The refugees were nothing more than a disorganized mob. Seeing that the Wei Manor was too tough a bone to gnaw, they moved off toward other regions.
Wei Youcai brought Wei Yuan down from the watchtower and took his seat in the main hall to oversee the aftermath. Young Wei Yuan was covered in blood, so he was taken away to bathe and change into fresh clothes. Once he was cleaned up, Wei Youcai had him brought back to the main hall, setting a chair beside his own so the boy could watch him handle the affairs.
In the wake of the battle, tasks piled up like mountains. Several dozen retainers who had fought were injured, and several had died. Dozens of refugee corpses lay strewn atop the walls and across the courtyard, all of which had to be carted out first. The steward then selected a few sharp, steady-nerved servants to search the dead bodies for coin and valuables. In a year of famine, even a little extra wealth was welcome.
As Wei Youcai was handing down orders one by one, Bald Lao Liu strode into the main hall hauling a person in his grip. Tossing the man to the floor, he said, "Eldest Brother, I picked up someone among the refugees."
The man was dressed in scholar's robes, his hands bound and his mouth stuffed firmly with a rag. Beyond that, there was nothing amiss; his scholar's robe had merely picked up a bit of dust, showing clearly that he had suffered little hardship.
At the sight of the scholar, the steward found his face familiar. Looking closer, he gasped, "Scholar Zhang!"
Wei Youcai turned to the steward, who explained, "This is the very scholar who gave the young master the name Yuan three years ago."
Wei Youcai slapped his thigh. "So it's Master Zhang Sheng! How did you end up like this?"
He hurried over to Zhang Sheng, personally untying the rope around his wrists, and glared fiercely at Bald Lao Liu.
Bald Lao Liu immediately cried grievance. "Nothing to do with me! When I found him in the refugee camp, he was already like this!"
Pulling the rag from his mouth, Zhang Sheng gave a wry smile. "It truly has nothing to do with this brave warrior. In fact, I must thank him for rescuing me."
"Yuan'er's name came from you, sir, so you are no outsider." Wei Youcai had a chair brought over for Zhang Sheng to sit before asking, "How did you come to be among the refugees, Master?"
Zhang Sheng sighed. "To my shame, I was originally teaching in the neighboring commandery to earn traveling expenses, never expecting a massive horde of refugees to suddenly arrive. The city garrison fled at the first sight of them, leaving the entire county's populace to their mercy. A refugee leader saw that I was literate and insisted on making me his military strategist. When I refused to comply, he tied me up and brought me along all the way here. He treated me with reasonable courtesy along the way, but given more time, once his patience wore thin, he likely would have boiled and eaten me like the others."
Wei Youcai said in surprise, "As I recall, you ought to be an adept possessing miraculous arts. How could you be captured by common refugees?"
Zhang Sheng hemmed and hawed, unable to offer a clear explanation. Seeing this, Wei Youcai did not press him. He looked Zhang Sheng up and down, and a smile suddenly spread across his face—a smile that made Zhang Sheng's skin crawl.
Wei Youcai cupped his hands to Zhang Sheng and said, "Three years ago, my son—no, my humble boy Wei Yuan was blessed with a name granted by you upon his birth. Three years later, we cross paths again. It seems we truly share a fated bond!"
"No, not at all!" Zhang Sheng blurted out, startling Wei Youcai.
Seeing Wei Youcai's expression shift, Zhang Sheng hastily added, "What I mean is, the young master's fortune runs deep, and he is fully worthy of that character. I claim no merit in it."
Wei Youcai's smile broadened. "You possess great talent, Master. How great, I am uneducated and cannot say, but within dozens of li around here, no one reads more books than you. The world outside is gripped by war and chaos, and my boy has reached the age to begin his schooling. Why not take him on, teach him to read and write, and instruct him in the ways of the sages?"
For some reason, seeing Wei Youcai smiling so warmly while speaking in such half-refined prose sent another shiver through Zhang Sheng.
Zhang Sheng hurriedly declined. "Master Wei praises me far too much. My learning is shallow and meager; teaching anyone would only be leading them astray. Furthermore, what I have studied all my life belongs to Daoist lore, far removed from the principles of the sages."
Zhang Sheng spoke tactfully, but his only desire was to leave as quickly as possible.
Wei Youcai seemed completely deaf to the underlying refusal. Smiling amiably, he said, "You may teach as many days as you please, Master. There is no rush to decide right now—please, have a seat first!"
Whether by chance or design, two burly retainers stepped up to flank Zhang Sheng on either side, while Bald Lao Liu stood behind him with his hand resting on the hilt of his saber. Several fresh wounds marked Lao Liu's body, blood seeping through the bandages, radiating not only killing intent but also a hot stench of fresh gore.
Wei Youcai returned to his seat to continue overseeing the aftermath. Zhang Sheng spoke up, "It seems inconvenient for me to remain here. It would be best if I excused myself."
Wei Youcai waved his hand with a smile. "No matter, no matter! You are no outsider, Master. Watch as much as you like!"
Unable to leave, Zhang Sheng could only sit there.
Just then, the steward hurried in again, glanced at Zhang Sheng, and hesitated. Wei Youcai said, "Master Zhang is one of our own. No harm. Speak."
The steward said, "Master, there are still many wounded refugees outside. Most are severely injured and unable to move. I have counted them—over ninety in all. How should we deal with them?"
Bald Lao Liu sneered. "Lao Ba, those people were planning to take our lives just a moment ago, and you still need to ask? After all these years, you still haven't cured your cowardly, softhearted streak. Fine, I'll tell you what to do. Dig two large pits. Bury the dead in the first one, nice and deep. Then lay the living along the edge of the other pit and see who's still breathing tomorrow morning. If anyone survives until then, lend them a hand."
Zhang Sheng frowned.
Even the least injured of those refugees had taken a deep slash; anyone who could move had long since fled. Leaving them in the open wilderness overnight, how could any survive? Were the bald brute's words not simply leaving them to die?
Zhang Sheng glanced at Wei Youcai, only to find the master's eyes half-closed as if he had drifted off to sleep, hearing nothing. Without waiting for Wei Youcai's word, the steward turned and left the room, clearly setting out to carry out the bald brute's instructions.
When Zhang Sheng turned his head, his gaze met the bald warrior's eyes. The brute split his mouth into a savage grin. Zhang Sheng instantly understood the unspoken message: *Breathe a word of objection, and you'll be buried right alongside them.*
Only after the steward was gone did Wei Youcai seem to awaken from a brief nap. He slowly opened his eyes and asked, "Where is Lao Ba?"
The steward hurried back inside, saying, "I just went to handle a small matter. Eldest Brother... Master, what are your orders?"
Wei Youcai chuckled. "I told you, Master Zhang is no outsider. No need to mind the forms of address. Tell me again about the land and the grain reserves."
Without hesitation, the steward replied from memory, "The manor currently holds fifty-three mu and five fen of first-grade fertile fields, one hundred and thirty-seven mu of second-grade fields, and sixty mu of third-grade fields. There are one hundred and seven tenant households farming for us, each renting about two mu and three fen. Earlier this year we sold some old grain, and our granaries now hold two hundred and thirty dan of various grains."
Wei Youcai asked slowly, "This year is bound to see total crop failure. If our only goal is to ensure no one starves before next spring, how many people can this grain keep alive?"
The steward pondered, speaking with difficulty, "Sixth Master can hunt..."
The bald brute grunted. "Even the grass on the mountains is gone. Where are you going to find game?"
"In that case, it can keep about two hundred and forty people alive—three liang per person per day. It cannot be reduced any further."
Wei Youcai said slowly, "Which means that aside from the people inside the manor, even if our own tenant farmers return, only thirty percent can survive."
Even their tenants could only survive at thirty percent; the rest would either starve to death or flee as refugees. For those who wished neither to starve nor to flee, only one path remained.
Hearing this, Zhang Sheng understood. The Wei Manor's stores could not even sustain its own tenants, let alone take in the severely wounded refugees outside. In all his years, this was the first time Zhang Sheng had faced such a ruthless choice.
Observing coldly in this brief span, Zhang Sheng also came to a clear realization: every person in this room was likely a remorseless killer.
He suddenly recalled the strands of fortune and destiny he had glimpsed three years ago when laying down the Guishui Light-Merging Formation, and his heart gave a violent leap.
"Master Zhang!" Wei Youcai called out, squinting at him with a smile. "Have you thought it over? Are you willing to oversee Yuan'er's schooling?"
Looking at Wei Youcai's squinting, smiling eyes, Zhang Sheng could only picture the two large pits being dug outside the estate. If he dared say no, he would likely be tossed into a pit alongside the refugees. Over the past three years, misfortune had befallen him, rendering his Daoist powers utterly unusable, leaving him no different from an ordinary mortal. With the refugee horde sweeping through, every blade of grass for a hundred li had been stripped bare, leaving only barren yellow earth as far as the eye could see. Even if he could escape this hall, he would starve in the wasteland. Dying now would be utterly worthless.
Weighing every angle, Zhang Sheng found no way out.
Reflecting further that teaching was a noble pursuit, and that he had originally intended to teach in the neighboring commandery anyway, Zhang Sheng had no choice but to say, "I am, of course, willing."
Wei Youcai was overjoyed and immediately pulled Wei Yuan forward to perform the rites of discipleship. Young Wei Yuan was remarkably obedient, kneeling before Zhang Sheng and bowing low.
Zhang Sheng's face shifted through shades of pale and flush. Several times he wanted to leap up and flee, but right behind him stood Bald Lao Liu with his great saber; where could he run? In the brief moment he hesitated, young Wei Yuan had already completed his three kowtows.
Zhang Sheng sighed deeply within. Having accepted the rites of discipleship, this bond was forged beyond undoing.
Since he was here, he might as well make peace with it. After the rites were finished, Zhang Sheng's heart actually settled somewhat. He stepped forward, helped young Wei Yuan to his feet, and looked at him closely.
Three years ago Zhang Sheng had departed in haste and never actually laid eyes on Wei Yuan; this was their first true meeting. The boy possessed sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, his large pupils exceptionally striking and full of spirit. Zhang Sheng could not help feeling a spark of fondness.
Young Wei Yuan also tilted his head up at Zhang Sheng, the corners of his mouth slowly curling into a smile. He could sense that Zhang Sheng was the fourth person to hold genuine affection for him.
And looking at that small face slowly brimming with joy, Zhang Sheng felt his heart soften.
Seeing the discipleship rites concluded, Wei Youcai said, "For the next three years, Yuan'er is entrusted to your care, Master."
"Three years?" Zhang Sheng was taken aback. He had never intended to stay that long, planning only to teach the boy his letters before slipping away.
Wei Youcai squinted, picked up a teacup, and took an unhurried sip before saying, "Three years from now is the date of the Great Tang Immortal Sect Unified Examination. Yuan'er will be six then, just the right age to register. With three years of elementary schooling, time is already tight."
Zhang Sheng slapped his own forehead. He had nearly forgotten such a momentous event as the immortal sects' disciple recruitment exam. But three years was truly beyond his plans, so he could only say, "I still have an important matter requiring me to travel to Southern Qi. I fear I cannot stay for three years."
Wei Youcai gave a half-smile and said, "Right now the neighboring commanderies are teeming with refugees. In the blink of an eye, refugees become bandits. This land will not see peace for at least two or three years. You couldn't even make your way out of Yongzhou over the past three years, Master—do you think you can walk out over the next three?"
Zhang Sheng froze, pondering the words carefully.
With things laid out so plainly, Zhang Sheng knew there was no leaving for the next three years. Gathering his composure, he said solemnly, "If he is to take the Immortal Sect Unified Examination, three years is indeed extremely tight. In that case, please prepare, Master Wei. We shall begin lessons first thing tomorrow morning."
Wei Youcai was delighted. He hurried to instruct the servants to prepare a room, arranging Zhang Sheng's quarters and a study for Wei Yuan's lessons. Once everything was set in motion, Wei Youcai raised his teacup, took a gentle sip, and smiled. "Now that you are no outsider, Master, that matter of tossing a pheasant into my courtyard back then—I shall consider it forgotten."
A cold sweat broke out across Zhang Sheng once again.
Early the next morning, the sound of clear recitation echoed through the Wei Manor for the very first time.
Inside the study readied overnight, Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan sat facing each other, Zhang Sheng's clear, resonant voice ringing through the room:
"The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. The seven states of the late Zhou... Ahem! A slip of the tongue. Here: The Great Tang has stood for a thousand years, having initially established Jin and Qi..."
Outside the room beneath the window, Wei Youcai, Bald Lao Liu, and the steward crouched against the wall, ears pricked to eavesdrop.
After listening for a moment, Wei Youcai slapped his thigh and whispered, "'The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide!' Uneducated though I am, that sounds damn reasonable! The scholar truly has talent!"
Three years passed in the snap of a finger.
In the turn of an eye, the mountains wore green once more, the Tong River surged with raging waves, and Zhang Sheng had poured into Wei Yuan all the lessons that would normally take others ten years to master.
Chapter 3