Chapter 126 — The Courtesy That Was Due
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 3
" Man and fox set off cheerfully toward the gate, the fox carrying the money bag on her back. Many scholars lodged in the Scholars' Lodge, and seeing Shen Mu and the fox pass by, they hurriedly shut their doors, not daring to meet his eye. Shen Mu wondered: these scholars said that the tale of his beating them was known to the whole of the Grand Academy, yet he had certainly never spread it about.
Then who had let it out? Next door to the Scholars' Lodge stood the Princely Garden, where dwelt the princes, the princesses, and the commandery princesses of the noble houses. The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping had laid down the rule that the sons of the imperial house need not sit any examination—so long as they had reached the age of fifteen, they might enter the Grand Academy. But the princes' rank was exalted, and they could hardly lodge together with ordinary scholars, and so a separate garden had been set aside for them. Wei Yong was laughing to several princes: "You have no idea—our Scholars' Lodge is in an uproar.
That Shen Mu has thrashed those scholars again, and pitifully at that. Mind you, do not go saying it was I who told you. . .
" A prince said in astonishment: "This fellow from the Hidden Remnant is that strong?
" "So-so.
" Wei Yong boasted: "His skill is about the same as mine; it is only that his moves are eerie. I say it is the fellows in the Scholars' Lodge who are too useless.
" Another prince laughed: "The fellows of the Scholars' Lodge have always been arrogant, thinking they got in on true merit. They have long looked down on us imperial scions. Now they have met their nemesis.
" As Shen Mu walked out of the Scholars' Lodge, a youth came toward him, travel-worn, bearing on his back a huge bundle, tall as a man and squarely built, with several weapons thrust into it. Though dusty from the road, he was strikingly martial, and he carried about him an air of slaughter that gave one a sense of aggression. The two came face to face. Assailed by the aggression the youth carried, Shen Mu's body of itself fell into a stance of defense and counterattack; drawn by the mutual pull of their vital auras, the youth too was forced to halt. For all his aura of slaughter, the youth's manner was courteous; he bowed in salute and said with a smile: "Are you a newly arrived junior brother?
" Shen Mu returned the salute: "I have only just entered. Has Senior Brother come back from afar? " "I took my leave and went to the front with the border troops.
" The youth smiled: "My name is Shen Wanyun. You are new here, junior brother; if there is anything you need, come to me without hesitation.
" Shen Mu gave his own name.
The two passed each other and went their separate ways, and only when their tangled auras had faded did each let out his breath and stride off.
"This new junior brother is very strong. .
. " Shen Wanyun looked back at Shen Mu descending the hill, and fell to thinking.
"Eldest Senior Brother is back! " The Scholars' Lodge erupted in joy; scholars came out of their dwellings one after another to welcome Shen Wanyun.
He laughed: "Gentlemen, we have been parted barely a month—surely there is no need for such longing?
Eh—why is every one of you carrying injuries? Senior Sister Qu, you too are hurt? What has happened? " The scholars of the lodge all wore looks of shame. That Senior Sister Qu was named Qu Ting, and she said, abashed: "Eldest Senior Brother does not know.
Recently a cast-off from the Hidden Remnant came to the academy, and he is very strong.
At the entrance examination he wounded Daoist Lingyun with a wooden sword and cut a great figure before the emperor, and the emperor permitted him to enter our Grand Academy. We could not stomach it, and so we sought to drive him out of the Grand Academy. How can a slave be a fellow student of ours. . . " Shen Wanyun said: "Daoist Lingyun is no ordinary man.