Chapter 93: Dean Wei Comes Personally to Fetch Him

The next day, Li Su set out with the letter his master had given him. On his back was a book chest, in one hand he carried the oversized satchel his mother had made for him, and in the other a bundle packed with clothes and other necessities.

At first, the load had not seemed too burdensome, but the farther he walked, the heavier it all became.

Fortunately, he had kept up his training. Otherwise, with his old constitution, he would likely never have made it up there carrying all this.

Even so, he had already brought as little as he could, and it was still quite a lot.

Li Su lifted his eyes toward the heights, wondering just how much farther the academy still was.

He continued climbing for a while longer before he came upon several students in long robes, though their expressions were a little suspicious and furtive.

When they saw Li Su, they had clearly meant to avoid him, but once they realized he was a stranger, they relaxed.

Then their eyes fell on the things he was carrying, and admiration filled their faces. To haul so much up the mountain alone and still not be out of breath was no small feat.

Li Su looked at them. "May I ask how much farther it is to Bright Peak Academy?"

"Still a way to go," one of them answered. "How are you carrying all that up here by yourself?"

When they came up, someone always helped them carry their things.

"I wanted to exercise a little."

"If anyone asks whether you saw people on the way up, just say you didn't," one of them hurriedly reminded him. They had climbed over the wall in secret.

Li Su gave a slight nod. "All right. But why is that?"

The student who seemed to be leading them wore a bitter expression. "We're going down the mountain to find something to eat. You'll understand once you go. The food in the academy is simply awful!"

"Isn't the academy not supposed to let people go down the mountain whenever they like?" Li Su asked again.

The student gave a wry look. "That's right. We're only allowed down once a month." But in truth, there were times when a month was simply too long to bear, and everyone would sneak down the mountain to find something decent to eat.

Li Su understood at once. The academy was much like a modern boarding school, except that students weren't allowed to go home and the meals were terrible.

His master truly knew how to pick a place.

"We're leaving now. If you hurry, you can still catch the academy's midday meal," the student said, looking at Li Su with sympathetic eyes. Once he tasted it, he'd know exactly how bad it was.

In truth, they rather looked forward to seeing the faces of the new students the first time they were forced to eat the academy's food.

But since they had finally managed to slip out, they naturally had to get down the mountain and eat something good first.

"Thank you, brothers." After Li Su finished thanking them, he continued climbing, while the few students headed down the mountain at a brisk pace.

At last, Li Su saw the academy. To the left stood a massive stone stele, on which the words Bright Peak Academy were engraved.

The academy perched upon the summit of an isolated peak, as if it had firmly bitten into the ridge, silently gazing down upon the winding mountains below. The high lintel of the gate bore the academy's name, carved with vigorous and forceful strokes.

Li Su was very pleased with what he saw. It looked exactly as he had imagined.

He took the letter of recommendation his master had given him in hand and stepped forward.

Standing guard at the gate was a middle-aged man with a stern expression, the sort of face that suggested he was not one to show any mercy.

When the middle-aged man saw Li Su, he asked with a stiff face, "Are you a student here?"

"Not yet. I came today to enroll. May I ask where I should go first?" Li Su asked politely.

"Just arrived to enroll?" The middle-aged man sized him up, puzzled. Hadn't all the students admitted this year already gone inside?

"Let me see your letter of recommendation." The child didn't look like a liar.

Li Su held out the letter with both hands.

When the middle-aged man saw the name at the end, his eyes widened. He looked from Li Su back to the letter, then at Li Su again.

"Wait here for a moment."

He waved someone over. "Xiao Zhao, keep watch here for me. Don't let anyone slip out."

Xiao Zhao nodded. "Understood."

The middle-aged man took the letter and left in great haste.

Li Su: "..."

Those who wanted to slip out had already slipped out.

"Put your book chest down first and rest here for a while," Xiao Zhao said to Li Su. Carrying so much all the way up by himself, Xiao Zhao couldn't help but think a little more highly of him.

Li Su had been thinking the same thing, since he had no idea when that man would return.

Once he set everything down, Li Su felt light all over.

He and Xiao Zhao began chatting, and through their conversation, Li Su came to understand Bright Peak Academy a little better.

The academy was divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Yellow. Students in Heaven Hall were certain to sit for the next provincial examination, and they were the ones with the highest level of scholarship.

By the same logic, some students in Earth Hall and Mystery Hall would sit the examination, though not all of them.

As for Yellow Hall, students who wished to sit the exam needed their teacher's approval, though once they asked, the teacher would generally agree, albeit reluctantly.

There was an examination every month, and the students' placement among the Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Yellow halls could change accordingly. Many of the students in Heaven Hall had climbed their way up step by step.

Every new student was given a test upon entry to determine which hall they would be placed in.

Students like Li Su, who arrived after the examination had already been held, would most likely be sent straight to Yellow Hall first.

Xiao Zhao could not help but comfort him. "Even if you go to Yellow Hall, so long as your scholarship is strong enough, you can move to another hall next month."

Li Su understood. If he had only come for a master's teaching ability, his own master would have been more than enough.

But if one came to study, it was surely for broader development. Besides, the main curriculum in all four halls was the same.

Before he left, his master had also reminded him that apart from scholarship, he had to keep up with the Six Arts of the Gentleman as well. Bright Peak Academy had dedicated teachers for those subjects.

Not long after, the middle-aged man returned, bringing with him an elderly man with a long white beard and a dark blue robe.

Li Su estimated that this man's age was about the same as his master's.

Wei Shi'an frowned as he looked at Li Su. "Him?"

The middle-aged man nodded. "Yes, him."

Wei Shi'an studied Li Su. "Li Su? You're Xi Sheng's disciple?"

Li Su slowly nodded. "Yes."

Wei Shi'an looked him over once more. Hadn't Xi Sheng publicly said that he would not accept disciples? Where on earth had he picked up this one?

In a low voice, Wei Shi'an said, "Bring your things and come in with me."

Xiao Zhao looked at Li Su in surprise. For the academy headmaster to come in person and receive him, could he possibly have some extraordinary background?

After all, many nobles and high officials had wanted to meet the headmaster, but Wei Shi'an had refused to receive them, not even allowing them through the academy gates.

Xiao Zhao could not help wondering if he had said anything offensive just now.

Li Su followed behind Wei Shi'an. After a few steps, Wei Shi'an asked, "Why did Xi Sheng take you as his disciple?"

"My master said I was obedient, sensible, and clever, so he took me in." He couldn't exactly say that his master had fished him in on his own, could he?

Wei Shi'an was speechless.

"Nonsense! Utter nonsense!" If he didn't want to say, then he needn't say it at all. Why spout such obvious lies?

No one knew what Xi Sheng had seen in Li Su.

At first glance, from the way Li Su carried himself now, he looked entirely like someone with a belly full of mischief.