Chapter Twelve: Three Conditions

"A skilled negotiator never reveals his cards first, regardless of the circumstances. Letting the opponent know your bottom line is tantamount to failure in negotiation!" Pei Min's knowledge of Xue Na came from hearsay, and now that he interacted with him personally, he discovered the rumors were true. Xue Na was indeed upright and straightforward, a man worthy of respect. Yet respect was one thing; becoming like Xue Na was quite another, and Pei Min knew he could not.

Therefore, he replied without hesitation, "Grand Commander wishes me to use myself as bait to lure out the Xian tribal traitors hiding in the shadows, so you can follow the trail and wipe out their entire faction. I have no objection. However, I have a few conditions I hope you’ll agree to."

Xue Na hadn’t expected Pei Min to negotiate terms with him, crossing his arms and saying, "Go on, what are your conditions?"

"First," Pei Min raised his index finger, "and this is the most vital and crucial of all: the Grand Commander must guarantee my mother’s safety. Under no circumstances can she be placed in danger. If this cannot be assured, then all is off. I’ll take my mother and leave Youzhou for someplace safe."

Xue Na replied seriously, "Your filial devotion is admirable, and I can guarantee this. As far as I know, your mother often mends clothes for others to earn a living, and her sewing is excellent. Our soldiers train hard, and their clothes wear out quickly. I can use this as a reason to invite your mother into the camp, where she will be protected by the troops. You have nothing to worry about."

Pei Min emphasized, "It’s best not to let her know the true reason, lest she worry too much."

Xue Na agreed readily, "No problem."

"Second," Pei Min extended his middle finger, "I want free access to the books in your study…" To take the imperial examination, one must read widely and broaden one’s learning, and Xue Na’s collection would be invaluable to him.

Xue Na said, "That’s nothing; if you like, I’ll give them all to you."

"No need, I have nowhere to keep them! I just want to borrow what I need." Pei Min refused outright, then stated his third condition: "Grand Commander may not know, but the Pei clan looks down on my mother, and I disdain their company. I have formally severed ties with them. I also intend to sit for next year’s imperial examination, which means I must pass the qualifying exam at the end of this year to gain eligibility for next year’s spring examination. As far as I know, there are three ways to enter the qualifying exam: recommendation from local officials, recommendation from academies or gentry, or self-registration. But self-registration is complicated and troublesome. I hope for your recommendation to enter the qualifying exam."

Xue Na's suspicious gaze lingered on Pei Min, then he said solemnly, "I can recommend you, but I will not give you any assistance. The imperial examination is meant to recruit talent for the Tang Dynasty, selecting pillars of the nation. There can be no carelessness."

Pei Min smiled confidently, "Since I have the courage to participate, I naturally have some confidence. There’s no need for you to worry." He squinted, knowing there was a deeper motive behind seeking Xue Na’s recommendation: borrowing influence.

In martial arts, there are clear hierarchies, but literature is different. There is no absolute first or second. Take, for example, the most famous poets of the flourishing Tang era, Li Bai and Du Fu. Their verses have been passed down for a thousand years, enduring without fading. Some prefer Li Bai’s unrestrained imagination, others Du Fu’s realistic style. But if you try to judge which is better, no one can say. A piece of writing will elicit praise from some, criticism from others—such is the nature of literature.

The imperial examination tests genuine learning, but also luck. If your literary style matches the examiner’s taste, your score will surely be high. If not, however well you write, you may have to wait for next year.

Pei Min was confident in his fusion of ancient and modern literary learning; perhaps not enough to guarantee the top scholar’s spot, but passing the qualifying exam, akin to a university entrance exam, should be no problem. With Xue Na’s influence as Grand Commander of Youzhou, he would surely gain extra favor in the examiners’ eyes; perhaps he might even take first place—a perfect outcome.

In truth, as long as Xue Na could guarantee his mother's safety, Pei Min would help expose the traitor. The matter already involved him; better to act proactively than react passively. Besides, as a somewhat idealistic, passionate youth, he could not remain indifferent to the mastermind behind the deaths of ten thousand Tang soldiers abroad.

But as someone from a later era, it would be foolish not to accept some benefits.

Xue Na, as Grand Commander of Youzhou, was accustomed to people seeking his help without bargaining. Pei Min, however, negotiated terms, which initially irked him. Yet seeing Pei Min’s earnestness, that minor displeasure vanished, and he looked at Pei Min with newfound appreciation, nodding, "I do have a few suspects, most of whom are not ordinary people. You should consider carefully. Waiting passively is safer, but less effective. If you strike proactively, you may drive them to desperation. Your situation will become much more dangerous."

"It’s nothing," Pei Min touched his nose. "If I can’t beat them, I can run; if I can’t run, I’ll hide. At worst, I’ll take my mother and head south. Life goes on. As for any mess I cause, isn’t that what you’re here for, Grand Commander?"

Xue Na was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing. "Interesting! I thought you’d say something grand and heroic, but you’re refreshingly candid. After hearing so much official jargon, your plain talk suits me perfectly. Since we’ve spoken so frankly, I’ll give you my guarantee as well: unless you bring down the heavens themselves, whatever trouble you stir up, I’ll handle it. Of these ten thousand soldiers, eight thousand were trained by my own hand, and in just a few days, they’re all gone. If I don’t catch the traitor, how will I face them in the Underworld?"

He started laughing, but by the end, his eyes had reddened.

Pei Min could feel the pain in Xue Na’s heart, and nodded silently.