Way of Choices: Book I - Youths We Were, Schoolmates

by Mao Ni

  Chen Changsheng replied, "I want people."

  Priest Xin's smile faded as he seriously inquired, "How many people?"

  Chen Changsheng seriously replied, "Lots of people."

  Priest Xin's expression did not change, but his two hands gradually chilled as he thought, Could it be that it really was as His Eminence the cardinal speculated, that behind His Holiness the Pope's reopening of the Orthodox Academy…are many secret objectives? Or else why would this young student ask for people, even a lot of people? If he really does intend on violating some sort of taboo, what should I do?

  "Might I ask…what do you need all these people for?"

  He stared into Chen Changsheng's eyes as he spoke each word, his expression exceptionally grave. At any moment, he was prepared to refuse and leave.

  Chen Changsheng could not sense his tension, and even if he could, he wouldn't have understood it. "The Orthodox Academy is rather large and most of its buildings have been worn down by time and lack of repair. Even if the repairs can go slowly, if I want to study in them, they have to be cleaned. If the manpower is insufficient, it might cause a large delay."

  Upon hearing this, Priest Xin exhaled a cold breath. He wasn't scared, it was just that he had not expected this response. Worried that Chen Changsheng would renege, he immediately said, "The intended subsidy will be distributed as soon as possible, and the allocated laborers will also not be lacking. For the time being, I'll send some part-time laborers over—no, I'll personally lead the part-time laborers and send Sir back."

  After saying this, he gave Chen Changsheng a hearty pat on the shoulder, humbly took Chen Changsheng by the arm, and walked out with him to the main hall of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education. The normally incomparably solemn Priest Xin actually treated this young student with such affection. This sight attracted countless gazes and also naturally attracted quite some discussion.

  * * *

  "Chen Changsheng really entered the Orthodox Academy?"

  "Yes, after Nanny Ning left, he left for the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education a short time after."

  In the study of the Divine General of the East's estate, this simple conversation quickly descended into silence.

  With an indifferent expression, Xu Shiji gazed at the somewhat uneasy Nanny Hua and said, "Since it's that party's intention, we don't need to concern ourselves with it for the moment."

  On the side, Madam Xu asked in concern, "Why did such a sudden change occur?"

  Xu Shiji replied, "I requested her to resolve the problem of Star Seizer Academy, not because I wished to sacrifice such a large favor for that boy, but because I wanted to reveal the matter of the engagement to her. This way, the matter could be reported to the Divine Empress. This being the case, whatever she does is only right and proper."

  Worry on her face, Madam Xu replied, "The problem is those two lines of Nanny Ning's. She wants the boy to live? Why does the palace care about such a trifling matter?"

  Xu Shiji glanced at Nanny Hua.

  Nanny Hua lowered her head and softly reported, "Last night, Miss Shuang'er went to the palace. Apparently, the young lady sent a letter."

  Madam Xu was rather unhappy at this news. "This child, she doesn't write letters to her parents, but what does she intend by sending letters to outsiders?"

  Xu Shiji slightly creased his brow, not wanting to hear such words. "Marriage is a grand event that parents should decide, even the Divine Empress won't dispute that. Why are you worried about those things? Give Lady Mo Yu some face and let that boy live for a moment. If he still refuses to cooperate, it won't be too late to talk about it then."

  Madam Xu said, "I'm just afraid that this child really might attain meteoric success in the future and hold some grudge against the estate."

  Xu Shiji suddenly chuckled, then, with some deeper meaning, he commented, "Meteoric success?"

  Madam Xu was rather frightened by the smile on her husband's face and didn't dare continue to ask. She waved her hand to indicate that Nanny Hua should leave, then whispered, "Prince Chen Liu sent someone over earlier inviting you to a banquet. Are you going or not? Although they say he's quite favored by the Divine Empress, his status is still rather special, so it feels quite inappropriate."

  Many years ago, after the final attempt by the Imperial clan to have the Divine Empress step down from the Dragon Throne ended in bloody suppression, all three generations of the Imperial clan were utterly expelled from the capital and placed under house arrest in the various counties and provinces. Only the heir to the Prince of Xiang, Chen Liu, was allowed to remain in the capital, due to his youth.

  It was also precisely because of his very young age that the Divine Empress permitted him to enter the palace and learn together with the Princess of Ping and Lady Mo Yu, who were both of similar age. The two had lived, drunk, and eaten together, and they had developed deep emotional bonds. He had basically grown up under the Divine Empress's gaze, so the Divine Empress regarded him with extreme favor. Even after he matured, he was not relocated out of the capital and was even made the prince of a county.

  Of course, many people believed the reason the Divine Empress treated Prince Chen Liu so well, besides their many years of closeness and Prince Chen Liu's extremely good reputation in the Imperial Court and amongst the common people, was that whenever the Divine Empress looked at his face, she probably very easily remembered the son that she had killed with her own hands.

  Regardless, Prince Chen Liu was still a member of the Imperial clan with royal blood flowing through his body. No one believed that the Divine Empress was completely at ease around him. For Xu Shiji, as the Divine General of the East highly regarded by the Divine Empress, attending such a feast was rather improper.

  Xu Shiji fell silent at Madam Xu's words, then after a while, he said, "I might as well. The prince has relayed his good will over and over, and if I were to use my identity as an excuse again, the prince will be displeased. The palace might also not judge me too much over this, and a minister that's too modest and unfeeling is not necessarily a good minister. Moreover, the Divine Empress's mind is like a bright mirror. She knows that Prince Chen Liu only wants to use me to develop a connection with the Qiushan clan so as to better take care of the Prince of Xiang, who has lived out many years of suffering in the south. This matter is one of filial piety, and the Divine Empress's bosom is like the ocean, so how could she mind? In addition, the Prince of Xiang has been well-behaved for a very long time, so even the Divine Empress recalling him to the capital would be very normal."

  Madam Xu said nothing, but she couldn't help but get a little nervous. She knew more than anyone else Xu Shiji's personality. He was normally a man of few words, but now he was giving so many words of explanation. It was naturally not for her to hear, so then who was it for? It could only be said that even he found it impossible to know whether this explanation of his had any meaning or not.

  Even though this was the case, he was still attending Prince Chen Liu's banquet. What did this mean?

  After he finished his explanation, Xu Shiji creased his brow. He also felt that there was something off with his performance. He calmed his mind somewhat and then smiled at Madam Xu, saying, "You also shouldn't worry yourself too much…it's impossible for that boy to have any sort of future prospects. When Lady Mo Yu allowed him to enter the Orthodox Academy, this was always her intention."

  The name of the Orthodox Academy seemed very extraordinary. To be able to use the Orthodoxy as a prefix, there was no way it could be lacking when compared to the Heavenly Dao Academy or Star Seizer Academy. In truth, over the past several centuries and even further back in history, the Orthodox Academy had truly always been the capital's best and most difficult-to-get-into school.

  But now, the Orthodox Academy had long since withered away like the autumn grass. It was forgotten by all and had no status within the Orthodoxy whatsoever. It was fine if it just continued to noiselessly persist as it had in years past, but if the slight
est peep came out of it, it would attract boundless humiliation. Why else would those teachers and students scatter in such a short span of time?

  To learn how the Orthodox Academy had transformed into its present condition, one would have to speak of that matter from ten-odd years ago. At the time, the Principal of the Orthodox Academy was concurrently an archbishop of the Orthodox Academy and the Pope's own senior brother. Within the Orthodoxy, his status was only second to the Pope and he was revered by all. Even the Holy Maiden of the south was beneath him. It could be said that this was one of the greatest exceptions in all the history of the Orthodoxy.

  According to reason, with the status that the Principal of the Orthodox Academy had, he should have been very content. However, the minds of men are like the many stars in the night sky, difficult to count clearly and thus impossible to understand. The Principal of the Orthodox Academy wished to obtain the seat of the Pope, but he did not receive the Divine Empress's support. He went so far as to collaborate with the remaining members of the Imperial clan to overthrow the Divine Empress. In the end, they suffered a crushing defeat in a single night, with the Principal of the Orthodox Academy personally reduced to ashes by the Pope, and the Orthodox Academy, which had served as his firmest support, was naturally washed in blood.

  After that night, there were people that attempted to return the Orthodox Academy to its former glory, but under the attentive gazes of the Divine Empress and the present Pope, these two pinnacles of the human world, no student of the Orthodox Academy could have any sort of future prospects. Thus, in the span of two years, the Orthodox Academy found it impossible to enroll any more students and the teachers naturally departed.

  Just like that, the Orthodox Academy of boundless glory became a gloomy graveyard.

  Until finally, ten-odd years later, the Orthodox Academy once more welcomed a new student.

  This new student was called Chen Changsheng.

  "Entering a school?"

  "No, this is an exile."

  "A new student[12]?"

  "No, this is an abyss that he will never be able to climb out of." Xu Shiji emotionlessly made his conclusion.

  Chapter 20 – The First Page

  Even a bottomless abyss could eventually be climbed out of. The reason Xu Shiji had given Chen Changsheng's fate such a cruel and firm conclusion was that he was keenly aware that this abyss of the Orthodox Academy had two unbreakable chains: the Divine Empress and the Pope.

  Even if the Pope—tolerant and benevolent, his hatred diluted by the passing of many years, once more thinking of the friendship of fellow disciples that he shared with that Principal of the Orthodox Academy and not able to bear seeing the Orthodox Academy truly become a part of history—was willing to close his eyes and ignore it, what of the Divine Empress? Back then, the Orthodox Academy had been the greatest source of strength for the old Imperial clan opposing her rule, so how could she permit the Orthodox Academy to once more unleash its radiance?

  Everyone knew that the Divine Empress's dictionary had never contained the word 'forgiveness.' The countless members of the Imperial clan collapsed in pools of blood and the Lord Zhou Tong that could silence the cries of infants in the night were all evidence of this. The Orthodox Academy wished to obtain a new lease on life? Not unless the Divine Empress abdicated or died, but would the Divine Empress abdicate? Could someone possibly kill her? No. Then the abyss would forever remain an abyss.

  Chen Changsheng returned to the inn, and as usual, he used a quarter of an hour to wash his face and rinse his mouth. He then washed his clothes, shoes, and socks clean before using a pure white towel to rub his wet hair dry. After putting on a fresh set of clean clothes, he carried along a pot of extremely weak green tea and sat himself down on a bamboo chair under a tree in a courtyard. Then, he began to look at the stars.

  As a person who valued time the most, although the vast sky of stars was beautiful and enchanting, he could only permit himself a few glances. After drawing mental strength from the ever-unmoving positions of the stars, he took from his bosom the recommendation letter signed by the Pope and began to contemplate all that had happened today.

  Only after standing in the hallway of the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education did he remember this recommendation letter and truly understand what the Pope's signature represented. Priest Xin's switch from arrogance to deference had been far too obvious, which had brought him many conveniences but inevitably many questions as well.

  Why had that Nanny Ning given him this recommendation letter? If they just wanted him to keep his mouth shut or even give up the engagement, he believed that those important figures who wielded power far beyond his imagination would possess countless methods, but just this sort of method was very difficult to comprehend. This recommendation letter…seemed to be compensating him for some sort of loss.

  What did the other party want to compensate for? His silence about the engagement? Or was it that the Orthodox Academy really wasn't anything good? He remembered very clearly that Nanny Ning had said that this was the best choice for everyone, with him being the sole exception. Just what was wrong with the Orthodox Academy?

  He understood the radiant history of the Orthodox Academy, but the major event that had resulted in the Orthodox Academy transforming into this ghost school had happened ten-odd years ago, too recent. With the Divine Empress reigning, it was naturally impossible for those matters to be recorded in the histories. He could only draw his own conclusions from Priest Xin's reactions. Priest Xin had switched from arrogance to deference, but it was very obvious that he still wanted to maintain some distance. The Pope's recommendation letter had not been able to display its full use there. This indicated that the problem of the Orthodox Academy was at such a level that it could neutralize some of the Pope's prestige.

  He thought and thought, but he still could not understand. He decided to no longer waste any time on these conjectures. Even if there was a problem, he didn't care too much about it. What he wanted to obtain had never been what those important figures did not want to give him. He did not want this engagement. He only wanted the qualifications to directly participate in the Grand Examination. At the same time, he also needed many books.

  The Six Ivies had many books. On this point, his master had not deceived him.

  After waking up at five o'clock, he lived according to the schedule he had lived the past fourteen years of his life: washing his face, rinsing his mouth, eating breakfast, and making his preparations. He spent a little more time on packing his luggage and moving it to the carriage he had arranged for last night. With the rising sun to his right as his companion, he left the inn where he had lived for the past few days and headed north to the Orthodox Academy, located near the Imperial Palace.

  He had not checked out of his inn room. He was not lacking in money, and he also knew that he would certainly return to this place. On the day he returned, he would not be standing on the terrace in the back of the inn, gazing blankly at the distant Mausoleum of Books, but he would definitely be able to walk into the Mausoleum of Books and see those legendary monoliths up close.

  The depths of Hundred Flowers Lane were different from the past ten-odd years of desolation and stillness. Shouts could be heard everywhere as several hundred part-time laborers and women busied themselves, carrying all sorts of tools. Seeing the remnants of torches stuck in the lawn, he realized that these people had actually worked through the night and had not rested.

  Chen Changsheng moved his luggage to the lake shore and realized that as expected, Priest Xin had not appeared, further confirming his speculations. Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong with what Priest Xin had promised him yesterday. This academy that was like a cemetery yesterday was now, with the gradual removal of the weeds and gradual retreat of the creeping vines, being restored to its original appearance.

  Those half-ruined towers naturally could not be repaired in such a short time, but with the round-the-clock work of these several hundred people, at
least some shine had been restored to the exterior of these buildings, especially the case for those small houses in the forest. They had already been made relatively clean, and after the smell of mold was removed, they could be moved into straightaway.

  The several hundred people industriously cleaning this academy were all lower level staff of the Orthodoxy's Hall of Heavenly Virtue. In the past, they were responsible for cleaning the Heavenly Dao Academy and the rest of the schools. Although they weren't quite clear on why they had to tidy up the long-abandoned Orthodox Academy, they worked with great proficiency. Even working through the night had not decreased their efficiency.

  * * *

  As the sun slowly moved across the sky, the work of cleaning the houses was generally concluded. Under the curious and respectful gazes of the laborers, Chen Changsheng carried his luggage into the house closest to the library. He was still assailed by the stench of mold. Although it was lighter than yesterday, he could still clearly smell it. It seemed that even with the light of the sun and blowing of the wind, quite a few days would be needed before this stench was completely dispelled.