Chapter 41: Auditing at the Prefecture Academy

After a day spent settling in, the next morning dawned with the first light of day.

Wang Mingyuan declined his eldest brother’s company, shouldered his book box, and walked along the bluestone path toward the Prefectural Academy, which was not far away. Today, he was to finalize the arrangements for his status as an auditor.

The Academy was situated in the eastern part of the city, where the cultural pulse of the region converged. From a distance, a solemn and imposing complex of grey-tiled buildings stood firm. The vermilion gates were over a zhang high, reinforced with imposing copper studs. Hanging above the lintel was a plaque with black lacquer and gold lettering, inscribed with the four vigorous characters: "Chang'an Prefectural Academy." Two stone lions guarded the entrance, staring straight ahead with an inviolable, majestic air.

Wang Mingyuan informed the gatekeeper that he was there to see Instructor Li, having arrived from Yongle Town, and that his name was Wang Mingyuan. After a short wait, a servant emerged and led him into the depths of the Academy.

Stepping inside, Wang Mingyuan’s eyes lit up. A broad main path of bluestone stretched straight ahead, flanked by ancient, towering cypresses. Courtyard after courtyard unfolded along the central axis, and the air was filled with the tranquil scent of aged ink and parchment. The servant led him through the ceremonial gate, bypassed the library archives, and headed toward a more modest residential area on the west side.

In a side chamber labeled "Minglun Hall," he met Instructor Li Minglan, the man mentioned in his teacher’s letter. Instructor Li was in his forties, his frame as lean and refined as bamboo. He wore a slightly worn indigo robe, the cuffs washed thin and pale. He was hunched over his desk grading assignments, but at the sound of footsteps, he looked up, his eyes sharp as a hawk’s.

"Student Wang Mingyuan, acting on the instructions of my mentor Zhao Wenqi, has come to pay his respects to Instructor Li." Wang Mingyuan offered the letter written by Teacher Zhao with both hands, bowing deeply until his hands touched the floor.

Li Qiutong accepted the letter but did not open it immediately. He let his gaze linger on Wang Mingyuan for a moment before slowly unfolding the paper. The room fell silent, save for the faint rustle of parchment and the distant, soughing sound of pines outside the window.

After a long while, he set the letter down and tapped his knuckles against the stationery. "Brother Wenqi has written to me many times, comparing you to unpolished jade and raw gold. You certainly have a decent appearance, at least." He paused, a sharper glint appearing in his eyes. "I only wonder if the learning within can withstand the biting winds and icy swords of the Prefectural Academy?"

The examination was as sharp as a blade, a test of his mettle.

"From which chapter of the *Analects* does the phrase 'The gentleman is not a vessel' originate? Does Zhu Xi’s commentary—'a vessel is suited only to its specific use'—contradict the original intent of Confucius?"

The instructor’s questions were like cold arrows, striking at the very foundation of his knowledge, testing both his rote memory of the classics and his ability to analyze their profound meanings.

Wang Mingyuan composed himself and replied with a formal salute: "Reporting to the Instructor, 'The gentleman is not a vessel' originates from the 'Wei Zheng' chapter of the *Analects*. Zhu Xi’s commentary that 'a vessel is suited only to its specific use' explains the nature of a vessel—it has a fixed purpose and cannot be versatile. However, when Confucius says 'the gentleman is not a vessel,' he means that a gentleman should transcend the limitations of a vessel, possessing virtues and abilities that are comprehensive rather than confined to a single path. The two do not contradict each other: Zhu Xi clarifies the 'fixed use' of a vessel to contrast with how a gentleman should seek 'universal virtue,' which perfectly echoes the original intent of Confucius."

Instructor Li’s eyes brightened slightly. He pressed further: "If you were to write an essay on this topic, how would you approach the 'debate between the Way and the vessel' in your opening?"

Wang Mingyuan pondered for a moment. "The sage is not a vessel, for only the Way permeates all vessels. A vessel, like a boat or a carriage, has its specific use; the Way, like a river, sees all streams return to the source. The gentleman embodies the Way while utilizing vessels, much like a craftsman who uses a plumb line and an axe. Though he relies on the vessel to accomplish the task, his ultimate goal is to illuminate the Way. Thus, he is not hindered by the vessel, and his virtue and utility are infinite..."

Instructor Li nodded, then continued, "‘The gentleman devotes himself to the root; when the root is established, the Way is born.’ Where does this appear in the *Analects*? In an examination essay, how would you develop the character for 'root'?" This was a direct inquiry into the practical requirements of the imperial examinations. For the *xiucai* exams, the ability to interpret classic texts through the eight-legged essay format was paramount.

"It originates from the 'Xue Er' chapter," Wang Mingyuan replied after a brief reflection. "If I were to write this, the opening could be: 'The sages show people how to return to simplicity, for the root is that from which the Way is born.' The development would then elaborate: the root lies in filial piety and fraternal duty; filial piety is the root of benevolence, and benevolence is the root of all virtue..."

...

After several rounds of questioning, the room fell into silence. Li Qiutong picked up his teacup, skimmed the foam, and took a sip. His expression remained as calm as a frozen well, but the icy scrutiny in his eyes had quietly melted into a flicker of approval.

"Brother Wenqi was certainly not mistaken about you." He set down his teacup, his voice still level but lacking its earlier edge. "Lectures at the Academy begin at the third quarter of the *chen* hour (8:45 AM) every day. You may come to audit them. There are only two rules: First, listen only, do not speak; unless questioned by an instructor, you may not ask questions or offer opinions without authorization. Second, you must complete the assignments and essays just like the official students; no perfunctory work is allowed. Violate either, and your status as an auditor will be revoked immediately. Can you do this?"

"This student will hold these rules in his heart!" A great weight lifted from Wang Mingyuan’s chest, and he bowed deeply once more.

Following this, Li Qiutong personally led him to a spacious lecture hall on the east side. The floor was paved with blue bricks, and dozens of elm desks were arranged in neat rows. Many students sat with rigid posture, diligently studying. At the front of the hall, an elderly man with white hair and a kind face was organizing his scrolls.

Li Qiutong stepped forward to whisper a few words. After their exchange, the old man looked up, his gaze as warm as polished jade.

"Instructor Li has already told me of your situation," the old man said, his voice slow and steady, possessing an inherent power to calm the mind. "I am Liu Yi, the instructor for this class. Since you are here to audit, sit in the empty seat in the back row. I assume Brother Minglan has already explained the rules of the Academy to you?"

Seeing Wang Mingyuan nod, Instructor Liu smiled slightly. "Very well. The path of learning prizes perseverance. I hope you will conduct yourself accordingly."

Wang Mingyuan sat in the corner of the last row. A fellow student with a refined appearance sitting beside him whispered, "Instructor Liu is profound in his learning, especially skilled in policy essays, and is very generous toward others."

Before he could finish, Liu Yi stood in the center of the hall and tapped the paperweight on his desk.

"Today, we continue with the chapter 'When Heaven is about to confer a great office...' from *Mencius, Gaozi II*." Instructor Liu went straight to the point, his voice not loud, yet clearly audible to everyone. "Last time we discussed 'afflicting his heart and mind'; today, we will explore the true meaning of 'taxing his sinews and bones.'"

He did not merely provide a literal translation but instead drew upon historical examples:

"In the past, King Wen was imprisoned at Youli and deduced the *I Ching*. Was it merely the taxing of his sinews and bones? It was more than the suffering of incarceration! It was because he was in extreme distress that he used grass stalks to calculate the laws of Heaven. That was the taxing of his sinews and bones bearing the weight of his heart’s affliction! Look again at Fan Wenzheng, who cut his porridge to survive at Liquan Temple, copying books in the freezing night until his fingers cracked. This was not merely physical labor, but the grinding of his sinews and bones to forge a character of 'worrying before the world, and enjoying after the world'..."

Wang Mingyuan was deeply moved. While his previous teacher, Zhao, had focused on the tempering of the spirit, Instructor Liu concretized "the taxing of sinews and bones" through the struggles of historical figures in extreme adversity, pointing out the dialectical connection between physical hardship and the tempering of the mind.

What shocked Wang Mingyuan even more was Instructor Liu’s analysis of the phrase "depleting his body":

"This 'depletion' is not merely about hunger and poverty!" Instructor Liu’s gaze swept across the room. "What a scholar fears most is for the 'heart' to be filled—filled with preconceptions, filled with vanity, filled with stale and rote phrases! If the heart is overflowing, how can new knowledge enter? How can one bear a great responsibility? Therefore, the sage must 'deplete his body,' clearing away the silt that clogs the spirit, so that there is a void to receive the upright energy of Heaven and Earth, and a clarity to reflect the principles of all things!"

Sunlight streamed through the high windows, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor. Instructor Liu’s voice flowed like a clear spring, leaving a profound impression on Wang Mingyuan.

Soon, the lecture ended, and Instructor Liu assigned the day’s essay topic: "On Water Transport and Border Defense." This was far beyond the level of the standard assignments he had done previously, making him marvel at the depth of the curriculum at the Prefectural Academy. It also gradually washed away the small amount of arrogance he had felt after becoming the top scholar in the county examination. The Academy was truly the Academy!

He clenched his fists, his palms slightly damp with sweat. It seemed that this trip to Chang'an was the right choice indeed!