Chapter 15: The Stormy Killer Transfer Student (1)
Chapter 15: The Stormy Killer Transfer Student (1)
Standing before the Guang'an Gate of Shuntian Prefecture, I felt a surge of nostalgia. This was the shortest route to Beijing if one traveled straight from the Hebei Peng Family estate.
"It feels like just yesterday, but three years have already passed."
"Talking like that is exactly why people call you an old soul, Young Master," Nang-rang remarked.
"Is that what people are saying these days?"
"It’s nothing new. You’ve been hearing that since the moment you started crawling."
"Good grief. Being mature is a burden in itself."
I strolled down the familiar street, chatting idly with Nang-rang.
Ah, that’s the street where Hwa-yeong went missing, and over there is the alley where I pulverized the Black Dragon Gang. Looking back, I really did run around like a madman.
"But why did we come to the market? We should be heading straight to the academy."
"Since I’m finally back in Beijing, I wanted to see the old neighborhood. Besides, I’m transferring in the middle of the term, so I figured I should hand out some rice cakes to my classmates."
Of course, academies in this era didn't have a standardized curriculum or "semesters" in the modern sense. If I had to put a label on it, it was more like a three-year cycle rather than an annual one.
All exams, including the Licentiate Exam, were held every three years. Since everyone would be preparing for the exam next February, the academy would currently be running its graduating classes.
Naturally, this was all just an excuse. My real reason for being on this street was different.
I need to let them know I’m here!
Publicly, the reason the Peng Family dispatched me was to act as bait to provoke the hidden members of the White Lotus Cult. There could be no provocation more effective than the return of the very person who triggered the war between the Hebei Peng Family and the White Lotus Cult, right at the site where it all began.
So, the more rumors I could stir up, the better.
But how do I start a rumor with a kid who looks as plain and ordinary as me?
Acting like a bratty noble in the market wouldn't work. This was medieval China; rich kids throwing tantrums at candy shops was a common, almost endearing sight.
I needed something that would truly scream "Peng Hyeon-hwi is here"...
"H-H-Hieeeek!!"
In a nearby alley, a beggar was staring at me, foaming at the mouth.
"..."
"What’s with him? Does he have malaria?" Nang-rang asked.
If so, he was staring at me far too intensely. He even hurriedly pulled out a piece of paper and began glancing back and forth between it and my face. He looked exactly like someone checking a person against a wanted poster.
"Elder Peng Jeon-gun?" I called out.
"What is it?"
"Doesn't that guy look suspicious?"
"When is a member of the Beggars' Sect not suspicious? Wait here."
As Peng Jeon-gun vanished into the crowd like a bolt of lightning, the foaming beggar shrieked and bolted into the maze of alleys.
"The Man-Eating Young Master of the Peng Family has appeared!! Aaaaagh!"
"...?"
For a moment, the surroundings fell into a dead silence.
The ordinary pedestrians in the market tilted their heads, wondering what that was about, but the reaction of the warriors—those carrying swords or looking particularly rugged—was entirely different. The moment they heard the beggar’s voice, they scanned the area, spotted me, and froze solid.
"What? What’s going on?"
Unlike the panicking beggars, the other warriors—most of whom looked like they belonged to the Black Path—tried their best to pretend they hadn't seen me. They walked away with a gait that was unnaturally "natural."
In this crowded, bustling market of the West Gate District, a literal void formed with me at the center.
Soon, Peng Jeon-gun reappeared, carrying the beggar who was dangling from his hand.
"I caught him."
"Hieeeek! Gyaaaaak!"
"Calm down, mister. Let me see what you were reading."
"I’m going to be eaten! Aaaaagh!"
"No, you're not."
I snatched the grimy piece of paper from the panicked beggar’s robes and froze.
"Wow."
Below a surprisingly accurate drawing of my face, it read:
[Report to Branch Office immediately upon sighting]
[Peng Hyeon-hwi]
[10 years old]
[Killed at least 12 people]
[Consumed at least 3 people]
[Do Not Approach]
[Subject is under the special management of the Peng Family Head.]
"What the—"
"I-I don't taste good! Someone like me... if you eat a beggar, it'll only ruin your palate, Young Master! I-I'll lead you to some meatier fellows...!"
"Listen to me for a second—"
"Oh my, Young Master. You’ve started eating people now?"
"If you keep talking like that, I’ll eat you too, Nang-rang."
"Oh, how terrifying."
I had become the Man-Eating Young Master of the Hebei Peng Family.
It was the autumn of my tenth year.
*
9. The Stormy Killer Transfer Student
The academies of Shuntian Prefecture were largely divided into three locations, the most influential being the Yeongyeong Academy on Dashilan Street near the Guang'an Gate.
Because this area of Beijing was home to princely mansions and noble clans, it had emerged as the preferred academy for the children of high-ranking officials. It was essentially the "Elite School District 8" of the Ming Dynasty—with the minor difference that the seats were filled with genuine medieval aristocrats instead of the nouveau riche.
"Is it today?"
"I heard he’s coming today. That’s what I was told."
"But is it true? That he actually killed people with his own hands? How barbaric!"
"Well, that’s how martial artists are."
With only three months left until the Licentiate Exam, many nobles were enrolling at Yeongyeong Academy, but not a single one of them came from a martial arts sect. Why would martial artists involve themselves in the world of Confucian scholars?
To the students already settled in this academy, martial artists were nothing more than low-born savages from a distant world. Naturally, they were curious.
The atmosphere among the young nobles was a mix of fifty percent disgust, fifty percent curiosity, and about five scoops of superiority.
"What’s all the fuss about? It’s not like we can’t do it. We just don't."
"Young Master Yi is truly merciful. Hehe, such lowly tasks should be left to the commoners!"
To describe the restless atmosphere accurately, it was like a sixth-grade classroom hearing about a new transfer student three months before graduation. In this closed society where factions, networks, and friendships were already solidified, it was very difficult for an outsider to receive a warm welcome.
"Hello, everyone."
Without being led in by a teacher, Peng Hyeon-hwi opened the door and greeted the hostile group of children with a smile.
"Nice to meet you. I am Peng Hyeon-hwi of the Hebei Peng Family. There isn't much time left until the Licentiate Exam, but let’s get along. Any questions?"
"Me! Is it true you killed people yourself?"
"I heard the Peng Family cooks human flesh for dinner!"
"Did you even finish the Thousand Character Classic? You should learn some basic manners at home before coming here. Do you think you can act all high and mighty just because you've read a few books?"
Amidst the barrage from these natural-born medieval aristocrats, who had never had to care about anyone else's opinion in their lives, Peng Hyeon-hwi nodded with a lingering smile.
"I see. I’ve gauged your level."
"You? How dare you? I am—"
"No, don't speak. Stop, shh. I’m so bored I feel like dying."
He hoisted a heavy desk, walked to the entrance, and slammed it down, blocking the door.
"Manners..."
He raised his hand and, with a loud crack, snapped the legs of the desk. He wedged them into the doorframe, effectively locking it.
"...make..."
He dusted off his hands, turned around, and smiled.
"...the scholar. You little shits."
"What is he doing?"
"Student-led Confucian education."
Peng Hyeon-hwi strode toward the kids who were snickering at him.
*
"Peng Hyeon-hwi, this is not the Hebei Peng Family."
"Yes, I am aware."
"Even if you only registered to have your name on the rolls for the Licentiate Exam, once you cross the threshold of this academy, you are a scholar, not a warrior. I won't tell you to forget what you learned in the Peng Family, but a learned scholar does not harm people with his fists."
"Yes, I will be careful."
"Then the lecture is over. Phew, my heart is still racing."
"Ex... excuse me?"
"What, is there more to repent for? That would be troublesome."
The middle-aged man sitting across the desk was the scholar in charge of the room I had been assigned to. You could think of him as the homeroom teacher.
I had been summoned after half-killing five students in my assigned room. Of course, I didn't think a mere teacher at the academy could seriously hold a direct descendant of the Peng Family accountable, but even so, his reaction was surprisingly dry. It was closer to annoyance than fear.
"Usually, in this situation, wouldn't you give me a stern lecture or...?"
"Me? Lecture you? Haha! The youngest master of the Hebei Peng Family is far too humble. Did you really think I could teach you anything?"
The middle-aged man chuckled and tapped his books into a neat pile. He poured a cup of warm tea and pushed it toward me.
"You got what you wanted anyway, didn't you? You saw the room you were assigned to, realized you didn't want to spend three months there, and caused a scene to get moved. Wasn't that the plan?"
"..."
"I know, I know. The scholars in that room weren't exactly of the quality the youngest master of the Great Hebei Peng Family would want to study with. Just a bunch of fools who think they’re something special because of who their fathers are."
He was right.
Medieval China—and indeed, the entire world at this time—was a caste-based society. It wasn't that different in the 21st century, but it was far more blatant back then.
The "difference in power" based on rank, status, and birth was revealed through hints far more obvious than the words carved on an identification tag. It was in the clothes one wore, the way one spoke, the habit of walking, the manner of handling utensils, and even the slightest facial expression.
Unless one was born an "aristocrat," there was a gap in all these areas that could never be bridged. I felt that gap acutely with the kids in my first room. Or rather, I felt the gap of the "lowly."
I had lived in this era for over ten years now. My intuition for power had developed into a sixth sense.
"Maybe they thought you were lowly because you're from a martial family, or maybe they were trying to keep you in check because a Peng scion is taking the exams, or maybe... it was just a coincidence. But why should I care? Right?"
The nameless scholar grinned and took a sip of his tea.
In that moment, I realized. This man knew I had caused trouble because I was dissatisfied with my assigned room. He also knew that no matter what I did, no blame would fall on me. He had deduced that I understood these two facts at my age and had acted upon them.
And so, he had given up on trying to "manage" me. Or rather, he had chosen to let me be.
This man was a "real" scholar, the likes of which I hadn't seen in my ten years with the Hebei Peng Family. He had observed my first move, read my past actions, considered my family, and after careful thought—he had seen right through me.
"It feels a bit silly to say this now, but..."
I took a sip of the tea he had poured. In this country, there was an expression: "Holding the same cup." It was a gesture meaning "I will not be your enemy."
"May I ask your name?"
"No need for formalities. Just call me Scholar Yu."
"If you are a scholar at the Court of Judicial Review's academy, you must have held a government post."
"I was appointed as a Senior Compiler at the Hanlin Academy and came down immediately after."
"I see."
A Senior Compiler was the first post given to those who passed the Imperial Examination with top honors. The Hanlin Academy was essentially a research institute for Confucianism, similar to a modern elite university.
To have "top honors" meant passing the Licentiate, Provincial, Metropolitan, and Palace Exams, and ranking first in the final exam held before the Emperor himself. He was a man who had cleared a hurdle that only one person in the entire Central Plains could clear every three years. Though he was currently a teacher at an academy, he was a talent guaranteed to enter the Grand Secretariat in the future.
"I am delighted to have such a distinguished person as my teacher. I no longer have any worries about the Licentiate Exam."
"Haha, you're flattering a scholar who eats nothing but wild greens. You're quite interesting."
The fact that he had smiled and offered me tea despite knowing my intentions was a highly political act. It meant he would move me to a different class as I wished.
I hadn't swung my fists just because my pride was wounded. A reincarnator shouldn't act so simply. From the start, I needed to act more aggressively than usual to ensure I was reassigned.
The kids in my first room were, as Scholar Yu said, "low quality." And that defeated the purpose of me risking a trip to the academy.
Publicly, I was bait to draw out the White Lotus Cult remnants in Beijing. To my grandfather, I was the genius grandson bringing joy by passing the exam.
But to me...
This is an opportunity to build connections with princes and genuine high-ranking nobles.
That would be an asset unique to me, something my brothers didn't have. And the man before me was the same.
"The rumors floating around the Hanlin Academy weren't entirely baseless. They said there was a boy in the Peng Family worth watching."
"Those are far too generous words for a mere ten-year-old."
"I heard you mastered the Thousand Character Classic at three, the Elementary Learning at five, and now you have the Four Books and Five Classics memorized by heart?"
"That is true."
"When I first heard it, I thought the Hebei Peng Family was spreading exaggerations again, but seeing your schemes, it must be true. How fascinating."
Scholar Yu chuckled and set down his teacup.
"The Hanlin Academy will be watching you now, Peng Hyeon-hwi."
"Should I be nervous?"
"Is your heart so weak that you'd be nervous about a friend's interest?"
"The more friends, the better. I thank you for your high appraisal."
"Excellent."
I gave Scholar Yu a deep bow and left his room. I hadn't started this with a light heart, but the officials and scholars of this country were certainly more impressive than I had expected.
*
The dormitory of Yeongyeong Academy was peaceful. I tossed my blood-stained clothes to Nang-rang and took a leisurely stroll through the dormitory garden.
It was a magnificent place. It looked as though a fortune in gold had been poured into its creation. Well-tended pine trees were elegantly intertwined. This was a sight one would never see in the Peng estate, where no one cared for aesthetics.
Whenever I saw places like this, it hit me again that I had truly fallen into medieval China. Along with the thought that I was the only one who could preach proper moral philosophy in this barbaric land.
This is the modern man's burden. The destiny of a reincarnator...
"You seem awfully relaxed for someone who just trashed five noble brats, Young Master Peng."
In the quiet garden under the full moon, a young boy was looking at me with a smirk.
"Are you here to pick a fight too?"
"No, I came because I was curious. Nice to meet you, Peng Hyeon-hwi."
The boy, dressed in a pristine white silk robe, waved his hand at me. His skin was so pale his veins were visible, as if he had never spent a day in the sun. With his sharp nose and large eyes, he was so pretty he could pass for a girl if he changed his clothes.
"I’m Cheon U-rin. My uncle is an Assistant Censor of the Hanlin Academy, so don't go reaching for your fists just yet."
"It brings tears to my eyes to finally meet a scholar who knows some manners."
"Those guys were a bit immature."
The annoyingly pretty boy chuckled like an adult, as if he weren't a child himself. I felt a sense of profound relief at finally meeting a peer I could actually talk to.
"I’m in luck."
The nephew of an Assistant Censor. An Assistant Censor was a high-ranking official at the top of the administrative hierarchy. It was a position that almost certainly led to the Grand Secretariat. If I could build a friendship with a boy from such a family on my first day, I couldn't ask for more.
"Let’s get along."
"Huh? Ahaha, you're funny. You're going to leave in less than three months anyway, aren't you?"
"Does that mean we can't be friends just because we'll only see each other for three months?"
"No, it’s just interesting. People around here don't usually talk like that. Let’s get along, Hyeon-hwi. The time until the Licentiate Exam won't be boring."
Cheon U-rin laughed, dusted off his white sleeves, and stood up.
When I returned to my room, Nang-rang brought me a letter. The envelope, made of purple paper, was very familiar to me. It made sense; I had received one every month for the past six months without fail.
"You should read it quickly and write a reply."
"A reply? For what?"
I chuckled and took the letter. As I opened the envelope, which carried a faint scent of irises, I saw the familiar handwriting. The characters were still a bit clumsy and unrefined, somewhat crooked.
[I hope you are well.]
For a kid who looked like she wouldn't even be able to write her own name, she had somehow learned to write letters with such deliberate strokes. I felt a sense of pride seeing her handwriting improve bit by bit every time. Truly, there are no bad dogs in this world.
[The days at Heaven Mountain are peaceful as always. I imagine the cold winds are starting to blow in Shuntian Prefecture. Please take care of your health.]
Honestly, I wondered if someone had ghostwritten this for her.
[I recently heard news of your accomplishments. I, too, am attempting to manage my internal energy, though my progress is meager compared to yours. Writing this, I find myself smiling, as it feels like we are still studying together despite being ten thousand li apart.]
Yeah, this was definitely ghostwritten.
[As always, I await your reply. But if you are busy, I am content simply watching from afar. I hope you remain safe, and I end this short letter with my deepest regards.]
[Im Hwa-yeong, looking down from Heaven Mountain at the end of summer.]
"I can't believe this."
"What is it?"
"She was a kid who could barely speak properly, there's no way she could write something like this. It’s only been three years."
"Oh my, haven't you heard the saying that a scholar changes so much in a single day that you must look at them with fresh eyes?"
"Is that really the right time to use that saying?"
I chuckled and folded the letter. The purple paper felt smooth against my fingertips. For some reason, the faint scent of irises seemed to linger on my hand, putting me in a good mood.
Through proper education, I had transformed a child who lived like a beast into a respectable, civilized person.
This is what you call educational service.
Practicing concepts that didn't exist in this era—that was the true virtue of a reincarnator. I sent the fussing Nang-rang out and went to bed, feeling satisfied.
*
That month, when the reply failed to arrive again, Im Hwa-yeong sent her twenty-sixth ghostwriter to the mines and began writing a letter once more.
The twenty-seventh ghostwriter, his face pale and trembling, entered the pavilion of the Young Heavenly Demon.