Chapter Forty-Eight: Duckweed Seeking Its Roots

Witnessing Li Zisheng’s method of hurling stones, Liang Fu’s face went deathly pale. Only now did he understand the source of Li Zisheng’s unwavering confidence. This technique for launching stones far surpassed any existing methods of the art; it was, in truth, a weapon of war.

Yet, a trace of severity flickered in Liang Fu’s gaze. Li Zisheng evidently did not grasp the old adage: “A tall tree will suffer the wind’s wrath.” To reveal such a formidable weapon so carelessly was akin to exposing oneself beneath the blazing sun. When the time came, he feared this young boy would not withstand the scorching heat, nor escape the fatal blade that would surely follow.

“I have lost.” With these words, Liang Fu seemed to expend all his strength, his expression deeply despondent.

Li Zisheng inwardly exhaled in relief. Fortunately, he had prior knowledge of this battle and had studied analyses made by experts. Otherwise, if left to devise a strategy on his own, it would have proven truly difficult.

Li Zisheng was no fool. He had applied principles of physics from a later era—simple, perhaps, but in the eyes of discerning men, he was in possession of an extraordinary weapon of war. His own position, and perhaps even his safety, now hung by a thread.

There were only two possible outcomes: to be detained and used for his talents, or to be eliminated to prevent future trouble.

Neither fate was one he wished to meet.

Thus, he chose to explain his method openly and without reservation; only by doing so could he hope to survive.

“Brother Liang, do you know why?” Li Zisheng asked abruptly, not waiting for the crowd to act.

“What is it?” Liang Fu replied, equally puzzled.

“Very well, since you ask, I see no reason to conceal anything. To do so would only make me stubborn and self-serving, defeating the purpose of our exchange.” Li Zisheng covered his face and laughed quietly.

“My method for launching stones is quite simple—it merely takes advantage of the favorable conditions. It was the rainy season and the Lingwu River was swollen. I ordered ten thousand men to dig channels, diverting the waters to the foot of Lingxi Mountain. The downpour loosened the earth, so the massive boulders atop the mountain were made unstable. I fixed them with rattan ropes, using the trees below as the frame, and harnessed the river’s buoyancy to store energy. Once your troops entered my range, I released the tension and the stones came crashing down.

“Of course, had your side advanced more cautiously, there would have been no way for me to attack from afar. That is why I relinquished the summit, luring you to seize the main slope of Lingxi Mountain. While you occupied the frontal slope, I dug concealed trenches on the reverse side, using the slope itself as a natural shield. Even if I lost the summit, my position would remain unscathed.”

Having finished, Li Zisheng returned to his seat without so much as a glance at anyone present, least of all Liang Fu.

Liang Fu, for his part, was left in awe, marveling at Li Zisheng’s ingenious strategy. He could not determine whether Li Zisheng had spoken so forthrightly out of naivety or cunning, divulging both his stone-hurling method and his tactics.

In doing so, he had forsaken the opportunity to be favored by those in power, yet at the same time, he had averted enmity and resentment. Which outcome weighed heavier, only Li Zisheng himself could judge—no one else could decide for him.

The bearded general and the overseer both looked pale. For a boy of only eight to possess such tactical thinking and such grand vision was nothing short of astonishing. Should Li Zisheng avoid an early death, there was no limit to what his future might hold.

“The command of the General!” From the stands, an old man slowly made his way forward. His hair was white as snow, his body frail as if at death’s door, yet his gaze seemed to penetrate the soul—no one dared meet his eyes.

“Jiang Lin, at your command!” the bearded general called out, dropping to one knee.

Li Zisheng could not help but marvel. In the Tang Empire, though the emperor’s authority was supreme, in these borderlands, those who held power wielded life and death over their subordinates—almost like emperors themselves, and sometimes with even greater authority.

Such powers would one day lead directly to the decline of the flourishing Tang.

As the bearded general knelt, all the soldiers present followed suit in perfect order. Even the martial scholars among the academy’s students clasped their fists in salute. Within the Huiluo Army, and indeed throughout the entire Lingzhou, the commanding general’s name was known to all.

He was famed for his supernatural use of troops, having won many battles against the Turks through his extraordinary tactics. There were few in Lingzhou who did not know of this god of war, though even fewer had seen him in person.

Fewer still knew anything of his origins. Many powers had tried to investigate, but all to no avail. The only certainty was that the background of Lingzhou’s general was vast indeed.

Even the academy’s overseer and the scholars paid their respects, for the reputation of a man precedes him as a tree casts its shadow.

“This examination is now concluded. The final victor is Li Zisheng. In an hour, let Li Zisheng come to the Huiluo command tent to see me.”

The white-haired elder declared the general’s decision, and its meaning was clear: the general intended to protect Li Zisheng. The final round was omitted, and with one sentence, the matter was settled—Li Zisheng was named the top scholar.

Yet, not a single person present dared to object.

“Yes, sir.” The response echoed across the examination ground.

“Little one, my name is Jiang Lin. There’s no need to mention the past. Since you’ve taken first place in this examination, come to my camp when you have the chance and teach these useless lads a thing or two, so they don’t disgrace themselves! Ha ha ha!” Jiang Lin finished with a hearty laugh.

Clearly, this was a gesture of goodwill. Li Zisheng, no obstinate fool, saw no reason to dwell on past difficulties and joined in the laughter.

“Gladly. I hope you won’t find me too troublesome in the days to come,” Li Zisheng replied with a clear voice.

At this moment, the academy overseer had become, in Li Zisheng’s eyes, nothing more than a clown. All the trouble he had caused had only served to provide Li Zisheng with an opportunity.

Li Zisheng had no fear for his own situation. Amid these turbulent undercurrents, had he not revealed his uniqueness early on, he would have long since lost any place for himself.

Upon entering the academy, Li Zisheng had kept a low profile and led a reclusive life, for he sensed something amiss beneath the seemingly calm surface. But here in the military camp, that vague sense of unease vanished, and he could show his talents openly.

To win the favor of the general was the most dangerous move he could make, yet it was also the move he was compelled to take.

Most importantly, he had heard of the god of war’s arrival at the Huiluo camp and wished to witness this legendary figure for himself.

On the path of scholarship he had faced countless setbacks—ever since his mentor left Tianshui, he had lost all contact. First, he was troubled by the academy’s students, then by its overseer, and beyond them, by the great scholar Kong Zhichong. In the literary world he was like a rootless weed, without foundation.

Since that was the case, he had no choice but to display his talent for military strategy. Only then could he hope to protect himself amid these storms.