Chapter Twelve: The New Year's Festival

“Later, the old gentleman asked me how one could govern a nation, cultivate a family, and bring peace to the world. I didn’t know, so I answered casually. Since I’ve always been frail and sickly, I’ve longed for medical knowledge, so I told him I wished to learn the art of healing and saving lives. Upon hearing this, the white-bearded old man taught me medicine for two years, but forbade me from acknowledging him as my master. Some days ago, he left, saying we would meet again if fate allowed. He also told me, if my family asked, I could explain the events in general terms, but must never mention his origins or appearance, or great calamity would befall us.”

Li Zisheng did not wish his family to continue probing, so he decisively quelled their curiosity.

The Li family members were filled with countless thoughts, never expecting Li Zisheng to have such an extraordinary encounter. They now understood the cause and effect behind his transformation—two years ago, Li Zisheng’s temperament changed drastically, along with his habits. At first, the family suspected he’d fallen ill, but now they realized it must have been because of this elder.

Many sages and scholars enjoyed wandering among mortals; perhaps this venerable man saw promise in their little Zisheng and wished to guide him—a fortune beyond compare.

Grandfather and grandmother were overjoyed upon hearing this, resolving to burn more incense for their ancestors, praying for their continued blessings. Though each had different thoughts, everyone was glad for Li Zisheng’s good fortune.

Madam Wang and Li Zisheng’s father smiled broadly—this was tremendous luck. They vowed to reward little Zisheng generously when they returned home.

“Haha, excellent! Remember, none of you must ever speak of this outside the family. This is a matter of great importance for us. Old wife, fetch some mutton for Fourth Son’s family, let little Zisheng eat more and grow stronger.” Grandfather, delighted, gave their family a large piece of mutton.

Grandmother was happy to see this, coming over to gently stroke Li Zisheng’s head. Li Zisheng, in turn, playfully acted spoiled with his grandparents.

Grandmother called Madam Wang to the storehouse to fetch the mutton, urging her to stew it for little Zisheng. The other uncles and aunts could only envy, glancing at their own children covered in stains and then at Li Zisheng, whose clothes, though faded from washing, were spotless. Clearly, their own children lacked such fortune, and they could only sigh in admiration.

“Little Zisheng, who would have thought you’d been up to so much? Tell me, what else are you hiding from your mother? If you don’t confess, you’ll get a spanking today.” Madam Wang pretended to be angry, while the honest father quietly handled the mutton, eager to have meat stew after so long without it.

Night fell. Some of the Li family rejoiced, others were envious, while grandfather and grandmother entered the ancestral hall to thank the ancestors for their protection.

Li Zisheng’s reputation, thanks to his curing the convulsions of children, slowly began to spread beyond Tianshui Village. After all, a seven-year-old miracle doctor was astonishing, and he soon gained renown among the healers of Hui Le County.

Meals remained humble, daily life unchanged.

But now grandfather had a new understanding. After Li Zisheng revealed the truth, he used some family silver to buy ancient books for little Zisheng to read. Li Zisheng was quite pleased, for if he became too remarkable, he might well be seized for study. There were plenty of prodigies in ancient times, but none quite so extraordinary.

Thus, Li Zisheng seized the opportunity to immerse himself in reading, never venturing beyond the gate, dedicating himself to the classics. The elders were delighted by this and reduced household expenses as much as possible, spending all savings on books and study materials for Li Zisheng. Especially since Hui Le County was a key trading hub with the Turks, there was frequent cultural exchange, and books weren’t so expensive.

Naturally, Cheng Zhongliang, Li Zisheng’s first mentor, also heard of this, and had grandfather pick up a selection of classics from his own home for Li Zisheng to read and annotate.

At first, it was the basic primers—“The Urgent Compilation,” “Essential Instruction for Enlightenment,” “The Thousand Character Classic”—then came “The Rabbit Garden Strategy,” “The Pursuit of Enlightenment,” “Selected Sentences for Literary Examinations,” “Miscellaneous Notes,” and “The Directory of Common Affairs.” One book after another left Li Zisheng with no time to show himself in public. Most notably, his annotations always gave Cheng Zhongliang fresh insight.

Messages must be spread to endure, but since Li Zisheng had not treated any more cases after curing the convulsions, the legend of the seven-year-old prodigy gradually faded, replaced by other news. Li Zisheng was glad for this, preferring to live modestly and act boldly.

Time flew by; in an instant, the festival season arrived. After months of quiet study, Li Zisheng now carried a scholar’s air—his every gesture marked with the bearing of a learned youth.

A blaze of colorful clouds greeted the dawn, and a thousand red candles ushered in spring.

The festival was the grandest holiday of the year. Whether in the capital Chang’an or in a remote village, people hung lanterns and decorated their homes. For several days, the imperial curfew was lifted, and everyone—from laborers to merchants, adults to children—could walk the streets. The whole nation was alive with joy.

The Li family was no exception. Before the festival was “Sweeping Day,” when the household joined together to clean every corner. Dried goods, cold dishes, wine for toasting, platters of five-spice vegetables, imitation fruits, and sticky candies were brought out.

The Li men went daily to the back hills to gather firewood for the winter. As the youngest grandson, Li Zisheng wanted to join them, but grandmother stopped him. After the festival, he was to enter school, so grandmother, seeing him, was even more delighted, always saying that Zisheng was the star of literature descended from the heavens, destined to be a top scholar, and should not do rough labor.

The family’s affection for Li Zisheng was well known; Madam Wang and the others said nothing, so they left him out of the chores. Early on Sweeping Day, the men—including Li Zisheng’s two younger cousins, Li Zijun from Third Uncle’s household and Li Zixiu from First Uncle’s—put on their thick coats and, together with their uncles, headed deep into the back hills.

Li Zisheng was forbidden by his grandparents to leave the yard, allowed only to roam nearby, lest he fall or get hurt. So, with nothing else to do, he wandered aimlessly around the courtyard.