When the examination officially began, Li Ping'an dipped his brush in ink, his handwriting neat and proper.
The examination topic was "A gentleman is not a vessel."
The simpler the topic, the harder it was to delve deeply. This question came from "The Analects of Confucius: Wei Zheng." After pondering for a moment, Li Ping'an began with: "A vessel refers to tangible forms, while a gentleman embodies the Dao and flows freely. Thus, Confucius emphasized the principle of 'not being a vessel.'"
With this thought, his mind cleared, and he fell into a focused state, letting the words in his mind flow onto the paper like a spring, completing the entire process in one go.
After finishing the essay on the Four Books, he moved on to the poetry section, composing a poem titled "Ten Thousand Homes Amid Spring Rain."
Imperial willows veiled in misty green,
The royal capital bathed in dewy sheen.
Clouds hang low, darkening twin palace gates,
Li Ping'an spared no effort in showcasing his talent. No matter the dynasty, "child prodigies" were always highly regarded—this was his advantage.
The younger the xiucai or juren, the more they symbolized the flourishing destiny of a great nation, serving as auspicious signs of the dynasty's prosperity.
Once all the exam questions were completed, Li Ping'an set down his brush with confidence, submitting his paper early to leave a strong impression on the examiners.
Being the first candidate to submit his paper not only startled the other examinees but also drew the attention of the examiners.
"Hmm? Let me take a look."
The examiner skimmed through the paper, leaning forward with a serious expression. When he reached the climactic parts, he couldn't help but slap his thigh and exclaim, "Excellent!"
"As for the gentleman, it is not so: his essence flows like the primordial qi, penetrating everywhere without gaps; his actions unfold like the orderly progression of the four seasons, never disrupting their sequence.
In stillness, he is as profound as a silent abyss yet harbors the rumble of thunder; in action, he is like clouds bringing rain, nurturing all beings—such is the immeasurable depth of his character."
The examiner looked at Li Ping'an with satisfaction. Such profound insight at such a young age was remarkable.
The inner cultivation resembled the ceaseless flow of heaven and earth's primordial qi; his external actions were as orderly as the changing seasons, never violating their sequence; in silence, he was as deep as an abyss yet concealed thunderous potential; in prominence, he was like clouds bestowing rain, benefiting all—these ideas subtly aligned with the concepts of immortal cultivation, leaving one in awe.
'This boy is born to be an immortal official!'
As for the poem, it paled in comparison to the brilliance of this essay.
The examiner set down the paper and said kindly, "Go home and await good news."
A weight lifted from Li Ping'an's heart as he bowed respectfully to the examiner. "This student understands."
Returning to the village in glory.
Though there was no grand red horse, the old ox was adorned with red silk for celebration.
There were no messengers beating gongs and drums—that would have been too ostentatious, especially in these troubled times.
As soon as Li Ping'an returned home, villagers who had heard the news came to congratulate him in an endless stream, bringing eggs, meat, and other gifts. Uncle Li Fang was especially busy, beaming as if his own child had become a xiucai.
Seeing her husband and son return with good news, Lady Qin's usual worries melted away, her beautiful face radiant with joy, leaving Li Rongzhou momentarily stunned. "My dear, you've grown even more beautiful."
"Enough of your sweet talk! This is Ping'an's happy day, and here you are spouting nonsense. Hurry and greet the villagers!"
Though she scolded him, her heart was as sweet as honey. She secretly glanced at her reflection in a basin of water, feeling she had indeed grown younger and prettier.
This change seemed to come after she began practicing martial arts.
She resolved to practice her health-preserving exercises more diligently.
Li Pingcan was also happy. With his father back, his heart felt more at ease.
"A thirteen-year-old xiucai—this must be the ancestors' blessings!"
Two villagers guarding the village gate spoke with envy and jealousy.
Just then, a staggering refugee appeared at the village entrance. "Brothers, spare some food!"
"Where did you come from? You're filthy and stinking—get lost!"
The Peach Blossom Villagers were merciless. Human joys and sorrows were disconnected; they only found the refugee noisy. After hearing about the tragedy in Peach Leaf Village, they had grown wary of outsiders.
"Brother, please, I'm starving!"
"Fine, you pitiful thing." The younger villager handed the refugee two celebratory cakes. "Eat and leave—no loitering!"
"Thank you, brother! Thank you!" The refugee hunched over, nodding obsequiously as he limped away with the cakes.
Once he was out of sight, the refugee's body suddenly cracked and popped, his bones elongating until he transformed into a burly, tiger-backed man.
He frowned at Peach Blossom Village, sensing trouble. "Strange. These villagers are too alert. Could there be treasure here?"
And then there was the rumored child prodigy, Li... Excelling in studies under the Great Yu Dynasty suggested he was favored by destiny.
Perhaps his ancestors' graves held treasures.
This man, Wang Li, was also a refugee fleeing disaster in the prefecture. Trained in martial arts from childhood, he was bold and reckless. A single misstep had angered a powerful figure, damaging his martial foundation and halting his progress. Though he survived, he became obsessed with feng shui.
Wang Li was convinced his misfortunes stemmed from bad feng shui and sought to change his luck, gathering information wherever he fled.
"Grave-robbing isn't a one-man job. I'll need help and a solid plan."
The wooden gates of Peach Blossom Village could stop ordinary refugees but not someone like him.
However, gathering detailed information about others wasn't his forte.
With this in mind, Wang Li dashed into the depths of the mountains like a swift swallow.
News of Li Ping'an becoming a xiucai spread throughout Peach Blossom Mountain.
Li Yuan was so furious he smashed the wooden stools and chairs in his house.
He didn’t dare break the porcelain decorations—his father would kill him if he did.
Fuming, he yelled at the bodyguard, "You useless swine! I told you to break Li Ping'an's legs! Where are the broken legs? How could you be so unreliable!"
The bodyguard had no defense. How was he to know his accomplices would be so incompetent?
When the bodyguard remained silent, Li Yuan roared, "Give me back my forty taels of silver, or I'll tell my father!"
Li Ping'an's legs were intact, but Li Yuan's silver was truly gone. He couldn’t afford to lose both the man and the money.
The bodyguard panicked. If Li Dahu found out, he’d skin him alive!
But giving up what he’d already swallowed was harder than death itself.
His eyes darted, and he put on a loyal face. "Young Master Li, wait here. I’ll go demand the money back from those thugs!"
At the small gang’s hideout.
The bodyguard slapped his accomplice in anger. "Is this how you handle things?"
The accomplice protested, "I didn’t know these guys were so useless! They couldn’t even handle a scholar with no martial skills! My bad, my bad."
He slapped himself twice, looking pitifully at the bodyguard. "What now?" He didn’t want to part with the ten taels of silver either.
The bodyguard sneered, furious. If not for the gang’s usefulness, he’d have kicked them already.
"Listen. I’ll lure Young Master Li out. You and your men scare him into dropping the matter."
"Great idea! You’re so clever, brother."
The gang leader nodded eagerly, greed flickering in his eyes.
He thought, if the kid was cowardly enough, they might even extort more money.
Rich fools were hard to come by these days!
Li Pingcan, who had been monitoring the Li Dahu household, took a deep breath.
After waiting so long, Li Yuan and the bodyguard were finally making their move. It was time to eliminate this hidden threat once and for all.
He informed his father and elder brother, and the family decided to strike during the chaos to avoid future troubles.
Anyone who dared harm a member of the Li family would face their fiercest retaliation.
The bodyguard sneaked Li Yuan to the gang’s hideout.
"Young Master Li, this is the Black Snake Gang—the ones who took the money and didn’t deliver!"
The gang leader smirked. "So what if I took it? Try taking it back!"
Li Yuan fumed. "Do you even know who my father is? Who my father’s cousin is? How dare you steal forty taels from me!"
The gang leader froze. The script didn’t mention forty taels.
He glared furiously at the bodyguard. You double-crossing snake! You took thirty and made me the fool!
But the die was cast. He had to play along and settle the score later.
"Who the hell do you think you are? Brothers, arm up! Teach this brat a lesson!"
The sound of drawn blades echoed one after another, their edges glinting coldly in the torchlight.
But no one noticed the vines on the walls twisting into thorns, stealthily coiling around a large blade.
"Hey? Where’s my sword? Bro, got a spare?"
The thug took the sword and turned to thank his friend with a pat on the shoulder, only to feel a prickling numbness. A cold wind blew, making his eyes water and the torches flicker. In the dim light, he glimpsed a shadowy figure and the glint of a blade.
A shrill scream pierced the darkness, sending chills down the gang leader and Li Yuan’s spines.
"Why’d you stab me in the back?"
"Who stabbed you?! You’re the one who slashed me!"
"You bastard! I’ve had enough of you!"
Chaos erupted like a tidal wave, with disorder and panic setting the tone for the night. What followed was a frenzied brawl, each man’s eyes bloodshot as they swung blades at whoever was nearest.
The gang leader, inexplicably slashed twice, flew into a rage and chased the bodyguard. "You lied to me! Damn you, give me my money back!"
"Ah!" Li Yuan, sensing danger, tried to flee but tripped over nothing.
A thug, bloodlust in his eyes, sprinted after him and swung his blade down—blood sprayed on the spot.