Chapter 97 – The Recommendation Slot

Zhan Changfeng maintained an aloof, unapproachable demeanor, so rumors never reached her ears. Even when she noticed some people looking at her strangely, she would simply inquire briefly and then quietly return to her books.

While others sought to understand principles through experience, she understood principles through experience. The truths of the world were contained within the world’s classics, so she had little difficulty comprehending the texts taught at the Community School, such as “Heavenly Questions” on governance and “Elegant Writings” on self-cultivation. It was just that sometimes her interpretations differed.

In such cases, she would either convince herself or debate with her teachers. The cultivation group teachers were relieved; this student was finally troubling the cultural studies group instead.

Thus, the cultural studies teachers were torn between delight at the Community School gaining a diligent, excellent student and frustration at her various tricky, occasionally heretical questions.

One day, Yu Sheng entered the Hall of Classical Studies where the teachers held office hours to receive instruction. Her foot had just crossed the threshold when Teacher Lin, who taught “Heavenly Questions,” called out to her.

The old man asked with a worried frown, “What’s wrong with ‘The worthy govern the state, the sage governs the world’?”

Thinking of the person she had encountered on the way, Yu Sheng replied with a hint of helplessness, “What do you mean?”

“She said worthy individuals are not common, and sages are not constant. She suggested I change it to ‘Laws govern the state, statutes govern the world,’ and stop dealing in empty, grand falsehoods.”

Indeed, “Heavenly Questions” was a text he had co-edited with several Foremost Confucian Scholars under the Council of Elders twenty years ago. Many concepts in the governance methods implemented by the Council of Elders originated from “Heavenly Questions.”

The words of a student who hadn’t even passed the unified examination carried little weight. In the past, he would have merely laughed it off.

But upon careful consideration of Zhan Changfeng’s words, they seemed to hold some truth.

Teacher Lin set aside the thoughts in his mind and still insisted on his own view, “Laws are without emotion; sages and worthies possess emotion. Without emotion, all endeavors decline; with emotion, the world endures.”

Seeing that he had asked casually and didn’t truly want to hear her thoughts, Yu Sheng said, “It’s fine as long as you yourself persist.”

“Mhm, mhm. You’re here to see Master Yangming, right? Go on,” Teacher Lin looked at her kindly. “With your ability, you should have gone to the Office of Celestial Affairs long ago. Qin Huan insists on delaying it, tsk.”

“My teacher is also afraid I’m too young and my learning insufficient.”

“Nonsense. He’s just worried the people at the Office of Celestial Affairs will think you got in through his connections, tarnishing his reputation. That pedantic old fellow.” Teacher Lin waved his hand. “Hurry along.”

The Office of Celestial Affairs was an institution that trained Council of Elders members and specialized in astrology and celestial observation. It was also the most authoritative place besides the Six Academies.

Yu Sheng was now fourteen. After failing the Six Academies selection twice, she had passed the age for enrollment. She wasn’t very interested in martial or magical arts to begin with; instead, she was deeply committed to the path of governance, setting her sights squarely on the Council of Elders.

The Office of Celestial Affairs was undoubtedly a necessary stepping stone for her.

Each Community School had one recommendation slot, allowing direct entry into the Office of Celestial Affairs without the unified examination. Master Yangming had told her some time ago that he would choose one person from among her, Yu Zhihuai, and Fan Siyuan.

Fan Siyuan was one of the outstanding students of Plum Gazing Lodge.

Plum Gazing Lodge gathered the group of students with the highest academic achievements. Both she and Yu Zhihuai actually had the level to be there, but she stayed at Orchid Heart Pavilion, taught by Qin Huan, because she had taken him as her teacher. Yu Zhihuai had chosen to stay at Orchid Heart Pavilion precisely to become Qin Huan’s disciple.

Being summoned here likely meant the recommendation slot had been decided.

When Yu Sheng arrived at Master Yangming’s study, she found Qin Huan was also there. “Greetings, Master Yangming. Greetings, Teacher.”

Qin Huan said, “Yu Sheng, your family is waiting for you at your residence. Go back and see them first.”

Yu Sheng slightly furrowed her brows and looked toward Master Yangming.

Master Yangming sighed. “Very well, very well. You go back first.”

Yu Sheng was somewhat confused, not understanding what they meant, but thinking of her family… “This student takes her leave.”

Behind Qingbai Mountain were student dormitories and courtyards where teachers lived. Having grown up in Qingbai Mountain Community School, Yu Sheng had built herself a small courtyard here.

Her small courtyard was locked, and there was no sign of her family around. So, she headed toward Qin Huan’s home.

Entering the courtyard, she saw her father and mother chatting with her teacher’s wife. Before she could speak, Yu Shu stared at her and said, “You should give us a key. Are we, as your parents, not even allowed to enter your room?”

Yu Feng’s face was stern, also displeased. “Give us the key. It’s troublesome for your teacher and his wife every time like this.”

The teacher’s wife smoothed things over. “We’re all family. What trouble is there? A’Sheng, your parents have had a hard time. You must be filial to them. Ah, I’ll go get some fruit. You chat first.”

“Teacher’s wife, please don’t trouble yourself. I think my parents would prefer to talk at home.”

“Yes, yes, no need to trouble yourself. We still need to discuss something with her.”

Yu Sheng led the couple back to her own residence and served hot tea. “What did you wish to discuss, Father, Mother?”

“Your wings have hardened! Is this the attitude with which you speak to your parents?!” Yu Feng slammed the table and roared angrily. His ferocious expression was more terrifying than a tiger or wolf. Yu Sheng remembered that every time she went to her parents’ home with gifts during festivals, she would see her brothers, sisters-in-law, younger brothers, and sisters not daring to breathe loudly in his presence, almost kneeling to accommodate him.

Yu Sheng sometimes felt quite emotional. If she hadn’t been abandoned among the refugees, if she hadn’t wandered alone to survive, if she hadn’t coincidentally drawn in qi and been accepted by Qingbai Mountain, she too would be bowing and scraping before this father, surrendering all her choices.

Yu Feng went from filial piety to ancestral laws, then plucked loyalty and righteousness from those ancestral laws. “The Yu family is our root, the object of our lifelong service. Don’t think you’re something special just because you’ve latched onto Teacher Qin Huan. Remember, the Yu family is our future!”

Yu Feng wasn’t originally surnamed Yu. He was a retainer of the Yu family. To express his loyalty, he took his master’s surname.

Yu Sheng wasn’t originally named Yu Sheng either. The memory was too distant; if she hadn’t seen her parents again, she would have almost forgotten her original name.

The name Yu Sheng was one she had chosen for herself. She thought it was fine and saw no need to change it back.

“What do you mean?”

Yu Feng felt the preparation (preparation) was sufficient and commanded, “You will give up the Office of Celestial Affairs recommendation slot for Young Master Zhihuai.”

Yu Shu appealed to her emotions. “Once Young Master Zhihuai enters the Office of Celestial Affairs, his future will be promising. The Yu family will surely restore the glory of our former masters. Then we’ll be meritorious officials, and you won’t have to study so hard anymore.”

The Yu family had once been a regional lord, possessing several cities, with countless Prenatal realm experts within and Foundation Establishment experts overseeing them.

However, decades ago, they were defeated by a rival and the whole family fled, now residing in Luoying City.

The Yu family had never given up on revival. Yu Zhihuai had an elder brother with good martial talent, a key cultivation target for the family. As for Yu Zhihuai, he was clever. They were counting on him to enter the Council of Elders and add bricks and tiles to the path of revival.

But what did any of that have to do with her?

Seeing her silent, Yu Shu thought she was wavering and went over to take her hand. “Mother knows you study well, but you’re just a girl with no one to rely on. What does it matter if you enter the Office of Celestial Affairs? The waters of this world run deep. Without some backing, where can you move? If you just give up the slot, the master and mistress will definitely remember your kindness. The mistress praised you last time. I think the mistress has quite a favorable impression of you. Perhaps she might even let you marry one of the two young masters.”

Yu Shu thought about it and found it more and more wonderful. “If that really happens, it would be too good. You must seize the opportunity. When Young Master Zhihuai enters the Office of Celestial Affairs, isn’t it the same as you entering?”

Yu Sheng felt a chill, just like when she had been abandoned in the icy, snowy wilderness, everyone gone, leaving only a jackal ready to eat her flesh and drink her blood.

Yu Sheng politely withdrew her hand. She didn’t know what to say, what else could she say? “The recommendation slot is decided by the teachers. Even without me, there are other candidates.”

“Don’t worry about that. As long as you give it up, the slot will definitely go to Young Master Zhihuai,” Yu Feng said.

Yu Sheng observed his expression, her suspicion (suspicion) growing. “Did you… say something to Teacher Qin?”

They didn’t speak, but Yu Sheng already understood.

It was said earlier that the Community School was an enlightenment (enlightenment) place for cultivators, so those who could enter, whether practicing martial or magical arts, were all capable of cultivation—it was just a matter of degree. The reason cultivation wasn’t detailed while culture was emphasized was because a bunch of rookies who had just stepped onto the cultivation path couldn’t cultivate anything significant yet. At this stage, the most important things were the refinement (refinement) and accumulation of thinking (thinking) and character (character), as well as choices for the future.

(End of Chapter)