novelSusiti Chapter 73 I am Li Yuan, a son of the Li family of Jiangxia.
Chapter 73 I am Li Yuan, a son of the Li family of Jiangxia.
These past few days, Sweetwater Lane has been much quieter, with a troop of imperial guards occupying a house. Several court officials spend their days inside, their activities unknown. They are often seen riding back and forth between Sweetwater Lane and the palace.
Beyond the swords and spears of the Imperial Guards, officials were seen in every room of the mansion, browsing through books, making notes from time to time, and some even reciting a passage when they were in high spirits, as if they had encountered something wonderful.
The Imperial Guards were incredibly bored, stuck in this small courtyard all day, unable to move. They silently wished the gentlemen would finish their work.
Lu Yuanyi, a scholar of the Tianzhang Pavilion, carefully examined the books sent by the Li family in the main room, using the light streaming through the window. Comparing each book to the records of the Tianzhang Pavilion collection was a very time-consuming task.
Even if it takes a lot of effort, we must do it! The country has finally embarked on the process of replenishing its book collection, and this is the time for him to realize his ideals. We must not let a work by a predecessor be hidden among the people.
A child's voice came from outside: "Brothers, you've worked hard today. We've stewed some mutton and bought two jars of old wine. It's not fancy, but please make do with it."
The Imperial Guards beamed with joy and began to cheer:
"Thank you, young master."
"Young Master Li is mighty."
"The young master is so charming that he can charm any young lady."
The sworn brothers followed behind with smiles, carrying food boxes, watching the Imperial Guards harass the two young magistrates.
Li Yuan and Li Ke had been thoroughly amused by these rogue soldiers these past few days. Now, their mental fortitude had improved, and they thanked them one by one without batting an eye in the face of these increasingly outrageous jokes.
The imperial guards, having failed to amuse themselves, lamented that the children were too old to be fun anymore. They then happily accepted the wine and meat sent by the Li family and placed them on an empty table in the courtyard.
Despite their generous pay, the Imperial Guards each had a large family to support. They could only afford to eat meat once or twice a month, and even then, they had to eat it slowly and carefully. At most, they could consume one pound of meat a month.
To have such a plentiful supply of food as the Li family, enough to fill everyone's stomachs to the brim, is probably only possible for the meal before a major battle or a victory celebration banquet.
For the sake of the wine and meat, the clever Imperial Guards soldiers didn't mind Li Yuan and Li Ke's act of acting like elders. Brothers are brothers, after all. With wine and meat, how can we not be brothers?
Ever since the imperial court sent people to the Li family to request books, Feng Niaoniao arranged for a house to be prepared for the officials to use as offices. The Li family also covered all their food and drink expenses during their work hours.
Li Yuan and Li Ke, along with their sworn brothers, continued to deliver food to the officials in each room. The food boxes contained simple, home-style dishes, but the food was made with care and sincerity. It was much tastier than the communal meals at their own government offices.
As the aroma of mutton wafted from the courtyard, Grand Secretary Lu Yuanyi lost all interest in his work. He gave a wry smile: "The Master didn't taste meat for three months; I'm far from being able to do that." He then began to organize the books on the table, categorizing them by subject.
Just as I finished tidying up the desk, Li Yuan and Li Ke, looking rather silly, poked their heads in.
Lu Yuanyi's serious face instantly broke into a smile. He got up from his seat, stood up, and walked to the door.
Li Yuan and Li Ke immediately performed a solemn bow to greet the scholar: "Li Yuan and Li Ke greet the scholar."
Lu Yuanyi smiled and returned the greeting with a deep bow: "I am very well today, young masters. Please come in. What is served today?"
The adopted sons stepped forward and opened a food box, inside which was half a golden-yellow chicken.
Li Yuan and Li Ke wiped their drool; the delicious food was very tempting to them too. Li Yuan swallowed and said, "It's steamed chicken with scallion sauce, water chestnuts cooked in chicken broth, served with jujube paste pancakes, and a pot of perilla drink. Mother told me to ask the scholar if there's enough tea; if not, we'll have to go out and buy some."
Lu Yuanyi laughed so hard his white beard twitched as he looked at Li Yuan and Li Ke's pretentious, greedy expressions.
Lu Yuanyi stroked his white beard and said with a smile, "That's enough, that's enough. Your family has gone to too much trouble. It's already impolite of us to accept food and gifts. My colleagues and I are very grateful for your hospitality. Please go back and report to Madam Feng. We have troubled you a lot these days, and I am very grateful. Tomorrow is the last day, so there is no need to make any more purchases."
Li Yuan asked curiously, "May I ask, scholar, are my family's books very valuable? Why has the imperial court sent so many people to investigate?"
Lu Yuanyi quickly corrected him:
"This is not an investigation, but a visit to request books. Madam Feng is of noble character and willing to facilitate the nation's book collection. Both the palace and the court admire your family. The word 'investigation' is poorly chosen; it conveys a sense of forceful coercion."
"Little one, don't worry, the court will only copy the missing scrolls. They originally belonged to your family; once the copies are completed, I'll personally deliver them to Sweetwater Lane. I promise you won't feed this ungrateful brat with your family's good food."
Li Yuan roughly understood and bowed, saying, "Since Scholar Lu has vouched for me, I am relieved. These books were all handwritten by my ancestors, accumulated by three generations of my great-grandfather, grandfather, and great-great-grandfather. They are not unique or rare books for other families, but for my family, they are a source of reliance for our descendants to uphold filial piety. Please take good care of them and ensure their preservation."
Lu Yuanyi sighed, "I can understand. Twenty years ago, my family also had a collection of thousands of books, all painstakingly copied by generations of ancestors. Later, the Khitan army attacked Bianliang, and my family's house was burned to the ground. The legacy of our ancestors turned to ashes, and I was in unbearable pain for several years. I felt like a sinner to the Lu family, having failed my ancestors' fervent blood."
But that year, it wasn't just my family that turned to ashes; every household in Bianliang was looted. Many skilled people were taken to the northern grasslands and never returned. From that moment on, I made a vow. Although I couldn't fight or manage money, I would dedicate my life to searching for and copying every book I could find.
The more war destroys literature, the more steadfast we must be, preserving the nation's vitality for the future amidst the flames of war. The teachings of our ancestors should be upheld until death.
I believe that chaos will eventually subside, and those scattered books will one day shine again and reshape the world. Until then, I must do more work and save more endangered rare books, so that future generations will have fewer regrets.
Therefore, young master, please rest assured, any book that comes into my hands is more important than my life.
Although Li Yuan and Li Ke could not fully comprehend Lu Yuanyi's grief and aspirations, the spirit and will that emanated from him deeply moved the two children. They bowed again and said, "We entrust everything to Scholar Lu."
Despite the children's young age, Lu Yuanyi returned the greeting with equal solemnity, saying, "Ji Bu's promise is as good as gold. I am not as brave as Ji Bu, but I have his integrity. Please rest assured, young masters, and please rest assured, Madam Feng."
Were the Li family's books useful? Of course, they were extremely useful. Li Yuan and Li Ke were too young to understand. In fact, their great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather were both court officials during the Great Yu Dynasty. They used their positions to copy many books from the royal collection at that time.
Only a few dozen books were passed down to Li Xuan and Li Ji's branch. But these few dozen books were the essence of the collection, containing valuable historical materials, memorials from famous ministers of the previous dynasty, military treatises (containing many annotations by famous generals and ministers of the previous dynasty), water conservancy treatises, and geography treatises (the Li brothers' ability to draw maps came from these).
Perhaps at that time, the Great Yu Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, and the Heavenly Ancestor and the High Ancestor were keenly aware of the precarious situation. They secretly prepared a great gift for their descendants to make a comeback—by studying these books, they could be trained to become the versatile talents that any new dynasty would urgently need.
Lu Yuanyi even suspected that some original imperial treasures from previous dynasties and memorials from famous officials were in the hands of the Li family. After all, Li Yuan's great-grandfather was a prime minister in the Great Yu Dynasty, so it shouldn't have been difficult for him to obtain some good items from the palace collection.
However, a wise person should understand what it means to dabble. The gains from these books alone are already quite impressive; for example, the "Illustrated Gazetteer of the Four Seas of the Great Yu" had long been lost in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The book details the products, population, geography, roads, mountains, rivers, and passes of each prefecture in the Great Yu, and also provides detailed geographical information about the surrounding vassal states.
Although more than a century has passed, this book still has strong practical significance, effectively filling the gap in the Great Zhou Dynasty's understanding of the original territory and sphere of influence of the Yu State.
At least this will prevent the Great Zhou Dynasty from being completely clueless about the affairs of the world. It will also provide a basis for formulating domestic and foreign policies for various regions and countries in the future. Unfortunately, of the total 2,750 volumes, the Li family only brought 68 volumes to Bianliang; the journey ahead is long and arduous.
Lu Yuanyi's mission was simply to collect and copy books to enrich the national treasury, as long as the content was accurate. He couldn't care less where the originals were. Having received such hospitality from the Li family, Scholar Lu naturally adhered to the code of honor among book collectors.
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The seventh day of the eleventh lunar month is an auspicious day, favorable for sacrificial rites.
A large number of officials in purple, scarlet, and green robes gathered in the Daqing Hall of the Bianliang Imperial City. Since the Emperor led his army on a campaign, taking a group of civil and military officials with him, the imperial city hadn't been this lively in a long time.
A table was placed in front of the emperor's throne, on which were enshrined the ancestral tablets of the late Emperor Guo Wei and several empress dowagers.
Empress Fu, dressed in her full empress's gown, stood to one side of the table. All the officials in the hall, dressed in their most solemn court attire, stood calmly and respectfully. Everyone awaited the start of the ceremony.
As the drums outside struck to announce the time, Tao De, the Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, and Wang Qian, the Privy Councilor, nodded slightly to each other and stepped out from the ranks of officials.
Today, the two gentlemen were dressed exceptionally formally. They wore crowns adorned with jade hairpins, crimson gauze robes over white gauze undergarments, with black collars, cuffs, lapels, and hems, and white underskirts. They wore leather belts with gold hooks, faux belts, square-necked collars, crimson gauze knee-coverings, white socks, and black leather shoes. They carried swords, pouches, double pendants, and double sashes.
The two men announced in unison, "Your Majesty the Empress, the auspicious time has arrived. We request to pay our respects."
The Empress solemnly said, "Granted."
Inside the main hall, nine groups of ceremonial officials were evenly distributed from inside to outside the hall, each group simultaneously shouting, "Granted!"
After one drumbeat, the next group chanted: "Accurate!"
The shouts of "Accept!" echoed clearly from inside the palace to outside amidst the booming drums, requiring a total of nine shouts.
On the white jade platform outside the Daqing Hall, Li Yuan held a box, her mind blank in the face of such a grand ceremony.
He only remembered his mother, Feng Niaoniao, instructing him before he left that today he was representing the Jiangxia Li clan to present books, and that he must not reveal the fact that his family came from Guangling. Because there were still relatives living in Guangling, if the Southern Yu Kingdom knew that someone from the Guangling Li clan was presenting books to the Zhou Kingdom and serving the Zhou Kingdom, it might harm their relatives and neighbors back home.
Li Yuan muttered to herself, "I need to calm down, I need to stay composed."
Under the overwhelming majesty of the heavens, Li Yuan couldn't help but take deep breaths, his legs trembling uncontrollably. He was only eight years old, with two pigtails still sticking out of his hair. Because of his young age, he hadn't yet had his coming-of-age ceremony.
Therefore, he is the only person at this ceremony who is wearing casual clothes, or even children's clothes.
Fortunately, the ceremony in the Daqing Hall lasted quite a while, giving Li Yuan time to adjust. Li Yuan gradually found herself again after her initial confusion.
My father and second uncle are not home. My mother and aunt are pregnant. I am the eldest man in the family, and who else but me should present this book to the court? I must not bring shame upon my parents or my ancestors.
Li Yuan kept encouraging herself, recalling the etiquette she had learned in the past few days.
Fortunately, Empress Fu was also worried that Li Yuan wouldn't be able to handle a grand occasion, so she specially arranged for an official familiar with etiquette to stand by Li Yuan's side to look after him. The official looked worriedly at the child who had just been terrified and turned pale. Then he watched as the child's complexion gradually returned to normal, his posture straightened again, and his eyes became even more resolute.
He secretly wondered if this child was a celestial being, possessing such talent and temperament at such a young age. Could such a child be raised in the human world?
Finally, the earth-shaking drumbeats ceased, and the sound of court music drifted in. A rhythmic stomping sound echoed within the Daqing Hall, as the court officials performed a joyful, hand-gesturing salute.
After the complete dance ceremony, the music ceased. A thunderous shout echoed from the Great Celebration Hall: "The auspicious hour has arrived! Please present the scriptures!"
That was the shout from all the officials in the hall, marking the start of Li Yuan's work.
The official in charge of guiding him gave him one last instruction: "Young master, follow my pace. I will slow down and shorten my stride; just follow along."
Li Yuan nodded and said, "Please, sir."
The master of ceremonies straightened his appearance, raised his tablet, coughed to signal Li Yuan to follow, and began to walk steadily with a V-shaped gait. Surprisingly, every step he took was very firm, with small strides, slow but powerful and measured, as he walked resolutely towards the Daqing Hall.
With the deliberate demonstration by the officials in charge of etiquette, and having undergone rigorous training in etiquette over the past few days, Li Yuan was surprisingly not nervous when it came to actually applying it; in fact, he was quite excited. Following the training instructions, he held the book box containing the books (which actually contained only one book, serving a symbolic purpose), and with each step he took, it seemed as if his ancestors in heaven were watching.
His family came from Guangling Township to Bianliang's Sweetwater Lane. Today, he walks out of Sweetwater Lane, into the Imperial City, into the Daqing Palace. Under the watchful eyes of all the court officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he will walk directly before Her Majesty the Empress. Every small step he takes now will be a giant leap in his family's history. He must walk well, walk steadily, and walk far.
Inside the Daqing Hall, the officials were all curious about who would be presenting the book. After waiting and waiting, footsteps finally sounded, and the officials unconsciously craned their necks, staring intently at the direction of the gate.
A master of ceremonies stepped slowly into the hall, attracting the attention of the ministers. Upon seeing that he was merely an official guiding the ceremony, the ministers immediately felt that their affections had been misplaced.
However, strangely enough, there seemed to be no one behind the official in charge of ceremonies.
Wait, what's that? Finally, someone lowered their gaze slightly. Only then did they realize that the person following the master of ceremonies in was actually a child with a topknot and wearing a school uniform. The child's young age, innocent face, and short, stocky stature all proclaimed the protagonist's "youth."
The civil and military officials present struggled to maintain their composure, suppressing the urge to whisper and complain. A series of questions swirled in their minds: Where were all the adults in this household? Had the Empress somehow managed to obtain books from a family with no elders, only children?
Empress Fu had no idea how many dramatic stories her ministers were gossiping about. She smiled as Li Yuan walked in, step by step. Eight-year-old Li Yuan was at the peak of her cuteness, but the contrast between her adorable appearance and her earnest attempt to maintain a solemn expression was incredibly endearing.
Overwhelmed by maternal instinct, Empress Fu wished she could call out to Li Yuan to come to her side quickly and free her from the constraints of tedious etiquette.
Li Yuan kept her mother's teachings in mind: after entering the room, she should not look at anyone's face or listen to anyone's words, but just follow the instructions of the master of ceremonies and keep her eyes fixed on the steps in front of the emperor.
As long as one keeps their eyes fixed on the steps before the emperor, it's difficult for anyone else present to distract them. This is supposedly an ancient wisdom passed down from their ancestors for receiving an audience with the emperor. Li Yuan doesn't know if it's reliable or not, but he has no other choice but to trust in the wisdom of his ancestors.
The master of ceremonies stopped, and Li Yuan immediately stopped as well. The master of ceremonies reported from the front: "Your Majesty, Li Yuan, son of the Li family of Jiangxia, has presented books needed by the court on behalf of his entire family. He has entered the palace and we request permission to proceed, so as to glorify his virtue."
Empress Fu said sternly, "Granted!"
The eunuch announced loudly, "Her Majesty the Empress decrees: Granted!"
The master of ceremonies stepped aside, completely exposing Li Yuan's figure, and winked at her.
Li Yuan understood, and took two steps forward. A loud child's voice echoed through the Wolf Pavilion of the Daqing Hall:
"Li Yuan, son of the Li family of Jiangxia, was overjoyed to hear that the Zhou dynasty had reformed its rites and music, rebuilt its classics, revived its systems, and continued its cultural heritage."
The Zuo Zhuan, in its commentary by Kong Yingda, states: "Since ancient times, all Chinese people have referred to themselves as 'China,' and the term 'Huaxia' means 'great.' It signifies the greatness of its rites and the splendor of its literature." How true these words are! How could any holy dynasty of China not value literature?
My ancestors have been scholars for generations, hoping for a lasting golden age and a peaceful and prosperous era. Now, out of loyalty to the court and filial piety to my ancestors, I hereby offer 45 books from my family collection, totaling 1,206 volumes, to aid the nation's affairs, support this grand undertaking, and honor the virtues of my ancestors.
Empress Fu and the ministers present were impressed by the child. He was able to speak such a long passage clearly and forcefully under immense pressure. This child was extraordinary.
Empress Fu replied solemnly, "The Li family of Jiangxia is renowned for its loyalty and filial piety, and seeing them today, their reputation is truly well-deserved. Even a child can shoulder the responsibilities of the state; they are indeed a great family under heaven. I am the Empress of the Great Zhou, and today, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou, I am conducting this grand ceremony to collect forty-five books, totaling one thousand two hundred and six volumes, from the Jiangxia Li family's collection. I only wish that the national system and institutions be restored to their former glory, so that in the future, people from all over the world may enjoy the imperial favor. Then, people throughout the world will know that the revival of the Great Zhou's literature begins today."
Privy Councilor Wang Qian and Right Chancellor Tao De led the congratulatory messages, saying: "The revival of literature begins today. We congratulate the late Emperor, His Majesty the Emperor, His Majesty the Empress, and the entire Great Zhou Dynasty."
Each time a congratulatory message was offered, the courtiers would repeat it. The shouts and cheers shook the rooftops four times, yet Li Yuan remained unmoved. When the pressure you feel reaches its limit, you stop feeling it altogether. Li Yuan boldly looked at Empress Fu, who gazed at him tenderly, as if this gave him strength.
After the officials finished offering their congratulatory gifts, Empress Fu said, "Please, Li Yuan, bring the letter directly before His Majesty."
Li Yuan responded loudly, "This humble subject obeys the Empress's command!"
Continuing with his steady, square steps, Li Yuan walked somewhat comically to the steps below the throne.
Empress Fu personally descended the steps, took the book box from Li Yuan's hands, and said, "I will offer this box before the late Emperor's throne. I only wish that the late Emperor would protect us and bring prosperity to the literary world of our Great Zhou."
The assembled officials shouted in unison, "The late emperor's sagacious virtue!"
Empress Fu turned and went up the steps, gently placing the wooden box on the table in front of the late emperor's ancestral tablet. She then stepped back and stood still.
The master of ceremonies began by calling out, "Bow!"
The Empress led the way in bowing before the late Emperor's memorial tablet. The court officials followed closely behind. Li Yuan, bewildered, dared not be negligent and knelt down to kowtow as well. Fortunately, no one held his impropriety against him at this moment. Even the master of ceremonies turned a blind eye; you couldn't expect an eight-year-old to do more or better.
After a series of ceremonies, Tao De, the Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, read out the imperial edict on behalf of the court: "The Secretariat and the Chancellery decree: Military Commander Li Xuan is granted 8,300 mu of farmland and 3,760 mu of mountain land; Commander Li Ji is granted 4,600 mu of farmland and 5,100 mu of mountain land. Li Yuanxun is appointed Cavalry Captain and concurrently holds the title of Benevolent and Brave Colonel. This shall be carried out by the relevant authorities."
Li Yuan, on behalf of his father and uncle, received the imperial edict from the Secretariat: "This humble citizen, Li Yuan, on behalf of my father Li Xuan and my uncle Li Ji, kowtows to express my gratitude for the Emperor's grace."
After Li Yuan stood up, Empress Fu ordered someone to bring him a brocade robe to change into on the spot. Li Yuan's petite figure instantly became much more noble under the brocade robe, exuding a heroic and spirited air.
Empress Fu personally took Li Yuan's hand and said to the ministers, "Twenty years from now, this child will hold the same position as you all."
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More than a month later, on a small boat on the bank of the Fei River.
Li Xuan, the commander of the Second Army of the Left Wing of the Black Spear Dragon Cavalry of the Great Zhou Dynasty, read the letter sent by his wife Feng Niaoniao over and over again with great emotion. He couldn't help but burst into tears and said repeatedly, "My son is far better than me."
Soon, footsteps sounded outside, and a figure slipped into the cabin, saying loudly to Li Xuan, "What's wrong, Li Ziyu? When did you become so sentimental? Are you going to cry when you see me?"
The visitor was none other than Li Jue, the Prefect of Luzhou in the State of Yu, the Military Commissioner of Desheng Army, and the Commissioner of Agricultural Development, a classmate and clansman of Li Xuan. This was the second time the cousins had met since their parting at the Yingxun Bridge market outside Guangling City eight years ago.