The moment the elder Liu Jili stepped inside, Xie An felt an instinctive brush of bad luck.
His immediate thought was that this fellow had to be the hunchbacked gentleman who had stood by the roadside that day, eyeing his carriage train with cold disdain. And thinking on it closely, not just his appearance, but the place and time matched perfectly, did they not?
Was it not said that these men had come along to deliver goods under the wing of Master Du's fortified manor? That had been right at the Jurong highway intersection before Mount Hua.
Of course, Xie Dongshan was a man of breeding. Besides, the age of the man before him seemed slightly off. Sitting cross-legged on the couch, he flicked the crimson deer-tail whisk that had recently won him so much renown in Jiankang and greeted him with a smile. "You are Liu Lang, yes? Please sit."
There was no special ritual of descending from the couch, merely a small folding stool, nor did he rise to greet him in person. He simply waved his whisk. Yet considering their disparity in youth, fame, and family background, at most it could be called nothing more than lacking special deference.
Not to mention, before stepping in, Liu Lang had repeatedly reminded himself that this was a rare opportunity. He had already squandered far too many chances with his foul temper; this time he had to keep his composure. It was one thing for him to wander aimlessly without accomplishing anything, but he could not drag down A-Cheng and the others.
Thus, Liu Jili did not lose his temper. Instead, he clasped his hands in a formal bow and calmly announced his lineage. "Liu Lang of Pengcheng, styled Jili since childhood, greets Xie Dongshan."
Only then did he sit upright on the folding stool, chest held high.
"Jili, is it? Regarding the tiger hunt, you have my deep thanks," Xie An said, nodding. "Were you the one playing the flute that day?"
"It was indeed I who played it, though the tune was taught to me by my clan brother, Liu A-Cheng." Liu Jili's face flushed slightly as he replied with caution.
"So that tale about me was heard by him as well?" Xie An smiled.
"Precisely."
With that, there was nowhere further for that topic to go. Xie An nodded several times before returning to the main matter. "Jili, since you hail from the Liu clan of Pengcheng, might I ask your honored father's name? If by chance I knew him, it would be my privilege."
"My late father bore the taboo name of Yong, courtesy name Junzhi. He once served our court as a Gentleman of the Secretariat and Administrator of Yongjia..." Liu Lang sat rigidly, answering by the book.
At the very first words, Xie An froze on the spot. Matching it to a person in his memory at once, he interrupted in astonishment, "Could your mother's surname be Zheng?!"
"No." Liu Lang had anticipated this question, yet his face still flushed a deep crimson. "That was my father's first wife... I will only be twenty-two after the New Year. My birth mother was naturally a northerner, while Lady Zheng passed away early without bearing children."
Understanding dawned on Xie An. In an instant, he grasped the man's background and every attendant awkwardness, including the reason he had fallen to such straits.
It did not even require Xie An's intellect; anyone in this era who came from a proper aristocratic clan and possessed a broad, retentive memory could have deduced it. It was basic knowledge to their class.
As it turned out, Liu Jili's branch did indeed stem from the most illustrious branch of the Pengcheng Liu clan that had crossed the river south. The most pivotal figure of that branch had been Liu Wei, the closest and most trusted minister of Emperor Yuan, Sima Rui. He had once risen to Palace Assistant Censor and later became General Who Subdues the North, Commander of Military Affairs in Four Provinces.
Yet it was also this branch that, by helping Emperor Yuan centralize imperial authority and curb the aristocratic clans, triggered the full-scale retaliation of the great clans: Wang Dun's Rebellion. Although on the surface Wang Dun's Rebellion ended with the defeat of Wang Dun, his Jingzhou forces, and his local southern supporters, the aristocratic clans had actually ensured their overall triumph. Through defections and standing idly by, they had watched Stone City fall and Emperor Yuan meet his end, using that method to strike down imperial power in truth.
As the nominal target of Wang Dun's campaign to "purge the sovereign's court," when the general situation collapsed, Liu Wei had had no choice but to take over two hundred members of his clan north under Sima Rui's tacit consent, defecting to Shi Zhao.
This incident meant that even if Liu Jili's branch returned today, it was destined to suffer a total decline in lineage status and complete political marginalization.
For the Wang clan of Langya was still there, still a paramount high family; the other aristocratic clans Liu Wei had ruthlessly purged were still there; and the northern and southern clans that had opportunistically played both sides in Wang Dun's Rebellion were still there as well! As for Liu Wei, even after the verdict on Wang Dun's Rebellion had been sealed, the man had never been publicly rehabilitated. Instead, he was remembered by history as a harsh and petty instigator of chaos.
However, Liu Jili's father had another claim to note.
As Liu Wei's nephew, he had married a woman of singular status. At the time, that marriage had seemed like a sycophantic move by Liu Wei to curry favor with Emperor Yuan, Sima Rui, but today it should have been the very leverage this branch needed to turn their fortunes around. For no other reason than that this lady's surname was Zheng—the third younger sister of Lady Zheng Achun of Jianping Park, the most favored concubine of Emperor Yuan's later years.
Zheng Achun had borne Emperor Yuan his last few sons and daughters, including the prince currently running the court, the Prince of Kuaiji, Sima Yu. Among the two princesses, one had married Xun Xian, currently Chief Clerk to the General Who Subdues the North, while the other had married the former Governor of Danyang—Xie An's close friend and brother-in-law, Liu Tan, who had passed away just a year ago.
What a pity that none of this had anything to do with Liu Jili. More than that, this was likely the very root of his personal awkwardness. Liu Lang had not declared his mother's family origins, which meant it was highly probable that when Liu Yong went north and his wife died, he had taken a woman from a humble household—or perhaps even a marriage arranged by Shi Zhao.
She might even have been of mixed barbarian stock; otherwise, where would he have gotten such an imposing stature?
If Sima Yu's faction found out, they would likely feel nothing but disgust.
Yet these were merely personal conjectures. Xie An could hardly pry too deeply, nor did he intend to. He simply sighed and continued his questions. "A pity I never met him... Has your branch returned in full today?"
"No," Liu Jili replied solemnly. "My late father was previously in office in Henan and kept me at his post. Three years ago, he unfortunately passed away. Seeing that the north was no longer a place to rely on, I took only a single bondservant and fled south... Still, with the great collapse of Shi Zhao this time, my cousin Liu Bo has no reason to remain in the north either. I only hope he turns misfortune into blessing and that we brothers might meet again."
Xie An nodded and continued, "Since you have been here for several years already, why did you not seek out your kin? You should know that another branch of your Pengcheng Liu clan, quite closely related to you, still resides in Jiankang."
Xie An was referring to the branch of Liu Wei's uncle, Liu Ne. Liu Ne had been one of the Twenty-Four Friends of Jingu before the southward crossing. After crossing the river, that branch had been unremarkable, yet they maintained the basic status of an aristocratic clan, serving as the Pengcheng Liu clan's respectable facade in Jiankang.
"I went there at the very beginning," Liu Jili said, still ill at ease. "Yet I was young and impetuous back then. Hearing people talk behind my back, wondering what things would have been like had I been born of Lady Zheng... My heart was filled with resentment, and so I took my leave."
Naturally, Xie An mused silently. Even I was just thinking how much better it would have been if you were born of Lady Zheng.
Though mocking within, Xie An maintained a calm exterior. "Being of the same clan and having traveled thousands of li to seek them out, you should have been treated as blood kin without distinction. For them to gossip about your birth was wrong in every respect... How have you spent these years?"
"Merely drifting among kinsmen in Jingkou," Liu Jili said hurriedly. "Currently, I have placed myself under Liu Ren Gong, the son of Lord Xi, the former Administrator of Yanmen and Household General of the Huns. Lord Liu was summoned by the Grand Commander only this year, yet unexpectedly the Grand Commander fell gravely ill, leaving the accompanying townsfolk without relief. So together with several clan brothers, I have been cutting firewood on the mountains, selling mats in the city, or dealing with the Celestial Masters, all to keep those thousand-odd lives alive through the winter. Only because of that did I have the fortune to encounter the noble Xie household on Mount Hua, and the fortune to meet you, Master Dongshan."
A thought turned in Xie An's mind, and he understood the situation at once: more of Xun Xian's mess.
Still, his brother-in-law had only brought forty or fifty thousand refugees from the Huai River region this time, scattering them around Jingkou. It should not cause any great turmoil, so there was no need to dwell on it.
As for this Liu Jili, thorny and awkward as his background was, he was ultimately a man of distinguished lineage. The Pengcheng Liu clan was widespread and deeply rooted; recommending him along the way would cost nothing, and he had already thought of a suitable place for him.
With that in mind, Xie An waved his deer-tail whisk and returned to the matter at hand. "Jili, what is past is past; there is no need to dwell on it. Now that you have returned south of the Yangtze, how can you spend your days chopping and hauling firewood? What are your ambitions?"
"Naturally, to carry on the will of my father and ancestors," Liu Jili said, raising his clasped hands proudly toward the north. "To sweep clear the Great Jin!"
Xie An fell silent for a moment. He truly dared not ask what will of his father and ancestors he intended to carry on, nor whom he planned to sweep away to "clear" the Great Jin. He could only nod vaguely. "To have such ambition is naturally a fine thing..."
"Yet lamentably, I have no path to serve the state." Liu Jili knew the critical moment had arrived and immediately rose to bow. "Master Dongshan, during these three years south of the Yangtze, I, Lang, have been impoverished and destitute, little better than a beggar. Though the will of my forebears endures and my heart to serve the state remains, I fear only that day after day will slip away in vain, squandering my years. I beg of you a single word, a single letter—whether to serve as a petty clerk in a commandery or a stout soldier before your horse, I will give my utmost to repay the state and fulfill my vows!"
If I hadn't already thought of a good place for you, I would be regretting ever letting you through the door, Xie An thought with a lingering chill.
Yet that did not stop him from planting one foot on the couch and smiling. "Jili, you hold me in too high regard. I have spent years wandering idle in the eastern hills, repeatedly disobeying imperial summonses. Those in power at court have long grown sick of me. As far as I know, someone is currently preparing to impeach me, intending to bar me from officialdom for life. Under such circumstances, how could I recommend you for office? As for your wish to be a stout soldier before my horse or a petty clerk in a commandery, if I truly recommended you for that, of course it would be easy enough. My eldest cousin is currently at the Western Garrison; having you serve as a banner commander would be simple. My elder brother is in the Ministry of Personnel and knows many local governors; with a word from him, placing you as a household clerk in Kuaiji Commandery would take no effort at all. Yet would that not ruin your future? Would it not destroy your ambition? How could a household clerk or a banner commander sweep clear the Great Jin?"
Liu Jili felt intensely anxious and conflicted. He was on the verge of saying that if nothing else worked, even a household clerk or a banner commander would do.
Just then, Xie An set down his deer-tail whisk, stroked his knee with one hand, and continued with a smile, "Yet I happen to know an elder of our dynasty, a former Chancellor of the Three Excellencies. Though his temperament differed from your great-uncle's, both were inner ministers and loyal servants to Emperor Yuan—true comrades-in-arms, one might say. He is currently preparing to establish a charity school in Jiankang. If I write a letter introducing your background and recommend you as his student, what do you think? In my view, this is the proper path to entering officialdom."
Liu Jili was both astonished and overjoyed. If this was true, becoming a student to a Chancellor of the Three Excellencies—even if not quite the same as being directly summoned by one—meant that so long as he did not disgrace himself, nine times out of ten he would be summoned by those whom the Chancellor had previously promoted. The Nine-Rank System would naturally follow in due course. This was by far the best possible outcome.
He hurriedly asked, "May I ask Master Dongshan, who is this venerable elder?"
"The former Minister over the Masses, Overseer of the Department of State Affairs, and Inspector of Yangzhou: Cai Mo, Cai Daoming." Xie An kept him in suspense no longer.
Liu Jili froze. He naturally knew Cai Mo, but the trouble was, he had never heard of his great-uncle having any ties with Cai Mo. Besides, Cai Mo...
Xie An seemed to read his thoughts. Pointing toward the brush and ink on the distant desk, gesturing for Liu Jili to bring them to the armrest before the couch, he explained with a smile:
"Lord Cai did nothing during Wang Dun's Rebellion only because, just prior to it, he happened to have been summoned by Wang Dun as Left Chief Clerk to the Minister over the Masses, placing him in an awkward position...
"That appointment did not mean he was disloyal to Emperor Yuan. Quite the contrary; it was because the situation back then was exceedingly complex. Before Wang Dun raised troops, both sides had ties interwoven with the other, both probing and hesitating. That appointment was precisely an attempt by both parties to ease tensions...
"Afterward, not a single person at court raised this matter to reproach him. Naturally, this was partly because everyone was sick of turmoil and unwilling to stir up more trouble, but it was also because he truly had not devised a single plot or stratagem for Wang Dun. Not to mention, in the later Su Jun rebellion, Lord Cai achieved immense merit, fully earning his title as one of the Three Luminaries of the Restoration.
"And an old court veteran of Emperor Yuan like him will certainly look upon you with special favor... Do you have only your childhood name, Jili?"
"Yes," replied Liu Jili, who had been listening raptly.
"On the left side of that desk over there are several calling cards. Fetch one." As he spoke, Xie An had already finished writing the letter of recommendation to Cai Mo—a man who rather disliked Xie An's family, and whom Xie An's family rather disliked in return. Having Liu Jili fetch a card, he slipped the brief letter into an envelope, left it unsealed, and handed it directly to him. "Lord Cai is brilliant, discerning, and possesses profound foresight. If you study moral doctrine and practical affairs under him, you will surely become a man of great capability."
Liu Jili bowed deeply and took the letter, his hands trembling.
He knew that even if he failed to seize this opportunity in the future, that would be his own fault. With this single letter and calling card alone, his former life of poverty and destitution, living little better than a beggar, had been completely overturned.
With that, he bowed respectfully once more. "Master Dongshan's benevolence is something Jili will never forget to the end of his days."
Xie An accepted the bow with composure, raising a hand in dismissal. "Go call that clan brother of yours... Which branch of your Pengcheng clan does he belong to?"
Snapping back to himself, Liu Jili looked bewildered. He truly did not know how to answer, so he hurriedly explained, "A-Cheng also fled from the north, yet he is only fifteen or sixteen—much younger than when I first arrived. He is likely ashamed of his father and grandfather serving the barbarians, so I do not know either. Still, though young, A-Cheng possesses ten times my talent and virtue. Master Dongshan will see the moment you meet him."
Xie An only felt an inward weariness. On one hand, the boy was fifteen or sixteen, unable to master his shame and unwilling to speak of his family line; on the other hand, he was said to possess ten times Liu Jili's talent and virtue. If he was ten times as talented and virtuous, why would he still feel ashamed and refuse to name his lineage?
Even so, Xie An merely smiled. "Is that so? Then I shall see him in person."
Liu Jili bowed repeatedly and respectfully withdrew. Rushing to the servant quarters by the kitchen, unable to conceal his delight, he quickly called Liu Cheng over.
Liu Cheng saw the joy radiating from his companion's face, yet knew better than to ask too many questions. He merely reminded Steward Qian beside them, "You see, Brother Jili's business went exceptionally well. Steward Qian can set your mind at ease now. Once I go inside, I will show the dyed paper to the master of the house, lest we delay matters."
Seeing that this fellow still remembered the paper at a moment like this, Steward Qian was torn between admiration and laughter at his failure to grasp what was important. He merely nodded in vague acquiescence and urged him to hurry inside.
Thus, guided by a bondservant, Liu A-Cheng walked halfway around the perimeter of what seemed to be a large courtyard, turned twice, and entered an independent private courtyard. Finally, the bondservant pointed toward a bright, spacious chamber and stood motionless inside the courtyard gate.
Liu A-Cheng took a deep breath, held his head high, and stepped inside.
Entering the doorway, he saw a man seated on a couch against the western wall, barefoot, one knee raised. That crimson deer-tail whisk Liu Cheng had personally selected lay across his knee, entirely concealing the man's lowered face.
Where are the courtesans from the legends?
That was Liu A-Cheng's first reaction, though it did not stop him from bowing respectfully just inside the door. "Liu Cheng of Pengcheng greets Xie Dongshan."
Xie An lifted his head. Seeing that it was indeed a youth of fifteen or sixteen with thick brows and large eyes, his heart relaxed considerably. Children were what he handled best, and this one looked honest enough. Most importantly, apart from Liu Jili's branch, the rest of the Pengcheng Liu clan carried no major baggage. Straightening slightly, he lowered his gaze and asked in rapid succession, not even offering a seat, "You are Liu A-Cheng? How old are you this year? Have you studied? What was your honored father's name, and where did he serve?"
Liu A-Cheng dared not dawdle, answering according to the tale he had fabricated. "Replying to Master Dongshan, this junior is fifteen, turning sixteen after the New Year. Because of my wanderings in the north, I only learned from my father and grandfather some historical anecdotes of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the experiences of the First Emperor and Emperor Gaozu of Han rising to power, and the historical lineage from the end of Han and the Three Kingdoms down to our present dynasty. I have never dabbled in any other scholarship. That is why, every time I delivered firewood, I would secretly listen to your lectures, inadvertently disturbing you..."
Earlier, facing the face-conscious and awkwardly positioned Liu Jili, Xie An had been cautious to a fault. Facing this oddly spoken youth, he was far more blunt, cutting him off on the spot. "You did that on purpose that day, didn't you? Thinking that having hunted the tiger on Mount Hua constituted a favor to our Xie family, you wanted to use that chance to catch my attention and seek a future for yourself."
"Master Dongshan sees right through me. It was truly because we were pushed to the utmost limits of poverty and helplessness..."
Naturally, Liu A-Cheng could only admit it. He then promptly explained the plight that Liu Ren Gong's refugee band was facing in Jingkou, before turning the subject toward Liu Huzi. "That is why I sought an audience with Master Dongshan, hoping you would permit us to deliver the tiger pelt here, so that we do not waste a precious gift... And of course, I also wished to seek a path forward for my brother, Liu Jian.
"Though young, he has long trained in archery and horsemanship, and he knows the terrain and climate of the Huai River region well. To this day, his family still has several hundred households of kinsmen and over a thousand households of neighbors following them. Moreover, the Pengcheng Liu clan has branches in Pengcheng, Pei Commandery, and Qiao Commandery, deeply rooted in the soil. Appointing him as a commander would be more than enough to deal with the north."
Listening to this, Xie An felt genuinely tempted. This was indeed the so-called 'general's stock'—a fine fit that matched the recruitment traditions of both the Western and Northern Garrisons.
"Is he himself willing to serve as a military commander?" Though Xie An knew this was what they sought, he still had to ask.
"Naturally he is willing," Liu A-Cheng answered promptly on his behalf. "His grandfather once served as Administrator of Yanmen and Household General of the Huns. He comes from general's stock to begin with."
Xie An nodded repeatedly, thoroughly pleased. Not pleased with that unseen Liu Huzi or Liu Jian, but pleased that this boy, depending on others for shelter, knew to speak first on behalf of the companion who had not come. That could be counted as upright and plainspoken. Only now did he seem to remember, casually gesturing toward the folding stool. "If that Liu Jian has the heart for it, let him come here to present the tiger pelt... You have not yet mentioned your honored father's name, or where he served."
"My father once served as the magistrate of Gaoyuan County under Shi Zhao." Having sat down, Liu A-Cheng spoke without blinking or missing a beat. "During the great collapse of Shi Zhao, we were separated by the banks of the Yellow River. His life or death remains unknown to this day."
What kind of background is that?
"Your honored father has fortune on his side; you will surely meet again," Xie An offered as comfort, words he did not believe himself. He followed up immediately, "And your honored grandfather?"
"My grandfather's taboo name was Zhao. In his early years he moved to Qiao Commandery, serving our dynasty as magistrate of Ancheng County, and later served a term as Administrator of Jibei Commandery under Shi Zhao," Liu A-Cheng continued weaving his tale. Go ahead and investigate if you like. "He passed away long ago."
Xie An grew even more speechless. He was essentially certain that this boy's status was among the very lowest within the Pengcheng Liu clan. And looking at his candid demeanor, he showed none of the shame Liu Jili had spoken of, which supposedly made him unwilling to mention his family. In fact, he seemed rather proud of it.
So had Liu Jili been feeling ashamed on this child's behalf earlier?
Yet with a lineage so lowly, how was he to handle him? Write another letter and have him study Confucian classics under Cai Mo? Or have him follow that Liu Jian to be general's stock?
There was simply nowhere for the conversation to go!
Wait, had he forgotten something?
"A-Cheng, earlier, was that anecdote about me and the Liang-Zhu tale compiled by you?" Xie An asked suddenly, looking up from the couch.
"The tale of Liang and Zhu was indeed something this junior heard elsewhere," Liu A-Cheng said without hesitation. "It was not fabricated out of whole cloth; I merely attached it to Master Dongshan's name."
"Oh?" Xie An finally showed a flicker of interest. "You understand musical theory?"
"This junior truly understands nothing of it. It was all collected, arranged, and compiled by my grandfather in Qiao Commandery and passed down to my father. Before my father had time to teach it to me, he would often play those tunes to express his longing for our home and the past. Having heard them so often, I simply recall whichever melody comes to mind," Liu A-Cheng replied, smoothly dissembling once more.
"I see." Xie An let out a sigh. "That explains it. The melody was sorrowful and lingering; even Aunt Song praised it as a peerless masterpiece. It is not something a youth's frame of mind could compose... Where in Qiao Commandery was your family located in the past?"
"North of the Guo River, between Zhi County and Chengfu," Liu A-Cheng answered with equal speed.
"So that is it." Xie An finally found a touch of genuine interest. "Master Ji's homeland."
"Precisely. My grandfather no longer remembered the details, but my father always revered Master Ji, even saying that when he was young, he made a special trip to play the flute before Master Ji's tomb." Liu A-Cheng was prepared for this as well, though he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his fabricated identity was thoroughly unremarkable, but now they finally had common ground.
"Then let me ask you: how did your honored father evaluate Master Ji and the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove?" Glancing at the collection of Ruan Ji's poems near his feet, Xie An posed the question both as a test and because he genuinely did not know what else to ask.
Yet the moment the words left his mouth, Xie An regretted them. The reason was simple: had the boy's father and grandfather been ignorant, it would have been fine, but if they truly understood and spoke the truth, it would only prove embarrassing.
The reason could not be simpler. Though the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove were treated as a single entity and revered as the first generation of Mystery Learning gentlemen of this dynasty, anyone in the know understood that internally, in their political stances, their positions on Confucianism versus Mystery Learning, their personal integrity, and even their literary and philosophical achievements, they were completely different—even sharply opposed.
Strictly speaking, Ji Kang had single-handedly won immense renown for the Seven Sages through his personal charisma and influence. Yet after his death, those within the group who stood opposed to him had smoothly stolen his prestige to enrich themselves.
To be specific, Ji Kang had steadfastly opposed the Sima clan's Western Jin court politically, firmly believed philosophically that Mystery Learning should stage a thorough rebellion against Confucian ritual, and personally insisted on wandering the mountains and forests, staying far from officialdom. Yet Wang Rong of the Langya Wang clan, one of the Seven Sages, had been his exact opposite in every way.
In the end, Ji Kang was put to death, while the remaining Sages maintained silence, letting Wang Rong seize that renown to amass vast wealth across the land, rise to the pinnacle of ministerial rank, merge Confucianism with Mystery Learning, curry favor with the Sima clan, and ultimately die of illness during the War of the Eight Princes without having accomplished a single thing.
What was even more laughable was that the subsequent two generations—the generation of Xie An's father and Xie An's own generation of Mystery Learning gentlemen—had all inherited Wang Rong's ways.
Others might not see it clearly, but could an intelligent man and third-generation leader of the famed gentlemen like Xie An fail to see it?
Thus, the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, the nominal first generation of famed gentlemen of this dynasty, was a topic best left undiscussed. For once examined in earnest, one would find that these seven men varied greatly in quality—and the later generations happened to have inherited the ways of the basest among them.
At the same time, Liu A-Cheng fell silent. He had realized the trouble behind the question as well. The reason was simple: though he did not know the detailed history of the Seven Sages, nor what Wang Rong had done, he at least knew Ji Kang was famous for defying ritual doctrine and had been executed for refusing to cooperate with the Sima clan.
That was hardly the same as today's world, where becoming a famed gentleman meant securing high office, was it?
Yet whenever later generations spoke of the Seven Sages, Ji Kang seemed to be the only one with real substance; of the others, he only remembered Liu Ling stripping off his clothes and Ruan Ji getting drunk to ogle another man's wife.
After pondering for a long while, Liu A-Cheng could only say with utmost care, "My father said that famed gentlemen of Master Ji's generation are not for us to casually judge."
Xie An was utterly taken aback. Staring at the youth before him, his heart surged—this boy truly understood! It was not just his father or grandfather who understood; he understood it himself. Otherwise, why would he be so exceedingly cautious?
He had underestimated this youth.
With that realization, Xie An hurriedly cast aside this topic that should never have been raised, composing his expression. "In that case, we shall speak no more of it. Liu Cheng, let me ask you: what is your ambition?"
This question was simple. Liu A-Cheng raised his clasped hands toward the north. "Naturally, to carry on the glorious cause of my father and ancestors—and sweep clear the Great Jin!"
Who on earth taught you two that? Xie An was left momentarily speechless. Then, striking the armrest before him with his deer-tail whisk, he demanded sharply, "Liu Cheng, do you know that your brother Jili's ambition was also to sweep clear the Great Jin?!"
How could I possibly have known that?!
Liu A-Cheng froze, inwardly cursing, yet on the surface he broke into an easy grin. "Master Dongshan, my 'clearing' and Brother Jili's 'clearing' are not the same thing."
—————— Here is a grin of a divider line ——————
Kuo: to make empty.
— Shuowen Jiezi, Han dynasty, Xu Shen.
The wife of Master Ruan's neighbor was beautiful and tended the counter selling wine. Ruan and Wang Anfeng often drank wine by her stall. When Ruan became drunk, he would lie down to sleep beside the woman. Her husband was at first exceedingly suspicious, but after watching closely, he found that Ruan had no improper intentions whatsoever.
— A New Account of the Tales of the World, "Wild and Free", Chapter 23.
Chapter 35