Chapter Nine: Xue Rengui’s Art of War

Pei Min left the academy.

As he pondered his future, uncertain of where to turn, a voice called out from behind him: “Brother Pei, wait!”

Turning around, Pei Min saw a stocky, broad-shouldered student from the academy striding quickly toward him.

After a brief pause for thought, Pei Min smiled and asked, “Is there something you need, Brother Yuan?”

The newcomer was Yuan Luqian, also a student at Yanyun Academy. He was a composed man, not given to idle chatter, somewhat solitary by nature, and he and Pei Min had only exchanged polite greetings in passing, rarely interacting beyond that.

Dressed as a scholar, Yuan Luqian nonetheless bore the robust physique typical of northerners. He approached and said, “Brother Pei, do you have any plans now? I assume you’re not intending to return to Huairou County?”

Pei Min did not conceal his intentions. He nodded, “I’d rather not worry my mother right now. I’ll first find a place to stay, and give everything some careful thought.”

Yuan Luqian replied, “My home is nearby. If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to stay with me.” Seeing the doubt in Pei Min’s eyes, he continued frankly, “My parents passed away years ago. Of all the tragedies in this world, none compares to the grief of wishing to care for one’s parents only to find them gone. I deeply admire those who honor filial piety. Brother Pei, you left your family for the sake of your mother, disregarding your own prospects. I respect such devotion. I wish to regard you as a model and hope we might become friends.”

Touched by Yuan Luqian’s sincerity and warmth, especially toward someone as “down-and-out” as himself, Pei Min was deeply moved. “Adversity reveals true hearts. Brother Yuan, you are too kind. Please, lead the way.”

Yuan Luqian was the son of a former official and had once enjoyed a comfortable life. But fate is unpredictable: his parents succumbed to illness during an epidemic, leaving him alone in the world. Over the years, he had spent most of the wealth they left, but the family house remained intact. Housing Pei Min—indeed, even ten more—would be no burden at all.

After settling in at Yuan Luqian’s home, Pei Min remembered his appointment with Commander Xue and asked about him.

Yuan Luqian explained, “Commander Xue is Xue Ne, the former Chief Administrator of Bingzhou, recently appointed by His Majesty. He is the elder son of Xue Rengui, Grand General of the Right Guard—a true son of a great general, unlike that good-for-nothing Sun Quan. With him guarding Youzhou, there is nothing to fear. As for why he wishes to see you, I couldn’t say. But he is known for his uprightness and integrity. You have nothing to worry about.”

Pei Min was not concerned about being given a hard time; he was simply curious about Xue Ne’s intentions.

Bidding farewell to Yuan Luqian, Pei Min made his way on foot to the Governor’s office.

The Governor’s office was in the center of Ji City, some distance from Yuan Luqian’s residence. As he walked, Pei Min pondered his next steps. His mother’s only hope was that he might one day enter officialdom, bringing honor and glory to the family. Since he had chosen to take Pei Min’s place in caring for her, this modest wish was one he had no reason not to fulfill. Though the family road was now closed to him, surely other paths remained. He had spoken harshly for the sake of a moment’s satisfaction, but now he was determined to see it through, so he would not be forced to take back his words in the future.

Suddenly, the imperial examination came to his mind!

The imperial examination was one of the great innovations in the history of Chinese culture—a system that endured for over a thousand years and profoundly influenced not just China, but the entire Sinosphere. In ancient times, passing the examination was the quickest, most direct, and most effective way to rise in the world. Yet everyone knew how difficult it was.

Still, Pei Min was confident. His literary talent was already notable, and with the knowledge inherited from Pei Jingyuan—a man with a solid grounding in the humanities—he possessed both a deep understanding of the classics and the advanced thinking of the modern age. His grasp of the Classics was exceptional among his peers. Why not use this advantage?

With this thought, a sense of clarity washed over him, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the blue sky. His mood brightened, and he quickened his pace, arriving outside the Youzhou Governor’s office.

After announcing his name, Pei Min did not have to wait long before a steward arrived to escort him inside. The steward, evidently acting under special instructions, greeted him with great enthusiasm, bowing and inviting him in: “The Commander is busy overseeing military affairs in the treasury and cannot attend you at once. He has instructed me to bring you to his study, where you are free to read any books you wish while you wait.”

Pei Min’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, “No trouble at all. As long as there are books, I could wait forever.”

As a student of classical literature, reading was one of Pei Min’s greatest pleasures. With a book in hand—any book, so long as he could understand it—he could sit contentedly for an entire afternoon, scarcely moving.

Xue Ne’s study was spacious, befitting his status as Governor. It resembled a small library, with eight large bookshelves packed with over a thousand volumes.

Pei Min circled the shelves, noticing that most of the books were old in appearance but new in content, collected more for display than for reading. Only a small shelf of military texts showed signs of frequent use, revealing Xue Ne’s true tastes.

Pei Min realized that these few military treatises were the real treasures—the rest were mere ornaments, easily found in any marketplace. His gaze swept the small shelf, and suddenly he discovered a book titled “The New Annotations and Essential Meanings of the Book of Changes.” It was odd to find this among texts like “The Art of War” and “The Fragments of Wuzi,” but what caught his attention most was the author—Xue Rengui.

Compared to Xue Ne, the name of Xue Rengui was legendary and universally known. As one of the Tang Dynasty’s greatest generals, his feats—such as shooting three arrows to settle the Tianshan region and facing ten thousand enemies bareheaded—were famous through the ages.

Among the illustrious generals of the Tang, Xue Rengui ranked high in Pei Min’s esteem.

A book written by such a figure had to be worth reading, no matter its quality!

Pei Min did not seat himself at the Governor’s own place, but chose a casual spot. As he opened to the first page, he realized at once: though it appeared to be a treatise on virtue and self-cultivation, the book in fact expounded the principles of military strategy through the theories of yin and yang and the eight trigrams. Its content was wisdom and cunning for the art of war.

The Pei Min of this world had read thousands of books, as had the later Pei Jingyuan, though one focused on the classics and the other on all manner of literature. Military texts, however, they had seldom explored—apart from the universally known “Art of War.” Yet, while that classic was revered, its content was notoriously abstruse and dry, full of lofty maxims that were difficult to grasp without significant cultural attainment. Few people truly studied it; at most, they might skim through a few passages.

Initially, Pei Min worried that he might not understand this book. But after a few pages, he found Xue Rengui’s writing plain and direct, mostly comprising insights drawn from years of military service—simple and easy to grasp.

Xue Rengui, after all, was not highly educated; he wrote these treatises to leave his descendants a record of his military experience, so simplicity was his guiding principle.

Pei Min read with relish, especially enjoying the accounts of Xue Rengui’s personal campaigns, which felt as vivid as stories. Immersed in the exploits of a peerless general, he was utterly absorbed.

Time slipped away unnoticed.

He did not know how long he had been reading when, suddenly—a sword flashed toward him!