(Heh, it seems I've fallen short on word count again. I've added some content to the previous section.)
The back of Li Changgeng's neck immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
He had lived most of his life, reciting the words of the sages for decades, and never once imagined someone would use such a question to silence him.
He dared not answer "correct."
If he said that single word, his position as Director of the Imperial Academy would be untenable on the spot.
Yet he also could not say "incorrect."
The deductions in that draft manuscript, starting from trivial matters like water flowing downhill, bit into one layer after another.
He had searched through half the night's worth of the Four Books but couldn't find a single crack to refute it.
"Student..." Li Changgeng stammered, unable to finish his sentence after a long pause.
Xu Jie watched him struggle, took a sip of tea from his cup, and pressed no further.
The timing was right.
"This matter ends here," Xu Jie set down his teacup. "Return to the Imperial Academy. Continue teaching your classics and giving your lectures as before."
"That 'Essay Mocking Water,' along with this scrap of paper, treat it as a petty quarrel among scholars. Suppress it for me."
"No one is to bring it up again, much less speak a single word of it outside."
Li Changgeng was taken aback. "And what about Lu Huaijin..."
"I will see Lu Huaijin myself and handle it in person," Xu Jie waved his hand. "This matter stops here when it leaves your mouth and reaches mine. Once you go back, do not add even a single word."
When Li Changgeng heard the words "see... myself," a great weight lifted from his heart.
If the Grand Secretary was willing to step in, then the orthodox path was saved.
He immediately rose and solemnly performed a disciple's bow, his voice far steadier than before.
"Teacher, for daring to stand up for us scholars and for this civilized way, student... student thanks you on behalf of all the scholars under heaven!"
Xu Jie accepted the bow without saying a word, merely tilting his chin toward Xu Zhong.
"Escort Magistrate Li out," Xu Jie paused. "And while you're at it, invite the waiting Lu Huaijin in."
As Li Changgeng withdrew from the study, his steps were noticeably lighter.
He only assumed that the damning draft, handed over to the Grand Secretary, had been thrown into the ashes.
He never looked back, and so he never saw—the oil-stained scrap of paper still lay on the desk, pinned beneath the paperweight, untouched.
Before long, a young scholar in a moon-white long gown entered the room.
Lu Huaijin bowed deeply to Xu Jie, bending his waist as low as possible. Entering the study of the current Grand Secretary was an honor he had never dreamed of.
"Your late student, Lu Huaijin, pays respects to the Grand Secretary."
Xu Jie studied him for a moment, mentioning neither the draft manuscript nor anything about heresy or orthodoxy.
"So you are Lu Huaijin, the one who wrote 'Essay Mocking Water'?" Xu Jie's tone softened slightly. "I hear that simply by noticing one habit in his writing—how the three dots under the character 'heart' were connected in a line—you recognized the handwriting of that visiting scholar."
"Good eyesight. That keen attention to detail is even more valuable than your essay."
Lu Huaijin had not expected the Grand Secretary's first words to praise his skill with calligraphy. Flattered and flustered, he quickly offered modest disclaimers.
But Xu Jie changed the subject and asked a very practical question.
"'Essay Mocking Water,' how many drafts did you write? And how widely has it been circulated in the capital?"
Lu Huaijin answered truthfully, saying he had written one original draft, which his fellow students at the Imperial Academy vied to copy, and that it had gained some local fame among scholars.
Xu Jie nodded, paused once, and then extended a promise.
"The autumn provincial exams are near. It would be a shame to bury your talent and insight in the Imperial Academy." Xu Jie looked at him. "I happen to be short a younger man to help me organize documents."
"If you're interested, come find Xu Zhong in a few days."
Lu Huaijin's breathing quickened.
Organizing documents under the Grand Secretary's tutelage!
It was a golden path to success that countless scholars would beg for but never attain.
Even though he had already secured somewhat advantageous origins, with this layer of official favor, who would he fear?
Xu Zijin, just you wait.
"Only one condition," Xu Jie added slowly. "Everything you've seen and heard in this study today, bury it deep inside you. Once you step out that door, you never saw any draft manuscript, and you never recognized any handwriting."
Lu Huaijin, clever as he was, understood immediately.
This was both a gag order and a promotion.
He barely hesitated before bowing deeply once more.
"Your late student understands. I never came to the Grand Secretary's residence today, nor did I see any article."
Xu Jie gave a satisfied hum.
As Lu Huaijin rose to leave, he reached the doorway but couldn't help turning back to ask one more question.
"Sir... will Xu Zijin's essay really just be suppressed like that? In your late student's view, this text has spread a pernicious influence far and wide..."
Xu Jie raised his teacup, not even lifting his eyelids.
"He's merely an arrogant scholar. Let him be arrogant."
Eight words, dismissing him thoroughly.
Lu Huaijin dared not linger further, bowed, and retreated.
When the study door closed, it left only Xu Jie and Xu Zhong in the large room.
The incense had burned down to its end, a wisp of blue smoke rising straight into the air.
Xu Zhong walked to the desk and reached to lift the paperweight, intending to pull out the draft beneath and throw it into the brazier in the corner.
"Master, this seed of disaster—better to burn it clean."
His fingers had just touched the corner of the paper when a withered hand pressed down on his wrist.
Somehow, Xu Jie had risen and stood beside him.
The old man said nothing. First, he took the oil-stained draft from under the paperweight.
He looked at it once. Then he folded it three times and tucked it into his sleeve.
Xu Zhong was stunned.
Just moments ago, in front of Li Changgeng and Lu Huaijin, his master's every word was said in the spirit of "suppress it" and "let him be arrogant." Now, he was stashing the very same item close to himself?
"Master..." Xu Zhong lowered his voice. "Didn't you say this was heresy meant to uproot the foundation of civil officials? Why not burn it, and instead keep it?"
Xu Jie, through the fabric of his robe, pressed lightly on the paper in his sleeve.
"What do you know." He sat back down in the armchair and picked up the teacup, already gone lukewarm. "An article—it depends merely on whether its arrogance has substance."
"Arrogance without foundation is no more than street-corner ravings. Burn such as that. Even its ashes don't deserve to be swept up."
"But arrogance with foundation?"
"If I burn it today, tomorrow it will reappear on another sheet of paper, carried by another person, sprouting still right out of the dirt. Can I burn this single piece and also burn the eyes and mouths of everyone under heaven?"
Xu Zhong dared not respond.
Xu Jie set down his teacup, his gaze dropping to the old locust tree swaying in the wind outside the window.
"This son of the Xu family—whether he's a rabid dog who bites, or a well-honed blade, I must first get my measure of him."
"Go. Retrieve every report from this past half year in the capital that mentions the word 'investigation of things,' along with the reports Lady of the Xu Manor filed from the northern borders."
Xu Zhong acknowledged and turned to leave.
Just as he reached the door, he heard his master add one more word from behind.
"Also, the essay topic for the autumn provincial exams needs to be changed."
