Nightwatcher

# 262. Two Poems

"Guess exam topics?"

Xu Erlang asked in confusion but quickly understood what Xu Qi’an meant. He calmly poured his elder brother a cup of hot water, wrapped himself in an extra layer, and sat down in a chair. "No need," Xu Xinnian replied, "the great scholars of the academy have already predicted the topics for us."

After the establishment of the Imperial Academy, students' minds became confined to the Four Books and Five Classics, losing the creativity of their predecessors. One consequence was that poetry and prose faded away in the Great Feng. But there was one advantage: predicting exam topics became easier.

The so-called predicting topics was akin to Xu Qi’an's past life when teachers would underline key points before an exam. With limited content and set answering methods, the imperial examination topics could be somewhat “pre-determined”.

Aside from topic prediction, there were also shady practices—buying questions.

Even worse than buying the topics was the “prearranged candidate” practice. Such individuals could pass smoothly even if their writing was utter nonsense, all thanks to prior arrangements with the examiners.

The method was simple: bribing the examiner and agreeing on a secret code in advance. For example, the last word of the first line would be "old," the last word of the second line would be "bloke," and lines four, five, and six would be "666." When the examiner saw the code, they would know this was their candidate.

The name-concealing and transcription procedures couldn’t prevent such cheating.

Xu Qi’an had heard these underhanded tricks from Wei Yuan and marvelled at the wisdom of the ancients.

Unfortunately, bribing an examiner was not an option. Xu Xinnian was a student of Cloud Deer Academy, meaning he was destined to miss out on the titles of *Zhuangyuan*, *Bangyan*, and *Tanhua*. He may not even make it into the top third.

Before meeting Zhong Li, Xu Qi’an only thought of helping his brother cheat subtly and avoiding being caught by the supervisors. After much thought, he came up with a ridiculous idea: copying the essay onto his “little brother”.

This idea was inspired by a humorous tale from the internet in his previous life. Someone was bragging that when women saw a single “zhi” tattooed onto him, they would think that it’s his ex-girlfriend’s name.

However when the spirit was excited and a pillar rose to heaven, it became “[REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED]”

Though the story was absurd, Xu Qi’an found it relatable… Not that it mattered. What did matter was that Xu Erlang could absolutely pull off this trick.

With his Self-cultivator rank, Xu Erlang could simply say, "Behold my Diao Chan," and then he could write a 500-character essay on there.

The examiners would never discover it.

However, Xu Erlang was far too proud to ever resort to such tactics… Xu Qi’an nodded slowly, "What about poetry then?"

Xu Xinnian frowned, "I’m not focusing on poetry. It’s not my strength."

His preparation was focused on the essays and classics, like most other scholars. Poetry was something he would leave to fate.

"Better safe than sorry. I came here exactly to guess poetry topics," Xu Qi’an said.

"And how do you plan to guess?"

"We’ll draw lots," Xu Qi’an said with a mysterious smile.

…

"Mother, I want an orange."

In the inner room, Little Pea walked out in her loose nightgown.

"Oranges at night? Your teeth will rot. The oranges are in the hall; go get one yourself." Auntie was too preoccupied with discussing Xu Erlang’s future.

Little Pea quietly went to the hall, ate the orange in the corridor, and returned, satisfied, to her bed.

Second Uncle and Auntie continued to discuss Xu Xinnian’s career prospects. The more they talked, the more Auntie regretted sending Xu Xinnian to Cloud Deer Academy.

Erlang had been a prodigy since childhood, with an excellent memory. When Cloud Deer Academy was recruiting, Second Uncle had taken him to Qingyun Mountain to take the exam, and Erlang had passed with flying colors.

"If only we had sent him to the 1Academy," Auntie lamented.

"Women’s foolishness. Cloud Deer Academy is the true orthodox of Confucianism," Second Uncle retorted.

…

Xu Xinnian cut a piece of Xuan paper into small squares, each with a different theme, such as "birds," "flowers," "fish," or "insects," then shuffled them together.

"Elder Brother, your turn."

Xu Xinnian thought his brother was being ridiculous, but given his enthusiasm, he couldn’t refuse. He wanted to send his damned brother off quickly so he could sleep, but he was also curious to see if his brother could compose a poem on the spot.

Xu Qi’an closed his eyes and drew two slips at random.

"Two?"

Xu Xinnian noticed that his brother had drawn two slips at once.

"Let’s take both then. We can use the extra one as backup."

Xu Qi’an opened the slips: "Ode to Aspiration" and "Patriotism."

Xu Xinnian looked at his elder brother with some anticipation.

"Uh... Let me think about it and get back to you tomorrow," Xu Qi’an scratched his head.

After saying goodbye to Xu Xinnian, Xu Qi’an returned to his room, lit a candle, and sat down at the table. He looked up at the beam of the ceiling and said, "Aren’t you a Master of Prophecy? Can’t you just predict the topics for the exam?"

Lying on the beam was a woman with disheveled hair, dressed in a simple linen robe. She replied, "A Master of Prophecy especially must know when to keep secrets. I don’t have great fortune, and if I were to reveal the imperial exam topics, I might meet my end tomorrow."

"I’ll protect you. Didn’t Jianzheng say I have great fortune?" Xu Qi’an coaxed.

"If you have great fortune, then the topics you’ve drawn by lot are surely the exam topics. Why do you need me to take the risk?"

*Good point...* Xu Qi’an then asked, "Why not help me with the essay and classics questions?"

"The fewer variables, the easier to predict," Zhong Li said.

Xu Qi’an didn’t press further and started to rummage through his memory for poetry from his high school days. Despite it being so many years ago, some poems were still etched clearly in his mind.

Of course, he couldn’t remember longer works or classical texts fully, like Li Bai’s _Bring in the Wine,_ where he could only recall a few lines like "The waters of the Yellow River come from heaven."

But simple poems like _Spring Dawn_ were unforgettable, even to death.

*The most famous ode to aspiration is probably Cao Cao’s* Though the Tortoise Lives Long, *but considering Emperor Yuanjing’s desire for immortality, writing this might displease him.*

*As for patriotism, there are plenty of poems. The problem is that the patriotic poems I remember were born in times of national collapse, like* Iron horses ride through frozen rivers in my dreams, *or* The country falls, but the mountains and rivers remain, *or* Singing girls care not for the hatred of a fallen nation. *This is tough...*

In the middle of the night, Xu Qi’an was sleeping soundly when he suddenly heard a thud and then the moans of someone in pain.

He jolted awake, instinctively reaching for the sword by his bedside.

"Sorry, I tripped..." Zhong Li muttered, trying to endure the pain.

*Falling over from this too? You're a Fifth-Grade Arcanist after all…* Xu Qi'an’s mouth twitched as he let out a long sigh. "No worries, this must be part of your misfortune too, right?"

"This is still manageable. If I weren't near you, I probably would've broken a leg," replied Zhong Li, the Fifth Disciple of the Jianzheng, in a matter-of-fact tone, which made her words all the more heartbreaking. "It's fine. I'm used to it."

With that, she stood up quietly and headed toward the door. "I'll meditate outside, so I don't disturb your sleep."

"…"

Xu Qi'an watched her leave and closed the door behind her. He turned over and tried to go back to sleep. However, the door opened again, and Zhong Li returned.

"Hmm?"

Xu Qi'an made a confused and slightly annoyed noise.

Zhong Li spoke in a low voice, "Some bastard threw an orange peel in the corridor. I slipped on it and hit my head. I figured it’s safer to stay indoors."

*Orange peels too? That’s rough...* Xu Qi'an couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy for her.

…

The next morning, before dawn, the Xu household was already brightly lit. Auntie, with dark circles under her eyes, was personally helping Xu Erlang prepare his exam materials, including ink, paper, brushes, as well as cakes, steamed buns, jerky, and water for the examination.

"Mother, there's no need to bring so much food. Each session only lasts one day, and I'll be out by dusk," Xu Xinnian tried to stop his mother, who was constantly stuffing food into his pack.

The imperial exams had three sessions, each lasting one day, with a three-day interval between sessions, making the whole process span nine days.

Once everything was ready, Xu Pingzhi, his wife, daughter, and nephew escorted Xu Xinnian to the examination compound.

Xu Qi'an and Xu Pingzhi carried lanterns, one leading and one following behind. Soon, they arrived at the examination hall, where a large number of scholars had already gathered. Soldiers with torches lined the street, maintaining order.

"Erlang, here are the poems I wrote for you. Read them and burn them afterward," Xu Qi'an handed two slips of paper to his brother.

Xu Xinnian discreetly accepted them, opened them, and after a long look, he could barely make out what was written… his brother's handwriting was truly unique, especially when writing smaller characters.

But these are good poems!

Despite the struggle to read them, Xu Xinnian couldn’t help but admire his brother’s talent.

*If these happen to match the exam topics, I might really shine this time.*

After memorizing them, Xu Xinnian tore up the slips of paper. As he was about to bid farewell to his family, he suddenly heard someone chanting Buddhist scriptures in the distance.

Turning to look, he saw a towering, bald man with his hands clasped together, giving him a knowing smile.

*Do I know him…?* Xu Xinnian felt a flicker of confusion but returned the gesture with a polite smile.

The bald man nodded slightly and turned to leave.

…

After seeing Xu Xinnian off, Auntie and Lingyue suggested returning home to catch up on sleep, while Xu Lingyin proposed going to Guiyuelou for breakfast.

Xu Lingyin’s suggestion was unanimously ignored by the group.

Xu Qi'an, on the other hand, was concerned about Zhong Li back at the house, and worried that if he returned too late, she might have already passed away.

By the time they returned home, the sky had lightened with the break of dawn.

Xu Qi'an pushed open the door to find Zhong Li sitting cross-legged on the ground with her hair draped down, obscuring her face.

*Why does she always have her hair down? I wonder what she really looks like… the Jianzheng’s disciples are all so strange. The foodie chick somehow is the most normal one…* Xu Qi'an cleared his throat and said:

“You don’t need to hide. I can introduce you to my family.”

“That would bring them misfortune. It won’t be anything major, but small mishaps will happen continuously,” Zhong Li replied. “Misfortune always affects those around me. But as long as they don’t know about my presence, they’ll be fine.”

*Ah whatever.*

There was still some time before dawn, so Xu Qi'an decided to meditate for a while. Suddenly, he felt a jolt in his heart—someone from the Earth Book chat group had sent a message.

"Could you turn around?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"Alright." Zhong Li obediently turned her back to him and continued meditating.

*It’s a little inconvenient having someone around…* Xu Qi'an then retrieved his fragment of the Earth Book, using the candlelight to read the latest message.

【TWO: I’m heading to the capital.】

The first to respond to Li Miaozhen’s message was the rarely active Daoist Jinlian: 【NINE: Have you finished eradicating the bandits?】

*Finished with the bandits? That means Brother Chun and the others should be returning soon too…* Xu Qi'an felt a surge of joy.

【TWO: Yes, Daoist. ONE, you still haven’t provided me with the information about the standout disciples of the Human Sect.】

Back then, she had exchanged the information on the Yunzhou case with Number One, hoping to get a list of the outstanding disciples of the Human Sect from him. However, Number One had inexplicably gone silent for a long time.

Even now, the promise had yet to be fulfilled.

A few minutes later, a long message from Number One arrived in the chat:

【ONE: The disciples of the Human Sect from this generation are not particularly strong. The highest-ranking among them is 'Jingchen,' who's only at the Seventh Grade. But there is one person, though I’m not sure if he counts as part of the younger generation.】

【TWO: Who is this person, and what is their level of cultivation?】

【ONE: He was originally a scholar, the top-ranked *zhuangyuan* in the twenty-seventh year of Yuanjing. In the twenty-ninth year, he suddenly resigned from his official post and became an ordinary commoner. He has a unique relationship with Daoist Lingyun, Senior Brother to Luo Yuheng, seeing him as both mentor and friend. Under Lingyun's guidance, he learned the sword techniques and Heart classic of the Human Sect.

【This person is highly talented. After abandoning literature to focus on the sword for only three years, he reached the state of complete sword mastery. Afterward, he challenged Gold Gong Chen Kaitai but was soundly defeated. Following his defeat, he wandered the world and was praised by Wei Yuan as the number one swordsman in the capital.

【Although he and Daoist Lingyun never officially became master and disciple, their relationship is effectively that. I'm not sure if that qualifies him as a Human Sect disciple.】

*A scholar turned swordsman, the number one swordsman in the capital, with a mentor-disciple relationship with a Daoist from the Human Sect..*. Why does this feel so familiar? Xu Qi'an paused, thinking of someone, but it seemed too absurd.

At that moment...

【FOUR: Heh, I’ve returned to the capital.】

*It really is him. Daoist Jinlian is stirring the pot again. Knowing the Human Sect and Heaven Sect are like fire and water, he still drags them both into the Earth Book fragments.* Xu Qi'an muttered inwardly.

*This was getting interesting. Number Four and Number Two were both coming to the capital… Wait a minute, if it were just Li Miaozhen coming, I could still handle it. After all, the explanation for my resurrection could be attributed to the Rebirth Pill.*

*Plus, both Li Miaozhen and I have faced social death in some form, so we wouldn’t hold onto it too much.*

*But if Number Four is also coming to the capital...*

Xu Qi'an's expression changed.

Just then, Number Five chimed in:

【FIVE: What a coincidence, I’m also leaving for the capital tomorrow for a little adventure. Once I arrive, let’s all have a drink together.】

Xu Qi'an: "???"

*What's going on? Why is Number Five also heading to the capital? With her intelligence, Numbers Four and Two definitely won’t feel comfortable letting her travel alone. When they meet up in person, they’ll certainly have to log off and meet face to face.*

*And I’m in the capital too. Li Miaozhen already knows my true identity…*

*No way, I have to make sure Erlang carries this pot.*

【ONE: Why is FIVE going to the capital?】

【FIVE: For an adventure, of course.】

Suppressing her shock, Li Miaozhen joined the conversation:

【TWO: Number Five, remember not to reveal your identity as part of the shaman clans. The people of Feng hate shamans. The martial world is dangerous, and even if you’re tricked or harmed, if the authorities find out you’re from the shaman clans, they’ll likely turn a blind eye.

【In the eyes of many in the underworld, it’s seen as justified to use any means necessary against the shamans.】

During the battle of Shanhai Pass years ago, the Southern and Northern barbarian tribes had formed an alliance against the Great Feng. Since then, the Southern tribes have frequently harassed the Great Feng’s borders to reclaim lost territory, leading to deep-seated animosity between the two.

The shaman clans of the Southern Marches were seen as part of the Southern barbarians.

Lina thought about it and figured that since she wasn't afraid of poison or brute force, there wasn’t much to worry about. But since Number Two was so kindly reminding her, she replied with thanks:

【FIVE: Got it, I’ll be careful.】

Then, Li Miaozhen added:

【TWO: FOUR, though we’re both members of the Heaven and Earth Society, the grievances between our sects come first. I won’t hold back when we meet.】

【FOUR: Life and death, each bears the consequences.】

*This… Isn't this a bit too much? We’re all part of the same group chat, after all.* Xu Qi'an sighed.

After the conversation ended, Xu Qi'an put away the Earth Book fragment and looked up, glancing at Zhong Li, who was still sitting with her back to him.

*Could it be that this woman’s misfortune is affecting me? … Maybe I should ask the Jianzheng for a refund…*