History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 164 Finding a Way to Find the Island Barbarians' Rootlessness

"Yes." Wei Yao readily admitted, and bowed again with a slight smile: "I have urgent business, Fellow Disciple Xi, I will go first."

Xi Jiao felt annoyed. He wasn't like Hai Yeren or those arrogant playboys. Why was she always on guard, always cautious and polite, treating him like an ordinary fellow disciple?

Couldn't she tell he was joking? Couldn't she tell he wanted to be friends with her?
Unbeknownst to him, in her past life, Wei Yao spent half her time pondering him. It was because she sensed something amiss in his thoughts that she reminded herself to always maintain the normal distance between them as fellow disciples.

Without further ado, Wei Yao returned to Tingxing Courtyard, checked that not a single volume of the Classic of Filial Piety was missing, and finally felt relieved. As she hurried to the poetry club, she ran into Erzhu Rong, who had just returned to the academy and was looking for her.

"Senior Sister Wei, I have something important to tell you." Erzhu Rong told her in detail about Master Zhao's capture of the Luoyang bandits, including how Master Wei was taken to the prefectural government. Then she relayed the instructions: "Master told us to stay in the school before the break, and wait for her to come and pick us up during the break."

Wei Yao was very worried, but as her mother had instructed, the best way to help her mother was not to cause trouble.

Erzhu Rong was curious about everything about Master Zhao. Since Wei Yao was going to sing at the poetry club, he went with her. The two walked and talked, and Wei Yao said with emotion, "Actually, we first met during the military exercise in Wuchuan Town. I didn't expect that just two months later, you would have become my mother's disciple."

“At that time, I was following behind my master and saved a lot of people. That night, everyone’s face was covered in dirt and ash. Hehe, I really can’t remember which Sister Wei is.”

The two talked about military drills, Xiu Rongchuan, and then back to Cui Academy. After entering Guchang Bird Forest, Erzhu Rong pointed to the Black Whirlwind performing for the students in the distance and said confidently, "One day, I will be as skilled as my master and capture a wild bear alive!"

Wei Yao nodded: "Yes."

"And what about you, senior sister?"

"what?"

"Haha." Erzhu Rong picked up a rather straight stick, laughing as he ran towards Black Whirlwind. "I'll try out what I've learned these past few days and ride Black Whirlwind."

Erzhu Maiti, who had been silently following along, was startled and rushed after his young master, exclaiming, "No way—"

But in the dense forest, the agile Erzhu Rong was hard to catch; this kid was truly fierce and valiant! When he got close to Black Whirlwind, he first snatched the feed cake from the beast slave's hand, then weaved between the beast slave and the students, dodging the big hand of the tutor who was buying the exam questions, diverting the beast slave's attention from Black Whirlwind, and then shoving and bumping the students who were watching, making them stumble and fall.

Then, Erzhu Rong seized the opportunity to throw the feed cakes at Black Whirlwind's feet, luring Black Whirlwind to grab the cakes. He then shouted loudly, aimed at Black Whirlwind's back, used his stick to support himself on the ground, and flew high into the air to pounce on the bear's back.

Fortunately, at the last moment, Erzhu Maiti caught the naughty child.

As a result of this commotion, the next day, Erzhu Rong was punished by being made to squat at the door and listen to lectures for three days, while the unlucky Black Whirlwind was punished by being locked in a cage for ten days for accepting food from people other than beast slaves.

July 26th.

The prefectural government sent someone to invite Cui Xian, the headmaster of Cui Academy, to the prefectural office. Yuan Zhi showed him a scroll of strange tales written by a barbarian named Wu Gen, and asked, "Who do you think are the scholars of Pingcheng who could write such elegant and refined prose?" Cui Xian read it with great interest, but after reading two paragraphs, he felt something was amiss. He continued reading and felt uneasy, puzzled, and indignant! Because many of the characters imitated his style!

In his early years, Cui Xian studied Suo Jing's cursive script and was also influenced by the wooden slip script. Later, he switched to practicing clerical script, gradually developing his own unique style. However, he rarely showed his writings or calligraphy practice to outsiders. Where did this damned "island barbarian scholar" learn it? It seems he's been studying it for a long time!
He put down the biography and pondered before replying, "At first glance, the content of this book seems frivolous and erotic, but in reality, the sentences are elegant and beautiful. What is most remarkable is that... the characters' movements and moods are all genuine and heartfelt."

At the last sentence, Yuan Zhi laughed so hard his shoulders trembled: "Oh my, scholars and warriors really do talk differently."

Cui Xian remained serious and continued, "Among the people I know, only the directors of various universities and renowned scholars can write such articles."

"Someone reported that the writer was Wei Zhenyuan."

Whew… Cui Xian breathed a sigh of relief. Great, as long as they don't pin the blame on him. “That's possible. As far as I know, Wei Zhenyuan is quite well-read. But without sufficient evidence, who would accept such an embarrassing reputation?”

Governor Yuan: "Yes, that's why I had all the heads and teachers of the schools participate in copying the questions for next month's joint examination. If the 'island barbarians without roots' are among these people, they will inevitably reveal their flaws."

That's a really underhanded move! However, Cui Xian guessed that the governor didn't really want to hear his opinion from him when he asked him to discuss this matter. Rather, the governor didn't want Wei Zhenyuan to be the one who was "rootless on the islands," and wanted him to secretly communicate with Wei Zhenyuan.

The imperial court banned such vulgar books, and as the prefect of a state, Governor Yuan had no choice but to investigate; otherwise, the bookstores in Pingcheng would soon be filled with such books. However, many of the characters in the text imitated Cui Xian's brushwork. If it was really Wei Zhenyuan who did it, wouldn't the other party be deliberately framing him?

And so, the next day, Cui Xian went to Wei Xueguan as a formality, but didn't mention the matter at all. It was fortunate he went, because he witnessed Wei Zhenyuan's despicable behavior!
Just as he was leaving the Imperial Academy, a notice was being posted outside announcing the new regulations for enrolling students. According to the imperial proclamation, starting this winter, primary schools in Pingcheng of Hengzhou, Xicheng of Fenzhou, and the capitals of Qing, Qi, and Xu prefectures must enroll at least ten students from impoverished families.

The Wei clan has always supported His Majesty's various reforms, so a new school has been added for each of the Book of Poetry, the Analects, and the Erya. This is a good thing. However, when the school servants were promoting the study of the Book of Poetry to the people, they actually boasted: "Our Wei Academy's basic study of poetry is the best in the whole of Pingcheng! That's why we have cultivated Wei Yao, who has the reputation of being the 'leader of poetry'."

"As long as you come to our Weixue Academy to study poetry, you will have the opportunity to study under a famous scholar from Lu County, just like the students of Weiyao Academy."

How could the servant dare to speak nonsense? These words must have been instructed by Wei Zhenyuan.

Cui Xian was furious. Wei Yao's foundation in poetics was laid at Cui Academy! How could it all be attributed to Wei Academy? And it was as if Kong Wenzhong was their teacher at Wei Academy!
Wei Zhenyuan, oh Wei Zhenyuan, you are truly shameless! No wonder you have read so many classic books, yet your writing is full of mundane details!
Not long after Cui Xian left in anger, a middle-aged man with a scholarly air and rather worn clothes asked, "I heard that your school has a very good teacher named Wei Yin, is he the one who teaches the Book of Poetry?"

This man's surname is Zhan, given name Gui, and he comes from the Zhanchi tribe. He is the warrior nicknamed "Ghost Arrow" that Chief Clerk Gou mentioned a couple of days ago. Yuan Chuntuo sent twenty-three of them to Hengzhou to investigate the Hu family's whereabouts. The more elusive the clues become, the more it proves that Wu Shibo's entire family has perished.

After entering Pingcheng, they split into four groups, each investigating one of the four areas: east, west, south, and north. The six people investigating the east area had arranged to meet the previous night, but Ru Junxia did not show up.

As the leader of the group, Ru Junxia's situation could only mean he was trapped or had perished. Zhan Gui took over as leader of the remaining five, ordering the other four to continue roaming the streets, while he followed the clues in Ru Junxia's hands to investigate the family of Wei Yao, the champion of poetry.

(End of this chapter)