Chapter 125: Don’t Let Yun Qin and Song Sheng Lead You Astray

Although the academy teaches the Six Arts of a Gentleman, it does not include them in the formal assessments, focusing instead on subjects related to the imperial examinations. The assessment lasted only one day, after which the students were free to arrange their own schedules for the next three days. Some chose to leave the mountain, while others remained to study diligently. Most, however, chose to head down the mountain with their classmates to replenish daily necessities and share a meal before returning to their studies. Immediately after the exam, students gathered in small groups to discuss how they had answered the questions.

The students of the Yellow Pavilion surrounded Li Su, all eager to ask for the answers to the arithmetic problems. In their eyes, Li Su’s answers were undoubtedly correct. Li Su simply wrote down his answers, and the students crowded around to see. Although Dean Wei’s teaching style was intimidating, it was undeniably effective; they all felt their arithmetic skills had improved significantly.

Li Su, Yun Qin, and Song Sheng sat together to discuss their answers as well.

"Are we going down the mountain today?" Yun Qin asked after their discussion.

"Let’s go tomorrow. It’s quite late now. I’ll go ask my master and my foster father for two days of leave before we head down," Li Su said, glancing at the sky.

Song Sheng nodded in agreement. "I’ll go ask my instructor for leave now. I’m heading back to the capital. I’ll join you for a meal tomorrow, and then I’ll set off." Having spent so much time with Yun Qin and Li Su, Song Sheng had become slightly more talkative in their presence. "Brother Yun, Brother Li, is there anything you need? I can bring it back from the capital."

Yun Qin shook his head. "I don’t need anything."

"Neither do I, for now. Go back and handle your affairs with peace of mind," Li Su added.

Song Sheng nodded slightly. "Alright." He felt a sense of unease, uncertain of what he would face upon his return.

"Come back soon," Li Su said.

Song Sheng nodded firmly at him. The worst-case scenario was already clear, and now he had two good friends in Brother Li and Brother Yun.

***

That evening, when Li Su went to ask Xi Sheng and Wei Shi’an for leave, he was immediately grabbed by an excited Wei Shi’an. "Li Su, we must hurry and make a few more 'thousand-mile eyes' (telescopes)!"

Li Su was confused. "What happened?"

Wei Shi’an handed him a letter from Wei Shining. "Read this."

Li Su took the letter and read it quickly. The telescopes had just been put into use and had already achieved results, catching two waves of Turkic troops. Both Li Su and Wei Shi’an felt a swell of pride. Wei Shi’an thought triumphantly that his advocacy for "investigating things" (natural philosophy) had proven its great worth.

"Let’s work hard, father and son, and quickly make a few more telescopes to send over," Wei Shi’an urged.

Li Su looked at Xi Sheng, who nodded slightly. "The Turks are restless, and since the telescopes have proven so effective, and General Wei has requested them, let us work hard to make a few more."

"From now on, we will use all your time meant for natural philosophy to make these telescopes," Wei Shi’an said, his tone urgent.

"Foster father, how is the one you were working on recently?" Li Su asked, assuming at least one was finished.

Wei Shi’an’s expression stiffened. "It’s still a bit off..."

"If they are needed urgently, this pace is too slow," Li Su noted. "How about this, Foster Father: I will create a mold so that when we fire the glass, we can cast the general shape of the two lenses. We can then refine them through precision grinding, which will be much faster." He also planned to make a mold for the wine bottles he wanted, complete with a special trademark on the base.

Wei Shi’an’s eyes lit up. "That’s a good idea. Hurry and make the molds."

"But Foster Father, it’s not the more the better," Li Su cautioned. "The military camp is full of people. If there are too many telescopes, they’ll easily be stolen. If only the diagrams were leaked, it wouldn't be a disaster because they are difficult to manufacture, but I am worried about the finished products falling into enemy hands."

Wei Shi’an and Xi Sheng agreed with Li Su’s logic. "Then we shall make nine more to round out the number. Your Uncle will only entrust them to those he trusts."

Li Su nodded and remembered why he had come. "Master, Foster Father, I am going down the mountain with some friends tomorrow."

Xi Sheng and Wei Shi’an exchanged looks and reluctantly agreed. Wei Shi’an didn't want to, but considering this was Li Su’s first break since arriving, he relented. Suddenly, he remembered something. "If you are going down the mountain, ask for leave properly. Don't sneak over the wall in the middle of the night."

Li Su: "!!!"

"Foster Father, you knew?"

Xi Sheng looked at his young disciple, shocked. He climbed over the wall at night?

"The academy is surrounded by my secret guards. What do you think?" Wei Shi’an said. Though previously he had been too busy with his research to pay attention, he had added student movements to the regular reports after the Qian Zuzu incident. As his foster son, Li Su’s actions were reported immediately. "I taught you martial arts, not to use it for climbing walls."

Li Su: "..." It had only been that one time.

"Don't corrupt Yun Qin and Song Sheng. Be careful that their families don't come after you! Those are elegant young masters, and you’re dragging them out to climb walls in the middle of the night!"

"I didn't! I wasn't! Don't talk nonsense!" Li Su immediately defended himself.

"You were so proficient at it, you must do it often. Are you saying I’m wrong?" Wei Shi’an retorted.

Xi Sheng spoke up then. "Wei Shi’an, you’re the one corrupting my disciple. He didn't have such habits before."

Wei Shi’an: "???"

Li Su felt balanced now. If you wrong someone, you shall be wronged in return! "That was honestly the first time. I didn't corrupt them; they were the ones standing by my bed, waking me up because they felt bad about coming to see you empty-handed. That’s why we climbed over the wall," Li Su explained.

Wei Shi’an: "..."

Xi Sheng: "..."

"I need to make the molds!" Li Su quickly changed the subject.

Wei Shi’an fell silent. That night, Li Su finished the molds for both the telescopes and the wine containers.

"What are these for? You even carved words on the bottom?" Wei Shi’an asked.

Li Su explained his plans briefly. Wei Shi’an’s eyes lit up. "You can brew wine? Give me some! If it tastes good, I’ll send some to your Uncle."

Li Su’s eyes flickered. Compared to wine, what Uncle Wei needed more was alcohol for sterilization.