Chapter 52. Can I still go back to the Jianxue Clan now?

Changming accepting Song Nanyan as a disciple was a curious accident.

Back then, he had just rebelled against Demonic cultivation, and thought that Confucianism might have something that he could use, so he found a small county town to settle down, and a Confucianist teacher to teach himself. He started learning Confucianism from the basics, just like children, reading ancient books and records. Changming even passed the local examinations and elections, becoming an assistant of the county magistrate. He was in charge of the official dispatches and helped the county magistrate with different matters.

Naturally, Changming resorted to some tricks as well, such as bribing the prefect’s wife to get acquainted with him later, so that the prefect would appreciate Changming’s talents and give him a recommendation.

Prefect: administrative division nowadays in China has five levels: there are 23 provinces divided into 333 prefectures, then we have ~3k counties, after that ~50k townships and finally countless villages. So, a prefect is higher than a county magistrate

The world under Heaven had not yet been divided into three parts at that time, and the Hong Family was leading the government. Examinations for the appointment of officials and recommendations went hand-in-hand, and many loopholes could be exploited. People often relied on connections and money, so even if their performance on the imperial exams was mediocre, they still could get an official position and get promoted step by step.

Although he usually did things his own way, if he had set himself a goal, he could bow his head in submission to cater to someone’s likes, so, naturally, he won strong support from superiors. Very soon, he got a chance to get promoted, and took over a high-ranking official post, becoming the local parent official.

Parent official: lit. father-mother official: local magistrate, common speech address

According to Confucianism, withdrawing from worldly affairs is worse than engaging with secular society, as applying in practice what was learned in the imperial court could benefit common people. Confucian classics were profound and versatile, and the deeper Changming studied it, the more interested he became, and managed government affairs with seeming diligence every day, seeking Confucian truth in documents, official dispatches, and even matters concerning chicken feathers and garlic skins.

Matters concerning chicken feather and garlic skin: trifles

In two years, he had almost finished studying the canonical writings of Confucianism, and sent people to find incomplete writings, including the rare works of ancient sages that had been scattered all over the world. Books piled up in the library of his county government office, and his fame as a person who valued books over his life, spread around. Many Confucian scholars paid him visits, asking for guidance, and praised him unreservedly every time he was mentioned. His reputation had even reached the Liuyi Academy of Classical Learning, and they sent someone over to ask whether he wanted to become one of Daru Qiu Bingkun’s disciples. Of course, Changming declined the offer tactfully, but still sent him a letter in reply, saying that he was moved to tears by Daru Qiu Bingkun’s favor, but had too many government affairs on his plate. Moreover, his knowledge was shallow, so he intended to wait until the expiration of his post, and then, after resigning from his official position, he would go to the Liuyi Academy to study there.

Daru: a Confucian scholar of high virtues

Because of his high cultivation level, it was easy for him to conceal his name and identity. So, contrary to what one might have expected, Changming lived peacefully and steadily as a county magistrate for two years. No one had ever thought this parent official of a small county town to be the infamous cultivation master who kept all his enemies at bay.

At that time, Song Nanyan was an ordinary young man of a humble background from the county. His mother had died early, and his father had married a new wife. In order to have one less mouth to feed, Song Nanyan’s stepmother drove him out of the house. He lived on the streets, doing odd jobs to survive, and eating one moment and starving another, with no future prospects. Just like numerous people of other poverty-stricken families, he probably did not even have a chance to find a wife. Not just that, he could die anytime because of an epidemic or a flood, or would be forced to do punishing work due to his circumstances, dying alongside other poor men.

But, unlike many others, Song Nanyan was clever. He found out that Changming liked planting flowers, and the county gentry with landlords followed the trend and started growing plants as well. Song Nanyan got some flowers to sell them at a place that Changming passed by every day, and one day finally drew his attention. Using his ability to give sly answers, Song Nanyan succeeded in receiving an errand from the county government office. After that, employing all available means, he managed to start auditing the class Changming was giving, even memorising every single word by heart.

Changming noticed Song Nanyan’s ambitions.

Having ambitions is not a bad thing, since they can stimulate people to make progress and work harder to achieve their goal. If a cultivator was unambitious, doing nothing more than what was required, perhaps even having a lot of talent could not help them.

Song Nanyan had more than only ambitions—he was also talented.

He had a highly retentive memory, was good at drawing inferences in cultivation, and his comprehension was not worse than Yun Weisi’s. However, his heart was not in cultivation.

He did not want to tread the elusive path of seeking immortality, but rather wanted a secure official position. He wished to hold authority in the mundane world, so that no one would humiliate him again.

Changming accepted this disciple.

Song Nanyan knew that being accepted as a disciple by the county magistrate was already a huge blessing, given his background. He studied diligently, almost drowning in books every day.

But efforts one can make are limited, and his ambitions were centered elsewhere. Except for studying Confucianism, he learned a bit about Dao cultivation from Changming, mostly to improve his health and retain a vigorous mind.

After several years of successful studying, Song Nanyan was admitted to the Liuyi Academy through Changming’s recommendation. He bid farewell to his respected teacher and left for the Liuyi Academy.

The Liuyi Academy was the most prominent Confucian school of that time, its position as high as the Qingyun School’s among Buddhist sects. All Confucian scholars dreamed of using it as a brick to knock on the door.

A brick to knock on the door: a stepping stone to success

Song Nanyan could not remain indifferent.

It was the last time the two of them met.

Until he left Changming, Song Nanyan did not know how capable his teacher was. After all, those masters of cultivation, resembling immortal beings, never entered the secular world to become officials. Song Nanyan was immensely grateful for his teachings, but could not serve Changming for his whole life without moving forward. His ambitions made him choose the path of living in the secular world.

Daru Qiu Bingkun of the Liuyi Academy looked favorably on his achievements and wanted to accept him as a direct disciple. Song Nanyan did not want to lose this opportunity, so he wrote a letter to Changming, describing his circumstances. Without even waiting for the response, he went to study under Qiu Bingkun, taking over the position of the daru’s direct disciple, envied by everyone.

Having many teachers was a common thing for Confucian scholars, but it was different for cultivators. So, for Changming, Song Nanyan accepting Qiu Bingkun as a teacher was tantamount to rebelling against Changming. At that time, the world started to descend into chaos, and Changming was already fed up with his official career, so he resigned and left swiftly.

Although Song Nanyan never saw Changming again, after graduating from the Liuyi Academy, he gradually rose to an eminent position, using the halo of being Qui Bingkun’s disciple and his recommendations. Even when a new dynasty replaced the old one, he was still climbing up to the blue clouds in light steps. From the poor background of a peasant who had nothing at all, he rose to a position with overwhelming influence, deserving to be called a legend.

Climbing up to the blue clouds in light steps: getting promotions easily

The current emperor had only recently succeeded to the throne. The last emperor entrusted his son to this high-ranking official, Song Nanyan, and, as a matter of fact, the latter had a status of a regent who had millions of people under his command. Of course, the ceremony of him taking a concubine was very grand.

Everyone said that Prime Minister Song Nanyan was guided by an immortal, so he remained eternally young, talented and gentle.

They had not met for many years, and Changming’s impression of this disciple was not as deep as that of the others.

If they wanted to investigate the Moonlight on the Blue Ocean, going to Song Nanyan was a bit more convenient than looking for those bald donkeys of the Qingyun School.

However, it was only more convenient in theory. If he proclaimed himself a teacher of Minister Song who wanted to have a drink during the wedding feast, the guardians would think him to be a lunatic blabbering nonsense. And, if he displayed the flags and thumped the drums, he would scare the snake by beating grass. So, after all, they had to think of another method.

Displayed the flags and thumped the drums: come out with a big fanfare

Scare the snake by beating grass: alert the enemy

Thinking of this, he turned to Xu Jingxian and said affably: “When you wake up from your dreams in the middle of night, don’t you ever wonder how it feels to be a part of a normal family, by marrying a man and raising children?”

Xu Jingxian: …

Can I still go back to the Jianxue Clan now?

…

Song Nanyan had never gotten a wife, but had many concubines.

He was not hesitant to admit that he liked beautiful women, since appetite and lust are our nature. Even cultivators could not resist temptations, let alone common mortals like him.

Appetite and lust are our nature: Mencius’s quote

When choosing the wife, value virtues; when choosing a concubine, value beauty. Every concubine he had was a famous unsurpassed beauty, including the most famed courtesans from brothels and pretty ladies from small families. He did not care about the number of concubines, and did not chase as many ladies as there were stars in the sky either. Together with the concubine he was marrying today, he only had five or six altogether.

When choosing the wife, value virtues; when choosing a concubine, value beauty: an ancient idiom, origins unclear. Some say the message is not to take many concubines

This was not considered extravagant among the rich and powerful.

Recently, the jokes about him became popular in the markets of the Northern Capital, saying that he ignored the adoration of the princess, and refused the marriage proposed by emperor, but wanted to take a laundress as a concubine.

Such stories were undoubtedly the favorite after-dinner topic for the common folk. Countless people had surrounded the gate of the prime minister’s residence, and wanted to see the bride’s face with greater enthusiasm than the Zhaoyue princess’. They did not care about the truth and the deeper meaning of the matter, and only thought that since he prefered this laundress to the princess, then she was far more beautiful.

But their expectations were betrayed.

The sedan chair was carried all the way from outside to the entrance of the minister’s residence. The bride entered the mansion, supported by a bridesmaid and a maidservant, but her head was covered with a red veil from beginning to end. The weather was uncooperative, and not a single gust of wind raised the veil.

However, while the bride had a red veil, her maid did not. The latter was a rare beauty dressed in bright pink clothes showing off her good taste. Many people were stunned, saying that Prime Minister Song was surely popular with women, receiving two of them instead of one at a time. Since the maid who was sent as a part of the dowry was so beautiful, her master must have been even more remarkable.

The minister’s residence was very generous, and money was being scattered all around. People rushed forward to pick it up, and by the time they had finished doing so, it was already too late to see anything but the back of the bride’s head.

Taking a concubine was much simpler than marrying a wife. It did not require many convoluted rituals, and she did not have to worship her husband’s parents, so the bride was sent directly to the bridal chamber to wait quietly for her husband in the clean new backyard of the Minister’s residence.

Song Nanyan had drunk a couple cups of wine, and looked a bit tipsy, but was still thinking clearly.

After all, not many people would dare force someone of his status to drink alcohol.

The emperor sent congratulatory gifts as well, ruining the rumors of him being displeased with Minister Song rejecting the princess.

Flattered by everyone as usual, Song Nanyan was laughing courteously, and after half a shichen, he got up and walked to the new yard.

He met his new concubine by a riverside. It was dawn, and a beautiful woman was washing clothes in a stream, her robes half wet. She truly looked outstanding, but saying that she was better than the princess was still an exaggeration. Everyone knew that the younger sister of the emperor was an unrivalled beauty, but Song Nanyan didn’t want to marry [her since that would require him to accept Buddhism].

He was already an influential high-ranking official, and having the princess as his wife would not only be useless, but even burdensome.

He pushed open the half-closed doors.

The maidservant standing in the doorway greeted him politely, saying with a bright smile: “Minister, welcome to the yard, accept this maid’s respectful congratulations!”

Song Nanyan hummed, but suddenly stopped, took a few steps back and looked at her carefully.

“Are you the maid accompanying the bride, Lady Tong? How come I’ve never seen you before?”

Xu Jingxian winked: “Replying to the minister: this maid is a new servant in the residence. The housekeeper sent this maid to serve Lady Tong previously, and now this maid has returned to the mansion to wait upon Lady Tong.”

Song Nanyan wanted to say something, but heard her words again: “The housekeeper gave his orders. Since the minister has arrived, this maid will go outside to guard the yard, there is no need to disturb you and Lady Tong. If the minister has any orders, call for this maid.”

She did not wait for his reply, and left, keeping her head lowered.

Since she was his servant, Song Nanyan could ask for her anytime anyway, so he did not call her again, and walked into the new chamber.

Red candles were shining in the chamber, illuminating the character for “marriage”.

The new bride was sitting at the edge of the bed upright, her head slightly hanging down, as if she was shyly inviting her husband to remove the veil.

Song Nanyan smiled and reached his hand out to the veil covering her face.