Chapter Ninety-One: Paying Homage to the Confucian School

When Song Mu opened his eyes again, he only felt the literary force within him surging like a torrential stream crashing against rocks, clattering and roaring.

As the noise in his body gradually subsided, he probed it again and discovered that in this brief moment alone, his literary force had already grown by several degrees.

Though it was only a gain as thin as a strand of hair, Song Mu, who had spent these past days in devoted cultivation and had already begun to grasp the growth of literary force, understood clearly that if he relied on his own efforts, it might still take several months.

He also found that the power in his mind seemed to have increased as well.

This baptism by the Literary Star had brought Song Mu a pleasant surprise indeed.

Before long, the scholars of Shiyang County all awoke in turn, and Shao Le beside Song Mu was now wearing a look of delight.

Song Mu glanced over and saw that the man had successfully entered the scholar rank.

Everyone present had improved to one degree or another. After all, this baptism by the Literary Star was truly extraordinary. To receive the azure radiance of the Literary Star at such close range, to let that vast current of literary aura pour into the body, was enough to leave everyone astonished and delighted.

"Congratulations, all of you. From this day forth, you are scholars of our Great Literary Dynasty."

Once again that deep, resonant voice rang out. Everyone lifted their heads to look at the elder before them. He swept his sleeve, and from within it appeared one badge after another.

These waist badges floated in a ring around him, each flashing with an odd light. Wrapped now in streams of literary force from the elder, patterns began to take shape upon them.

Soon the ordinary candidate badges at everyone's waists were taken away, and with a wave of the elder's hand, the scholar badges descended into each person's hands.

Song Mu received one as well, and he carefully examined the scholar badge in his palm.

It was a silver plaque, three fingers wide and about two inches long. In the center was set a tiny stone flecked with glittering points of light.

Around that stone was a band of silver metal, also shimmering with specks of silver light and engraved with all manner of strange patterns.

"This is your literary rank as scholars. On the back of each badge are your names, native places, and facial descriptions; it serves as your proof of identity."

The elder spoke with a calm expression.

"This badge will also aid the flow of your literary force. Of course, your teachers will explain how to use it later."

With that, the elder waved the crowd away. Everyone bowed and saluted before turning to leave the altar, but then the elder suddenly called out to Song Mu.

Song Mu turned at once, and the elder had already come before him.

"So you are Song Mu?"

The elder asked. His wrinkled face was lined with age, yet his eyes kept measuring Song Mu over and over. Song Mu hurriedly nodded, and the elder's old face broke into a satisfied smile. He nodded again and stroked his beard.

"Good. You truly are a fine young man. You have entered the first-class scholar rank. What plans do you have for the future?"

Song Mu felt a surge of delight at those words. He knew very well that scholars were divided into three tiers and nine grades, and the higher the grade, the more directly it reflected the depth of one's literary force, as well as one's prospects of eventually becoming a provincial graduate.

Scholars cultivate literary force; graduates temper literary courage. Only when literary force is profound can the literary heart stand firm.

Yet he did not quite understand the elder's meaning, and so he only looked at him with a puzzled expression.

The elder continued, saying, "You are a first-class scholar, and you possess both literary force and mind power. That makes you no ordinary scholar. You could become a realm-shaper, or a realm-breaker."

"Realm-shaper and realm-breaker?" Song Mu paused, then seemed to understand a little, and he promptly cupped his hands and said, "In reply to Your Excellency, Song Mu has not yet given it careful thought."

The elder remained serene, only saying, "It matters not. It is not too late. In time, if you advance literary force and mind power together, becoming a realm-breaker would be best."

Hearing this, Song Mu nodded solemnly.

The elder then waved him off, signaling that he could leave. But one last sentence drifted into Song Mu's ears.

"If you remain steadfast and disciplined, your foundations are excellent. In time, at the very least, you may stand where I stand and take charge of the Literary Star."

Song Mu heard this and bowed deeply.

He knew full well what office this elder held: a Literary Star official, a civil servant of the Literary Dynasty charged specifically with the Literary Star, directly under the Ministry of Rites, responsible for local sacrificial rites and the rites of the imperial examinations.

And every Literary Star official was a jinshi scholar with equal mastery of literary force and mind power, and none could hold the post unless they were a person of great virtue and renown. In other words, they were all formidable realm-breakers, people able to wield both brush and blade in this life, possessed of both civil and martial brilliance.

What the elder had said was, in truth, encouragement for Song Mu to become a towering figure in time.

Song Mu saluted respectfully once more before stepping down from the altar.

As he descended, the second group of scholars was already making its way up. Song Mu passed Xue Kaiwen on the stairs.

Their eyes met for an instant, and then they exchanged only a slight nod before moving on.

After coming down from the altar, Song Mu and the others were led to a row of sheds nearby, where minor clerks began distributing scholar robes and caps. Song Mu received two sets of brand-new clothes, shoes, and headgear, along with a fresh golden volume of Literary Force.

At the sight of these things, everyone was overjoyed and hurriedly began to put them on.

The scholar robes had all been issued according to size, so they fit each person rather well.

Song Mu followed suit and began dressing with the others.

By then, a new round of baptism by the Literary Star had already begun on the altar not far away.

The scholars waiting below, seeing Song Mu and the others receive their ranks and don scholar robes, were eager with anticipation.

Seven or eight groups ascended the altar in succession. Before long, more than seventy scholars had completed the baptism by the Literary Star and received the items of a scholar, all thrilled by the change in status that came with the scholar rank.

Song Mu was already fully dressed and capped, standing in the crowd awaiting the next step.

Once the procession was complete, they would still need to pay respects to the sages of Confucianism and then parade through the streets as scholars before the posting of the results could truly be said to be finished.

He raised his eyes toward the altar in the distance. The elder in splendid robes had already put away the Literary Star and was now carrying the box away.

Song Mu could not help but recall the words the elder had just spoken. In only a few simple sentences, the man had already set a goal before him.

A man of letters should ascend to the utmost summit. Since he possessed both mind power and literary force, he naturally ought to cast his gaze farther and wider.

"Scholar Song, let us set out!"

Before long, a minor clerk came to Song Mu's side and said this, pulling his thoughts back.

All the young talents on the rolls had now completed their baptism by the Literary Star. The scholars had all been granted their ranks and scholar robes, and at this moment everyone was assembled in formation beneath the altar, ready to proceed to the Confucian Shrine under the guidance of Academic Inspector Fan.

The Confucian Shrine was the place where the Confucian school honored its great sages.

To go there and pay respects was not only to brighten the hearts of men of letters, but also to console the former worthies of the school: may the Confucian house prosper, and may men of letters continue without end.

As the top scholar, Song Mu would bow first before the shrine.

He glanced back. Kong Zheng stood behind him with a smile, and at this moment he too cupped his hands toward Song Mu.

"Brother Song, please."

At that moment, many of the scholars were looking toward Song Mu.

Song Mu nodded, tugged at the scholar robe on his body, and slowly stepped forward.

By now Academic Inspector Fan and the other officials had already reached the Confucian Shrine. When Song Mu and the other students came up, Academic Inspector Fan gave a serious nod and then turned to lead the way.

"Bow to the Confucian Shrine!"

Everyone lowered their hands and heads, following after him at a measured pace.

The Confucian Shrine stood behind the altar, a quiet little courtyard where a broad stone wall had been erected.

Upon that wall were carved the sages of the Confucian path.

The Sage, Mencius, Xunzi, Sage Zhang, and the Seventy-Two Worthies.

Along both sides of the stone wall were more carved names, belonging to every great Confucian scholar who had appeared since the founding of the dynasty.

Song Mu saw the name of his ancestor, Song Wenrong, among them.

And the names carved there were all great scholars long vanished into the river of history.

Academic Inspector Fan led the students forward. By now a table had already been set up before the stone wall, and amid the faint fragrance of sandalwood, Fan announced the scholars who had reached their rank today, offering tribute to the sages of the shrine.

When Fan finished speaking, Song Mu straightened his chest at once. In his scholar robe, he came before the stone wall and knelt to make his first bow.

At that moment, Song Mu was filled with emotion, and he could not help but think again of the time beneath Song Wenrong's shadow, and of those eyes filled with recognition.