang Lingche’s eyes drooped, his large, clear eyes gazing at him pitifully, tinged with heart-penetrating crimson and brightness.

Yet he had to pretend to be calm, to act like nothing was wrong.

Somehow, Pei Yanci’s heart softened a bit.

As he realized this, before he could think it through, he already heard Wang Lingche’s voice by his ear. “To loathe and abandon, one must give up completely before there is nothing left to give up. I’ve been too forward-looking and backward-thinking, thinking too much, unable to take or let go. With resentment, fear, pleasures, and worries in my heart, I cannot find my center. I’ve decided that after attending my sister’s wedding feast, I’ll formally become a monk.”

“Can you really give up this life of wealth and status?”

Wang Lingche nodded firmly. “I’ve decided to stay at your place for a while, to get used to hard times in advance.”

“…” Last night’s feast was wasted on him.

“Fine, do as you like. Stay as long as you want.”

Seeing the person about to gratefully embrace him again, he quickly dodged. “I’ll get some water for you to wash your face properly.”

After saying this, he went outside to call Wushu.

When the water arrived, Wang Lingche washed the dirt from his face, and Pei Yanci brought the wound medicine.

“Hiss…”

“Bear with it. You’re older than me, yet look at how frail you are.” This did fit his impression of weak scholars.

Wang Lingche felt somewhat uncomfortable, his eyelids half-closed as he mumbled, “Sometimes I feel you’re much older than me, much more mature and steady.”

“You’ve read yourself stupid.”

“I’ve long given up those burdens of fame and fortune.”

“You read yourself stupid as a child, and chanted yourself stupid as an adult.” Pei Yanci scoffed. “Limbs not diligent, can’t tell grains apart, eyes only know how to read characters and nothing else.”

Wang Lingche’s face reddened. He glanced at Pei Yanci, thought of something, and lowered his head.

“Lift your head. How can I apply medicine like this?”

“Oh.” He reluctantly lifted his head, blinking his eyes, looking at Pei Yanci with embarrassment.

With this look, he realized the two of them were quite close.

Wang Lingche’s face burned with embarrassment, but seeing the other person so calm and seemingly unaware, he felt he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

“So you won’t be going to Gu Jiuqing’s side anymore?”

“Not going.”

Pei Yanci was a grown man—why did his body carry a faint fragrance?

“You’re quite free and easy in your official position. Without someone protecting you, who would dare act this way?”

Thinking about how he’d just been clamoring to break free from family protection, he said, “Then I should still go make an appearance, walk around a bit, and come back if there’s nothing to do.”

“Alright.” Pei Yanci revealed a faint smile.

“I wonder if there’s much work as Temple Supervisor of the Dali Temple.” He wrinkled his nose, his eyes looking at the person moistly.

“You’re not at the Eastern Palace anymore?”

“His Highness the Crown Prince is too annoying. If not for him, how would my sister end up marrying into the Zheng family?”

Only he could say such words of disdain for the Crown Prince. When had Yue Ting ever said anything so treasonous?

“Your sister didn’t agree either, did she?” After all, Madam Wang still wanted Wang Lingche to help persuade her.

“She’s on a hunger strike.” Wang Lingche said irritably, “But unfortunately, she’s a daughter, so no matter how angry she is, she can only stay in the rear courtyard.”

“Your mother is too domineering. You and your sister should have learned to resist long ago.”

“You think so too? This wouldn’t violate filial piety, would it?” Wang Lingche’s eyes brightened as he looked at him, his eyes filled with joy and emotion.

“It wouldn’t.”

Being understood felt so good.

****

Pei Yanci went to the Imperial Academy every morning and returned in the evening. His days were orderly. After a ten-day holiday, when he returned to the Imperial Academy, he happened to run into the rarely-seen Chancellor Qi Xiang.

Still reeking of alcohol, having just returned from who-knows-where living it up, he swayed with every three steps past him, nearly colliding with a passing student. Pei Yanci quickly pulled the person to his side and steadied him.

“Hello, Brother Pei.”

The person who nearly got hit was Xu Du, still as reckless as ever, walking without regard for others’ safety.

He greeted him with a grin and ran inside. Then others followed one after another, also greeting Pei Yanci.

“Brother Pei, today Mister Hu is going to call on people to recite the Analects. Better hurry and review for your class.”

“Hello, Brother Pei. Ignore him, let’s continue today.”

“Brother Pei…”

“Brother Pei…”

He received over ten greetings along the way. Only when those students had all started their classes could Pei Yanci attend to the person drunk as mud. Just as he was about to drag the person away, he saw Qi Xiang looking at him with clear, lucid eyes, his gaze full of interest.

“You didn’t beat up Xu Du, did you?”

“I did.”

“His mother didn’t come after you?” Xu Du was Madam Xu’s only precious son. With General Xu far away at the frontier, Old Madam Xu and Madam Xu had spoiled him excessively since childhood, which cultivated his lawless nature. Many instructors in the Academy worried about bringing trouble on themselves. Seeing he was beyond help, they turned a blind eye and didn’t bother with him.

“No.” Pei Yanci blinked slyly. “I hit his face, but he still didn’t tell on me.”

Qi Xiang became interested. The two walked toward his quarters, chatting as they went.

“Worthy of being the person Prime Minister Zheng requested from His Majesty. Since he could take you in, he should naturally protect you too.”

“Prime Minister Zheng doesn’t know about this.”

“Then how did you subdue those brats?”

Pei Yanci touched his nose, wondering whether to say he let them rest and sleep on their desks in broad daylight, or that he used the Book of Changes to tell their fortunes for fun, shocking each of them so much that in just a few days, he’d tricked them into memorizing several essays.

Either way seemed unprofessional and unlike something a respected teacher would do.

“Alright, you have your own way of teaching.” Qi Xiang’s quarters had arrived, but he didn’t let Pei Yanci leave.

After thinking about it, Pei Yanci still helped him inside.

The room was very messy, papers with writing everywhere, but otherwise clean and tidy. Even with the windows open, it was still filled with a faint smell of alcohol.

“Help me tidy up a bit.” Qi Xiang waved his sleeves, walked to the couch and sat down, his body leaning against the low table to one side, drowsy.

Pei Yanci casually straightened his desk, stacking the books neatly together. Suddenly, he pulled out several sheets of paper, quickly scanned them, and looked toward the person by the window who was about to fall asleep.

“Daren intends to reform the Imperial Academy?”

This person, rotten as a puddle of drunken mud—he didn’t look at all like someone with progressive ambitions.

“Hm? Which one?” Qi Xiang opened his turbid eyes and stumbled over. “Where did you dig that out from?”

“Just tucked under the desktop, one corner was showing.”

“Oh no.” Qi Xiang cried out.

As soon as he spoke, the desk behind Pei Yanci trembled. With a “crash,” it collapsed sideways, and the neatly stacked books and papers scattered all over the floor again.

“….”