The Temple of Confucius in Qufu, once the residence of Confucius himself, was first established in the second year after his death during the reign of Duke Ai of Lu in the Eastern Zhou period. Through successive expansions by later emperors, it had taken on the grandeur of a palace. Courtyards surrounded the temple complex, filled with Chinese junipers, plants with scale-like leaves so fine and intricate they resembled delicate carvings.

  Within the temple were numerous structures, the most prominent among them being the Dacheng Hall. It was teeming with visitors who had come to pay their respects. Among the crowd were two youths—one wearing a beige right-over-left robe and a peculiar hexagonal hat, the other slightly older, clad in a silk gray round-collar robe and a square scholar’s scarf.

  Both of them were visibly awestruck by the majesty and scale of the architecture.

  "My hometown’s Temple of Confucius is nothing like this," CHIANG, SHUN-JEN murmured. "To stand in the very place where the Sage once lived… I now truly feel the greatness of the Master."

  "You even switched your tone of speech from surprise," LI, SHIH-LIANG chuckled. "Still, I get it. I’ve never seen anything this grand before either."

  "It was the right decision to come pay respects to the Great Sage. My eyes have been opened," CHIANG said.

  "I thought you came to pray for success in the imperial exam," LI teased.

  "That depends on one’s own effort, not on the gods or spirits," CHIANG replied. "Besides, worshiping Confucius shouldn’t be so transactional."

  They walked along the central avenue until they reached a shaded path flanked by cypress trees. Sitting down beside the trail, they took out water to drink.

  "I prefer this quiet greenery over the imposing palaces," LI said.

  They sat in silence for a long time before CHIANG suddenly asked, "What do you plan to do next? I mean, once we reach the capital, where will you go?"

  LI thought for a moment, then replied, "I’ll probably try to find work in a town near the capital. I’ll make sure to stay far from Luoyang—away from those foxes’ stronghold. Beyond that, I’ll leave it to fate."

  "Rather than continue drifting from place to place, why not come back with me to Minnan? It’s hot and humid, sure, but it’s a prosperous place," CHIANG offered.

  "No," LI refused flatly. "I still need to stay hidden from those foxes. If I stay with you after entering the city, I’ll only bring you more trouble."

  "You don’t need to worry about that," CHIANG said. "I have my own ways of dealing with those foxes."

  "You don’t understand," LI said. "They have a vast commercial network. And werewolves—my own kind—serve as their enforcers. You're just a scholar. You can't fight them."

  "But I have you," CHIANG said calmly. "I’ve seen what you're capable of on this journey. You’ve protected me from danger. We’re in the same boat now—and we will be from here on."

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  LI, SHIH-LIANG stared at him. “What exactly are you planning to do?”

  “The herb they use for alchemy—Polygonum orientale, isn’t it also used for dyeing cloth?” CHIANG asked.

  “Yes, it’s a common ingredient for blue dye. But what does that have to do with anything?”

  “I’ve decided,” CHIANG said calmly. “I’m not going to become an official.”

  “What?” LI looked stunned. “Then why did we travel all this way?”

  “Passing the imperial examination doesn’t guarantee a government post,” CHIANG explained. “There’s already a surplus of officials. Even if I pass, it would be a long wait before I’d receive a post. So instead—”

  “Instead what?” LI pressed.

  “Instead, I’ll use the prestige of becoming a jinshi to run a legitimate business. Jinshi are exempt from labor taxes, you know. If I invest my family wealth into a dye business and start importing large quantities of Polygonum orientale, under the guise of textile production…” CHIANG paused, his voice lowering with intensity. “What will those foxes use for alchemy then?”

  LI’s eyes widened. He was stunned by CHIANG’s daring plan—but also certain it would fail. “If you do that, they’ll realize what’s happening and come after you. You’d be marked for death.”

  “That’s why I need you to stay with me. If you’re by my side, I’ll have someone who can protect me. No matter what happens, it’s better than wandering the streets alone. I’ll be your shield—and you, mine.”

  LI’s voice shook. “That’s too dangerous. Please… don’t do this. I can endure anything myself, but I don’t want to drag you into this…”

  CHIANG grabbed LI and embraced him tightly. “I want to protect you. I may not be able to stop my family from harming the common folk, and maybe I’ll never change the world as an official. But if I can at least protect the people close to me—that’s enough.”

  “I owe you a debt. Let me repay it this way. That way, you won’t have to keep wandering.”

  LI was silent for a long while. Since stepping into the world beyond his secluded village, no one had ever treated him kindly—until CHIANG. And with FOX spirit LI, CHING’s help, he had come to realize the outside world wasn’t made only of cruelty and deception. Perhaps… perhaps if he had a safe place and a strong patron, he wouldn’t have to live in fear anymore.

  But this boy holding him—could he really become that shelter?

  Could he truly depend on him?

  He didn’t know.

  But how long could he keep running?

  If things went on like this, he would surely die in a foreign land.

  Maybe… it was worth the risk.

  “…Alright,” LI whispered. “I’ll stay with you.” His voice cracked. “Thank you. But I’m so scared. I’m scared they’ll kill you.”

  CHIANG held him tighter. “As long as we give it everything we’ve got, we’ll beat them. Someday, you’ll have a peaceful life.”

  They remained in each other’s arms for a long time, until LI’s sobs gradually quieted.

  Two boys, their futures shrouded in uncertainty, made a promise to one another beneath the cypress trees.

  Soon, after the exam, they would face trials far more dangerous than any test—but no matter what, they had chosen to walk that path together.

  The late afternoon sun filtered through the cypress canopy, casting speckled light across the path where the two of them still sat. The wind stirred gently through the branches, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and distant incense from the temple.

  Their arms finally loosened.

  LI, SHIH-LIANG wiped his face with his sleeve and let out a shaky breath. “I don’t know what the future holds,” he said softly, “but if I’m with you… maybe I’ll be able to stop running.”

  CHIANG smiled, though his heart trembled too. “Then it’s settled. We go to the capital together—not just for the exam, but for everything that comes after.”

  They stood up, brushing off the dirt from their robes. As they walked slowly back toward the temple courtyard, the world around them felt different—no longer a place filled only with fear, but one where hope might still grow.

  From that day forward, under the watchful gaze of Confucius and the shelter of ancient cypress trees, the two boys—one a scholar, the other a hunted werewolf—pledged to walk the same path.

  And though the road ahead would be treacherous, they would face it side by side.

  Reference

  One Book to Master: Chinese Architecture, New Taipei City: Linking Publishing, September 2015.