After setting off, the group hardly stopped at all. Apart from changing horses and eating at post stations, they only properly settled down to rest at a post station when night fell.
Yu Qing figured that if they were not worried about him, a mere scholar, being unable to endure it, the other two could have led him to travel day and night without pause.
At first light, the three set off again, pressing on through dust and wind.
Along the way, scenes of desolate livelihoods were commonplace. Skeletons of those who starved to death by the roadside were nothing unusual.
In this manner of relentless travel, it took a full two and a half days before they finally reached their destination.
A majestic city stood before them: the prefectural capital of Liezhou.
At the city gates, people came and went, carts flowed endlessly. Truly worthy of a prefectural seat, its prosperity stood in stark contrast to the misery seen along the journey.
The three entered the city safely without any trouble, thanks to Xu Jue Ning’s careful arrangements.
Inside the city, shops lined the streets, pedlars and labourers bustled about, traffic surged like water, hawkers shouted their wares, and the fragrance of rouge drifted from brothels. It was a vivid scene of bustling mortal life.
Having lived in the mountains for so long, Yu Qing enjoyed watching the city’s liveliness. He kept looking left and right along the way, but unfortunately Xu and Tang would not let him linger.
As the clamour of the crowds gradually faded, the three arrived at a quiet area outside a grand gate.
The gate was carved with beams and painted with colourful patterns, its brackets and flying eaves giving it the appearance of something ready to soar into the sky. It was extremely imposing, with heavily armed guards stationed all around.
On the wide lintel hung a plaque with four characters written in bold, vigorous strokes: Liezhou Wenhua.
This place was Liezhou’s Wenhua Academy, the largest official academy in the prefecture. At this time, all students had been given leave, and the halls, dormitories, and buildings had been cleared out to temporarily house the talented scholars soon to gather from across Liezhou.
Yu Qing arrived here under the name “A Shi Heng” for the assembly. There was a problem with the formalities because Xu and Tang had not followed the standard procedures. The paperwork was incomplete, and the local officials responsible for handling such matters had not come. No one knew who these people had sent.
Tang Bulan immediately left to find someone. When he returned, he was accompanied by a senior official from Liezhou dressed in an official robe. As soon as this man arrived, the issue was resolved on the spot.
After the formalities were quickly approved, someone led Yu Qing into Wenhua Academy. Yu Qing kept looking back every few steps. He realised he was now separated from Xu and Tang, and he did not know whether there would be a chance to meet them again later.
“That largest building over there is ‘Fenghua Hall’. It is the venue for literary debates and can seat one or two thousand people at once. It is spacious enough for all the academy’s teachers and students to sit comfortably together.”
“This place is the academy’s most famous ‘Yuxiu Garden’. The landscapes created here, the flowers, grasses, and trees cultivated within, all reveal exquisite craftsmanship and elegant taste. It is a scenic masterpiece. The pavilions and halls scattered throughout are also places where students listen to lectures…”
The two guiding constables, one tall and one short, took turns speaking, explaining everything as they walked. Yu Qing was not sure whether they had been instructed from above to do this. He noticed that grey-cloaked figures were sporadically positioned around the area, each carrying weapons. The air of vigilance was obvious, adding a touch of grim severity to the place.
He had heard that the people of Sinan Mansion dressed in grey from top to bottom. Some simply called Sinan Mansion’s agents “grey-cloaks”. He had never dealt with Sinan Mansion before and could not be certain, but he guessed these people were likely from Sinan Mansion.
“Those rows of buildings by the lake over there are ‘Chenxiang Study’. That is where meals are served. At mealtimes, you can go there to eat your fill. It is free. All expenses during your temporary stay are covered by the prefectural government.”
“This cluster of buildings is ‘Chaoxi Garden’, where the academy students normally live. Now it is temporarily assigned to you lot.” The two talkative constables finally stopped. The short one turned around and handed over a wooden tablet inscribed with the name “A Shi Heng”. “Pick any room you like, as long as no one is already in it. After you move in, remember to hang your name tablet by the door. Later arrivals will see someone is already there and naturally avoid it to prevent disturbance.”
“Thank you.” Yu Qing accepted it with both hands, then tentatively asked, “May I know how many candidates have already checked in?”
The two constables exchanged a smile. The short one held up one finger towards him. “Master A, you are the first to arrive.”
The first? Yu Qing was stunned. He looked around. No wonder it was so quiet. Apart from the guards, there was not a soul in sight.
He roughly understood what had happened. It was all thanks to Xu Jue Ning. By rushing with swift horses all the way, they had squeezed a journey that should have taken seventy or eighty days into just two and a half days. His backside was numb from the ride. He had never heard of anyone rushing to an examination like this.
Seeing the odd look on his face, the tall constable immediately smiled to comfort him. “This is a good omen! First to arrive means you are destined to take the top spot. Who knows, perhaps you will win the top scholar title this time!”
The short one chimed in, “Exactly, exactly.”
These words amused Yu Qing. If he could actually pass as the top scholar, that would truly be strange. It was simply impossible.
Seeing the two constables hovering around him with eager smiles and flattery, practically holding out their hands, Yu Qing finally understood why they had given such a detailed introduction along the way. They were fishing for a tip. In plain terms, they wanted some reward money.
I’m short of money myself! Yu Qing muttered inwardly. Pretending not to understand, he turned and strode into Chaoxi Garden.
What omen or lucky charm? He was very practical. He did not need that kind of auspicious talk, because he had no intention of passing at all. Why should he spend money on it? Besides, he had been poor for so long. It was already good that he did not bite others. Did they really expect to squeeze money out of him? Did they truly think the trick of robbing his own senior brothers under the guise of temple master was something an ordinary person could come up with?
The two constables stood there staring at each other in disbelief. Normally, after saying a few auspicious words and striking a begging pose, which candidate would not give a little tip? Even the poorest would at least give a small amount. Giving nothing at all was going too far. With the examination approaching, were they not afraid of bad luck?
In the past, this had been a lucrative job. Receiving candidates for one session could easily bring in several hundred taels of silver.
The tall constable said in a daze, “Did he not bring any money, or did he just not understand what we meant?”
The short constable immediately spat. “How could someone going to the capital for the examination not bring a single coin? Even the poorest, once they become a provincial graduate, are equivalent to officials. Plenty of people sponsor their travel expenses. Look at him. He’s carrying a sword, not dressed like a typical scholar, just a random bundle on his back. He probably did not even bring many books. Do you think he looks like an innocent bookworm? His eyes flashed with cunning, and he turned and left. Clearly pretending to be clueless to avoid us. Damn it, nine times out of ten we’ve run into a stingy miser.”
The tall constable understood and got angry too. He waved his hand. “We talked ourselves hoarse the whole way. Our brothers cannot work for nothing. Come on, let’s not let him play dumb. We’ll tear off the mask and demand the lucky money outright. Let’s see whose face is thicker.”
“Forget it.” The short one grabbed his arm and subtly nodded towards the wary glances coming from around them. “Times are different now. This session is not like before. If Sinan Mansion gets serious, they can execute first and report later. If we cause trouble and it looks bad, they probably won’t tolerate small-time operators like us. Forget it. If it’s a risk we cannot take, we have to endure it. Just treat it as bad luck at the start.”
“A fellow like that still wants to become top scholar? Pfft! Doomed to fail the list.”
“Next time someone comes, let’s stand in position. Block front and back. Don’t let anyone slip away so easily again.”
Yu Qing paid no attention to how the two behind him were cursing him. He wandered alone through the quiet and empty Chaoxi Garden.
The place had been cleaned quite thoroughly. The layout was elegant too, with small bridges over flowing water, pavilions and towers, lush green trees, and stone tables and benches scattered in many spots for people to sit whenever they liked. It looked like an ideal environment for studying.
As for where to stay? Since no one else had arrived yet, he could choose slowly at his leisure.
Yu Qing walked through the entire Chaoxi Garden. He found that the residences were rows of two-storey small buildings, spaced among the greenery in several clusters. There were probably one or two thousand rooms in total. Clearly, the scale of Liezhou Academy was impressive.
After circling once, Yu Qing returned near the entrance of Chaoxi Garden and went up to the second floor of a nearby building.
The second floor was definitely better than the first. No need to listen to footsteps overhead.
He chose a room at the very end. It had no obstruction in front, offering a wide view of the academy scenery. It was also convenient to go out, close to the dining area, and for a temporary stay, it should count as one of the best.
First come, first served. That was only natural. Yu Qing was quite satisfied. He hung the tablet with “A Shi Heng” written on it onto the nail by the door, marking that the room was taken.
Pushing the door open, he found the bed, desk, and everything else provided, all crammed into one large single room.
After inspecting inside, he tossed down his belongings and opened all the front and back windows to let in fresh air.
He leaned on the windowsill in a daze for a while, thinking about some things. Then he took his washing items, went downstairs to the well behind the building, drew water, and squatted by the well to wash thoroughly, even cleaning his dust-covered outer robe along with it.
After finishing, he gathered his things and carried a bucket of clean water back to his room for later use.
He hung the washed clothes to dry in the room. Almost half the day had passed like that.
Having changed into a scholar’s robe, Yu Qing glanced at the sky, went downstairs again, left Chaoxi Garden, and headed straight along the lakeside to Chenxiang Study for dinner.
When he arrived at Chenxiang Study, he learned that meals were prepared only for candidates. There was just one cook waiting for him. The cook asked what he wanted to eat. Since there were so few people, everything would be made fresh just for him.
Yu Qing was not polite. Whatever good dishes there were, make them. He made do with a meal and returned.
That night, he spent it alone in solitude.
The next morning, hearing voices outside, Yu Qing peeked out the window. It was the same tall and short constables leading another scholar, along with someone carrying miscellaneous items on his back, probably the scholar’s personal attendant.
The government escorted candidates to the capital, but it was impossible to cater to every candidate’s personal habits. They would not arrange people to wash clothes for each one, let alone tuck them in at night to prevent catching cold. Given the different lifestyles of candidates, and to avoid affecting their performance or taking responsibility, the government allowed candidates to bring their own attendants.
Those with strong self-sufficiency could go without, but they were a rare minority. Most knew only how to read and, to put it bluntly, were powerless and poor at managing daily life, especially the young masters from wealthy families. That was why “book boys” existed specifically to serve scholars.
Most book boys were selected and raised beside the candidate from childhood, precisely to become familiar with their habits. When away from home, having one’s own person was reliable.
This was also the role Yu Qing had originally been meant to play beside A Shi Heng.