Proofread by Yin Jing
The atmosphere freezes all at once. w.a.n.g Ping is the leader of the clan. While they are spoiled by him, seeing that he is very angry, Ruyan and Ruyu lower their head, too frightened to speak.
The looks of the beloved daughters also distress the Marquis, so after a while, he lowers his voice, “Why, I do it for your sake! As an aristocrat of the Great An, a dignified lord, I didn’t even stress the hierarchy! I have showed my mercy on him a pleb for letting him marry one of my daughters.”
“Humph, he is a promising prodigy, that’s why you would promise him!” Mumbles Ruyu in a low voice.
“What? What are you saying? Am I that kind of person? If he follows me, with my protection, he may become a Grand marshal! If he just relies on his own efforts ... huh! I’m not looking down upon him, but at best he will become an inferior county magistrate.” w.a.n.g Ping knows the darkness of officialdom well --- for one who has no background, promotion is impossible.
“Not necessarily. Mr. Li has been little known, but since he came to Pingdu, everything he has done is unexpected and great. Even you, father, you claim to be the top general in the Great An, lost to him too.” Hearing that her lover is underestimated by her father, Ruyan retorts immediately.
“You ...! You have taken sides with an outsider even before you get married! I shouldn’t have spoiled you! Besides, I never claim myself as the top general --- actually I obtained the t.i.tle with my feat! When I was in the capital, I won 18 wargames back to back and got the champion. I bet against our Majesty and won my fief. Do you think I’m just a paper tiger?”
“Perhaps Mr. Li’s fief will be larger than yours!” Ruyu pouts.
“All right, so you two are determined. I will give the bloke two years --- if he can have his own fief, I will agree; otherwise I will drive him away from my fief! It’s a deal.” w.a.n.g Ping doesn’t even have the meal and leaves angrily.
His word is sort of harsh. In the Great An, you may obtain a superior t.i.tle of n.o.bility or become a dignitary, but it’s hard to get a fief. Among the nine existing lords, except w.a.n.g Ping who won his fief by fortune, everyone else is royal relative. Marquis w.a.n.g Ping’s word shows his determination to annul the marriage.
The sisters weep quietly. After all, marriage is such an important event. According to the Great An’s law, none can marry them unless the clan leader agrees. Moreover, Heaven has no ability to s.n.a.t.c.h a bride from a lord’s mansion!
When Heaven hears the Marquis’s words, he is nearly stupefied --- half a day before, this old guy was still kind and on the cloud nine. How can he change so rapidly? “My lord, how could that be? You just make me in a pickle!”
Marquis w.a.n.g Ping sneers, “Bloke, aren’t you able? You stay in my mansion, lying on your belly on the board, then within three and a half days you have lured my daughters into marrying you! Both of them! How great you are!” The more w.a.n.g Ping says, the angrier he is. He gnashes his teeth and continues, “Two years, bloke, do you hear that? If you won’t have accomplished it but dare to meet my daughters, then don"t blame me for being rude. And, from now on, you can move out from my mansion. Don’t meet my daughters. I don’t want to see you for even a moment. Now, go away!”
Knowing that there"s no use discussing it, Heaven nods, “It’s fine. Two years. Two years later I will pick them up. I, a dignified pleb will keep my word. Your Honor, please take care of them for two years for my sake.” Then he turns away.
At this time, Heaven hasn’t realized the difficulty of obtaining a fief. In his opinion, so long as he works hard, he will probably have his own fief. He is still a new comer, knowing little about this world.
w.a.n.g Ping stares at Heaven’s receding figure, as if he recalls something suddenly. Why! The reckless bloke left without a salute! How can a pleb be dignified? Take care of my daughters for his sake? I have taken care of them a dozen years! It is he who wants to s.n.a.t.c.h my beloved treasure, how can mine become his at a draught? He p.i.s.ses me off! “The girls are grounded for a month!”
After half a month’s work, Grand Scholar Liu Dong finally finishes the correction of all the papers. He keeps shaking his head --- except Heaven’s paper, all the others are unpresentable. He has no choice but to choose the taller among the dwarfs. The list of top ten is submitted to the court, and there is also an announcement in Pingdu. It is also understandable --- the candidates had already been nervous, then they were startled by Heaven’s cry. With minds in turmoil, how can they have good ideas?
After leaving the Marquis’s mansion, Heaven waits for two days in the inn, never seeing Ruyan and Ruyu. He knows that they must be guarded by w.a.n.g Ping. The announcement has been issued, within a month candidates on the list should report to the capital.
Considering he will go to the capital, Heaven goes back home, leaving the overworked old couple 800 taels of silver. They work all their lives, treating Heaven as their own son. Throughout more than half a year, their thoughtful kindness really lets Heaven have a feeling of being at home. But when Heaven says the money is awarded by the court, the excited old couple once again come to the shabby temple and praise the Sun G.o.d.
Before returning to the capital, Grand Scholar Liu Dong specially visits Marquis w.a.n.g Ping, hoping to see Heaven. However, w.a.n.g Ping says that Heaven has returned home. According to the Marquis, after a few days’ observation, he found that this candidate not only has misbehavior but no regard for superiors. The Grand Scholar is wild with joy when he hears this comment. What he is afraid of is that talents like Heaven will get roped in by these military officers. Seeing w.a.n.g Ping’s expression and the spread news of his fiasco, Liu Dong secretly makes a decision. When he returns to the capital, he will spare no efforts to bond with Heaven Li, so as to train him as his trusted follower.
The reputation of a person is just like the shadow of a tree. When Heaven is doing his filial respect to the old couple, his deeds are eulogized by some Pingdu’s minstrels. Stories like “Heaven’s performance surpa.s.ses the orian”, “Heaven’s benevolence moves the G.o.d”, “Heaven’s talent shocks the examiner”, “Heaven’s tactics defeat the Marquis” are gradually spread through the Great An.
At a lightning speed Heaven is all the rage at the time. Some greedy booksellers immediately release bestsellers like Heaven Li’s Secrets for Success, Heaven Li’s Inescapable Stories, Heaven Li and ‘Beauties in the West’, which are sold out immediately.
Finally, Heaven is on his way to the capital. It takes about six to seven days from his house to the capital. This time he doesn’t ride on a donkey. Instead, he hires a carriage, with many books and dry rations on it. Lest he be bludgeoned with plank once again, Heaven plans to make a full preparation for the final exam. He hasn’t known that he has become a celebrity!
Nothing happens on the way. The Great An values literacy, so brigands and robbers are rare. Even a quarrelsome man will cite the well-known sayings of sages, as if the sage would stand by his side once he cites him first.
The Great An has a prosperous capital, which is also frequently visited by envoys from various countries. Peddlers and vendors spare no efforts to show themselves in such a promising land. However, there are l.u.s.t and darkness accompanied with the prosperity.
Six or seven days later, Heaven’s carriage arrives at the outskirts of the capital. After a tiring journey, he really wants to make haste to enter the capital, find a luxury inn, take a bath and have a good sleep!
“The man before in the carriage, what do you do and who are you?” Heaven is awakened by a yell. He lifts the curtain and sees a guard inquiring. The carter pulls the rein and stops the carriage, “Your Honor, the man in my carriage is a candidate who will take the final exam!” says he proudly.
“Cut the c.r.a.p! What do you have in the carriage? Leave the carriage for check!” The two guards don’t go for it--- it has already been a convention for these sharp-eyed guards to blackmail carriages from other places. They can instantly recognize what kind of carriage they can’t afford to offend or what kind of carriage they can bully easily. It’s a skilled task! A man in a splendid carriage may slap you as soon as he gets off the carriage, and you can just endure; a poor man won’t even give you a cent even if you dry your mouth up, pop your eyes out! The best choice is carriages like Heaven’s normal one. And it’s sure that two men who can afford a carriage must be wealthy. Alas, blackmail isn’t an easy job! Perhaps you will encounter a difficult person!
Even if they encounter two serious plebs who will complain to the troop leader, their complaint will end up with nothing definite if they don’t have background, because guards grease the troop leader’s palm every month!
Heaven gets off the carriage. He is remarkably kind with the guards. Comparing with a big bug, it’s harder for you to deal with a small potato. This is the permanent law and he doesn’t want to get in trouble.
“What do you have in the carriage?”
“Books.”
“What’s your name? You look something like a wanted robber!” The guard points at Heaven impa.s.sively, which means it’s time for him to hand in money.
For Heaven, such a wile is a piece of cake. In no mood of getting in trouble, he takes out several pennies. “Your Honor, I’m a candidate coming to the capital to take the final exam. I bring the recommendation, which was given by Marquis w.a.n.g Ping in Pingdu. How can I get involved with a robber? Your Honor, you work too hard! With these pennies you can buy some food and drink. Excuse my poor treat!”
Seeing that Heaven is clever and generous, the guards nods and smiles, “Well, you’re welcome, sir ... , could I have the name, please?”
“Heaven Li.”
“Heaven Li? Oh! Heaven Li from Pingdu? You are Heaven Li?”