Chapter 8:

Chapter 8.

I have lived most of my first life in a city. It was a thing of millions of people of grand architecture and building chins longer than walls and taller than castles. Edifices of Ambition and Industriousness unmatched by any nation of this world were common to me, so common in fact that them not being there was more noticeable than not.

In my second life the local architecture was far less impressive and the scale far less ambitious.

Seventh Yellow Hill Town was a mouthful of a name for a town that would have been compared unfavorably to the village my parents were raised in. It was orderly, I'll give it that at least, and the square system it's buildings were built on showed that somebody put some thought in it, but the town itself was unremarkable even to my who came from one of its tributary villages.

"Are all towns on your southern periphery as… quaint?" Teacher asked me.

I chuckled at that question. As if I knew the answer, I've barely visited this town in this life. I certainly haven't been to others to be able to tell.

"I have no clue if all towns are as small teacher Hao Wen." I answered honestly.

The woman looked embarrassed for some reason at my blunt description.

"Are you not going to defend your town? Back home even villagers were willing to squabble over the honor of their town." She asked again.

We were close to the entrance and I waved to the guard on duty who waved back without thinking.

I took a bit to think about that question. Why would I do that? I can't be bothered to defend my village let alone this dump.

"No, it's not my home, if it's denizens wish to defend it they may do so." I replied and shrugged.

I felt more kinship with the other villages than with the town, at least their leaders knew to listen to madmen that can supernaturally predict the weather.

"Tai Su! I haven't seen you since last summer boy, how is Long?" The guard shouted excitedly.

I probably made the day of the lamellar armored guard, he certainly looked happy enough to see me, even if I was armed with a spear which would normally put guards on edge.

The benefits of having a family with links to the guard I suppose.

"He's doing well uncle Mo, mother is to give birth within the month and so we're here to buy her and some of the other women some medicine to put her back on her feet shortly after the birth." I greeted the man.

I moved my arm into a greeting and the man met me halfway as we grasped arms.

"Ah, a warriors' grip as always young man! And who is the beautiful fox near you boy? Thinking of getting a second wife after that Bao girl?" Uncle Mo asked after we separated.

Teacher blushed and stuttered and both of us chuckled at that. He saw the cart and her tail, he knew exactly who she was.

I brought the stuttering mess forward to greet the guard and she came without protest.

"No uncle, this is teacher Hao Wen, she's been teaching the villagers for the last few months how to read and write to build up a reputation to get a good position as a teacher for a few years. I'm sure you've heard of her!" I revealed jovially.

The man pretended to be surprised, but father myself and Old Man Mu have prepared this occasion well for when there were the most people near the entry gate into the town so that the news would travel fast.

"A thousand apologies young lady! I didn't know I was in the presence of such a virtuous woman that teaches young children and gives them great opportunities!" He exclaimed and lied as easily as he breathed as he put her offered hand to his forehead.

Uncle Mo was a good actor at least if his laughing apology was anything to go by.

"There is nothing to apologize for warrior Mo." Teacher assured with a smile once she got her hand back.

The Warrior would not relent however, as father has paid the man well to play his part and knew I'd tell on him if he did not fulfill his end of the deal.

"Nonsense, if you wish I would be more than happy to give you some escorts to make sure no miscreants dare try anything as an apology." The man offered heartily.

That was my signal to intervene then

"Nonsense uncle, I can look after teacher Hao Wen! Least I could do for teaching me how to read and write! I am as mighty as any guard!" I declared boastfully.

"How could I forget, young Tai Su, you're in luck scholar Hao Wen, Tai Su the song of Long Su will look after you!" He said cheerfully and waved us in.

We entered through the gate and saw that my plan was succesful and teacher Hao Wen was looked upon as a curiosity rather than trash despite pulling a merchant's cart.

"That was a bit much Tai Su." Teacher Hao Wen said with amusement coloring her voice.

"What gave it away?" I asked.

It would be good to know when the cut-off point between believable and too hammy was in the future.

"When he put my hand to his forehead that was a bit much." She informed me.

Around us the town welcomed us with curiosity and far less people than I remember seeing past spring.

"That was uncle doing what was actually normal in his situation." I explained.

"Truly? In the South that would have been something done only among nobles. I am curious though, is he actually your uncle?" She asked

"Technically speaking yes, he is the husband of one of my mother's cousins even if we don't share any blood. I call him uncle more due to the fact that he is father's good friend and sworn brother as the two saved each other's lives a few times." I admitted.

Teacher hummed at that.

"It's certainly a more pleasant reception than my last one." She said softly.

I looked down at her, she looked somewhat unsure for a few moments before she was back to her confident self.

"Anyway, do you have anything else planned for me today or was that the end?" She asked cheekily.

Her tail started waving around now as it always does when she is relaxed.

"I do actually, teacher how do you feel about earning your place as a learned woman and no longer a merchant of the Empire?" I asked with fake detachment.

It was difficult to pretend that I didn't just drop a bomb on her.

"What!?" She hissed at me.

I chuckled at her reaction.

"Yes, follow me to the Archives, I think you'll like what you find there." I declared and headed there.

The archives were on the other side of the town, but that was fine, an hour of walking meant little to me now and was hardly noticeable or tiring.

What was however were the abandoned homes that used to have people in them.

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Writing is no different than drawing, it is an art that one needs precision, a sense of beauty and hard work to get anywhere with. However, unlike drawing which stores emotions for the future, writing stores information and it is what one is often times tested on.

"One hundred and twenty out of one hundred and twenty, miss Hao Wen, a perfect score." Archivist Wen Shu declared happily as he looked upon my test sheet.

"As if there was any doubt, the test was almost insultingly easy!" I declared with a huff.

I would have been able to pass this test when I was twelve, if I failed I would have not been able to look in the mirror.

"Indeed, and young Tai Su, your test score is one hundred and four out of one hundred and twenty, you too passed, but I would suggest you relearn the exact dates of historical event as you were always off by decades. The Conquest of the Wei's happened twenty-three years after the Ascension, not thirty. Beyond the other dates you did well enough boy. Both of you are now officially considered a tier one scholar of the Empire of the Blazing Sun under the watch of the Eternal Empress." The scholar declared.

Another strange difference between the Empire and home. First rank means the highest and the first tier always meant the highest quality, but here it is reserved.

It did not stop me from eagerly accepting the token, a strange cylindrical piece of bronze with the symbol for One placed upon it as well as what I assumed to be the Archivist's signature.

"Thank you Archivist Wen Shu, I swear I will treasure it." I said and bowed to the positively ancient man.

If someone told me the man was one hundred I would believe them. The man had no hair and his skin was more wrinkle than skin now and yet his eyes continued to be as sharp as mine.

The man shook his dead at that much to my puzzlement.

"Bah, a first rank scholarly rank is the only thing I can give you in this provincial town, all it gives you is the right to call yourself a scholar and the right to apply to certain positions in various guilds, as well as take the test for second tier. It's tier four where you start getting benefits such as a guaranteed position and a yearly stipend from the Capital." The old man declared dismissively.

"What is the highest tier Ancient Shu?" Tai Su asked.

The archivist was amused at the question and pursed his lips.

"The sixth boy, it's always the sixth tier that is the highest assuming the Empress deigned to allow multiple tiers for a profession." The man revealed.

At least some things stayed the same.

"If I knew it was that easy I would have taken it as the first thing I did upon coming here." I said cheerfully.

If I knew all I needed was a stupid test and reframe my coming here I would have been spared months of indignity.

"You didn't tell her boy?" The Archivist asked.

The younger man shrugged

"I thought she knew, she read the laws and thought it was just there." Tai Su answered.

"Know what?" I asked worriedly.

I didn't break any law now did I? None mentioned anything about taking exams.

"It's not a law, but more of an unspoken truth, as each profession token that requires a test is dependent on the test giver to vouch for its authenticity, as shown on the signature of your tokens. This means that if you do something that might get you stripped of the title or bring shame to the profession then the blame will fall on me as well, and due to this all those that can administer this sort of test are very choosy on who they allow to take it to ensure that they won't bring scrutiny on them." The ancient man said.

"So if I, a stranger, came to you and demanded to take a test, you would have denied me." I continued and filled in the gap he left.

His eyes turned serious.

"Exactly, I am taking quite the risk with allowing a fox to take the test and putting my signature behind your position, but I am old and unlikely to face scrutiny, and cute little Bao sent me the most delightful jam to make my last few months pleasant." The Archivist admitted and I froze.

I hate graft, it is the death of anything worthwhile and this entire scholarly environment all but guarantees it and my joy turned into bitterness. Graft is normal, nobody can go through life without giving some gifts, but that's for special favors, not to be allowed to take some tests.

The old man sighed as he saw my reaction.

"Don't worry girl, you two passed the test on your own merits, the gift was to give you a chance, it was nowhere near enough for me to meddle with the result. You passed on your own merits, and I am pretty sure that if you could find someone to administer it you could pass the third rank test as well judging from the rumors I heard of you."

"Thank you for the compliment, I'll try to live up to the faith you put in me Archivist Wen Shu, I promise that I will not bring shame to you!" I swore solemnly.

Taking the bitter pill of duty made the foul taste disappear faster than it otherwise would, because this entire institution does not have a single pillar that is not rotted if I needed this sort of introduction to be admitted in.

The old man smiled faintly at that as if he knew of the turmoil inside my heart.

'Humans are too good at telling my emotions.' I thought in annoyance.

I need to find out how they're doing it.