The sixth year of Hongwu in the Shuntian Dynasty, late autumn.
The ginkgo leaves at the Scholar Academy fell in a golden carpet, rustling in the wind like someone flipping through yellowed pages. This academy, which has stood for one thousand two hundred years, has always taken "Not serving the monarch, not serving the court, only sacred reason in the heart" as the motto of its inner court, yet it is also world-renowned for its outer court that draws in scholars from all segments of society.
Nineteen-year-old Chen Hui stood before the "Mathematical Pavilion" of the outer court, a green jade bead peeking from his sleeve—this was the "Luoshu Bead" he was permitted to wear after passing the "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art" assessment last year, a rare achievement among outer court disciples. At his waist hung a judge's pen with an ebony shaft and a half-worn brush tip, its shaft faintly marked with several shallow scratches—traces left by years of practicing brush techniques.
He didn't come here today to ask about the classics; rather, he heard that a new instructor had arrived at the Mathematical Pavilion. It was said that he had served in the court but had grown weary of factional struggles and retired, eventually accepting the academy's invitation to teach.
This man was named Liu Wenzhou.
The light on the third floor of the Mathematical Pavilion was dim. Between the rows of bookshelves, only a small window let in the afternoon sun. As Chen Hui ascended the stairs, he heard the sound of counting rods being manipulated from above. The rhythm was slow, like someone deductions a difficult problem alone.
"...Not right. This 'Things of Unknown Number' problem, if solved using the 'Sun Tzu's Mathematical Classic,' with remainders of two, three, and two, the minimum solution should be twenty-three. But with the limit of 'number not exceeding a hundred,' there should be another solution..."
Chen Hui stood at the top of the stairs and saw a middle-aged man in a grey-green scholar's robe sitting by the window. A dozen counting rods were scattered at his hand, and he was frowning at a piece of paper covered in numbers.
The man was about forty, with a scholarly air about his brow, but his eyes were not as gentle as those of ordinary scholars; instead, they carried a few points of cynicism, having seen the world. His sitting posture was casual, one foot resting on the stool, completely lacking the expected demeanor of an instructor.
Chen Hui did not speak but stood quietly at the top of the stairs, watching him calculate repeatedly.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the man suddenly sighed and threw the counting rods onto the table: "Forget it, forget it. I've calculated this problem for three days and still haven't found the second solution. Could it be that I remembered the problem wrong?"
"You didn't remember it wrong," Chen Hui suddenly spoke. "The twenty-sixth problem in the lower volume of 'Sun Tzu's Mathematical Classic.' The original problem is: 'Now there are things of an unknown number. Counting by threes leaves two, by fives leaves three, and by sevens leaves two. How many things?' Mr. Liu changed it to 'by fives leaves two,' so there are indeed two solutions."
Liu Wenzhou was startled and turned to look at the young man at the top of the stairs.
Chen Hui then stepped forward a few paces and bowed: "Outer court disciple Chen Hui greets Mr. Liu. This disciple did not mean to eavesdrop; I just saw you focused on your calculations and didn't dare disturb you."
Liu Wenzhou waved his hand and smiled: "Disturbance or not doesn't matter; I'm a person who hates those empty ceremonies the most. You just said this problem has two solutions? I've calculated twenty-three; what is the other solution?"
"Ninety-eight," Chen Hui answered without hesitation.
Liu Wenzhou froze for a moment then bowed his head to calculate quickly on the paper. After a moment, he looked up, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Indeed! Twenty-three plus seventy-seven is one hundred, which is over a hundred, so the second solution is ninety-eight... how did you calculate so fast?"
Chen Hui took out his own counting rods from his sleeve and arranged them on the table: "The principle solution of 'Sun Tzu's Mathematical Classic' can actually be generalized as the 'Chinese Remainder Theorem.' If we treat the divisor as the modulus, we only need to find the product of two coprime numbers... This disciple is bold. These days I have deduced a set of algorithms myself. Although it's not perfect, it's enough to handle this type of problem."
Liu Wenzhou watched the counting rods being quickly arranged on the table, and his eyes gradually changed from surprise to seriousness. He moved a bit closer and carefully observed every step of Chen Hui's deduction, nodding from time to time, or frowning in thought.
Half an hour later, Liu Wenzhou suddenly slapped the table and rose: "Wonderful! You've combined the 'Shao Guang' and 'Ying Bu Zu' from 'Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art,' and added your own understanding of the 'Qi Tong Art'—this algorithm is much more flexible than those rigid solutions taught in the academy!"
Chen Hui somewhat embarrassedly gathered his counting rods: "This disciple just likes to ponder, many places are not yet rigorous."
Liu Wenzhou stared at him for a good while, then suddenly laughed. The laughter was hearty and startled a few sparrows in the tree outside the window.
"What a 'pondering'!" He stood up and circled Chen Hui twice. "What is your name?"
"This disciple is Chen Hui."
"Chen Hui, Chen Hui... Good, I'll remember it." Liu Wenzhou patted his shoulder. "In the future, don't call me 'Mr.' anymore; it sounds awkward. I'm over twenty years older than you. If you're willing, call me Big Brother Liu, and I'll call you Little Brother Chen. We can be friends of the same generation."
Chen Hui was startled: "This... how can that be? You are an instructor hired by the academy, and I am just an outer court disciple—"
"Stop, stop!" Liu Wenzhou waved his hand and interrupted him. "My position as instructor is actually just a title. The academy invited me here and said I would teach, but it's just to give me a place to live and some peace. If you speak those empty ceremonies with me, my head will really ache."
Looking at Chen Hui still hesitating, he deliberately pulled a long face: "What? Do you find me too old to be your elder brother?"
Chen Hui looked at that face, which was long but couldn't hide its smile, and finally couldn't help but laugh, changing his address: "Big Brother Liu."
"That's more like it!" Liu Wenzhou laughed heartily and pulled him to sit by the window. "Come, come, Little Brother Chen, let's continue with your 'Remainder Theorem.' I have a few more problems here that have troubled me for a long time; help me take a look..."
In the days that followed, Chen Hui would go to the third floor of the Mathematical Pavilion to find Liu Wenzhou almost every day.
It was called "asking for advice," but in practice, it was mostly the two of them independently deductions a problem and then checking their answers with each other. Sometimes Chen Hui's thinking was faster, sometimes Liu Wenzhou's solution was cleverer, and the two would argue until they were red in the face. In the end, they would usually find that the other's solution also had merit, and then sit down to discuss it again.
One day, Liu Wenzhou brought out a "Circular City Pattern" problem—this was a geometry problem of extremely high difficulty at the time, involving the tangent relationship between a circle and a right-angled triangle. According to the traditional solution, it required repeated calculations using the complex Pythagorean theorem, often taking two or three days to find the answer.
Chen Hui stared at the problem for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, then suddenly picked up the pen, drew an auxiliary line on the paper, and wrote a string of calculations.
Liu Wenzhou leaned over to look and became more surprised the more he saw: "You're... using 'Tian Yuan Art' to set an unknown? But 'Tian Yuan Art' is usually used for algebra; how can you use it for geometry?"
Chen Hui explained while writing: "I want to transform the geometry problem into an algebraic problem. Let the radius of the circle be 'one of the unknown,' and then list the equations according to the tangent properties... Look, the relationship here can actually be expressed by a quadratic equation."
Half a stick of incense later, he put down his pen and handed the answer to Liu Wenzhou: "The radius is fifteen zhang."
Liu Wenzhou took that piece of paper, looked at it repeatedly three times, and then let out a long breath: "Little Brother Chen, how is your head built? I've studied 'Tian Yuan Art' for ten years and never thought it could be used like this."
Chen Hui was somewhat embarrassed: "I just ponder. A few days ago, I saw a copy of Li Ye's 'Ceyuan Haijing' in the academy's library. There were some examples of using 'Tian Yuan Art' to solve geometry problems, so I tried to generalize it."
"'Ceyuan Haijing'?" Liu Wenzhou frowned. "That's a hundred-year-old book; is it in the library?"
"Yes, it's on the innermost bookshelf. The dust is very thick, and it seems it hasn't been flipped through for a long time."
Liu Wenzhou was silent for a moment and then suddenly sighed: "Little Brother Chen, do you know? All those years I was in the court, I was used to intrigue and mutual deception. Those officials who called themselves 'scholars' talked about benevolence and morality with their mouths, but their hearts were calculating fame and fortune. I grew tired of it, so I retired, hoping to find a quiet place."
He looked at the ginkgo leaves outside the window, his tone a bit desolate: "After coming to the academy, life was indeed quiet, but I always felt something was missing. Until I met you—Little Brother Chen, you let me see that there are still people in this world who truly love learning. Not for fame, not for fortune, just simply enjoying pondering these numbers and shapes."
Chen Hui was somewhat moved and whispered: "Big Brother Liu overpraises me. My father often said that learning is for the world, not for show. I grew up listening to these words, so..."
"Your father?" Liu Wenzhou turned to look at him. "Who is he?"
"My father is Chen Yuanjing. He served as a county magistrate in Qingzhou once, but later because he offended a superior, he was dismissed. Now he is at home farming, occasionally teaching me to read."
Liu Wenzhou's eyes moved: "Chen Yuanjing... Could it be the Magistrate Chen who opened the grain storage during the Qingzhou flood in the first year of Hongwu and offended the Surveillance Commissioner?"
Chen Hui nodded: "Big Brother Liu has heard of my father?"
Liu Wenzhou didn't answer directly but was silent for a moment before slowly saying: "That year I was in the court and heard about this. Someone impeached your father for 'opening the storage privately and disregarding the court,' wanting to bring him to justice. Later, the people of Qingzhou jointly petitioned, saying he saved tens of thousands of people, so the court didn't investigate further."
He looked at Chen Hui, with an extra measure of respect in his eyes: "Your father is a good official."
Chen Hui lowered his head, his voice a bit raspy: "My father often said, 'If an official doesn't act for the people, he might as well go home and plant sweet potatoes.' He hasn't saved any money in his life, but the people of Qingzhou still remember him to this day."
Liu Wenzhou suddenly laughed, his laughter carrying a bit of emotion: "No wonder, no wonder you have such insights. What your father taught you was not just knowledge, but the way to be a person."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the distant mountains in silence for a long time.
"Little Brother Chen, do you know why I grew tired of the court?" He turned his back to Chen Hui, his voice deep. "Because there, I saw too many people using 'knowledge' as a tool and 'people' as numbers. They calculated taxes, calculated populations, calculated how to squeeze more from the people, but never calculated—how many families would be ruined by doing so."
He turned around and looked at Chen Hui, with an inexpressible weariness in his eyes: "I also wanted to do something once, but later I found that the power of one person was too small. In those ten years in the court, I submitted countless memorials and argued countless times. In the end, none of those policies that exploited the people were changed."
Chen Hui listened quietly and then suddenly spoke: "Big Brother Liu, what kind of knowledge do you think is truly useful?"
Liu Wenzhou was startled.
Chen Hui continued: "My father often said that if knowledge can't make people's lives better, then even if it's written beautifully, it's useless. I study mathematics not to pass the imperial exam, but to know—how to calculate so that the grain in the barn can be distributed more evenly, how to plan so that the dams can be stronger, and how to coordinate so that the victims can receive help faster."
He looked up, his eyes clear and firm: "I want to be an official, go to Qingzhou, to the place my father once governed. I want to try to see if I can use the things I've learned to make the people's lives better."
Liu Wenzhou looked at him, speechless for a long time.
The wind blew outside the window, rustling the pages on the table.
It was unclear how much time passed, but Liu Wenzhou suddenly smiled, a sense of relief in his smile: "Little Brother Chen, do you know? I originally planned to grow old at the academy and never care about the world again. But hearing your words today, I suddenly feel—maybe I can still do something."
He walked back to the table, sat down opposite Chen Hui, and his tone became serious: "I've been to Qingzhou. There is a branch of the Scholar Academy there, with the 'Literary Pavilion' library, and many fellow scholars who are enthusiastic about learning. If you are going to be an official in Qingzhou, I might be able to help—not by plotting for your official post, but by helping you take root there, so the things you do can truly benefit the people."
Chen Hui was somewhat surprised: "Big Brother Liu's meaning is..."
Liu Wenzhou smiled: "I'm also tired of staying in the academy; I'm planning to find a place to walk. I've wanted to see the Literary Pavilion in Qingzhou for a long time. I heard there are many lost ancient mathematical texts and some records about water conservancy projects. If I can study there, maybe I can write a book that is truly useful to the people."
He paused and looked at Chen Hui, his eyes sincere: "And more importantly—I'm not comfortable with you going to Qingzhou alone. Those people in the court won't let you off just because you're a good official. With me by your side, I can at least help you block some of the hidden arrows and daggers."
Chen Hui stood up and solemnly bowed to Liu Wenzhou: "Big Brother Liu's kindness is deeply etched in my heart."
Liu Wenzhou quickly helped him up and smiled: "There you go again! We are brothers; don't speak those empty words. Come, sit down, and let's continue studying your 'Tian Yuan Art solving geometry'—if we don't thoroughly figure out this problem today, I won't let you go."
As the two were discussing enthusiastically, hurried footsteps suddenly came from the top of the stairs.
A young man in a servant's uniform from the academy ran up, panting. Upon seeing Liu Wenzhou, he hurriedly bowed: "Mr. Liu, this is bad! A group of people has arrived at the mountain gate, saying they're from the Blood God Sect, demanding the academy hand over... hand over an outer court disciple named 'Chen Hui'!"
Chen Hui's expression changed, and he instinctively pressed his judge's pen at his waist.
Liu Wenzhou frowned: "Blood God Sect? What are they doing at the academy?"
The servant shook his head: "This one doesn't know. There are five or six of them, led by a middle-aged man in a dark red robe, very fierce. The seniors guarding the gate have already gone to the mountain gate and asked me to inform Mr. Liu, saying... saying if the other side uses force, to please have Mr. Liu help look after the students."
A cold glint flashed in Liu Wenzhou's eyes as he turned to look at Chen Hui: "Little Brother Chen, did you offend the Blood God Sect?"
Chen Hui shook his head: "I've never met anyone from the Blood God Sect. If there is a grudge, it might be because of my father—when he was in office in Qingzhou, he once cooperated with the Shushan Sect to catch several outer disciples of the Blood God Sect and handed them over to the government."
Liu Wenzhou nodded: "Understood. The sins of the father are visited on the son; these people of the demonic path love to use this kind of distorted logic the most."
He stood up and patted Chen Hui's shoulder: "Little Brother Chen, come with me to the mountain gate. Remember, no matter what happens later, stay behind me and don't easily take action."
Chen Hui pressed his judge's pen and said in a deep voice: "Big Brother Liu, rest assured; although my martial arts are not high, I have some ability to protect myself. If they dare to act, this pen of mine is not for show."
Liu Wenzhou looked at him and smiled: "Good, it's good to have this courage. Let's go meet these 'honored guests' of the Blood God Sect."
Outside the mountain gate of the Scholar Academy, five or six people in dark red robes were lined up. The leader was an inauspicious-looking middle-aged man about forty years old, with eyes that were slightly red—it was the deputy hall master of the Blood God Sect's Assassination Hall, Han Tu, also known as "Blood Hand."
On the academy side, a dozen guarding disciples held rulers and judge's pens, looking wary at the door. The leader was a young instructor in his thirties, surnamed Zhou, who normally taught basic martial arts to outer court disciples.
"Instructor Zhou," Han Tu's voice was raspy and unpleasant, like rusty iron rubbing together. "We are not here today to be difficult with your esteemed academy. As long as you hand over the outer court disciple named Chen Hui, we will turn around and leave, and will definitely not trouble anyone."
Instructor Zhou said in a deep voice: "Chen Hui is a disciple of my academy; how has he offended your sect?"
"Offended?" Han Tu sneered. "His father, Chen Yuanjing, when he was the Magistrate of Qingzhou, colluded with the Shushan Sect to catch several of our brothers from the Blood God Sect and sent them to the government prison! Those brothers are still locked up there! This debt, we aren't settling with his father, but settling it with his son, which is already polite!"
Instructor Zhou's expression didn't change: "Chen Yuanjing caught your sect's disciples by command of the court. Chen Hui was just a child then and had nothing to do with it. If your sect wants revenge, you should find the court or Shushan; what use is finding an innocent young man?"
"Innocent?" Han Tu laughed heartily. "Instructor Zhou, don't talk to me about those big principles! In the rules of the Jianghu, the son pays the father's debt! Are you handing him over today or not? If not, we'll wait here outside the gate—he can't hide in the academy for a lifetime!"
As soon as his voice fell, several Blood God Sect disciples behind him simultaneously stepped forward, and a faint red light appeared on each of their hands—it was the starting stance of the Blood God Sect's "Blood Fiend Palm."
Behind Instructor Zhou, the guarding disciples also gripped their weapons, and the atmosphere was on the verge of erupting.
At this moment, a voice came from within the academy:
"I am Chen Hui."
Everyone looked back and saw Liu Wenzhou and Chen Hui walking together. Chen Hui looked calm, his right hand resting on the judge's pen at his waist, his steps steady, and there was not a trace of panic.
Han Tu narrowed his eyes and sized up the young man: "You're Chen Yuanjing's son?"
"I am." Chen Hui walked to the mountain gate and stood face to face with Han Tu. "You are looking for me; what is your command?"
Han Tu sneered: "Command? Kid, your father caused several of our brothers to rot in prison; today you must give them an explanation!"
Chen Hui's tone was calm: "My father caught your sect's disciples because they massacred a village outside Qingzhou City and killed thirty-seven people. This matter is documented in the Qingzhou government and is proven by official imperial documents. Those people were caught because they deserved it. If you think killing and arson are right, then come to me for revenge. But if you have even a half-measure of sense of right and wrong, you would know—those people deserved to be caught!"
His voice was not loud, but every word was clear and rang with authority.
Han Tu's face changed slightly, then he sneered: "What an eloquent kid! Unfortunately, I didn't come today to listen to your reasoning!"
He suddenly stepped forward, his right hand forming a palm, and with intense red light, he slapped at Chen Hui!
Chen Hui was prepared; his figure shifted sideways, and the judge's pen at his waist was out of its scabbard in an instant!
*Clang—*
The ebony shaft drew an arc in mid-air, and the tip of the pen accurately pointed toward Han Tu's palm!
Han Tu sneered, his wrist flicked, his palm stance changed, and the red light actually followed his movement to condense into a ball, forcefully blocking Chen Hui's pen!
"Kid, you think the Blood Fiend Palm is so easy to break?" Han Tu sneered. "Your father's old experiences are already outdated!"
His palm strength erupted, and a cold blood-colored energy followed the shaft of the pen and rushed toward Chen Hui's arm!
Chen Hui's face changed, and he hurriedly withdrew his pen and retreated, but he found that the blood energy was like maggots in bone, clinging to his right hand!
"Little Brother Chen!" Liu Wenzhou was shocked, but suffered from not knowing martial arts and being unable to step forward to help.
Han Tu didn't let up and continued attacking Chen Hui with palms fluttering. His palm techniques were ruthless and sharp, every palm carrying intense red light, clearly wanting to resolve this quickly and cripple the young man on the spot!
Chen Hui gritted his teeth and met the attacks with his pen. The judge's pen transformed into streaks of black light in his hand, barely blocking Han Tu's offensive. But his martial arts were only family-taught self-defense skills; facing someone like Han Tu, a deputy hall master of the Blood God Sect's Assassination Hall, the gap was too large.
After three moves, Chen Hui was already struggling.
On the fifth move, Han Tu slapped Chen Hui's left shoulder. Chen Hui let out a muffled groan and staggered back.
On the seventh move, Han Tu's palm swept past Chen Hui's right ribs. Chen Hui narrowly avoided it but was left breathless by the power of the palm wind.
On the ninth move, Han Tu launched both palms, aimed straight at Chen Hui's heart! If this palm hit, Chen Hui would surely die!
Chen Hui had no time to dodge and could only close his eyes and wait for death—
At this very moment!
A clear cry pierced the air!
Everyone's vision blurred, and a green figure shot out from the academy. Before the person even arrived, a sharp brush point had already cut through the air!
*Thud!*
The red light on Han Tu's palms shattered instantly, and the man was sent flying like a broken kite, hitting the ground heavily ten feet away!
When the dust settled.
A young man in his early twenties stood in front of Chen Hui, holding an ordinary writing brush, with a trace of red light still on its tip. He had refined features, a lazy smile on his lips, and his green scholar’s robe swayed slightly in the wind, looking like a deity on earth.
"Jian Bisheng!"
Instructor Zhou cried out, and the guarding disciples behind him all showed expressions of awe.
This young man was the most famous genius disciple of the Scholar Academy in recent years, known as the "Sword-Brush Saint," Jian Bisheng!
Han Tu struggled to climb up. Looking down, he saw a small blood hole in the palm of each hand, with blood flowing freely. He looked at Jian Bisheng in shock and anger: "You—!"
Jian Bisheng spoke lazily, his tone as if speaking of an insignificant matter: "Deputy Hall Master Han, injuring someone in front of our academy's gate... you're showing very little regard for us."
Han Tu's face was ashen: "This is a private grudge between us and the Chen family! Jian Bisheng, don't meddle in other people's business!"
"Private grudge?" Jian Bisheng laughed. The tip of his pen flicked lightly, and that streak of red light vanished into nothingness. "Chen Hui is an outer court disciple of our academy. As long as he is in the academy, he is of the academy. If you hit him at our gate, of course I'm going to interfere."
He took a step forward, and Han Tu instinctively took two steps back.
Jian Bisheng didn't pursue him but said leisurely: "Deputy Hall Master Han, I'm in a good mood today and don't want to kill. If you take your people and leave now, I can act as if this never happened."
Han Tu gritted his teeth: "You—"
"Hmm?" Jian Bisheng raised an eyebrow, and the brush in his hand turned slightly.
Han Tu felt a cold sword intent lock onto him, as if as long as he said one more word, that pen would instantly pierce his throat!
Cold sweat soaked his forehead, and he finally recognized reality—this young man was not someone he could provoke.
"...Let's go!"
Han Tu waved his hand in hatred and led his disciples away in disgrace.
Jian Bisheng tucked away his brush and turned to look at Chen Hui, sizing him up: "How are your injuries?"
Chen Hui held his left shoulder and managed to stand straight: "Thank you, Senior Brother, for saving me. It's just a superficial wound; it's not a problem."
Jian Bisheng nodded: "Your few strokes just now, although far from being mature, were good in transition. Being able to last nine moves under Han Tu is already rare for an outer court disciple."
He paused and then suddenly smiled: "I heard your mathematics are very good, so much so that even Mr. Liu treats you like a brother?"
Chen Hui was somewhat embarrassed: "I wouldn't dare; I just like to ponder."
"Ponder?" Jian Bisheng laughed, his eyes flashing with interest. "Interesting. Let's spar some day—I'll use my sword, and you use your math, how about that?"
Chen Hui was startled: "Use math... how can we spar?"
Jian Bisheng laughed heartily and didn't explain. He turned to leave, only leaving one sentence behind: "Come find me in the inner court when your injury is better. Remember, my name is Jian Bisheng."
That night, Chen Hui applied medicine at Liu Wenzhou's residence, and the injury on his left shoulder had already improved significantly.
The two sat by the window, over a pot of warm wine, and talked about the events of the day.
"That Jian Bisheng," Chen Hui whispered, "really lives up to his name. Once he acted, Han Tu didn't even have a chance to counterattack."
Liu Wenzhou smiled: "Of course. The title 'Sword-Brush Saint' isn't for nothing. I heard he went down the mountain alone last year and, with just a single pen, challenged three demonic sects and killed seventeen masters, becoming famous in the Jianghu from then on."
Chen Hui was silent for a moment and then suddenly said: "Big Brother Liu, how many years do you think I would need to practice to be like him?"
Liu Wenzhou looked at him and said seriously: "Little Brother Chen, do you want to be like him?"
Chen Hui thought for a moment and shook his head: "It's not that I want to be like him. I just felt that if he hadn't acted today, I might have died under Han Tu's palm. That kind of feeling of powerlessness... I don't want to experience it again."
Liu Wenzhou nodded and didn't speak.
Chen Hui continued: "But what I want even more is still to go to Qingzhou to be an official and do real things. No matter how high one's martial arts, they can only save a few. If I can make the lives of the people of Qingzhou better, the people I save will be many more."
Liu Wenzhou listened quietly. After a long time, he suddenly smiled: "Little Brother Chen, do you know? When I saw you face Han Tu at the gate today, I only had one thought—I definitely didn't misjudge this kid."
Chen Hui was startled.
Liu Wenzhou said: "You clearly knew you couldn't beat him, but you still stood out and didn't retreat. That kind of courage is more important than any martial arts."
He raised his wine cup toward Chen Hui: "Come, Little Brother Chen, a toast to you."
Chen Hui also raised his wine cup, and the two drank it all.
Outside the window, the night wind blew through the ginkgo forest, and the leaves rustled.
In the twelfth month of the sixth year of Hongwu in the Shuntian Dynasty, Chen Hui decided to leave the academy and go to Qingzhou to take the imperial exam.
The night before his departure, the two sat on the third floor of the Mathematical Pavilion, with a pot of wine and a few dishes of snacks on the table.
The wind was cold outside, rattling the window paper. The room, however, was warm. The light from the oil lamp reflected on their faces, casting long shadows.
"Little Brother Chen," Liu Wenzhou raised his wine cup, "this trip to Qingzhou, the road ahead is treacherous. Those people of the Blood God Sect won't let you off easily. Those intrigues in the court won't bypass you just because you're a good official. Have you thought it through?"
Chen Hui also raised his wine cup, his eyes firm: "Big Brother Liu, I have thought it through. What my father could do then, I can do too. Even if it fails in the end, at least I tried."
Liu Wenzhou looked at him, his eyes full of gratification: "Good! Well said!"
The two drank it all.
Liu Wenzhou put down the wine cup and suddenly said: "Little Brother Chen, I've decided. After the new year, I'm also going to Qingzhou."
Chen Hui was startled: "Big Brother Liu?"
Liu Wenzhou laughed: "I'm not comfortable with you going alone. Besides, I've wanted to see the Literary Pavilion in Qingzhou for a long time. I heard there are many good books there, as well as records about water conservancy. If I can write a book there that is truly useful to the people, it wouldn't be a waste of my life as a scholar."
He paused and then said again: "And more importantly—I have to keep an eye on you, my 'Little Brother Chen.' If you really get into trouble, I can at least offer some advice."
Chen Hui was moved and stood up, solemnly bowing to Liu Wenzhou: "Big Brother Liu's kindness, Chen Hui..."
"Alright, alright!" Liu Wenzhou quickly helped him up. "There you go again! We are brothers; don't speak those empty words. Come, sit down, and have another drink with me. It could be a while before we see each other again."
The two sat down again and, with the cold wind outside, drank cup after cup of wine.
Unknowingly, it was already late into the night.
Chen Hui rose to take his leave. When he reached the top of the stairs, he suddenly turned back and looked at Liu Wenzhou: "Big Brother Liu, do you think... the things we do can really make the people's lives better?"
Liu Wenzhou was silent for a moment and slowly said: "I don't know. But I know that if we don't do them, they definitely won't be better."
Chen Hui nodded and turned to walk down the stairs.
The footsteps on the stairs grew farther and farther away until they disappeared.
Liu Wenzhou sat alone by the window, looking at the pitch-black night outside, and whispered to himself: "Little Brother Chen, Little Brother Chen, this trip of yours is probably going to cause no small waves. But it's okay—no matter how big the waves, I'll be there with you."
He raised his wine cup and toasted the night sky from afar, then drank it all in one go.
The wind outside seemed to grow a little gentler.
In the spring of the second year of Hongde in the Shuntian Dynasty, Chen Hui took the Qingzhou imperial exam, became a scholar, and was appointed as a county clerk under the Qingzhou government.
In the autumn of the same year, Liu Wenzhou resigned from his position as an instructor at the Scholar Academy. Carrying several boxes of books, he set sail south along the Grand Canal toward Qingzhou.
Before leaving, he went once to the third floor of the Mathematical Pavilion and carefully organized the notes left by the two of them during their discussions on mathematics over those years. Some of those papers had already turned yellow, and the handwriting was sometimes neat and sometimes messy, but every page recorded their arguments, thoughts, and moments of realization.
Jian Bisheng appeared at the top of the stairs at some point. Watching him pack up, he suddenly spoke: "Mr. Liu, are you truly going to Qingzhou?"
Liu Wenzhou didn't look back: "What? Is the academy unwilling to let me go?"
Jian Bisheng smiled: "It's not that we're unwilling. I'm just curious—what exactly is special about that Chen Hui that would make you give up the leisure of the academy and run to that kind of place?"
Liu Wenzhou turned around and looked at this most favored young genius of the academy, and suddenly asked: "What do you think knowledge is for?"
Jian Bisheng was startled and then said: "It is naturally for enlightenment, self-cultivation, and the welfare of the world."
"Welfare of the world?" Liu Wenzhou smiled. "How exactly is this 'welfare' achieved in your words?"
Jian Bisheng was silent.
Liu Wenzhou continued: "In the academy, you study the Way of the Sword-Brush. In the future, you can become a grandmaster of your generation and be famous throughout the world. This is good, truly good. But do you know? There is also a kind of knowledge in this world that won't make you famous or a grandmaster, but can make thousands of ordinary people—those farmers, fishermen, and craftsmen who have never read and never seen the world—have a better life."
He pointed at the notes on the table: "These things are that kind of knowledge. That kid Chen Hui is studying this kind of knowledge. I haven't been able to achieve anything big in my life, but being able to help him walk a few steps forward can be considered not having lived in vain."
Jian Bisheng listened quietly. After a long while, he suddenly bowed deeply: "Mr. Liu's high righteousness is a lesson to this disciple."
Liu Wenzhou waved his hand and smiled: "Don't talk about high righteousness; it's just following my feelings. Alright, it's time for me to go. Stay in the academy and study hard. If there's a chance in the future, we'll see each other again."
He picked up his pack and walked down the stairs.
Jian Bisheng stood by the window and watched his figure grow farther and farther away, finally disappearing into the depths of the ginkgo forest.
The wind blew, and the golden ginkgo leaves fell, looking like a silent farewell.
Many years later, when Chen Hui looked out at the heavy snow on the walls of Qingzhou City, and when Liu Wenzhou drifted at sea for several years just to find traces of his old friend, they would probably both think of that night in late autumn of the sixth year of Hongwu—the cold wind outside, the warm lights inside, and how two people who were once strangers became friends of a different generation, changing each other's lives because of their shared love for learning and their shared care for the people.
At that time, they still didn't know how treacherous the road ahead would be, or how fierce the wind and rain would be.
But they knew that from then on, no matter where they went, they would not be alone.
(End of Prequel: The Friendship between Chen Hui and Liu Wenzhou)